The Andes and the Amazon; or, Across the continent of South America.

OFF FOR THE NAPO. 185
from the president, which Carlos read aloud in the ears of
all the people, together with the authoritative charge of
Carlos himself, had the desired effect; not a transportation
company in the United States ever kept its engagement
more faithfully than did these twenty peons-and this,
too, though we paid them in advance, according to the custom of the country. Upon a blanket spread at our feet
the money was counted out, and Carlos slowly distributed
it with a grave and reverend air, to every Indian five dollars.*
Tuesday morning, November 5th, the peons promptly
shouldered their burdens, and we, shod with cGacrgtes,
and with Alpine staff in hand (more needed here than in
Switzerland), followed after, leaving the governor to sleep
inside his mansion, and to eat his lice unmolested. On a
little grassy knoll just outside the town our train halted
for a moment-the Indians to take their fill of chicha, and
bid their friends good-by, and we to call the roll. and take
an inventory. Our leader was Isiro, a bright, intelligent,
finely-featured, stalwart Indian. HIe could speak Spanish,
and his comrades acknowledged his superiority with marked deference. Ten women and children followed us for
two days, to relieve the men of their burdens. Their assistance was not needed in the latter part of the journey,
for our keen appetites rapidly lightened the provision cans.
Starting again, we plunged at once into the forest, taking
a northeasterly course along the left bank of a tributary
* We give below the autograph of this wisest man in all the Oriente:
"Recibio del Sefior James Orton la suma de centos (100) pesos por
vente (20) peones hasta Archidona.
"PPapallacta, 4 Nov., 1867."