Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

XXVIII HIDDEN TREASURE 515
the curve the point already reached, merely implies
that you are to turn back and ascend the mountain
in a winding course till you reach the middle of the
south side of it. So far you have been going through
"
forest, but now you are told On this side thou
"
wilt find a pajonal (pasture)
in a small plain (show-
ing that you have reached a considerable height),
" which having crossed thou wilt come on a canon
between two hills, which is the way of the Inca."
This canon is clearly the upper part of the " Chushpi
pongo," while the " Encanado de Sacha pamba " is
almost certainly the beginning of the " way of the
Inca." The explorers will now have reached the
area bounded by the three volcanoes of the " Guide "
-the Margasitas will be behind them, Zunchu-
urcu on his right, and the great volcano Topo in
front, and it is from this point only that they will be
in a position to look out for the remaining marks of
the " Route" -the socabon or tunnel " in the form
of a church porch," and evidently still far above them,
the cascade and the quaking -bog, passing to the
right of which is the way to " ascend the mountain,"
going " above the cascade " and " round the offshoot
of the mountain "
to reach the socabon. Then you
will be able to find the Guayra (or furnace), and to
reach the "third mountain," which must be the
Topo, you are to pass the socabon " either in front
or behind it, for the water of the lake falls into it."
This evidently means the lake mentioned in the
first sentence of the "Guide" as being the place
where the gold prepared for the ransom of the Inca
was hidden. The last sentence of the " Guide "
refers to what must be done if you miss the turning
shown by the hieroglyph, in which case you have