The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-27

OF the mad roaring river, which |
could be seen straight down to our /
left, resembling a white cord among |
the water washed boulders. Up and |
over our head lowered the gigantic
Andean peaks.
The road from Tarma to La Mercel
was built by the government and is
very good, save for few washouts,
the trip between these towns could
be made by an automobile. 1t has a
grade of three to six degrees. How
ever. on the river side there is a
vertical drop OF many hundreds of
feet in some places, nearly a thous-
and. When one notes that his horse
or mu will walk fearlessly within
a few inches of the edge Of such
precipice, the fact tends to keep him
quite wide awake when he realizes
that ii he once went over he would
surely die of thirst before reaching
the water below. This continued for
some time until, after passing
through a tunnel in solid rock we ar
rived at the hill of Carpapata. Here,
to reach the lower level, the road
twists. turns and 1ig-zags down.
This we cut out by dismounting
and leading our unwilling horses
down steep and stony path. In a
few minutes we were on the road
again, having cut out about two miles.
Here fine view burst upon us. Foi
miles the road could be seen wind
ing gradually down the right bank
Of the river. But what was most at
tractive was a large mountain on the
other side of the ravine, forrested to
the top with a variety of trees while
from top to bottom plunged a good
sized stream in series Of beautiful
cascades. The entire water in many
places being knocked into a white
spray which with its dark green back
ground, formed a picture that must
be seen to be appreciated.
The sun soon went down and we
had to pick our way along very care
fully. Soon the moon came to our
aid and shed its soft rays on the
mountain peaks and white road, while
to our left yawned the black abyss
/ with its ever raging stream. The air
was perfectly still, warm and balmy.
The impression received during this
moonlight ride | shall never forget.
About 100 p. m, we reached Huacap-
istana where we soon had dinner and
to bed, lulled to sleep by the roar Of
water, apparently away below in the
bowels of the earth.
In the morning we found ourselves
in place of beauty. The river was
not 50 far below the road at this
place, and a shelf Of rock between
the two, furnished a secure and ad-
yantageous place for HuacapIstana
which, on close investigation | found
to consist only of our hotel and a few
small outbuildings.
Nevertheless, Huacapistana is an
ideal health resort. The air is balmy
yet invigOrating and the continuous
murmur Of water induces sleep while
the protecting cliffs seem to shut out
all the troubles and cares that one
meets in the outside busy world. At
$3.50 we ordered our "caballos" (hor-
ses) and were off again through seen
cry of ever increasing interest. We
now found many kinds of trees some
OF them quite large. The boles which
WIZ NtftANA WIN ltli tAoAAi0 lAitG
ferns orchids and graceful creepers
hanging in immense festoons, also
the giant tree fern spreading its
beautiful fronds over the road added
an effect truly enchanting.
The entire picture was enlivened
by the fluttering of gorgeous butter
| flies, the songs of hundreds of small
birds of every hue fitting from bush
to tree.
In this section the general color OF
| plant life was green. One would oc-
the Wild cotton tree with its curious
swollen trunk. From the branches
OF this tree, II 1t were properly loca-
ted. would be seen the hanging nests
OF a colony Of chichuaco birds. This
bird resembles the oriole in color
and method Of hanging its nest; also
huge nests OF bees and vicious ants
would frequently be found attached
TO any bare place on rock or tree. AT
ter riding a few miles We left the
road and led our horses up a steep
and winding path to the coffee chacra
Of. Sr. Delaney. a jolly old lrishman,
we'll known by reputation 10 all us
boys on the hill. His hacienda has a
remarkable situation, commanding
an extremely beautiful view. both up
and down the valley. After an hours
chat and some light refreshments we
returned to the road and proceeded
We soon found ourselves in low
rooted passage tunneled beneath an
immense wall OF rock, open and un
supported on the river side andreach
ing to the ever turbulent stream be
low. while the tape fern, tree roots
and creepers overhung the water II
immense festoons forming beauti
ful green lace.work. After emerging
from this passage ones attention II
engaged by the Pau de Azucar" Of
Sugar Loaf mountain. Its marvel
lous conical shape and mantle OF for
est trees complete to It's summit
makes II resemble one giant tree
Across the ravine from the Pau d,
Azucar Is another view different II
character. but equally grand and i'm
ressive.
This is great perpendicular patel
OF chalk white rock regularly strait