the drying influence of the sun. When thoroughly dried it
would be conveyed to the town of Guaranda, and then sent down by mules
to Guayaquil. I should have mentioned that the chinchona trees
surrounding us were very beautiful and graceful. They had large, broad,
oval, deep green, shining leaves, with white and fragrant flowers, and
the bark was of a red colour. The trees varied in height from forty to
sixty feet. There were other trees in the neighbourhood which looked
very like them, but Don Jose showed us the difference. The nature of
the bark is known by its splintery, fibrous, or corky texture. The true
bark is of the former character.

Having cleaned out the hut, we made our usual arrangements for passing
the night. Don Jose and Domingos, I saw, were somewhat uneasy, and two
of the men were sent out as scouts to watch the path by which we had
reached the hut.

"It is well to take precautions against surprise," observed our friend.
"However, our enemies, if they do follow us, will not travel during the
night, so that we shall be able, by moving early, to have a good start
of them."

At length, two hours after sunset, the Indians returned, reporting that
they had seen no one. I was awaked by hearing Don Jose's voice--"Up,
friends, up! We will be on the road, and not breakfast till we reach a
spot where no foe is likely to follow us." He held a torch in his hand,
by the light of which we got ready to mount. The Indians had meantime
saddled the mules, which were brought round to the door of the hut.
"Follow my example," he said, producing from a bag which he carried
slung over his shoulder, under his poncho, some dried leaves. "This
will enable you to travel on for many hours without hunger, and assist
in preventing the damp air of the forest from having any ill effect."
Sitting down on the trunk of a felled tree, he placed the bag before
him, and put leaf after leaf into his mouth, till he had formed a small
ball. He then took out from the bag a little cake, which I have since
found was composed of carbonate of potash, prepared by burning the stalk
of the quinoa plant, and mixing the ashes with lime and water. The
cakes thus formed are called _llipta_. The coca-bag, which he called
his _chuspa_, was made of llama cloth, dyed red and blue in patterns,
with woollen tassels hanging from it. His attendants followed their
master's example, as did John, Arthur, and I. Domingos, however,
declined doing