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EXTRACTS  FROM   NOTICES 

OF 

DR.  TSCHUDFS  TRAVELS  IN  PERU. 


BLACK  WOOD'S  MAGAZINE,  July,  1846. 

"  A  clever  book  of  travels  over  ground  comparatively  untrodden  is,  in  these 
days,  a  welcome  rarity,  and  heartily  grateful  do  we  feel  to  the  man  who  strikes 
out  a  new  track,  follows  it  observantly,  and  gives  to  the  world,  in  pleasant  and 
instructive  form,  the  result  of  his  observations.  Such  a  traveller  we  have  had 
the  good  fortune  to  meet  with,  and  now  present  to  our  readers. 

"  Braving  the  dangers  of  a  land  where  throat-cutting  is  a  popular  pastime, 
and  earthquakes  and  fevers  more  or  less  yellow,  and  vermin  more  or  less  ve- 
nomous, are  amongst  the  indigenous  comforts  of  the  soil,  a  German,  of  high  re- 
putation as  a  naturalist  and  man  of  letters,  has  devoted  four  years  of  a  life 
valuable  to  science  to  a  residence  and  travels  in  the  most  interesting  district  of 
South  America,  the  ancient  empire  of  the  Incas,  the  scene  of  the  conquests  and 
cruelties  of  Francisco  Pizarro. 

u  We  congratulate  the  Doctor  on  the  good  success  of  his  attempt.  The  public, 
whether  of  Germany  or  of  any  other  country  into  whose  language  his  book 
may  be  translated,  will  be  difficult  indeed  if  they  desire  a  better  account  of  Peru 
than  he  has  given  them. 

"  The  description  of  Lima  and  the  Limenas  reminded  us  considerably  of 
Madame  Calderon's  delightful  gossip  about  Mexico. 

"  The  book  contains  a  great  deal  of  curious  information,  and  will  be  found 
useful  as  a  book  of  reference  by  all  who  are  interested  in  the  commerce,  natural 
history,  and  general  statistics  of  Peru." 


BLACK  WOOD,  Second  Article,  August,  1846. 

"  After  a  four  years'  residence  in  Peru,  and  when  preparing  for  a  journey  that 
was  to  include  an  investigation  of  all  the  province^  and  to  last  for  several  years, 
Dr.  Tschudi  was  seized  in  the  Cordilleras  with  a  nervous  fever  which  brought 
him  to  the  brink  of  the  grave  ;  upon  his  recovery  he  found  that  long  repose  both 
of  mind  and  body  was  essential  to  the  complete  restoration  of  his  health.  Such 
repose  he  could  not  be  certain  of  granting  himself  if  he  remained  in  Peru,  and 


EXTRACTS. 

lie  therefore  resolved  to  seek  it  upon  the  ocean.  He  took  ship  and  reached 
Europe  at  the  commencement  of  1843,  after  an  absence  of  five  years.  He 
greatly  regrets  not  having  visited  every  part  of  Peru,  especially  the  historical 
city  of  Cuzco  and  the  forests  of  Urubamba.  But  his  harvest  of  knowledge  has 
been  so  rich  and  abundant  that  he  should  not,  we  think,  begrudge  the  remnant 
of  the  crop  to  the  gleaners  who  may  come  after  him." 


WESTMINSTER  REVIEW,  October,  1846. 

"  The  author  of  these  volumes  belongs  to  that  class  of  travellers  whose  steps 
the  reader  accompanies  with  much  pleasure  through  a  wild  and  strange  land. 
He  is  a  naturalist  of  considerable  reputation  who  spent  five  years  in  Peru,  ex- 
ploring its  least  frequented  regions,  its  mountain  wildernesses,  and  vast  forests, 
as  well  as  its  towns,  cities,  and  coasts,  chiefly  in  pursuit  of  his  favourite  study. 
His  professional  occupation  did  not,  however,  so  much  engross  his  attention  as 
to  prevent  his  collecting  an  ample  store  of  the  most  interesting  observations  on 
the  ways  and  doings  of  the  very  singular  people  among  whom  he  sojourned.  He 
has  narrated  these  in  a  spirited  and  agreeable  manner,  and  mingled  with  them 
vivid  descriptions  of  the  mighty  works  of  Nature  he  beheld,  and  of  the  toils  and 
hardships,  the  stirring  incidents,  the  pains  and  pleasures  of  his  adventurous 
wanderings.  His  work  is  the  best  of  the  kind  that  has  come  before  us  since 
the  first  appearance  of  Darwin's  Journal,  to  which  it  may  be  considered  a  need- 
ful supplement,  since  it  treats  of  a  country  to  which  the  accomplished  naturalist 
of  the  Beagle  paid  but  a  flying  visit." 


TRAVELS    IN    PERU, 


• 


DURING   THE   YEARS    1838—1842, 


>N  THE   COAST,  IN  THE  SIERRA,  ACROSS  THE  CORDILLERAS 
AND  THE  ANDES,  INTO  THE  PRIMEVAL  FORESTS. 


BY    DR.  J°  J^VON   TSCHUDI. 


STranslateB  from  tfle  ©crman 

BY  THOMASTNA  ROSS. 


LONDON:  "v      *T-4r6 

DAVID    BOGUE,    86,   FLEET   STREET. 

MDCCCXLVII. 


LONDON  : 
BRADBURY    AND    EVANS,    PRINTKRS,    WHITEFRIA! 


PREFACE. 

THE  Work  from  which  the  present  Volume  is  trans- 
lated consists  of  extracts  from  the  Author's  Journal, 
accompanied  by  his  recollections  and  observations.  The 
absence  of  chronological  arrangement  will  be  'sufficiently 
accounted  for,  when  it  is  explained  that  the  zoological 
investigations  for  which  the  journey  was  undertaken 
frequently  required  the  Author  to  make  repeated  visits 
to  one  particular  place  or  district,  or  to  remain  for  a 
considerable  time  within  the  narrow  circuit  of  a  few 
miles  ;  and  sometimes  to  travel  rapidly  over  vast  tracts 
of  country.  Disclaiming  any  intention  of  making  one 
of  those  travelling  romances,  with  which  the  tourist 
literature  of  the  day  is  overstocked,  the  Author  has  con- 
fined himself  to  a  plain  description  of  facts  and  things 
as  they  came  within  the  sphere  of  his  own  observation. 
But  though  Dr.  Tschudi  lays  claim  to  no  merit  beyond 
truthfulness  of  his  narrative,  yet  the  reader  will  no 


iv  PREFACE. 

doubt  readily  concede  to  him  the  merit  of  extensive 
information,  and  happy  descriptive  talent.  His  pictures 
of  Nature,  especially  those  relating  to  the  animal  world, 
are  frequently  imbued  with  much  of  the  charm  of 
thought  and  style  which  characterises  the  writings  of 
Buffon. 

Lima,  the  oldest  and  most  interesting  of  the  cities 
founded  by  the  Spaniards  on  the  western  coast  of  South 
America,  has-  been  frequently  described ;  but  no  previous 
writer  has  painted  so  animated  a  picture  of  the  city 
and  its  inhabitants,  as  that  contained  in  the  following 
volume.  After  quitting  the  capital  of  Peru,  Dr.  Tschudi 
went  over  ground  previously  untrodden  by  any  European 
traveller.  He  visited  the  Western  Sierra,  the  mighty 
chain  of  the  Cordilleras,  the  boundless  level  heights,  the 
deep  mountain  valleys  on  the  eastern  declivity  of  the 
Andes,  and  the  vast  primeval  forests.  Whilst  recount- 
ing his  wanderings  in  these  distant  regions,  he  describes 
not  only  the  country  and  the  people,  but  every  object 
of  novelty  and  interest  in  the  animal,  vegetable,  and 
mineral  creations. 

Those  lovers  of  Natural  History  who  are  familiar 
with  the  German  language,  and  who  may  wish  to 
make  themselves  extensively  acquainted  with  the  animal 
world,  in  those  parts  of  Peru  visited  by  Dr.  Tschudi, 


PREFACE.  V 

will  find  abundant  information  on  the  subject  in  his 
work,  with  plates,  entitled  "  Untersuchungen  iiber  die 
Fauna  Peruana."  The  present  Publication,  though  con- 
taining a  vast  deal  to  interest  the  naturalist,  is  addressed 
to  the  general  reader,  and  will,  it  is  presumed,  gratify 
curiosity  respecting  the  highly  interesting  and  little- 
known  regions  to  which  it  relates.  It  may  fairly  be 
said  that  no  previous  writer  has  given  so  comprehensive 
a  picture  of  Peru ;  combining,  with  animated  sketches 
of  life  and  manners,  a  fund  of  valuable  information  on 
Natural  History  and  Commerce. 

T.  R. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAGE 

Embarkation  at  Havre— The  Voyage — Arrival  at  the  Island  of 
Chiloe — Landing — The  Gyr-Falcon — Punta  Arena — The  Island 
of  Chiloe  described — Climate  and  Cultivation — Cattle — The 
Bay — San  Carlos — The  Governor's  House — Poverty  and 
Wretchedness  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town — Strange  me- 
thod of  Ploughing — Coasting  Vessels — Smuggling — Zoology — 
Departure  from  Chiloe 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Valparaiso  and  the  adjacent  country — The  Bay — Aspect  of  the  Town 
Lighthouses — Forts — Custom  House — Exchange — Hotels  and 
Taverns — War  with  the  Peru-Bolivian  Confederation — First 
Expedition — Preparations  for  the  Second  Expedition — Em- 
barkation of  the  Troops— Close  of  the  Port — July  Festival  in 
honour  of  the  French  Revolution — The  Muele,  or  Mole — Police 
— Serenas,  or  Watchmen — Moveable  Prisons — Clubs — Trade  of 
Valparaiso — Santiago — Zoology 21 

CHAPTER  III. 

Juan  Fernandez — Robinson  Crusoe — Passage  to  Callao — San  Lorenzo 
— Rise  and  Fall  of  the  coast — Mr.  Darwin's  opinions  on  this  sub- 
ject— Callao — The  Fortress — Siege  by  the  Spaniards — General 
Rodil — Siege  by  the  Chilians — The  Colocolo — Pirates — Zoology 
— Road  to  Lima  .  .  .  .  .37 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

PAGE 

Lima — Situation  and  extent  of  the  City — Streets,  Houses,  Churches, 
and  Convents — San  Pedro — The  Jesuits — Nunneries — Beata- 
rios — Hospitals — San  Andres — The  Foundling  House — The 
Pantheon— The  Palace— The  Plaza  Mayor— Pizarro— The  Ca- 
bildo — Fountains — Palace  of  the  Inquisition — The  University 
— National  Library — Museum  of  Natural  History  and  Antiqui- 
ties— Academy  of  Design — The  Mint — The  Theatre — Circus 
for  Cock-fighting— The  Bridge— The  City  Wall— Santa  Cata- 
lina — Barracks 59 

CHAPTER   V. 

Population  of  Lima — Its  diminution — Different  races  of  the  Inhabit- 
ants—  Their  characteristics — Amusements — Education — The 
Women  of  Lima — Their  Costume — The  Saya  y  Manto — Fe- 
male domestic  life — Love  of  dress — Beatas — Indians — Slaves — 
Bosales — Free  Creoles — Negroes — Negresses — Black  Creoles — 
Their  varieties — Mestizos — Mulatoes — Palanganas — Zambos — 
Chinos — Foreigners  in  Lima — Corruption  of  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage  89 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Primary  Schools — Colleges — The  University — Monks — Saints — 
Santo  Toribio  and  Santa  Rosa — Religious  Processions — Raising 
the  Host — The  Noche  Buena — The  Carnival — Paseos,  or  Public 
Promenades — Ice — Riding  and  Driving — Horses — Their  Equip- 
ments and  Training — Mules — Lottery  in  Lima — Cookery — 
Breakfasts,  Dinners,  &c. — Coffee-houses  and  Restaurants — 
—Markets— The  Plazo  Firme  del  Acho— Bull  Fights  .  .125 

CHAPTER   VII. 

Geographical  Situation  of  Lima — Height  above  Sea  level — Tempera- 
ture— Diseases  —  Statistical  Tables  of  Births  and  Deaths — 
Earthquakes — The  Valley  of  Lima — The  River  Rimac — Aque- 
ducts, Trenches,  &c. — Irrigation — Plantations — Cotton — Sugar 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

— Various  kinds  of  Grain — Maize — Potatoes,  and  other  tuber- 
ous roots — Pulse — Cabbage — Plants  used  for  Seasoning — Clover 
— The  Olive  and  other  Oil  Trees — Fruits— Figs  and  Grapes 
—The  Chirimoya— The  Palta— The  Banana  and  other  Fruits  .  157 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Robbers  on  the  Coast  of  Peru — The  Bandit  Leaders  Leon  and  Rayo 
— The  Corps  of  Montoneros — Watering  Places  near  Lima — 
Surco,  Ate  and  Lurin — Pacchacamac — Ruins  of  the  Temple  of 
the  Sun — Difficulties  of  Travelling  on  the  Coast  of  Peru — Sea 
Passage  to  Huacho — Indian  Canoes — Ichthyological  Collections 
— An  old  Spaniard's  recollections  of  Alexander  Von  Humboldt — 
The  Padre  Requena — Huacho — Plundering  of  Burial  Places — 
Huaura — Malaria — The  Sugar  Plantation  at  Luhmayo — Quipico 
— Ancient  Peruvian  Ruins — The  Salinas,  or  Salt  Pits — Grita- 
lobos — Chancay — The  Piques — Mode  of  extracting  them — 
Valley  of  the  Passamayo — Extraordinary  Atmospheric  Mirrors 
— Piedras  Gordas — Palo  Seco 194 

CHAPTER   IX. 

The  Coast  southward  of  Lima — Chilca — Curious  Cigar  Cases  made 
there — Yauyos — Pisco — Journey  to  Yea — A  night  on  the  Sand 
Plains — Fatal  Catastrophe  in  the  year  1823 — Vine  Plantations 
at  Yea — Brandy  and  Wine — Don  Domingo  Elias — Vessels  for 
transporting  Brandy,  (Botijas  and  odres) — Cruel  mode  of  skin- 
ning Goats — Negro  Carnival — Peculiar  species  of  Guinea  Pig — 
— The  Salamanqueja — Cotton  Plantations — Quebrada  of  Huai- 
tara  — Sangallan — Guano — Retrospect  of  the  Peruvian  Coast — 
Rivers — Medanos — Winds — Change  of  Seasons — The  Garuas — 
The  Lomas — Mammalia — Birds — Amphibia  ....  228 

CHAPTER   X. 

Roads  leading  to  the  Sierra — Chaclacayo  and  Santa  Ines — Barome- 
trical observations — San  Pedro  Mama — The  Rio  Seco — Extra- 
ordinary Geological  Phenomenon — Similar  one  described  by  Mr. 
Darwin — Surco — Diseases  Peculiar  to  the  Villages  of  Peru — 
The  Verugas — Indian  mode  of  treating  the  disorder — The  Bird- 


CONTENTS. 

PICK 

catching  Spider — Horse-Shoeing — Indian  Tambos — San  Juan 
de  Matucanas — The  Thorn-apple  and  the  Tonga — The  Tambo 
de  Viso — Bridges — San  Mateo — Passports — Acchahuari — Ma- 
lady called  the  Veta — Its  effects  on  horses — Singular  tact  and 
caution  of  Mules — Antarangra  and  Mountain  Passes — Curious 
partition  of  Water — Piedra  Parada — Yauli — Indian  Smelting 
Furnaces — Mineral  Springs — Portuguese  Mine-owners — Saco — 
Oroyo — Hanging  Bridges — Huaros — Roads  leading  from  Oroya  255 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Cordillera  and  the  Andes — Signification  of  the  terms — Altitude 
of  the  Mountains  and  Passes — Lakes — Metals — Aspect  of  the 
Cordillera — Shattered  Rocks — Maladies  caused  by  the  dimi- 
nished Atmospheric  Pressure — The  Veta  and  the  Surnmpe — 
Mountain  Storms — The  Condor — Its  habits — Indian  mode  of 
Catching  the  Bird — The  Puna  or  Despoblado — Climate — Cur- 
rents of  Warm  Air — Vegetation — Tuberous  Plant  called  the 
Maca — Animals  of  the  Puna — The  Llama,  the  Alpaco,  the 
Huanacu  and  the  Vicuna — The  Chacu  and  the  Bolas — House- 
hold Utensils  of  the  Ancient  Peruvians — The  Viscacha  and  the 
Chinchilla — Puna  Birds  and  Amphibia — Cattle  and  Pasture — 
Indian  Farms — Shepherds'  Huts — Ancient  Peruvian  Roads  and 
Buildings — Treasure  concealed  by  the  Indians  in  the  Puna  .  290 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Cerro  de  Pasco — First  discovery  of  the  Mines — Careless  Mode  of 
working  them — Mine  Owners  and  Mine  Labourers — Amalga- 
mating and  Refining — Produce  of  the  Mines — Life  in  Cerro  de 
Pasco — Different  Classes  of  the  Population — Gaming  and 
Drunkenness — Extravagance  and  Improvidence  of  the  Indian 
Mine  Labourers— The  Cerro  de  San  Fernando— Other  Import- 
ant Mining  Districts  in  Peru — The  Salcedo  Mine  Castrovireyna 
—Vast  Productiveness  of  the  Silver  Mines  of  Peru — Rich  Mines 
secretly  known  to  the  Indians — Roads  leading  from  Cerro  de 
Pasco — The  Laguna  of  Chinchaycocha — Battle  of  Junin — 
Indian  Robbers — A  Day  and  a  Night  in  the  Puna  Wilds  . 


CONTENTS.  XI 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

PAGE 

The  Sierra — Its  Climate  and  Productions — Inhabitants — Trade — 
Eggs  Circulated  as  Money — Mestizos  in  the  Sierra — Their  Idle- 
ness and  Love  of  Gaming  and  Betting — Agriculture — The  Qui- 
nua  Plant,  a  substitute  for  Potatoes — Growth  of  Vegetables  and 
Fruits  in  the  Sierra — Rural  Festivals  at  the  Seasons  of  Sowing 
and  Reaping — Skill  of  the  Indians  in  various  Handicrafts — 
Excess  of  Brandy-Drinking — Chicha — Disgusting  mode  of 
making  it — Festivals  of  Saints — Dances  and  Bull  Fights — 
Celebration  of  Christmas-Day,  New- Year's -Day,  Palm-Sunday, 
and  Good-Friday — Contributions  levied  on  the  Indians — Tardy 
and  Irregular  Transmission  of  Letters — Trade  in  Mules — Ge- 
neral Style  of  Building  in  the  Towns  and  Villages  of  the  Sierra 
— Ceja  de  la  Montana 361 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

Road  to  the  Primeval  Forests — Barbacoas,  or  Indian  Suspension 
Bridges — Vegetation — Hollow  Passes — Zoology — The  Montana 
Plantations — Inhabitants — Trade  in  Peruvian  Bark — Wander- 
ing Indians — Wild  Indians  or  Indios  Bravos — Languages,  Man- 
ners and  Customs  of  the  Indios  Bravos — Dress — Warlike 
Weapons  and  Hunting  Arms — Dwellings — Religion — Physical 
formation  of  the  Wild  Indian  Tribes — Animals  of  the  Aboriginal 
Forests — Mammalia — Hunting  the  Ounce — Birds — Amphibia 
— Poisonous  Serpents — Huaco — Insects — Plants  .  .  .  387 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Montana  of  San  Carlos  de  Vitoc — Villages — Hacienda  of  Maraynioc — 
The  Coca  Plant — Mode  of  Cultivating  and  Gathering  it — Masti- 
cation of  Coca — Evil  consequences  of  its  excessive  Use — Its 
Nutritious  Qualities — Indian  Superstitions  connected  with  the 
Coca  Plant — Suggestions  for  its  Introduction  in  the  European 
Navies — Fabulous  animal  called  the  Carbunculo — The  Chun- 
chos — Missions  to  Cerra  de  la  Sol — Juan  Santos  Atahuallpa — 
The  Franciscan  Monks — Depopulation  of  Vitoc  .  .  .  442 


xii  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

PAGE 

Oppressions  exercised  by  the  Spaniards  upon  the  Peruvian  Indians 
— The  Repartimento  and  the  Mita — Indian  Insurrections — 
Tupac  Amaru — His  Capture  and  Execution — War  of  Independ- 
ence— Character  of  the  Peruvian  Indians — Music — Dress — 
Superstitions — Longevity — Diminished  Population  of  Peru — 
Languages  spoken  by  the  Aboriginal  Inhabitants — Specimen  of 
Quichua  Poetry — The  Yaravies — The  Quipu — Water  Conduits 
— Ancient  Buildings— Fortresses — Idols — Domestic  Utensils — 
Ancient  Peruvian  Graves — Mode  of  Burying  the  Dead — 
Mummies  .....  470 


ERRATA. 

In  page  64,  line  7  from  top,  for  504  pounds,  read  112£  pounds. 
In  page  273,  line  14  from  top,  for  Lameroor,  read  Lamermoor, 


TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Embarkation  at  Havre — The  Voyage— Arrival  at  the  Island  of  Chiloe— Landing 
—  The  Gyr-Falcon — Punta  Arena — The  Island  of  Chiloe  described — 
Climate  and  Cultivation — Cattle — The  Bay — San  Carlos — The  Governor's 
House — Poverty  and  Wretchedness  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town — Strange 
method  of  Ploughing — Coasting  Vessels — smuggling — Zoology — Departure 
from  Chiloe. 

ON  the  27th  of  February,  1838,  I  sailed  from  Havre- 
de-Grace  on  board  the  "  Edmond."  This  vessel,  though 
a  French  merchantman,  was  freighted  with  a  cargo  of 
Swiss  manufactured  goods,  suited  to  any  commercial 
transactions  which  might  be  entered  into  in  the  course 
of  a  circumnavigatory  voyage.  It  was  a  boisterous 
morning.  A  fall  of  snow  and  heavy  clouds  soon  inter- 
cepted our  view  of  the  coast  of  France,  and  not  one 
cheering  sunbeam  shone  out  to  betoken  for  us  a  favour- 
able voyage.  We  passed  down  the  British  Channel, 
where  the  multitude  of  vessels,  and  the  flags  of  all 
nations,  presented  an  enlivening  picture,  and  we  finally 
cleared  it  on  the  5th  of  March.  Favoured  by  a  brisk 
north  wind,  we  soon  reached  Madeira  and  came  in  sight 

B 


2  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

of  Teneriffe,  the  peak  being  just  perceptible  on  the  skirt 
of  the  horizon.  Easterly  breezes  soon  brought  us  to  the 
island  of  Fogo,  which,  having  passed  on  the  35th  day  of 
our  voyage,  we  received  the  usual  marine  baptism,  and 
participated  in  all  the  ceremonies  observed  on  crossing 
the  equator.  We  soon  reached  the  tropic  of  Capricorn, 
and  endeavoured  to  gain  the  channel  between  the  Falk- 
land Islands  and  Patagonia  ;  but  unfavourable  winds 
obliged  us  to  direct  our  course  eastwards,  from  the  Island 
of  Soledad  to  the  Staten  Islands.  On  the  3rd  of  March  c 
we  made  the  longitude  of  Cape  Horn,  but  were  not 
able  to  double  it  until  we  got  into  the  60th  degree  of 
south  latitude.  In  those  dangerous  waters,  where  it  is 
admitted  by  the  boldest  English  sailors  that  the  waves 
rage  more  furiously  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world, 
we  encountered  great  risk  and  difficulty.  For  twenty-two 
days  we  were  driven  about  on  the  fearfully-agitated  sea, 
southward  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  were  only  saved 
from  being  buried  in  the  deep,  by  the  excellent  build 
and  soundness  of  our  ship. 

We  suffered  much,  and  were  long  delayed  by  this 
storm ;  but  when  it  subsided,  a  smart  breeze  sprang  up 
from  the  southward,  and  we  held  our  course  along  the 
Pacific  to  the  coast  of  Chile.  After  a  voyage  of  99  days 
we  cast  anchor  on  Sunday  the  5th  of  June,  in  the  Bay 
of  San  Carlos.  Like  the  day  of  our  departure  from 
Europe,  that  of  our  arrival  off  Chiloe  was  gloomy  and 
overcast.  Heavy  clouds  obscured  the  long-looked-for 
island,  and  its  picturesque  shore  could  only  be  seen, 
when,  at  intervals,  the  wind  dispersed  the  dark  atmo- 


BAY    OF    SAN    CARLOS. 


spheric  veil.  We  had  no  sooner  cast  anchor  than  several 
boats  came  alongside  rowed  by  Indians,  who  offered  us 
potatoes,  cabbage,  fish,  and  water,  in  exchange  for 
tobacco.  Only  those  who  have  been  long  at  sea  can 
form  an  idea  of  the  gratification  which  fresh  provisions, 
especially  vegetables,  afford  to  the  weary  voyager.  In 
a  couple  of  hours,  the  harbour-master  came  on  board  to 
examine  the  ship,  the  cargo,  &c.,  and  to  give  us  permis- 
sion to  go  ashore.  The  long-boat  being  got  out  and 
well  manned,  we  stepped  into  it,  and  were  conveyed  to 
the  harbour.  The  Bay  of  San  Carlos  being  shallow, 
large  ships,  or  vessels  heavily  laden,  are  obliged  to  go 
three  English  miles  or  more  from  the  landing-place, 
before  they  can  anchor.  Our  boat  was  gaily  decorated 
and  newly  painted  ;  but  this  was  mere  outside  show,  for 
it  was  in  a  very  unsound  condition.  During  our  passage 
through  the  tropics  the  sun  had  melted  the  pitch 
between  the  planks  of  the  boat,  which  lay  on  the  deck, 
keel  uppermost.  In  this  crazy  boat,  we  had  scarcely 
got  a  quarter  of  a  league  from  the  ship,  when  the  water 
rushed  in  so  forcibly  through  all  the  cracks  and  fissures, 
that  it  was  soon  more  than  ancle-deep.  Unluckily  the 
sailors  had  forgotten  to  put  on  board  a  bucket  or  any- 
thing for  baling  out  the  water,  so  that  we  were  obliged 
to  use  our  hats  and  boots  for  that  purpose.  Fourteen 
persons  were  crowded  together  in  this  leaky  boat,  and 
the  water  continued  rising,  until  at  length  we  began  to 
be  seriously  apprehensive  for  our  safety,  when,  fortu- 
nately, our  situation  was  observed  by  the  people  on 
shore.  They  promptly  prepared  to  send  out  a  boat  to 

B  2 


4  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

our  assistance,  but  just  as  it  was  got  afloat,  we  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  pier,  happy  once  more  to  set  our  feet  on 
terra  firma. 

Our  first  business  was  to  seek  shelter  and  refresh- 
ment. There  is  no  tavern  in  San  Carlos,  but  there  is  a 
sort  of  substitute  for  one,  kept  by  an  old  Corsican, 
named  Filippi,  where  captains  of  ships  usually  take  up 
their  quarters.  Filippi,  who  recognised  an  old  acquaint- 
ance in  one  of  our  party,  received  us  very  kindly,  and 
showed  us  to  apartments  which  certainly  had  no  claim 
to  the  merits  of  either  cleanliness  or  convenience.  They 
were  long,  dark,  quadrangular  rooms,  without  windows, 
and  were  destitute  of  any  article  of  furniture,  except  a 
bed  in  a  kind  of  recess. 

As  soon  as  I  got  on  shore,  I  saw  a  multitude  of  small 
birds  of  prey.  They  keep  in  flocks,  like  our  sparrows, 
hopping  about  everywhere,  and  perching  on  the  hedges 
and  house-tops.  I  anxiously  wished  for  an  opportunity 
to  make  myself  better  acquainted  with  one  of  them. 
Presuming  that  shooting  in  the  town  might  be  displeas- 
ing to  the  inhabitants,  who  would  naturally  claim  to 
themselves  a  sort  of  exclusive  sporting  right,  I  took  my 
gun  down  to  the  sea-shore,  and  there  shot  one  of  the 
birds.  It  belonged  to  the  Gyr-Falcon  family  (Polylo- 
rinite),  and  was  one  of  the  species  peculiar  to  South 
America  (Potyborus  chimango,  Vieil.)  The  whole  of 
the  upper  part  of  the  body  is  brown,  but  single  feathers 
here  and  there  have  a  whitish-brown  edge.  On  the  tail 
are  several  indistinct  oblique  stripes.  The  under-part 
of  the  body  is  whitish-brown,  and  is  also  marked  with 


THE    GYR-FALCON.  5 

transverse  stripes  feebly  denned.  The  bird  I  shot 
measured  from  the  point  of  the  beak  to  the  end  of  the 
tail  1  foot  6^  inches.  Though  these  Gyr-Falcons  live 
socially  together,  yet  they  are  very  greedy  and  conten- 
tious about  their  prey.  They  snap  up,  as  food,  all  the 
offal  thrown  out  of  doors  ;  and  thus  they  render  them- 
selves serviceable  to  the  inhabitants,  who  consequently  do 
not  destroy  them.  In  some  of  the  valleys  of  Peru,  I 
met  with  these  birds  again,  but  very  rarely,  and  always 
single  and  solitary.  I  continued  my  excursions  on  the 
sea-shore,  but  with  little  satisfaction,  for  the  pouring  rain 
had  driven  animals  of  every  kind  to  their  lurking-holes. 
After  a  few  days,  I  went  on  board  the  "Edmond,"  for  the 
purpose  of  visiting  PUNTA  ARENA,  a  town  on  the  side  of 
the  bay,  whither  our  boat  used  to  be  sent  for  fresh  water. 
The  ground  surrounding  the  spring  whence  the  ships 
obtain  supplies  of  water,  is  sandy,  and  it  becomes  exceed- 
ingly marshy  further  inland.  After  wandering  about 
for  a  few  hours,  I  found  myself  quite  lost  in  a  morass,  out 
of  which  I  had  to  work  my  way  with  no  little  difficulty. 
The  whole  produce  of  my  hard  day's  sport  consisted  of 
an  awlbeak,  a  small  dark-brown  bird  (Opethiorhyncua 
patagonicus),  and  some  land-snails.  On  our  return,  as  we 
were  nearing  the  ship,  we  killed  a  seal  (Otaria  chilensis, 
Miill.),  which  was  rising  after  a  dive,  close  to  the  boat. 

On  the  22nd  of  June,  all  our  ship's  company  were  on 
board  by  order  of  the  captain.  We  weighed  anchor, 
and  cruized  about  for  some  time.  At  length,  about 
five  in  the  afternoon,  we  returned,  and  the  ship  was 
anchored  again  precisely  on  the  spot  she  had  left  a  few 


6  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

hours  before.  It  was  set  down  in  the  log-book  that 
the  wind  was  not  sufficiently  favourable  to  allow  the 
ship  to  pass  out  safely  through  the  narrow  entrance  to 
the  bay.  But  all  on  board  were  well  aware  that  this 
was  merely  a  pretence  on  the  part  of  the  captain,  who, 
for  some  reason  or  other,  wished  to  stop  longer  at  San 
Carlos. 

I  was  very  much  pleased  at  this  opportunity  of  pro- 
longing my  stay  at  the  Island  of  Chiloe,  hoping  that 
better  weather  would  enable  me  to  make  an  excursion 
into  the  interior.  But  the  sky  still  continued  overcast, 
and  the  rain  poured  incessantly.  One  day,  however,  I 
undertook  a  journey  to  Castro,  in  company  with  the 
French  Charge  d' Affaires  to  Peru,  one  of  my  fellow- 
passengers  on  the  voyage.  A  merchant  accommodated 
us  with  two  horses,  saddled  in  the  Chilian  manner  ;  but 
he  warned  us  to  be  on  our  guard,  as  horses  were  often 
restive  when  just  returned  from  their  summer  pasturage. 
We  set  off  very  promisingly.  The  commencement  of 
our  ride  was  pleasant  enough,  though  the  road  was  steep 
and  very  difficult.  It  sometimes  lay  over  smooth  slip- 
pery stones,  then  through  deep  marshes,  or  over  scat- 
tered logs  of  wood,  which  bore  evidence  of  attempts  to 
render  the  ground  passable,  by  this  rude  kind  of  paving. 
After  we  had  ridden  for  several  hours  in  the  forest,  the 
rain  checked  our  further  progress,  and  we  turned,  to 
retrace  our  way  back.  Our  horses  seemed  well  pleased 
with  the  prospect  of  returning  home.  For  a  time  they 
proceeded  with  wonderful  steadiness  ;  but  on  coming 
to  a  part  of  the  road,  where  the  ground  was  compara- 


THE    ISLAND    OF    CH1LOE.  7 

tively  level  and  firm,  they  quickened  their  pace,  and  at 
length  dashed  forward  through  the  wood,  uncontrolled 
by  the  bridle.  The  long  narrow  saddle,  with  its  woollen 
covering,  the  crescent-shaped  wooden  stirrups,  and  the 
heavy  spurs,  with  their  clumsy  rowels,  baffled  all  our 
skill  in  horsemanship,  and  it  was  with  no  little  difficulty 
we  kept  our  seats.  We  thought  it  best  to  give  the 
animals  the  rein,  and  they  galloped  through  the  um- 
brageous thickets,  until  at  last,  panting  and  breathless, 
they  stuck  in  a  morass.  Here  we  recovered  our  control 
over  them,  and  pursued  the  remainder  of  our  journey 
without  further  accident,  though  we  were  drenched  to 
the  skin  on  our  return  to  the  town. 

On  subsequent  days,  I  took  my  rambles  on  foot,  and 
found  myself  richly  rewarded  thereby.  The  long  even- 
ings we  spent  in  the  company  of  our  host  and  the  har- 
bour-master, from  both  of  whom  I  obtained  some  useful 
information  respecting  the  island. 

Chiloe  is  one  of  the  largest  islands  of  the  Archipelago 
which  extends  along  the  west  coast  of  South  America, 
from  42°  south  lat.  to  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  It 
is  about  23  German  miles  long,  and  10  broad.  A  mag- 
nificent, but  almost  inaccessible  forest  covers  the  unbro- 
ken line  of  hills  stretching  along  Chiloe,  and  gives  to 
the  island  a  charming  aspect  of  undulating  luxuriance. 
Seldom,  however,  can  the  eye  command  a  distinct  view 
of  those  verdant  hills  ;  for  overhanging"  clouds  sur- 
charged with  rain,  almost  constantly  veil  the  spreading 
tops  of  the  trees.  At  most  parts  of  the  shore  the 
declivity  is  rapid.  There  are  many  inlets,  which,  though 


8  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

small,  afford  secure  anchorage  ;  but  there  are  no  har- 
bours of  any  magnitude.  While  Castro  was  the  capital 
of  the  island,  Chacao  was  the  principal  port ;  but  San 
Carlos  having  become  the  residence  of  the  governor,  this 
latter  place  is  considered  the  chief  harbour  ;  and  with 
reason,  for  its  secure,  tranquil  bay  unites  all  the  advan- 
tages the  navigator  can  desire  on  the  stormy  coast  of 
South  Chile.  At  Chacao,  on  the  contrary,  reefs  and 
strong  currents  render  the  entrance  dangerous  and  the 
anchorage  insecure. 

Chiloe  is  but  little  cultivated,  and  scantily  populated. 
If  the  statement  of  my  informant,  the  harbour-master, 
be  correct,  Chiloe  and  the  adjacent  small  islands  contain 
only  from  48,000  to  50,000  inhabitants,  part  of  whom  live 
in  ranchos,  (huts,)  and  part  in  a  few  villages.  Next  to 
San  Carlos,  and  the  half-deserted  Castro,  to  which  the 
title  of  "  City  "  is  given,  the  chief  places  are  Chacao, 
Vilipilli,  Cucao,  Velinoe.  It  is  only  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  these  towns  or  villages  that  the  forest  trees 
have  been  felled,  and  their  removal  has  uncovered  a 
fertile  soil,  which  would  reward  by  a  hundred-fold  the 
labour  of  the  husbandman. 

The  climate  of  the  island  is  moist  and  cool,  and  upon 
the  whole  very  unpleasant.  During  the  winter  months, 
the  sun  is  seldom  seen  ;  and  it  is  a  proverbial  saying  in 
Chiloe,  that  it  rains  six  days  of  the  week,  and  is  cloudy 
on  the  severith.  In  summer  there  are  occasionally  fine 
days,  though  seldom  two  in  succession.  The  thick 
forests  are  therefore  never  dry,  and  beneath  the  trees 
the  vegetation  of  the  marshy  soil  is  peculiarly  luxuriant. 


CLIMATE   AND   CULTIVATION.  9 

The  constant  moisture  is  one  of  the  greatest  obstacles 
to  agriculture.  To  clear  the  ground  for  cultivation,  it 
would  be  necessary  to  burn  the  forests,  and  as  the  trees 
are  always  damp,  that  could  not  be  done  without  great 
difficulty.  To  some  kinds  of  culture,  the  soil  is  not 
favourable.  The  cereals,  for  example,  seldom  thrive  in 
Chiloe  ;  the  seed  rots  after  the  ear  is  formed.  Maize 
grows  best  ;  though  it  shoots  too  much  into  leaf,  and 
bears  only  small  grain.  The  damp  soil,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  favourable  to  potatoes,  of  which  vast  quantities 
are  planted.  There  is  a  degenerate  kind  of  potato,  very 
abundant  in  Chiloe.  On  bisection  it  exhibits  a  greater 
or  lesser  number  of  concentric  rings,  alternately  white 
and  violet ;  sometimes  all  of  the  latter  colour.  It  is 
well  known  that  southern  Chile  is  the  native  land  of  the 
potato.  In  Chiloe  and  also  in  the  neighbouring  islands, 
potatoes  grow  wild  ;  but,  both  in  size  and  flavour,  they 
are  far  inferior  to  the  cultivated  kind.  Like  the  maize, 
they  shoot  up  in  large  leaves  and  stalks.  The  climate 
is  also  very  favourable  to  the  different  kinds  of  the  cab- 
bage plant ;  but  peas  and  beans  do  not  thrive  there. 

In  the  forests  there  are  often  clear  spots  on  which  the 
grass  grows  to  a  great  height,  and  supplies  excellent 
pasturage  for  numerous  herds  of  cattle.  The  inhabitants 
of  Chiloe  breed  for  their  own  use,  horses,  oxen,  sheep,  and 
swine.  The  horses  are  small,  and  not  handsomely  formed, 
but  very  spirited  and  strong.  Some  are  scarcely  twelve 
hands  high.  The^cows  are  small  and  lank,  and  the 
same  may  be  said  of  the  swine  and  sheep.  It  is 
remarkable  that  all  the  rams  have  more  than  two  horns ; 


10  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  greater  number  have  three,  and  many  are  furnished 
with  four,  or  five.  I  afterwards  observed  the  same  in 
Peru.  The  domestic  animals  on  this  island,  notwith- 
standing the  abundance  of  food,  are  small,  and  sickly- 
looking.  I  believe  the  cause  to  be  want  of  care,  for  they 
remain  all  the  year  round  exposed  to  every  sort  of  wea- 
ther and  discomfort. 

The  population  of  Chiloe  consists  of  Whites,  Indians, 
and  people  of  mixed  blood.  The  Indians  are  now  few 
in  number,  and  those  few  are  chiefly  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  island,  and  the  adjacent  islets.  They  are  of 
the  Araucana  race,  and  appear  to  be  a  sept  between 
that  race  and  the  people  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  on  the 
one  side,  and  the  Pampas  Indians  on  the  other.  People 
of  mixed  races  form  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the 
population.  They  are  met  with  in  every  variety  of 
amalgamation.  Taken  in  general,  they  are  the  reverse 
of  handsome.  They  are  short  and  thick-set,  and  have 
long,  straight  coarse  hair.  Their  faces  are  round  and 
full,  their  eyes  small,  and  the  expression  of  their  coun- 
tenances is  unintelligent.  The  whites  are  either  Chi- 
lenos  or  Spaniards  :  the  latter  are  almost  the  only 
Europeans  who  have  become  settlers  here. 

The  principal  town,  San  Carlos,  called  by  the  natives 
"  Ancud,"  lies  on  the  northern  coast  of  a  very  fine  bay. 
Without  a  good  chart,  the  entrance  to  this  bay  is  diffi- 
cult. Numerous  small  islands  form  a  labyrinth,  out  of 
which  vessels,  if  not  commanded  by  very  experienced 
pilots,  cannot  easily  be  extricated.  Besides,  near  the 
land,  the  sky  is  usually  obscured  by  clouds  which  pre- 


ISLANDS   IN   THE    BAY   OF   SAN   CAKLOS.  11 

vent  any  observation  for  the  latitude,  as  the  sun's  alti- 
tude^ cannot  be  taken  even  at  noon ;  and  when  the  sun 
gets  lower,  the  hills,  which  would  serve  as  guiding 
points,  cease  to  be  distinctly  seen. 

Several  whalers,  which  for  some  days  vainly  endea- 
voured to  work  through  this  passage,  were  afterwards 
obliged  to  direct  their  course  northward,  and  to  cast 
anchor  in  Valivia.  One  of  the  largest  islands  at  the 
entrance  of  the  bay  is  San  Sebastian,  where  there  are 
numerous  herds  of  cattle.  Cochino  is  a  small  island, 
distant  only  a  few  miles  from  San  Carlos.  It  is  hilly, 
and  thickly  crowned  with  brush-wood.  It  has  only  one 
landing-place,  and  that  is  rather  insecure  for  boats.  The 
water  of  the  bay  is  remarkably  clear  and  good ;  only 
round  the  little  island  of  Cochino,  and  along  the  harbour, 
it  is  covered  with  an  immense  quantity  of  sea-moss, 
which  often  renders  the  landing  difficult.  It  frequently 
happens  that  commanders  of  ships,  wishing  to  go  on 
board  to  make  sail  during  the  night,  get  out  of  the  right 
course,  and  instead  of  going  to  the  ship,  steer  to 
Cochino  and  get  into  the  moss,  where  their  boats  stick 
fast,  till  returning  daylight  enables  them  to  work  their 
way  out. 

The  poor  inhabitants  boil  this  sea-moss  and  eat  it.  It 
is  very  salt  and  slimy,  and  is  difficult  of  digestion.  Among 
the  people  of  Chiloe,  this  sea-moss  occupies  an  important 
place  in  surgery.  When  a  leg  or  an  arm  is  broken,  after 
bringing  the  bone  into  its  proper  position,  a  broad  layer 
of  the  moss  is  bound  round  the  fractured  limb.  In 
drying,  the  slime  causes  it  to  adhere  to  the  skin,  and 


12  TKAVELS    IN    PEKU. 

thus  it  forms  a  fast  bandage,  which  cannot  be  ruffled  or 
shifted.  After  the  lapse  of  a  few  weeks,  when  the  bones 
have  become  firmly  united,  the  bandage  is  loosened  by 
being  bathed  with  tepid  water,  and  it  is  then  easily 
removed.  The  Indians  of  Chiloe  were  acquainted,  long- 
before  the  French  surgeons,  with  the  use  of  the  paste 
bandage. 

The  town  of  San  Carlos  is  dirty  ;  the  streets  un- 
paved,  narrow,  and  crooked.  The  houses,  with  few 
exceptions,  are  wretched  wooden  huts,  for  the  most  part 
without  windows  ;  but  there  is  a  board  divided  in  the 
middle  horizontally,  the  upper  part  of  which  being  open, 
it  serves  for  a  window,  and  when  both  parts  are  open,  it 
forms  a  door.  The  flooring  usually  consists  merely  of 
hard-trodden  clay,  covered  with  straw  matting.  The 
furniture,  like  the  apartments,  is  rude  and  inconvenient. 
These  remarks  of  course  apply  to  the  habitations  of  the 
very  poor  class  of  people.  The  richer  families  live  in 
more  comfortable  style.  Of  the  public  buildings,  the 
custom-house  and  the  governor's  residence  are  the  most 
considerable,  but  both  make  a  very  indifferent  appear- 
ance. In  front  of  the  governor's  house,  which  occupies 
a  tolerably  large  space  of  ground,  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  town,  a  sentinel  is  constantly  stationed.  This  sen- 
tinel parades  to  and  fro,  without  shoes  or  stockings,  and 
not  unfrequently  without  a  coat,  his  arms  being  covered 
only  by  his  shirt-sleeves.  As  to  a  cap,  that  seems  to  be 
considered  as  unnecessary  a  part  of  a  well-conditioned 
uniform,  as  shoes  and  stockings.  After  sunset  every 
person  who  -passes  the  governor's  house  is  challenged. 


MODE    OF    PREPARING    MATE.  13 

"  Who  goes  there  1  "  is  the  first  question  ;  the  second 
is  Que  gente  f  (what  country  T)  The  sailors  amuse 
themselves  by  returning  jocular  answers  to  these  chal- 
lenges ;  and  the  sentinel,  irritated  by  their  jeers,  some- 
times runs  after  them  through  part  of  the  town,  and 
when  weary  of  the  chase  returns  to  his  post. 

Poverty  and  uncleanliness  vie  with  each  other  in  San 
Carlos.  The  lower  class  of  the  inhabitants  are  exceed- 
ingly filthy,  particularly  the  women,  whose  usual  dress 
is  a  dirty  woollen  gown,  and  a  greasy-looking  mantilla. 
In  their  damp  gloomy  habitations,  they  squat  down  on 
the  floor,  close  to  the  brasero  (chafing  pan),  which  also 
serves  them  as  a  stove  for  cooking.  They  bruise  maize 
between  two  stones,  and  make  it  into  a  thick  kind  of 
soup  or  porridge.  When  employed  in  paring  potatoes 
or  apples,  or  in  cutting  cabbages,  they  throw  the  skins 
and  waste  leaves  on  the  ground,  so  that  they  are  fre- 
quently surrounded  by  a  mass  of  half-decayed  vegetable 
matter.  Their  favourite  beverage  is  mate  (the  Paraguay 
tea),  of  which  they  partake  at  all  hours  of  the  day.  The 
mode  of  preparing  and  drinking  the  mate  is  as  follows  : 
A  portion  of  the  herb  is  put  into  a  sort  of  cup  made 
from  a  gourd,  and  boiling  water  is  poured  over  it.  The 
mistress  of  the  house  then  takes  a  reed  or  pipe,  to  one 
end  of  which  a  strainer  is  affixed,*  and  putting  it  into 
the  decoction,  she  sucks  up  a  mouthful  of  the  liquid. 
She  then  hands  the  apparatus  to  the  person  next  to  her, 
who  partakes  of  it  in  the  same  manner,  and  so  it  goes 

*  Bombilla  is  the  name  given  to  this  pipe,  and  the  cup  or  gourd  in  which  the 
decoction  of  the  mate  is  prepared,  is  called  the  macerina. 


14  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

round.  The  mistress  of  the  house  and  all  her  guests 
suck  the  aromatic  fluid  through  the  same  pipe  or  bombilla. 

The  poverty  of  the  people  is  extreme.  Specie  is 
seldom  current,  and  is  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  a  few 
traders,  who  supply  the  Indians  with  European  articles, 
in  payment  of  their  labour,  or  in  exchange  for  the  pro- 
duce of  the  island,  which  is  sent  to  Chile  and  Peru. 
With  much  surprise  I  learned  that  there  is  no  saw-mill 
in  Chiloe,  where  the  vast  abundance  of  trees  would  furnish 
a  supply  of  excellent  deals,  for  which  ready  and  good 
payment  would  be  obtained  in  Peru. 

The  inhabitants  direct  their  industry  chiefly  to  agricul- 
ture and  navigation.  But  rude  and  imperfect  are  their 
implements  for  field  labour,  as  well  as  their  nautical 
vessels.  To  a  stranger  nothing  can  appear  more  extra- 
ordinary than  their  mode  of  ploughing.  As  to  a  regular 
plough,  I  do  not  believe  such  a  thing  is  known  in  Chiloe. 
If  a  field  is  to  be  tilled,  it  is  done  by  two  Indians,  who 
are  furnished  with  long  poles,  pointed  at  one  end.  The 
one  thrusts  his  pole,  pretty  deeply,  and  in  an  oblique 
direction,  into  the  earth,  so  that  it  forms  an  angle  with 
the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  other  Indian  sticks  his 
pole  in  at  a  little  distance,  and  also  obliquely,  and  he 
forces  it  beneath  that  of  his  fellow-labourer,  so  that  the 
first  pole  lies  as  it  were  above  the  second.  The  first 
Indian  then  presses  on  his  pole,  and  makes  it  work  on 
the  other,  as  a  lever  on  its  fulcrum,  and  the  earth  is 
thrown  up  by  the  point  of  the  pole.  Thus  they  gra- 
dually advance,  until  the  whole  field  is  furrowed  by 
this  laborious  process. 


CHILOE    COASTING   BOATS.       ^  15 

The  Chiloe  boats  are  merely  hulks.  They  obey  the 
helm  reluctantly,  but  they  bear  away  before  the  wind. 
Several  individuals  usually  join  together,  and  convey  in 
these  boats  the  produce  of  their  respective  localities, 
in  the  southern  villages,  to  San  Carlos.  "Women  as 
well  as  men  take  their  turn  in  rowing  the  boats,  and 
after  being  out  all  day,  they  run  into  some  creek,  where 
they  pass  the  night.  When  a  favourable  breeze  springs 
up,  they  hoist  a  sail,  made  of  ponchos  The  poncho  is 
an  important  article  of  male  clothing  in  this  country. 
It  consists  of  a  piece  of  woollen  cloth,  measuring  from 
5  to  7  feet  long,  and  from  3  to  4  feet  broad.  In  the 
middle  there  is  a  slit,  from  12  to  14  inches  long  ; 
through  this  slit  the  wearer  passes  his  head.  The  pon- 
cho thus  rests  on  the  shoulders,  and  hangs  down  in  front 
and  behind  as  low  as  the  knees.  At  the  sides,  it  reaches 
to  the  elbow,  or  middle  of  the  forearm,  and  thus  covers 
the  whole  of  the  body.  The  carters  and  waggoners  in 
Swabia,  wear,  in  rainy  weather,  a  covering  somewhat 
resembling  the  poncho,  which  they  make  out  of  their 
woollen  horse-coverings.  "When  a  Chiloe  boat  is  on  its 
passage  on  the  coast,  and  a  sail  happens  to  be  wanted, 
the  men  give  up  their  ponchos  and  the  women  their 
mantillas.  The  slits  in  the  ponchos  are  stitched  up,  and 
both  ponchos  and  mantillas  being  sewed  together,  are 
fixed  to  a  pole  or  bar  of  wood,  which  is  hoisted  to  a 
proper  position  on  the  mast.  This  patchwork  sail  can 
only  be  serviceable  when  the  wind  is  fresh.  At  night- 
fall, when  the  boat  runs  into  one  of  the  creeks  for  shel- 
ter, the  sail  is  lowered,  and  the  sewing  being  unpicked, 


16  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  ponchos  and  mantillas  are  returned  to  their  respective 
owners,  who  wrap  themselves  in  them,  and -go  to  sleep. 

There  is  but  little  trade  in  San  Carlos,  for  Chile  itself 
possesses  in  superfluity  all  the  productions  of  Chiloe,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  island  are  so  poor,  and  their 
wants  so  limited,  that  they  require  but  few  foreign 
articles.  The  port  is  therefore  seldom  visited  by  any 
trading  vessel  from  Europe.  Some  of  the  Chiloe  boats 
keep  up  a  regular  traffic  along  the  coast.  They  carry 
wood,  brooms,  hams,  and  potatoes  to  Valparaiso,  Arica, 
Callao,  &c.,  and  they  bring  back  in  return,  linen, 
woollen  and  cotton  cloths,  ironware,  tobacco,  and 
spirits. 

