The Andes and the Amazon, or, Across the continent of South America / by James Orton.

  • Orton, James, 1830-1877.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Andes and the Amazon, or, Across the continent of South America / by James Orton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tonian friends, who turned out to see the largest expedition that ever left the city for the wild Napo country since the days of Pizarro. Few there were who expected to hear of our safe arrival on the shores of the Atlantic. Crossing the magnificent plain of Inaquito, we reached in an hour the romantic village of Guapulo. Here is an elegant stone church dedicated to the Virgin of Guada- loupe, to which the faithful make an annual pilgrimage. Thence the road led us through the valley of the Guailla- bamba (a tributary to the Esmeraldas), here and there blessed with signs of intelligent life—a mud hut, and lit- tle green fields of cane and alfalfa, and dotted with trees of wild cherry and myrtle, but having that air of sadness and death-like repose so inseparable from a Quitonian landscape. The greater part of this day’s ride w^as over a rolling country so barren and dreary it was almost re- pulsive. Wliat a pity the sun shines on so much useless territory! Just before sunset we arrived at Itulcachi, a great cattle estate at the foot of the eastern chain of mountains. The hacienda had seen better days, and was poorly fitted to en- tertain man or beast. The major-domo, however, managed to make some small potato soup, and find us shelter for the night. In the room allotted us there were three immense kneading-troughs and two bread-boards to match, for a grist-mill and bakery were connected with the establish- ment. In default of beds, we made use of this furniture. Five wiser men have slept in better berths, but few have slept more soundly than we did in the bread-trays of Itul- cachi. The following day we advanced five miles to Tablon, an Indian hamlet on the mountain side. Here we waited over night for our cargo train, which had loitered on the road. This was the only spot in South America where we found