156 
INTEODUCTION OE CINCHONA INTO INDIA. 
( Concluded' from page 109.) 
In a letter from Mr. Markham to Mr. Baring M.P., the important fact was 
placed before the Government that in order to ensure the successful issue of any 
enterprise having for its object the introduction of cinchona into India, it was 
most desirable that plants or seeds of all the more valuable species should be 
obtained. To this end Mr. Markham advocated that four separate expeditions 
should be sent to South America,—one proceeding either to Bolivia or to the 
Peruvian province of Caravaya in order to procure Cinchona Calisaya and 
C. micrantha ,—a second which should visit the forests of Huanuco aud Huama- 
lies, 250 miles from Lima, there to obtain C. nitida and C. glandulifera , the 
sources of the valuable Grey Bark,—a third which should search the slopes of 
Chimborazo and bring thence the tree yielding Bed Bark, aud also the va¬ 
rieties of C. Condaviinea which afford the well-known Crown Bark of Loxa ;— 
while a fourth expedition should be entrusted with the duty of obtaining the 
Cinchona Bark trees of New Granada. 
The Government acceded as far as it was possible to this wise proposition, 
in consequence of which Mr. G. J. Pritchett proceeded from England to Lima 
and thence to the city of Huanuco situated on the eastern slope of the Andes, 
where he arrived on the 28 May 1860. u The time of my arrival ” writes Mr. 
Pritchett, in his dispatch to the Under-Secretary of State for India 
“ was unusually favourable for gaining information on every point that might be 
necessary, and ready and eager replies were given to my inquiries, in consequence of the 
expectations of the inhabitants being at the highest respecting the future prosperity of 
their city, on account of a grand road, which was already commenced, for connecting the 
province of Huanuco with the river Ucayali (about 50 leagues to the east), the largest 
and most important of the southern tributaries of the Amazon. 
“ Arriving at this time, with introductions from members of the Government in Lima, 
and not having anything to do with the usual objects that take people to Huanuco, it 
was impossible that the popular mind could allow me to pass unnoticed. To me, there¬ 
fore, was assigned the post of emissary from the Government for ascertaining the most 
suitable point on the Ucayali which should be made the terminus of the road, with 
the view of connection with the Amazon by large steamers on the former river. 
“ Provisions of dried meat, biscuit, lard, rice, tea and coffee, sugar, spirits, tin teapot 
and mug (the spirits being the most important of all in the damp forest) being ready, 
I left the city of Huanuco for the forest on the 9th June, having been delayed there 
twelve days by these indispensable preliminaries. 
“ The road to the bark district (I should say to the centre of the district, as it ex¬ 
tends from north to south over a distance of at least from 40 to 45 leagues) lies to the 
eastward, the first part of the road, for about 5 leagues, being down the valley of 
Huanuco, and more or less along the river’s bank. Sugar-cane estates occupy the land 
on either side, whose products supply the mineral district of the Cerro de pasco with 
large quantities of the aguardiente , the rum of the country, and is a source of extensive 
support and profit to the inhabitants. The whole of the cultivation is by irrigating 
canals from the river, a system most thoroughly understood by all the Indian population 
of South America. 
“ Leaving the valley of Huanuco, the road strikes off to the left, in a northerly direc¬ 
tion, gradually ascending from the river, in the direction of the highest part of the 
chain of mountains, at the top of v'hich is Carpis, and at a distance of about two 
leagues is the village of Acomayo. This is the halting place generally adopted by 
travellers leaving Huanuco, on account of eggs and alfalfa being both obtainable here, 
and the necessity for giving a good rest to the mules before attempting the pass of the 
mountain. It was my fate to both ascend and descend this mountain on foot, on ac¬ 
count of the unusually unfavourable state of the road at the time of my entering the 
forest. 
“ The great mountain range of Carpis may be considered the outpost of this part 
