it was possible to cross the Yanachag
Mountains and reach the settlement of Uancabamba. The distance from
Cahaubanas to Chuchura was one and a half day's walking--some 40 kil. of
heavy climbing, that from Chuchura to Uancabamba two days' marching. From
Uancabamba one was able to get mules in order to go over the high pass of
Culebra Marca and reach Serra de Pasco.

It was possible by that trail to reach Lima in a few days on foot. It
was out of the question for me to attempt such a journey, the attack of
beri-beri in my right leg making it almost impossible for me to stand up.
I decided to go as far up the stream as I could on the launch and by
canoe.

At Cahaubanas were a monastery and a great many Indians. After halting
for the night at that place we continued our journey up the Pachitea with
a strange medley of passengers on board. We had the Hungarian count, an
Italian farmer, who was a remarkable musician and played the accordion
beautifully; we had some Peruvians, a Spanish emigrant, a small Indian
boy aged ten who acted as steward, and a young fellow of German origin.

The cook on the launch was a lunatic, who was under the impression that
he was the Saviour. It was too pathetic, and occasionally quite alarming,
to see the poor man leaving the cooking stove whenever we passed any
Indians on the banks, when he raised his arms up in the air and,
stretching them forward, gave his benediction to the people he saw,
instead of looking after the boiling rice. His benedictions cost him
frequent kicks and shakings by the neck on the part of the captain of the
launch. He was absorbed in fervent praying during the night. He seldom
condescended to speak to any of us on board, as he said that he was not
living on this earth, but would come back some day to bring peace and
happiness to the whole world. Words of that kind were uttered whilst he
was holding a saucepan in one hand and a ladle in the other. It was
pathetic.

[Illustration: On the way to Cuzco.

Railway bridges partly carried away by swollen river.]

In pouring rain we left again on January 16th between the high rocky
banks of the river, well padded with earth and with dense vegetation.
Extensive beaches of grey sand and coarse gravel were passed, until we
arrived at Port Bermudez, situated at the confluence of the Pichis with
the Chibbis, a tributary on the left bank. Here we found the last of the
chain of wireless stations which had three iron towers. From