North  American  and  French  whalers  have  for  several 
years  past  been  frequent  visitors  to  San  Carlos,  as  they 
can  there  provide  themselves,  at  a  cheap  rate,  with  pro- 
visions for  the  long  fishing  season.  All  the  captains 
bring  goods,  which  they  smuggle  on  shore,  where  they 
sell  or  exchange  them  at  a  high  profit.  A  custom-house 
officer  is,  indeed,  sent  on  board  every  vessel,  to  examine 
whatever  is  to  be  unshipped  ;  but  a  few  dollars  will 
silence  him,  and  make  him  favour  the  contraband  opera- 
tions, which  are  carried  on  without  much  reserve.  A 
French  captain  brought  to  Chiloe  a  quantity  of  water- 
proof cloaks  and  hats,  made  of  a  sort  of  black  waxed 
cloth,  and  sold  them  to  a  dealer  in  San  Carlos.  To 
evade  the  duty,  he  sent  his  men  on  shore,  each  wearing 
one  of  these  hats  and  cloaks,  which  they  deposited  in 
the  dealer's  store,  and  then  returned  on  board  the  ship, 
dressed  in  their  sailors'  garb.  This  was  repeated  so 


ZOOLOGY.  1 7 

often,  that  at  length  it  was  intimated  to  the  captain,  that, 
if  his  men  had  a  fancy  to  come  on  shore  with  such  hats 
and  cloaks,  they  would  be  permitted  to  do  so,  but  it 
must  be  on  condition  of  their  returning  on  board  dressed 
in  the  same  costume. 

The  people  of  Ancud  (San  Carlos)  formerly  so  simple 
and  artless,  have  gradually  become  corrupt  and  degene- 
rate, since  their  frequent  intercourse  with  the  whale- 
fishers.  Among  the  female  portion  of  the  population, 
depravity  of  morals  and  unbecoming  boldness  of  man- 
ners have  in  a  great  degree  superseded  the  natural  sim- 
plicity which  formerly  prevailed.  All  the  vices  of  the 
lowest  class  of  sailors,  of  which  the  crews  of  the  South 
Sea  Whalers  are  composed,  have  quickly  taken  root  in 
San  Carlos,  and  the  inseparable  consequences  of  those 
vices  will  soon  be  fatal  to  the  moral  and  physical  wel- 
fare of  the  inhabitants. 

In  the  interior  of  the  island  of  Chiloe  there  are  few 
quadrupeds.  The  largest,  the  domestic  animals  excepted, 
is  a  fox,  (Canis  fulvipes,  Wat.)  which  was  first  discovered 
by  the  naturalists  who  accompanied  Capt.  King's  expe- 
dition. This  is  the  only  beast  of  prey.  The  coast 
abounds  in  seals  of  the  sea-dog  species,  (Otaria  chilensis, 
MiilL,  Otaria  Ursina,  Per.,  Otaria  jubata,  Desm.) — in 
sea  otters,  (Otaria  chilensis,  Ben.) — and  in  the  water 
mouse,  (Myopotamm  Coy  pus,  J.  Geoff.)  Among  the 
birds,  there  are  some  very  fine  species  of  ducks,  well 
worthy  of  notice,  which  are  also  found  on  the  continent 
of  South  America.  There  is  the  little  Cheucau,  (Pter- 
optochus  rubecula,  Kettl.)  to  which  the  Chilotes  attach 

c 


18  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

various  superstitious  ideas,  and  pretend  to  foretell  good 
or  ill  luck  from  its  song.  The  modulations  which  this 
bird  is  capable  of  uttering  are  numerous,  and  the  natives 
assign  a  particular  meaning  to  each.  One  day,  when  I 
wished  to  have  some  shooting,  I  took  an  Indian  lad 
with  me.  Having  levelled  my  gun  at  one  of  these  birds, 
which  was  sitting  in  a  low  bush,  and  uttering  its  shrill 
huit-huit,  my  young  companion  firmly  grasped  my  arm, 
earnestly  entreating  me  not  to  shoot  the  bird,  as  it  had 
sung  its  unlucky  note.  But  my  desire  to  possess  a  spe- 
cimen was  too  great  to  be  thus  baffled,  so  I  fired  my  gun 
and  brought  it  down.  I  was  engaged  in  examining  the 
elegant  little  bird,  when  a  mule,  probably  alarmed  by  the 
shot,  came  running  at  full  speed  towards  the  spot  where 
we  were,  and  we  deemed  it  prudent  to  get  behind  a 
hedge  as  speedily  as  possible.  The  infuriated  mule 
made  an  attack  on  my  gun,  which  was  resting  against 
the  hedge.  It  was  thrown  down,  bitten,  and  trampled 
on  by  the  mule.  The  Indian  boy  turned  to  me,  with  a 
serious  countenance,  and  said  : — "It  is  well  if  we  escape 
further  danger  !  — I  told  you  the  bird  had  piped  bad 
luck  ! " 

The  day  fixed  for  our  departure  from  Chiloe  now 
approached.  The  wind,  which  had  heretofore  been 
unfavourable  for  leaving  the  port,  promised  to  change, 
and  we  began  to  ship  provisions.  Whilst  I  was  wait- 
ing for  the  boat  which  was  to  take  me  on  board,  I 
had  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  dexterity  with 
which  the  Indians  slaughter  their  cattle.  This  business 
is  performed  on  the  Mole,  where,  in  the  space  of  a  quar- 


SHOCK    OF    AN    EARTHQUAKE.  19 

ter  of  an  hour,  and  by  two  men  only,  an  ox  is  killed, 
and  the  carcase  cut  up  into  the  proper  pieces.  When  it 
is  necessary  to  ship  live  oxen,  the  animals  are  brought 
to  the  shore,  where  their  feet  are  bound  together,  and 
then  they  are  rolled  over  planks  into  the  lancha  (boat). 
On  nearing  the  ship,  the  Indians  tie  a  rope  round  the 
animal's  horns,  and  then  the  sailors  hoist  him  up  with  a 
strong  tackle.  It  is  a  curious  sight  to  behold  a  strongly- 
bound  struggling  ox,  hanging  by  the  tackle,  and  swing- 
ing between  wind  and  water.  My  little  Chilotean  pony, 
which  I  intended  to  take  to  Peru,  was  dealt  with  more 
gently:  he  was  got  on  board  with  a  girth,  purposely 
made  for  hoisting  horses  on  board  ship. 

At  length  we  sailed  out  of  the  Bay,  with  a  fresh 
easterly  wind.  Three  coasting  boats,  one  of  which  was 
heavily  laden  with  brooms,  left  the  roads  at  the  same 
time,  and  their  crews  said  they  hoped  to  reach  Valpa- 
raiso before  us.  But  they  had  too  great  confidence  in 
their  round-bottomed  keels,  for  they  did  not  anchor  in 
their  place  of  destination  till  five  or  six  days  after  our 
arrival. 

The  wind  soon  got  up,  blowing  W.N.W.,  but  rather 
flat.  In  course  of  the  night,  during  the  second 
watch,  we  were  roused  from  our  sleep  by  a  heavy  shock, 
followed  by  a  peculiarly  tremulous  motion  of  the  whole 
ship.  We  concluded  we  had  struck  in  passing  over 
some  hidden  rock.  The  lead  was  thrown,  but  no  ground 
was  found  ;  the  pumps  were  set  a-going,  but  we  were 
free  of  water.  The  captain  attributed  the  shock  to  an 
earthquake,  and  on  our  arrival  in  Chile,  his  conjecture 

c  2 


20  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

was  confirmed.  In  Valdivia,  in  the  latitude  of  which 
place  we  were  at  the  time,  a  severe  shock  of  an  earth- 
quake had  been  experienced. 

After  a  pretty  favourable  passage  of  seven  days,  we 
anchored  on  the  30th  of  June,  in  the  harbour  of 
Valparaiso. 


21 


CHAPTER  II. 

Valparaiso  and  the  adjacent  country — The  Bay — Aspect  of  the  Town — Light- 
houses— Forts— Custom  House— Exchange — Hotels  and  Taverns — War 
with  the  Peru-Bolivian  Confederation— First  Expedition — Preparations 
for  the  Second  Expedition— Embarkation  of  the  Troops — Close  of  the  Port 
— July  Festival  in  honour  of  the  French  Revolution — The  Muele,  or  Mole 
— Police — Serenos,  or  Watchmen — Moveable  Prisons — Clubs — Trade  of 
Valparaiso — Santiago — Zoology. 

THE  impression  produced  by  the  approach  to  Valparaiso 
on  persons  who  see  land  for  the  first  time  after  a  sea 
voyage  of  several  months'  duration,  must  be  very  differ- 
ent from  that  felt  by  those  who  anchor  in  the  port,  after 
a  passage  of  a  few  days  from  the  luxuriantly  verdant 
shores  of  the  islands  lying  to  the  south.  Certainly,  none 
of  our  ship's  company  would  have  been  disposed  to  give 
the  name  of  "  Vale  of  Paradise"  to  the  sterile,  mono- 
tonous coast  which  lay  outstretched  before  us  ;  and  yet, 
to  the  early  navigators,  its  first  aspect,  after  a  long  and 
dreary  voyage,  over  the  desert  ocean,  might  naturally 
enough  have  suggested  the  idea  of  an  earthly  paradise. 

Along  the  sea  coast  there  extends  a  range  of  round- 
topped  hills,  15  or  16  hundred  feet  high,  covered  with  a 
grey-brownish  coating,  relieved  only  here  and  there  by 
patches  of  dead  green,  and  furrowed  by  clefts,  within  which 
the  bright  red  of  tile-roofed  houses  is  discernible.  Half- 
withered  cactus  trees,  the  only  plants  which  take  root  in 


22  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  ungenial  soil,  impart  no  life  to  the  dreary  landscape. 
The  hills  continue  rising  in  undulating  outlines,  and 
extend  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  where  they  unite 
with  the  great  chain  of  the  Andes. 

The  bay  of  Valparaiso  is  open  on  the  north  and  west  ; 
on  the  south  it  is  protected  by  a  little  promontory  called 
the  Punta  de  Coromilla.  In  this  direction  the  shore  is 
steep  and  rocky,  and  the  waves  break  against  it  with 
great  fury.  From  the  Puhta  de  Coromilla  the  bay 
extends  from  east  to  north-west  in  the  form  of  a  gently 
curved  crescent,  having  a  sloping,  sandy  beach,  which 
rises  very  gradually  towards  the  hills.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  bay  there  are  several  small  inlets,  almost 
inaccessible,  and  edged  with  steep  rocks.  The  bay  is 
sometimes  unsafe,  for  it  is  completely  unsheltered  on  the 
north,  and  the  heavy  gales  which  blow  from  that  point  fre- 
quently end  in  storms.  At  those  times  the  bay  is  furiously 
agitated,  the  waves  sometimes  rising  as  high  as  in  the 
open  sea,  and  the  ships  are  obliged  to  cast  their  sheet- 
anchors.  Many  vessels  have  at  various  times  been  driven 
from  their  anchorage,  cast  ashore,  and  dashed  to  pieces 
on  a  rock  called  Little  Cape  Horn  ;  for,  when  a  violent 
gale  blows  from  the  north,  it  is  impossible  to  get  out  to 
sea.  Sailors  are  accustomed  to  say  that  in  a  violent 
storm  they  would  rather  be  tossed  about  on  the  wide 
ocean  than  be  at  anchor  in  the  bay  of  Valparaiso.  But 
against  the  south  wind,  though  sometimes  no  less  bois- 
terous than  the  northern  gales,  the  harbour  affords 
secure  refuge,  being  perfectly  sheltered  by  the  Punta  de 
Coromilla, 


FIRST   ASPECT   OF   VALPARAISO.  23 

The  town  of  Valparaiso  looks  as  if  built  on  terraces  at 
the  foot  of  the  range  of  hills  above  mentioned.  North- 
ward it  stretches  out  on  the  level  sea  shore,  in  a  long 
double  row  of  houses  called  the  Almendral :  towards  the 
south  it  rises  in  the  direction  of  the  hills.  Two  clefts  or 
chasms  (quebradas)  divide  this  part  of  the  town  into  three 
separate  parts,  consisting  of  low  shabby  houses.  These 
three  districts  have  been  named  by  the  sailors  after  the  Eng- 
lish sea  terms  Fore-top,  Main-top,  and  Mizzen-top.  The 
numerous  quebradas,  which  all  intersect  the  ground  in  a 
parallel  direction,  are  surrounded  by  poor-looking  houses. 
The  wretched,  narrow  streets  running  along  these  que- 
bradas are,  in  winter,  and  especially  at  night,  exceedingly 
dangerous,  Valparaiso  being  very  badly  lighted.  It 
sometimes  happens  that  people  fall  over  the  edges  of  the 
chasms  and  are  killed,  accidents  which  not  unfrequently 
occur  to  the  drunken  sailors  who  infest  these  quarters  of 
the  town. 

Viewed  from  the  sea,  Valparaiso  has  rather  a  pleasing 
aspect,  and  some  neat  detached  houses  built  on  little 
levels,  artificially  made  on  the  declivities  of  the  hills,  have 
a  very  picturesque  appearance.  The  scenery  in  the 
immediate  background  is  gloomy ;  but,  in  the  distance, 
the  summit  of  the  volcano  Aconcagua,  which  is  23,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  which,  on  fine  even- 
ings, is  gilded  by  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  imparts  a 
peculiar  charm  to  the  landscape. 

The  bay  is  protected  by  three  small  forts.  The 
southernmost,  situated  between  the  lighthouse  and  the 
town,  has  five  guns.  The  second,  which  is  somewhat 


24  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

larger,  called  el  Castillo  de  San  Antonio,  is  in  the 
southern  inlet  of  the  bay.  Though  the  most  strongly 
fortified  of  the  three,  yet  it  is  in  reality  a  mere  play- 
thing. In  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  on  a  little 
hillock,  stands  the  third  fort,  called  el  Castillo  del  Rosario, 
which  is  furnished  with  six  pieces  of  cannon.  The 
churches  of  Valparaiso  are  exceedingly  plain  and  simple, 
undistinguished  either  for  architecture  or  internal 
decoration. 

The  custom-house  is  especially  worthy  of  mention.  It 
is  a  beautiful  and  spacious  building,  and  from  its  situa- 
tion on  the  Muele  (Mole),  is  an  object  which  attracts  the 
attention  of  all  who  arrive  at  Valparaiso.  In  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  custom-house  is  the  exchange.  It  is  a 
plain  building,  and  contains  a  large  and  elegant  reading- 
room,  in  which  may  always  be  found  the  principal 
European  newspapers.  In  this  reading-room  there 
is  also  an  excellent  telescope  by  Dollond,  which  is  a 
source  of  amusement,  by  affording  a  view  of  the  comical 
scenes  sometimes  enacted  on  board  the  ships  in  the  port. 

The  taverns  and  hotels  are  very  indifferent.  The  best 
are  kept  by  Frenchmen,  though  even  those  are  incom- 
modious and  expensive.  The  apartments,  which  scarcely 
contain  necessary  articles  of  furniture,  are  dirty,  and 
often  infested  with  rats.  In  these  houses,  however,  the 
table  is  tolerably  well  provided  ;  for  there  is  no  want  of 
good  meat  and  vegetables  in  the  market.  The  second- 
rate  taverns  are  far  beneath  the  very  worst  in  the  towns 
of  Europe. 

On  our  arrival  in  Valparaiso,  a  vast  deal  of  activity 


WAR    BETWEEN    CHILE    AND    PERU.  25 

and  bustle  prevailed  in  the  harbour.  Chile  had  declared 
war  against  the  Peru-Bolivian  confederation,  and  was 
fitting  out  a  new  expedition  for  the  invasion  of  Peru. 
At  its  head  were  the  banished  Peruvian  president  Don 
Agustin  Gamarra  and  the  Chilian  general  Bulnes.  The 
growing  power  of  Santa  Cruz,  who  set  himself  up  as 
protector  of  a  confederation  between  Bolivia  and  Peru, 
had  given  alarm  to  the  Chilian  government.  It  was 
apprehended,  and  not  without  reason,  that  the  inde- 
pendence of  Chile  might  be  threatened  by  so  dangerous 
a  neighbour.  Santa  Cruz  had  given  umbrage  to  Chile 
by  several  decrees,  especially  one,  by  which  merchant 
vessels  coming  direct  from  Europe  into  a  Bolivian  or 
Peruvian  port,  and  there  disposing  of  their  cargoes,  were 
subject  to  very  low  duties,  whilst  heavy  imposts  were 
levied  on  ships  landing  any  part  of  their  cargoes  in  a 
Chilian  port.  This  law  greatly  increased  the  trade  of 
Peru  ;  but  it  was  prejudicial  to  Chile.  This  and  other 
grounds  of  offence,  joined  to  the  representations  of  the 
fugitive  Ex-president  Gamarra  and  his  adherents,  deter- 
mined the  Chilian  government  to  declare  war.  An 
expedition  under  the  command  of  General  Blanco  was 
sent  to  Peru ;  but  Santa  Cruz  was  prepared  to  receive 
the  invaders,  and  in  the  valley  of  Arequipa  he  surrounded 
the  Chilian  forces  so  completely  that  they  were  obliged 
to  surrender  without  striking  a  blow.  Santa  Cruz  mag- 
nanimously allowed  General  Blanco  to  make  a  very 
favourable  capitulation.  The  soldiers  were  sent  home 
to  their  country ;  but  the  horses  were  detained  and 
sold  by  the  conquerors  to  the  conquered. 


26  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  generosity  of  Don  Andres  Santa  Cruz  did  not 
meet  its  due  return  on  the  part  of  the  Chilian  govern- 
ment. The  treaty  of  peace  concluded  by  Blanco  was 
not  ratified  in  Santiago,  the  minister  declaring  that  the 
general  was  not  authorised  to  negotiate  it.  Hostilities 
were  kept  up  between  the  two  states,  and  at  length  a 
second  and  more  important  expedition  was  fitted  out. 
It  sailed  whilst  we  were  lying  in  the  harbour. 

No  sooner  had  we  cast  anchor  than  several  officers  of 
the  Chilian  army  came  on  board  to  inquire  whether  we 
had  any  swords  to  dispose  of,  assuring  us  that  they, 
together  with  the  majority  of  their  comrades,  were  yet 
unprovided  with  arms,  and  knew  not  where  to  procure 
them.  The  captain  informed  them  that  there  were  no 
swords  in  our  cargo  ;  but  that  he  had  a  few  sabres,  &c., 
which  he  was  very  willing  to  sell.  They  were  imme- 
diately produced,  and  some  were  purchased ;  among 
the  number  was  a  heavy  broad-sword,  about  five  feet 
in  length,  which  had  once  belonged  to  a  cuirassier  in 
Napoleon's  guard.  The  Chilian  officer  who  bargained 
for  it  was  a  delicate-looking  stripling,  who,  with  both 
hands,  could  scarcely  raise  the  heavy  weapon.  He, 
nevertheless,  flattered  himself  that  it  would  enable  him 
to  achieve  great  deeds  in  battle  and  deal  death  among 
the  Peruvians.  Ten  months  afterwards  I  met  this  hero 
on  a  march  among  the  mountains  of  Peru.  He  had, 
girded  on,  a  light  little  sword,  like  a  tooth  pick  or  a 
bodkin  compared  with  the  formidable  weapon  he  had 
discarded,  and  which  a  sturdy  negro  was  carrying  behind 
him.  I  could  not  refrain  from  asking  the  officer  whether 


CHILIAN    SQUADRON    SENT   TO    PERU.  27 

the  trusty  broad-sword  had  not  done  good  service  in 
the  battle  of  Yungay ;  but  he  candidly  acknowledged 
that  he  had  not  attempted  to  use  it,  as  he  found  it  much 
too  unwieldy. 

The  Chilian  squadron  sent  to  Peru  consisted  of  twenty- 
seven  transport  ships  and  eight  ships  of  war.  Almost 
all  were  in  a  wretched  condition,  having  but  few  guns, 
and  manned  by  very  insufficient  crews.  The  largest 
vessels  were  the  three  corvettes  Confederacion,  Santa 
Cruz,  and  Valparaiso.  Only  one  ship,  the  schooner 
brig  Colocolo,  was  distinguished  for  solidity  and  swift 
sailing.  The  fleet  was  commanded  by  an  admiral  of 
little  judgment  and  experience. 

Among  the  crew  there  were  but  few  Chilenos :  most  of 
the  men  were  Chilotes  and  French,  English  and  American 
deserters.  The  officers  commanding  the  ships  were  almost 
all  Englishmen.  The  transport  ships  were  heavily  laden, 
some  carrying  troops,  and  others  provisions.  These 
provisions  consisted  of  sesino  (dried  beef),  chalonas 
(whole  sheep  dried),  maize,  potatoes,  dried  fruits  and 
barley,  together  with  hay  for  the  horses.  The  embark- 
ation of  the  horses  was  most  clumsily  managed  :  many 
were  strangled  in  being  hoisted  up  the  ship's  sides,  others 
slipped  through  their  girths  and  were  severely  hurt  by 
falling,  and  a  considerable  number  of  the  poor  animals 
died  before  the  ships  left  the  port.  Every  morning  we 
saw  dozens  of  dead  horses  thrown  overboard.  The 
continued  lurching  of  the  vessels  in  which  the  cavalry 
was  embarked,  bore  evidence  of  the  inconvenient  situa- 
tion of  the  horses  between  decks. 


28  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

At  the  beginning  of  July  the  whole  squadron  sailed 
for  the  harbour  of  Coquimbo,  where  the  troops  were 
decimated  by  the  small-pox. 

There  prevailed  in  Chile  a  feeling  very  adverse  to  this 
campaign  ;  so  much  so  that  most  of  the  troops  were 
embarked  by  force.  I  was  standing  on  the  muele  when 
the  Santiago  battalion  was  shipped.  The  soldiers, 
who  were  in  wretched  uniforms,  most  of  them  wearing 
ponchos,  and  unarmed,  were  bound  together  two-and- 
two  by  ropes,  and  absolutely  driven  into  the  boats. 

This  war  proved  most  unfortunate  to  Peru,  a  result 
which,  however,  cannot  certainly  be  ascribed  either  to 
the  courage  of  the  enemy's  troops  or  the  judgment  of  their 
commanders.  We  shall  presently  see  the  circumstances 
which  combined  to  secure  triumph  to  the  Chilenos. 

I  and  my  fellow-voyagers  were  also  sufferers  by  the 
war,  our  captain  having  imprudently  announced  his 
intention  of  selling  the  Edmond  to  the  protector  Santa 
Cruz,  as  she  might  easily  have  been  transformed  into  an 
excellent  corvette.  She  was  a  quick  sailer,  tight-built, 
carrying  ten  guns  of  moderate  calibre,  and  she  might 
easily  have  mounted  ten  more. 

The  captain's  intention  having  reached  the  knowledge 
of  the  Chilian  government,  the  natural  consequence  was, 
that  the  port  was  closed,  a  measure  deemed  the  more 
necessary  inasmuch  as  an  American  captain  was  sus- 
pected of  entertaining  the  design  of  selling  his  ship  to 
the  Peruvians.  It  was  not  until  the  fleet  had  had  time 
to  reach  Peru,  and  the  first  blow  was  supposed  to  be 
struck,  that  the  embargo  was  raised,  and  we  obtained 


PARIS   REVOLUTION   OF    1830.  29 

leave  to  depart.  We  lay  in  the.  port  of  Valparaiso  five- 
and-forty  days.  To  me  the  most  annoying  circumstance 
attending  this  delay  was,  that  I  could  not  absent  myself 
from  the  port  longer  than  twenty-four  hours  at  a  time, 
as  the  ship  was  constantly  in  readiness  to  get  under 
weigh,  as  soon  as  we  should  receive  permission  to  sail, 
which  was  hourly  expected.  My  excursions  were,  there- 
fore, confined  to  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the 
town ;  and  even  there  my  walks  and  rides  were  much 
impeded  by  constant  stormy  and  rainy  weather. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  preparations  were  made  on 
board  our  ship  for  celebrating  the  Paris  revolution  of 
1830.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  fired  three 
guns,  and  the  Edmond  was  soon  decorated  from  her 
deck  to  her  mast-heads  with  flags  and  streamers.  At 
the  fore-mast  gaily  floated  the  Swiss  flag,  probably  the 
first  time  it  had  ever  been  seen  in  the  Pacific.  When 
the  guns  on  board  the  French  ship-of-war  had  ceased 
firing,  we  began  our  salute ;  but,  as  we  had  only  ten 
guns,  it  was  necessary  to  load  a  second  time.  Our  sea- 
men, being  unused  to  this  kind  of  duty,  did  not  observe 
due  precaution,  and  the  consequence  was  that  one  of 
them  had  his  hand  so  dreadfully  shattered  that  imme- 
diate amputation  was  indispensable.  The  day's  rejoicing 
was  thus  suddenly  brought  to  a  melancholy  close. 

The  mole  in  front  of  the  custom-house  is  exceedingly 
dangerous ;  so  much  so,  that,  during  the  prevalence  of 
stormy  north  winds,  it  is  impossible  to  pass  along  it. 
From  the  shore  a  sort  of  wooden  jetty  stretches  into 
the  sea,  at  the  distance  of  about  sixty  paces.  This 


30  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

jetty  has  been  sometimes  partially,  and  at  other  times 
completely,  destroyed  by  the  waves.  The  harbour- 
master's boats  and  those  belonging  to  the  ships-of-war 
land  on  the  right  side  ;  the  left  side  is  allotted  to  the 
boats  of  the  merchant  ships.  On  the  shore  there  are 
always  a  number  of  boats  ready  to  convey  persons  who 
wish  to  go  on  board  the  different  ships.  Each  boat  is 
generally  rowed  by  two  Indians.  Whenever  any  person 
approaches  the  shore  he  is  beset  by  the  boatmen,  who 
throng  round  him,  and  alternately,  in  English  ajid 
Spanish,  importune  him  with  the  questions, — "  Want 
a  boat  V9  "  Vamos  a  bordo  \ " 

Day  and  night,  parties  of  custom-house  officers  go 
round  the  port  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  smuggling. 
In  this,  however,  they  only  partially  succeed  ;  for  they 
detect  only  petty  smugglers,  whilst  those  who  carry  on 
contraband  trade  on  a  large  scale  elude  their  vigilance. 
The  captains  of  French  vessels  are  notorious  for  this 
kind  of  traffic,  and  they  frequently  succeed  in  landing 
vast  quantities  of  goods  surreptitiously. 

The  police  of  Valparaiso  is  probably  as  good  as  it  is  in 
any  part  of  South  America.  Serenos  (watchmen)  peram- 
bulate the  streets  on  foot  and  on  horseback,  and  continu- 
ally give  signals  one  to  another  by  blowing  small  whistles. 
For  personal  safety  there  is  little  risk,  probably  not 
more  than  in  the  most  populous  cities  of  Europe.  It  is 
true  that  nocturnal  murders  sometimes  take  place  ;  but 
the  police  speedily  succeed  in  capturing  the  criminals, 
who,  after  a  summary  trial,  are  shot. 

In  Valparaiso,  as  in  most  of  the  towns  on  the  western 


MOVE  ABLE    PKISONS.  31 

coast  of  South  America,  the  serenos  go  about  all  night, 
calling  the  hours  and  announcing  the  state  of  the 
weather.  At  ten  o'clock  they  commence,  with  their — 
"  Viva  Chile !" — "  Ave  Maria  purissima  ! " — "  Las  diez 
han  dado  y  sereno!"  (past  ten  o'clock  and  a  fine  night !) 
or  nublado  (cloudy,) — or  lloviendo  (raining.)  Thus,  they 
continue  calling  every  half-hour  till  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  Should  an  earthquake  take  place,  it  is 
announced  by  the  sereno  when  he  goes  his  round  in  the 
following  half-hour.  However,  the  phenomenon  usually 
announces  itself  in  so  positive  a  way,  that  the  inhabi- 
tants may  easily  dispense  with  the  information  of  the 
serenos. 

Among  the  most  remarkable  objects  in  Valparaiso 
may  be  numbered  the  moveable  prison.  It  consists  of  a 
number  of  large  covered  waggons,  not  unlike  those  used 
for  the  conveyance  of  wild  beasts.  In  the  inside  of  each 
waggon  planks  are  fixed  up  like  the  board  bedsteads  in 
a  guard-house,  affording  resting-places  for  eight  or  ten 
prisoners.  A  guard  is  stationed  at  the  door,  which  is  at 
the  back  of  the  waggon  ;  and  in  the  front  a  sort  of 
kitchen  is  constructed.  These  waggons  are  drawn  by  the 
prisoners  themselves,  who  are  for  the  most  part  destined 
to  work  in  the  streets  and  roads,  and,  accordingly,  they 
take  their  prison  with  them  when  they  are  ordered  to 
any  considerable  distance  from  the  town.  To  a  country 
in  which  there  may  be  said  to  be  no  winter,  this  sort 
of  nomad  prison  is  exceedingly  well-suited,  and  the 
prisoners  may  be  conveyed  from  place  to  place  at  very 
little  expense. 


32  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

I  went  into  some  of  these  moveable  prisons,  and  I 
must  confess  that  I  never  beheld  such  an  assemblage  of 
ill-looking  faces  as  were  collected  within  them.  In  the 
countenances  of  some  of  the  prisoners  unbridled  passion 
and  degrading  sensuality  were  so  plainly  and  so  odiously 
pourtrayed,  that  one  shuddered  to  reflect  that  such 
features  could  be  an  index  of  the  human  mind.  Most 
of  them  were  Creole  Indians  ;  but  there  were  a  few 
Europeans  among  them.  To  me  it  was  melancholy 
to  behold  the  European,  who  might  be  supposed  to 
possess  some  little  share  of  education,  mounting  the 
prison  steps  chained  to  his  fellow-criminal,  the  uncivilized 
Chileno. 

In  Valparaiso,  as  in  all  seaports,  there  is  a  hetero- 
geneous mixture  of  different  countries,  nations,  lan- 
guages, and  manners,  amidst  which  the  national 
character  of  the  country  is  entirely  lost.  The  trade  in 
European  goods  is  very  extensive,  but  almost  exclu- 
sively in  the  hands  of  a  few  great  North  American 
and  English  houses,  who  supply  the  whole  country 
with  the  articles  they  import.  At  times,  such  is  the 
overstock  of  importations,  that  goods  are  sold  at  lower 
prices  in  Valparaiso  than  in  Europe.  The  warehouses 
are  so  filled  with  some  sorts  of  merchandise,  that  with- 
out any  fresh  supplies  there  would  be  sufficient  for  some 
years  to  come.  * 

Among  the  clerks  in  the  mercantile  houses  I  met 
with  a  great  number  of  Germans,  who  all  maintain  an 
intimate  association  with  each  other.  They  have  formed 
themselves  into  a  union,  and  they  have  a  very  com- 


BUILDINGS    IN    VALPARAISO.  33 

modious  place  in  which  they  hold  their  meetings. 
Following  their  example,  the  English  have  united 
together  and  established  several  clubs.  The  French 
have  not  gained  any  considerable  footing  in  this  part  of 
South  America,  in  which  there  are  scarcely  two  French 
mercantile  houses  of  any  consequence.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  is  abundance  of  French  hairdressers,  tailors, 
shoemakers,  jewellers,  confectioners,  and  Chevaliers 
(Tindmtrie.  Neither  is  there  any  want  of  Modistes 
Parisiennes  et  Bordelaises. 

Valparaiso  is  yearly  increasing  in  extent  and  in  the 
numbers  of  its  inhabitants ;  but  the  town  makes  little 
improvement  in  beauty.  That  quarter  which  is  built 
along  the  Quebradas  is  certainly  susceptible  of  no 
improvement  owing  to  the  unfavourable  locality,  and  it  is 
only  the  newly-built  houses  on  the  heights  that  impart  to 
the  town  anything  like  a  pleasing  aspect.  In  laying  out 
buildings  in  a  place  like  Valparaiso,  the  aid  of  art  should 
make  amends  for  the  defects  of  nature.  My  visits  to 
Valparaiso  did  not  produce  a  very  favourable  impression 
on  me.  The  exclusively  mercantile  occupations  of  the 
inhabitants,  together  with  the  poverty  of  the  adjacent 
country,  leave  little  to  interest  the  attention  of  a  mere 
transient  visitor.  The  case  may  be  different  with  per- 
sons who,  having  longer  time  than  I  had  to  stay  in  the 
town,  may  enjoy  opportunities  of  entering  into  society, 
and  occasionally  visiting  the  pleasant  valley  of  Quillota 
and  the  interesting  capital  Santiago. 

The  latter  is  thirty  leagues  distant  from  the  port  ; 
but  a  very  active  communication  is  kept  up  between 

D 


34  TKAVELS   IN    PERU. 

the  two  places,  and  better  roads  would,  no  doubt, 
increase  the  intercourse.  A  few  years  ago  the  roads 
were  very  unsafe  ;  but  now  the  journey  may  be 
performed  without  danger  if  the  Birlocheros  (coach- 
drivers)  are  in  the  least  degree  careful. 

The  zoology  of  the  neighbourhood  of  Valparaiso  is 
not  very  interesting,  though  more  so  along  the  sea-shore 
than  in  parts  further  inland.  Among  the  Mammalia 
are  sometimes  seen  the  fox  (Canis  Azarce,  Wild.)  and 
the  pole-cat.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  town  a 
very  large  mouse  is  seen  in  the  burrows  of  the  ground  ; 
it  is  of  the  eight-toothed  species  (Octodon  Cummingii, 
Benn.),  and  has  a  brush-formed  tail.  As  the  fields  round 
Valparaiso  are  not  cultivated  these  animals  do  no  harm, 
otherwise  they  would  be  the  plague  of  agriculture,  and 
probably  are  so  in  the  interior  parts  of  the  country. 
Now  and  then  a  sea-dog  may  be  observed  in  the  bay ; 
but  the  whale  is  seldom  seen,  and  whenever  one  appears 
he  is  immediately  killed,  as  there  is  always  a  whaler  at 
anchor  and  not  far  off. 

In  the  market,  live  condors  are  frequently  sold. 
These  birds  are  caught  in  traps.  A  very  fine  one  may 
be  purchased  for  a  dollar  and  a  half.  I  saw  eight  of 
these  gigantic  birds  secured  in  a  yard  in  a  very  singular 
manner.  A  long  narrow  strap  of  leather  was  passed 
through  the  nostrils  of  the  bird  and  firmly  knotted  at 
one  end,  whilst  the  other  end  was  fastened  to  a  wooden 
or  iron  peg  fixed  in  the  ground.  By  this  means  the 
motion  of  the  bird  was  not  impeded  :  it  could  walk 
within  the  range  of  a  tolerably  wide  circle ;  but  on 


CONDORS,    AND   OTHER   BIRDS.  35 

attempting  to  fly  it  fell  to  the  ground  head  foremost. 
It  is  no  trifling  matter  to  provide  food  for  eight  condors ; 
for  they  are  among  the  most  ravenous  of  birds  of  prey. 
The  owner  of  those  I  saw  assured  me  that,  by  way  of 
experiment,  he  had  given  a  condor,  in  the  course  of  one 
day,  eighteen  pounds  of  meat,  (consisting  of  the  entrails 
of  oxen)  ;  that  the  bird  devoured  the  whole,  and  ate  his 
allowance  on  the  following  day  with  as  good  an  appetite 
as  usual.  I  measured  a  very  large  male  condor,  and 
the  width  from  the  tip  of  one  wing  to  the  tip  of  the 
other  was  fourteen  English  feet  and  two  inches  —  an 
enormous  expanse  of  wing,  not  equalled  by  any  other- 
bird  except  the  white  albatross  (Diomedea  exulans,  Linn.) 
The  snipes  (Scolopaw  frenata,  III.)  found  on  the  little 
plain  between  the  bay  and  the  light-house  are  in  colour 
precisely  like  those  of  Europe,  from  which,  however, 
they  differ  in  having  two  more  feathers  in  their  tails. 
Small  green  parrots,  little  bigger  than  finches,  are  tamed 
and  brought  to  Valparaiso  from  the  interior  of  the 
country.  These  parrots  are  very  docile,  and  are  easily 
taught  to  speak  ;  but  they  cannot  endure  cold,  and 
require  to  be  tended  with  very  great  care.  In  the  bay 
itself  there  are  numerous  cormorants,  and  occasionally 
penguins  and  large  flights  of  the  cut-water  or  shear-bill 
(Rliynchops  nigra,  Linn.)  The  latter  is  distinguished 
by  a  sharp-pointed  bill  closing  laterally,  the  under  man- 
dible being  about  double  the  length  of  the  upper  one. 
But  the  most  beautiful  bird  in  the  bay  of  Valparaiso  is 
the  majestic  swan  (Cyynus  nigricottis,  Mol.)  whose  body 

D  2 


36  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

is  of  dazzling    white,  whilst   the  head  and   neck  are 
black. 

On  the  13th  of  August  we  at  length  obtained  leave 
to  sail.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  we  weighed 
anchor  ;  and,  as  we  sailed  out  of  the  Bay  of  Valparaiso, 
the  summit  of  Aconcagua  soon  disappeared  in  the  blue 
horizon. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Juan  Fernandez — Robinson  Crusoe — Passage  to  Callao— San  Lorenzo — Rise 
and  fall  of  the  coast — Mr.  Darwin's  opinions  on  this  subject — Callao — The 
Fortress — Siege  by  the  Spaniards — General  Rodil — Siege  by  the  Chilians 
— The  Colocolo — Pirates — Zoology — Road  to  Lima. 

WITH  a* favourable  east  wind  we  reached,  in  thirty-six 
hours,  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez,  which  lies  in  the 
latitude  of  Valparaiso.  Ships  from  Europe,  bound  to 
Peru,  which  do  not  go  into  Chile,  usually  touch  at  Juan 
Fernandez  to  test  their  chronometers.  It  consists  in 
fact  of  three  islands,  forming  a  small  compact  group. 
Two  of  them,  in  accordance  with  the  Spanish  names, 
may  be  called  the  Inward  Island  and  the  Outward 
Island,  for  the  most  easterly  is  called  Mas  a  Tierra 
(more  to  the  main  land),  that  to  the  west  is  called 
Mas  a  Fuera  (more  towards  the  offing).  That  to  the 
south,  which  is  almost  a  naked  rock,  is  the  Isla  de  Lobos, 
which  we  may  call  Sea-dog  Island.  The  two  first  are 
covered  with  grass  and  trees.  Mas  a  Tierra  is  much 
longer,  and  better  suited  for  cultivation  than  Mas  a  Fuera. 
In  form  the  two  islands  have  a  striking  resemblance  to 
Flores  and  Cordua,  islands  of  the  group  of  the  Azores. 
Until  within  these  twenty  years,  Mas  a  Tierra  was  the 
place  of  exportation  for  convicts  from  Chile  ;  but  as  it 
was  found  that  the  facility  of  escape  is  great,  none  are 


38  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

now  sent  there.  In  1812  a  number  of  prisoners  of  war 
were  confined  there,  but  the  rats,  which  had  increased 
in  an  extraordinary  degree,  consumed  all  the  provisions 
sent  from  Chile.  Several  fruitless  attempts  have  been 
made  to  populate  the  island,  but  that  object  is  now  given 
up,  and  it  is  only  occasionally  visited  by  sea-dog  hunters. 
Ulloa  speaks  of  the  great  number  of  sea-calves  or  dogs 
with  which  the  island  was  frequented,  and  distinguishes 
kinds  which  belong  to  the  short-eared  species.  Their 
skins  are  excellent,  and  they  sell  at  a  good  price  in 
England.  Wild  goats  are  numerous,  and  their  propa- 
gation would  be  excessive  were  it  not  for  the  multitude 
of  dogs,  also  wild,  by  which  they  are  destroyed. 

There  is  yet  another  kind  of  interest  attached  to 
Juan  Fernandez.  It  was  on  Mas  a  Tierra  that,  in  1 704, 
the  celebrated  English  navigator,  Dampier,  landed  his 
cockswain,  Alexander  Selkirk,  with  whom  he  had  quar- 
relled, and  left  him  there  with  a  small  quantity  of  pro- 
visions, and  a  few  tools.  Selkirk  had  lived  four  years 
and  four  months  on  this  uninhabited  island,  when  he  was 
found  there  by  the  buckaneers  Woods  and  Rogers,  and 
brought  back  to  Europe.  From  the  notes  which  he  made 
during  his  solitary  residence  the  celebrated  Daniel  Defoe 
composed  his  incomparable  work,  ROBINSON  CRUSOE. 

The  weather  continued  favourable,  and  in  about  a 
week  we  doubled  the  west  point  of  San  Lorenzo  Island, 
where  some  Chilian  cruizers  were  watching  the  coast. 
We  soon  entered  the  fine  bay  of  Callao,  and  cast  anchor 
in  the  harbour  of  the  Ciudad  de  los  Reyes.  While 
rounding  the  island,  an  American  corvette  spoke  us. 


LANDING   AT   CALLAO.  39 

She  had  left  Valparaiso  on  the  same  day  with  us,  and 
sailed  also  through  the  strait  between  San  Lorenzo  and 
the  main  land ;  yet,  during  the  whole  passage,  we  never 
saw  each  other. 

No  signals  were  exchanged  between  us  and  the  shore, 
and  no  port-captain  came  on  board.  We  were  exceed- 
ingly anxious  to  know  the  issue  of  the  Chilian  expedi- 
tion. Hostile  ships  of  war  lay  off  the  port,  but  the 
Peruvian  flag  waved  on  the  fort.  At  last  a  French 
naval  cadet  came  on  board,  and  informed  us  that  the 
Chilians  had  landed  successfully,  and  had  taken  Lima 
by  storm  two  days  previously.  They  were,  at  that 
moment,  besieging  the  fortress.  We  immediately  went 
on  shore. 

The  town  presented  a  melancholy  aspect.  The  houses 
and  streets  were  deserted.  In  all  Callao  we  scarcely 
met  a  dozen  persons,  and  the  most  of  those  we  saw 
were  negroes.  Some  of  the  inhabitants  came  gradually 
back,  but  in  the  course  of  a  month  scarcely  a  hundred 
had  returned,  and  for  safety  they  slept  during  the  night 
on  board  merchant  ships  in  the  bay.  At  the  village 
of  Bella  Vista,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Callao,  the 
Chilians  had  erected  their  batteries  for  bombarding  the 
fortress.  As  it  was  difficult  to  obtain  provisions,  the 
commanders  of  the  foreign  ships  of  war  sent  every 
morning  a  small  detachment  of  sailors  with  a  steward 
to  Bella  Vista,  to  purchase  meat  and  vegetables.  The 
merchant-ships  joined  in  the  practice,  so  that  early 
every  morning  a  long  procession  of  boats  with  flags 
flying  proceeded  to  the  Chilian  camp.  But  a  stop  was 


40  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

soon  put  to  this,  as  an  English  butcher  in  Callao  found 
means  to  go  with  the  boats  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing large  quantities  of  meat,  which  he  afterwards 
sold  at  an  immense  profit,  to  the  fortress.  Though  the 
besieged  did  not  suffer  from  want,  they  were  far  from 
having  superfluity. 

Having  sufficient  time  to  make  myself  acquainted 
with  the  country  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Callao,  I 
took  advantage  of  every  opportunity  for  excursions ; 
going  from  place  to  place  by  water,  which  was  more  safe 
than  journeying  by  land. 

The  bay  of  Callao  is  one  of  the  largest  and  calmest 
on  the  west  coast  of  South  America.  On  the  south- 
west, it  is  bounded  by  the  sterile  island  of  San  Lorenzo  ; 
on  the  north  it  flows  into  the  creeks,  which  are  termi- 
nated by  the  Punta  Gorda,  the  Punta  Pernal,  the  Punta 
de  dos  Playas,  and  the  Punta  de  Dona  Pancha.  The 
beach  is  flat,  for  the  most  part  shingly,  and  about  the 
mouth  of  the  Rimac,  somewhat  marshy.  Between  the 
mouth  of  the  Rimac  and  that  of  the  Rio  de  Chillon, 
which  is  a  little  southward  of  the  Punta  Gorda,  there  is 
a  tract  of  rich  marshy  soil.  A  small  boot-shaped 
tongue  of  land  stretches  from  the  fortress  westward  to 
San  Lorenzo.  On  this  spot  are  the  ruins  of  old  Callao. 

San  Lorenzo  is  a  small  long-shaped  island,  about  15 
English  miles  in  circumference.  It  is  intersected 
throughout  its  whole  length  by  a  ridge  of  sharp  crested 
hills,  of  which  the  highest  point  is  about  1387  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  On  the  north-eastern  side, 
the  declivity  is  less  steep  than  on  the  south-west,  where 


GEOLOGICAL   CHANGES   OP   THE    PERUVIAN   COAST.     41 

it  descends  almost  perpendicularly  into  the  sea.  Seals 
and  sea-otters  inhabit  the  steep  rocks  of  the  southern 
declivity,  and  swarms  of  sea-birds  nestle  on  the  desolate 
shore.  San  Lorenzo  is  separated  on  the  southern  side 
by  a  narrow  strait,  from  a  small  rocky  island  called  El 
Fronton,  which  is  also  the  abode  of  numerous  seals. 

The  coasts  of  'Callao  and  San  Lorenzo  have  undergone 
very  remarkable  changes  within  a  few  centuries.  Mr. 
Darwin,  the  English  geologist,  is  of  opinion  that  this 
part  of  Peru  has  risen  eighty-five  feet  since  it  has  had 
human  inhabitants.  On  the  north-eastern  declivity  of 
San  Lorenzo,  which  is  divided  into  three  indistinctly 
marked  terraces,  there  are  numbers  of  shells  of  those 
same  species  of  conchyliae  which  are  at  the  present  time 
found  living  on  the  coast.  On  an  accurate  examination 
of  these  shells,  Mr.  Darwin  found  many  of  them  deeply 
corroded.  "  They  have,"  he  says,  "  a  much  older  and 
more  decayed  appearance  than  those  at  the  height  of 
500  or  600  feet  on  the  coast  of  Chile.  These  shells  are 
associated  with  much  common  salt,  a  little  sulphate  of 
lime,  (both  probably  left  by  the  evaporation  of  the  spray, 
as  the  land  slowly  rose)  together  with  sulphate  of  soda, 
and  muriate  of  lime.  The  rest  are  fragments  of  the 
underlying  sand-stone,  and  are  covered  by  a  few  inches 
thick  of  detritus.  The  shells  higher  up  on  this  terrace 
could  be  traced  scaling  off  in  flakes,  and  falling  into  an 
impalpable  powder  ;  and  on  an  upper  terrace,  at  the 
height  of  170  feet,  and  likewise  at  some  considerably 
higher  points,  I  found  a  layer  of  saline  powder,  of 
exactly  similar  appearance,  and  lying  in  the  same  rcla- 


42  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

tive  position.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  upper  layer 
originally  existed  on  a  bed  of  shells,  like  that  on  the 
eighty-five  feet  ledge,  but  it  does  not  now  contain  even 
a  trace  of  organic  structure."*  Mr.  Darwin  adds,  that 
on  the  terrace,  which  is  eighty-five  feet  above  the  sea, 
he  found .  embedded  amidst  the  shells  and  much  sea- 
drifted  rubbish,  some  bits  of  cotton  thread,  plaited  rush, 
and  the  head  of  a  stalk  of  Indian  corn. 

San  Lorenzo  does  not  appear  to  have  been  inhabited 
in  very  early  ages.  The  fragments  of  human  industry 
which  have  been  found  mixed  in  the  shells  have  proba- 
bly been  brought  thither  by  fishermen  who  visit  the 
island,  and  often  pass  the  night  on  it. 

Darwin  further  remarks  : — "  It  has  been  stated  that 
the  land  subsided  during  this  memorable  shock,  (in 
1746)  :  I  could  not  discover  any  proof  of  this  ;  yet  it 
seems  far  from  improbable,  for  the  form  of  the  coast 
must  certainly  have  undergone  some  change  since  the 
foundation  of  the  old  town,"  &c. — "  On  the  island  of 
San  Lorenzo  there  are  very  satisfactory  proofs  of  eleva- 
tion, within  a  recent  period ;  this,  of  course,  is  not 
opposed  to  the  belief  of  a  small  sinking  of  the  ground 
having  subsequently  taken  place." 

But  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  sinking  of  the  coast 
is  not  to  be  obtained  in  a  visit  of  a  few  weeks7  duration  ; 
nor  must  that  evidence  rest  solely  on  geological  facts, 
though  doubtless  they  furnish  much  important  data. 
History  must  aid  the  inquiry.  Tradition  and  the  recol- 
lections of  old  persons  must  be  attended  to.  According 

*  Natural  History  and  Geology  of  the  countries  visited  by  the  Beagle. 


EFFECT   OF   EARTHQUAKES   ON   THE   COAST.  43 

to  these  authorities,  a  change  more  or  less  considerable 
has  taken  place  in  the  level  of  the  coast,  after  every 
great  earthquake.  If  we  refer  to  the  account  given  by 
Ulloa,  and  compare  the  plan  of  the  harbour  of  Callao, 
drawn  by  him  in  1742,  with  the  most  correct  modern 
charts,  we  do  not  find  much  difference  in  the  represen- 
tations of  the  distance  between  the  main-land  and  San 
Lorenzo.  Four  years  afterwards  the  great  earthquake 
occurred,  which  destroyed  the  city  of  Callao,  and 
plunged  it  into  the  sea.  Subsequently  there  was  a 
rising  of  the  coast,  which  could  not  be  inconsiderable, 
for  according  to  the  statements  of  old  inhabitants  of 
Callao,  the  distance  from  the  coast  to  San  Lorenzo  was  so 
inconsiderable  that  boys  used  to  throw  stones  over  to  the 
island.  At  present  the  distance  is  nearly  two  English 
miles.  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  general  correctness  of 
those  statements,  for  a  careful  investigation  of  facts  leads 
to  the  same  conclusion;  so  that  within  the  last  sixty  or 
seventy  years  the  sinking  must  have  been  considerable. 
It  must  be  observed,  however,  that  the  ruins  on  the 
small  tongue  of  land  are  not,  as  Darwin  supposes,  the 
remains  of  the  city  of  Callao,  swallowed  up  by  the  sea 
in  1746,  but  of  the  Callao  which  was  destroyed  by  the 
great  earthquake  of  1630. 

Another  proof  of  the  sinking  exists  in  the  extensive 
shallow  between  the  coast  of  the  main-land  and  San 
Lorenzo,  called  the  Camotal.  In  early  times  this 
shallow  was  dry  land,  producing  vegetables,  in  particular 
Camotes,  (sweet  potatoes)  whence  the  name  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  strait  is  derived.  The  inundation  took  place 


44  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

in  the  time  of  the  Spaniards,  but  before  1746,  either  in 
the  great  earthquake  of  1687,  or  in  that  of  1630. 

Northward  of  the  Bay  of  Callao,  near  the  plantation 
of  Boca  Negra,  there  is  a  shallow,  where,  according  to 
records,  there  existed  a  sugar  plantation,  about  fifty 
years  ago.  Turning  to  the  south  of  Callao,  in  the 
direction  of  Lurin,  we  find,  at  the  distance  of  about  two 
English  miles  from  the  coast,  two  islands  or  rocks,  of 
which  one  is  called  Pachacamac,  and  the  other  Santa 
Domingo.  At  the  time  of  the  Spanish  invasion  these 
rocks  were  connected  with  the  mainland,  and  formed  a 
promontory.  On  one  of  them  stood  a  temple  or  castle. 
At  what  period  they  were  detached  from  the  coast  I 
have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  authentically  ;  but  there 
appears  reason  to  suppose  that  the  separation  took  place 
during  the  violent  earthquake  of  1586.  Attentive  inves- 
tigations to  the  north  of  Callao — at  Chancay,  Huacho, 
Baranca,  &c.,  would  probably  bring  to  light  further 
evidence  on  this  subject. 

Between  the  facts  stated  by  Mr.  Darwin  and  those 
here  .  adduced,  there  is  considerable  discrepancy.  On 
the  one  hand  they  denote  a  rising,  and  on  the  other 
a  sinking.  But  it  may  be  asked,  might  not  both  these 
phenomena  have  occurred  at  different  times  \  *  Mr. 
Darwin's  opinion  respecting  the  still-continued  rising  of 
the  coast  does  not  appear  to  me  to  rest  on  satisfactory 
evidence.  The  relics  of  human  industry  which  he  found 

*  Mr.  Darwin,  in  the  work  just  quoted,  says  in  reference  to  this  subject, 
"  Since  our  voyage,  Dr.  Tschudi  has  come  to  the  conclusion,  by  the  comparison 
of  old  and  modern  maps,  that  the  earth  both  north  and  south  of  Lima  has  cer- 
tainly subsided." — T. 


