Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

296 NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP.
caterpillars,
short, it is impossible
which also had to be combated. In
to detail here all the ob-
stacles encountered, and which only Mr. Cross's
unremitting watchfulness enabled him to surmount.
As his labours have been crowned by success, he
may perhaps give a separate account of them,
which will necessarily be fuller and more accurate
than any I could furnish.
The passage of troops still went on for some
days after Mr. Cross's arrival at Limon. A good
deal of rain had fallen in the upper woody region
and the roads were horrible. The poor beasts of
burden, ill-treated and with their heavy loads ill-
adjusted, had their backs worn into sores, and
of them sank under their burdens. Wher-
many
ever a beast gave in, there it was turned adrift.
In the warm forest, maggots soon filled their sores
and ate into their very entrails ; so, after wandering
about for a time, most pitiable objects, they at
all died. Between Guaranda and
length nearly
Ventanas not fewer than 300 dead horses and
mules strewed the track and the adjacent forest,
and above 20 carcasses were laid within nose-shot
of our hut. I set the Indians to roll them into
ditches and hollows, and cover them with branches
and earth, but the horrid smell turned their
stomachs and they never half performed the task.
During the day, whilst we were did not feel
going
so much inconvenience, but
about, we
when the
night breeze filled our hut with the vile odour we
found it impossible to sleep. Now I smoked
awhile, and then I lay down, covering my face
with a handkerchief
but all in vain.
wetted
When I
with camphorated
considered the fate
spirit,