lake. This series of lakes is called
_Huascacocha_ (the chain of lakes). In their waters, as in most of the
mountain rivers, there is found in great numbers a small species of
shad-fish (_Pygidium dispar_, Tsch.). They are caught during the night
in nets, or by lines, to which the bait is fastened by small
cactus-thorns.

The third in the series of the lagunas is called _Morococha_ (the
colored lake). On its banks some buildings have been constructed, for
the smelting of copper ore. The mines which yield this metal are on the
southern declivity, close to the road leading down from the Cordillera.
Formerly these mines were worked for silver, but were not found very
productive of that metal. Now they are again actively worked, and copper
is obtained from them. The working of the Peruvian copper mines has
hitherto been much neglected, though copper ore is exceedingly abundant.

The road from Morococha to Pachachaca is very uniform. The latter
village, which is situated 12,240 feet above the level of the sea, was
formerly a place of much greater importance than it now is. In its
neighborhood there are a number of spacious buildings constructed at
the time of the unfortunate English mining speculation. Most of them
are only half finished. At the entrance of the village there is a
large hacienda. In some of the apartments the flooring is of wood; a
thing seldom seen in these parts, where the wood for such purposes
must be brought from the eastern declivity of the Andes: the
difficulty and expense attending this transport are so considerable,
that a wooden floor is a great rarity in the habitations of the
Cordillera. A mine belonging to the hacienda is situated five leagues
north-west of Pachachaca, and yields rich silver ore; but a great
part of it is at present under water, and its drainage would be a very
difficult undertaking.

Returning to the point where the two roads across the Cordillera
separate at Cashapalca, we will now trace the route by way of Piedra
Parada. This way is shorter than that by Antarangra, but the ascents
are much steeper. The first objects met with by the traveller on this
road are some Indian huts, called _yauliyacu_, and the ruined hacienda
of San Rafael. These being passed, the ascent continues over broken
masses of rock. About 15,200 feet above the sea there is a huge block
of mountain, called the Piedra Parada, close against which a chapel
was formerly erected; the mountain forming the back