The night was cold, but, shielded by their coverings, the trio slept well; they were out early, as there was nothing in the luxury of their quarters to lead to late sleeping. They endeavored to find more commodious lodgings for the other nights of their stay, but were unable to do so, and quickly determined to be content with what they had, which was certainly philosophical. "We are better lodged now than we shall be for most of the nights of our journey to the Amazon," explained the Doctor; "and too much luxury would be bad for us." Frank and Fred agreed with this intelligent suggestion, when they found it was impossible to improve upon the situation. Fred said they should remember how the fox consoled himself for his failure to obtain the fruits of the vine, by reflections upon their acidity. [Illustration: AYMARA SKULL.] It was nearly noon on the day fixed for the departure that the baggage train moved out of the village and took the road to Huancané, where the first night was to be passed. Dr. Bronson and Frank had started early in the morning, leaving Fred and Manuel to look after the baggage animals, and bring them forward. There were one or two purchases which could not be made at Vilquechico on account of the limited stock of supplies; Huancané could supply the deficiency, as it is a larger place and has more extensive stores. It is occupied almost exclusively by Aymara and Quichua families, who live as distinctly, but on the same terms of amity, as their kindred in Puno. [Illustration: TURF HOUSE NEAR LAKE TITICACA.] The road winds along the shore of the lake for a large part of the way. The ground is destitute of trees, and the only vegetation is the grass, which furnishes nourishment to the sheep and other animals, and the _tola_ or _tortora_ that fill the shallow waters, and often extend long distances from the shores. The houses of the shepherds are made of turf, which is thin, but tough, and serves admirably for building purposes. Not only the houses are made of it, but the corrals for sheep, and any other needed edifices. At a little distance these houses resemble haystacks, as they are nearly always conical in shape; there is a hole near the apex of the cone, where the smoke finds its way outward after leisurely traversing the whole interior of the building. Fred entered one of these huts, but he did not stay long. The interior was extremely dirty; Manuel said, that when it became so bad that the owners could not longer endure it they deserted the hut and built another. "But they don't move often," he added, "and the huts must be very bad indeed before their owners will take the trouble to put up new ones." [Illustration: CHULPAS, OR BURIAL-TOWERS.]