SAN   LORENZO    AND   THE    CAMOTAL.  45 

embedded  among  shells,  at  the  height  of  eighty-five  feet 
above  the  sea,  only  prove  that  the  elevation  has  taken 
place  after,  the  land  was  inhabited  by  the  human  race, 
but  do  not  mark  the  period  at  which  that  elevation 
occurred.  Pieces  of  cotton  thread  and  plaited  rush  are 
no  proofs  of  a  very  refined  degree  of  civilisation,  such  as 
the  Spaniards  brought  with  them  to  Peru,  and  cannot 
therefore  be  taken  as  evidence  that  the  elevation  took 
place  at  any  period  subsequent  to  the  conquest.  Garcilaso 
de  la  Vega  traces  the  dynasty  of  the  Incas  down  to  the 
year  1021,  a  period  when  the  inhabitants  of  the  coast 
of  Peru  were  tolerably  well  advanced  in  civilisation. 
Fernando  Montesinos  furnishes  facts  connected  with 
the  history  of  Peru,  of  several  thousand  years'  earlier 
date  ;  and,  judging  from  the  number  of  dynasties,  the 
nature  of  the  laws,  &c.,  it  may  be  inferred  that  civilisa- 
tion existed  at  a  period  of  even  more  remote  antiquity. 
It  cannot  therefore  be  determined  with  any  accuracy  at 
what  time  the  deposit  at  San  Lorenzo,  now  eighty-five 
feet  high,  was  level  with  the  sea,  or  whether  the  rise  sud- 
denly followed  one  of  those  frightful  catastrophes  which 
have  so  often  visited  the  western  coast  of  South  America. 
Then,  again,  the  different  degrees  of  decay  presented  by 
the  beds  of  shells  seem  to  indicate  that  the  rising  has 
been  gradual ;  and  it  may  have  been  going  on  for  thou- 
sands of  years.  Had  the  coast  risen  eighty-five  feet 
since  the  Spanish  conquest — that  is  to  say,  within  the 
space  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-two  years — the  Camo- 
tal  would  long  since  have  again  risen  above  the  surface 
of  the  sea  ;  for  it  is  very  improbable  that  it  sank  to  a  depth 


46  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

exceeding  ninety  or  ninety-five  feet.  It  is  evident  that 
risings  and  sinkings  have  occurred  at  various  times,  and 
that  causes  contingent  on  earthquakes  have  produced 
the  variations  in  the  rising  and  falling  of  the  coast. 

It  is  probable  that  the  accurate  sounding  of  the  depth 
of  water  in  the  Camotal,  at  stated  intervals,  would 
furnish  the  best  means  of  ascertaining  the  rising  and 
sinking  of  the  coast.  A  variety  of  circumstances  combine 
to  favour  the  practicability  of  calculation  by  this  method. 
For  example,  no  river  flows  into  that  part  of  the  bay  in 
which  the  Camotal  is  situated.  The  Rimac,  whose 
mouth  lies  further  to  the  north,  is  not  sufficiently  large 
to  carry  any  considerable  deposit  into  the  bed  of  the  bay  : 
moreover,  there  is  but  little  tide,  and  the  bay  is  always 
calm,  being  sheltered  on  the  south  by  the  island  of  San 
Lorenzo,  and  north  breezes  are  rare  and  never  violent. 

I  may  here  mention  a  singular  phenomenon  which  has 
in  latter  times  often  occurred  at  Callao,  and  which,  in 
1841,1  had  myself  the  opportunity  of  observing.  About 
two  in  the  morning  the  sea  flowed  back  from  the  shore 
with  greater  force  than  in  the  strongest  ebb ;  the  ships 
farthest  out  were  left  dry,  which  is  never  the  case  in 
an  ebb  tide.  The  alarm  of  the  inhabitants  was  great 
when  the  sea  rushed  instantly  back  with  increased 
force.  Nothing  could  withstand  its  fury.  Meanwhile 
there  was  no  commotion  of  the  earth,  nor  any  marked 
change  of  temperature. 

In  the  earthquake  of  1746  Callao  was  completely 
overwhelmed  by  the  sea.  Several  travellers  have  related 
that  on  calm  days  with  a  clear  sky  the  old  town  may 


TOWN   AND   FORTKESS   OF    CALLAO.  47 

be  seen  beneath  the  waves.  I  have  also  heard  the  same 
story  from  inhabitants  of  Callao.  It  is  doubtless  a  mere 
fable.  Under  the  most  favourable  circumstances  I  have 
often  examined  the  spot — the  Mar  brava,  as  it  is  called 
— without  being  able  to  discover  a  trace  of  the  ruins  of 
old  Callao. 

The  existing  town  of  Callao  is  small,  and  by  no 
means  pleasant.  In  winter  it  is  damp  and  dirty,  and 
in  summer  so  dusty  that  in  passing  through  the  streets 
one  is  almost  choked.  Most  of  the  houses  are  very 
slightly  built,  and  they  are  usually  only  one  story  high. 
The  walls  are  constructed  of  reeds,  plastered  over  with 
loam  or  red  clay.  All  the  roofs  are  flat,  being  made 
of  straw  mats  laid  on  a  frame- work  of  reeds,  which  is 
also  plastered  with  loam  on  the  under  side.  The 
windows  are  in  the  roof,  and  consist  of  wooden  trap- 
doors, which  look  very  much  like  bird-cages.  They 
have  no  glass  panes,  but  gratings  made  of  wooden  spars. 
On  the  inside  there  is  a  window-shutter,  and  a  string- 
hangs  down  into  the  apartment,  by  means  of  which 
the  shutter  can  be  opened  or  closed. 

The  most  interesting  object  seen  in  Callao  is  the 
splendid  fortress.  Though  built  on  a  flat  surface  close 
to  the  sea,  it  has  a  magnificent  appearance.  It  consists 
of  two  castles,  the  largest  of  which  the  Spaniards  named 
Real  Filippe,  but  since  the  Revolution  it  is  called 
Castillo  de  la  Independencia.  It  has  two  round  towers, 
wide,  but  not  very  high.  The  court  yards  are  spacious. 
The  walls  are  thick,  rather  low,  and  surrounded  by  a 
ditch,  which  can  be  filled  with  water  from  the  sea.  To 


48  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  south  of  this  castle  there  is  a  smaller  one,  called 
El  Castillo  del  Sol.  Before  the  War  of  Independence 
they  mounted  both  together  four  hundred  pieces  of 
cannon/many  of  which  were  of  very  large  calibre.  At 
present  they  have  only  sixty  pieces  of  cannon  and 
seventy-one  carronadas. 

On  the  fortress  of  Callao  the  Spanish  flag  waved  long 
after  independence  was  declared  in  all  the  countries  of 
Spanish  South  America.  The  Spanish  general,  Rodil, 
threw  himself  into  the  castle,  and  with  wonderful  reso- 
lution held  out  against  a  siege  of  a  year  and  a  half. 
During  the  last  three  months  the  Spaniards  suffered  all 
the  privations  and  miseries  which  a  besieged  army  must 
endure  within  the  tropics. 

Lord  Cochrane  blockaded  the  fortress  by  sea,  and 
General  Bartolome  Salom  drew  up  his  army  on  the  land 
side.  More  than  4000  Spaniards  fled  to  the  castle 
with  all  their  valuable  property,  and  took  refuge  under 
Rodil's  protection.  The  greater  part  of  the  fugitives 
belonged  to  the  principal  families  of  the  country.  When 
provisions  began  to  fail,  the  commandant  found  it 
necessary  to  expel  400  women,  and  one  morning  they 
issued  forth  in  a  long  line  of  procession.  The  besiegers 
supposed  that  the  enemy  was  making  a  sortie,  and 
directed  the  fire  of  their  artillery  against  the  helpless 
beings,  who,  uttering  loud  shrieks,  attempted  to  save 
themselves  by  flight.  As  soon  as  the  mistake  was 
discovered  the  firing  stopped,  and  the  women  were 
conveyed  to  Lima.  Insurrections  were  several  times 
attempted  by  the  garrison  of  Callao  ;  but  the  presence 


SIEGE    OF    CALLAO.  49 

of  mind  and  cool  resolution  of  Rodil  in  every  instance 
enabled  him  to  suppress  these  mutinies.  The  guilty 
were  punished  with  so  much  severity  that  the  soldiers 
soon  gave  up  all  further  attempts.  Horses,  asses,  dogs 
and  cats,  became  at  length  the  food  of  the  besieged. 
Eodil  at  this  time  carried  on  a  traffic  which  does  no 
honour  to  his  character.  He  had  a  quantity  of  provi- 
sions stored,  which  he  now  sold  at  immense  prices.  For 
a  fowl  he  got  from  three  to  four  gold  ounces.  He 
demanded  proportional  prices  for  bread,  &c.  A  conta- 
gious fever  broke  out,  and,  of  more  than  4000  persons  who 
had  taken  refuge  in  the  fortress,  only  about  200  survived 
the  siege.  Hunger  and  disease  at  last  obliged  Rodil 
to  yield.  On  the  19th  of  February,  1826,  he  obtained 
an  honourable  capitulation,  and  embarked  with  his 
acquired  wealth  for  Spain,  where  he  was  invested  with 
the  rank  of  commander-in-chief  of  the  infantry  guards. 

Since  the  independence  of  Peru  this  fortress  has  often 
been  the  seat  of  partial  revolutions.  Its  death-doom  has 
been  pronounced  by  different  governments,  and  it  will  be 
a  fortunate  event  for  the  country  when  it  ceases  to  exist 
as  a  place  of  warlike  defence.  It  has  lately  been  found 
useful  for  other  purposes,  and  a  great  portion  of  its  vast 
space  has  been  converted  into  custom-house  warehouses. 

The  siege  of  Callao  by  the  Chilians,  of  which  we  were 
eye-witnesses,  was  by  no  means  such  a  serious  affair  as 
that  undertaken  by  the  patriots.  The  squadron  was 
weak,  and  the  land  army  inconsiderable.  Callao  was 
only  cannonaded  during  the  night  by  some  Chilian  gun- 
boats commanded  by  Englishmen.  The  artillery  of  the 


50  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

castle  was  inefficient,  but  the  Chilian  bombs  did  con- 
siderable damage.  One  Sunday  afternoon  the  little 
Chilian  brig,  "  Colocolo,"  sailed  in  close  under  the  walls 
of  the  fortress,  and  threw  in  some  shot.  The  fire  was 
immediately  returned  by  all  the  guns  that  could  be 
directed  to  the  sea-side  ;  but  in  vain  did  the  Peruvians 
expend  their  shot.  Every  ball  went  over  the  "Colocolo," 
and  fell  among  the  neutral  ships.  The  commander  of 
the  French  squadron  then  sent  a  boat  to  the  fortress, 
with  a  declaration  that  he  would  attack  it  in  good  earnest 
if  the  fire  was  not  discontinued.  The  message  had  due 
effect. 

A  few  days  after  the  affair  with  the  "  Colocolo/'  the 
Peruvians  had  an  opportunity  of  avenging  the  provoca- 
tions they  had  received.  The  Chilian  admiral  sent  an 
officer,  with  seven  sailors,  to  our  ship  to  purchase  shoes. 
The  garrison  having  observed  the  Chilian  boat,  sent  out 
a  shallop  with  twenty-five  men,  which  came  close  along- 
side of  us.  In  spite  of  our  opposition  the  Chilian  officer 
leaped  into  his  boat,  and  stood  off.  He  was,  however, 
too  late  ;  for,  just  as  he  was  leaving  the  ship's  side,  the 
hostile  shallop  passed  under  our  bowsprit,  and  fired  a 
volley  into  the  Chilian  boat.  Five  sailors  fell  into  the 
sea,  either  killed  or  wounded.  Of  three  men  picked  up, 
one  was  the  officer,  who  had  received  two  wounds  from 
musket  balls.  We  saved  one  of  the  wounded  sailors  by 
throwing  him  a  rope,  by  which  we  pulled  him  up, 
covering  him  with  the  French  flag. 

The  Peruvians  had  no  longer  a  fleet  strong  enough  to 
keep  at  sea  ;  but  soon  after  their  government  pur- 


ANIMALS  IN  THE  BAY  OF  CALLAO.        51 

chased  the  "  Edmond,"  and  some  other  merchantmen, 
and  fitted  them  up  as  privateers.  The  command  was 
given  to  M.  Blanchet,  who  had  been  first  pilot  of  the 
"  Edmond  "  during  our  voyage  from  Europe.  After  he 
had  taken  the  "  Arequipena,"  an  old  Chilian  ship  of  war, 
and  burnt  several  transports,  he  attacked  three  Chilian 
corvettes  in  the  harbour  of  Casma.  They  had  already 
struck  their  flags,  when  Blanchet  was  shot  while  board- 
ing one  of  them.  His  loss  damped  the  courage  of  the 
Corsairs,  and  the  contest  was  soon  given  up.  The  shock 
of  Blanchet's  death  had  such  an  effect  on  the  crew  of  the 
"  Edmond/'  that  they  all  went  down  between  decks  in 
great  grief,  except  the  cook,  who  fired  a  gun  he  had 
charged  to  the  brim,  and  killed  some  men  who  were  on 
a  bowsprit  of  one  of  the  hostile  vessels.  He  then  sprang 
to  the  helm,  and  steered  the  ship  safely  into  one  of  the 
inlets  of  the  bay. 

The  lover  of  natural  history  finds  in  the  bay  of  Callao 
numerous  opportunities  for  gratifying  his  curiosity.  The 
mammalia  are  not  very  numerous.  Sea  otters  and  sea 
dogs  are  found  there,  as  on  all  parts  of  the  South  Ame- 
rican coast.  Two  species,  (the  Otaria  aurita,  Humb., 
and  the  O.  Ulloce,  Tsch.,)  inhabit  the  southern  declivity 
of  the  Fronton.  I  went  to  hunt  seals  on  the  rock  with 
the  officers  of  a  French  ship  of  war.  When  we  landed, 
which  was  difficult  on  account  of  the  breakers,  we  fired 
at  the  animals  and  killed  a  number  of  them.  A  sailor 
waded  through  the  breakers  and  bound  the  dead  seals 
with  a  rope,  by  which  he  drew  them  on  board.  As  we 
shot  a  great  number  of  birds,  the  Chilian  admiral,  on 

E  2 


52  TKAVELS   IN   PEKU. 

hearing  the  firing,  thought  that  one  of  his  ships  must 
be  engaged  with  the  Peruvian  Corsairs  ;  and,  therefore, 
sent  out  the  "  San  Lorenzo"  brig  of  war  to  see  what 
was  going  on. 

The  bay  abounds  in  fine  water-fowl.  Amongst  the 
most  remarkable  is  Humboldt's  penguin  (Spheniscus 
Humboldti,  Mey.).  A  few  are  smaller  than  the  common 
grey  penguin,  and  one  is  somewhat  different  in  colour 
on  the  back  and  breast.  The  Peruvians  call  it  Paxaro 
nino  (the  child  bird).  It  is  easily  tamed,  becomes  very 
social,  and  follows  its  master  like  a  dog.  It  is  amusing 
to  see  it  waddling  along  with  its  plump  body  and  short 
legs,  and  keeping  itself  in  equilibrium  by  moving  its 
floating  wings.  I  had  one  completely  tame,  which  I 
bought  from  an  Indian.  It  was  named  Pepe,  and  it 
answered  readily  to  the  name.  "When  I  was  at  my 
meals  he  regularly  placed  himself  beside  my  chair,  and 
at  night  he  slept  under  my  bed.  When  he  wished  to 
bathe  he  went  into  the  kitchen  and  beat  with  his  bill  on 
an  earthen  pan  until  somebody  threw  water  over  him,  or 
brought  him  a  vessel  full  of  water  for  a  bath. 

I  brought  away  a  few  of  the  marine  birds  which 
appeared  the  most  remarkable.  Among  them  was  the 
banded  cormorant  (Carbo  Gaimardi,  Less.).  On  the 
back  it  is  grey,  marbled  by  white  spots ;  the  belly  is  fine 
ash-grey,  and  on  each  side  of  the  throat  there  runs  a 
broad  white  stripe  or  band.  The  bill  is  yellow  and  the 
feet  are  red.  The  iris  is  peculiar  ;  I  never  saw  its  like 
in  any  other  bird.  It  changes  throughout  the  whole 
circle  in  regular  square  spots,  white  and  sea-green. 


LAND   BIRDS.  53 

Thousands  of  the  spotted  gannet  (Sula  variegata,  Tsch.) 
inhabit  the  rocks  of  the  island  of  San  Lorenzo.  This 
bird  is  the  greatest  producer  of  guano.  The  inca  tern 
(Sterna  luca,  Less.)  is  without  doubt  the  finest  of  the 
whole  tern  family.  The  colour  of  the  head  is  brown-grey ; 
getting  darker  towards  the  tail,  and  brighter  on  the 
lower  body.  From  the  root  of  the  bill  on  either  side  there 
shoot  out  some  white  feathers  slightly  curving,  so  that 
they  give  the  appearance  of  white  mustachios.  Among 
the  land  birds  are  some  very  fine  colibri  (Trochilus 
Amazilia,  and  Tr.  Cora,  Less.).  The  horse-protector 
(Crotophaga  sulcata,  Swains.)  is  a  singular  animal.  It 
is  about  the  size  of  a  starling,  with  a  short,  compressed 
and  curved  bill,  having  several  deep  furrows  along  its 
sides.  The  tail  is  long  and  fan-shaped.  The  whole 
body  is  of  a  deep  blue  colour,  with  a  slight  metallic  bright- 
ness. The  bird  is  very  social  with  cattle  of  all  kinds, 
and  more  particularly  with  horses.  It  is  fond  of  perch- 
ing on  the  back  of  a  horse  or  an  ass  and  searching  for 
insects,  which  it  finds  there  in  abundance.  These 
animals  are  very  sensible  of  the  service  thus  rendered  to 
them,  and  by  the  manner  in  which  they  move  about 
when  the  bird  is  perched  on  their  heads  or  necks,  show 
how  much  they  are  gratified  by  its  presence. 

Foreigners,  when  they  visit  the  coast  of  Peru  for  the 
first  time,  are  much  surprised  at  the  immense  number  of 
birds  of  the  vulture  species  which  they  meet  with  about 
the  roads  and  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses.  In  Callao 
and  in  all  other  ports,  the  Turkey  vulture  (Cathartes 
aura,  Illig.)  is  frequently  seen.  It  is  called  by  the 


54  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Spaniards  Gallinazo  d  coMza  colorada  (red-headed  vul- 
ture). Further  in  the  interior  of  the  country  it  is 
frequently  seen,  though  there  it  is  less  common  than  the 
black  gallinazo  (Cathartes  fcetem,  Illig.).  The  colour  of 
the  former  is  dark  brownish-black  ;  the  unplumed  head 
and  throat  are  red  ;  the  throat  is  full  of  wrinkles  and 
warts.  The  latter  is  very  like  it  in  size  and  colour,  only 
the  head  and  neck  are  greyish-black.  These  birds  are 
the  size  of  a  turkey-cock  ;  but  they  are  lanker  and  more 
angular  in  form.  The  black-headed  gallinazo  is  inactive, 
heavy,  and  seldom  flies  far.  When  seeking  food  he  hops 
about  on  the  ground  in  short  regular  springs.  When  he 
wishes  to  move  faster  forward  he  helps  himself  with  his 
wings,  but  without  flying.  Its  cry  is  seldom  heard,  and 
never  long  continued.  At  noon,  sometimes  from  sixty 
to  eighty  of  these  birds  perch  themselves  on  the  tops  of 
the  houses  or  on  the  adjoining  walls,  and  with  the 
heads  under  the  wing  they  all  go  to  roost.  They  are 
extremely  voracious,  and  devour  every  sort  of  animal 
substance  they  can  find,  however  filthy  it  may  be. 
They  are  not  in  the  least  degree  shy,  for  they  hop  about 
among  men  and  cattle  in  the  most  populous  places.  The 
Turkey  vulture  is  far  more  lively,  and  its  movements  are 
more  light.  It  flies  faster,  and  continues  longer  on  the 
wing  than  the  black-headed  gallinazo.  It  is,  however, 
more  timid.  It  nestles  in  sandy  rocks  and  uninhabited 
islands.  The  female  lays  three  or  four  whitish  eggs, 
which  are  hatched  in  February  and  March.  The  com- 
mon gallinazo  usually  builds  its  nest  on  the  tops  of 
houses,  churches,  ruins,  and  high  walls.  The  female  lays 


AMPHIBIA    AND    FISHES.  55 

three  or  four  eggs,  which  are  whitish  brown  and 
speckled,  and  are  hatched  in  the  same  months  as  the 
eggs  of  the  Turkey  vulture. 

Among  the  amphibia  in  Callao,  the  iguana  and  land 
agama  are  numerous.  Snakes  abound  in  the  low  bushes 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Rimac,  and  some  kinds,  which  are 
venomous,  live  on  the  arid  sand-banks.  All  the  sea 
tortoises  have  been  driven  out  of  the  bay,  and  now 
inhabit  the  detached  creeks  of  the  uninhabited  parts  of 
the  coast. 

The  kinds  of  fish  are  numerous. — Sharks,  rays,  bal- 
lancers,  corvinas,  bonitos,  &c.,  are  caught  in  abundance. 
Most  of  the  corvinas  and  bonitos  are  carried  to  market. 
The  flesh  of  the  latter  is  firm,  dry,  and  less  savoury  than 
the  corvina.  The  Pexe-rey  (king-fish)  is  superior  in 
flavour  to  the  Pewe-sapo  (toad-fish),  which  is  a  little 
larger,  and  has  a  thick  fleshy  head.  These  fish  are  taken 
on  rocks  and  under  water  where  they  are  struck  by  a 
kind  of  harpoon  hooks  and  drawn  out. 

When,  on  board  the  "  Edmond,"  I  first  saw  the  towers 
of  Lima  gilded  by  the  beams  of  the  setting  sun,  and  the 
chains  of  hills  behind,  rising  by  gradations  until  in  the 
farthest  background  they  blended  with  the  cloud-capped 
Cordilleras,  I  felt  an  inexpressible  desire  to  advance 
towards  those  regions,  that  I  might  breathe  the  air  of 
the  Andes,  and  there  behold  nature  under  her  wildest 
aspect.  But  these  wishes  were  vain,  and  I  was  com- 
pelled to  turn  again  to  the  desolate  ocean  ;  for  it  was 
understood  that  our  further  voyage  must  be  towards 
the  north,  and  from  there  that  we  should  proceed 


56  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

to  the  coast  of  Asia,  I  did  not  then  foresee  that 
my  longing  might  be  fulfilled,  and  that  so  much  of  enjoy- 
ment, together  with  so  much  toil  and  danger,  awaited  me 
in  the  mountainous  regions  of  Peru. 

Notwithstanding  the  insecurity  of  the  road  to  Lima 
I  resolved  to  proceed  thither.     Carriages  and  horses 
were  not  to  be  procured  in  Callao,  for  the  latter  were  all 
either  seized  for  the  service  of  the  government  or  con- 
cealed. I  could  therefore  travel  only  on  foot.   Don  Manuel 
de  la  Guarda,  the  commander  of  the  fortress,  observed 
whilst   giving   me   a   passport,   that   he   would  advise 
me  to  use  speed,  and  to  get  as  soon  as  possible  out  of 
the  range  of  the  guns,  for  he  expected  every  moment 
to  be  obliged  to  order  the  firing  to  commence.     I  did 
not  neglect  to  follow  his  advice.    However,  I  had  not  got 
more  than  a  hundred  paces  from  the  castle,  when  the 
artillery  began  to  play,  and  balls  fell  around  on  every 
side.     I  quickened  my  pace,  and  soon  got  near  some 
fences,  where  men  were  firing  with  muskets.     There  I 
was  seized  by   some  Chilian  cuirassiers,  who  sent  me 
forward  from  post  to  post,  until  at  last  in  one  of  the 
posts  I  met  with  an   officer  with  whom  I    had  been 
acquainted  in  Chile.     When  I  was  dining  one  day  on 
board  the  corvette  Confederacion  in  the  bay  of  Val- 
paraiso, the  young  officer  whom  I  have  just  alluded  to 
sat  next  me.     The  conversation  happening  to  turn  on 
phrenology,  he  insisted  on  my  examining  his  head,  and 
pronouncing  a  phrenological  diagnosis  on  it.     Though  I 
assured  him  that  I  attached  no  value  on  this  alleged 
science,  he  continued  to  urge  me  to  make  the  examina- 


A    PHRENOLOGICAL   PREDICTION.  57 

tion.  After  feeling  his  head  I  observed  to  him,  with 
great  gravity  :  "  Here  is  the  organ  of  mathematics 
pretty  well  developed,  and  it  is  probable  that  you  may 
distinguish  yourself  in  that  branch  of  knowledge."  The 
fact  was,  I  had  observed  from  his  uniform  that  he 
belonged  to  the  artillery,  and  since  I  was  obliged  to 
say  something,  I  thought  it  would  be  best  to  make  my 
remarks  refer  to  his  profession.  Don  Antonio  had  not 
forgotten  it,  for  as  soon  as  he  saw  me  at  the  outpost 
he  ran  up  to  me  quite  overjoyed,  and  told  me  that  I 
had  judged  rightly  of  his  talent,  for  the  guns  which  he 
commanded  always  sent  their  balls  direct  into  the 
fortress,  and  did  more  execution  than  any  other. 
By  following  my  advice  and  cultivating  his  mathematical 
organ,  he  assured  me,  he  was  enabled  to  direct  a  gun 
better  than  any  other  officer,  and  his  aim  could  always 
be  relied  on.  He  immediately  procured  me  a  pass, 
by  which  I  was  conducted  all  the  remainder  of  my 
journey. 

The  distance  from  Callao  to  Lima  is  two  Spanish 
leagues.  The  road  is  covered  with  deep  sand,  and  on 
either  side  are  uncultivated  fields  and  low  brushwood. 
After  leaving  Callao  I  came  to  Bella  Vista,  then  to  the 
ruins  of  an  old  Indian  village,  and  farther  on  inland 
reached  some  plantations.  Halfway  between  Callao  and 
Lima  is  the  convent  of  la  Virgen  del  Carmen,  and  also 
a  chapel.  The  convent  is  now  abandoned,  but  in  front 
of  the  chapel  there  constantly  stands  a  monk,  who  begs 
for  alms.  Close  to  the  convent  there  is  a  Tambo,*  in 

*    Tambo  is  an  Indian  word,  signifying  an  Inn.     Tambero  means  Innkeeper. 


58  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

which  brandy,  lemonade,  and  bananas  are  sold.  This 
place,  which  is  called  La  Legna,  is  a  Spanish  league  from 
both  towns.  The  hired  horses  are  so  used  to  put  up  at 
this  place,  that  it  is  only  with  great  trouble  they  can  be 
got  to  pass  it. 

Though  much  wearied  by  my  journey  on  foot,  I  tried 
in  vain  to  obtain  some  refreshment  here.  Unluckily 
the  Tambero,  a  Zambo,  had  decamped,  as  his  house  had 
often  been  plundered. 

In  the  most  oppressive  heat  I  wandered  over  the 
shadeless  plain,  and  at  last  reached  the  fine  road  called 
the  Alameda  del  Callao,  which  extends  from  the  Callao 
Gate  of  Lima  to  nearly  half  a  league  beyond  the  city. 
Don  Ambrosio  O'Higgins,  an  Irishman  by  birth,  first 
a  small  shopkeeper  in  Lima,  then  a  soldier  in  Chile,  and 
finally  viceroy  of  Peru,  with  the  title  of  Mar'ques  de 
Osorno,  built  the  fine  Callao  Gate  and  laid  out  the 
Alameda.  On  the  6th  of  January,  1800,  it  was  solemnly 
opened.  The  whole  undertaking  cost  340,964  dollars. 
Resting-places  are  made  in  the  Alameda  at  regular 
distances ;  and  there  are  on  each  side  charming  gardens, 
with  luxuriant  fruit-trees.  Happy  in  having  reached 
the  end  of  my  wearisome  journey,  I  quickly  passed 
through  the  Callao  Gate,  and  entered  the  City  of  the 
Kings. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Lima— Situation  and  extent  of  the  City — Streets,  Houses,  Churches  and  Con- 
vents— San  Pedro — The  Jesuits — Nunneries — Beatarios — Hospitals — San 
Andres — The  Foundling  House — The  Pantheon — The  Palace— The  Plaza 
Mayor — Pizarro — The  Cabildo — Fountains — Palace  of  the  Inquisition — 
The  University — National  Library — Museum  of  Natural  History  and 
Antiquities — Academy  of  Design — The  Mint — The  Theatre — Circus  for 
Cock-fighting — The  Bridge — The  City  Wall— Santa  Catalina — Barracks. 

LIMA  is  built  on  both  banks  of  the  river  Rimac,  which 
divides  the  town  into  two  unequal  parts.  *  The  larger 
part,  (the  town,  properly  so  called,)  is  situated  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  river  ;  the  smaller  part,  consisting 
of  the  suburb  San  Lazaro,  or  the  fifth  section,  is  on  the 
northern  bank.  The  greatest  extent  of  Lima  is  from 
east  to  west ;  from  the  Gate  of  Maravillas  to  the  Mon- 
serrate.  Between  those  two  points  the  distance  is  4471 
varas,f  or  two-thirds  of  a  Legua,  or  Spanish  league  ;  and 
the  greatest  breadth  of  the  city,  that  is  to  say,  from  the 
Bridge,  (the  suburb  of  San  Lazaro  not -included,)  to  the 
Gate  of  Guadalupe,  is  2515  varas,  or  two-fifths  of  a 
Legua.  The  utmost  circumference  of  Lima  is  about 

*  The  city  of  Lima  was  founded  by  Don  Francisco  Pizarro  on  the  6th  of 
January,  1534.  As  it  was  the  day  of  the  Epiphany,  Lima  received  the  title  of 
Ciudad  de  los  Reyes,  (City  of  the  Kings).  Historical  records  vary  respecting 
the  day  and  the  year  of  the  foundation  of  Lima ;  but  I  have  reason  to  believe 
that  the  date  I  have  mentioned  above  is  perfectly  correct. 

f  The  Vara  Castellana  is  equal  to  33  inches  English  measure. 


60  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

ten  English  miles.  The  plain  on  which  the  city  is  built, 
takes  rather  a  decided  slope  from  east  to  west. 

The  streets  of  Lima  intersect  each  other  in  right 
lines,  and  consequently  groups  of  houses  form  quad- 
rangles :  these  are  called  manzanas.  Each  side  of  one 
of  these  manzanas  measures  on  the  average  from  140  to 
145  varas ;  and  it  may  therefore  be  computed  that, 
collectively,  they  occupy  a  superficies  of  from  148,000 
to  160,000.  There  are  in  all  211  manzanas,  of  which 
those  situated  on  the  Periphery  are  the  smallest  and 
most  irregularly  constructed.  Lima  is  divided  into  five 
sections,  which  are  again  subdivided  into  ten  districts 
and  forty-six  Barrios.  It  contains  about  3380  houses, 
56  churches  and  convents,  (the  latter  occupying  at  least 
one-fourth  of  the  superficies  of  the  city),  34  squares  or 
open  areas  in  front  of  the  churches,  and  419  streets. 
On  the  average  the  streets  are  about  34  feet  wide  and 
386  feet  long.  Most  of  them  are  very  badly  paved, 
but  they  have  lateral  footpaths.  According  to  the 
original  plan  for  building  Lima,  it  was  intended  that  all 
the  streets  should  run  in  one  direction,  viz.,  from  south- 
east to  north-west,  so  that  the  walls  of  the  houses  might 
afford  shade  both,  morning  and  afternoon.  Between  the 
Plaza  Mayor  and  Santa  Clara  this  plan  has  been  pretty 
uniformly  carried  out ;  but  in  other  parts  it  has  been 
less  rigidly  observed.  At  noon  there  can  be  no  shade, 
as  the  city  is  situated  on  the  12°  of  south  latitude. 

The  impression  produced  at  first  sight  of  Lima  is  by 
no  means  favourable,  for  the  Periphery,  the  quarter 
which  a  stranger  first  enters,  contains  none  but  old, 


STYLE   OF   HOUSE-BUILDING   IN   LIMA.  61 

dilapidated,  and  dirty  houses  ;  but  on  approaching  the 
vicinity  of  the  principal  square,  the  place  improves  so 
greatly  that  the  miserable  appearance  it  presents  at 
first  sight  is  easily  forgotten. 

Most  of  the  houses  in  Lima  are  only  one  story  high, 
and  some  have  only  the  ground-floor.  The  larger  class 
of  houses  correspond  one  with  another  in  the  style  of 
building.  In  front  they  have  two  doors  :  one  is  called 
the  Azaguan,  and  is  the  principal  entrance  to  the  house; 
and  next  to  it  is  the  door  of  the  Cochera  (coach-house). 
Either  above  the  cochera  door,  or  on  one  side  of  the  house 
door,  there  is  frequently  a  little  chamber,  having  a  win- 
dow closed  by  a  wooden  railing.  At  this  little  railed 
window  the  ladies  are  accustomed  to  sit  and  watch  the 
passers-by — nor  are  they  very  much  displeased  when 
some  of  the  latter  occasionally  make  free  to  reguardar  la 
reja  (to  look  at  the  railing).  The  Azaguan  opens  into 
a  spacious  court-yard,  called  the  Patio,  on  either  side  of 
which  there  are  little  rooms.  Directly  facing  the  Aza- 
guan, is  the  dwelling-house,  round  which  there  usually 
runs  a  balcony.  Two  large  folding-doors  lead  into  the 
Hall  (Sala),  in  which  the  furniture  consists  of  a  sofa,  a 
hammock,  and  a  row  of  chairs  :  the  floor  is  covered  with 
straw  matting.  From  the  sala  a  glazed  door  opens  into  a 
smaller  apartment,  called  the  Cuadro,  which  is  elegantly, 
often  splendidly  furnished,  and  the  floor  is  carpetted. 
This  is  the  room  into  which  visitors  are  shown.  Adjoin- 
ing the  cuadro  are  the  sleeping-rooms,  the  dining-room, 
the  nursery,  &c.  These  apartments  communicate  with  a 
second  court-yard,  called  the  Traspatio,  the  walls  of 


62  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

which  are  often  adorned  with  fresco  paintings.     This 
Traspatio,  a  portion  of  which  is  usually  laid  out  as  a 
little  garden,  communicates  with  the  kitchen,  and  the 
stable  (corral.)     A  small  avenue,  called   the  cattejon, 
forms  a  communication  from  the  first  to  the  second 
Patio,  and  is  used  as  a  passage  for  the  horses.     When 
there  is  no  cattejon,  as  is  often  the  case  in  the  poorer 
class  of  houses,  the  horses  are  led  through  the  sala  and 
the  cuadro.     In  the  upper  story,  the  arrangement  of 
the  rooms  differs  from  that  of  the  ground-floor.     Above 
the  azaguan  is  the    cuadro,  opening  into   a  balcony, 
which  is  attached  to  most  of  the  houses  in  Lima.     The 
sala  in  the  upper  story  forms   an   ante-room  to  the 
cuadro ;    and  the    rest   of  the   apartments   are   built 
above  the  ranges  of  ground-floor  rooms  on  either  side  of 
the  patio.      Above  the  sala  and  cuadro  of  the  ground- 
floor,  there  are  no  upper  rooms.     The  roofs  of  those 
two  apartments  form  a  kind  of  large  terrace  called  the 
Azotea,  which  is  paved  with  freestone  and  surrounded 
by  a  railing.      This  azotea  serves  as  a  play-ground  for 
the  children  of  the  family  ;  it  is  ornamented  with  flower- 
pots, and  covered  with  an  awning  to  shade  it  from  the 
sun.     The   upper   story  has   a   flat  roof,  composed  of 
bamboos  and   mats,  overspread  with  mortar  or  light 
tiles.     In  the  houses  of  Lima  as  in  those  of  Callao,  the 
windows  of  some  of  the  rooms  are  made  in  the  roofs. 
The  other  windows,  of  which  there  are  but  few,  are  on 
each  side  of  the  house  door  ;  they  are  tastefully  orna- 
mented and  often  have  richly  gilt  lattices. 
.     The  style  of  house-building  here  described  must  of 


CHURCHES   AND   CONVENTS    IN    LIMA.  63 

course  be  taken  merely  as  a  general  example  ;  that 
there  are  numerous  deviations  from  it  may  naturally  be 
supposed.  In  the  large  houses  the  walls  are  of  brick, 
faced  with  ornamental  tiles  (adobes).  In  the  smaller 
houses,  the  walls  consist  of  double  rows  of  bamboos, 
covered  with  plaster,  and  afterwards  painted  white  or 
yellow.  The  fronts  of  the  houses  are  usually  quite 
plain,  but  here  and  there  may  be  seen  a  house  with  a 
finely  ornamented  facade.  The  house  of  Torre  Tagle, 
near  San  Pedro,  and  some  others,  are  remarkable  for 
the  beauty  of  their  ornaments,  which  attract  the  notice 
of  all  strangers  visiting  Lima. 

Owing  to  the  heat  of  the  climate,  the  doors  and 
windows  are  almost  always  kept  open,  so  that  the 
houses  have  not  the  privacy  and  comfort  of  European 
dwellings. 

Of  the  numerous  churches  and  convents  in  Lima, 
some  are  deserving  of  particular  mention.  The  cathe- 
dral occupies  the  whole  eastern  side  of  the  Plaza  Mayor. 
The  foundation  stone  of  this  edifice  was  laid  on  the 
18th  of  January,  1534,  by  Don  Francisco  Pizarro,  who 
named  it  the  Church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Asuncion. 
Ninety  years  elapsed  before  the  building  was  completed, 
and  on  the  19th  of  October,  1625,  it  was  consecrated  by 
the  Archbishop,  Don  Gonzalo  de  Ocampo.  Such  was 
the  pomp  observed  at  this  ceremony,  that,  though  mass 
commenced  at  six  in  the  morning,  it  was  five  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  before  the  host  was  raised. 

The  interior  of  the  cathedral  is  exceedingly  beautiful. 
The  grand  altar  is  ornamented  with  seven  Ionic  columns 


64  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

of  silver,  twelve  feet  high,  and  one  and  a  half  thick,  and 
is  surmounted  by  a  massive  silver  gilt  crown.  The 
tabernacle  is  seven  feet  and  a  half  high,  and  composed 
of  exquisitely  wrought  gold,  set  with  a  profusion  of 
diamonds  and  emeralds.  On  each  side  of  the  altar 
there  are  massive  silver  candelabra,  each  weighing  four 
and  a  half  arobas  (504  pounds).  On  high  festival 
days,  the  gorgeous  splendour  of  the  cathedral  of 
Lima  probably  exceeds  that  of  the  principal  churches 
in  Rome.  The  robes  and  ornaments  worn  by  the 
priests  correspond  with  the  magnificence  of  the  altar ; 
they  are  embroidered  in  gold  and  set  with  precious 
stones.  The  cathedral  service  is  performed  by  the 
canons  (Canonigos). 

Among  the  churches  of  Lima,  San  Lazaro  is  dis- 
tinguished for  its  tasteful  exterior  and  the  chaste 
simplicity  of  its  internal  decoration.  The  bodies  of 
persons  unknown,  found  dead  in  the  streets,  are  con- 
veyed to  the  door  of  the  church  of  San  Lazaro,  and 
there  exposed  for  the  space  of  twenty-four  hours. 

The  convent  of  San  Francisco,  the  largest  of  the 
monastic  establishments  in  Lima,  is  an  immense  build- 
ing, situated  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Plaza  Mayor.  In 
this  convent  mass  is  read  daily  every  half-hour,  from 
five  in  the  morning  till  noon.  A  small  chapel  within 
the  convent  is  called  the  Capilla  de  los  Milagros,  and 
a  superstitious  tradition  records  that  during  the  great 
earthquake  of  1630,  the  image  of  the  Madonna,  which 
surmounts  the  chapel  door,  turned  towards  the  grand 
altar,  and  with  folded  hands  invoked  the  divine  grace 


CONVENTS   OF   LIMA.  65 

in  favour  of  the  city.  By  this  intercession  it  is  believed 
that  Lima  was  saved  from  total  destruction.  The  monk 
who  conducted  me  over  the  convent,  and  who  related 
to  me  this  miracle,  observed  with  much  simplicity  that 
it  was  singular  the  Madonna  did  not  repeat  her  gracious 
intercession  in  the  year  1746. 

The  carved  work  which  adorns  the  ceilings  in  the 
corridors  is  admirably  executed,  though  not  very  beau- 
tiful in  design.  The  cells  of  the  monks  are  very  simple, 
but  perfectly  comfortable  for  habitation.  The  spacious 
and  well-arranged  gardens  within  the  area  of  the  con- 
vent form  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  gloomy  appearance 
of  the  external  walls. 

To  the  Franciscan  monks  also  belongs  the  convent  of 
Los  Descalzos,  situated  in  the  suburb  of  San  Lazaro.  A 
broad  avenue  planted  with  six  rows  of  trees  leads  to 
Los  Descalzos.  It  is  a  neat  but  not  large  edifice,  and 
stands  at  the  foot  of  a  sterile  hill.  The  extensive 
garden  which  surrounds  it,  and  which  is  in  a  very  neg- 
lected condition,  contains  three  palm-trees,  the  only  ones 
to  be  seen  in  the  near  vicinity  of  Lima.  The  situation 
of  the  convent  is  not  healthy,  and  in  consequence  the 
monks  frequently  suffer  from  intermittent  fever.  These 
monks  go  barefooted,  and  live  entirely  on  alms.  Every 
morning  two  lay  brethren  ride  on  asses  to  the  city,  where 
they  visit  the  market-place,  and  obtain  from  the  different 
saleswomen  charitable  donations  of  fish,  vegetables,  or 
meat. 

Another  convent  is  the  Recoleta  de  San  Diego.  During 
Lent,  and  especially  in  Passion  Week,  many  men  retire 

F 


66  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

to  this  place  to  prepare  themselves  by  mortification  and 
prayer  for  confession  and  participation  in  the  Holy 
Sacrament. 

The  convent  of  Santo  Domingo  is  very  rich.  It  enjoys 
a  yearly  revenue  of  from  seventy  to  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  for  the  most  part  accruing  from  the  ground- 
rents  of  houses  in  the  city.  The  steeple  of  Santo 
Domingo  is  the  loftiest  in  all  Lima.  It  is  188  feet  high, 
and  is  visible  at  the  distance  of  three  leagues.  It  is 
built  of  wood,  and  inclines  so  considerably  in  its  upper 
part,  that  there  is  little  probability  of  its  surviving 
another  earthquake  like  that  of  1746.  The  interior  of 
the  church  is  splendid.  The  grand  altar  almost  vies 
with  that  of  the  cathedral. 

San  Pedro  must,  doubtless,  at  a  former  period,  have 
been  the  principal  convent  in  Lima.  It  belonged  to  the 
Jesuits,  and  was  their  Colegio  maximo.  This  establish- 
ment possessed  enormous  revenues,  for  all  the  finest 
plantations  and  best  houses  in  Lima  were  the  property 
of  the  order.  In  1773,  the  king  of  Spain,  instigated  by 
the  celebrated  Bull  of  the  21st  of  June  of  that  year, 
(Dominus  ac  redemptor  noster)  dispatched  an  order  to 
the  viceroys  of  the  provinces  of  South  America,  directing 
them  to  arrest  the  Jesuits  all  in  one  night,  to  ship  them 
oif  to  Spain,  and  to  confiscate  their  wealth.  Of  course 
the  utmost  secrecy  was  observed,  and  it  is  a  well-authen- 
ticated fact,  that  in  Peru,  with  the  exception  of  the 
viceroy,  and  those  of  his  agents  whose  assistance  was 
indispensable,  no  one  knew  anything  of  the  affair.  But 
the  same  ship  which  conveyed  the  king's  commands  to 


INTENDED    ARREST   OP    THE    JESUITS.  67 

the  viceroy,  had  on  board  the  necessary  instructions  to 
the  vicar-general  in  Lima,  from  the  superior  of  the 
Jesuits  in  Madrid,  who  was  fully  acquainted  with  the 
king's  design.  The  preparatory  arrangements  were 
made  under  the  seal  of  perfect  secrecy,  and  at  ten  o'clock 
at  night  the  viceroy  assembled  his  council,  and  com- 
municated to  them  the  royal  commands.  It  was  deter- 
mined that  no  one  should  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
council-chamber  until  the  blow  was  struck.  At  mid- 
night some  confidential  officers,  with  the  requisite  assist- 
ance, were  despatched  to  arrest  the  Jesuits,  an  accurate 
list  of  whose  names  lay  on  the  table  before  the  viceroy. 
The  patrols  knocked  at  the  gate  of  San  Pedro,  which 
was  immediately  opened.  The  commanding  officer 
desired  to  see  the  vicar-general,  and  the  porter  ushered 
him  into  the  great  hall  of  the  convent,  where  all  the 
members  of  the  order  were  assembled,  evidently  expect- 
ing his  visit.  The  holy  brethren  were  prepared  for 
immediate  departure,  each  being  provided  with  a  bag  or 
trunk  containing  such  articles  as  were  requisite  on  a  sea 
voyage.  Similar  preparations  had  been  made  in  all  the 
other  convents  belonging  to  the  Jesuits.  The  surprise 
and  disappointment  of  the  viceroy  on  receiving  this 
information  may  be  easier  conceived  than  described. 
Without  delay  he  Bordered  the  whole  brotherhood  to  be 
conducted  under  a  strong  escort  to  Callao,  where  they 
embarked.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  inventories  were 
made  of  the  effects  in  the  convents.  At  San  Pedro  it 
was  expected  that  vast  treasures  in  specie  would  be 
found  ;  but  how  great  was  the  dismay,  when,  instead  of 

F2 


68  TEAVELS   IN   PERU. 

the  millions  which  it  was  well  known  the  order  possessed, 
only  a  few  thousand  dollars  could  be  collected.  All  the 
keys,  even  that  of  the  treasury,  were  politely  laid  out 
in  the  chamber  of  the  superior.  This  was  a  cruel 
mockery !  The  Jesuits  could  not  have  taken  a  more 
ample  revenge  on  the  treachery  that  had  been  practised 
on  them. 

It  was  suspected  that  the  treasures  were  concealed 
partly  in  the  convent  of  San  Pedro,  and  partly  in  the 
plantations.  According  to  the  evidence  of  an  old  negro, 
at  that  time  in  the  service  of  the  convent,  he,  together 
with  some  of  his  comrades,  were  employed  during 
several  nights  in  carrying  heavy  bags  of  money  into  the 
vaults  of  the  convent.  Their  eyes  were  bandaged,  and 
they  were  conducted  by  two  of  the  brethren,  who  helped 
them  to  raise  and  set  down  the  bags.  The  negro,  more- 
over, declared  his  conviction  that  there  was  a  subter- 
raneous spring  near  the  spot  where  the  treasure  was 
deposited.  The  searches  hitherto  made  have  been  very 
superficial,  and  it  seems  not  impossible  that  by  dint  of 
more  active  exertions  this  concealed  wealth  may  yet  be 
brought  to  light. 

At  present  San  Pedro  is  occupied  by  about  a  dozen 
lay  priests.  They  perform  the  spiritual  service  of  the 
Oratorio  de  San  Felipe  Neri.  They  live  on  the  revenues 
derived  from  the  rents  of  the  few  plantations  which  have 
not  been  confiscated  or  sold.  The  chapel  is  prettily 
fitted  up  in  the  interior,  and  the  midnight  mass  at 
Christmas  is  performed  there  with  great  solemnity.  The 
external  walls  of  both  the  chapel  and  the  convent  are 


NUNNERIES   AND    BEATERIOS.  69 

painted  a  reddish-brown  colour,  which  has  a  very  sombre 
and  ugly  effect. 

The  convents  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Merced  and 
San  Agustin,  are  situated  at  the  back  of  San  Pedro, 
The  former  is  spacious,  but  not  largely  endowed;  the 
latter  is  a  poor-looking  edifice,  but  it  possesses  rich 
revenues.  To  San  Agustin  is  attached  the  once  eminent 
but  now  very  inferior  college  of  San  Ildefonso. 

Besides  the  monastic  establishments  above  named, 
Lima  contains  several  smaller  convents  for  friars,  and 
sixteen  nunneries.  Of  the  latter  the  largest  is  the 
Monasterio  de  la  Concepcion.  It  is  very  rich,  and  has 
an  annual  revenue  of  upwards  of  10 0,0 00  dollars;  in 
other  respects  it  is  remarkable  for  nothing  except  the 
not  very  pious  habits  of  its  inmates.  Santa  Clara  and 
the  Encarnacion,  are  also  large  establishments,  and  well 
endowed.  The  nuns  who  observe  the  most  rigorous 
conventual  rules  are  the  Capuchinas  de  Jesus  Maria, 
the  Nazarenas  and  the  Trinitarias  descalzas.  For 
extremely  pious  women,  who  wish  to  lead  a  cloistered 
life  without  taking  the  veil,  there  are  three  establish- 
ments called  Beaterios,  which  may  be  entered  and 
quitted  at  pleasure  :  *  these  are  the  Beaterio  de  Patro- 
cinio,  the  Beaterio  de  Santa  Rosa  de  Viterbo,  and  the 
Beaterio  de  Copacabana.  This  last  was  originally  esta- 
blished exclusively  for  Indian  females.  The  Refugio  de 
San  Jose  is  a  place  for  the  reception  of  married  women 
who  wish  to  withdraw  from  the  ill  treatment  of  bad 

*  The  females  who  retire  to  these  establishments  are  called  Beatas  (Bigots). 
The  term  Beaterio  signifies  a  house  for  Bigots. — T. 


70  TEAVELS   IN    PERU. 

husbands.  On  the  other  hand  husbands  who  are  of 
opinion  that  their  wives  may  be  improved  by  a  little  tem- 
porary seclusion,  and  quiet  meditation,  can,  with  the 
permission  of  the  archbishop,  send  them  for  a  while  to 
the  Refugio.  The  Recojidas  is  another  institution  of 
the  same  kind,  but  destined  for  females  of  the  poorer 
class. 

Lima  possesses  a  great  many  hospitals,  but  all  are 
lamentably  defective  in  internal  arrangement,  and  above 
all  in  judicious  medical  attendance.  The  largest  of  the 
hospitals,  San  Andres,  was  founded  in  the  year  1552  by 
the  Licentiate  Francisco  de  Molina.  Three  years  after- 
wards, the  Viceroy  Don  Andres  Hurtado  de  Mendoza, 
first  Marquis  de  Canete,  placed  it  under  the  direction  of 
the  Government.  Down  to  the  year  1826  this  hos- 
pital was  exclusively  destined  for  the  reception  of  sick 
Spaniards.  San  Andres  contains  five  large  and  four 
smaller  wards,  with  387  beds.  One  part  of  the  estab- 
lishment is  set  apart  for  incurable  patients.  The  annual 
outlay  of  the  hospital  amounts  to  between  45,000 
and  50,000  dollars.  In  the  hospital  of  San  Andres 
insane  patients  are  received,  and  their  number  is  always 
considerable.  On  the  30th  of  November  (St.  Andrew's 
Day)  this  hospital  is  opened  for  the  admittance  of  the 
public,  and  one  of  the  favourite  amusements  of  the  inha- 
bitants of  Lima  is  to  go  to  San  Andres  to  see  the  lunatics. 
It  is  melancholy  to  observe  these  unfortunate  beings, 
thus  made  the  objects  of  public  exhibition,  and  irritated 
by  the  idle  throng  who  go  to  stare  at  them.  The  col- 
lection of  alms  from  the  numerous  visitors  is,  doubtless, 


HOSPITALS,  71 

the  motive  for  keeping  up  this  custom,  which,  neverthe- 
less, is  exceedingly  reprehensible. 

