he road is
sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left bank of the river. Two
leagues beyond San Mateo lies Chicla, a miserable Indian village, which,
according to Maclean's calculation, is 12,712 feet above sea level. In
some of the more sheltered parts barley is planted; but it does not
ripen, and is merely used as fodder (_Alcazer_). Chicla is the last
place in this valley where the soil is in any degree capable of
cultivation. Half a league further on, there are a few scattered Indian
huts, called the village of Acchahuari. One of these huts is a tambo,
which can never be forgotten by any unfortunate traveller who may have
taken up his abode in it. Necessity several times compelled me to seek a
night's lodging in this horrible tambo; but I never could remain in it
till morning; and even amidst snow or rain I have been glad to get out,
and take up my resting-place on the outside of the door. The hostess is
a dirty old Indian woman, assisted by her daughter; and the hut is
filthy beyond description. For supper, the old woman cooks a vile mess
called _Chupe_, consisting of potatoes and water, mixed with Spanish
pepper; but it is so dirtily prepared, that nothing but the most deadly
hunger would induce any one to taste it. The beds consist of sheep-skins
spread on the damp floor; and one bedchamber serves for the hostess, her
daughter, her grandchildren, and the travellers; an immense woollen
counterpane or blanket being spread over the whole party. But woe to the
unwary traveller who trusts himself in this dormitory! He soon finds
himself surrounded by enemies from whose attacks it is impossible to
escape; for the hut is infested with vermin. Even should he withdraw
into a corner, and make a pillow of his saddle, the annoyance pursues
him. Add to all this a stifling smoke, and all sorts of mephitic
exhalations, and troops of guinea-pigs who run about during the whole
night, and gambol over the faces and bodies of the sleepers,--and it may
readily be conceived how anxiously the traveller looks for the dawn of
morning, when he may escape from the horrors of this miserable tambo.
Acchahuari is 13,056 feet above the sea level. The climate is very
ungenial. During the winter months, rain and snow fall without
intermission; and even during the summer, heavy drifts of snow are not
unfrequent. From April to July, the medium temperature during the night
is 4 deg. R.

After passing Cacray the diminished atmospheric pressure