Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 91
in September 1856, and in November of the same
year. 1
After the first month he began the more difficult
excursions to the pongo of the Shillicaio, to the
river Aguashiyacu, and to Mount Guayrapurima.
This latter mountain he visited twice afterwards-
in January and in June 1856, staying some days,
or perhaps even weeks, each time. Of the second
of these excursions there are a few notes.
This mountain, whose highest summits lie about
12 to 15 miles due east of Tarapoto, sends out spurs
to the Huallaga, while to the north-west it extends
till it mingles with the more prominent mountains
north of the town. It consists of many steep
ridges, which from some aspects give it a serrated
appearance, while from Tarapoto it has a pyramidal
outline with much-broken sides. It is penetrated
by deep and almost impassable ravines and valleys.
The meaning of the name is " Where the wind
blows," and Spruce says that on the high ridges
(over one of which the road to Chasuta passes)
the wind seems to be almost constant, and
strong as in precipitous parts of the track to be
dangerous. They blow always from the north, and
where Spruce slept, a few hundred feet below the
1
[Among the miscellaneous " notes " on Uninteresting
remark : "doing out of Tarapoto in different direc
the soil may be the same, there is much difference in the
accounts for the large amount of time he devoted to this pampa
instructive as showing that differences of conditions quiU
determine the presence or ab^-ncx- of certain species at
no doubt in some cases their absolute extinction or preservr
the same phenomenon occurs everywhere around us, as
but they sometimes forget what a striking proof such
of the struggle for existence, even undei what appear t
favourable conditions, and the rigidity of the
mines the result. Ki>. 1