The  hospital  Santa  Ana  was  founded  in  the  year  1549, 
by  Don  Fray  Jeromino  de  Loyza,  first  Archbishop  of 
Lima,  and  was  destined  for  Indians  of  both  sexes.  The 
benevolent  founder,  with  the  most  earnest  self-devotion, 
attended  the  patients,  and  with  true  Christian  charity 
performed  the  humblest  duties  of  a  sick-nurse.  He  died 
in  1575  in  the  hospital,  to  which  he  bequeathed  a  yearly 
revenue  of  16,000  dollars.  The  building  contains  five 
large  wards,  and  336  beds.  Since  the  declaration  of 
independence  no  Indian  has  been  received  into  it.  This 
hospital,  alternately  with  those  of  San  Andres  and  San 
Bartolome,  was  used  as  a  military  lazaretto  ;  but  since 
1841  it  has  been  allotted  exclusively  to  female  patients 
of  all  classes ;  for  it  was  found  necessary  to  abandon 
the  former  female  hospital  of  La  Caridad,  on  account  of 
its  damp  situation. 

San  Bartolome  was  an  hospital  founded  in  the  year 
1661,  for  Negro  patients  ;  but  it  has  lately  been  closed. 
It  contains  eleven  wards  and  217  beds. 

Under  the  name  of  Santo  Toribio  an  hospital  for  incur- 
able patients  was  established  in  the  year  1669,  by  Don 
Domingo  Cueto.  In  1702  it  was  consigned  to  the 
superintendence  of  an  order  of  monks,  called  the  Padres 
Belemitas,  and  in  1822  it  was  incorporated  with  the 
hospital  of  San  Lazaro.  The  latter  establishment  was 
founded  by  Anton  Sanchez,  in  the  year  1563,  and  was 
exclusively  destined  for  leprous  patients.  Persons 


72  TKAVELS    IN    PEKU. 

afflicted  with  cutaneous  diseases,  and  especially  mala- 
dies of  a  contagious  nature,  are  sent  thither. 

In  the  convent  of  San  Pedro  there  is  a  small  hospital 
for  poor  priests.  Attached  to  it  is  a  dispensary,  from 
whence  the  poor  were  supplied  gratuitously  with  medi- 
cines, at  the  time  when  the  convent  was  in  the 
possession  of  the  Jesuits. 

Lima  also  possesses  a  Foundling  Hospital.  Luis 
Ojeda,  who  humbly  took  to  himself  the  title  of  Luis  el 
pecador  (Luis  the  Sinner),  bequeathed  all  his  fortune  to 
the  foundation  of  this  establishment,  which  received 
the  name  of  "  Colegio  de  Santa  Cruz  de  los  nirios 
expositos."  * 

The  refuge  for  female  penitents  was  founded  in  the 
year  1670  by  the  viceroy,  Count  de  Lemos.  The  funds 
were  derived  from  a  legacy  bequeathed  for  that  object 
by  Don  Francisco  Arcain  in  1572.  The  establishment 
has  but  few  inmates. 

In  former  times  it  was  the  custom  in  Lima  to  bury 
the  dead  in  graves  dug  within  the  churches ;  but  the 
heat  of  the  climate,  and  the  difficulty  of  making  the 
graves  sufficiently  deep,  rendering  this  practice  exceed- 
ingly objectionable,  the  viceroy,  Don  Jose  Fernando 
Abascal,  determined  on  making  a  burial  place  beyond 
the  boundaries  of  the  city.  A  piece  of  ground  was 
allotted  for  the  purpose,  and  it  was  consecrated  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1808.  It  is  called  the  Cementerio 

*  According  to  some  accounts  this  establishment  was  instituted  in  1654,  by 
Mateo  Pastor  de  Velasco,  a  native  of  Portollano  in  Spain. 


GREAT   CEMETERY   OP    LIMA.  73 

general  or  Panteon,  and  is  situated  eastward  of  the  city 
on  the  high  road  leading  to  the  Sierra  de  Tarma.  It 
consists  of  two  gardens,  very  prettily  planted,  and 
inclosed  by  high  walls.  Along  the  walls,  on  the  inner 
side,  there  are  niches,  about  a  thousand  in  number, 
ranged  in  sixteen  different  classes,  and  they  may  be 
purchased  by  those  who  wish  to  possess  them.  Many 
of  them  belong  to  families  and  convents.  The  graves 
are  watched  and  kept  in  order  by  criminals  who  are 
condemned  to  this  duty  as  a  punishment.  It  is  calcu- 
lated that  it  will  be  five  years  before  this  cemetery  is 
filled.  When  room  is  wanting,  the  niches  which  have 
been  first  occupied  will  be  cleared,  and  the  bones  depo- 
sited in  a  bone-house,  of  simple  but  appropriate  con- 
struction. At  the  entrance  of  the  Panteon  there  is  a 
neat  little  chapel,  where  the  funeral  obsequies  are  per- 
formed. Burials  are  permitted  to  take  place  only  in  the 
morning ;  and  when  a  funeral  retinue  arrives  too  late, 
the  body  remains  uninterred  until  the  following  morn- 
ing. The  rich  are  buried  in  coffins,  the  poor  merely  in 
winding  sheets,  which  are  made  after  the  pattern  of  the 
habits  worn  by  the  bare-footed  friars  of  the  order  of 
San  Francisco. 

The  grand  square  of  Lima,  the  Plaza  Mayor,  though 
not  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  is  nevertheless  the  central 
point  of  its  life  and  business.  It  is  426  feet  distant  from 
the  Rimac,  and  presents  a  regular  quadrangle,  each 
side  of  which  is  510  feet  long.  From  each  of  the  four 
corners  two  handsome  straight  streets  run  at  right  angles. 
There  is  no  pavement,  but  the  ground  is  covered  with 


74  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

fine  sand.  The  cathedral  and  the  archbishop's  palace 
occupy  the  eastern  side  of  the  square.  The  latter 
adjoins  the  sanctuary,  and  has  rather  a  fine  fa9ade. 
The  windows  of  the  principal  apartments  open  into  a 
balcony,  commanding  a  view  of  the  Plaza. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  square  stands  the  govern- 
ment palace,  formerly  the  residence  of  the  all-powerful 
viceroys.  Its  exterior  aspect  is  mean.  It  is  a  square 
building,  and  the  front  next  the  Plaza  is  disfigured  by  a 
long  range  of  shabby  little  shops  (called  La  river  a),  in 
which  drugs  are  sold.*  These  shops  are  surmounted 
by  a  balcony.  A  large  double  door  opens  from  the 
Plaza  into  the  great  court-yard  of  the  palace.  Along 
the  western  side  of  the  building  there  are  also  a  number 
of  little  shops  occupied  by  saddlers  and  dealers  in  old 
iron.  The  street,  running  in  this  direction,  is  called  the 
Old  Iron  Street  (Calle  del  Fierro  Viego).  The  principal 
entrance  to  the  palace  is  on  this  side.  On  the  south  the 
building  has  no  entrance,  and  it  presents  the  gloomy 
aspect  of  a  jail.  On  the  east  a  door  opens  into  a  small 
yard  or  court,  within  which  are  the  office  and  prison 
of  the  police.  A  few  long  flag-staffs,  fixed  on  the  roof 
of  the  palace,  do  not  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  edifice. 
The  interior  of  the  building  corresponds  with  its  out- 
ward appearance,  being  at  once  tasteless  and  mean. 
The  largest  apartment  formerly  bore  the  name  of  the 
Sala  de  los  Vireyes.  It  is  now  used  as  a  ball  room  when 

*  In  these  shops  any  one  may  purchase  for  a  trifle  one  of  the  most  deadly 
poisons  (Strichnos  Ignatia,  L.)  It  is  made  up  into  what  are  called  Pepilas 
de  Cabalonga,  It  is  used  in  Luna  for  poisoning  dogs. 


THE   GOVERNMENT    PALACE.  75 

entertainments  are  given  by  the  government.  Under 
the  Spanish  domination  this  room  was  hung  round  with 
portraits  of  the  viceroys,  the  size  of  life.45"  The  series  of 
vice-regal  portraits  from  Pizarro  to  Pezuela,  forty-four 
in  number,  completely  filled  the  apartment  at  the  time 
when  the  patriot  army  in  Lima  revolted,  and  conse- 
quently the  last  viceroy,  Don  Jose  de  la  Serna,  who 
owed  his  elevation  to  the  military  revolution,  could  not 
have  a  place  assigned  for  his  portrait  among  those  of 
his  predecessors,  f  The  other  apartments  of  the  palace 
are  small  and  inelegant.  Some  of  the  rooms  are  used 
as  government  offices. 

The  present  palace  was,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
ascertain,  built  about  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  In  the  great  earthquake  of  1687  it  was 
almost  totally  destroyed,  but  it  was  subsequently 
restored.  The  palace  which  Don  Francisco  Pizarro 
built  for  his  own  residence,  stood,  not  on  the  site  of 

*  This  highly  valuable  and  interesting  collection  of  portraits  is  now  removed 
from  the  palace  to  the  museum.  It  it  curious  to  mark  the  progressive  changes  of 
costume  and  to  observe  the  various  physiognomies,  especially  if  we  reflect  on  the 
history  of  the  men  whose  traits  denote  such  striking  differences  of  character. 
Almost  all  these  portraits  are  distinguished  by  an  air  of  tranquil  gravity  which 
in  some  is  combined  with  true  kingly  dignity,  and  in  others  with  an  expression 
of  fierceness.  The  handsomest  head  of  the  whole  series  is  decidedly  that  of 
Francisco  Pizarro.  His  features  bear  the  stamp  of  manly  energy,  and  his 
whole  countenance  is  characterised  by  courage  and  candour.  The  nose  has  the 
prominent  Arabic  form,  and  the  forehead  is  high  and  expanded.  The  thick 
beard,  covering  the  mouth  and  chin,  gives  a  gloomy  and  resolute  character  to 
the  face.  In  this  series  of  portraits  there  is  one  representing  a  priest  with  the 
vice-regal  insignia. 

•j-  By  a  singular  coincidence,  the  title  of  Conde  de  los  Andes  (Count  of  the 
Andes)  was  conferred  on  La  Serna  by  King  Ferdinand  at  Madrid  on  the  9th  of 
December,  1824,  being  the  very  day  on  which  he  gained  the  battle  of  Ayacucho, 
the  results  of  which  gave  the  Spanish  dominion  in  South  America  its  death-blow. 


76  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  existing  edifice,  but  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
Plaza,  on  the  spot  where  now  a  narrow  dirty  alley, 
called  the  Callejon  de  petateros,  forms  a  communication 
between  the  Plaza  and  the  Silversmith's-street  (Calle 
de  Plater os).  It  was  in  that  old  palace  that  Juan 
de  Herada,  the  friend  and  partisan  of  Don  Diego  de 
Almagra,  carried  into  effect  his  plot  against  Pizarro. 
On  the  26th  of  June  1546,  the  viceroy  was  seated  at 
table  with  a  party  of  his  friends,  when  the  insurgents 
surrounded  the  palace,  shouting  "Death  to  the  tyrants!" 
Pizarro,  though  warned  of  his  danger,  had  scarcely 
time  to  seize  his  sword.  One  of  his  principal  officers, 
Don  Francisco  de  Chavez,  was  killed  at  the  door  of  the 
apartment,  and  several  of  the  viceroy's  friends  and 
servants  escaped  by  the  windows.  Among  others  who 
attempted  to  save  themselves  in  this  way  was  Pizarro's 
counsellor,  Juan  de  Velasquez.  Only  on  the  previous 
evening  this  man  had  been  heard  to  declare  that  no  one 
would  be  found  bold  enough  to  join  in  an  insurrection 
as  long  as  he  held  in  his  hand  his  staff  of  authority. 
This  declaration  was  in  a  certain  measure  verified,  for 
Velasquez,  whilst  descending  from  the  window,  held 
his  staff  between  his  teeth,  that  he  might  be  the  better 
able  to  support  himself  with  his  hands.  Martin  Pizarro, 
together  with  two  noblemen  and  two  pages,  were  the 
only  persons  who  remained  faithful  to  the  viceroy. 
The  latter,  with  the  bravery  of  a  lion,  made  a  long 
stand  against  his  assailants.  "Courage,  brother  !  Down 
with  the  traitors ! "  exclaimed  Martin  Pizarro,  who,  the 
next  moment,  lay  dead  at  the  viceroy's  feet.  At  length 


DEATH    OF    PIZARRO.  77 

Pizarro,  exhausted  by  his  efforts  to  defend  himself, 
could  no  longer  wield  his  hitherto  victorious  sword  : 
he  was  overpowered,  and  one  of  his  assailants  having 
stahbed  him  in  the  throat,  he  fell,  mortally  wounded. 
With  his  last  faltering  accents  he  implored  the  aid  of 
a  confessor  ;  and  after  losing  the  power  of  utterance  he 
traced  with  his  finger,  on  the  ground,  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  kissed  it  repeatedly,  and  breathed  his  last.  Such 
was  the  sad  end  of  one  of  the  greatest  heroes  of  his 
age ;  *  a  man  guilty  of  many  crimes,  but  also  unjustly 
accused  of  many  of  which  he  was  innocent.  His 
acts  were  consistent  with  the  spirit  of  his  age,  and 
were  influenced  by*  the  frightful  circumstances  in  which 
he  was  placed.  In  short,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
Pizarro  was  "  better  than  his  fame." 

The  west  side  of  the  Plaza  Mayor  is  occupied  by  the 
Cabildo,  or  senate-house  (formerly  called  the  Casa 
Consistorial),  together  with  the  city  jail  and  a  row  of 
houses  of  no  very  handsome  appearance.  The  south 
side  is  filled  by  a  range  of  private  dwelling-houses,  with 
balconies  looking  to  the  Plaza.  The  houses,  both  on 
the  west  and  south  sides  of  the  square,  are  built  above  a 
colonnade,  in  which  there  are  numerous  shops. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Plaza  is  a  magnificent  bronze 
fountain  with  three  basins.  From  the  middle  basin 
rises  a  pillar,  surmounted  by  a  figure  of  Fame  spouting 
the  water  from  her  trumpet.  In  the  other  two  basins 
the  water  is  ejected  from  the  mouths  of  four  lions. 

*  The  above  particulars  are  collected  from  the  Historia  del  descubrimiento  y 
conquista  de  la  Provincia  del  Peru,  by  Agustin  de  Zarate. 


78  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  pillar  and  figures  for  this  triple  fountain  were  cast 
in  the  year  1650  by  the  able  artist  Antonio  Rivas,  by 
order  of  the  then  reigning  viceroy,  Count  de  Salvatierra. 
Besides  this  principal  fountain,  there  are  several  smaller 
ones,  from  which  the  public  are  permitted  to  supply 
themselves  with  water. 

The  second  large  public  square  in  Lima  is  the  Pla- 
zuela  de  la  Inquisition,  which,  since  the  war  of  indepen- 
dence, has  received  the  name  of  the  Square  of  Indepen- 
dence, (Plazmla  de  la  Independencid).  It  is  of  trapezi- 
form,  widening  in  the  eastern  part,  and  is  certainly  no 
ornament  to  the  town,  for  it  is  always  in  a  very  dirty 
condition.  Being  the  public  market-place,  it  presents  a 
very  busy  aspect  during  the  fore  part  of  the  day.  Two 
buildings  on  this  Plazuela  attract  attention,  viz. — the 
Palace  of  the  Inquisition,  and  the  University.  There 
are  now  but  few  remaining  traces  of  the  internal 
arrangements  of  the  fearful  tribunal ;  for,  on  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Inquisition  by  the  Cortes,  the  enraged 
populace  forced  their  way  into  the, building,  where  they 
gutted  the  rooms,  and  destroyed  the  furniture.  Lima 
was  the  seat  of  spiritual  jurisdiction  for  the  whole 
western  coast  of  South  America ;  and  the  rigour  of  its 
despotism  was  not  far  short  of  that  of  the  Inquisition 
of  Madrid.  Every  year  vast  numbers  of  persons  con- 
victed or  suspected  of  crimes  were  brought  from  all  the 
intervening  points  between  Chiloe  and  Columbia  to  the 
Tribunal  of  the  Inquisition,  and  most  of  them  were 
doomed  to  the  most  dreadful  punishments.  Autos  da  fe 
were  frequently  held  in  Lima,  and  cases  of  other  kinds 


UNIVERSITY   OF   LIMA.  79 

of  martyrdom  were  exceedingly  numerous.  The  lists, 
which  have  been  only  partially  preserved,  present 
melancholy  results.  One  part  of  the  palace  of  the 
Inquisition  is  now  converted  into  a  store-house  for  pro- 
visions, and  the  other  part  is  used  as  a  prison. 

The  university  of  Lima  was  once  the  most  important 
seat  of  education  in  South  America.  It  owes  its  origin 
to  a  decree  of  the  emperor  Charles  V.,  issued  at  the 
solicitation  of  the  dominican  monk  Maestro  Fray  Tomas 
de  San  Martin.  The-  decree  was  dated  the  12th  of 
May,  1551,  but  it  did  not  reach  Lima  until  two  years 
after  that  time.  A  papal  bull  of  Pius  V.  confirmed  the 
imperial  decree,  and  conferred  on  the  institution  the 
same  privileges  as  those  enjoyed  by  the  Spanish  univer- 
sity of  Salamanca.  The  Lima  university  was  originally 
established  in  the  convent  of  Santo  Domingo,  but  after 
the  lapse  of  three  years  it  was  removed  to  the  building 
now  occupied  by  San  Marcel,  and  in  1576  it  was 
installed  in  the  site  it  now  occupies.  It  received  the 
name  of  Real  y  Pontificia  Universidad  de  San  Marcos. 
In  the  year  1572  the  first  lay  rector  was  elected  in  the 
person  of  Gaspar  Menendez,  a  doctor  of  medicine. 

The  building  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Plaza 
de  la  Independencia,  next  to  the  hospital  of  la  Caridad. 
The  fa9ade  is  not  handsome,  but  is  remarkable  for  a 
style  not  belonging  to  the  age  in  which  it  was  erected. 
The  building  is  entered  by  a  lofty  door,  opening  into  a 
spacious  quadrangular  court,  along  the  four  sides  of 
which  there  are  pillared  corridors.  On  the  walls  of 
these  corridors  the  different  branches  of  science  are 


80  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

allegorically  represented  in  fresco  paintings,  and  beneath 
these  paintings  are  inscribed  quotations  from  ancient 
classic  authors.  The  lecture  rooms  open  into  the  corri- 
dors which  run  round  the  court.  Facing  the  entrance 
door,  in  the  left  angle  of  the  court,  are  great  double 
doors  opening  into  the  Aula,  which  is  spacious,  and  has 
rather  an  imposing  aspect.  In  the  middle  of  the  wall, 
on  the  right-hand  side,  stands  the  rector's  chair  in  a  sort 
of  niche,  surmounted  by  a  canopy.  On  either  side  of 
this  chair  are  ranged  the  seats  of  the  professors,  and  the 
members  of  faculties.  Opposite  to  the  rector's  seat,  on 
the  left-hand  side  of  the  Aula,  is  an  elevated  chair  occu- 
pied by  the  president,  when  academic  prizes  are  distri- 
buted. Below  it  is  an  arm-chair  for  the  candidate.  On 
each  side  of  the  president's  seat  are  several  rows  of 
benches,  for  the  members  of  the  university  and  visitors. 
Over  the  entrance  door  there  is  a  gallery  to  which  the 
public  are  admitted,  and  which,  on  the  occasions  when 
prizes  are  distributed,  is  usually  occupied  by  ladies.  On 
the  walls  of  the  Aula  are  hung  portraits  of  celebrated 
learned  men. 

The  National  Library,  situated  near  the  convent  of  San 
Pedro,  was  founded  by  a  decree,  dated  the  28th  of  August, 
1821.  The  books  belonging  to  the  university  of  San 
Marcos  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  National  Library.  To 
them  were  added  the  libraries  of  several  of  the  monas- 
teries, some  sequestrated  works,  and  the  collections  of  a 
few  private  individuals.  Of  these  latter,  the  most  con- 
siderable was  the  collection  of  General  San  Martin,  and 
a  library  of  7772  volumes  bequeathed,  together  with  a 


THE    NATIONAL.  LIBRARY.  81 

legacy  of  a  thousand  dollars,  by  Don  Miguel  de  la 
Fuente  y  Pacheco.  In  November,  1841,  the  National 
Library  of  Peru  contained  26,344  printed  volumes,  432 
manuscripts,  and  a  small  collection  of  maps  and  copper- 
plate engravings.  It  is  particularly  rich  in  old  works 
on  religious  and  historical  subjects.  The  books  relating 
to  the  Conquest,  and  to  the  early  period  of  the  Spanish 
dominion,  form  in  themselves  a  complete  historical  series. 
Of  modern  works  there  are  but  few.  The  pecuniary 
support  of  the  establishment  is  very  inconsiderable.  The 
government  exacts  from  it  the  import  duty,  three  per 
cent,  on  European  books,  making  an  average  annual 
sum  of  400  dollars.  In  addition  to  this  the  salaries  of 
the  librarians  amount  annually  to  2794  dollars.  The 
library  is  open  to  the  public  every  day  (Friday  and 
Sunday  excepted)  from  eight  in  the  morning  till  one  in 
the  afternoon,  and  from  four  in  the  afternoon  till  six  in 
the  evening. 

In  the  left  wing  of  the  same  building  is  the  museum, 
containing  a  collection  of  objects  of  natural  history, 
antiquities,  and  other  curiosities.  This  collection  was 
first  formed  in  the  year  1826,  in  some  of  the  spare 
rooms  in  the  palace  of  the  Inquisition,  and  was  after- 
wards removed  from  one  place  to  another,  until  at  length 
the  government  allotted  to  the  purpose  the  two  fine 
apartments  in  the  building  above  mentioned.  As  yet 
the  establishment  is  quite  in  its  infancy.  It  contains 
nothing  of  scientific  value,  and  but  for  the  series  of  his- 
torical portraits  already  described,  it  would  differ  but 
little  from  the  collections  of  curiosities  frequently  formed 

G 


82  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

by  amateurs,  in  which  all  sorts  of  heterogeneous  objects 
are  jumbled  together.  The  museum  of  Lima  bids  fair 
to  remain  for  some  time  to  come  on  the  footing  on 
which  it  was  when  I  saw  it,  for  the  establishment  has 
no  funds,  save  a  monthly  allowance  of  thirty-two  dollars, 
and  out  of  that  scanty  pittance  the  expense  of  fitting 
up  the  rooms,  the  glass  cases,  &c.,  has  yet  to  be  defrayed. 
The  museum  is  open  to  the  public  four  days  in  the  week. 

Two  other  apartments  in  this  same  building  are  set 
aside  for  the  Academy  of  Design  (Academia  de  Debujo). 
On  three  evenings  every  week  pupils  are  admitted  to 
this  academy  to  receive  gratuitous  instruction  in  drawing, 
the  number  of  the  pupils  amounts  to  between  80  and 
100  ;  but  there  is  convenient  room  for  200.  The  col- 
lection of  models  and  drawing  copies  for  the  use  of  the 
students  is  but  indifferent. 

The  mint  is  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Plazuela  de 
la  Independencia.  It  was  founded  in  Lima  in  the  year 
1565  ;  in  1572  transferred  to  Potosi,  and  in  1683 
removed  back  to  Lima.  For  the  space  of  seventy  years 
this  establishment  was  in  the  hands  of  private  indi- 
viduals ;  but  in  the  year  1753  the  Spanish  government 
took  the  management  of  it,  and  erected  the  building  in 
which  it  is  still  located.  It  is  a  large  and  handsome 
structure,  but  very  defective  in  its  internal  arrangement. 
Until  the  year  1817  the  machinery  for  casting  was 
worked  by  mules,  ninety-two  of  those  animals  being 
employed  daily.  Subsequently,  under  the  direction  of 
an  Englishman,  water-power  was  introduced,  by  which 
expense  was  diminished  and  time  saved.  A  few  years 


THE   MINT   OP   LIMA.  83 

ago  a  French  merchant  made  an  arrangement  with  the 
government  for  the  use  of  a  complex  machine,  which  he 
proposed  to  bring  from  Europe. "  The  machine  arrived, 
but  by  an  unlucky  fatality  it  proved  perfectly  useless. 
For  the  space  of  four  years  repeated  attempts  were  made 
to  work  it,  but  in  vain  ;  it  fulfilled  none  of  the  required 
conditions.  Its  faults  are  manifold,  and  it  reflects  but 
little  credit  on  the  person  by  whom  it  was  contrived. 
It  has  cost  no  less  than  250,000  dollars,  and  has  never 
been  of  the  least  use. 

In  the  mint  of  Lima  there  are  annually  cast  from  two 
to  two  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars,  which  yield  a 
profit  of  from  140,000  to  180,000  dollars,  out  of  which 
are  paid  the  salaries  of  the  persons  employed.  Under 
the  Spanish  government  these  salaries  amounted  annu- 
ally to  48,906  dollars  ;  now  they  make,  together  with 
other  customary  outlays,  the  sum  of  85,105  dollars. 

The  value  of  a  mark  of  silver  in  the  mint  is  8  dollars 
4  reales  ;  that  of  a  mark  of  gold  is  144  dollars  4  reales. 
The  standard  worth  of  the  gold  is  21  carats ;  that  of  the 
silver  20  grains. 

Next  to  the  arena  for  bull-fights,  situated  in  the 
Plaza  firme  del  Acho,  the  theatre  is  the  principal 
place  of  public  amusement  in  Lima.  The  first  theatre, 
erected  in  the  year  1602,  was  situated  near  the  con- 
vent of  San  Agustin,  in  the  street  which  still  bears 
the  name  of  "  Comedia  vieja."  It  was  destroyed  in  the 
earthquake  of  1630,  and  rebuilt  on  the  same  site.  In 
1662  it  was  pulled  down  to  make  room  for  a  new  street, 
and  afterwards  the  present  building  was  erected.  Its 

G2 


84  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

external  appearance  is  very  ugly  and  the  interior  is 
not  much  better.  Before  the  orchestra  there  are  some 
commodious  inclosed  seats  or  stalls.  The  boxes,  which 
are  completely  separated  one  from  another  by  partitions, 
are  narrow  but  deep  :  the  smaller  ones  are  capable  of 
containing  eight  persons,  and  the  larger  ones  twelve. 
In  the  centre  of  the  first  tier  of  boxes,  and  fronting 
the  stage,  is  the  government  box,  which  occupies  the 
space  of  two  of  the  others.  It  contains  seats  for  the 
prefect,  the  sub-prefect,  and  the  members  of  the  Cabildo. 
The  president's  box  is  likewise  on  the  first  tier,  and  on 
the  left  of  the  stage.  Adjoining  it  there  is  a  small 
cabinet,  closed  on  the  side  next  the  pit  by  a  wooden 
railing.  Into  this  cabinet  the  president  retires  between 
the  acts  of  the  performance.  The  stage  is  small,  and 
the  scenery  very  indifferent. 

The  performances  are  for  the  most  part  wretched, 
both  as  regards  the  merit  of  the  pieces  and  the  talent  of 
the  actors.  Nothing  can  be  in  worse  taste  than  the  little 
farces  called  saynetes,  which,  according  to  Spanish  cus- 
tom, always  close  the  performances,  whether  the  prin- 
cipal piece  be  a  tragedy  or  a  comedy.  Common-place 
intrigues  form  the  subjects  of  these  saynetes,  and  their 
dialogue  consists  of  vulgar  jokes.  They  are  altogether 
calculated  to  banish  any  gratifying  impression  which 
might  by  possibility  be  produced  by  the  principal  piece. 

For  some  years  past  a  company  of  Italians,  settled 
in  Lima,  have  given  operatic  performances  on  a  small 
scale.  One  of  them,  Signora  Pantanelli,  is  an  excellent 
singer,  and  would  be  heard  with  pleasure  even  in  Europe. 


ITALIAN   OPERA    IN   LIMA.  85 

Some  other  members  of  the  company  have  middling 
talents,  but  the  rest  are  decidedly  bad.  The  operas 
performed  are  Giulietta  y  Romeo,  Parisina,  Lucia  di 
Lammermuir,  Marino  Faliero,  La  Sonnambula,  and  II 
Barbiere  di  Seviglia  :  these,  together  with  a  mutilated 
Norma,  and  a  much  curtailed  Semiramide,  form  almost 
the  whole  repertory.  Want  of  stage  room  is  an  obstacle 
to  the  representation  of  operas  demanding  grand  scenery 
and  machinery.  The  costumes  are  for  the  most  part 
exceedingly  elegant,  though  seldom  historically  correct. 
The  orchestra  is  defective,  and  ought  to  be  much  im- 
proved, to  give  satisfaction  to  a  public  passionately  fond 
of  music. 

But  if  the  inhabitants  of  Lima  are  great  lovers  of 
music,  dancing  has  no  less  powerful  attractions  for 
them.  Though  the  time  is  gone  by  when  the  dress  of 
any  opera-dancer  may  be  expected  to  reach  below  the 
knee,  yet  the  drapery  of  a  Limanese  Terpsichore  appears 
to  have  attained  even  an  ultra  degree  of  curtailment. 
The  representation  of  ballets,  properly  so  called,  is  not 
attempted;  but  the  Bolero,  the  Fandango,  the  Cachucha, 
and  Don  Mateo,  are  favourite  and  often  repeated  per- 
formances. 

During  the  long  intervals  between  the  acts,  smoking 
is  permitted  in  the  pit  and  in  the  outer  court  of  the 
theatre.  There  is  also  a  plentiful  supply  of  very  bad  and 
very  dear  refreshments. 

An  intolerable  annoyance  experienced  in  visiting  the 
theatre  at  Lima  is  caused  by  the  swarms  of  fleas  which 
infest  every  part  of  the  house,  but  most  especially  the 


86  TKAVELS    IN   PERU. 

boxes.  Unfortunately,  this  nuisance  is  irremediable,  and 
the  visitor  must  be  blessed  with  a  large  amount  of 
endurance  who  can  patiently  sit  out  a  whole  evening's 
entertainments. 

Not  far  from  the  theatre  is  situated  the  circus  for 
cock-fighting  (Coliseo  de  gallos),  where  fights  (peleas) 
take  place  daily.  The  Coliseo  is  a  large  amphitheatre, 
with  an  arena  in  the  middle.  The  game-cocks  trained 
for  this  sport  have  the  spur  removed  from  the  right  foot, 
and  in  its  stead  is  substituted  a  small  sharp  steel  blade, 
curved  and  shaped  like  a  scythe.  One  or  other  of  the 
animals  is  frequently  killed  at  the  first  spring  ;  and 
when  that  is  not  the  case,  they  continue  fighting  until 
they  die  of  wounds  and  exhaustion.  It  is  a  cruel  sport, 
and  a  worthy  pendant  to  bull-fighting.  The  first  Coliseo 
was  erected  in  1762,  by  Don  Juan  Garrial.  The  present 
building,  in  the  Plazuela  de  Santa  Catalina,  is  a  very 
handsome  structure,  and  Lima  may  fairly  boast  of  pos- 
sessing the  finest  circus  for  cock-fighting  in  all  the  world. 

In  the  same  square  with  the  Coliseo  de  gallos  is  the 
tennis-court,  a  spacious  area,  surrounded  by  high  walls. 
It  is  not  now  so  much  resorted  to  as  formerly,  for  the 
Creoles  are  not  so  fond  of  tennis  as  the  Spaniards. 

A  beautiful  stone  bridge  unites  the  town  with  the 
suburb  of  San  Lazaro.  This  bridge  was  built  in  the 
years  1638-1640,  when  the  Marquis  de  Montes  Claros 
was  viceroy  of  Peru.  The  plan  was  designed  by  Fray 
Geronimo  Villegas,  an  Augustine  monk.  It  is  530  feet 
long,  and  has  six  arches  rising  thirty-seven  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  water.  The  foundation  of  the  piers  is 


THE   BRIDGE,    AND   THE   CITY   WALL.  87 

composed  of  square  blocks  of  stone,  the  piers  themselres 
are  of  brick,  and  the  parapet  of  cemented  stone  work. 
The  erection  of  this  bridge  cost  400,000  dollars.  A 
sufficient  proof  of  its  strength  and  solidity  is  the  fact  that 
it  survived  the  earthquakes  of  1687  and  1746,  which 
shattered  all  other  parts  of  Lima.  In  the  earthquake  of 
1746  the  first  arch,  .on  which  stood  an  equestrian  statue 
of  Philip  V.,  was  destroyed,  but  it  is  now  restored.  It 
has  on  one  side  two  towers,  with  a  dial  in  the  middle. 

The  city  of  Lima,  with  the  exception  of  a  portion  of 
the  north  side,  and  the  suburb  of  San  Lazaro,  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  wall  built  of  brick.  This  wall  was  con- 
structed in  the  year  1585,  when  the  Duque  de  la  Plata 
was  viceroy.  It  is  the  work  of  a  Fleming,  named 
Pedro  Ramon.  This  wall  is  between  eighteen  and  twenty 
feet  high.  Jts  breadth  at  the  base  is  from  ten  to  twelve 
feet,  and  at  the  top  nine  feet.  It  does  not  therefore 
afford  sufficient  space  for  mounting  large  guns.  Along 
the  whole  extent  of  the  wall  there  are  thirty-four 
bastions.  In  the  year  1807,  this  wall,  which  had  fallen 
into  a  very  ruinous  condition,  was  repaired  by  order  of 
the  viceroy  Abascal,  and  put  into  a  condition  to  be 
mounted  with  artillery.  On  each  side  commodious  path- 
ways were  made,  and  along  the  inner  side  powder 
magazines  were  constructed.  At  present  these  fortifica- 
tions are  in  a  state  of  complete  dilapidation.  The  paths 
which  are  obstructed  by  rubbish,  are  almost  impassable, 
and  the  powder  magazines  are  destroyed.  The  city  wall 
of  Lima  has  nine  gates  (Portadas).  Of  these  six  only 
are  now  open,  viz.,  the  Portadas  of  Maravillas,  Barbones 


88  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

C0charcas,  Guadelupe,  Juan  Simon,  and  Callao  ;  the 
three  others,  the  Portadas  of  Martinete,  Monserrat,  and 
Santa  Catalina,  are  walled  up.  At  every  one  of  the 
open  gates  there  are  stationed  custom-house  guards, 
whose  chief  duty  consists  in  preventing  the  smuggled 
introduction  of  unstamped  silver  (plata  de  pina).  In  the 
direction  of  the  suburb  of  San  Lazaro,  the  city  cannot  be 
closed,  as  the  wall  does  not  extend  to  that  part.  Between 
San  Lazaro,  and  the  high  road  to  Cerro  de  Pasco,  is 
the  Portada  de  Guias ;  this,  however,  is  not  properly  a 
gate,  but  a  small  custom-house.  In  this  direction  it  is 
easy  to  gain  entrance  to  the  city  from  the  river,  arid 
consequently  it  is  here  that  most  of  the  contraband 
silver,  brought  from  the  mountains,  is  smuggled. 

Among  the  fortifications  of  Lima  may  be  included  the 
pretty  little  castle  of  Santa  Catalina,  situated  at  the 
eastern  end  of  the  city,  between  the  Portada  de  Cochar- 
cas  and  the  Portada  de  Guadelupe,  at  the  distance  of 
about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  city  wall.  It  is 
surrounded  by  rather  high  walls,  and  is  flanked  by  two 
bastions.  The  interior  of  this  citadel  is  very  well 
arranged,  and  is  kept  much  cleaner  than  such  places 
usually  are  in  Peru.  It  contains  stores  of  arms  and 
barracks  for  the  artillery.  The  largest  barracks  in 
Lima  are  those  of  the  infantry,  Quartel  de  Infanteria,  in 
the  Colegio.  They  are  remarkable  for  want  of  cleanli- 
ness, and  like  most  of  the  public  buildings  in  this  inter- 
esting city,  going  fast  to  decay. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Population  of  Lima — Its  diminution — Different  races  of  the  Inhabitants — Their 
characteristics — Amusements — Education — The  Women  of  Lima — Their 
Costume — The  Saya  y  Manto — Female  domestic  life — Love  of  dress — 
Beatas — Indians — Slaves — Bosales — Free  Creoles — Negroes — Negresses — 
Black  Creoles — Their  varieties — Mestizos — Mulatoes — Palanganas— Zam- 
bos — Chinos — Foreigners  in  Lima — Corruption  of  the  Spanish  language. 

PKOCEEDING  from  the  shell  to  the  kernel,  we  will  now 
take  a  glance  at  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital  of  Peru  : 
first,  surveying  the  native  in  his  fatherland,  and  next, 
the  foreign  settler  in  his  adopted  country. 

The  population  of  Lima  has  at  various  periods  under- 
gone remarkable  fluctuations.  In  the  year  1764  the 
number  of  the  inhabitants  was  stated  to  be  54,000  ;  in 
1810,  87,000  ;  in  1826,  70,000  ;  in  1836,  54,600  ;  and 
in  1842,  53,000.  Of  most  of  these  estimates  I  enter- 
tain some  degree  of  distrust,  as  they  are  merely  founded 
on  general  calculations,  and  are  not  the  results  of 
careful  numbering.  Certain  it  is,  however,  that  the 
population  of  Lima  has  very  considerably  decreased 
since  the  declaration  of  independence.  This  is  suffi- 
ciently proved  by  the  fact  that  several  parts  of  the  city 
are  now  totally  uninhabited  :  the  houses  falling  to  decay, 
and  the  gardens  lying  waste. 

The   cause   of  this    diminished  population  is  easily 


90  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

explained  by  the  physical  and  political  condition  of  the 
country.  Earthquakes  have,  at  various  times,  buried 
thousands  of  people  beneath  the  ruins  of  their  own 
dwellings  ;  the  war  of  independence  was  attended 
by  vast  sacrifices  of  life;  banishment  and  voluntary 
emigration  have  removed  from  Lima  the  families  of 
some  of  the  principal  citizens ;  and  epidemic  disease, 
the  natural  consequence  of  defective  police  regulations, 
has  swept  away  countless  multitudes  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. The  number  of  new  settlers  is  very  inconsi- 
derable ;  and  for  several  past  years  the  number  of 
deaths  has  nearly  doubled  that  of  the  births.  There 
appears  no  reason  to  doubt  that  this  decrease  of  popu- 
lation will  continue  ;  because,  as  will  presently  be  seen, 
the  causes  to  which  it  is  assignable  cannot  be  checked, 
inasmuch  as  they  are  intimately  blended  with  the 
character  of  the  nation.  Most  of  these  causes  operate 
not  only  in  the  capital,  but  over  the  whole  country ; 
indeed,  in  the  latter  their  influence  is  in  some  instances 
much  greater ;  for  example,  in  the  interior  of  Peru  the 
loss  of  life  attendant  on  the  war  was  relatively  much 
greater  than  in  Lima.  This  favoured  country,  which 
extends  from  the  3rd  to  the  22nd  degree  of  south  lati- 
tude, and  which  contained  at  the  time  of  its  conquest 
by  the  Spaniards  an  immense  population,  though  its 
amount  is  not  known  with  numerical  exactitude,  now 
counts  only  1,400,000  inhabitants. 

In  the  tax  registers,  drawn  up  during  the  protectorate 
of  Santa  Cruz,  in  1836,  the  number  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Lima  is  represented  as  follows  :— 


POPULATION   OF   LIMA.  91 

Male.      Female.      Total. 

1.  White  Creoles  (being  the  descendants  of  foreigners, 

but  chiefly  of  Spaniards) 9,423  10,170  19,593 

2.  Indians 2,561  2,731  5,292 

3.  People  of  Colour  (mixed  races)          ....  11,771  12,355  24,126 

4.  Slaves 2,186  3,606  4,792 

5.  Ecclesiastics  (Lay  and  Monastic)      .        .        .    .  475  350  825 

In  all         .         .         .         .     26,416     29,212     54,628 

From  the  above  it  appears  that  in  every  class  (No.  5 
excepted)  there  is  a  preponderance  of  females ;  and 
that  on  the  whole  population  of  54,628  individuals 
there  is  a  surplus  of  2796  women.  About  one  in  every 
sixty-six  individuals  belongs  to  the  priesthood. 

Possibly  in  no  other  place  in  the  world  is  there  so 
much  variety  of  complexion  and  physiognomy  as  in 
Lima.  From  the  delicately  fair  Creole  daughter  of 
European  parents,  to  the  jet  black  Congo  negro,  people 
of  every  gradation  of  colour  are  seen  living  in  intimate 
relation  one  with  another.  The  two  extreme  classes — 
the  whites  and  blacks — are  as  distinct  in  character 
as  in  colour,  and  of  either  of  those  it  is  no  difficult  task 
to  give  an  accurate  portraiture.  But  it  is  different  with 
the  mixed  races.  To  define  their  characteristics  cor- 
rectly would  be  impossible,  for  their  minds  partake  of 
the  mixture  of  their  blood.  As  a  general  rule,  it  may 
fairly  be  said  that  they  unite  in  themselves  all  the  faults, 
without  any  of  the  virtues,  of  their  progenitors.  As 
men  they  are  greatly  inferior  to  the  pure  races,  and  as 
members  of  society  they  are  the  worst  class  of  citizens, 
Here,  as  well  as  in  the  following  delineations  of  the 
different  races,  I  wish  my  observations  to  be  understood 
only  in  a  general  sense.  I  have  met  with  some  honour- 


92  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

able  exceptions  ;  though,  unfortunately,  they  were  mere 
solitary  luminaries,  whose  transient  light  has  been 
speedily  obscured  by  the  surrounding  darkness. 

The  white  Creoles,  who,  with  very  few  exceptions, 
are  the  descendants  of  Spaniards,  constitute  somewhat 
less  than  a  third  part  of  the  population  of  Lima.  They 
are  slender  in  figure  and  of  middling  height.  Their 
features  are  strongly  marked,  their  complexions  fair  and 
pale,  and  their  hair  is  of  the  darkest  black.  The  men  are 
feeble  and  look  prematurely  old.  Their  countenances, 
though  not  devoid  of  dignity,  have  a  sort  of  sensual 
expression.  They  are  effeminate,  and  disinclined  to  any 
kind  of  active  exertion.  If  they  ride  the  distance  of 
ten  miles,  they  think  they  have  performed  a  feat  of 
heroism  worthy  to  be  recorded  in  the  state  archives.  If 
the  white  Creoles  are  inferior  to  the  Spaniards  in 
physical  organization,  they  are  no  less  beneath  them  in 
qualities  of  mind.  They  shrink  from  anything  that 
demands  intellectual  exertion.  In  short,  they  are  sworn 
enemies  to  business  of  every  kind,  and  those  who  are 
obliged  to  work  for  their  own  support,  make  choice  of 
some  occupation  which,  like  that  of  a  shopman,  affords 
them  ample  time  to  smoke  cigars  and  to  gossip  with 
their  neighbours.  The  richer  classes  give  themselves  up 
wholly  to  idleness.  They  walk  about  and  visit  their 
acquaintances,  or  they  lounge  in  shops  or  at  the  corners 
of  streets,  and  in  that  manner  they  often  amuse  them- 
selves for  half  a  day.  Those  who  are  owners  of 
plantations  occasionally  ride  through  them  to  receive 
reports  from  their  mayordomos.  Their  afternoons  are 


WHITE   CREOLES.  93 

usually  spent  in  the  Coliseo  de  gattos,  in  the  coffee- 
houses, or  at  the  gaming-table.  The  white  Creoles  are 
as  passionately  fond  of  gaming  as  the  Spaniards,  and 
sums  equal  to  those  staked  at  the  gaming-tables  of 
Mexico  and  the  Havannah  are  daily  lost  and  won  in 
Lima.  Though  games  of  hazard  are  prohibited,  yet 
they  are  very  publicly  played,  and  it  is  only  now  and 
then  that  the  police  enforce  the  regulations  of  the  law 
by  the  seizure  of  a  bank. 

Gaming  in  Lima  is  carried  on  very  quietly,  and  the 
most  determined  gamblers  do  not  show  themselves  very 
much  excited  either  by  losses  or  winnings.  The  dis- 
covery of  false  dice,  however,  creates  bitter  feelings 
of  animosity,  which  not  unfrequently  lead  to  assassi- 
nation. Of  this  I  knew  several  instances  when  I  was  in 
the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  intellectual  culture  of  the  white  Creole  of  Lima 
is  exceedingly  defective.  He  is  not  wanting  in  talent ; 
but  an  imperfect  system  of  education  affords  him  no 
opportunity  for  the  development  of  his  faculties,  and 
innate  indolence  is  a  bar  to  his  self-improvement  by 
study.  He  seldom  rises  above  the  level  of  every-day 
life,  and  is  ignorant  of  everything  beyond  the  boundary 
of  the  city,  or,  at  all  events,  of  the  province  in  which  he 
was  born.  I  have  often  been  amazed  at  the  monstrous 
ignorance  of  so-called,  educated  Peruvians,  respecting 
the  situation,  the  extent,  the  physical  formation,  and  the 
productions  of  their  native  country. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
Lima  has  been  the.  birthplace  of  several  white  Creoles, 


94  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

whose  talents  and  learning  have  honorably  distinguished 
them  from  the  rest  of  their  countrymen.  For  example, 
Don  Tomas  de  Salazar,  author  of  the  "  Interpretaciones 
de  los  Leyes  de  Indias."'*  Don  Miguel  Nunez  de  Rojas, 
the  learned  Judge  of  Confiscations  in  the  Spanish  war 
of  succession,  and  Don  Alonzo  Conde  de  San  Donas, 
who  in  the  reign  of  Philip  IV.  was  Spanish  Ambassador 
at  the  Court  of  France.  Among  those  eminent  in  litera- 
ture may  be  named  Don  Pedro  de  la  Reyna  Maldonado, 
and  the  poet  Don  Diego  Martinez  de  Rivera,  of  whom 
Cervantes  in  his  "  Galatea"  says — 

Su  divina  ingenio  ha  producido 
En  Arequipa  eterna  Primavera.f 

Several  monks  distinguished  for  learning  have  been 
white  Creoles,  and  an  eminent  individual  of  that  race 
was  Don  Hipolito  Unanue,  the  author  of  the  "  Guide  to 
Peru,"  and  "  Observations  on  the  Climate  of  Lima,  and 
its  Influence  on  organized  Beings,  especially  Man;"J  a 
Treatise  on.  the  Cocoa-tree,  &c.  In  more  recent  times, 
Don  Mariano  Eduardo  de  Rivero  has  zealously  devoted 
himself  to  the  study  of  natural  history  and  antiquities. 

But  in  spite  of  his  faults,  the  Lima  Creole  has  his 
good  qualities.  He  is  an  enemy  to  strong  drinks. 
When  he  takes  wine  it  is  usually  of  some  sweet  kind, 
and  of  that  he  partakes  very  sparingly.  A  white 
Creole  in  a  state  of  intoxication  would,  indeed,  be  a 
rare  sight.  Not  so  in  the  interior  of  the  country, 

*  Interpretations  of  the  Indian  Laws. 

f  His  divine  genius  has  produced  eternal  spring  in  Arequipa. 
J  "  Guia  del  Peru."    "  Observaciones  sobre  el  clima  de  Lima  y  sus  influencias 
en  los  seres  organizados  en  especial  el  hombre." 


THE   LADIES   OF   LIMA.  95 

where  the  whites  are  remarkable  for  intemperate 
drinking. 

Par  superior  to  the  men,  both  physically  and  intel- 
lectually, are  the  women  of  Lima.  Nature  has  lavishly 
endowed  them  with  many  of  her  choicest  gifts.  In 
figure  they  are  usually  slender  and  rather  tall,  and 
they  are  especially  remarkable  for  small,  elegantly 
formed  feet.  Their  fair  faces,  from  which  the  glowing 
breath  of  the  tropics  banishes  every  trace  of  bloom,  are 
animated  by  large,  bright,  dark  eyes.  Their  features 
are  pleasing — the  nose  being  well  formed,  though  in 
general  not  small — the  mouth  invariably  adorned  with 
two  rows  of  brilliant  white  teeth,  *  and  their  long  black 
hair,  arranged  in  plaits,  falls  gracefully  over  the  bosom 
and  shoulders.  Add  to  all  this  a  captivating  grace  of 
manner  and  deportment,  joined  to  an  exceeding  degree 
of  gentleness  and  amiability,  and  it  will  be  readily 
admitted  that  the  Limena  is  a  noble  specimen  of  female 
loveliness. 

At  home,  especially  in  the  summer  season,  the  ladies 
of  Lima  dress  lightly  and  even  negligently.  For  visit- 
ing, or  going  to  the  theatres,  they  adopt  the  French 
fashions.  When  walking  in  the  streets,  attending 
church,  joining  religious  processions,  &c.,  they  appear 
in  a  very  singular  costume,  peculiar  to  Lima,  and  con- 
sisting of  two  garments  called  the  Say  a  and  the  Manto. 
Of  the  saya  there  are  two  kinds.  The  one  called  the 


*  The  women  of  Lima  clean  their  teeth  several  times  a  day  with  the  root 
called  Raiz  de  dientcs  (literally  root  for  the  teeth)  of  which  they  keep  a  piece 
constantly  in  their  pocket. 


96  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

Saya  ajustada,  was  formerly  in  general  use,  but  is  now 
seldom  seen.  It  consists  of  a  petticoat,  or  skirt  of 
thick  stiff  silk,  plaited  at  top  and  bottom,  in  small 
fluted  folds,  drawn  very  close  together  at  the  waist 
and  widening  towards  the  ankles,  beneath  which  the 
saya  does  not  descend.  It  is  tight  to  the  form,  the 
outline  of  which  it  perfectly  displays,  and  its  closeness 
to  the  limbs  naturally  impedes  rapid  movement.  When 
wearing  the  Saya  ajustada,  the  ladies  find  it  no  very 
easy  task  to  kneel  down  at  church,  and  at  the  termi- 
nation of  every  genuflexion,  they  are  obliged  to  twist 
and  twirl  about  for  a  considerable  time  before  they  can 
again  stand  on  their  feet."'5" 

The  other  description  of  saya  is  called  the  Saya 
culepa,  or  the  Saya  desplegada.  It  is  plaited  close  at 
the  waist,  and  from  thence  downwards  it  stands  out 
like  a  hooped  petticoat.  This  sort  of  saya  is  made  by 
first  being  plaited  both  at  top  and  bottom  like  the 
Saya  ajustada;  but,  afterwards,  the  lower  plaits  are 
undone  to  form  the  Saya  desplegada.  The  saya  is 
always  made  of  some  dark-coloured  silk,  black,  green, 
blue,  or  cinnamon  colour. 

*  It  is  related  that,  during  the  war  of  independence,  when  Lima  was  alter- 
nately in  possession  of  the  Patriots  and  the  Spaniards,  a  party  of  the  latter  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  spirit  of  the  Limenos,  disguised  themselves  as  Patriots 
and  marched  to  the  vicinity  of  the  town.  On  their  approach  becoming  known, 
a  great  number  of  persons  proceeded  from  Callao  to  the  Alameda  to  meet  them. 
Among  those  who  went  forth  to  welcome  the  supposed  patriots  were  a  number 
of  women  dressed  in  the  narrow  sayas  above  described.  When  the  disguised 
Spaniards  had  advanced  within  a  little  distance  of  the  deceived  multitude  they 
began  to  attack  them.  The  men  saved  themselves  by  flight  ;  but  the  women, 
whose  sayas  impeded  their  motion,  were  unable  to  escape,  and  were  almost  all 
killed. 


