Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

TARAPOTO TO CANELOS 115
and has not even received pay for cargoes of wax
and other products of the country which he had
taken or remitted to his superiors in Jeberos at
their request.
May 5 (Tuesday).- -This day at noon we got off
from Andoas. Our crews were eight men to each
canoe. Eighteen bunches of plantains were
embarked in each, for we calculated on fourteen
days to Sara-yacu (about 100 miles farther up the
Bombonasa), and the existence of plantains on the
route was uncertain. Besides plantains, we took a
great store of yucas, sweet potatoes, and pine-
apples ; and
the Indians so filled the canoe with
their pots of masuto (fermented yucas), beds, etc.,
that they had not room to work. . . .
May 6 ( Wednesday).- - ... This morning at three
we got off and shortly afterwards entered the mouth
of the Bombonasa, which was about 60 yards wide,
winding, muddy because nearly full, with vegetation
exactly the same as on the Pastasa, where the
shore was fiat grasses (Panicum aniplcx, etc.,
Gynerium, and other genera and species with
Cecropias, Ingas, etc.). On the steep loamy bank
there were ferns, especially a Mertensia, and the
forest trees of Pastasa, with Iriartca vc
and a stout tall palm near the CEnocarpus P
In some respects it reminds me of the Casiquiari
towards the upper mouth. The muddy, shallow
water winding considerably the dense, intricate
vegetation
of the shores where low are the
but the Bombonasa is much smaller.
May 7 (Thursday).- -The river went down ncarl;
i j- feet in the night.