Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

IN THE ECUADOREAN ANDES 175
known village of Bafios, and of the surrounding
mountains, with their more interesting botanical
features.]
To Mr. George Bentham
BANGS, ECUADOR, Sept. i, 1857.
The last part of the journey, namely, the over-
land part of it, was by far the worst.
Road there is none, but only the merest sem-
blance of a track, such as the tapir makes to its
feeding- and drinking-places ; often carried along
the face of precipices, where had it not been for
projecting roots on which to lay hold, the passage
would have been impossible. No one ever opens
the road no fallen trees have been cleared away
-no overhanging branches cut off. From Canelos
the rains set in with greater severity than ever-
the dripping forest, through which I had to push
my way, soaking my garments so that towards
evening my arms and shoulders were quite benumbed
and the mud, which even on the tops of
the hills was often over the knees made our
progress very slow and painful.
The Indians were little accustomed to carry
burdens some of them had never been out before
and though I had made the loads as light as
possible, they grumbled
much and often threatened
to leave me. I had brought from Tarapoto a trunk
full of paper for drying my plants, but when we
reached the Jibaro settlement, where unceasing
rains kept us three days, I found it absolutely
necessary to throw all the if paper away I did not