THE   SAYA   Y    MANTO.  97 

The  Manto  is  a  veil  of  thick  black  silk  fastened  by  a 
band  at  the  back  of  the  waist,  where  it  joins  the  say  a. 
From  thence  it  is  brought  over  the  shoulders  and  head, 
and  drawn  over  the  face  so  closely  that  only  a  small 
triangular  space,  sufficient  for  one  eye  to  peep  through, 
is  left  uncovered.  A  rich  shawl  thrown  over  the 
shoulders  conceals  the  whole  of  the  under  garment, 
except  the  sleeves.  One  of  the  small,  neatly-gloved 
hands,  confines  the  folds  of  the  manto,  whilst  the  other 
holds  a  richly  embroidered  pocket-handkerchief. 

At  first  sight  this  costume  has  a  very  singular  effect, 
and  it  is  long  before  the  eye  of  a  foreigner  becomes 
reconciled  to  it.  The  narrow  saya  is  by  no  means 
graceful ;  the  wide  saya,  on  the  other  hand,  is  very 
becoming,  and  sets  off  to  great  advantage  a  good  figure 
and  elegant  deportment.  When  I  first  arrived  in  Lima 
and  saw  the  ladies  closely  muffled  up  in  their  mantos, 
and  carrying  embroidered  cambric  handkerchiefs  and 
nosegays  in  their  hands,  it  struck  me  that  the  nuns 
enjoyed  greater  freedom  in  that  country  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  After  vespers,  that  is  to  say 
half-past  seven  in  the  evening,  the  police  regulations 
prohibit  any  woman  from  appearing  in  the  streets 
dressed  in  the  saya. 

As  this  garment  may  be  worn  over  a  dress  of  the 
ordinary  kind,  it  is  found  to  be  very  convenient,  inas- 
much as  it  saves  the  trouble  of  a  careful  toilette. 
During  short  visits  the  ladies  do  not  take  off  the  saya ; 
but  when  making  long  visits  they  usually  lay  it  aside. 

The  Saya  y  Manto  are  found  to  be  very  useful 

H 


98  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

auxiliaries  in  the  numerous  intrigues  in  which  the 
Limerias  frequently  engage.  A  Tapada*  indulges  in 
a  vast  deal  of  freedom  when  in  the  streets,  and  scruples 
not  to  make  satirical  observations  on  anybody  or  any- 
thing that  strikes  her  as  strange  or  ludicrous.  The  veil, 
or  manto,  is  sacred,  and  should  a  man  attempt  to  remove 
it  by  force,  he  would  run  the  risk  of  being  severely 
handled  by  the  populace. 

In  intrigues  of  gallantry  the  Saya  y  Manto  play  a 
conspicuous  part.  A  lady  has  been  known  to  arrange 
an  assignation  with  a  gentleman  in  the  street,  whilst  her 
husband,  standing  at  the  distance  of  a  few  yards  and 
conversing  with  a  friend  on  some  matter  of  business,  has 
little  suspected  that  the  Tapada  whose  graceful  figure  he 
admired,  was  his  own  faithful  better-half.  It  frequently 
happens  that  Dona  Mariquita  obliges  Dona  Merceditas, 
or  Dona  Panchita  with  the  loan  of  her  saya,  for  the 
purpose  of  hood- winking  the  Argus-eyes  of  a  jealous 
husband  ; — the  lady  being  well  convinced  that  her  kind 
friends  will  render  her  the  like  service  in  similar  circum- 
stances. Sometimes  a  lady  may  be  seen  in  an  old 
tattered  saya,  such  as  scarcely  the  poorest  female  might 
be  expected  to  wear ;  but  the  costly  shawl,  the  worked 
pocket-handkerchief,  the  silk  stockings,  and  satin  shoes, 
betray  the  rank  of  the  Tapada,  and  plainly  denote  that 
she  has  sallied  forth  on  an  adventure.  It  is  difficult, 


*  A  Tapada  is  a  lady  closely  concealed  beneath  the  folds  of  her  veil  or  manto. 
The  term  is  derived  from  the  verb  tapar,  to  cover  or  conceal.  Taparse  a  medio 
ojo,  is  said  of  a  lady  when  she  draws  her  manto  over  her  face  so  as  to  leave  only 
one  eye  or  rather  the  half  of  an  eye  uncovered. — T. 


THE   SAYA   Y    MANTO.  99 

nay  almost  impossible,  to  recognise  a  lady  thus  muffled 
up.  The  one  eye  alone  visible,  is,  as  may  be  supposed, 
a  very  uncertain  token  of  identity,  and  the  figure  and 
walk  may  be  easily  disguised. 

It  will  readily  be  supposed  that  these  concealments 
sometimes  occasion  mortifying  mistakes.  On  behold- 
ing a  tall  slender  figure  whose  symmetrical  contour  is 
discernible  even  through  the  unwieldy  saya,  and  a 
bright  dark  eye  beaming  beneath  the  folds  of  the 
manto,  one  may  be  induced  to  imagine  that  the  charms 
of  a  Hebe  are  concealed  beneath  the  disfiguring  garb. 
But  how  great  is  the  disappointment  when  an  accidental 
movement  of  the  manto  discloses  the  wide  mouth  of  an 
ugly  mulatta  grinning  from  ear  to  ear. 

Most  foreigners  who  marry  Limenas  stipulate  that 
from  the  time  of  betrothal,  their  wives  shall  no  longer 
wear  the  saya  y  manto.  The  condition  is  agreed  to  ; 
but  how  far  it  is  faithfully  observed  the  husbands  best 
know.  Many,  no  doubt,  lull  themselves  in  the  confi- 
dence of  their  wishes  being  implicitly  obeyed ;  but 
female  ingenuity  readily  devises  opportunities  for 
deception.  The  women  of  Lima  never  willingly  re- 
nounce the  saya  y  manto,  for  it  is  inseparably  asso- 
ciated with  customs  to  which  they  are,  heart  and  soul, 
devoted. 

If  we  follow  the  Limeiia  (the  white  Creole,  be  it 
understood,)  into  the  retirement  of  domestic  life,  we 
find  that  she  is  an  affectionate  mother,  but  not  a  very 
clever  housekeeper.  Every  lady  has  at  her  command  a 
great  many  more  domestics  than  are  necessary  :  some 

H  2 


100  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

are  servants,  but  most  of  them  slaves.  The  establish- 
ment usually  consists  of  a  cook,  a  nurse-maid,  one  or 
two  house-maids,  a  needle-woman,  several  men-servants, 
and  a  little  negro  or  Indian,  whose  chief  business  is  to 
carry  a  carpet  behind  his  mistress  when  she  goes  to 
church.  These  servants  all  do  as  they  please,  and  the 
lady  of  the  house  concerns  herself  very  little  about  the 
indolence  which  her  want  of  vigilance  encourages.  She 
rises  at  a  late  hour,  and  having  dressed  herself  and 
decorated  her  hair  with  sprigs  of  jasmine  and  orange 
blossom,  she  takes  her  breakfast.  That  meal  being 
ended,  she  goes  out  to  make  visits.  During  the  sultry 
hours  of  mid-day  she  reposes,  either  by  swinging  in  a 
hammock  or  reclining  on  a  sofa,  and  meanwhile  smokes 
a  cigar.  After  dinner  she  again  makes  visits,  and 
the  evening  is  spent  in  the  theatre,  on  the  plaza,  or 
on  the  bridge.  Some  few  ladies  employ  themselves  in 
needle-work,  in  which  they  are  often  most  accomplished 
adepts ;  they  especially  excel  in  embroidery  and  fancy 
work  ;  but  they  never  pursue  these  employments  before 
company. 

The  ladies  of  Lima  are  passionately  fond  of  music. 
Most  of  them  play  the  piano-forte  or  the  guitar,  and 
also  sing  ;  but  for  want  of  good  instruction  neither  their 
playing  nor  their  singing  is  above  mediocrity.  Smoking 
is  pretty  general  among  females,  at  least  those  of  ma- 
ture age  ;  but  they  indulge  in  this  practice  only  in 
their  own  apartments.  Of  late  years  the  custom  of 
smoking  has  been  on  the  decline  in  Lima,  in  proportion 
as  it  has  been  increasing  on  the  continent  of  the  old 


PASSION   FOR   DRESS   AND    PERFUMES.  101 

world.  Though  snuff-taking  is  prohibited  in  the  con- 
vents, yet  the  nuns  practise  it  to  a  great  extent.  They 
use  an  exceedingly  fine  kind  of  red  snuff,  which  has  the 
effect  of  closing  the  breathing  passage  through  the 
nostrils,  and  of  producing  a  peculiar  nasal  tone  of  voice. 

With  the  ladies  of  Lima,  vanity  and  the  love  of  dress 
appear  to  have  reached  their  climax.  To  this  passion 
for  personal  adornment  they  sacrifice  everything.  For- 
merly, when  none  but  real  pearls  and  diamonds  were 
worn,  many  a  lady  was  known  to  have  ruined  her 
husband  by  the  purchase  of  those  costly  articles  ;  now, 
however,  thanks  to  French  mock  jewellery,  they  are 
enabled  to  bedeck  themselves  in  glittering  ornaments  at 
trivial  expense.  Another  of  their  passions  is  a  fondness 
for  perfumes.  They  are  continually  besprinkling  them- 
selves with  eau  de  Cologne,  esprit  de  Lavande,  agua  rica, 
or  mistura.  The  latter  is  a  fragrant  yellow-coloured  water, 
prepared  from  gillyflower,  jasmine  and  flor  de  mistela 
(Talinum  umbellatum).  They  perfume  their  apartments 
daily  with  Sahumerios  (pastiles).  When  the  lady  of 
the  house  wishes  to  show  particular  attention  to  her 
visitors,  she  offers  them  perfumed  water,  dropping  it 
into  the  bosoms  of  the  ladies,  and  on  the  pocket-hand- 
kerchiefs of  the  gentlemen.  Considering  their  free  use 
of  perfumes,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  fair  Limefias 
should  be  constantly  complaining  of  headache,  vertigo, 
and  other  nervous  ailments,  or,  to  use  their  own  phrase, 
(los  nervios). 

Above  all  things  the  Limefias  pride  themselves  in 
the  excessive  smallness  of  their  feet.  Whether  walking, 


102  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

standing,  sitting,  swinging  in  the  hammock,  or  reclining  on 
the  sofa,  the  grand  object  invariably  is  to  display  to  advan- 
tage the  tiny  foot.  To  praise  her  virtue,  her  intelligence, 
her  wit,  or  even  her  beauty,  would  be  less  complimentary 
to  a  Limena  than  to  admire  the  elegance  of  her  feet. 
All  possible  care  is  taken  to  preserve  the  small  form  of 
the  foot,  and  the  Lima  ladies  avoid  everything  that  may 
tend  to  spread  or  enlarge  it.  Their  shoes  are  usually 
made  of  embroidered  velvet  or  satin,  or  of  very  fine  kid, 
and  are  so  exceedingly  small,  that  they  cannot  be  drawn 
on  and  off  without  difficulty.  It  is  usual  to  have  two 
new  pairs  every  week,  and  the  expense  of  a  lady's  shoes 
not  unfrequently  amounts  to  two  hundred  dollars  per 
annum.  A  large  foot  is  a  thing  held  in  horror  by  the 
Limeiias  :  they  call  it  una  pataza  inglesa  (an  English 
paw).  I  once  heard  some  Lima  ladies  extolling  in  high 
terms  the  beauty  of  a  fair  European  ;  but  all  their 
praises  ended  with  the  words  : — "  Pero  que  pie,  valgame 
Dios !  parece  una  lancha."  (But  what  a  foot,  good 
Heaven !  It  is  like  a  great  boat.)  Yet  the  feet  of  the 
lady  alluded  to  would  not,  in  Europe,  have  been  thought 
by  any  means  large. 

Gourmanderie  is  one  of  the  evil  habits  of  the  female 
inhabitants  of  Lima.  Between  meals  they  are  continu- 
ally eating  sweetmeats  and  a  variety  of  things.  At  one 
moment  they  order  tamal*  next  omitasrf  then  pan  de 
chancay  (a  sweet  sort  of  bread)  and  biscuits,  then  masa- 


*  A  preparation  of  finely-bruised  maize  mixed  with  morsels  of  pork.     It  is 
rolled  in  maize  leaves,  and  in  that  manner  served  up. 
f  Sweet  cakes  made  of  maize  and  raisins. 


FEMALE    NAMES.  103 

morita  morada*  orfrijoles  coladas,-\  &c. ;  and  yet  dinner 
is  partaken  of  with  as  hearty  an  appetite  as  though  none  of 
these  interludes  had  been  introduced.  Can  it  be  matter 
of  surprise  that  the  good  ladies  are  constantly  complain- 
ing of  indigestion  and  mal  de  estomago  f 

In  the  interior  of  the  houses  cleanliness  does  not 
extend  beyond  those  apartments  which  are  open  to 
visitors,  namely  the  sola  and  the  cuadro.  The  other 
rooms  of  the  house  frequently  bear  more  resemblance  to 
a  stable  than  a  human  habitation,  and  their  condition 
reflects  little  credit  on  the  domestic  habits  of  the  female 
inmates.  But  even  this  is  typical  of  the  national  charac- 
ter,— great  outward  show  and  little  inward  worth. 

At  first  a  stranger  is  struck  with  the  singularity  of  the 
names  of  many  of  the  women  of  Lima.  A  child  receives 
the  name  of  the  saint  or  of  the  festival  whose  celebra- 
tion falls  on  the  day  of  its  birth.  Those  who  happen  to 
come  into  the  world  on  the  days  on  which  the  Romish 
Church  celebrates  the  several  manifestations  of  the  Virgin 
receive  the  most  extraordinary  names.  For  example,  a 
child  born  on  the  anniversary  day  of  the  manifestation 
to  St.  Francis,  on  the  Snow  Mountain,  is  named  Nieves 
(snow).  Filar  (fountain-basin),  is  another  strange  name, 
conferred  in  honour  of  the  manifestation  of  the  Virgin  at 
the  Fountains  in  Saragossa.  Then  there  are  Concep- 
tions, Natividads,  and  Asuncions,  without  number. 
A  girl  born  on  Candlemas-day  is  named  Candelaria, 
and  one  born  on  the  first  day  of  the  year  receives  the 

*  A  syrup  made  from  the  pulp  of  fruit.  f  Preserved  peas  with  syrup. 


104  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

name  of  Jesus.  The  singular  effect  of  these  names  is 
heightened  by  the  Spanish  custom  of  using  diminutives, 
formed  by  adding  to  the  name  the  particle  ito  or  ita, 
the  former  being  the  masculine,  the  latter  the  feminine. 
It  may  be  readily  imagined  that  a  foreigner  is  not 
a  little  startled  on  hearing  a  young  lady  called  Dona 
Jesusita.  In  some  names  the  diminutive  takes  a  form 
totally  different  from  the  full  name ;  as,  for  example, 
Panchita  for  Francisca,  Pepita  for  Josefa,  Conchita  for 
Concepcion.  A  married  woman  does  not  take  the 
family  name  of  her  husband,  but  retains  her  own,  adding 
to  it  her  husband's  name  preceded  by  the  particle  de,  as, 
for  example,  Dona  Maria  Juana  Rodriguez  de  Salazar. 

On  attaining  a  certain  age,  the  Limenas  totally  alter 
their  habits  of  life.  When  their  beauty  fades,  and  they 
cease  to  be  the  objects  of  compliment  and  flattery  ;  or 
when  weary  of  an  idle,  luxurious,  and,  in  too  many 
instances,  a  no  very  virtuous  life,  they  betake  them- 
selves to  piety,  and  become  Beatas*  The  Limeria  who 
thus  renounces  the  vanities  of  the  world  attends  church 
two  or  three  times  every  day,  confesses  at  least  once  every 
week,  retires  during  Lent  to  a  house  of  penitence ;  fasts, 
prays,  and  receives  the  visits  of  her  confessor,  to  whom 
she  sends  presents  of  sweetmeats  ; — and  should  the  holy 
man,  as  is  usually  the  case,  prefer  riding  to  walking, 
she  shows  her  piety  by  giving  him  the  use  of  her 
Calesa  to  convey  him  from  place  to  place. 

The  women  of  Lima  are  gifted  by  nature  with  extra- 

*  Literally  Bigots. 


INDIANS    IN    LIMA.  105 

ordinary  natural  talent,  though  unfortunately  it  is  rarely 
cultivated.  They  possess  shrewd  and  penetrating  intelli- 
gence, clear  judgment,  and  in  general  very  just  views 
on  the  ordinary  affairs  of  life.  Like  the  women  of  the 
southern  provinces  of  Spain  they  are  remarkable  for 
quickness  and  smartness  of  repartee,  and  in  a  wordy 
contest  a  Limena  is  sure  to  come  off  triumphant.  They 
have  a  great  deal  of  decision  of  character,  and  a  degree 
of  courage  which  does  not  usually  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
female  sex.  In  these  respects  they  are  infinitely  superior 
to  the  timid,  spiritless  men.  In  the  various  political  re- 
volutions of  the  country  the  women  have  often  taken  an 
active,  and,  in  some  instances,  a  more  decided  part  than 
the  men. 

The  Indians  in  Lima  form  but  a  small  portion  of  the 
population,  being  about  5000  in  number.  Among 
them  are  as  many  emigrants  as  natives.  Most  of  the 
former  are  from  the  mountainous  districts,  and  but  few 
are  from  places  on  the  coast.  Their  character  is,  of 
course,  much  modified  by  continual  intercourse  with  the 
whites ;  but  I  will  endeavour  to  describe  them  as  they 
show  themselves  in  their  original  purity,  marking  the 
distinctions  observable  between  the  Indio  Costeno 
(the  Coast  Indian),  and  the  Indio  Serrano  (the  Moun- 
tain Indian).  The  Indians  in  Lima  are  active  and 
industrious.  Many  of  them  are  shopkeepers,  and  by 
the  integrity  of  their  dealings  they  stand  on  a  footing  of 
good  credit  with  the  great  commercial  houses.  Those 
who  are  employed  as  servants  are  less  remarkable  for 
industry  and  honesty.  They  are  reserved  and  suspi- 


106  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

cious ;  qualities  especially  observable  when  they  have 
but  recently  emigrated  into  Lima.  They  combine  per- 
sonal vanity  with  an  inconceivable  degree  of  dirtiness. 
Their  intellectual  faculties  are  far  beneath  those  of  the 
white  Creoles,  of  whom  they  stand  in  a  degree  of  fear, 
which  is  not  easily  eradicated. 

At  a  former  period  there  existed  in  Lima  a  college 
exclusively  for  noble-born  Indians  ;  and  the  eldest  sons 
of  the  families  descended  from  the  Incas,  when  they 
wished  to  study,  were  received  at  the  expense  of  the 
State  into  the  College  of  San  Carlos ;  but  since  the 
declaration  of  independence,  all  the  privileges  enjoyed 
by  the  Indians  have  been  annulled. 

The  negroes  in  Lima  form  one-fifth  part  of  the  popu- 
lation. Their  number  amounts  to  upwards  of  10,000, 
of  which  4800  are  slaves.  Though  an  article  in  the 
Charter  of  Independence  declares  that  "  in  Peru  no 
person  is  born  a  slave,"  yet  the  National  Congress  has 
on  various  occasions  thought  fit  to  deviate  from  this 
principle.  In  Huaura  it  was  decreed  that  children  born 
in  slavery  shall  be  free  on  attaining  the  age  of  twenty-five, 
and  the  Congress  of  Huancayo  prolonged  the  period  to 
fifty  years.  There  are  no  new  importations  of  negroes 
from  Africa,  for  an  article  in  the  Charter  just  men- 
tioned sets  forth  that  "  every  person  who  may  be 
brought,  as  a  slave,  from  another  country  to  Peru,  is 
free  from  the  moment  when  he  sets  foot  on  the  soil  of 
that  republic."  Accordingly  if  a  Peruvian  take  his 
slave  with  him  on  a  journey  to  Chile,  and  brings  him 
back  again,  the  slave  may,  on  his  return,  claim  his 


SLAVE    POPULATION.  107 

freedom.  The  only  exception  to  this  rule  refers  to  run- 
away negroes,  who,  even  after  years  of  absence,  may  be 
reclaimed  on  their  return.  The  value  of  slaves  is  not 
so  high  in  Peru  as  in  the  southern  states  of  North 
America.  In  Lima,  the  average  price  of  a  young, 
strong,  and  healthy  negro  is  400  dollars;  the  price  of  a 
negress,  especially  a  Negra  de  Chavra  (capable  of  field 
work),  is  100  dollars  higher.  The  value  of  those  destined 
for  domestic  service  depends  on  character  and  qualifica- 
tions. A  negress  who  is  a  good  cook  or  needlewoman, 
is  of  course  worth  more  than  a  negro  who  is  to  be  em- 
ployed as  a  water-carrier  or  a  footman.  In  the  planta- 
tions their  value  depends  wholly  on  health  and  strength. 

The  treatment  of  slaves  in  Lima,  especially  by  the 
Creoles,  is  exceedingly  mild,  and  generally  much  on  the 
same  footing  as  the  treatment  of  servants  in  Europe. 
It  is  seldom  that  a  master  inflicts  severe  corporeal 
chastisement  on  a  slave.  If  the  latter  requires  punish- 
ment, he  is  sent  into  the  Panaderia  (the  bakehouse) 
to  knead  the  dough  and  bake  the  bread,  which  work 
they  perform  under  the  supervision  of  a  Mayordomo, 
who  is  usually^  a  hard  task-master.  Owing  to  the  heat 
of  the  climate,  working  in  the  Panaderia  is  more  feared 
by  the  slaves  than  any  other  kind  of  punishment. 

In  Lima  the  special  laws  for  the  protection  of  slaves 
are  more  favourable  to  them  than  the  similar  laws  of 
any  other  slave  country.  The  slaves  bring  their  com- 
plaints before  a  particular  judge,  whose  business  it  is  to 
protect  them  against  ill-treatment.  A  slave  is  free 
whenever  he  can  pay  the  sum  which  his  master  demands 


108  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

for  him, — which  sum  in  disputed  cases  is  fixed  by  legal 
decision.  The  slave  also  possesses  the  right  of  selling 
himself  to  another  master,  and  the  latter  may  pay  the 
purchase-money  to  the  former  owner,  who,  however 
unwillingly,  is  obliged  to  conclude  the  bargain.  The 
negroes  have  ample  opportunities  for  saving  money. 
They  are  permitted,  during  five  or  six  hours  of  the  day, 
to  work  for  themselves ;  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years  they  may  with  ease  save  the  sum  requisite  for 
purchasing  their  independence.  But  in  general  they 
spend  their  earnings  in  mere  idle  enjoyments,  and  care 
but  little  about  obtaining  their  freedom.  As  slaves 
they  are  provided  with  lodging,  food,  and  clothing, 
and  they  are  nursed  in  sickness ;  but  as  soon  as  they 
become  free,  they  must  supply  all  these  wants  for  them- 
selves ;  an  undertaking  which  their  natural  indolence 
renders  them  little  inclined  to.  On  the  whole,  domestic 
negroes  may  be  said  to  be  willing  slaves ;  it  is  possibly 
different  with  those  employed  in  the  plantations,  who  are 
liable  to  harder  work  and  harsher  treatment.  I  knew 
an  old  negro,  who  had  hoarded  up  6000  dollars,  and 
yet  did  not  purchase  his  own  freedom,  though  he  had 
paid  for  the  liberation  of  his  children  and  his  two  sisters. 
He  often  observed  to  me,  that  he  should  not  be  half  so 
well  off  if  he  were  free. 

The  negroes  brought  from  Africa,  who  are  called 
Bosales,  are  far  better  than  the  Creole  negroes.  In 
physical  strength  they  are  inferior  to  the  latter,  and 
are  less  lively;  yet  they  are  patient,  and  much  more 
faithful  and  attached  to  their  masters  than  the  Creole 


A   YOUNG   NEGRO    PRINCESS.  109 

negroes  born  in  Peru.  The  Bosales  all  have  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  pride,  but  especially  those  who  are 
of  princely  blood.  A  gentleman  of  old  Spain  bought 
a  young  negro  princess,  who  not  without  the  greatest 
difficulty  could  be  brought  to  perform  the  duties  of  ser- 
vitude. When  she  was  directed  to  go  to  market,  she 
set  her  basket  down  on  the  ground,  and  signified  that 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  be  served,  and  not  to  serve. 
Some  chastisement  was  resorted  to,  with  the  view  of 
compelling  her  to  do  the  duty  allotted  to  her ;  but  in 
vain.  Her  pride  and  obstinacy  remained  unconquerable. 
Sometimes  she  would  sit  for  hours  gloomily,  with  her 
eyes  fixed  on  the  ground,  and  muttering  between  her 
teeth,  in  her  broken  Spanish,  the  words  "  Yo  clamta !  yo 
clavita ! "  *  Then  suddenly  springing  up,  she  would 
strike  her  head  against  the  wall  until  she  became 
almost  senseless.  As  she  showed  a  fondness  for  the 
children  of  the  family,  she  was  relieved  from  household 
work,  and  became  the  nursery-maid.  In  that  way  she 
discharged  the  duties  which  devolved  on  her  with  the 
most  touching  affection  and  fidelity  ;  but  she  never 
would  do  anything,  however  trivial,  which  she  considered 
to  be  menial  service,  and  her  master  and  mistress  were 
reasonable  enough  not  to  require  it. 

When  the  number  of  the  African  negroes  in  Lima 
was  more  considerable  than  it  now  is,  the  various  races 
kept  together,  and  formed  themselves  into  unions,  called 
Cofradias.  They  used  to  meet  together  at  regular 

*  Meaning   Yo  esclavitaf  (I,  a  slave  !)     JEsclavita  being  the  diminutive  of 
Esclava. 


110  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

periods.  At  these  meetings  the  negroes  of  princely 
descent  were  treated  with  marks  of  respect  which  they 
could  scarcely  have  received  in  their  native  home. 
Speeches  were  delivered,  and  religious  ceremonies  per- 
formed ;  whilst  music,  singing,  and  dancing  revived 
recollections  of  past  happiness,  and  of  the  far-distant 
native  land.  These  Cofradias  were  also  conducive  to 
philanthropic  ends ;  for  when  a  slave  had  a  hard 
master,  the  sum  requisite  for  purchasing  his  freedom 
was  raised  by  a  general  subscription  in  the  union  to 
which  he  belonged.  Since  the  independence  of  Peru, 
and  the  consequent  prohibition  of  the  importation  of 
negroes,  the  Cofradias  have  declined,  and  have  lost 
much  of  their  original  character.  Creoles  and  free 
negroes  have  now  become  members  of  them.  The 
places  in  which  these  meetings  are  held  are  situated 
in  the  suburb  of  San  Lazaro.  The  walls  of  the  rooms 
are  painted  with  grotesque  figures  of  negro  kings, 
elephants,  camels,  palm  trees,  &c. 

In  Lima,  and  indeed  throughout  the  whole  of  Peru, 
the  free  negroes  are  a  plague  to  society.  Too  indolent 
to  support  themselves  by  laborious  industry,  they  readily 
fall  into  any  dishonest  means  of  getting  money.  Almost 
all  the  robbers  who  infest  the  roads  on  the  coast  of 
Peru  are  free  negroes.  Dishonesty  seems  to  be  a  part 
of  their  very  nature ;  and  moreover,  all  their  tastes 
and  inclinations  are  coarse  and  sensual.  Many  warm 
defenders  of  the  negroes  excuse  these  qualities  by 
ascribing  them  to  the  want  of  education,  the  recollec- 
tion of  slavery,  the  spirit  of  revenge,  &c.  But  I  here 


NEGRO   TURPITUDE.  Ill 

speak  of  free-born  negroes,  who  are  admitted  into  the 
houses  of  wealthy  families,  who  from  their  early  child- 
hood have  received  as  good  an  education  as  falls  to  the 
share  of  many  of  the  white  Creoles — who  are  treated 
with  kindness  and  liberally  remunerated,  and  yet  they 
do  not  differ  from  their  half-savage  brethren  who  are 
shut  out  from  these  advantages.  If  the  negro  has 
learned  to  read  and  write,  and  thereby  made  some 
little  advance  in  education,  he  is  transformed  into  a 
conceited  coxcomb,  who,  instead  of  plundering  travellers 
on  the  highway,  finds  in  city  life  a  sphere  for  the 
indulgence  of  his  evil  propensities.  What  is  the  cause 
of  this  incorrigible  turpitude  of  the  negroes  ?  To 
answer  this  important  question  is  not  easy,  if  we  admit 
the  principle  that  the  negro  is  as  capable  of  cultivation 
as  the  Caucasian ;  and  in  support  of  it  the  names  of 
some  highly-educated  Ethiopians  may  be  cited.  Those 
who  are  disposed  to  maintain  this  principle,  and  who 
are  at  the  same  time  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
social  relations  of  the  countries  in  which  free  negroes 
are  numerous,  may  solve  the  problem.  My  opinion  is, 
that  the  negroes,  in  respect  to  capability  for  mental 
improvement,  are  far  behind  the  Europeans,  and  that, 
considered  in  the  aggregate,  they  will  not,  even  with 
the  advantages  of  careful  education,  attain  a  very  high 
degree  of  cultivation ;  because  the  structure  of  the 
negro  skull,  on  which  depends  the  development  of  the 
brain,  approximates  closely  to  the  animal  form.  The 
imitative  faculty  of  the  monkey  is  highly  developed  in 
the  negro,  who  readily  seizes  anything  merely  mecha- 


112  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

nical,  whilst  things  demanding  intelligence  are  beyond 
his  reach.  Sensuality  is  the  impulse  which  controls  the 
thoughts,  the  acts,  the  whole  existence  of  the  negroes. 
To  them  freedom  can  be  only  nominal ;  for  if  they  con- 
duct themselves  well  it  is  because  they  are  compelled,  not 
because  they  are  inclined  to  do  so.  Herein  he  at  once 
the  cause  of,  and  the  apology  for,  their  bad  character. 

The  negro  women  differ  but  little  from  the  men,  in 
their  general  characteristics.  They  are,  however,  more 
active  and  industrious  and  better  tempered.  As 
domestic  servants  they  are  superior  to  the  mixed  races. 
They  are  much  employed  as  nurses,  and  in  those  situa- 
tions they  discharge  their  duties  well.  Their  personal 
vanity  is  boundless,  and  every  real  they  can  save  is 
spent  in  dress  and  ornaments.  It  is  amusing  to  see 
them,  on  festival  days,  parading  about  the  streets, 
dressed  in  white  muslin  gowns  trimmed  with  lace,  and 
short  sleeves  displaying  their  black  arms.  Very  short 
petticoats,  seldom  extending  below  the  ankle,  serve  to 
exhibit  the  tawdry  finery  of  red  silk  stockings  and 
light  blue  satin  shoes.  From  their  ears  are  suspended 
long  gold  drops,  and  their  uncovered  necks  are  not 
unfrequently  adorned  with  costly  necklaces.  A  negress, 
who  was  a  slave  belonging  to  a  family  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, possessed  a  necklace  composed  of  fine  Panama 
pearls,  worth  several  thousand  dollars.  The  pure  white 
of  the  pearls  was  wonderfully  heightened  by  the  contrast 
of  the  jet-black  skin  of  the  wearer  ;  and  for  this  reason 
they  were  more  ornamental  to  the  negress  than  they 
would  have  been  to  the  fairest  lady  in  Europe. 


PEOPLE    OF    MIXED    RACES.  113 

Having  noticed  the  principal  races,  we  will  now  con- 
sider the  variegated  mass  of  people  of  mixed  blood, 
who  in  Lima  form  a  considerable  portion  of  the  popu- 
lation. Stevenson  *  gives  a  long  list  of  these  mixed 
races,  and  specifies  the  proportionate  degree,  that  is  to 
say,  how  many  eighths  or  sixteenths  of  black,  brown,  or 
white  colour  belong  to  each.  But  these  data  respecting 
tint  are  fallacious,  for,  being  founded  solely  on  external 
appearance,  they  are  liable  to  endless  modifications. 
Stevenson  falls  into  the  mistake  of  giving  to  the  child- 
ren of  a  negro  father  and  a  white  mother,  the  name  of 
Zambos  ;  whilst  to  the  offspring  of  a  white  father  and  a 
black  mother,  he  gives  the  name  of  Mulattos.  By  a 
similar  error,  he  terms  the  children  of  a  white  man  and 
a  Cuarterona,  Quinteros  ;  and  to  those  of  a  Cuarteron 
and  a  white  woman,  he  gives  the  designation  Cuar- 
terones.  It  is,  however,  an  established  rule,  that  the 
children  bear  the  designation,  denoting  the  same  degree 
of  mixed  blood,  whatever  may  respectively  be  the 
colours  of  the  parents.  Accordingly,  the  child  of  a 
negro  and  a  white  woman  is,  properly  speaking,  a 
Mulatto ;  just  the  same  as  though  the  relations  of  race 
on  the  part  of  the  parents  were  transposed.  When  a 
man  of  mixed  blood  marries  a  woman  darker  than 
himself,  and  his  children  thereby  become  further  re- 
moved from  the  white  tint,  it  is  said  to  be  un  paso  atras 
(a  step  backwards). 

In  Europe  it  is  very  common  to  attach  to  the  term 

*  Narrative  of  twenty  years1  residence  in  South  America, by  W.  B.  Stevenson. 

I 


114 


TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 


Creole,  the  idea  of  a  particular  complexion.  This  is  a 
mistake.  The  designation  Creole  properly  belongs  to 
all  the  natives  of  America  born  of  parents  who  have 
emigrated  from  the  Old  World,  be  those  parents  Euro- 
peans or  Africans.  There  are,  therefore,  white  as  well 
fts  black  Creoles  *. 

The  subjoined  list  shows  the  parentage  of  the  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  half-casts,  and  also  the  proper  desig- 
nations of  the  latter  : — 


PARENTS. 

White  Father  and  Negro  Mother 
White  Father  and  Indian  Mother 
Indian  Father  and  Negro  Mother 
White  Father  and  Mulatta  Mother 
White  Father  and  Mestiza  Mother 


White  Father  and  China  Mother       .         .     . 

White  Father  and  Cuarterona  Mother  . 

White  Father  and  Quintera  Mother  .         .     . 

Negro  Father  and  Mulatta  Mother 

Negro  Father  and  Mestiza  Mother    .         .     . 

Negro  Father  and  China  Mother  . 

Negro  Father  and  Zamba  Mother     .         .     . 

Negro  Father  and  Cuarterona  or  Quintera 

Mother 

Indian  Father  and  Mulatta  Mother 

Indian  Father  and  Mestiza  Mother   .         .     . 

Indian  Father  and  China  Mother  . 

Indian  Father  and  Zamba  Mother     .         .     . 

Indian  Father  and  China-Chola  Mother 

Indian  Father  and  Cuarterona  or  Quintera 

Mother 

Mulatto  Father  and  Zamba  Mother 
Mulatto  Father  and  Mestiza  Mother          .     . 

Mulatto  Father  and  China  Mother 


CHILDREN. 

Mulatto. 

Mestizo. 

Chino. 

Cuarteron. 

Creole  (only  distinguished  from 

the  White,  by  a  pale-brownish 

complexion.) 
Chino- Blanco. 
Quintero. 
White. 

Zambo-Negro. 
Mulatto-Oscuro. 
Zambo-Chino. 
Zambo-Negro  (perfectly  black.) 

Mulatto  (rather  dark.) 

Chino-Oscuro. 

Mestizo-Claro   (frequently  very 

beautiful.) 
Chino-Cholo. 
Zambo-Claro. 
Indian  (with  rather  short  frizzy 

hair.) 

Mestizo  (rather  brown.) 
Zambo  (a  miserable  race.) 
Chino    (of    rather    clear    com- 
plexion.) 
Chino  (rather  dark.) 


*  The  term  Creole  is  a  corruption  of  the   Spanish   word  criollo,  which  is 
derived  from  criar  to  create  or  to  foster.     The  Spaniards  apply  the  term  mo/Zo 


WHITE   CREOLE   WOMEN.  115 

Besides  the  half-casts  here  enumerated,  there  are 
many  others,  not  distinguished  by  particular  names,  as 
they  do  not  in  colour  materially  differ  from  those  above 
specified.  The  best  criterion  for  determining  the  varie- 
ties is  the  hair  of  the  women  :  this  is  far  less  deceiving 
than  the  complexion,  for  the  colour  of  the  skin  is  some- 
times decidedly  at  variance  with  that  characteristic  of  the 
race.  Some  of  the  Mulatta  females  have  complexions 
brilliantly  fair,  and  features  which,  for  regularity,  may 
vie  with  those  of  the  most  beautiful  women  of  Europe  ; 
but  they  bear  the  unmistakeable  stamp  of  descent  in  the 
short  woolly  hair. 

The  white  Creole  women  of  Lima  have  a  peculiar 
quickness  in  detecting  a  person  of  half-cast  at  the  very 
first  glance ;  and  to  the  less  practised  observer  they 
communicate  their  discoveries  in  this  way,  with  an  air 
of  triumph ;  for  they  have  the  very  pardonable  weak- 
ness of  priding  themselves  in  the  purity  of  their  Euro- 
pean descent.  Despite  the  republican  constitution,  there 
prevails  throughout  Peru  a  strong  pride  of  cast,  which 
shows  itself  at  every  opportunity.  In  quarrels,  for 
example,  the  fairer  antagonist  always  taunts  the  darker 
one  about  his  descent.  By  all  the  varieties,  the  white 
skin  is  envied,  and  no  one  thinks  of  disputing  its  supe- 
riority of  rank.  The  Indian  looks  with  abhorrence  on 
the  Negro  ;  the  latter  with  scorn  on  the  Indio.  The 
Mulatto  fancies  himself  next  to  the  European,  and  thinks 
that  the  little  tinge  of  black  in  his  skin  does  not  justify 

not  merely  to  the  human  race,  but  also  to  animals  propagated  in  the  colonies, 
but  of  pure  European  blood:  thus  they  have  creole  horses,  bullocks,  poultry,  &c. 

I  2 


116  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

his  being  ranked  lower  than  the  Mestizo,  who  after  all 
is  only  an  India  bruto*  The  Zambo  laughs  at  them 
all,  and  says  "  if  he  himself  is  not  worth  much,  yet  he  is 
better  than  his  parents."  In  short,  each  race  finds  a 
reason  for  thinking  itself  better  than  another. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  present  chapter  I  made 
the  observation  that  the  people  of  mixed  blood  unite  in 
themselves  all  the  faults  without  any  of  the  virtues  of 
their  progenitors.  To  this  general  remark,  however,  the 
Mestizos  form  an  honourable  exception.  They  inherit 
many  of  the  good  qualities  both  of  the  Whites  and 
the  Indians.  They  are  mild  and  affectionate.  Their 
feelings  are  very  exciteable,  and  they  readily  per- 
form an  act  of  kindness  or  generosity  on  the  impulse 
of  the  moment — but  they  are  irresolute  and  timid. 
They  attach  themselves  affectionately  to  the  Whites  ; 
but  they  are  not  partial  to  the  Indians,  whom  they 
regard  with  some  degree  of  contempt.  In  Lima 
their  number  is  less  considerable  than  in  the  interior 
of  the  country,  where  whole  villages  are  inhabited 
solely  by  Mestizos.  In  those  places  they  style  them- 
selves Whites,  and  hold  themselves  very  much  aloof 
from  the  Indians.  One  cannot  pay  them  a  better 
compliment  than  to  inquire  whether  they  are  Spaniards, 
a  question  which  they  always  answer  in  the  affirmative, 
though  their  features  are  plainly  impressed  with  the 
Indian  stamp.  The  complexion  of  the  Mestizos  is 
usually  a  clear  brown ;  but  in  some  individuals  it  has 

*  A  brutish  Indian  ;  a  favourite  expression  of  the  Limenos  when  speaking  of 
the  Indians,  who  certainly  do  not  merit  the  compliment. 


PALANGANAS.  117 

a  very  dark  tinge.  Their  hair  is  sleek,  long,  and  very 
strong.  The  women  frequently  wear  their  hair  in  two 
long  plaits  descending  nearly  to  the  knees.  The  men 
are  strongly  made,  have  marked  features  and  but  very 
little  beard.  In  Lima  they  are  chiefly  handicraftsmen 
and  traders.  Most  of  the  hawkers  (Mercachifles)  in 
Lima  are  Mestizos. 

The  Mulattos  differ  very  widely  from  the  Mestizos.  In 
person  they  are  less  strongly  made ;  but  in  intellect 
they  are  superior  to  any  of  the  half-casts.  They  pos- 
sess a  very  great  aptitude  for  mechanical  employments, 
great  dexterity  and  a  remarkable  degree  of  imitative 
talent,  which,  if  well  directed,  might  be  brilliantly  deve- 
loped. They  are  exceedingly  impressionable,  and  all 
their  feelings  are  readily  exalted  into  passions.  In- 
different to  all  but  sensual  enjoyments,  they  indulge  in 
the  fleeting  pleasure  of  the  present  moment,  and  are 
regardless  of  the  future.  There  is  a  certain  class  of 
Mulattos,  who,  in  a  psychological  point  of  view,  are  very 
remarkable.  They  are  distinguished  by  the  nick-name 
of  Patanganas*  They  are  gifted  with  wonderful 
memory,  and  after  the  lapse  of  years  they  will  repeat, 
word  for  word,  speeches  or  sermons  which  they  have 
heard  only  once.  With  this  extraordinary  power  of 
memory,  they  combine  a  fertile  fancy,  and  a  boundless 
share  of  self-confidence.  Wherever  there  is  anything  to 
be  seen  or  heard,  the  Palanganas  never  fail  to  attend,  and 


*  The  word  Palangana  signifies  a  wash-hand-basin  ;  but  more  especially  the 
kind  of  basin  used  by  barbers.  Figuratively  the  term  is  used  to  designate  an 
empty  babbler. 


118  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

they  repeat  with  the  most  ludicrous  attitudes  and  gestures 
all  that  they  hear,  be  it  a  sermon  in  church,  a  speech  in 
Congress,  or  an  address  delivered  at  any  public  solemnity. 

The  Mulattos  now  study  theology ;  for,  since  the  esta- 
blishment of  independence  the  Indian  law,  which  pro- 
hibited any  person  of  mixed  blood  from  entering  the 
ecclesiastical  state,  is  no  longer  observed.  Many  have 
devoted  themselves  to  medicine ;  and  most  of  the 
physicians  in  Lima  are  Mulattos  ;  but  they  are  remark- 
able only  for  their  ignorance,  as  they  receive  neither 
theoretical  nor  clinical  instruction.  Nevertheless,  they 
enjoy  the  full  confidence  of  the  public,  who  rank 
the  ignorant  native  far  above  the  educated  foreigner. 
The  business  of  a  barber  is  one  that  is  much  followed 
by  the  Mulattos  of  Lima.  In  that  occupation  they  are 
quite  in  their  element,  for  they  possess  all  the  qualifica- 
tions for  which  the  members  of  that  fraternity  are 
distinguished  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Among  the  Mulatta  females  many  are  remarkably 
beautiful — though  they  are  always  wanting  in  that  oval 
form  of  the  face  which  is  the  first  condition  of  classic 
beauty.  Their  countenances  are  generally  round  and 
broad,  their  features  strongly  marked,  and  their  expres- 
sion impassioned.  Their  beauty  soon  fades;  and  as 
they  advance  in  life  the  negro  character  of  their  features 
becomes  distinctly  denned.  Their  hair,  which  does 
not  grow  beyond  a  finger's  length,  is  jet  black  and 
frizzy.  They  plait  it  very  ingeniously  in  small  tresses, 
frequently  making  more  than  a  hundred.  Their  com- 
plexions vary  from  white  to  dark-brown  ;  but  most  of 


ZAMBOS    AND    CHINOS.  119 

them  are  dark  brunettes,  with  large  black  eyes  and 
pearl-white  teeth. 

Their  vanity  is  quite  equal  to  that  of  the  Negresses, 
but  it  is  combined  with  a  certain  degree  of  taste,  in 
which  the  latter  are  wanting.  The  Mulatta  women  are 
passionately  fond  of  music,  singing  and  dancing.  They 
play  the  guitar  and  have  pleasing  voices,  but  their 
singing  is  quite  uninstructed. 

The  Zambos  are  the  most  miserable  class  of  half-casts. 
With  them  every  vice  seems  to  have  attained  its  utmost 
degree  of  development ;  and  it  may  confidently  be  said 
that  not  one  in  a  thousand  is  a  useful  member  of 
society,  or  a  good  subject  of  the  state.  Four-fifths  of 
the  criminals  in  the  city  jail  of  Lima  are  Zambos. 
They  commit  the  most  hideous  crimes  with  the  utmost 
indifference,  and  their  lawless  propensities  are  conti- 
nually bringing  them  into  collision  with  the  constituted 
authorities.  In  moral  nature  they  are  below  the 
Negroes ;  for  they  are  totally  wanting  in  any  good 
qualities  possessed  by  the  latter.  Their  figures  are 
athletic,  and  their  colour  black,  sometimes  slightly 
tinged  with  olive-brown.  Their  noses  are  much  less  flat 
than  those  of  the  Negroes,  but  their  lips  are  quite  as 
prominent.  Their  eyes  are  sunk  and  penetrating,  and 
their  hair  very  little  longer  than  that  of  the  Negroes,  but 
curling  in  larger  locks.  The  men  have  very  little  beard. 

The  Chinos  are  but  little  superior  to  the  Zambos. 
Indeed,  in  physical  formation  they  are  inferior  to  them, 
for  they  are  small  and  attenuated.  Their  countenances 
are  hideously  ugly.  They  have  the  Negro  nose  and 


120  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

mouth,  and  the  Indian  forehead,  cheeks  and  eyes. 
Their  hair  is  black,  rough,  but  less  frizzy  than  that  of 
the  Mulattos.  They  are  deceitful,  ill-tempered,  and  cruel. 
They  never  forget  an  offence,  but  brood  over  it  till  an 
opportunity,  however  distant,  presents  itself  for  wreaking 
their  vengeance.  They  are  very  dangerous  enemies. 

Respecting  the  half-casts  of  fairer  complexion,  espe- 
cially the  Cuarterones  and  the  Quinteros,  there  is  but 
little  to  be  said.  Both  physically  and  morally  they 
approximate  closely  to  the  whites,  among  whom  they 
almost  rank  themselves. 

The  majority  of  the  foreigners  in  Lima,  and  indeed 
throughout  the  whole  of  Peru,  are  the  families  of  the 
Spaniards  from  Europe,  who  emigrated  to  South 
America  before  the  war  of  independence.  Since  the 
close  of  that  struggle  there  has  been  but  little  emigra- 
tion, as  the  circumstances  of  the  country  are  not  now 
very  favourable  to  new  settlers.  The  old  Spanish 
families  are  for  the  most  part  landed  proprietors  or. 
merchants.  They  are  people  of  very  temperate  habits^ 
but  they  are  passionately  fond  of  gaming,  and  in  this 
respect  they  have  bequeathed  a  dangerous  inheritance 
to  the  Creoles.  The  pride  and  mercenary  spirit  which 
distinguished  the  Spaniards  before  the  independence 
are  now  broken,  if  not  entirely  subdued.  The  inter- 
course between  them  and  the  natives,  though  still 
somewhat  constrained,  is  every  year  becoming  more 
and  more  friendly,  as  the  privileges  enjoyed  by  the 
Spaniards,  which  were  a  continued  cause  of  hostile 
feeling,  are  now  removed. 


FOREIGNERS   IN    LIMA.  121 

Next  to  the  Spaniards,  the  most  numerous  class  of 
foreigners  are  the  Italians.  These  are  chiefly  Genoese, 
and  the  majority  are  run-away  sailors  and  adventurers. 
They  usually  begin  by  setting  up  a  Pulperia  (a  brandy 
shop),  or  a  spice  shop,  and  gradually  extend  their  traffic 
until,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  they  amass  money 
enough  to  return  to  their  native  country.  Some  of  them 
make  good  fortunes  and  possess  extensive  warehouses. 

The  French  in  Lima  occupy  the  same  positions  as 
their  countrymen  in  Valparaiso,  viz.,  they  are  tailors 
and  hair-dressers,  dealers  in  jewellery  and  millinery. 

The  English  and  North  Americans,  who  are  much 
better  liked  by  the  natives  than  the  French,  are  chiefly 
merchants.  They  are  the  heads  of  the  principal  com- 
mercial houses,  as  Gibbs,  Crawley,  &  Co.,  Alsop,  &  Co., 
Templeman  and  Bergmann,  Huth,  Griming,  &  Co., 
&c.  The  enterprising  spirit  of  the  English  and  North 
Americans  has  led  many  of  them  into  extensive  mining 
speculations,  which  in  some  instances  have  proved  very 
unfortunate. 

The  Germans  in  Lima  are  proportionally  few.  They 
are  distinguished  by  their  aptitude  for  business,  and 
many  of  them  fill  high  situations  in  the  great  English 
commercial  houses.  They  are  held  in  high  esteem  by 
the  natives.  The  general  gravity  of  their  manners  has 
given  rise,  among  the  Limefios,  to  the  saying,  "  Serio 
como  un  Aleman" — Serious  as  a  German. 

Settlers  from  the  other  American  republics  have  of 
late  years  considerably  increased  in  Lima.  After  the 
Chilian  expedition,  many  Chilenos  established  them- 


122  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

selves  in  Peru,  and  numbers  of  Argentines,  escaping 
from  the  terrorism  of  Rosas  in  Buenos  Ayres,  have 
taken  refuge  in  Lima. 

Foreigners  being  in  general  more  industrious  and 
more  steady  than  the  Creoles,  the  Limefios  readily  form 
connections  with  them.  The  ladies  generally  prefer 
marrying  a  Gringo*  to  a  Paisanito.-^ 

I  may  close  this  chapter  on  the  inhabitants  of  Lima, 
with  some  remarks  on  the  Spanish  language  as  spoken 
in  the  capital  of  Peru.  The  old  Spaniards,  who  brought 
their  various  dialects  into  the  New  World,  retain  them 
there  unchanged.  The  Galician  transposes  the  letters 
g  andy;  the  Catalonian  adds  an  s  to  the  final  syllables 
of  words,  and  gives  a  peculiarly  harsh  sound  to  the 
letter  j" ;  the  Andalusian  rolls  the  r  over  his  tongue,  and 
imparts  a  melodious  expression  even  to  harsh-sounding 
words  ;  the  Biscayan  mingles  a  variety  of  provincialisms 
with  his  own  peculiar  dialect.  The  Madrileno  (native  of 
Madrid)  prides  himself  here,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  in 
being  far  superior  to  the  rest  of  his  countrymen  in 
elegance  of  pronunciation.  The  Creoles,  however,  have 
gradually  dropped  the  characteristic  dialects  of  their 
progenitors,  and  have  adopted  new  ones,  varying  one 
from  another  in  the  different  South  American  provinces. 
The  Spanish  language,  as  spoken  by  the  natives  of  Peru, 
differs  widely  from  the  correct  and  pure  model  of  pro- 

*  Gringo  is  a  nickname  applied  to  Europeans.  It  is  probably  derived  from 
Qriego  (Greek).  The  Germans  say  of  anything  incomprehensible  "  That 
sounds  like  Spanish," — and  in  like  manner  the  Spaniards  say  of  anything  they 
do  not  understand  "  That  is  Greek." 

•j-  PauanitO  is  the  diminutive -of  Paisano  (Compatriot.) 


CORBUPTION   OF   THE   SPANISH   LANGUAGE.          123 

nunciation.  The  inhabitants  of  the  coast  have  too  soft 
an  accent,  and  they  frequently  confound,  one  with 
another,  letters  which  have  a  mutual  resemblance  in 
sound.  On  the  other  hand,  the  people  who  dwell  in  the 
mountainous  districts  speak  with  a  harsh  accent,  and 
very  ungrammatically.  As  the  Swiss  force  out  their 
guttural  tones  from  the  lowest  depth  of  their  throat,  and 
with  the  strongest  possible  aspiration ;  so  do  the  Peru- 
vians of  the  Cordillera.  The  inhabitants  of  the  sand 
flats  of  North  Germany,  on  the  contrary,  impart  a  ludi- 
crously soft  sound  to  the  harsher  consonants ;  and  the 
same  peculiarity  is  observable  in  the  people  who  inhabit 
the  coast  of  Peru. 

