IN THE ECUADOREAN ANDES 183 
lake (Myriophyllum, Lemna, and Callitriche). 
Guayrapata is almost as mossy as Abitagua, and 
much more flowery. 
[In a letter to his friend Mr. Teasdale, written 
a few days later, there are some details which are 
additional to those given to Mr. Bentham. After 
describing the journey to Bafios in much the same 
terms, he proceeds : — ] 
September 14, 1857. 
Bafios is a poor little place of about a thousand 
souls ; and it takes its name from certain hot 
springs that well out at the foot of a cataract of 
very cold water, falling from an offshoot of Tungu- 
ragua. The patron saint — Nuestra Sefiora de las 
Aguas Santas " — is a very miraculous saint, and 
''romeros" {i.e. pilgrims) come to adore at her shrine 
from far-away towns. In large troops they come — 
bathe nine days in the hot wells, assist at nine 
masses, rosarios, and processions, get drunk every 
night of the nine — all'm honour of the virgin — and 
then, after these actas de devocion," as they are 
called, return to their homes rejoicing, having 
fulfilled some previously-made promise to the saint, 
and feeling secure of her protection for the future. 
Bafios is nearly 6000 feet above the sea, and 
nestles under Tunguragua in the gorge of the 
Pastasa, where the deep narrow valley widens out 
a little at the estuary of a small river (the Bacciin) 
which rushes down from the volcano. In the 
village we have oranges, bananas, and sugar- 
cane, and on the hills close by barley, beans, and 
potatoes. Wheat is grown farther up the Andes, 
