Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

TO THE CINCHONA FORESTS 265
before reaching the zone where these genera grow in the greatest
luxuriance, and at less than 2000 feet below the Arenal, we came
on the first tree, a Polylepis (allied to our common burnet), form-
ing groves here and there along the declivity. The bark of this
tree resembles that of the birch in colour, and in its peeling off
in flakes ; but if one could suppose an arborescent Acm-na, it
would give a better idea of the pinnate silvery foliage. On the
opposite side not of Chimborazo, which is bare of trees, but of
its sister mountain Carguairazo a Buddleia approaches nearest
the snow-line. In descending the same side of the Cordillera,
towards Pallatanga, ten leagues south of Chimborazo, a Podocarpus
and a Berberis ascend higher than any other tree, while a
Polylepis (distinct from that of Chimborazo) ceases 1000 feet
below them. On Chimborazo, on the contrary, the same Podocarpus
fails a long way below the first-mentioned Polylepis. An
accurate discrimination of the species is therefore needed, before
we can compare their climatal distribution.
Still descending, various other trees began to appear, such as
Buddleiae, Myrcias, and especially an Araliacea, called from its
large palmate leaves (which are hoary beneath) Puma-maqui or
tiger's paw. Here and there the track rounded the heads of
qucbradas, deep and dark, and'full of low trees, which were laden
with mosses.
At about half-way down we came out on a narrow grassy ridge,
i 'a lied the Ensillada (Saddleback), where several long low straw huts
had been recently erected for the accommodation of the soldiery
when marching that way. As we neared the encampment, four
raw-looking youths armed with lances rushed out and confronted
but our
us, demanding our passports. We had none to show,
antagonists did not look very formidable, and a shot from one of
our revolvers would probably have put them to flight, had I not
been furnished with a weapon which I have found far safer and
more efficacious in such contingencies, namely, a bottle of strong
aguardiente, a taste of which dispelled all opposition to our pro-
mil
gress, and also served to induce the guardians of the pass to I
us water lor making coffee.
Below the ICnsillada we came on steeply inclined strata "I
schists, across and down which we went on stumbling
for at least
a couple of hours ; for, as the track runs over their proje< ting ;md
ja^-ed ed-es, which no pains have been taken to smooth down,
we passed them not without inconvenience and danger. At this
stage of our journey we became' enveloped in cloud, which lill. d
all the valley of (Inaranda, so that we could thenceforth only
discern objects near at hand.
We reached (niaranda just after nightfall, having travelled
eleven weary leagues from Chuquipogyo. (iuaramia is a rather
neat little town, with good tiled house's built of adobes, and stands