Of  all  the  inhabitants  of  Lima,  the  white  Creoles 
speak  the  best  Spanish ;  but  still  their  language  is  far 
from  pure.  The  ladies  in  particular  have  the  habit  of 
substituting  one  letter  for  another  in  certain  words  ;  for 
example,  instead  of  pulso  (pulse)  they  say  purso,  and 
instead  of  salsa  (sauce)  they  say  sarsa.  In  other 
words  they  substitute  d  for  r,  saying  amod  for  amor, 
cavattedo  for  cavattero.  The  II  is  frequently  sounded  by 
the  Peruvians  like  j/,  a  blunder  which  foreigners  are  also 
very  apt  to  commit;  for  example,  in  the  word  polio 
(chicken),  which  they  pronounce  as  if  it  were  spelled 
poyo,  and  gattina  (hen)  they  pronounce  as  if  spelled 
yayina.  Not  only  do  they  confound  single  letters,  but 
they  frequently  change  whole  syllables ;  as  for  instance, 
in  the  word  pared  (wall),  which  they  transform  into 
pader.  The  name  of  the  well-known  ex-President 
Orbegoso  was,  by  two-thirds  of  the  natives  of  Lima,  pro- 


124  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

nounced  as  if  written  Obregoso.  There  is  no  word  in 
the  Spanish  language  beginning  with  an  s  followed  by  a 
consonant,  and  the  Limeiios,  when  they  attempt  to  pro- 
nounce foreign  words  or  proper  names  commencing  in 
the  manner  just  described,  never  fail  to  prefix  to  them 
the  letter  e.  I  know  not  whether  in  the  schools  and  col- 
leges of  old  Spain  this  method  of  prefixing  the  letter  e  is 
adopted  in  teaching  Latin;  but  the  practice  is  universal 
among  the  students  of  all  the  colleges  in  Lima.  For 
studium  they  say  estudium;  for  spurius,  espurius ;  for 
sceleratus,  esceleratus,  &c. 

To  the  Limeiios  the  correct  pronunciation  of  these 
words  is  extremely  difficult,  and  many  have  assured  me 
that  they  find  it  impossible  to  omit  the  e  before  the  s. 
Still  more  arbitrary  is  their  conversion  of  h  into  k  in 
the  words  mihi,  nihil,  &c.,  which  they  pronounce  miki, 
nikil. 

The  coloured  Creoles,  who  are  generally  uneducated, 
speak  the  Spanish  language  much  more  corruptly  than 
the  whites.  The  Negroes  have  a  very  bad  accent. 
Their  tongues  seem  quite  unfitted  for  the  pronunciation 
of  the  Spanish  language,  which  many  of  them  render 
unintelligible  by  transposing  letters  and  lopping  off 
syllables. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Primary  Schools— Colleges — The  University — Monks— Saints — Santo  Toribio 
and  Santa  Rosa — Religious  Processions — Raising  the  Host — The  Noche 
Buena — The  Carneval — Paseos,  or  Public  Promenades — Ice — Riding  and 
Driving — Horses — Their  Equipments  and  Training — Mules — Lottery  in 
Lima — Cookery — Breakfasts,  Dinners,  &c. — Coffee-houses  and  Restaurants 
—Markets— The  Plazo  Firme  del  Acko— Bull  Fights. 

SCHOOLS  for  primary  instruction  are  numerous  in  Lima, 
and  upon  the  whole  they  are  tolerably  well  con- 
ducted. There  are  thirty-six  of  these  primary  schools, 
public  and  private  ;  twenty  for  boys,  and  sixteen  for 
girls ;  and  altogether  about  2000  pupils  *  receive  in 
these  establishments  the  first  elements  of  juvenile 
instruction.  The  principal  public  institutions  of  this 
class  are  the  Normal  School  of  Santo  Tomas  (in  which 
the  Lancasterian  system  is  adopted),  and  the  Central 
School  of  San  Lazaro.  Each  contains  from  320  to  350 
pupils.  Of  the  private  schools,  some  are  very  well  con- 
ducted by  Europeans.  The  College  of  Nuestra  Seiiora 
de  Guadalupe  was  founded  a  few  years  ago  by  two 
Spanish  merchants.  In  this  establishment  the  sons  of 
the  wealthier  class  of  people  may  receive  a  better  educa- 
tion than  they  can  obtain  in  the  public  schools.  There 

*  A  very  small  number  in  a  population  of  55,000. 


126  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

are  three  Latin  schools,  and  the  number  of  pupils  attend- 
ing them  amounts  to  about  two  hundred. 

The  College  of  Santo  Toribio  is  exclusively  appro- 
priated to  students  of  theology,  who  are  likewise  received 
into  the  College  of  San  Carlos,  though  the  latter  is 
chiefly  destined  for  the  study  of  jurisprudence.  San 
Carlos  was  founded  in  the  year  1770  by  the  Viceroy 
Amat,  who  incorporated  with  it  the  previously  existing 
Colleges  of  San  Martin  and  San  Felipe.  In  the  year 
1822  the  Colegio  de  Esquilache  was  likewise  united  to 
San  Carlos,  which  now  contains  about  a  hundred 
students.  The  building  is  large  and  commodious,  con- 
taining spacious  halls,  a  fine  refectory,  and  a  well-stored 
library.  There  are  five  professors  of  law  and  two  of 
theology.  French,  English,  geography,  natural  philo- 
sophy, mathematics,  drawing,  and  music  are  likewise 
taught  in  this  college.  The  annual  revenue  of  the 
establishment,  exclusively  of  the  fees  paid  by  the 
students,  amount  to  19,000  dollars.  During  the  war  of 
emancipation,  this  establishment  for  a  time  bore  the 
name  of  Colegio  de  San  Martin,  in  honour  of  General 
San  Martin,  the  liberator  of  Chile  ;  but  its  original  title 
was  soon  restored. 

The  Colegio  de  San  Fernando  was  founded  in  1810 
by  the  Marques  de  la  Concordia,  for  students  of  medi- 
cine. In  the  year  1826  this  Institution  received  the 
name  of  Colegio  de  la  Medecina  de  la  Independencia,  a 
title  which  it  justly  merits,  for  certainly  medicine  is 
taught  there  with  a  singular  independence  of  all  rules 
and  systems.  The  Professors,  who  themselves  have 


LEARNED   AND   SCIENTIFIC    INSTITUTIONS.  127 

never  received  any  regular  instruction,  communicate 
their  scanty  share  of  knowledge  in  a  very  imperfect 
manner  to  the  students.  The  number  of  the  students 
is  between  twelve  and  fifteen,  and  there  are  two  Pro- 
fessors. The  clinical  lectures  are  delivered  in  the 
Hospital  of  San  Andres,  to  which  an  anatomical  amphi- 
theatre was  attached  in  1 792.  The  heat  of  the  climate 
renders  it  necessary  that  burials  should  take  place 
within  twenty-four  hours  after  death,  a  circumstance 
which  naturally  operates  as  an  impediment  to  the  fun- 
damental study  of  anatomy.  It  cannot  therefore  be 
matter  of  surprise  that  the  native  surgeons  should  have 
but  a  superficial  knowledge  of  that  important  branch  of 
science. 

In  the  University  of  San  Marcos  no  lectures  are 
delivered,  and  the  twenty-five  Professors'  chairs  are 
merely  nominal.  Honours  and  degrees  are  however  con- 
ferred in  San  Marcos,  and  the  same  rules  and  ceremo- 
nies are  observed  as  in  the  Spanish  Universities.  In  the 
departments  of  medicine  and  jurisprudence  there  are 
three  degrees  ;  those  of  Bachelor,  Licenciate,  and  Doctor. 
In  former  times  the  dignity  of  Doctor  was  conferred 
with  great  pomp  and  solemnity,  and  the  public  were 
admitted  in  large  numbers  to  witness  the  ceremony. 
The  acquisition  of  the  degree  of  Doctor  was  then 
attended  by  an  expense  of  about  two  thousand  dollars, 
chiefly  expended  in  presents.  The  new  Doctor  was 
required  to  send  to  every  member  of  the  University, 
from  the  Bachelors  to  the  Rector,  a  new  dollar,  a  goblet 
full  of  ice,  and  a  dish  of  pastry. 


128  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Lima  is  overrun  with  monks,  lay  and  conventual. 
The  monastic  regulations  are  not  very  strict,  for  the 
monks  are  permitted  to  leave  the  convents  at  all  hours, 
according  to  their  own  pleasure.  They  avail  themselves 
of  this  liberty  to  the  utmost  extent.  Friars  of  various 
orders  are  seen  in  the  streets  in  numbers.  Most  of 
them  are  fat  Dominicans,  who  sit  in  the  Portales  playing 
at  draughts,  or  lounge  in  shops  staring  at  the  Tapadas  as 
they  pass  by.  Many  of  these  ecclesiastics  are  remark- 
able for  their  disregard  of  personal  cleanliness ;  indeed 
it  would  be  difficult  to  meet  with  a  more  slovenly,  igno- 
rant, and  common-place  class  of  men.  They  frequent 
all  places  of  public  entertainment,  the  coffee-houses,  the 
chichereas,  the  bull-fights,  and  the  theatres  :  these  two 
last-mentioned  places  of  amusement  they  visit  in  dis- 
guise. The  Franciscans  and  the  Mercen arias  are  little 
better  than  the  Dominicans ;  but  the  Descalzados  (bare- 
footed friars),  lead  a  somewhat  more  strict  and  regular 
life.  To  the  monks  of  the  Buena  Muerte  belongs  the 
duty  of  administering  the  last  consolation  to  the  dying. 
Whenever  they  hear  of  any  person  who  is  dangerously 
ill,  they  hasten  to  the  house  without  waiting  till  they 
are  sent  for,  and  they  never  leave  the  invalid  until  he 
either  recovers  or  dies.  Day  and  night  they  sit  by  the 
sick-bed,  and  scarcely  allow  themselves  time  for  neces- 
sary rest  and  refreshment.  I  have  known  many  of  these 
monks  who,  from  long  experience  and  observation,  but 
without  any  medical  knowledge,  had  acquired  wonderful 
shrewdness  in  determining  the  degree  of  danger  in  cases 
of  illness,  and  who  could  foretel  with  almost  unfailing 


SANTO    TORIBIO.  129 

certainty  the  moment  of  dissolution.  As  soon  as  the 
patient  has  breathed  his  last,  the  monk  utters  a  short 
prayer,  then  giving  the  corpse  a  knock  on  the  nose,  he 
silently  takes  his  departure.  I  have  frequently  wit- 
nessed this  singular  custom,  but  I  never  could  discover 
its  origin  or  motive.  The  habit  worn  by  the  monks  of 
Buena  Muerte  is  black  with  a  large  red  cross  on  the 
breast,  and  hats  with  high  conical  crowns. 

Many  pious  natives,  or  inhabitants  of  Lima,  have  been 
admitted  among  the  number  of  the  saints.  Of  these 
the  most  distinguished  was  the  Spaniard  Toribio,  who, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  filled  the 
archiepiscopal  chair  in  Lima.  His  kindness  and  charity 
have  become  proverbial,  and  his  many  acts  of  benevo- 
lence are  still  alive  in  the  recollection  of  the  people. 
Of  many  anecdotes  that  are  related  of  him,  I  may  here 
quote  one.  Late  one  night,  the  patrol  who  was  on 
duty  in  the  vicinity  of  the  archbishop's  palace,  met  a 
man  in  the  street  carrying  a  heavy  load  on  his  back. 
The  challenge,  "  Who  goes  there  1 "  was  answered  by 
the  name  "Toribio."  The  watch,  uttering  an  oath, 
impatiently  called  out  "  Que  Toribio?"  (What  Toribio  1) 
"  El  de  la  esquina!"  (He  who  dwells  at  the  corner!) 
was  the  simple  reply.  The  soldier  angrily  stepped  up 
to  his  interlocutor,  and,  to  his  astonishment,  recognised 
the  archbishop,  who  was  carrying  a  sick  person  to  the 
hospital. 

The  saint  to  whom  the  Limenos  render  the  highest 
honour,  is  Santa  Rosa,  the  saint  of  the  city.  She  was 
a  native  of  Lima,  and  is  the  only  Peruvian  female 

K 


130  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

who  has  attained  the  honour  of  being  ranked  among 
the  saints.  On  the  30th  of  August,  the  festival  of 
Santa  Rosa  is  celebrated  with  great  pomp  in  the 
cathedral,  and  her  image,  richly  bedecked  with  gold 
and  jewels,  is  carried  in  solemn  procession  from  Santo 
Domingo  to  the  Sagrario. 

Religious  processions  are  among  the  most  favourite 
amusements  of  the  inhabitants  of  Lima.  They  are  always 
very  numerously  attended ;  and  it  may  fairly  be  said 
that  no  merry-making  would  afford  the  Limenos  so  much 
diversion  as  they  derive  from  these  pious  solemnities. 
Vast  numbers  of  ladies  join  the  processions  as  Tapadas, 
indulging  in  all  sorts  of  coquettish  airs,  and  with 
thoughts  evidently  bent  on  any  subject  but  religion. 
The  gentlemen  station  themselves  in  groups  at  the 
corners  of  the  streets,  to  admire  the  graceful  figures  of 
the  Tapadas,  whose  faces  are  concealed  ;  and  when  the 
procession  has  passed  one  corner  they  rush  to  another, 
to  see  it  defile  a  second  time ;  and  in  this  manner 
continue  moving  from  place  to  place,  as  if  they  could 
never  see  enough  of  the  interesting  spectacle.  The 
most  brilliant  processions  are  those  which  take  place  on 
the  festivals  of  Corpus  Christi,  San  Francisco,  and  Santo 
Domingo.  A  very  solemn  procession  takes  place  on  the 
28th  of  October,  the  anniversary  of  the  great  earth- 
quake of  1746. 

Every  morning,  at  a  quarter  to  nine,  the  great  bell  of 
the  cathedral  announces  the  raising  of  the  host,  during 
the  performance  of  high  mass.  Immediately  every 
sound  is  hushed  in  the  streets  and  squares.  Coachmen 


RAISING   THE    HOST.  131 

stop  the  carriages,  riders  check  their  horses,  and  foot- 
passengers  stand  motionless.  Everyone  suspends  his 
occupation  or  his  conversation,  and  kneeling  down,  with 
head  uncovered,  mutters  a  prayer.  But  scarcely  has 
the  third  solemn  stroke  of  the  bell  ceased  to  vibrate, 
when  the  noise  and  movement  are  resumed  ;  the  brief 
but  solemn  stillness  of  the  few  preceding  moments  being 
thus  rendered  the  more  impressive  by  contrast.  The 
same  incident  is  renewed  in  the  evening,  between  six 
and  seven  o'clock,  when  the  bell  sounds  for  the  Angelus 
(Oraciones).  The  cathedral  bell  gives  the  signal,  by 
three  slow  measured  sounds,  which  are  immediately 
repeated  from  the  belfreys  of  all  the  churches  in  Lima. 
Life  and  action  are  then,  as  if  by  an  invisible  hand, 
suddenly  suspended ;  nothing  moves  but  the  lips  of 
the  pious,  whispering  their  prayers.  The  Oration  being 
ended,  everyone  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  says 
to  the  person  nearest  him,  Buenas  noches  (Good  night), 
It  is  regarded  as  an  act  of  courtesy  to  allow  another 
to  take  precedence  in  saying  "  Good  night,"  and  if 
several  persons  are  together,  it  is  expected  that  the 
eldest  or  the  most  distinguished  of  the  group  should 
be  the  first  to  utter  the  greeting.  It  is  considered 
polite  to  request  the  person  next  one  to  say  Buenas 
noches  ;  he  with  equal  civility  declines  ;  and  the  alter- 
nate repetition  of  "  diga  Vm"  (you  say  it),  "  No,  Senor, 
diga  Vm."  (No,  Sir,  you  say  it,)  threatens  sometimes  to 
be  endless. 

The   effect   produced   by  the  three  strokes  of  the 
cathedral  bell  is  truly  astonishing.     The   half-uttered 

K2 


132  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

oath  dies  on  the  lips  of  the  uncouth  negro  ;  the  arm  of 
the  cruel  Zambo,  unmercifully  beating  his  ass,  drops, 
as  if  paralyzed ;  the  chattering  mulatto  seems  as  if 
suddenly  struck  dumb  ;  the  smart  repartee  of  the 
lively  Tapada  is  cut  short  in  its  delivery ;  the  shop- 
keeper lays  down  his  measure ;  the  artizan  drops  his 
tool ;  and  the  monk  suspends  his  move  on  the  draught- 
board :  all,  with  one  accord,  join  in  the  inaudible  prayer. 
Here  and  there  the  sight  of  a  foreigner  walking  along 
indifferently,  and  without  raising  his  hat,  makes  a 
painful  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  people. 

Christmas-night  (Noche  buend)  is  a  great  festival  in 
Lima.  The  streets  and  squares,  especially  the  Plaza 
Mayor,  are  crowded  with  people,  amusing  themselves 
in  all  sorts  of  ways.  Hundreds  of  persons  take  their 
seats  on  the  benches  of  the  Plaza ;  there  they  regale 
themselves  with  sherbet,  ices,  and  pastry,  and  look  at 
the  dancing  of  the  negroes,  &c.  On  this  occasion  the 
midnight  mass  is  performed  with  extraordinary  solem- 
nity. On  Christmas-day  some  of  the  families  of  Lima 
get  up  what  are  called  Nacimientos,  consisting  of  sym- 
bolical representations  of  the  birth  of  the  Saviour.  On 
some  of  these  shows  considerable  expense  and  ingenuity 
are  bestowed. 

In  Carnival  time  Lima  is  so  unpleasant  a  place  of 
residence  that  many  families  retire  to  the  country 
during  that  season  of  misrule.  One  of  the  favourite 
sports  consists  in  sprinkling  people  with  water  ;  and 
from  all  the  balconies  various  kinds  of  liquids  are 
thrown  on  the  passers-by.  Groups  of  Negroes  post 


CARNIVAL    TIME    IN    LIMA.  133 

themselves  at  the  corners  of  the  streets,  where  they 
seize  people,  and  detain  them  prisoners,  until  they 
ransom  themselves  by  the  payment  of  a  certain  sum  of 
money.  Those  who  do  not  pay  the  money  are  rolled  in 
the  street  gutters,  and  treated  in  the  most  merciless 
way ;  whilst  those  who  purchase  grace  escape  with 
having  a  few  handfuls  of  dirty  water  thrown  in  their  faces. 
Even  in  private  houses,  relations  and  intimate  acquaint- 
ances are  guilty  of  the  most  unwarrantable  annoy- 
ances. Parties  of  young  men  enter  the  houses  of  families 
with  whom  they  are  acquainted,  and  begin  sprinkling 
the  ladies  with  scented  water.  That  being  exhausted, 
spring  water,  or  even  dirty  water,  is  resorted  to,  so  that 
what  began  in  sport  ends  in  reckless  rudeness.  The 
ladies,  with  their  clothes  dripping  wet,  are  chased  from 
room  to  room,  and  thereby  become  heated.  The  conse- 
quence is,  in  many  instances,  severe  and  dangerous 
illness.  Inflammation  of  the  lungs,  ague,  rheumatism, 
&c.,  are  the  usual  results  of  these  carnival  sports,  to 
which  many  fall  victims.  A  year  never  passes  in 
which  several  murders  are  not  committed,  in  revenge 
for  offences  perpetrated  during  the  saturnalia  of  the 
carnival. 

A  very  favourite  trick  adopted  in  carnival  time,  for 
frightening  people  as  they  pass  along  the  streets,  is  the 
following : — a  sack,  filled  with  fragments  of  broken  glass 
and  porcelain,  is  fastened  to  the  balcony  by  a  strong  rope, 
of  such  a  length  that,  when  suspended  from  the  window, 
the  sack  is  about  seven  feet  above  the  street.  The  appa- 
ratus being  all  ready,  a  mischievous  negress  and  her  amita 


134  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

(young  mistress)  watch  the  passers-by  until  they  select 
one  for  their  victim.  The  sack  is  then  thrown  over 
the  front  of  the  balcony,  and  a  deafening  crash  ensues, 
though  the  rope  prevents  its  contents  from  hurting 
any  one.  It  is  well  known  that  in  almost  every  street 
in  Lima  there  is  at  least  one  balcony  ready  prepared  for 
the  performance  of  this  trick  ;  yet  the  suddenness  of 
the  crash  always  proves  a  shock,  even  to  the  strongest 
nerves.  People  start  and  run  to  one  side  of  the  street, 
and  are  sometimes  so  terrified  that  they  drop  down  ; 
then  loud  laughter  and  jeering  remarks  are  heard  in  the 
balcony.  Every  year  this  trick  is  prohibited  by  the 
police,  but  the  prohibition  is  treated  with  contempt. 

One  of  the  most  popular  recreations  of  the  Limenos, 
especially  of  the  people  of  colour,  is  the  Paseo  de  A  man- 
caes,  which  takes  place  on  St.  John's  Day.  The 
Amancaes  is  a  gently  sloping  plain,  about  half  a  mile 
north-west  of  Lima,  and  it  is  bounded  by  a  semicircular 
range  of  hills,  which  rise  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  During  the  hot  months 
of  the  year  this  plain  is  a  parched  and  barren  waste ; 
but  when  the  misty  and  rainy  season  sets  in,  the  Aman- 
caes is  covered  with  numerous  flowers,  among  which  a 
beautiful  yellow  lily  is  conspicuous.  About  the  end  of 
June  this  lily  is  in  full  bloom.  On  St.  John's  Day 
booths  and  stalls  are  fitted  up  for  the  sale  of  various 
kinds  of  refreshments,  and  throngs  of  people  of  all  classes 
and  colours  are  seen  riding  or  walking  in  the  direction 
of  the  Amancaes.  There  they  amuse  themselves  with 
dancing,  playing,  eating,  drinking,  and  gathering  flowers ; 


PUBLIC   PROMENADES.  135 

and  in  the  evening  they  return  to  Lima.  It  is  amusing 
to  see  the  Mulattas  and  Zambas  with  bouquets  of 
yellow  lilies  stuck  in  their  heads  and  bosoms.  These 
women  crowd  into  heavily-laden  vehicles,  beside  which 
their  black  cavaliers  ride  on  horseback — all  laughing, 
jesting,  and  giving  vent  to  unrestrained  mirth.  From 
the  24th  of  June  to  the  end  of  October,  pleasure  parties 
repair,  on  Sundays  and  festival  days,  either  to  the  Aman- 
caes  or  to  the  Lomas.  The  latter  is  a  range  of  hills  a 
little  further  from  Lima. 

There  is  no  want  of  promenades  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  city.  Leading  from  the  Callao  gate  is  the  fine  long 
avenue  of  trees  I  have  already  mentioned.  In  the 
suburb  of  San  Lazaro  there  is  a  fine  broad  promenade 
planted  with  trees,  called  the  Alameda  vieja,  at  the  end 
of  which  is  situated  the  Convent  of  the  Descalzos. 
Along  the  bank  of  the  Bimac  there  is  a  new  promenade, 
planted  with  four  rows  of  trees,  called  the  Alameda 
nueva.  Behind  it  the  Paseo  militar,  with  two  rows  of 
trees,  extending  as  far  as  Piedra  lisa,  on  the  road  to  the 
pleasant  village  of  Lurigancho.  On  the  right  of  these 
promenades  is  the  river,  on  the  left  the  pyramidal  hill, 
of  the  Cerro  de  San  Cristoval.  At  the  extremity  of 
the  Alameda  nueva  are  the  public  baths  of  the  Puquio."* 
These  baths  are  within  a  long  low-roofed  building, 
covered  on  the  top  with  straw  mats. 

On  summer  evenings  the  bridge  and  the  Plaza  Mayor 
are  visited  by  throngs  of  promenaders,  who  there  enjoy 

*  Puquio  in  the  Quichua  language  signifies  springs. 


136  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  refreshing  breeze,  which,  after  sunset,  is  wafted 
from  the  Cordilleras,  along  the  surface  of  the  Kimac. 
After  the  hour  of  the  Oraciones,  (evening  prayers),  the 
bridge  is  crowded  with  gentlemen,  who  walk  up  and 
down  whilst  the  ladies  sit  in  the  rotundas  built  above 
each  of  the  piers.  Long  rows  of  promenaders  are  seen 
moving  to  and  fro,  either  going  to  the  Alamedas,  or 
returning  from  thence  to  the  Plaza,  to  obtain  refresh- 
ments. Before  the  Portal  de  los  Escribanos,  on 
the  Plaza  Mayor,  tables  are  laid  out  with  lemonade, 
almond  milk  and  ices.  The  promenaders  sit  down 
on  benches,  which  are  placed  round  these  tables,  and 
partake  of  refreshments,  none  of  which,  however,  are 
so  delicious  as  the  cool  breeze  after  the  sultry  heat  of 
the  day. 

To  the  inhabitants  of  Lima  ice  is  one  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life  :  it  is  considered  so  indispensable,  that  a 
scarcity  of  it,  during  several  days,  would  be  sufficient  to 
excite  popular  ferment.  In  all  revolutions,  therefore, 
the  leaders  carefully  avoid  calling  into  requisition  the 
service  of  the  mules  employed  in  the  transport  of 
ice.  It  is  obtained  in  the  Cordilleras,  at  the  dist- 
ance of  about  twenty -eight  leagues  from  Lima.  The 
Indians  who  ascend  the  glaciers  break  the  ice  into 
blocks  of  about  six  arobas  in  weight,  which  are  lowered 
by  ropes  down  the  declivity  of  the  mountain.  The 
women  and  children  then  cover  the  blocks  of  ice  with 
Ichu  grass,  (Joara  ichu,  R.  P.),  after  which  they  are 
drawn  by  another  party  of  Indians  to  a  depot,  about 
two  leagues  distant,  where  they  are  packed  on  the 


TRANSPORT    OF    LIMA.  137 

backs  of  mules.  Each  mule  carries  two  blocks.  Thirty 
mules  form  what  is  called  a  Recua,  which  daily  proceeds 
from  the  ice  depot  to  Lima.  At  intervals  of  two  or 
three  miles  there  are  stations  where  relays  of  mules  are 
in  readiness.  The  operations  of  unloading  and  reload- 
ing are  performed  with  the  utmost  possible  speed,  and 
the  mules  are  driven  at  a  brisk  trot,  wherever  the  roads 
will  admit  of  it.  In  the  space  of  eighteen  or  twenty 
hours,  the  ice  reaches  Lima,  and  as  may  be  expected, 
considerably  reduced  in  weight  by  melting.  The 
average  loss  on  two  blocks  of  ice  is  about  one  hundred 
pounds/'5"  The  daily  consumption  of  ice  in  Lima  is 
between  fifty  and  fifty-five  cwt.  About  two-thirds  of 
that  quantity  is  used  for  preparing  ices,  most  of  which 
are  made  of  milk  or  pine-apple  juice.  Ice  is  hawked 
about  the  streets  of  Lima  for  sale,  and  all  day  long 
Indians,  carrying  pails  on  their  heads,  perambulate  the 
streets,  crying  helado. 

The  ladies  of  Lima,  when  they  make  visits,  seldom  go 
on  foot.  They  generally  ride  in  the  caleza,  a  very  ugly 
kind  of  vehicle,  being  nothing  more  than  a  square  box 
raised  on  two  high  wheels,  and  drawn  by  a  mule,  on 
whose  back  a  negro  in  livery  is  mounted.  Many  of  the 
older  calezas,  instead  of  being  painted  on  the  outside, 
are  covered  with  variegated  paper.  The  calezin  is  a 
prettier  kind  of  carriage,  and  is  drawn  by  two  horses  or 
mules.  Taste  in  the  article  of  carriages  is,  however, 


*  These  fine  blocks  of  ice  clearly  refute  the  assertion  made  by  some  travellers, 
that  the  first  real  glaciers  are  found  in  19°  S.  lat.  The  extensive  fields  of  ice 
from  which  the  blocks  in  question  are  brought  are  situated  in  11°  14'  S.  lat. 


138  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

improving  in  Lima,  and  several  very  elegant  ones  have 
been  recently  introduced. 

Within  the  last  few  years  a  regular  line  of  omnibuses 
has  been  established  between  Callao  and  Lima.  From 
each  of  those  cities  an  omnibus  starts  daily,  at  eight 
in  the  morning  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  and 
the  journey  occupies  an  hour  and  a  half.  To  Mira- 
flores,  Chorillos,  Lurin,  and  other  places  on  the  coast, 
the  conveyance  is  by  a  balanzin,  a  sort  of  caleza,  drawn 
by  three  horses  harnessed  abreast.  This  balanzin  is  one 
of  the  most  awkward  vehicles  ever  invented,  and  the 
slightest  shock  it  sustains  is  felt  with  double  force  by  the 
persons  riding  in  it.  At  greater  distances  from  the 
capital  the  want  of  proper  roads  renders  the  employ- 
ment of  vehicles  a  matter  of  difficulty.  Even  along  the 
coast  to  the  south  of  Lima,  a  journey  of  about  forty 
leagues  cannot  be  accomplished  without  vast  difficulty 
and  expense.  On  such  a  journey  it  is  usual  for  a  train 
of  sixty  or  eighty  horses  to  accompany  the  carriage  ; 
and  it  is  found  necessary  to  change  the  horses  every 
half-hour,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  drawing  the  carriage 
through  the  fine  quicksand,  which  is  often  more  than  a 
foot  deep.  A  Peruvian  planter,  who  was  accustomed  to 
take  his  wife  every  year  on  a  visit  to  his  plantation  situ- 
ated about  thirty-two  leagues  from  Lima,  assured  me 
that  the  journey  to  and  fro  always  cost  him  1400 
dollars. 

During  the  brilliant  period  of  the  Spanish  domination, 
incredible  sums  were  frequently  expended  on  carriages 
and  mules.  Not  unfrequently  the  tires  of  the  caleza 


PERUVIAN    HORSE   TRAPPINGS.  139 

wheels  and  the  shoes  of  the  mules  were  of  silver  instead 
of  iron. 

In  Peru,  riding  is  a  universal  custom,  and  almost 
every  person  keeps  one  or  more  horses.  The  ladies  of 
Lima  are  distinguished  as  graceful  horsewomen.  Their 
equestrian  costume  consists  of  a  white  riding-habit, 
trowsers  richly  trimmed  with  lace,  a  fine  white  poncho, 
and  a  broad-brimmed  straw  hat.  Some  of  the  females 
of  the  coloured  races  make  use  of  men's  saddles,  and 
display  great  skill  in  the  management  of  the  most 
unruly  horses. 

The  horse-trappings  used  in  Peru  are  often  very  costly. 
On  the  coast  and  in  the  interior,  I  have  sometimes  seen 
head-gear,  bridle,  and  crupper  composed  of  finely- 
wrought  silver  rings,  linked  one  into  another.  The 
saddle  is  frequently  ornamented  with  rich  gold  embroi- 
dery, and  the  holster  inlaid  with  gold.  The  stirrups 
are  usually  the  richest  portion  of  the  trappings.  They 
are  made  of  carved  wood,  and  are  of  pyramidal  shape  ; 
about  a  foot  high  and  a  foot  broad  at  the  base.  In 
front  and  at  the  sides  they  are  close,  and  are  open  only 
at  the  back  in  the  part  where  the  foot  rests,  The  edges 
are  rimmed  with  silver,  and  the  top  of  the  stirrup  is 
surmounted  by  a  bell  of  the  same  metal,  with  a  ring 
through  which  the  straps  are  passed.  A  priest  with 
whom  I  was  acquainted  in  the  Sierra,  got  a  saddle  and 
a  pair  of  stirrups  made  for  me.  The  silver  ornaments 
on  the  stirrups  alone  weighed  forty  pounds.  The  deco- 
rations of  the  saddle  were  of  corresponding  richness. 
The  value  of  the  silver  on  both  saddle  and  stirrups  was 


140  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

about  1500  dollars.  The  spurs  used  in  Peru  are  of 
colossal  magnitude.  Old  custom  ordains  that  they  must 
contain  three  marks  (a  pound  and  a  half)  of  silver.  The 
stirrup-bow  is  broad  and  richly  wrought ;  the  ornaments 
being  either  of  the  pattern  called  Imeso  de  folio,  *  or  of 
that  styled  hoja  de  laurel  con  semilla.  f  The  rowel  is 
one  and  a  half  or  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  the 
points  are  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  inches  long. 

In  the  bridle  the  bit  and  the  snaffle  are  in  one  piece, 
and  the  reins  are  brought  together  by  being  passed 
through  a  ring,  to  which  the  long  riding  whip  is  also 
fastened.  The  head-band  and  reins  are  commonly  com- 
posed of  narrow  slips  of  untanned  calf  or  sheep-skin, 
plaited  together,  and  ornamented  with  silver  buckles. 
The  saddle  is  short  and  narrow,  and  exceedingly  awk- 
ward to  riders  unaccustomed  to  it.  The  front  bolster  is 
four  or  five  inches  high,  and  inclines  backward ;  the 
hind  one  is  lower,  and  is  curved  forward  in  the  form  of 
a  half-moon  ;  the  intervening  space  just  affording  suffi- 
cient room  for  the  thighs  of  the  rider,  who  in  a  saddle 
of  this  construction  is  so  firmly  fixed  that  he  cannot 
possibly  fall.  These  saddles  have,  however,  one  great 
disadvantage,  viz.,  that  if  the  horse  starts  off  at  a  gallop, 
and  the  rider  has  not  time  to  throw  himself  back  in  his 
seat,  he  is  forced  against  the  front  saddle-bolster  with 
such  violence  that  some  fatal  injury  is  usually  the  con- 
sequence. Under  the  saddle  is  laid  a  horse-cloth,  called 


A  sort  of  arabesque  resembling  the  backbone  of  a  fish  called  the  Tollo. 
t  Laurel  leaves  and  seed. 


HORSES.  141 

the  pellon,  about  a  yard  long  and  a  yard  and  a  half  wide. 
The  common  sort  of  pellones  are  composed  of  two  rough 
sheep-skins  sewed  together.  In  the  finer  kind  the  raw 
wool  is  combed  out,  and  divided  into  numberless  little 
twists,  of  about  the  length  of  one's  finger  ;  so  that  the 
pellon  resembles  the  skin  of  some  long-haired  animal. 
The  finest  Peruvian  pellones  are  made  of  a  mixture  of 
sheep's  wool  and  goat's  hair.  Between  the  saddle  and 
the  pellon  are  fastened  the  saddle-bags  (alforjas),  which 
on  long  journies  are  filled  with  provisions  and  other 
necessaries.  These  bags  are  made  either  of  leather  or 
strong  woollen  cloth ;  finally,  the  trappings  of  a  Peruvian 
horse  are  not  complete  without  the  halter  (haquima), 
which  is  ornamented  in  the  same  manner  as  the  bridle. 
The  halter-strap  (cabresto)  is  wound  round  the  front 
bolster  of  the  saddle,  and  by  it  the  horse  may  be  fastened 
whenever  the  rider  alights,  without  the  use  of  the  reins 
for  that  purpose.  At  first  a  foreigner  is  apt  to  regard 
the  equipments  of  a  Peruvian  horse  as  superfluous  and 
burthensome  ;  but  he  is  soon  convinced  of  their  utility, 
and,  when  the  eye  becomes  familiar  to  them,  they  have 
a  pleasing  effect. 

The  pure-bred  Peruvian  horse  is  more  elegantly 
formed  than  his  Andalusian  progenitor.  He  is  of  mid- 
dling size,  seldom  exceeding  fourteen  hands  high.  He 
has  a  strong  expanded  chest,  slender  legs,  thin  posterns, 
a  short  muscular  neck,  a  rather  large  head,  small  pointed 
ears,  and  a  fiery  eye.  He  is  spirited,  docile,  and  enduring. 
It  is  only  in  a  few  plantations  that  the  purity  of  the  race 
is  preserved,  and  the  animals  fostered  with  due  care. 


142  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  common  horse  is  higher,  leaner,  less  broad  on  the 
chest,  and  with  the  crupper  thinner  and  more  depressed. 
He  is,  however,  not  less  fiery  and  capable  of  endurance 
than  the  horse  of  pure  breed.  The  most  inferior  horses 
are  ill-looking,  small,  and  rough-skinned. 

On  the  coast  of  Peru  the  horses  are  for  the  most  part 
natural  amblers,  and,  if  they  do  not  amble  naturally, 
they  are  taught  to  do  so.  There  are  several  varieties  of 
amble  peculiar  to  the  Peruvian  horse ;  the  most  approved 
is  that  called  the  paso  llano.  It  is  very  rapid,  but  not 
attended  by  any  jolting  motion  to  the  rider.  A  well- 
trained  horse  may  safely  be  ridden  by  a  young  child  at 
the  paso  llano;  the  motion  being  so  gentle  and  regular, 
that  the  rider  may  carry  a  cup  of  water  in  his  hand 
without  spilling  a  drop,  at  the  same  time  going  at  the 
rate  of  two  leagues  an  hour.  Another  variety  of  ambling 
is  called  the  paso  portante.  It  consists  in  the  fore  and 
hind  foot  of  one  side  being  raised  simultaneously,  and 
thrust  forward.  In  this  movement,  the  greater  or  less 
speed  depends  on  the  degree  in  which  the  hind  foot  is 
advanced  in  comparison  with  the  fore  one.  It  is  a  rapid, 
rocking  sort  of  motion,  and  for  long  continuance  is  much 
more  wearying  to  the  rider  than  the  common  trot,  as 
the  body  cannot  be  held  upright,  but  must  be  kept  in 
a  constant  stooping  position.  The  speed  of  a  good 
ambler  in  the  paso  portante  is  so  great,  that  he  will  out- 
strip another  horse  at  full  gallop.  The  giraffe,  as  well  as 
the  Peruvian  horse,  has  this  peculiar  movement  naturally. 
The  paso  companero  is  merely  a  nominal  modification  of 
the  paso  portante.  Many  horses  have  no  paso  llano,  but 


HORSES.  143 

in  its  stead  a  short  trot.  These  have  naturally  the  paso 
portante,  but  they  are  little  esteemed  for  travelling, 
though  they  are  good  working  animals.  They  are  called 
cavallos  aguelitlos.  Trotting  horses  cannot  be  taught  the 
paso  llano,  though  they  easily  acquire  the  paso  portante. 
These  are  called  cavallos  trabados. 

In  Peru  a  horse  is  valued  less  for  beauty  of  form  than 
for  the  perfection  of  his  amble.  The  finest  trotters  are 
sold  at  very  low  prices,  and  are  used  exclusively  as 
carriage  horses.  If  a  horse  when  spurred  has  the  habit 
of  flapping  his  tail,  it  is  considered  a  very  serious  fault, 
and  greatly  depreciates  the  value  of  the  animal.  This 
vice  is  called  mosquear  (literally  brushing  off  the  mos- 
quitoes), and  the  Peruvians  cure  it  by  an  incision  in  the 
muscle  of  the  tail,  by  which  means  the  horse  is  disabled 
from  making  the  movement. 

The  Peruvians  take  very  little  care  of  their  horses. 
The  remark,  that  the  more  the  horse  is  tended,  the 
worse  he  is,  would  seem  to  be  a  generally  admitted 
truth  in  Peru.  The  stable  (coral)  is  either  totally  roof- 
less, or  very  indifferently  sheltered.  In  the  mountainous 
parts  of  the  country,  and  during  the  rainy  season,  horses 
are  frequently,  for  the  space  of  six  months,  up  to  their 
knees  in  mud,  and  yet  they  never  seem  to  be  the  worse 
for  it.  The  fodder  consists  of  lucern  (alfalfa),  or  mai- 
sillo,  which  is  usually  thrown  down  on  the  ground, 
though  sometimes  placed  in  a  stone  trough,  and  the 
drink  of  the  animals  consists  of  impure  water  collected 
from  the  ditches  at  the  road  sides.  Occasionally  the 
horses  are  fed  with  maize,  which  they  are  very  fond  of. 


144  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

As  no  oats  are  grown  in  Peru,  barley  is  given  together 
with  maize,  especially  in  the  interior  of  the  country. 
Mares  and  geldings  have  sometimes  the  hair  between 
the  ears  cut  off  quite  closely,  and  the  mane  arranged  in 
short  curls,  which  gives  them  a  resemblance  to  the 
horses  in  ancient  sculpture.  Mares  are  but  little 
valued,  so  little  indeed,  that  no  respectable  person  will 
ride  one. 

The  horse-breakers  (chalanes)  are  generally  free  men 
of  colour.  They  possess  great  bodily  vigour,  and  under- 
stand their  business  thoroughly ;  but  they  use  the 
horses  very  cruelly,  and  thereby  render  them  shy.  For 
the  first  three  years  foals  are  suffered  to  roam  about 
with  perfect  freedom  ;  after  that  time  they  are  saddled, 
an  operation  not  performed  without  great  difficulty, 
and  sometimes  found  to  be  impracticable,  until  the 
animal  is  thrown  on  the  ground  and  his  limbs  tied.  The 
young  horse  under  the  management  of  the  chalan  is 
trained  in  all  sorts  of  equestrian  feats,  especially  the  art 
of  pirouetting  (voltear).  This  consists  in  turning  either 
wholly  or  half  round  on  his  hind  legs  with  great  rapi- 
dity and  when  at  full  gallop.  Another  important 
object  of  the  chalan  is  to  teach  the  horse  to  stop  short 
suddenly,  and  to  stand  perfectly  motionless  (sentarse)  at 
the  signal  of  his  rider ;  and  to  go  backward  (cejar)  for 
a  considerable  space  in  a  straight  line.  When  all  this 
is  accomplished,  the  horse  is  regarded  as  completely 
broken  (quebrantado) . 

As  an  instance  of  the  certainty  with  which  a  Peru- 
vian horse  will  make  a  pirouette  (voltata]  at  the  signal 


MULES.  145 

of  his  rider,  I  may  mention  the  following  fact,  which 
occurred  under  my  own  observation.  A  friend  of  mine, 
in  Lima,  rode  at  full  gallop  up  to  the  city  wall,  (which 
is  scarcely  nine  feet  broad),  leaped  upon  it,  and  then 
made  his  horse  perform  a  complete  voltata,  so  that  the 
fore-feet  of  the  animal  described  the  segment  of  a  circle 
beyond  the  edge  of  the  wall.  The  feat  he  performed 
several  times  in  succession,  and  he  assured  me  he  could 
do  the  same  with  all  his  horses. 

Peruvian  taste  requires  that  the  neck  of  the  horse 
should  present  a  finely-curved  outline,  and  that  the 
mouth  should  be  drawn  inward,  so  as  to  approach  the 
breast.  The  horses  called  Cavallos  de  Brazo  are  much 
esteemed.  At  every  step  they  describe  a  large  circle 
with  their  fore-feet,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  horse- 
shoe strikes  the  lower  part  of  the  stirrup.  This  motion 
is  exceedingly  beautiful  when  combined  with  what  is 
termed  the  "  Spanish  pace/'  in  which  the  noble  form  of 
the  animal  and  his  proud  bearing  are  advantageously 
displayed. 

The  mule  is  a  very  important  animal  in  Peru.  The 
badness  of  the  roads  would  render  commercial  commu- 
nication impracticable,  were  it  not  for  mules.  The 
Peruvian  mules  are  fine  strong  animals.  The  best  are 
reared  in  Piura,  and  sent  to  Lima  for  sale.  The  amblers 
are  selected  for  tKe  saddle,  the  trotters  for  harness,  and 
the  rest  are  used  as  beasts  of  burthen.  The  price  of  a 
mule  of  middling  quality  is  one  hundred  dollars  ;  a 
better  one  double  or  treble  that  price  ;  and  the  very 
best  may  even  cost  ten  times  as  much.  The  endurance 

L 


146  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

of  these  animals  under  fatigue  and  indifferent  nurture 
is  extraordinary,  and  without  them  the  vast  sand  plains 
of  Peru  would  present  insuperable  obstacles  to  inter- 
course between  one  place  and  another.  In  the  power 
of  continuous  ambling  they  exceed  the  horses,  and  are 
often  equal  to  them  in  speed. 

In  Lima  there  is  a  public  lottery,  which  the  Govern- 
ment farms  to  a  private  individual,  for  a  considerable 
sum.  The  tickets  are  drawn  weekly.  The  price  of  a 
ticket  is  one  real.  The  largest  prize  is  1000  dollars; 
the  smaller  prizes  500,  250,  or  100  dollars.  A  lottery 
on  a  larger  scale  is  drawn  every  three  months.  The 
highest  prize  in  this  lottery  is  4000  dollars,  and  the 
price  of  the  ticket  is  four  reals.  To  every  ticket  is 
affixed  a  motto,  usually  consisting  of  an  invocation  to  a 
saint,  and  a  prayer  for  good  luck,  and  at  the  drawing  of 
the  lottery  this  motto  is  read  aloud  when  the  number 
of  the  ticket  is  announced.  Few  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Lima  fail  to  buy  at  least  one  ticket  in  the  weekly 
lottery.  The  negroes  are  particularly  fond  of  trying 
their  luck  in  this  way,  and  in  many  instances  fortune 
has  been  singularly  kind  to  them. 

"  Eating  and  drinking  keep  soul  and  body  together." 
So  says  the  German  proverb  ;  and  it  may  not  be  unin- 
teresting to  take  a  glance  at  the  Limefios  during  their 
performance  of  these  two  important'  operations.  The 
hour  of  breakfast  is  generally  nine  in  the  morning.  The 
meal  consists  of  boiled  mutton  (Sancochado),  soup 
(Caldo),  with  yuccas,  a  very  pleasant -tasted  root,  and 
Chupe.  This  last-mentioned  dish  consists,  in  its  simplest 


A   LIMA   BREAKFAST.  147 

form,  merely  of  potatoes  boiled  in  very  salt  water,  with 
cheese  and  Spanish  pepper.  When  the  chupe  is  made 
in  better  style,  eggs,  crabs,  and  fried  fish  are  added  to 
the  ingredients  already  named ;  and  it  is  then  a  very 
savoury  dish.  Chocolate  and  milk  are  afterwards 
served.  A  negress  brings  the  Chocolatera  into  the 
breakfast-room,  and  pours  out  a  cup  full  for  each 
person.  The  natives  prefer  the  froth  to  the  actual 
beverage ;  and  many  of  the  negresses  are  such  adepts 
in  the  art  of  pouring  out,  that  they  will  make  the  cup  so 
overflow  with  foam,  that  it  contains  scarcely  a  spoonful  of 
liquid.  Chocolate  is  the  favourite  beverage  of  the  Peru- 
vians. In  the  southern  parts  of  the  country  it  is 
customary  to  offer  it  to  visitors  at  all  hours  of  the  day. 
The  visitor  is  no  sooner  seated  than  he  is  presented 
with  a  cup  of  coffee,  which  is  often  so  thick  that  the 
spoon  will  stand  upright  in  it.  It  would  be  a  breach  of 
politeness  to  decline  this  refreshment,  and  whether 
agreeable  or  not  it  must  be  swallowed  ! 

The  best  cocoa  is  obtained  from  the  Montafias  of 
Urubamba,  and  from  the  Bolivian  Yungas.  The  long 
land  transport,  however,  renders  it  very  dear,  and 
therefore  the  nuts  brought  from  Guayaquil  are  those 
commonly  used  in  Lima. 

Dinner,  which  takes  place  aftout  two  or  three  in  the 
afternoon,  commences  with  a  very  insipid  kind  of  soup. 
This  is  followed  by  the  Puchero,  which  is  the  principal 
dish.  Puchero,  made  in  its  best  style,  contains  beef, 
pork,  bacon,  ham,  sausage,  poultry,  cabbage,  yuccas, 
camotes  (a  sort  of  sweet  potato),  potatoes,  rice,  peas, 

L2 


148  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

choclitas  (grains  of  maize),  quince  and  banana.  When 
served  up,  the  different  kinds  of  meat  are  placed  in  one 
dish,  and  the  vegetable  ingredients  in  another.  I  was 
at  first  astonished  at  the  poorness  of  the  soups  in  Lima, 
considering  the  quantity  of  meat  used  in  preparing 
them  ;  but  I  soon  discovered  that  the  SOUP  served  up  to 
table  was  little  more  than  water,  and  that  the  strong 
gravy  of  the  meat  was  either  thrown  away  or  given 
to  the  negroes.  There  prevails  an  almost  universal 
belief  that  the  liquor  in  which  the  meat  is  first  stewed 
is  injurious  to  health.  Only  a  very  few  families  are 
sufficiently  free  from  this  prejudice  to  allow  the  strong 
gravj-  to  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  caldo,  &c.  The 
Puchero  is  an  excellent  and  nutritious  dish,  and  would 
in  itself  suffice  for  a  dinner,  to  which,  however,  in 
Lima,  it  is  merely  the  introduction.  Roast  meat,  fish, 
vegetables,  preserves  and  salad  are  afterwards  served. 
Another  dish  not  less  indispensable  to  a  Lima  dinner 
than  pucker o,  is  picante.  Under  this  denomination 
are  included  a  variety  of  preparations  in  which  a  vast 
quantity  of  cayenne  pepper  is  introduced.  The  most 
favourite  picantes  are  the  calapulcra,  the  lagua,  the 
zango,  the  c/iarquican,  the  adobas,  the  picante  de 
ullucos,  &c.  The  calapulcra  is  composed  of  meat  and 
potatoes  dried  and  finely  pounded  ;  the  lagua  is  made 
of  maize  flour  and  pork  ;  the  zango,  of  the  same  ingre- 
dients, but  differently  prepared  ;  the  adobas  consists  of 
pork  alone  ;  and  the  picante  de  ullucos  is  made  of  a 
root  resembling  the  potato,  cut  into  small  square  bits. 
These  dishes,  though  much  too  highly  seasoned,  for 


VAKIOUS   DISHES   SERVED   AT   DINNER.  149 

European  palates,  are  considered  great  dainties  by 
the  Limeiios.  All  the  picantes  have  a  very  red  colour, 
owing  to  the  quantity  of  cayenne  used  in  preparing 
them ;  the  achote  grains,  which  are  also  used,  produce 
a  beautiful  vermilion  tint.  Another  dish,  common 
on  the  dinner-table  in  Lima,  is  called  ensalada 
de  frutas.  It  is  a  most  heterogeneous  compound, 
consisting  of  all  sorts  of  fruits  stewed  in  water.  To 
none  but  a  Limanian  stomach  could  such  a  mixture 
be  agreeable.  The  dessert  consists  of  fruits  and  sweets 
(dukes).  The  Limeno  must  always  drink  a  glass  of 
water  after  dinner,  otherwise  he  imagines  the  repast  can 
do  him  no  good  ;  but  to  warrant  the  drinking  of  the 
water,  or,  as  the  phrase  is,  para  tomar  agua,  it  is  neces- 
sary first  to  partake  of  dulces.  The  one  without  the 
other  would  be  quite  contrary  to  rule.  The  dulces 
consist  of  little  cakes  made  of  honey  or  of  the  pulp  of 
the  sugar-cane  ;  or  they  are  preserved  fruits,  viz.,  pine- 
apple, quince,  citron,  and  sometimes  preserved  beans  or 
cocoa-nut.  There  is  also  a  favourite  kind  of  dulce  made 
from  maize,  called  masamora. 

