Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 89
without suffering from mosquitoes, though a snake
may creep to his side for warmth, or he may be
disturbed by the invasion of a jaguar, especially if
he has allowed his fire to get low. Tambos are
always placed near good water, and as every
traveller carries his coffee-pot and provisions, he
has it in his power to enjoy one of the greatest of
earthly pleasures a cup of good coffee after a long
and fatiguing walk or ride. Pans for cooking can
rarely be carried, but meat and plantains can easily
be roasted.
The inhabitants of Tarapoto have often good
broad roads to their farms and cane-mills, especially
when several of these lie in the same direction. A
great obstacle to the use of these, and indeed of all
other roads, is in the swelling of streams and the
improvidence of the people in making no bridges ;
and though the waters generally fall as rapidly as
they have risen, several hours must sometimes be
passed on the banks, at great inconvenience or loss,
awaiting their abatement.
[Besides this main western route to Moyobambu,
two other roads or mule-tracks lead out of Tarapoto
to the south and east. That to Juan Guerra has
been referred to in Spruce's letter to Teasi
describing his journey to Tarapoto. Another goe
nearly due east till, after crossing the rivers Shillicaio
and Aguashiyacu, with their intervening hill
ridges, it sends a branch south-westwards, and then
again eastward to Chapaja on the Huallaga river,
while the main route continues over a high :
of Mount Guayrapurima to Chasuta, at th
entrance of the pongo of that river,
these roads Spruce collected assiduous!