with the simple
people among whom he dwelt.

"Morning came, and the expedition set forth; not, however, until a grand
mass had been celebrated in the church, and prayers offered up for the
success of the hunt. The cavalcade then got under weigh, and commenced
winding up the rugged path that led toward the `Altos,' or Puna heights.
We travelled in a different direction from that in which my companion
and I had come.

"The expedition itself was a picturesque affair. There were horses,
mules, and llamas, men, women, children, and dogs; in fact, almost every
living thing in the village had turned out. A chacu is no common
occasion--no one day affair. It was to be an affair of weeks. There
were rude tents carried along; blankets and cooking utensils; and the
presence of the women was as necessary as any part of the expedition.
Their office would be to do the cooking, and keep the camp in order! as
well as to assist in the hunt.

"Strung out in admirable confusion, we climbed up the mountain--a
picturesque train--the men swinging along in their coloured ponchos of
llama wool, and the women dressed in bright mantas of `bayeta' (a coarse
cloth, of native manufacture). I noticed several mules and llamas
packed with loads of a curious character. Some carried large bundles of
rags--others were loaded with coils of rope--while several were
`freighted' with short poles, tied in bunches. I had observed these
cargoes being prepared before leaving the village, and could not divine
the use of them. That would no doubt be explained when we had reached
the scene of the chacu, and I forbore to trouble my companions with any
interrogatories, as I had enough to do to guide my horse along the
slippery path we were travelling.

"About a mile from the village there was a sudden halt. I inquired the
cause.

"`The _huaro_,' was the reply.

"I knew the huaro to be the name of a peculiar kind of bridge, and I
learnt that one was here to be crossed. I rode forward, and found
myself in front of the huaro. A singular structure it was. I could
scarcely believe in the practicability of our getting over it. The
padre, however, assured me it was a good one, and we should all be on
the other side in a couple of hours!

"I at first felt inclined to treat this piece of information as a joke:
but it proved that the priest was in earnest. It was full two hours
before we were all crossed with our bag and baggage.

"The huaro was nothi