The  Peruvians  have  some  very  singular  prejudices  on 
the  subject  of  eating  and  drinking.  Every  article  of  food 
is,  according  to  their  notions,  either  heating  (caliente), 
or  cooling  (frio)  ;  and  they  believe  that  certain  things 
are  in  opposition  one  to  another,  or,  as  the  Limeiios 
phrase  it,  se  oponen.  The  presence  in  the  stomach  of 
two  of  these  opposing  articles  of  food,  for  example, 
chocolate  and  rice,  is  believed  to  be  highly  dangerous, 
and  sometimes  fatal.  It  is  amusing  to  observe  the 


150  TKAVELS   IN    PERU. 

Limefios  when  at  dinner,  seriously  reflecting,  before  they 
taste  a  particular  dish,  whether  it  is  in  opposition  to 
something  they  have  already  eaten.  If  they  eat  rice  at 
dinner,  they  refrain  from  drinking  water,  because  the 
two  things  se  oponen.  To  such  an  extreme  is  this  notion 
carried,  that  they  will  not  taste  rice  on  days  when  they 
have  to  wash,  and  laundresses  never  eat  it.  Frequently 
have  I  been  asked  by  invalids  whether  it  would  be  safe 
for  them  to  take  a  foot-bath  on  going  to  bed,  as  they 
had  eaten  rice  at  dinner  ! 

The  white  Creoles,  as  well  as  all  the  superior  class  of 
people  in  Lima,  are  exceedingly  temperate  in  drinking. 
Water  and  a  kind  of  sweet  wine  are  their  favourite  beve- 
rage ;  but  the  lower  classes  and  the  people  of  colour  are 
by  no  means  so  abstemious.  They  make  free  use  of  fer- 
mented drinks,  especially  brandy,  chicha,  and  guarapo. 
The  brandy  of  Peru  is  very  pure,  and  is  prepared  exclu- 
sively from  the  grape.  On  the  warm  sea  coast,  the  use 
of  this  liquor  is  not  very  injurious ;  there,  its  evil  effects 
are  counteracted  by  profuse  perspiration.  But  one  half 
the  quantity  that  may  be  drunk  with  impunity  on  the 
coast,  will  be  very  pernicious  in  the  cool  mountainous 
regions.  An  old  and  very  just  maxim  of  the  Jesuits  is, 
"Enpais  caliente,  aguardiente;  enpaisfrio,  aguafria"  (in 
the  warm  country,  brandy  ;  in  the  cold  country,  water). 

Guarapo  is  a  fermented  liquor,  made  of  sugar-cane 
pulp  and  water.  It  is  a  very  favourite  beverage  of  the 
negroes.  There  are  several  kinds  of  guarapo.  The 
best  sorts  are  tolerably  agreeable.  Chicha  is  a  sort  of 
beer  prepared  from  maize.  The  seeds  of  the  maize  are 


CHICHA.  1-51 

watered  and  left  until  they  begin  to  sprout,  after  which 
they  are  dried  in  the  sun.  When  sufficiently  dry  they 
are  crushed,  boiled  in  water,  and  then  allowed  to  stand 
till  fermentation  takes  place.  The  liquid  is  of  a  dark 
yellow  colour,  and  has  a  slightly  bitter  and  sharp  taste. 
Chicha  is  likewise  made  from  rice,  peas,  barley,  yuccas, 
pine-apples,  and  even  bread.  The  kind  most  gene- 
rally used  is  that  made  from  maize.  Even  before  the 
Spanish  conquest  of  Peru,  this  maize  beer  was  the 
common  beverage  of  the  Indians.  In  Lima  there  are 
some  very  dirty  and  ill-arranged  restaurations,  styled 
picanterias.  These  places  are  divided  by  partitions  into 
several  small  compartments,  each  of  which  contains  a 
table  and  two  benches.  The  restaurateur,  usually  a 
zambo  or  a  mulatto,  prides  himself  in  the  superiority  of 
his  picantes  and  his  chicha.  The  most  motley  assem- 
blages frequent  these  places  in  the  evening.  The  Congo 
negro,  the  grave  Spaniard,  the  white  Creole,  the  Chino, 
together  with  monks  and  soldiers,  may  be  seen,  all 
grouped  together,  and  devouring  with  evident  relish 
refreshments,  served  out  in  a  way  not  remarkable  for 
cleanliness.  Brandy  and  guarapo  are  likewise  sold  in 
shops  which  are  to  be  met  with  at  the  corner  of  almost 
every  street.  The  coffee-houses  are  very  inferior;  most 
of  them  are  very  dirty,  and  the  attendance  is  wretched. 
Every  street  in  Lima  contains  one  or  more  cigar 
shops,  in  which  mestizos  and  mulattos  are  busily  em- 
ployed in  making  cigars.  Smoking  is  a  universal  custom, 
and  is  practised  everywhere  except  in  the  churches.  The 
cigars  used  in  Lima  are  short,  and  the  tobacco  is  rolled 


152  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

in  paper,  or  in  dried  maize  leaves.  The  tobacco  is 
brought  from  the  northern  province,  Jaen  de  Bracamoras, 
in  very  hard  rolls  called  masos,  about  a  yard  long  and 
two  inches  thick.  Another  kind  of  cigars  is  made  of 
Peruvian  or  Columbian  tobacco.  They  are  scarcely  infe- 
rior to  the  Havannah  cigars,  and  would  be  quite  equal 
to  them,  if  they  were  kept  long  enough  and  well  dried  ; 
but  in  Lima  they  are  smoked  within  a  few  hours  after 
being  made.  When  any  one  wants  to  light  his  cigar  in 
the  street,  he  accosts  the  first  smoker  he  happens  to 
meet,  whatever  be  his  colour,  rank,  or  condition;  and 
asks  him  for  a  light.  The  slave  smokes  in  the  presence 
of  his  master,  and  when  his  cigar  dies  out,  he  uncere- 
moniously asks  leave  to  relight  it  at  his  master's.  It 
has  been  calculated  that  the  daily  cost  of  the  cigars 
smoked  in  Lima  and  the  immediate  vicinity  amounts  to 
2,300  dollars. 

Formerly  the  market  was  held  on  the  Plaza  Mayor, 
and  was  always  abundantly  supplied  with  vegetables, 
fruit,  and  flowers.  Now  it  is  held  in  the  Plazuela  de  la 
Inquisicion,  and  it  is  very  inferior  to  what  it  used  to 
be.  Along  the  sides  of  the  Plaza  are  stalls  kept  by 
women,  who  sell  sausages  and  fish.  The  central  part  of 
the  market  is  appropriated  to  the  sale  of  vegetables,  of 
which  there  is  always  an  excellent  supply.  Facing  the 
Palace  of  the  Inquisition  are  the  butchers'  shops.  The 
meat  is  good,  though  not  very  plentifully  displayed. 
The  most  abundant  kinds  of  meat  are  mutton  and  beef. 
The  slaughtering  of  young  animals  being  strictly  pro- 
hibited by  law,  veal,  lamb,  and  sucking  pigs  are  never 


THE   MARKET   OF    LIMA.  153 

seen  in  the  market.  The  daily  consumption  of  butcher's 
meat  in  Lima  is  about  twenty-eight  or  thirty  heads 
of  horned  cattle,  and  between  one  hundred  and  sixty 
and  two  hundred  sheep.  Pork,  neither  fresh  nor  cured, 
is  seen  in  the  market ;  though  great  numbers  of  swine 
are  slaughtered.  The  fleshy  parts  of  the  animal  are  cut 
into  small  square  pieces,  and  boiled ;  the  fat  or  lard  is 
used  in  cookery,  and  the  pieces  of  pork,  which  are  spread 
over  with  lard,  are  called  chicharones,  and  are  held  in 
high  esteem  by  Limanian  epicures.  There  is  an  abundant 
show  of  poultry  in  the  market,  especially  fowls  and 
turkeys,  which  are  brought  from  Huacho.  Game  is 
never  sold,  and  but  very  little  is  obtained  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Lima.  The  flower  market,  which  is  held 
on  the  Plaza  Mayor,  is  but  sparingly  supplied  with  the 
gifts  of  Flora.  The  ladies  of  Lima  recal  pleasing  recol- 
lections of  the  former  glory  of  their  flower  market,  and 
speak  with  regret  of  its  present  degenerate  condition. 
The  much-vaunted  pucheros  de  flores  are  still  occasion- 
ally displayed  for  sale.  They  are  composed  of  a  union  of 
fragrant  fruits  and  flowers.  Several  small  fruits  are  laid 
on  a  banana  leaf,  and  above  them  are  placed  odoriferous 
flowers,  tastefully  arranged  according  to  their  colours: 
the  whole  is  surmounted  with  a  strawberry,  and  is  pro- 
fusely sprinkled  with  agua  rica,  or  lavender  water. 
These  pucheros  are  very  pleasing  to  the  eye,  on  account 
of  the  tasteful  arrangement  of  the  flowers  ;  but  their 
powerful  fragrance  affects  the  nerves.  They  vary  in 
price,  according  to  the  rarity  of  the  fruits  and  flowers  of 
which  they  are  composed.  Some  cost  as  much  as  six 


154  TKAVELS   IN   PEEU. 

or  eight  dollars.  A  pucker  o  de  flores  is  one  of  the 
most  acceptable  presents  that  can  be  offered  to  a  Lima 
lady. 

A  mingled  feeling  of  disgust  and  surprise  takes  pos- 
session of  the  European  who  witnesses  the  joy  which 
pervades  all  classes  of  the  inhabitants  of  Lima  on  the 
announcement  of  a  bull-fight.  For  several  days  the 
event  is  the  exclusive  topic  of  conversation,  and,  strange 
to  say,  the  female  portion  of  the  population  takes  greater 
interest  in  it  than  the  men.  Bills  notifying  the  ap- 
proaching entertainment  are  stuck  up  at  the  corners  of 
the  streets ;  and  every  one  is  anxious  to  obtain  a  lista 
de  los  toros.  When  the  season  of  the  toros  *  commences, 
a  bull-fight  takes  place  every  Monday,  and  then  the 
whole  city  of  Lima  is  thrown  into  a  state  of  indescri- 
bable excitement.  The  ladies  prepare  their  finest  dresses 
for  the  occasion,  and  they  consider  it  the  greatest  pos- 
sible misfortune  if  anything  occurs  to  prevent  them 
going  to  the  bull-fight :  indeed,  a  Monday  passed  at 
home  in  the  season  of  the  toros  would  be  regarded  as  a 
lost  day  in  the  life  of  a  Limeiia.  Those  who  cannot  go 
to  the  corrida,  resort  to  the  bridge,  or  to  the  Alameda, 
where  they  sit  and  amuse  themselves  by  looking  at  the 
throngs  of  people  passing  and  repassing. 

In  the  time  of  the  Viceroys,  bull-fights  frequently  took 
place  on  the  Plaza  Mayor.  Now  there  is  a  place 
expressly  built  for  these  entertainments,  called  the 
Plaza  firme  del  Acho.  It  is  a  spacious  amphitheatre 

*  Toros  (Bulls)  is  used  by  way  of  contraction  for  Corrida  de  Toros  (Bull 
Course). 


BULL   FIGHTS.  155 

without  a  roof,  and  is  erected  at  the  end  of  the  new 
avenue  of  the  Alameda.  The  preparations  for  the  sport 
commence  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning.  Along  the 
Alameda  are  placed  rows  of  tables  covered  with  refresh- 
ments, consisting  of  lemonade,  brandy,  chicha,  picantes, 
fish,  dulces,  &c.  About  twelve  o'clock,  those  who  have 
engaged  places  in  the  amphitheatre  begin  to  move 
towards  the  Plaza  del  Acho. 

Most  European  ladies  would  turn  with  horror,  even 
from  a  description  of  these  cruel  sports,  which  the 
ladies  of  Lima  gaze  on  with  delight.  They  are  bar- 
barous diversions,  and  though  they  form  a  part  of 
national  customs,  they  are  nevertheless  a  national  dis- 
grace. At  the  same  time  it  would  be  unjust  to  make 
this  love  of  bull-fighting  a  ground  for  unqualified  censure 
on  the  Limenos,  or  a  reason  for  accusing  them  of  an 
utter  want  of  humanity.  Being  accustomed  to  these 
diversions  from  early  childhood,  they  regard  them  with 
perfect  indifference  ;  and  custom,  no  doubt,  blinds  them 
to  the  cruelties  they  witness  in  the  bull-ring.  The  same 
extenuation  may  be  urged  in  behalf  of  the  women  : 
and  though  to  most  of  the  Lime n as  a  bull-fight  affords 
the  highest  possible  gratification,  yet  there  are  some 
who  form  honourable  exceptions  to  this  remark,  and 
who,  with  true  feminine  feeling,  shrink  with  horror  from 
such  scenes. 

Peru  is  the  only  one  of  the  South  American  states  in 
which  bull-fights  are  included  in  the  category  of  public 
amusements.  As  Peru  was  the  last  to  answer  the  cry 
of  independence,  and  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  Spanish 


156  TRAVELS    IN    PEEU. 

domination,  so  she  adheres  with  most  tenacity  to  the 
customs  of  the  mother  country ;  for  she  has  not  the 
energy  requisite  for  developing  a  nationality  of  her  own. 
Even  here  is  apparent  that  want  of  independence  of 
character  for  which  the  Peruvians  are  remarkable.  The 
faults  of  the  Spaniards  in  them  become  vices,  because,  in 
imitating  without  reflecting,  they  push  everything  to 
an  extreme.  Thus,  if  bull-fights  are  cruel  in  Spain, 
they  are  barbarous  in  Lima.  The  government,  too,  finds 
it  expedient  to  court  popularity  by  favouring  public 
entertainments,  among  which  bull-fights  take  the  lead. 
By  allowing  the  people  to  indulge  unrestrainedly  in  all 
their  favourite  amusements,  the  government  gains  a  two- 
fold object,  viz.,  that  of  securing  the  support,  if  not  the 
love  of  the  people,  and  of  averting  public  attention 
from  political  affairs.  These,  it  must  be  confessed,  are 
important  objects  in  a  country  which,  like  Peru,  is  con- 
tinually disturbed  by  revolutions  caused  by  the  out- 
breaks of  a  turbulent  populace,  or  an  undisciplined 
army. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Geographical  Situation  of  Lima — Height  above  Sea  level — Temperature — Dis- 
eases— Statistical  Tables  of  Births  and  Deaths — Earthquakes— The  Valley 
of  Lima — The  River  Rimac — Aqueducts,  Trenches,  &c. — Irrigation — Plan- 
tations— Cotton — Sugar — Various  kinds  of  Grain — Maize — Potatoes,  and 
other  tuberous  roots — Pulse — Cabbage — Plants  used  for  Seasoning — Clover 
— The  Olive  and  other  Oil  Trees — Fruits— Figs  and  Grapes— The  Chirimoya 
— J"he  Palta — The  Banana  and  other  Fruits. 

LIMA,  according  to  the  careful  observations  made  by 
Herr  Scholtz,  is  situated  in  12°  3'  24"  south  latitude, 
and  77°  8'  30"  west  longitude  from  Greenwich.  It 
may,  however,  be  mentioned  that  the  longitude  from 
Greenwich  is  very  differently  stated.  In  sea  charts 
and  Manuals  of  Geography  it  is  often  marked  76°  50'. 
Humboldt  makes  it  77°  5'  5"  ;  and  Malaspina  77°  6' 
45".  According  to  Ulloa  it  is  70°  37'  west  of  Cadiz. 
The  latitude  is  very  generally  fixed  at  12°  2'  3"  south. 
The  height  above  the  level  of  the  sea  is  also  differently 
estimated.  Kivero,  in  the  Memorial  de  Ciencias  Natur- 
ales,  I.,  2,  page  112,  states  it  to  be  154  metres,  or  462 
French  feet.  On  another  occasion  he  makes  it  184f 
Castilian  varas  (each  vara  being  equal  to  33  inches 
English).  He  gives  the  following  account  of  heights, 
according  to  the  barometer,  between  Callao  and  Lima, 
in  varas,  viz.,  Callao,  00  ;  Baquijano,  24f ;  La  Legua, 
5 Of ;  MironeSj  94^;  Portada  del  Callao,  150;  Plaza  de 
Lima,  184|. 


158  TEAYELS    IN    PERU. 

The  first  estimate  given  by  Bivero  is  the  most 
correct.  Gay  makes  the  height  of  Lima,  at  the  corner 
of  the  church  of  Espiritu  Santo,  172*2  Castilian  varas  ; 
but  most  of  his  heights  are  incorrectly  stated. 

The  conical  hill  in  the  north-east  of  Lima,  called 
Cerro  de  San  Cristoval,  is,  according  to  trigonometrical 
measurements,  made  in  1737,  by  Don  Jorge  Juon,  and 
de  la  Condamines,  312  varas  higher  than  the  Plaza 
Mayor,  or  134  toises  above  the  sea  ;  but  one  of  the 
most  exact  measurements  is  Pentland's,  who  found  the 
height  to  be  1275  English  feet. 

The  average  temperature  during  the  hottest  period 
of  the  year,  from  December  to  March,  is  25°  C.  The 
medium  temperature  during  the  cold  season,  from 
April  to  November,  1 7*5°  C.  Highest  rise  of  the  hygro- 
meter, 21-5°. 

The  low  temperature  of  Lima  at  the  distance  of  only 
twelve  degrees  from  the  Equator  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
situation  of  the  town,  and  the  prevailing  atmospheric 
currents.  The  Cordilleras,  rising  at  the  distance,  only 
twenty-eight  Spanish  leagues  east  of  the  city,  are  crowned 
with  eternal  snow ;  and  on  the  west  the  sea  is  distant 
only  two  leagues.  The  prevailing  wind  blows  from  the 
south-south-west.  West  winds  are  not  very  common, 
though  they  sometimes  blow  with  extraordinary  violence 
for  those  regions,  and  breaking  on  the  surrounding  moun- 
tains, they  form  atmospheric  whirlwinds,  which  diffuse 
alarm  through  the  whole  population.  In  June,  1841, 1 
had  the  opportunity  of  observing  one  of  these  dreadful 
whirlwinds,  which  swept  away  huts,  and  tore  up  trees  by 


TEMPERATURE    OF    LIMA.  159 

the  roots.  The  atmospheric  currents  from  the  north, 
which  pass  over  the  hot  sand-flats,  are  not  of  constant 
occurrence,  but  they  are  oppressively  sultry.  There  must 
be  other  causes  for  the  low  temperature  of  Lima,  for  in 
the  villages,  only  a  few  miles  from  the  city,  and  exposed 
to  the  same  atmospheric  influences,  it  is  much  higher. 

Miraflores  is  a  small  place,  about  one  Spanish  league 
and  a  half  from  Lima,  but  it  is  much  hotter.  Among 
the  records  of  the  thermometer  are  the  following  :  — 

December  20  to  27,  maximum  31*8°  C.  ;  minimum, 
25-9°  C. 

December  28,  at  6  in  the  morning,  26*0°  C. ;  at 
2  P.M.,  32-7°  C.  ;  at  10  at  night,  27'3°  C. 

January  1,  at  2  P.M.,  33*1°  C.,  maximum  of  the  day. 

January  18,  at  2  P.M.,  maximum  34*2°  C. 

A  comparison  with  the  temperature  of  Lima,  on  the 
same  days,  gives  an  average  of  5 '7°  C.  of  heat  in  favour 
of  Miraflores. 

The  river  Bimac,  which  rises  among  the  glaciers  of 
the  Cordilleras,  and  after  a  course  of  no  great  length, 
intersects  the  city,  doubtless  contributes  to  cool  the 
atmosphere. 

The  climate  of  Lima  is  agreeable,  but  not  very  healthy. 
During  six  months,  from  April  to  October,  a  heavy, 
damp,  but  not  cold  mist  overhangs  the  city.  The  summer 
is  always  hot,  but  not  oppressive.  The  transition  from 
one  season  to  another  is  gradual,  and  almost  imper- 
ceptible. In  October  and  November  the  misty  canopy 
begins  to  rise  ;  it  becomes  'thinner,  and  yields  to  the" 
penetrating  rays  of  the  sun.  In  April  the  horizon 


160  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

begins  to  resume  the  misty  veil.  The  mornings  are  cool 
and  overcast,  but  the  middle  of  the  day  is  clear.  In  a 
few  weeks  after,  the  brightness  of  noon  also  disappears. 
The  great  humidity  gives  rise  to  many  diseases,  particu- 
larly fevers,  and  the  alternations  from  heat  to  damp 
cause  dysentery.  On  an  average,  the  victims  to  this 
disease  are  very  numerous.  It  is  endemic,  and  becomes, 
at  apparently  regular  but  distant  periods,  epidemic. 
The  intermittent  fevers  or  agues,  called  tercianos,  are 
throughout  the  whole  of  Peru  very  dangerous,  both 
during  their  course  and  in  their  consequences.  It  may 
be  regarded  as  certain  that  two-thirds  of  the  people  of 
Lima  are  suffering  at  all  times  from  tercianos,  or  from 
the  consequences  of  the  disease.  It  usually  attacks 
foreigners,  not  immediately  on  their  arrival  in  Lima,  but 
some  years  afterwards.  In  general  the  tribute  of  accli- 
matation  is  not  so  soon  paid  by  emigrants  in  Lima  as  in 
other  tropical  regions. 

In  consequence  of  the  ignorance  of  the  medical  attend- 
ants, and  the  neglect  of  the  police,  the  statistical  tables 
of  deaths  are  very  imperfectly  drawn  up,  and  therefore 
cannot  be  entirely  depended  upon.  I  may,  however, 
here  subjoin  one  of  them,  which  will  afford  the  reader 
some  idea  of  the  mortality  of  Lima. 

The  annual  number  of  deaths  in  Lima  varies  from 
2,500  to  2,800. 

In  the  ten  months,  from  the  1st  of  January  to 
the  30th  of  October,  1841,  the  number  of  marriages 
"was  134,  of  which  46  were  contracted  by  whites,  and 
88  by  people  of  colour. 


AMOUNT    OF    BIRTHS    AND    DEATHS. 


161 


DEATHS  IN  LIMA  FROM  JANUARY  1,  TO  OCTOBER  30,  1841 


Diseases. 

Men. 

Women. 

Children. 

Total. 

171 

105 

59 

335 

Fevers,  chiefly  intermittent     . 

57 

88 

71 

216 

Typhus        

14 

7 

24 

45 

Pulmonary  Consumption 

87 

110 

11 

208 

Inflammation  of  the  Lungs  .... 

78 

75 

26 

179 

Dropsy,  for  the  most  part  a  consequence  of  1 
intermittent  fevers    J 

33 

32 

7 

72 

Hooping-cough    

36 

36 

Small  Pox        

3 

1 

4 

Sudden  death       

23 

13 

1 

37 

Shot         

3 

3 

Various  Diseases          

271 

228 

610 

1,109 

740 

658 

846 

2,244 

The  number  of  births  were : — 


Boys. 

Girls. 

Total. 

In  marriage      

410 

412 

822 

Not  in  marriage   ..... 

432 

428 

860 

842 

840 

1,682 

The  number  of  births  not  in  marriage  (860)  is 
remarkable,  and  no  less  so  is  the  number  of  dead  child- 
ren exposed,  which,  during  the  above  interval,  was 
495.  These  are  most  decided  proofs  of  the  immorality 
and  degraded  state  of  manners  prevailing  in  Lima,  par- 
ticularly among  the  coloured  part  of  the  population. 
Though  there  is  no  certain  evidence  of  the  fact,  yet 
there  is  reason  to  conjecture  that  a  considerable  number 
of  those  infants  are  destroyed  by  the  mothers.  Of  the 
children  born  out  of  marriage,  nearly  two-thirds,  and  of 
those  exposed  dead,  full  four-fifths  are  Mulattos. 

The  important  annual  surplus  of  deaths  over  births  is 
a  matter  of  serious  consideration  for  Lima.  The  above 

M 


162  TRAVELS   IN   PEKU. 

tables  show,  in  the  course  of  ten  months,  a  surplus  of 
562  deaths.  By  a  comparison  of  the  lists  of  births  and 
deaths  from  1826  to  1842,  I  find  that  on  an  average 
there  are  annually  550  more  deaths  than  births.  It 
would  lead  me  too  far  to  endeavour  to  investigate  all 
the  grounds  of  this  disparity,  but  I  may  observe  that 
one  of  the  causes,  unquestionably,  is  the  common,  though 
punishable  crime  of  producing  abortion. 

Along  the  whole  coast  of  Peru  the  atmosphere  is 
almost  uniformly  in  a  state  of  repose.  It  is  not  illumi- 
nated by  the  lightning's  flash,  or  disturbed  by  the  roar 
of  the  thunder  :  no  deluges  of  rain,  no  fierce  hurricanes 
destroy  the  fruits  of  the  fields,  and  with  them  the  hopes 
of  the  husbandman.  Even  fire  appears  here  to  have 
lost  its  annihilating  power,  and  the  work  of  human 
hands  seems  to  be  sacred  from  its  attack.*  But  the 
mildness  of  the  elements  above  ground  is  frightfully 
counterbalanced  by  their  subterranean  fury. 

Lima  is  frequently  visited  by  earthquakes,  and  several 
times  the  city  has  been  reduced  to  a  mass  of  ruins.  At  an 
average  forty-five  shocks  may  be  counted  on  in  the  year. 
Most  of  them  occur  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  in 
November,  December,  January,  May,  and  June.  Expe- 
rience gives  reason  to  expect  the  visitation  of  two 
desolating  earthquakes  in  a  century.  The  period 


*  A  great  fire  is  a  thing  almost  unknown  in  Lima.  The  houses  are  of  brick, 
and  seldom  have  any  wooden  beams,  so  there  is  little  food  for  a  fire.  The  only 
fire  which  I  heard  of  in  Lima  was  that  of  the  13th  January,  1835,  when  the 
ulterior  of  the  Capilla  del  Milagro  of  San  Francisco  was  destroyed.  The  repairs 
cost  50,000  dollars.  On  the  27th  November,  1838,  it  was  again  solemnly 
consecrated. 


EARTHQUAKES.  163 

between  the  two  is  from  forty  to  sixty  years.  The 
most  considerable  catastrophes  experienced  in  Lima 
since  Europeans  have  visited  the  west  coast  of  South 
America,  happened  in  the  years  1586,  1630,  1687, 
1713,  1746,  1806.  There  is  reason  to  fear  that  in  the 
course  of  a  few  years  this  city  may  be  the  prey  of 
another  such  visitation. 

The  slighter  shocks  are  sometimes  accompanied  by  a 
noise ;  at  other  times,  they  are  merely  perceptible  by 
the  motion  of  the  earth.  The  subterraneous  noises  are 
manifold.  For  the  most  part  they  resemble  the  rattling 
of  a  heavy  loaded  waggon,  driven  rapidly  over  arches. 
They  usually  accompany  the  shock,  seldom  precede  it, 
and  only  in  a  few  cases  do  they  follow  it ;  sounding 
like  distant  thunder.  On  one  occasion  the  noise  appeared 
to  me  like  a  groan  from  the  depth  of  the  earth,  accom- 
panied by  sounds  like  the  crepitation  of  wood  in  parti- 
tions when  an  old  house  is  consumed  by  fire. 

Of  the  movements,  the  horizontal  vibrations  are  the 
most  frequent,  and  they  cause  the  least  damage  to  the 
slightly-built  habitations.  Vertical  shocks  are  most 
severe  ;  they  rend  the  walls,  and  raise  the  houses  out  of 
their  foundations.  The  greatest  vertical  shock  I  ever  felt 
was  on  the  4th  of  July,  1839,  at  half-past  seven  in  the 
evening,  when  I  was  in  the  old  forests  of  the  Chanchamoyo 
territory.  Before  my  hut  there  was  an  immense  stem 
of  a  felled  tree,  which  lay  with  its  lower  end  on  the 
stump  of  the  root.  I  was  leaning  against  it  and  reading, 
when  suddenly,  by  a  violent  movement,  the  stem  rose 
about  a  foot  and  a  half,  and  I  was  thrown  backwards 

it,  2 


164  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

over  it.  By  the  same  shock  the  neighbouring  river, 
Aynamayo,  was  dislodged  from  its  bed,  and  its  course 
thereby  changed  for  a  considerable  length  of  way. 

I  have  had  no  experience  of  the  rotatory  movements 
of  earthquakes.  According  to  the  statements  of  all  who 
have  observed  them,  they  are  very  destructive,  though 
uncommon.  In  Lima  I  have  often  felt  a  kind  of  con- 
cussion, which  accords  with  that  term  in  the  strictest 
sense  of  the  word.  This  movement  had  nothing  in 
common  with  what  may  be  called  an  oscillation,  a  shock, 
or  a  twirl :  it  was  a  passing  sensation,  similar  to  that 
which  is  felt  when  a  man  seizes  another  unexpectedly 
by  the  shoulder,  and  shakes  him  ;  or  like  the  vibration 
felt  on  board  a  ship  when  the  anchor  is  cast,  at  the 
moment  it  strikes  the  ground.  I  believe  it  is  caused  by 
short,  rapid,  irregular  horizontal  oscillations.  The  irre- 
gularity of  the  vibrations  are  attended  by  much  danger, 
for  very  slight  earthquakes  of  that  kind  tear  away 
joists  from  their  joinings,  and  throw  down  roofs,  leav- 
ing the  walls  standing,  which,  in  all  other  kinds  of 
commotion,  usually  suffer  first,  and  most  severely. 

Humboldt  says  that  the  regularity  of  the  hourly  vari- 
ations of  the  magnetic  needle  and  the  atmospheric 
pressure  is  undisturbed  on  earthquake  days  within  the 
tropics.  In  seventeen  observations,  which  I  made 
during  earthquakes  in  Lima  with  a  good  Lefevre  baro- 
meter, I  found,  in  fifteen  instances,  the  position  of  the 
mercury  quite  unaltered.  On  one  occasion,  shortly 
before  a  commotion,  I  observed  it  2.4  lines  lower  than 
it  had  been  two  hours  before.  Another  time,  I 


PROGNOSTICS    OF    EARTHQUAKES.  165 

observed,  also  on  the  approach  of  the  shock  and  during 
the  twelve  following  hours,  a  remarkable  rising  and 
sinking  in  the  column.  During  these  observations  the 
atmosphere  was  entirely  tranquil. 

Atmospheric  phenomena  are  frequent,  but  not  infal- 
lible prognostics  of  an  earthquake.  I  have  known 
individuals  in  Lima,  natives  of  the  coast,  who  were 
seldom  wrong  in  predicting  an  earthquake,  from  their 
observation  of  the  atmosphere.  In  many  places  great 
meteors  have  been  seen  before  the  commotion.  Before 
the  dreadful  earthquake  of  1746,  there  were  seen  fiery 
vapours  (ewhalaciones  encendidas)  rising  out  of  the  earth. 
On  the  island  of  San  Lorenzo  these  phenomena  were 
particularly  remarked. 

Many  persons  have  an  obscure  perception — a  fore- 
boding, which  is  to  them  always  indicative  of  an 
approaching  earthquake.  They  experience  a  feeling  of 
anxiety  and  restlessness,  a  pressure  of  the  breast,  as 
if  an  immense  weight  were  laid  on  it.  A  momentary 
shudder  pervades  the  whole  frame,  or  there  is  a  sudden 
trembling  of  the  limbs.  I,  myself,  have  several  times 
experienced  this  foreboding,  and  there  can  scarcely  be  a 
more  painful  sensation.  It  is  felt  with  particular  severity 
by  those  who  have  already  had  the  misfortune  to  have 
been  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  an  earthquake. 

I  will  here  only  briefly  mention  the  celebrated  earth- 
quake of  1 746,  as  all  its  details  are  fully  described  in  many 
publications.  The  reader  need  scarcely  be  reminded 
that  it  happened  on  the  28th  of  October,  the  day  of 
St.  Simon  and  St.  Jude.  During  the  night,  between 


166  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

ten  and  eleven  o'clock,  the  earth  having  begun  to  trem- 
ble, a  loud  howling  was  heard,  and,  in  a  few  moments, 
Lima  became  a  heap  of  ruins.  The  first  shock  was  so 
great,  that  the  town  was  almost  completely  destroyed 
by  it.  Of  more  than  3000  houses,  only  twenty-one 
remained.  Still  more  horrible  was  the  destruction  in 
the  harbour  of  Callao.  The  movement  of  the  earth  had 
scarcely  been  felt  there,  when  the  sea,  with  frightful 
roaring,  rushed  over  the  shore,  and  submerged  the 
whole  town  with  its  inhabitants.  Five  thousand  per- 
sons were  instantly  buried  beneath  the  waves.  The 
Spanish  corvette,  San  Fermin,  which  lay  at  anchor  in 
the  port,  was  thrown  over  the  walls  of  the  fortress.  A 
cross  still  marks  the  place  where  the  stern  of  the  vessel 
fell.  Three  merchant  ships,  heavily  laden,  suffered  the 
same  fate.  The  other  ships  which  were  at  anchor,  nine- 
teen in  number,  were  sunk.  The  number  of  lives 
sacrificed  by  this  earthquake  has  not  been,  with  perfect 
accuracy,  recorded.'55-  Humboldt,  in  his  Cosmos,  men- 
tions that  during  this  earthquake  a  noise  like  subterra- 
neous thunder  was  heard  at  Truxillo,  eighty-five  leagues 
north  of  Callao.  It  was  first  observed  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  after  the  commotion  occurred  at  Lima,  but  there 
was  then  no  trembling  of  the  earth.  According  to  the 


*  The  date  of  this  catastrophe  recalls  the  following  passage  in  Schiller's 
William  Tell :  "— 

"  's  ist  heut  Simons  und  Juda 
Da  ras  't  der  See  und  will  sein  Opfer  haben." 

"  'Tis  the  festival  of  Simon  and  Jude, 
And  the  lake  rages  for  its  sacrifice." 


ATMOSPHERIC   PHENOMENA.  167 

old  chronicle  writers,  the  earthquake  of  1630  was  more 
disastrous. 

The  serious  commotions  which  take  place  on  •  the 
Peruvian  coast  appear  to  acquire  progressively  greater 
extension,  but  only  in  the  southern  and  northern  direc- 
tions. A  shock,  of  which  Lima  is  the  centre,  though 
felt  fifty  leagues  towards  the  north  and  as  far  towards 
the  south,  may  nevertheless  be  imperceptible  in  the 
easterly  direction  (towards  the  mountains)  at  the  dis- 
tance of  ten  or  twelve  leagues.  This  peculiarity  is 
made  manifest,  not  only  by  the  terraqueous  oscillations, 
but  also  by  the  undulations  of  the  sound,  which  usually 
proceeds  still  further  in  a  direction  towards  the  south  or 
the  north. 

Slight  shocks  are  usually  only  local,  and  are  not  felt 
beyond  the  limits  of  a  few  square  miles. 

The  atmospheric  phenomena  during  and  after  earth- 
quakes are  very  different.  In  general  the  atmosphere 
is  tranquil,  but  occasionally  a  stormy  agitation  is  the 
harbinger  of  a  change.  I  was  unexpectedly  overtaken 
by  a  violent  commotion  on  the  sand-flat  between  Chancay 
and  Lima.  The  whole  surface  of  the  plain  presented  a 
kind  of  curling  movement,  and  on  every  side  small 
columns  of  sand  rose  and  whirled  round  and  round. 
The  mules  stopped  of  their  own  accord,  and  spread  out 
their  legs  as  for  support  and  to  secure  themselves 
against  apprehended  danger.  The  arieros  (mule-drivers) 
leaped  from  their  saddles,  threw  themselves  on  their 
knees  beside  the  animals,  and  prayed  to  heaven  for 
mercy. 


168  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

The  effect  of  earthquakes  on  the  fertility  of  the  soil 
is  sometimes  remarkable.  Numerous  observations  tend 
to  show  that  after  violent  commotions  luxuriant  lands 
often  become  barren  wastes,  and  for  several  years 
produce  no  thriving  vegetation.  Several  Quebradas  in 
the  province  of  Truxillo,  formerly  remarkable  for  their 
fertility  in  grain,  were  left  fallow  for  twenty  years  after 
the  earthquake  of  1630,  as  the  soil  would  produce 
nothing.  Similar  cases  occurred  at  Supe,  Huaura,  Lima, 
and  Yea.  All  kinds  of  grain  appear  to  be  very  suscep- 
tible to  the  changes  produced  by  earthquakes.  Cases 
are  recorded  in  which,  after  slight  shocks,  fields  of 
maize  in  full  bloom  have  withered  ;  and  in  the  course  of 
a  day  or  two  the  crops  have  perished. 

The  causes  of  the  frequent  earthquakes  on  the  coast 
of  Lima  are  involved  in  an  obscurity  too  deep  to  be 
unveiled.  That  they  are  connected  with  volcanic  phe- 
nomena seems  probable.  Lima  is  more  than  ninety 
leagues  distant  from  the  nearest  active  volcano,  that  of 
Arequipa.  But  the  earthquakes  of  the  Peruvian  capital 
are  uniformly  independent  of  any  state  of  activity  in 
that  volcano,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  town  of 
Arequipa,  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  expe- 
riences fewer  earthquakes  than  Lima.  Of  the  six 
serious  earthquakes,  the  dates  of  which  I  have  men- 
tioned, only  that  of  1687  stands  in  connection  with  a 
decided  shock  in  Arequipa,  and  an  eruption  of  the 
volcano.  Earthquakes  are  of  rarer  occurrence  in  the 
mountainous  districts  than  on  the  coast,  yet  Huancavel- 
lica,  Tarma,  Pasco,  Caramarca,  have  been  visited  by 


EARTHQUAKE    IN    QUIQUIJANA.  169 

heavy  shocks ;  and  within  a  recent  period  the  village 
Quiquijana,  in  the  Province  of  Quipicanchi,  Department 
of  Cusco,  suffered  from  a  serious  commotion.  In  a 
letter  from  an  eye-witness  I  received  the  following 
account  of  it. 

"In  November,  1840,  the  earth  began  to  move 
faintly  back  and  forward,  and  a  dull,  distant,  subter- 
raneous noise  continued  without  interruption.  The 
first  powerful  shock  occurred  on  the  23rd 'of  December. 
During  the  whole  month  of  January,  1841,  heavy 
thunder  prevailed,  but  without  any  motion  of  the  earth. 
On  February  llth  we  again  had  a  smart  shock,  and  from 
that  day  the  vibrations  recommenced,  which,  strange 
enough,  were  always  most  violent  on  Mondays  and 
Thursdays.  The  subterraneous  noise  resounded  inces- 
santly ;  but  it  was  heard  only  in  the  village  ;  for  at  the 
distance  of  half  a  league  from  it  all  was  tranquil.  The 
heaviest  shocks  were  felt  in  a  circuit  within  the  radius 
of  three  leagues.  From  May  21st  to  June  2nd,  all  was 
tranquil ;  after  the  last-mentioned  date  the  vibrations 
recommenced,  and  frequently  became  heavy  commo- 
tions. They  continued  until  the  middle  of  July,  1841. 
From  that  time  we  have  not  been  disturbed,  and  we 
have  now  returned  to  the  ruins  of  our  village/' 

The  volcano  of  Arequipa,  which  is  forty-five  leagues 
distant  from  Quiquijana,  manifested,  during  the  whole 
of  this  time,  no  unusual  phenomena,  a  circumstance 
which  speaks  forcibly  against  the  idea  of  any  local 
connection  between  the  earthquake  and  the  volcano. 

On  most  men   earthquakes    make    a   powerful  and 


170  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

extraordinary  impression.  The  sudden  surprise,  often 
in  sleep,  the  imminent  danger,  the  impossibility  of 
escape,  the  dull  subterraneous  noise,  the  yielding  of  the 
earth  under  the  feet, — altogether  make  a  formidable 
demand  on  the  weakness  of  human  nature. 

Humboldt  in  the  Cosmos  truly  observes — "  What  is 
most  wonderful  for  us  to  comprehend  is  the  undeception 
which  takes  place  with  respect  to  the  kind  of  innate 
belief  which  men  entertain  of  the  repose  and  immova- 
bility of  the  terrestrial  strata."  And  further  on  he 
says — "  The  earthquake  appears  to  men  as  something 
omnipresent  and  unlimited.  From  the  eruption  of  a 
crater,  from  a  stream  of  lava  running  towards  our 
dwellings,  it  appears  possible  to  escape,  but  in  an  earth- 
quake, whichever  way  flight  is  directed  the  fugitive 
believes  himself  on  the  brink  of  destruction  I"  No 
familiarity  with  the  phenomenon  can  blunt  this  feeling. 
The  inhabitant  of  Lima  who,  from  childhood,  has 
frequently  witnessed  these  convulsions  of  nature,  is 
roused  from  his  sleep  by  the  shock,  and  rushes  from 
his  apartment  with  the  cry  of  "  Misericordia!"  The 
foreigner  from  the  north  of  Europe,  who  knows  nothing 
of  earthquakes  but  by  description,  waits  with  impatience 
to  feel  the  movement  of  the  earth,  and  longs  to  hear 
with  his  own  ears  the  subterraneous  sounds  which  he 
has  hitherto  considered  fabulous.  With  levity  he  treats 
the  apprehension  of  a  coming  convulsion,  and  laughs  at 
the  fears  of  the  natives.  But  as  soon  as  his  wish  is 
gratified  he  is  terror-stricken,  and  is  involuntarily 
prompted  to  seek  safety  in  flight. 


THE   VALLEY   OF   LIMA.  171 

In  Lima,  the  painful  impression  produced  by  an 
earthquake  is  heightened  by  the  universality  of  the 
exercise  of  the  devotions  (plegarias)  on  such  a  cala- 
mity. Immediately  on  the  shock  being  felt,  a  signal  is 
given  from  the  cathedral,  and  the  long-measured  ten 
minute  tollings  of  all  the  church  bells  summon  the  inha- 
bitants to  prayers. 

Taking  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole  coast  of 
Peru,  we  perceive  that  Lima  lies  in  one  of  those  oases 
which  break  the  continuity  of  the  extensive  sand-flats. 
These  valleys  present  themselves  wherever  a  river,  after  a 
short  course  from  the  Cordilleras,  falls  into  the  sea;  they 
are  always  fan-shaped  widenings  of  the  mountain  ravines. 
The  valley  of  Lima  lies  in  the  widest  extension  of  the 
Quebrada  of  Mutucamas.  This  narrow  gorge,  which  has 
its  main  direction  from  E.N.E.  to  W.S.W.,  widens  at 
Cocachacra,  and  extends  into  San  Pedro  Mama,  where 
the  Quebrada  of  San  Geronimo  unites  with  it.  It  then 
runs  down  to  the  coast,  extending  more  and  more  in 
width,  and  is  intersected  by  the  Rimac.*  This  river 
rises  in  two  branches,  the  largest  of  which  has  its  source 
in  some  small  lagunes,  in  the  upper  part  of  Antarangra, 
on  a  height  15,600  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
The  second  and  shorter  branch  takes  its  source  from  a 


*  RIM  AC  is  the  present  participle  of  rimay,  to  speak,  to  prattle.  The  river 
and  the  valley  were  known  by  this  name  among  all  the  ancient  Indians.  The 
oracle  of  a  temple  with  an  idol,  which  stood  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  present 
city  of  Lima,  conferred  the  name.  It  is  said  that  before  the  tune  of  the  Incas 
persons  suspected  of  magic  were  banished  to  the  valley  of  the  Rimac,  on  which 
account  it  obtained  the  name  of  Rimac-malca,  that  is,  the  WITCHES-VALLEY. 
This  account,  which  is  given  by  some  early  travellers,  requires  farther  his- 
torical and  philological  inquiry,  before  its  correctness  can  be  admitted. 


172  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

small  lake  in  the  heights  of  Carampoma,  flows  through 
the  valley  of  San  Geronimo,  and  near  San  Pedro  unites 
with  the  Bimac.  The  most  considerable  streams  of 
the  south-eastern  confluence  are  those  which  rise  in 
the  heights  of  Carhuapampa,  and  near  Tambo  de  Viso, 
flow  into  the  main  stream.  During  winter  the  Bimac 
is  very  inconsiderable,  but  when  the  rainy  season  sets 
in  it  swells  greatly,  and  in  the  upper  regions,  particu- 
larly between  Surco  and  Cocachacra,  causes  great  devas- 
tations. In  the  lower  part,  where  the  bed  becomes 
broad  and  the  banks  are  not  much  built  on,  no  consider- 
able damage  occurs. 

Several  small  conduits  are  brought  from  the  Bimac, 
some  for  giving  moisture  to  fields,  and  others  for  filling 
the  street  trenches  of  Lima.  The  water  for  supplying 
the  fountains  of  the  Capital  does  not,  however,  come 
from  the  river,  but  from  two  springs  situated  1^  league 
from  Lima  in  a  thicket  near  an  old  Indian  settlement, 
called  Santa  Bosa,  in  the  valley  of  Surco.  They  are 
inclosed  within  a  building  called  the  Puello,  or  Atarrea, 
whence  the  waters  are  conveyed  by  a  subterraneous 
trench  to  the  Beservoir  (Caja  de  Santo  Tomas),  from 
which  it  is  distributed  by  pipes  to  1 1 2  public  and  private 
fountains.  During  the  insurrection  of  the  Indians  in 
1781,  which  was  instigated  by  the  unfortunate  Cacique 
Don  Jose  Gabriel  Tupac  Amaru,  one  of  the  sworn  de- 
terminations of  the  participators  in  that  very  extensive 
conspiracy  was  to  drive  the  Spaniards  out  of  Lima  by 
artifice  or  force.  Among  the  numerous  plans  for  accom- 
plishing that  object,  I  will  mention  two  which  have 


CONSPIRACIES   OF   THE    INDIANS.  173 

reference  to  the  water  of  Lima.  One  scheme  was  to 
poison  the  whole  of  the  inhabitants.  For  this  purpose 
a  rich  Cacique  of  the  vale  of  Huarochirin  went  to  an 
apothecary  near  the  bridge,  and  asked  for  two  hundred- 
weight of  corrosive  sublimate,  saying,  that  he  would  pay 
well  for  it.  The  apothecary  had  not  entire  confidence  in 
the  Indian ;  but  he  did  not  think  it  right  to  forego  the 
opportunity  of  making  a  very  profitable  sale  ;  so,  instead 
of  the  sublimate,  he  made  up  the  same  quantity  of  alum 
for  the  Cacique,  and  received  the  price  he  demanded. 
Next  morning  all  the  water  in  Lima  was  unfit  for  use. 
On  examination  it  was  found  that  the  inclosure  of  the 
Atarrea  was  broken  down,  and  the  source  saturated 
with  alum.  The  offender  remained  undiscoved. 

The  second  plan  was  formed  with  more  circumspection. 
The  conspirators  resolved  on  a  certain  day  to  send  into 
the  city  a  number  of  Indians,  who  were  to  conceal  them- 
selves on  the  roofs  of  the  shops  (Pulperias),  in  which 
quantities  of  firewood  were  kept  for  sale.  The  moment 
the  cathedral  struck  the  hour  of  midnight,  the  concealed 
Indians  were  to  set  fire  to  the  wood.  Another  division 
of  Indians  was  immediately  to  dam  up  the  river  at  the 
convent  of  Santa  Clara,  and  thereby  lay  the  streets 
under  water.  During  the  unavoidable  confusion,  which 
must  have  taken  place,  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  was 
to  enter  the  town  and  massacre  all  the  whites.  This 
well-combined  plan  was  by  mere  accident  discovered, 
when  it  was  of  course  frustrated. 

The  fertility  of  the  soil  round  Lima  is  very  great 
when  irrigation  is  practicable.  Where  this  cannot  be 


174  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

accomplished,  the  earth  withholds  even  the  most  scanty 
vegetation.  The  riego,  or  irrigation,  is  thus  effected.  On 
certain  days  the  water  conduits  are  closed,  and  the  fields 
are  laid  under  water.  When  there  is  a  deficient  supply 
of  water,  the  trenches,  or  conduits,  are  not  opened  till 
the  following  day.  When,  however,  the  supply  of  water 
is  abundant,  the  riego  takes  place  early  every  morning. 

As  the  same  identical  plants  are  cultivated  along 
almost  the  whole  coast,  I  will  here  notice  them,  to  save 
the  necessity  of  returning  to  them  hereafter. 

COTTON  is  cultivated  only  in  a  few  plantations  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Lima ;  but  it  abounds  more  in  the 
northern  districts,  particularly  in  the  Department  de  la 
Libertad,  in  the  coast  province  Piura,  in  Lambayeque, 
and  in  Truxillo.  In  the  southern  province  Yea  a  con- 
siderable quantity  is  also  reared  for  exportation.  The 
brown  cotton  was  chiefly  cultivated  in  the  time  of  the 
Incas.  Most  of  the  bodies  found  in  the  -ancient  graves 
on  the  coast  are  enveloped  in  this  kind  of  cotton. 

The  SUGAR  CANE  is  cultivated  with  success  in  all 
plantations  where  there  is  sufficient  moisture  of  soil ; 
and  of  all  the  agricultural  produce  of  the  country,  it 
yields  the  greatest  profit.  The  sugar  estates  lie  on  the 
sea-coast,  or  along  the  banks  of  rivers.  The  vertical 
limit  of  the  sugar  cane  growth  is  on  the  western  decli- 
vity of  the  Cordilleras,  about  4500  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  at  which  height  I  saw  fields  covered 
with  it.  The  largest  plantations,  however,  do  not  rise 
above  1200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ;  while  those 
of  the  same  extent  on  the  eastern  declivity  are  at  the 


PREPARATION   OF   SUGAR.  175 

height  of  6000  feet.  Within  the  last  forty  years,  the 
introduction  of  the  Otaheitian  cane  has  greatly  improved 
the  Peruvian  plantations  in  quality,  and  has,  more  espe- 
cially, increased  the  quantity  of  their  produce  ;  for  the 
Otaheitian  canes  are  found  to  yield  proportionally  one- 
third  more  than  the  West  India  canes,  which  were  pre- 
viously cultivated. 

The  preparation  of  the  sugar  is,  as  yet,  conducted  in 
a  very  rude  and  laborious  manner.  In  most  of  the 
plantations  the  cane  is  passed  through  wooden  presses 
with  brass  rollers.  These  machines  are  called  trapiches 
or  ingenios.  They  are  kept  in  motion  by  oxen  or 
mules.  In  some  large  estates  water  power  is  employed, 
and  in  San  Pedro  de  Lurin  a  steam-engine  has  been 
put  up,  which  certainly  does  the  work  quickly ;  but 
it  often  has  to  stand  for  a  long  time  idle.  A  part  of 
the  sugar-cane  juice  is  used  for  making  the  liquor  called 
guarapo,  or  distilled  for  making  rum ;  for  since  the  inde- 
pendence, the  law  which  strictly  prohibited  the  distillation 
of  spirituous  liquors  in  plantations  has  been  repealed. 
The  remainder  is  boiled  down  into  a  syrup,  or  further 
simmered  until  it  thickens  into  cakes,  called  chancacas, 
or  brown  sugar.  After  a  careful  purification  it  is  made 
into  the  white  cakes  called  alfajores,  or  prepared  as 
white  sugar.  In  fineness  of  grain  and  purity  of  colour  it 
is  inferior  to  .the  Havannah  sugar,  which,  however,  it 
exceeds  in  sweetness.  The  regular  weight  of  the  sugar- 
loaf  is  two  arobas  ;  only  for  convenience  of  transport 
into  the  mountainous  districts  their  weight  is  some- 
times diminished.  The  consumption  of  sugar  in  the 


176  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

country  is  great,  and  its  export  is  considerable,  but  it 
goes  only  to  Chile. 

Of  the  different  kinds  of  grain,  maize  is  most  generally 
and  most  successfully  cultivated  in  Peru.  It  grows  on 
the  sandy  shore,  in  the  fertile  mountain  valleys,  and  on 
the  margins  of  the  forest,  where  the  warmth  is  great. 
There  are  several  varieties  of  maize,  which  are  distin- 
guished one  from  another  by  the  size  of  the  head  and 
by  the  form  and  appearance  of  the  grain.  The  most 
common  kinds  on  the  coast  are — 1st,  the  Mais  Moroc/w, 
which  has  small  bright  yellow,  or  reddish  brown  grains ; 
2nd,  the  Mais  Amarillo,  of  which  the  grain  is  large, 
heart-shaped,  solid  and  opaque  ;  3rd,  Mais  Amarillo 
de  Chancay,  similar  to  the  'Mais  Amarillo,  but  with  a 
semi-transparent  square-shaped  grain,  and  an  elongated 
head.  The  Morocho  and  Amarillo  maize  are  chiefly 
planted  in  the  eastern  declivity  of  the  Andes.  They 
run  up  in  stalks  eight  or  nine  feet  high,  and  have 
enormously  large  heads.  In  one  of  them  I  counted 
seventy-five  grains  in  a  single  row. 

