XXVIII 
HIDDEN TREASURE 
515 
the curve the point already reached, merely implies 
that you are to turn back and ascend the mountain 
in a winding course till you reach the middle of the 
south side of it. So far you have been going through 
forest, but now you are told — On this side thou 
wilt find a pajonal (pasture) in a small plain " (show- 
ing that you have reached a considerable height), 
" which having crossed thou wilt come on a canon 
between two hills, which is the way of the Inca." 
This canon is clearly the upper part of the " Chushpi 
pongo," while the " Encanado de Sacha pamba " is 
almost certainly the beginning of the " way of the 
Inca." The explorers will now have reached the 
area bounded by the three volcanoes of the Guide " 
— the Margasitas will be behind them, Zunchu- 
urcu on his right, and the great volcano Topo in 
front, and it is from this point only that they will be 
in a position to look out for the remaining marks of 
the " Route" — the socabon or tunnel " in the form 
of a church porch," and evidently still far above them, 
the cascade and the quaking -bog, passing to the 
right of which is the way to " ascend the mountain," 
going " above the cascade " and " round the offshoot 
of the mountain " to reach the socabon. Then you 
will be able to find the Guayra (or furnace), and to 
reach the "third mountain," which must be the 
Topo, you are to pass the socabon " either in front 
or behind it, for the water of the lake falls into it." 
This evidently means the lake mentioned in the 
first sentence of the Guide " as being the place 
where the gold prepared for the ransom of the Inca 
was hidden. The last sentence of the " Guide " 
refers to what must be done if you miss the turning 
shown by the hieroglyph, in which case you have 
