flag did have only thirty-six stars. Finally, they gave us a splendid
banquet as a tribute of friendship for America.

One day the sub-prefect offered to have his personal barber attend
us. It was some time since Mr. Tucker and I had seen a barber-shop. The
chances were that we should find none at Parinacochas. Consequently we
accepted with pleasure. When the barber arrived, closely guarded by a
gendarme armed with a loaded rifle, we learned that he was a convict
from the local jail! I did not like to ask the nature of his crime,
but he looked like a murderer. When he unwrapped an ancient pair of
clippers from an unspeakably soiled and oily rag, I wished I was in
a position to decline to place myself under his ministrations. The
sub-prefect, however, had been so kind and was so apologetic as to
the inconveniences of the "barber-shop" that there was nothing for it
but to go bravely forward. Although it was unpleasant to have one's
hair trimmed by an uncertain pair of rusty clippers, I could not
help experiencing a feeling of relief that the convict did not have a
pair of shears. He was working too near my jugular vein. Finally the
period of torture came to an end, and the prisoner accepted his fees
with a profound salutation. We breathed sighs of relief, not unmixed
with sympathy, as we saw him marched safely away by the gendarme.

We had arrived in Cotahuasi almost simultaneously with Dr. Bowman and
Topographer Hendriksen. They had encountered extraordinary difficulties
in carrying out the reconnaissance of the 73d meridian, but were now
past the worst of it. Their supplies were exhausted, so those which we
had brought from Arequipa were doubly welcome. Mr. Watkins was assigned
to assist Mr. Hendriksen and a few days later Dr. Bowman started south
to study the geology and geography of the desert. He took with him
as escort Corporal Gamarra, who was only too glad to escape from the
machinations of his enemies. It will be remembered that it was Gamarra
who had successfully defended the Cotahuasi barracks and jail at the
time of a revolutionary riot which occurred some months previous to
our visit. The sub-prefect accompanied Dr. Bowman out of town. For
Gamarra's sake they left the house at three o'clock in the morning
and our generous host agreed to ride with them until daybreak. In his
important monograph, "The Andes of Southern Peru," Dr. Bowman writes:
"At four o'clock our whispered arrangements were made. We opened