Maize  forms  the  bread  of  the  Peruvians.  It  is  almost 
the  only  sustenance  of  the  Indians  of  the  mountains, 
and  is  the  principal  food  of  the  slaves  on  the  coast. 
Like  the  potato  in  Europe,  it  is  cooked  in  a  variety 
of  ways.  Two  of  the  most  simple  preparations  of 
maize  are  those  called  choclas  and  mote.  Choclas  are  the 
unripe  maize  heads  merely  soaked  in  warm  water;  they 
form  a  very  agreeable  and  wholesome  article  of  food. 
Mote  consists  of  ripe  maize  first  boiled  and  then  laid  in  hot 
ashes,  after  which  the  husks  are  easily  stripped  off. 


GROWTH   OF   MAIZE    IN    PERU.  177 

As  to  whether  maize  is  indigenous  to  Peru,  or 
when  it  was  introduced  there,  much  has  already 
been  written,  and  I  shall  refrain  from  entering  into 
the  investigation  of  the  question  here.  I  may,  how- 
ever, mention  that  I  have  found  very  well  preserved 
ears  of  maize  in  tombs,  which,  judging  from  their 
construction,  belong  to  a  period  anterior  to  the  dynasty 
of  the  Incas  ;  and  these  were  fragments  of  two  kinds  of 
maize  which  do  not  now  grow  in  Peru.  If  I  believed 
in  the  transmigration  and  settlement  of  Asiatic  races 
on  the  west  coast  of  America,  I  should  consider  it 
highly  probable  that  maize,  cotton,  and  the  banana  had 
been  brought  from  Asia  to  the  great  west  coast.  But 
the  supposed  epoch  of  this  alleged  immigration  must 
carry  us  back  to  the  earliest  ages ;  for,  that  the  Incas 
were,  (as  the  greater  number  of  inquirers  into  Peruvian 
history  pretend,)  of  Asiatic  origin,  is  a  mere  vague 
hypothesis,  unsupported  by  anything  approximating  to 
historical  proof. 

Since  the  earthquake  of  1687  the  crops  of  maize  on 
the  Peruvian  coast  have  been  very  inconsiderable.  In 
the  mountainous  parts  it  is  somewhat  more  abundant, 
but  still  far  from  sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of  the 
country.  Chile  supplies,  in  return  for  sugar,  the  maize 
required  in  Peru.  Of  the  other  kinds  of  grain  barley 
only  is  raised ;  but  it  does  not  thrive  on  the  coast,  and 
is  cultivated  successfully  at  the  height  of  from  7000  to 
13,200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  assertion 
of  some  travellers,  that  barley  was  known  to  the  Peru- 
vians before  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards,  is  groundless. 


178  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

It  is  true  that  barley  is  sometimes  found  in  pots  in 
Indian  graves.  Those  graves,  however,  as  I  have  had 
repeated  opportunities  of  being  convinced,  belong,  with- 
out exception,  to  modern  times,  chiefly  to  the  seven- 
teenth century. 

Potatoes  are  not  planted  on  the  coast,  where,  it 
appears,  the  climate  and  the  soil  are  unfavourable  to 
them.  In  those  parts  they  are  small  and  watery.  On 
the  higher  ridges  which  intersect  the  coast  at  short 
distances  from  the  sea,  the  potato  grows  wild.  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  that  the  root  is  indigenous  in  these 
parts,  as  well  as  in  Chiloe  and  Chile,  and  that  the 
ancient  Peruvians  did  not  obtain  this  root  from  the 
south,  but  that  they  removed  it  from  their  own  high 
lands  in  order  to  cultivate  it  on  a  more  favourable  soil.* 
The  best  potato  grows  about  twenty-two  leagues  from 
Lima,  in  Huamantanga,  which  is  about  7000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  to  the  north-west  of  the 
Quebrada  of  Canta.  This  potato  is  small  and  round, 
with  a  thin  white  skin,  and  when  bisected  the  colour  is 
a  clear  bright  yellow.  It  is  called  the  Papa  amariZZa, 
and  there  is  much  demand  for  it  in  the  markets,  where 
it  fetches  a  good  price.  The  other  potatoes  come 
chiefly  from  the  Quebrada  of  Huarochirin,  and  they  are 
very  well  flavoured. 

The  Camotes  (Convolvulus  batatas,  L.),  not  improperly 
called  sweet  potatoes,  grow  to  a,  considerable  size. 


*  The  Quichua  language  has  no  word  for  potato,  but  in  the  Chinchaysuyo 
language,  which  is  spoken  along  the  whole  coast  of  Peru,  the  potato  is  called 
A  csu. 


THE   YUCCA   AND   OTHER   TUBEROUS   ROOTS.          179 

There  are  two  kinds  of  camotes,  the  yellow  and  the 
violet ;  the  latter  are  called  Camotes  moradas.  These 
two  kinds  are  much  liked  for  their  excellent  flavour. 
Beyond  the  height  of  3500  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  they  cease  to  grow. 

The  Aracacha  (Conium  moschatum,  H.  B.  Kth.) 
grows  on  the  coast,  but  it  is  more  abundant  on  the 
projecting  ridges  of  the  Cordilleras,  and  on  the  eastern 
declivity  of  the  Andes.  It  is  a  very  agreeable  and 
nutritive  kind  of  tuberous  vegetable,  in  flavour  not 
unlike  celery.  It  is  cooked  by  being  either  simply 
boiled  in  water,  or  made  into  a  kind  of  soup.  In  many 
districts  the  aracacha  yields  two  crops  in  the  year. 

The  Yucca  (Jatropha  manihot)  is  one  of  the  finest 
vegetables  of  Peru.  The  stalk  of  the  plant  is  between 
five  and  six  feet  high,  and  about  the  thickness  of  a 
finger.  The  roots  are  from  one  to  two  feet  long,  some- 
what of  the  turnip  form.  Internally  they  are  pure 
white  ;  but  the  external  skin  is  tough,  somewhat  elastic, 
and  of  a  reddish-brown  colour.  The  roots  are  the 
edible  parts  of  the  plant.  They  are  very  agreeable  in 
taste,  and  easy  of  digestion.  When  raw  they  are  hard 
and  tough,  and  their  taste  somewhat  resembles  chest- 
nuts. When  boiled  in  water  the  root  separates  into 
fibres,  and  is  rather  waxy,  but  when  laid  in  hot  ashes  it 
becomes  mealy. 

In  some  parts  of  Peru  the  Indians  prepare  a  very 
fine  flour  from  the  yucca,  and  it  is  used  for  making  fine 
kinds  of  bread,  and  especially  a  kind  of  biscuits  called 
biscochuelos.  The  yucca  roots  are  not  good  after  they 

N  2 


180  TEAVELS   IN   PERU. 

have  been  more  than  three  days  out  of  the  earth,  and 
even  during  that  time  they  must  be  placed  in  water, 
otherwise  green  or  black  stripes  appear  on  them, 
which  in  the  cooking  assume  a  pale  red  colour.  Their 
taste  is  then  disagreeable,  and  they  quickly  become 
rotten. 

To  propagate  the  yucca  the  stalk  is  cut,  particularly 
under  the  thick  part,  into  span-long  pieces,  which  are 
stuck  obliquely  into  the  earth.  In  five  or  six  months 
the  roots  are  fit  for  use,  but  they  are  usually  allowed  to 
remain  some  time  longer  in  the  earth.  The  stalks  are 
sometimes  cut  off,  and  the  roots  left  in  the  earth.  They 
then  put  forth  new  leaves  and  flowers,  and  after  sixteen 
or  eighteen  months  they  become  slightly  woody.  The 
Indians  in  the  Montana  de  Vitoc  sent  as  a  present  to 
their  officiating  priest  a  yucca,  which  weighed  thirty 
pounds,  but  yet  was  very  tender.  On  the  western 
declivity  of  the  Cordillera,  the  boundary  elevation  for 
the  growth  of  the  yucca  is  about  3000  feet  above  the 
kvel  of  the  sea. 

Among  the  pulse  there  are  diferent  kinds  of  peas 
(garbanzos)  on  the  coast  ;  beans  (frijoles),  on  the 
contrary,  occupy  the  hilly  grounds.  All  vegetables  of 
the  cabbage  and  salad  kinds  cultivated  in  Europe  will 
grow  in  Peru.  The  climate,  both  of  the  coast  and  the 
hills,  suits  them  perfectly  ;  but  the  hot,  damp  tempera- 
ture of  the  eastern  declivity  of  the  Andes  is  adverse  to 
them.  Numerous  varieties  of  the  genus  Cucurbita  are 
cultivated  in  the  chacras,  or  Indian  villages,  on  the  coast. 
They  are  chiefly  consumed  by  the  coloured  population. 


THE   CAPSICUM.  181 

I  did  not  find  them  very  agreeable  to  the  taste.  They 
are  all  sweetish  and  fibrous. 

Among  the  edible  plants  which  serve  for  seasoning  or 
spicery,  I  must  mention  the  love-apple  (T ornate),  which 
thrives  well  in  all  the  warm  districts  of  Peru  ;  and  the 
Spanish  pepper  (Aji),  which  is  found  only  on  the  coast 
and  in  the  mild  woody  regions.  There  are  many 
species  of  the  pepper  (Capsicum  annuum,  baccatum,  fru- 
tescens,  &c.),  which  are  sometimes  eaten  green,  and  some- 
times dried  and  pounded.  In  Peru  the  consumption  of 
aji  is  greater  than  that  of  salt ;  for  with  two-thirds  of  the 
dishes  brought  to  table,  more  of  the  former  than  of  the 
latter  is  used.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  salt  dimi- 
nishes, in  a  very  striking  degree,  the  pungency  of  the 
aji ;  and  it  is  still  more  remarkable  that  the  use  of 
the  latter,  which  in  a  manner  may  be  called  a  super- 
fluity, has  no  injurious  effect  on  the  digestive  organs.  If 
two  pods  of  aji,  steeped  in  warm  vinegar,  are  laid  as  a 
sinapism  on  the  skin,  in  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  the  part  becomes  red,  and  the  pain  intolerable ; 
within  an  hour  the  scarf-skin  will  be  removed.  Yet  I 
have  frequently  eaten  twelve  or  fifteen  of  these  pods 
without  experiencing  the  least  injurious  effect.  How- 
ever, before  I  accustomed  myself  to  this  luxury,  it  used 
to  affect  me  with  slight  symptoms  of  gastritis.  On  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  Cordilleras  I  found  no  capsicum 
at  a  greater  height  than  4800  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea. 

Lucern  (Medicago  saliva),  called  by  the  natives  alfa 
or  alfalfa,  is  reared  in  great  abundance  throughout 


182  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  whole  of  Peru,  as  fodder  for  cattle.  It  does  not 
bear  great  humidity,  nor  severe  heat  or  cold  ;  yet  its 
elevation  boundary  is  about  11,100  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  On  the  coast  it  flourishes  very  luxuriantly 
during  the  misty  season  ;  but  during  the  months  of 
February  and  March  it  is  almost  entirely  dried  up. 
The  maisillo  (Paspalum  purpureum,  E.)  then  supplies  its 
place  as  fodder  for  cattle.  In  the  mountainous  districts 
it  is  also  most  abundant  during  the  humid  season  ;  but, 
as  soon  as  the  first  frost  sets  in,  it  decays,  takes  a  rusty- 
brown  colour,  and  remains  in  a  bad  state  until  the 
beginning  of  the  rainy  season.  On  an  average,  the 
alfalfa  may  be  cut  four  times  in  the  year  ;  but  in  high- 
lying  districts  only  three  times  ;  and  in  humid  soils  on 
the  coast,  particularly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  rivers, 
five  times.  Once  in  every  four  or  five  years  the  clover- 
fields  are  broken  up  by  the  plough,  and  then  sown 
with  maize  or  barley.  In  the  sixth  year  clover  is  again 
raised. 

The  olive-tree  is  cultivated  chiefly  in  the  southern 
provinces  of  the  coast.  In  flavour,  its  fruit  approxi- 
mates to  the  Spanish  olive.  That  the  oil  is  not  so  fine  is 
probably  owing  to  the  bad  presses  which  are  used,  and  the 
rude  manner  in  which  the  operation  is  performed.  The 
olives  (Aceytunas)  are  preserved  in  a  peculiar  manner. 
They  are  allowed  to  ripen  on  the  tree,  when  they  are 
gathered,  slightly  pressed,  dried,  and  put  up  in  small 
earthen  vessels.  By  this  process  they  become  shrivelled 
and  quite  black.  When  served  up  at  table  pieces  of 
tomato  and  aji  are  laid  on  them  :  the  latter  is  an  excel- 


THE   OLIVE   AND   OTHER   OIL   PLANTS.  183 

lent  accompaniment  to  the  oily  fruit.  Some  preserve 
them  in  salt  water,  by  which  means  they  remain  plump 
and  green. 

The  castor-oil  plant  (Ricinus  communis)  grows  wild, 
but  it  is  also  cultivated  in  many  plantations.  The  con- 
siderable quantity  of  oil  which  is  pressed  out  of  the 
seeds  is  used  unpurified  in  Lima  for  the  street  lamps, 
and  also  in  the  sugar  plantations,  for  greasing  the 
machines  employed  in  the  works.  The  purified  Bicinus 
oil  required  for  medicine  is  imported  from  England  or 
Italy. 

The  Pifioncillo  tree  (Castiglionia  lobata,  R.)  is  culti- 
vated only  about  Surco,  Huacho,  and  Lambayeque,  in 
some  of  the  Indian  chacras  ;  but  it  grows  wild  in  con- 
siderable abundance.  Its  bean-like  fruit,  when  roasted, 
has  an  agreeable  flavour.  When  eaten  raw,  the  ethe- 
rial  oil  generated  between  the  kernel  and  the  epidermis 
is  a  strong  aperient,  and  its  effect  can  only  be  counter- 
acted by  drinking  cold  water.  When  an  incision  is 
made  in  the  stem,  a  clear  bright  liquid  flows  out ;  but 
after  some  time  it  becomes  black  and  horny  like.  It  is 
a  very  powerful  caustic,  and  retains  its  extraordinary 
property  for  years. 

The  fruits  of  the  temperate  climates  of  Europe  thrive 
but  indifferently  in  the  warm  regions  of  the  coast  of 
Peru.  Apples  and  pears  are  for  the  most  part  uneat- 
able. Of  stone  fruits  only  the  peach  succeeds  well. 
Vast  quantities  of  apricots  (called  duraznos)  grow  in 
the  mountain  valleys.  Of  fifteen  kinds  which  came 
under  my  observation,  those  called  blanquillos  and  abri- 


184  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

dores  are  distinguished  for  fine  flavour.  Cherries,  plums, 
and  chestnuts  I  did  not  see  in  Peru,  yet  I  believe  the 
climate  of  the  Sierra  is  very  favourable  to  their  growth. 
Generally  speaking,  the  interior  of  the  country  is  well 
suited  to  all  the  fruits  and  grain  of  central  Europe  ;  and 
doubtless  many  of  our  forest  trees  would  flourish  on  those 
Peruvian  hills  which  now  present  no  traces  of  vegetation. 
But  as  yet  no  system  of  transplantation  has  been  seriously 
set  on  foot.  The  praiseworthy  attempts  made  by  many 
Europeans,  who  have  sent  seeds  and  young  plants  to 
Peru,  have  failed  of  success,  owing  to  the  indifference  of 
the  natives  to  the  advancement  of  those  objects. 

All  the  fruits  of  southern  Europe  thrive  luxuriantly  in 
the  warm  regions  of  Peru.  Oranges,  pomegranates, 
lemons,  limes,  &c.,  grow  in  incredible  abundance.  Though 
the  trees  bloom  and  bear  fruit  the  whole  year  round, 
yet  there  are  particular  times  in  which  their  produce  is 
in  the  greatest  perfection  and  abundance.  On  the  coast, 
for  example,  at  the  commencement  of  winter,  and  in 
the  woody  districts  in  the  months  of  February  and 
March,  melons  and  Sandyas  (water  melons),  are  particu- 
larly fine. 

The  figs  are  of  two  kinds  :  the  one  called  Higos,  and 
the  other  Brevas.  In  the  former  the  pulp  is  red,  in  the 
latter  it  is  white.  They  are  usually  large,  very  soft,  and 
may  be  ranked  among  the  most  delicious  fruits  of 
the  country.  Fig-trees  grow  frequently  wild  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  plantations  and  the  Chacras  :  and 
the  traveller  may  pluck  the  fruit,  and  carry  away  a 
supply  for  his  journey ;  for,  beyond  a  certain  distance 


THE   CHIRIMOYA.  185 

from  Lima  figs  are  not  gathered,  being  a  fruit  not  easy 
of  transport  in  its  fresh  state  ;  and  when  dried,  it  is  not 
liked.  Pomegranates  and  quinces  seldom  grow  on  the 
coast :  they  are  chiefly  brought  to  the  Lima  market 
from  the  neighbouring  Quebradas.  The  mulberry-tree 
flourishes  luxuriantly  and  without  cultivation ;  but  its 
fruit  is  not  thought  worth  gathering,  and  it  is  left  as  food 
for  the  birds.  In  the  southern  province  of  Yea,  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  vine  has  been  attended  by  most  successful 
results.  In  the  neighbourhod  of  Lima  grapes  are  seen 
only  in  a  few  Huertas  (orchards)  ;  but  for  size,  sweet- 
ness, and  aromatic  flavour,  there  are  no  such  grapes  in 
any  other  part  of  the  world. 

Of  tropical  fruits,  the  number  is  not  so  great  in  Peru 
as  in  the  more  northerly  district  of  Guayaquil.  But 
there  are  some  Peruvian  fruits,  the  delicious  flavour  of 
which  cannot  be  excelled.  One  of  these  is  the  Chiri- 
moya  (Anona  tripetala).  Hanke,  in  one  of  his  letters, 
calls  it  "  a  master-work  of  Nature."  It  would  certainly 
be  difficult  to  name  any  fruit  possessing  a  more  exqui- 
site flavour. 

In  Lima  the  Chirimoya  is  comparatively  small,  often 
only  the  size  of  an  orange.  Those  who  have  tasted  it 
only  in  Lima,  can  form  but  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  its 
excellence.  In  Huanuco,  its  indigenous  soil,  it  grows  in 
the  greatest  perfection,  and  often  attains  the  weight  of 
sixteen  pounds,  or  upwards.  The  fruit  is  of  roundish 
form,  sometimes  pyramidal,  or  heart-shaped,  the  broad 
base  uniting  with  the  stem.  Externally  it  is  green, 
covered  with  small  knobs  and  scales,  and  often  has  black 


186  TKAVELS   IN   PEEU. 

markings  like  net-work  spread  over  it.  When  the  fruit 
is  very  ripe,  it  has  black  spots.  The  skin  is  rather  thick 
and  tough.  Internally,  the  fruit  is  snow-white  and 
juicy,  and  provided  with  a  number  of  small  seeds 
well  covered  with  a  delicate  substance.  The  Chirimoyas 
of  Huanuco  are  also  distinguished  from  those  of  the  coast 
by  having  only  from  four  to  six  seeds  ;  whereas  on  the 
coast  they  are  found  with  from  twenty-five  to  thirty. 
The  question  as  to  what  the  taste  of  this  fruit  may  be 
compared  with,  I  can  only  answer  by  saying,  that  it  is 
incomparable.  Both  the  fruit  and  flowers  of  the  Chirimoya 
emit  a  fine  fragrance,  which,  when  the  tree  is  covered 
with  blossom,  is  so  strong  as  to  be  almost  overpowering. 
The  tree  which  bears  this  finest  of  all  fruits  is  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high.  It  has  a  broad  flat  top,  and 
is  of  a  pale-green  colour. 

The  Palta  (Per sea  gratissima,  Gart.)  is  a  fruit  of  the 
pear  form,  and  dark-brown  in  colour.  The  rind  is  tough 
and  elastic,  but  not  very  thick.  The  edible  substance 
which  is  soft  and  green,  incloses  a  kernel  resembling  a 
chestnut  in  form  and  colour.  This  fruit  is  very  astringent 
and  bitter,  and  on  being  cut,  a  juice  flows  from  it  which 
is  at  first  yellow,  but  soon  turns  black.  The  taste  is 
peculiar,  and  at  first  not  agreeable  to  a  foreigner ;  but 
it  is  generally  much  liked  when  the  palate  becomes 
accustomed  to  it.  The  fruit  of  the  Palta  dissolves  like 
butter  on  the  tongue,  and  hence  it  is  called  in  some  of 
the  French  colonies  beurre  vegetale.  It  is  sometimes 
eaten  without  any  accompaniment,  and  sometimes  with 
a  little  salt,  or  with  oil  and  vinegar.  The  kernels  make 


PLATANOS.  187 

very  good  brandy.  The  Palta-tree  is  slender  and  very 
high,  with  a  small  dome-like  top.  On  the  eastern  decli- 
vity of  the  Andes,  I  have  seen  some  of  these  trees  more 
than  sixty  feet  high. 

The  Platanos  (Bananas)  thrive  well  in  most  of  the 
Peruvian  plantations.  They  require  great  heat  and 
humidity.  They  grow  in  the  greatest  perfection  on 
the  banks  of  small  rivulets.  On  the  coast  the  tree  does 
not  yield  such  abundance  of  fruit  as  in  the  woody 
regions,  where  it  is  not  unusual  to  see  a  tree  with  three 
hundred  heads  of  fruit  lying  one  over  another,  like  tiles 
on  a  roof.  In  the  country  adjacent  to  Lima,  and  also  on 
other  parts  of  the  coast,  three  favourite  species  are 
cultivated.  The  Platano  de  la  Isla,  or  of  Otaheite,  was 
introduced  from  that  archipelago  in  1769.  The  fruits 
are  from  three  to  four  inches  long,  generally  prismatic, 
as  they  grow  thickly  on  the  stem,  and  lie  one  over 
another.  The  skin  is  yellow,  the  fruit  of  a  palish  red, 
and  rather  mealy.  The  Limefios  prefer  this  to  any 
other  species  of  the  platario,  and  they  consider  it  the 
most  wholesome.  The  fruits  of  the  Platano  Guinea  are 
not  longer,  but  much  thicker  than  those  of  the  Platano 
de  la  Isla,  but  they  are  so  full  that  they  burst  when 
quite  ripe.  They  are  straight  and  cylindrical  in  form, 
as  they  grow  on  the  stem  at  some  distance  one  from 
the  other.  They  are  of  a  bright  yellow  colour,  but 
near  the  stem  spotted  with  black.  The  edible  part  is 
whiter  and  softer  than  that  of  the  Platano  de  la  Isla,  to 
which  it  is  greatly  superior  in  flavour  and  aroma.  The 
natives  believe  this  fruit  to  be  very  unwholesome,  and 


188  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

they  maintain  that  drinking  brandy  after  eating  Plata- 
nos  Guineos  causes  immediate  death.  This  is,  as  my 
own  often-repeated  experiments  have  shown,  one  of  the 
deep-rooted,  groundless  prejudices  to  which  the  Peru- 
vians obstinately  cling.  On  one  of  my  excursions  I 
had  a  controversy  on  this  subject  with  some  persons 
who  accompanied  me.  To  prove  how  unfounded  their 
notions  were,  I  ate  some  platanos,  and  then  washing 
down  one  poison  by  the  other,  I  immediately  swallowed 
a  mouthful  of  brandy.  My  Peruvian  friends  were 
filled  with  dismay.  Addressing  me  alternately  in  terms 
of  compassion  and  reproach,  they  assured  me  I  should 
never  return  to  Lima  alive.  After  spending  a  very 
agreeable  day,  we  all  arrived  quite  well,  in  the  evening, 
at  Lima.  At  parting,  one  of  my  companions  seriously 
observed  that  we  should  never  see  each  other  again. 
Early  next  morning  they  anxiously  called  to  inquire 
how  I  was,  and  finding  me  in  excellent  health  and 
spirits,  they  said  : — "  Ah !  you  see,  an  herege  de  gringo 
(a  heretic  of  a  foreigner)  is  quite  of  a  different  nature 
from  us."  A  piece  of  the  Platano  Guineo  soaked  in 
brandy  retains  its  colour  unchanged  ;  but  the  rib-like 
fibres  which  connect  the  rind  with  the  pulp  then 
become  black,  and  imbibe  a  bitter  taste. 

The  fruit  of  the  third  kind  of  platano,  the  Platano 
largo,  is  from  six  to  eight  inches  long,  rather  narrow, 
and  curved  crescent-wise.  The  rind  is  of  a  light  straw 
colour,  and  when  the  fruit  is  very  ripe  it  has  large 
black  spots.  The  edible  part  is  of  a  whitish  hue,  harder 
and  drier  than  that  of  the  two  species  already  described; 


MODE  OF  CULTIVATING  THE  PLATANO.      189 

and  its  flavour  is  quite  as  agreeable.  Its  fruit  is  less 
abundant  than  that  of  the  Platano  Guineo,  and  it 
requires  longer  time  to  become  fully  ripe.  A  fourth 
kind,  which  grows  in  the  forest  regions,  I  have  never 
seen  on  the  coast.  It  is  the  Platano  Altahuittaca.  It 
bears  at  most  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  heads  of  fruit. 
The  stem  is  more  than  two  inches  thick,  and  above  an 
ell  long.  The  colour  of  the  husk  is  light-yellow,  the 
inclosed  substance  is  white,  tough,  and  hard.  In  the 
raw  state  it  is  flavourless,  but  when  roasted  in  hot  ashes, 
or  cooked  with  meat,  it  makes  a  fine  dish. 

When  the  platanos  of  the  uppermost  row,  that  is, 
those  which  form  the  base  of  the  conical-formed 
reflex  cluster,  begin  to  turn  yellow,  or,  as  the  natives 
say,  pintar,  the  whole  is  cut  off,  and  hung  up  in  an 
airy  shady  situation,  usually  in  an  apartment  of  the 
Rancho,  or  hut,  where  it  may  quickly  ripen.  The 
largest  fruits  are  cut  off  as  soon  as  they  are  yellow  and 
soft,  and  so  the  cutting  goes  on  gradually  up  to  the 
top,  for  they  ripen  so  unequally  that  those  at  the  base 
show  symptoms  of  decay  while  those  at  the  top  are  still 
hard  and  green.  As  soon  as  the  cabeza  or  cluster 
of  fruit,  is  cut,  the  whole  branch  is  immediately  lopped 
off,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  shooting  of  the  fresh 
sprouts.  Each  branch  bears  only  one  cabeza,  and  eight 
or  ten  months  are  the  period  usually  required  for  its 
complete  development. 

The  platanos  belong  indisputably  to  the  most  useful 
class  of  fruit  trees,  especially  in  regions  where  they  can 
be  cultivated  extensively,  for  then  they  may  very 


190  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

adequately  supply  the  place  of  bread.  In  northern 
Peru  and  Guayaquil,  the  platano  fruit  is  prepared  for 
food  in  a  variety  of  ways. 

Pine-apples  (Ananas)  are  not  much  cultivated  on  the 
coast  of  Peru.  The  market  of  Lima  was  formerly 
entirely  supplied  with  this  fruit  from  the  Montana  de 
Vitoc.  When  brought  from  thence  they  used  to  be  cut 
before  they  were  ripe,  and  packed  on  the  backs  of  asses. 
The  journey  is  of  sixteen  or  twenty  days'  duration, 
and  the  road  lies  across  two  of  the  Cordilleras.  After 
being  several  days  in  the  cold  snowy  region  of  the 
Puna,  the  fruit  came  to  Lima  in  a  very  indifferent 
state  ;  but  since  the  communication  by  steam  naviga- 
tion with  Guayaquil,  pine-apples  are  brought  from  the 
latter  place  in  large  quantities.  *  They  are  large,  succu- 
lent, and  very  sweet. 

The  Granadilla  (Passiflora  quadrangularis)  is  about 
the  size  of  an  apple,  but  rather  oblong.  The  skin  is 
reddish-yellow,  hard,  and  rather  thick.  The  edible  part 
is  grey  and  gelatinous,  and  it  contains  numerous  dark- 
coloured  seeds.  The  fruit  is  very  agreeable,  and  in  taste 
resembles  the  gooseberry,  and  is  very  cooling.  The 
Granadilla  is  a  shrub  or  bush,  and  it  twines  round  the 
trunks  of  trees,  or  climbs  up  the  walls  of  the  Ranches. 
It  is  less  abundant  on.  the  coast  than  in  the  adjacent 
valleys. 

The  Tunas  are  fruits  of  different  species  of  Cactus. 
The  husk,  which  is  covered  with  sharp  prickles,  is 
green,  yellow,  or  red  in  colour,  and  is  easily  separated 
from  the  pulp  of  the  fruit.  When  being  plucked  the 


FRUIT   TREES   OF   THE   COAST   OF   PERU.  191 

tunas  are  rubbed  with  straw  to  remove  the  prickles, 
which,  however,  is  not  always  completely  accomplished. 
It  is  therefore  necessary  to  be  cautious  in  handling  the 
husks,  for  the  small  prickles  cause  inflammation  when 
they  get  into  the  fingers. 

The  Pacay  is  the  fruit  of  a  tree  of  rather  large  size, 
(Prosopis  dulcis,  Humb.,)  with  a  rather  low  and 
broad  top.  It  consists  in  a  pod  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
four  inches  long,  inclosing  black  seeds,  which  are 
embedded  in  a  white,  soft,  flaky  substance.  This  flaky 
part  is  as  white  as  snow,  and  is  the  only  eatable  part  of 
the  fruit.  It  tastes  sweet,  and,  to  my  palate  at  least, 
it  is  very  unpleasant ;  however,  the  Limeiios  on  the 
coast  and  the  monkeys  in  the  woods  are  very  fond  of 
the  pacay. 

The  Lucuma  is  produced  only  in  the  southern  pro- 
vinces of  the  coast  of  Peru,  and  is  chiefly  imported 
from  the  north  of  Chile.  The  fruit  is  round.  The  grey- 
brown  husk  incloses  a  fibrous,  dry,  yellow-coloured 
fruit  with  its  kernel. 

The  Guayava  (Psidium  pomiferum)  grows  on  a  low 
shrub,  chiefly  in  the  valleys  of  the  coast,  and  on 
the  eastern  declivity  of  the  Andes.  It  is  of  the  form 
and  size  of  a  small  apple.  The  rind  is  bright,  yellow, 
and  thin.  The  pulp  is  either  white  or  red,  and  is  full  of 
little  egg-shaped  granulations.  Its  flavour  is  pleasant, 
but  not  remarkably  fine.  In  Lima  it  is  not  a  favourite, 
for  numerous  insects  lay  their  eggs  in  it,  and,  when  the 
fruit  is  ripe,  larvae  are  found  in  it. 

The  Pepino  (a  cmurbitaced)  is  grown  in  great  abund- 


192  TEAVELS    IN    PEKU. 

ance  in  the  fields.  The  plant  is  only  a  foot  and  a  half 
high,  and  it  creeps  on  the  ground.  The  fruit  is  from 
four  to  five  inches  long,  cylindrical,  and  at  both  ends 
somewhat  pointed.  The  husk  is  of  a  yellowish  green 
colour,  with  long  rose-coloured  stripes.  The  pulp  or 
edible  part  is  solid,  juicy,  and  well-flavoured.  The 
kernel  lies  in  the  middle,  in  a  long-shaped  furrow.  By 
the  natives  the  pepino  is,  and  not  altogether  unreasonably, 
believed  to  be  injurious.  They  maintain  that  this  fruit 
is  too  cold  in  the  stomach,  and  that  a  glass  of  brandy  is 
necessary  to  counteract  its  injurious  properties.  This 
much  is  certain,  that  the  pepinos  are  very  indigestible, 
and  that  eating  them  frequently,  or  at  improper  times, 
brings  on  fits  of  illness. 

The  Mani,  or  Earth  Almond  (Arachls  liypogcea),  is 
produced  in  the  northern  provinces.  The  plant  is 
from  a  foot  and  a  half  to  two  feet  long,  and  very  leafy. 
The  kernels  have  a  grey,  shrivelled  husk  :  they  are 
white,  and  contain  much  oil.  When  roasted  and  crushed, 
they  are  eaten  with  sugar. 

The  Capulies  (Prunus  capulin,  Ser.)  grows  in  the  open 
fields.  In  towns  it  is  planted  in  gardens  or  in  pots. 
The  fruit  is  a  little  bigger  than  a  cherry.  It  is  of  a  deep 
yellow  colour,  and  has  an  acid  taste.  The  capulies  are 
not  frequently  eaten.  On  account  of  their  very  pleasant 
odour,  they  are  used  in  making  Pucheros,  de  flores,  or 
with  other  odoriferous  flowers,  they  are  besprinkled 
with  agua  rica,  and  laid  in  drawers  to  perfume  linen. 
The  ladies  of  Lima  wear  them  in  their  bosoms.  The 
same  uses  are  made  of  the  Palillos  (Campomanesia 


PALM   TREES.  193 

lineatifolia,  R.),  which  grow  on  trees  from  twenty  to 
thirty  feet  high.  The  bright  yellow  fruit  is  as  large  as 
a  moderately -sized  apple.  The  palillo  emits  an  exceed- 
ingly agreeable  scent,  and  is  one  of  the  ingredients  used 
in  making  the  perfumed  water  called  mistura.  When 
rubbed  between  the  fingers,  the  leaves  smell  like  those 
of  the  myrtle ;  but  they  have  an  acid  and  astringent 
taste. 

The  coast  of  Peru  is  poorly  supplied  with  Palm-trees, 
either  wild  or  cultivated.  The  Cocoa  Palm  is  grown 
only  in  a  few  of  the  northern  provinces,  and  the  Date 
Palm  chiefly  about  Yea.  With  a  very  little  care,  these 
trees  would  thrive  excellently  in  all  the  oases  of  the 
coast  of  Peru. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Robbers  on  the  coast  of  Peru — The  Bandit  Leaders  Leon  and  Rayo — The  Corps 
of  Montoneros — Watering  Places  near  Lima — Surco,  Ate  and  Lurin — 
Pacchacamac — Ruins  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun — Difficulties  of  Travelling 
on  the  Coast  of  Peru — Sea  Passage  to  Huacho — Indian  Canoes — Ichthyo- 
logical  Collections — An  old  Spaniard's  recollections  of  Alexander  Von  Hum- 
boldt — The  Padre  Requena — Huacho — Plundering  of  Burial  Places — 
Huaura — Malaria — The  Sugar  Plantation  at  Luhmayo — Quipico — An- 
cient Peruvian  Ruins — The  Salinas,  or  Salt  Pits — Gritalobos — Chancay — 
The  Piques — Mode  of  extracting  them — Valley  of  the  Pasamayo — Extra- 
ordinary Atmospheric  Mirrors — Piedras  Gordas — Palo  Seco. 

ALL  the  inhabited  parts  of  the  coast  of  Peru,  especi- 
ally the  districts  adjacent  to  Lima  and  Truxillo,  are 
infested  by  robbers,  and  travelling  is  thereby  rendered 
extremely  unsafe.  These  banditti  are  chiefly  runaway 
slaves,  (simarrones,  as  they  are  called,)  free  negroes, 
zambos,  or  mulattos.  Occasionally  they  are  joined 
by  Indians,  and  these  latter  are  always  conspicuous  for 
the  cruelties  they  perpetrate.  Now  and  then  a  white 
man  enters  upon  this  lawless  course ;  and,  in  the  year 
1839,  a  native  of  North  America,  who  had  been  a  purser 
in  a  ship  of  war,  was  shot  in  Lima  for  highway  robbery. 
These  robbers  are  always  well  mounted,  and  their  fleet- 
footed  steeds  usually  enable  them  to  elude  pursuit.  It 
is  no  unfrequent  occurrence  for  slaves  belonging  to  the 
plantations  to  mount  their  masters'  finest  horses,  and 
after  sunset,  when  their  work  is  over,  or  on  Sundays, 


ROBBERS.  195 

when  they  have  nothing  to  do,  to  sally  forth  on  maraud- 
ing expeditions. 

Most  of  the  highway  robbers  who  infest  the  coast  of 
Peru  belong  to  an  extensive  and  systematically-organ- 
ised band,  headed  by  formidable  leaders,  who  maintain 
spies  in  the  towns  and  villages,  from  whom  they  receive 
regular  reports.  They  sometimes  prowl  about  in  parties 
of  thirty  or  forty,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital,  and 
plunder  every  traveller  they  encounter ;  but  they  are 
most  frequently  in  smaller  detachments.  If  they  meet 
with  resistance  they  give  no  quarter ;  therefore,  it  is 
most  prudent  to  submit  to  be  plundered  quietly,  even 
when  the  parties  attacked  are  stronger  than  the  assail- 
ants, for  the  latter  usually  have  confederates  at  no 
great  distance,  and  can  summon  reinforcements  in  case 
of  need.  Any  person  who  kills  a  robber  in  self-defence 
must  ever  afterwards  be  in  fear  for  his  own  life  :  even 
in  Lima  the  dagger  of  the  assassin  will  reach  him,  and 
possibly  at  the  moment  when  he  thinks  himself  most 
safe. 

Foreigners  are  more  frequently  waylaid  than  natives. 
Indeed,  the  rich  and  influential  class  of  Peruvians  are 
seldom  subjected  to  these  attacks, — a  circumstance 
which  may  ser-^e  to  explain  why  more  stringent  police 
regulations  are  not  adopted. 

The  most  unsafe  roads  are  those  leading  to  Callao, 
Chorillos,  and  Cavalleros.  This  last  place  is  on  the 
way  to  Cerro  de  Pasco,  whither  transports  of  money 
are  frequently  sent.  A  few  weeks  before  my  departure 
from  Lima  a  band  of  thirty  robbers,  after  a  short 

o2 


196  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

skirmish  with  a  feeble  escort,  made  themselves  masters 
of  a  remittance  of  100,000  dollars,  destined  for  the 
mine-workers  of  Pasco.  The  silver  bars  from  Pasco 
are  sent  to  Lima  without  any  military  guard,  for  they 
are  suffered  to  pass  unmolested,  as  the  robbers  find 
them  heavy  and  cumbrous,  and  they  cannot  easily 
dispose  of  them.  These  depredations  are  committed 
close  to  the  gates  of  Lima,  and  after  having  plundered 
a  number  of  travellers,  the  robbers  will  very  coolly  ride 
into  the  city. 

The  country  people  from  the  Sierra,  who  travel  with 
their  asses  to  Lima,  and  who  carry  with  them  money 
to  make  purchases  in  the  capital,  are  the  constant  prey 
of  robbers,  who,  if  they  do  not  get  money,  maltreat  or 
murder  their  victims  in  the  most  merciless  way.*  In 
July,  1842, 1  was  proceeding  from  the  mountains  back  to 
Lima,  and,  passing  near  the  Puente  de  Surco,  a  bridge 
about  a  league  and  a  half  from  Lima,  my  horse  suddenly 
shied  at  something  lying  across  the  road.  On  alighting 
I  found  that  it  was  the  dead  body  of  an  Indian,  who  had 
been  murdered,  doubtless,  by  robbers.  The  skull  was 
fractured  in  a  shocking  manner  by  stones.  The  body 
was  still  warm. 

The  zambo  robbers  are  notorious  for  -committing  the 
most  heartless  cruelties.  In  June,  1842,  one  of  them 
attacked  the  Indian  who  was  conveying  the  mail  to 


*  The  Indians  resort  to  very  artful  methods  of  hiding  their  money.  They 
sometimes  conceal  it  between  the  boards  of  the  boxes  in  which  their  eggs  are 
packed,  or  stitch  it  into  the  stuffing  of  their  asses'  saddles.  They  often  submit 
to  be  killed  rather  than  avow  where  their  money  is  concealed. 


ROBBERS.  197 

Huacho.  "  Shall  I,"  said  the  robber,  "  kill  you  or  put 
out  your  eyes?"  "If  I  must  choose,"  replied  the 
Indian,  "  pray  kill  me  at  once."  The  barbarian  imme- 
diately drew  forth  his  dagger  and  stuck  it  into  the  eyes 
of  the  unfortunate  victim,  and  then  left  him  lying  on 
the  sand.  In  this  state  the  poor  Indian  was  found  by 
a  traveller,  who  conveyed  him  to  a  neighbouring  village. 
The  following  anecdote  was  related  to  me  by  an  Indian, 
in  whose  dwelling  I  passed  a  night,  at  Chancay  : — 
About  half  a  league  from  the  village  he  met  a  negro, 
who  advanced  towards  him,  with  musket  cocked,  and 
commanded  him  to  halt.  My  host  drew  out  a  large 
riding  pistol,  and  said,  "  You  may  be  thankful  that  this 
is  not  loaded  or  you  would  be  a  dead  man."  The  negro 
laughing  scornfully,  rode  up  and  seized  the  Indian, 
when  the  latter  suddenly  fired  the  pistol,  and  shot  him 
dead. 

When  these  Peruvian  banditti  are  attacked  by  the 
military  or  the  police  they  defend  themselves  with 
desperate  courage.  If  they  can  effect  their  escape  they 
fly  for  concealment  into  the  woods  and  thickets,  which, 
if  not  too  extensive,  are  surrounded  and  set  on  fire,  so 
that  the  fugitives  have  no  alternative  but  to  surrender, 
or  to  perish  in  the  flames. 

Within  the  few  last  years,  two  negroes,  named  Esco- 
bar and  Leon,  were  daring  leaders  of  banditti.  Leon, 
who  was  originally  a  slave,  commenced  his  career  of 
crime  by  the  murder  of  his  master.  He  eluded  the 
pursuit  of  justice,  became  a  highway  robber,  and  for 
many  years  was  the  terror  of  the  whole  province  of 


198  THAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Lima.  The  police  vainly  endeavoured  to  secure  him. 
Leon  knew  the  country  so  well,  that  he  constantly 
evaded  his  pursuers.  When  the  price  of  2000  dollars 
was  set  upon  his  head,  he  boldly  entered  Lima  every 
evening,  and  slept  in  the  city.  At  length  placards 
were  posted  about,  calling  on  Leon's  comrades  to  kill 
him,  and  offering  to  any  one  who  might  deliver  him 
up  dead  into  the  hands  of  the  police  the  reward  of 
1000  dollars  and  a  pardon.  This  measure  had  the 
desired  result,  and  Leon  was  strangled,  whilst  asleep, 
by  a  zambo,  who  was  his  godfather.  The  body  was, 
during  three  days,  exposed  to  public  view  in  front  of  the 
cathedral. 

Another  celebrated  bandit  was  the  zambo,  Jose  Rayo. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  several  of  the  political  revo- 
lutions ;  and  having,  during  those  commotions,  been 
serviceable  to  the  president,  he  was  raised  to  the  rank 
of  a  lieutenant- colonel,  and  made  chief  of  the  country 
police,  called  the  Partida  montada  del  campo.  This 
post  he  still  fills,  and  he  is  admirably  well  adapted  to  it, 
as  experience  has  rendered  him  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  banditti  life,  and  he  knows  every  hiding-place  in  the 
country  round  Lima.  Nevertheless  he  could  not  catch 
the  negro  Leon,  or  possibly  he  would  not  seize  him,  for 
Leon  was  his  godfather,  a  relationship  which  is  held 
sacred  throughout  all  classes  in  Peru.  When  Rayo 
speaks  of  the  president  and  ministers  he  always  styles 
them  sus  mejores  amigos  (his  best  friends).  I  fell  in 
with  him  once,  when  travelling  on  the  road  to  Chacla- 
cayo,  and  rode  in  company  with  him  as  far  as  the 


AN   EXECUTION    IN    LIMA.  199 

Hacienda  de  Santa  Clara.  I  found  him  exceedingly 
complaisant  and  courteous  in  his  manners  ;  but  his  true 
zambo  nature  was  not  wholly  concealed  beneath  the 
smooth  surface. 

Robbers,  when  captured  and  brought  to  Lima,  undergo 
a  very  summary  trial,  and  are  then  sentenced  to  be 
shot.  The  culprits  have  the  privilege  of  choosing  their 
place  of  execution,  and  they  generally  fix  on  the 
market-place.  They  are  allowed  the  assistance  of  a 
priest  for  twelve  hours  prior  to  their  death,  and  they 
are  conducted  from  the  chapel  to  the  place  of  execution, 
carrying  a  bench,  on  which  they  sit  to  undergo  the  punish- 
ment. Four  soldiers  fire  at  the  distance  of  three  paces 
from  the  culprit ;  two  aiming  at  his  head,  and  two  at  his 
breast.  On  one  of  these  occasions  a  singular  instance 
of  presence  of  mind  and  dexterity  occurred  a  few  years 
ago  in  Lima.  A  very  daring  zambo,  convicted  of  high- 
way robbery,  was  sentenced  to  death.  He  made  choice 
of  the  Plaza  de  la  Inquisicion  as  the  scene  of  his 
execution.  It  was  market  time,  and  the  square  was 
crowded  with  people.  The  culprit  darted  around  him 
a  rapid  and  penetrating  glance,  and  then  composedly 
seated  himself  on  the  bench.  The  soldiers  according  to 
custom  levelled  their  muskets,  and  fired ;  but  how 
great  was  the  surprise,  when  the  cloud  of  smoke  dis- 
persed, and  it  was  discovered  that  the  zambo  had 
vanished.  He  had  closely  watched  the  movements  of 
the  soldiers,  and  when  they  pulled  the  triggers  of  their 
muskets,  he  stooped  down,  and  the  balls  passed  over  his 
head.  Then  suddenly  knocking  down  one  of  the  guards 


200  TKAVBLS    IN    PERU. 

who  stood  beside  him,  he  rushed  into  the  midst  of  the 
crowd,  where  some  of  his  friends  helped  him  to  effect 
his  escape. 

In  time  of  war  a  corps  is  raised,  consisting  chiefly  of 
highway  rohbers  and  persons  who,  by  various  offences 
against  the  laws,  have  forfeited  their  freedom  or  their 
lives.  This  corps  is  called  the  Montoneros,  and  they  are 
very  important  auxiliaries  when  the  coast  is  the  theatre 
of  the  war.  The  Montoneros,  not  being  trained  in  mili- 
tary manoauvres,  are  not  employed  as  regular  cavalry, 
but  only  as  outposts,  scouts,  despatch-bearers,  &c.  They 
are  good  skirmishers,  and  they  harass  the  enemy  by 
their  unexpected  movements ;  sometimes  attacking  in 
front,  and  sometimes  in  the  rear.  They  have  no  regular 
uniform,  and  their  usual  clothing  consists  of  dirty  white 
trousers  and  jacket,  a  poncho,  and  a  broad-brimmed 
straw  hat.  Many  of  them  are  not  even  provided  with 
shoes,  and  their  spurs  are  fastened  on  their  bare  heels. 
Their  arms  consist  of  a  short  carbine  and  a  sword. 
When  the  corps  is  strong,  and  is  required  for  active  ser- 
vice, it  is  placed  under  the  command  of  a  General  of  the 
Army.  In  1838,  General  Miller,  now  British  Consul  at 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  commanded  a  corps  of  1000 
Montoneros,  who  were  in  the  service  of  Santa  Cruz. 
They  are  held  in  the  strictest  discipline  by  their  com- 
manders, who  punish  theft  with  death.  There  is, 
however,  one  sort  of  robbery  which  they  are  suffered 
to  commit  with  impunity,  viz.,  horse-stealing.  The 
horses  obtained  in  this  way  are  used  for  mounting  the 
cavalry  ;  and  detachments  of  Montoneros  are  sent  to 


THE    MONTONEROS.  201 

the  plantations  to  collect  horses.  They  are  likewise 
taken  from  travellers,  and  from  the  stables  in  the  capital ; 
but  sometimes,  after  the  close  of  the  campaign,  the 
animals  are  returned  to  their  owners.  When  the  war 
is  ended  the  Montoneros  are  disbanded,  and  most  of 
them  return  to  their  occupation  as  highway  robbers. 

In  all  campaigns  the  Mont^neros  are  sent  forwaTd,  by 
one  or  two  days'  march  in  advance  of  the  main  army, 
either  in  small  or  large  detachments.  When  they  enter 
a  village  they  experience  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  quar- 
ters and  provisions,  for  the  inhabitants  are  not  disposed 
to  refuse  anything  that  such  visitors  may  demand.  A 
troop  of  Montoneros  is  a  picturesque,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  a  very  fearful  sight.  Their  black,  yellow,  and 
olive-coloured  faces,  seared  by  scars,  and  expressive  of 
every  evil  passion  and  savage  feeling  ;  their  motley  and 
tattered  garments  ;  their  weary  and  ill-saddled  horses  ; 
their  short  firelocks  and  long  swords ; — present  alto- 
gether a  most  wild  and  disorderly  aspect.  The  traveller, 
who  suddenly  encounters  such  a  band,  may  consider 
himself  exceedingly  lucky  if  he  escape  with  only  the 
loss  of  his  horse. 

A  universal  panic  pervades  the  city  of  Lima  whenever 
a  detachment  of  Montoneros  enters  within  the  gates/ 
On  every  side  are  heard  cries  of  "Cierra  ptiertas!"  (close 
the  doors  !)  "  Los  Montoneros !"  Every  person  passing 
along  the  streets  runs  into  the  first  house  he  comes  to, 
and  closes  the  door  after  him.  In  a  few  moments  the 
streets  are  cleared,  and  no  sound  is  heard  but  the 
galloping  of  the  Montoneros'  horses. 


202  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Within  the  distance  of  a  few  leagues  from  Lima  there 
are  several  pretty  villages,  to  which  the  wealthier  class 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital  resort  in  the  summer 
season,  for  sea-bathing.  The  nearest,  situated  about 
three  quarters  of  a  league  from  Lima,  is  Magdalena,  where 
the  Viceroy  of  Peru  formerly  had  a  beautiful  summer 
residence.  Miraflores,  about  midway  between  Lima 
and  Chorillos,  is  a  small  village  containing  a  plaza  and 
some  neatly-built  houses.  Though  the  heat  is  greater 
here  than  in  the  capital,  yet  the  air  is  purer,  and  Mira- 
flores may  be  regarded  as  the  healthiest  spot  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Lima.  The  sultry  atmosphere  is 
refreshed  by  the  sea  breezes.  Surrounded  by  verdant 
though  not  luxuriant  vegetation,  and  sufficiently  distant 
from  the  marshes,  Miraflores  appears  to  combine  within 
itself  all  that  can  be  wished  for  in  a  summer  residence. 
For  asthmatic  patients  the  air  is  particularly  favourable. 
An  old  Spaniard  of  my  acquaintance,  who  was  engaged 
during  the  day  in  business  in  Lima,  used  to  go  every 
night  to  sleep  at  Miraflores  :  he  assured  me  that  if  he 
slept  a  night  in  the  capital  he  suffered  a  severe  attack 
of  asthma. 

Chorillos  is  a  poor,  ill-looking  village.  The  streets  are 
dirty  and  crooked,  and  the  houses  are  mere  ranchos.  It 
is  built  close  to  the  sea,  on  a  steep  sandy  beach ;  but, 
though  anything  but  a  pleasant  place,  Chorillos  is 
the  favourite  resort  of  the  wealthy  Limayan  families. 
Not  a  tree  is  visible  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  village, 
and  the  unshaded  rays  of  the  sun  are  reflected  with 
twofold  power  from  the  hot  sand.  A  broad,  steep  road 


WATERING    PLACES   NEAR   LIMA.  203 

leads  down  to  the  bathing-place  on  the  sea-beach,  which 
is  rough  and  shingly.  A  row  of  small  huts,  covered 
with  matting,  serve  as  dressing-rooms.  Both  ladies  and 
gentlemen  use  bathing  dresses,  which  are  very  neatly 
made  of  a  kind  of  blue  cloth.  The  ladies  are  accom- 
panied by  guides  (baTaderos).  These  are  Indians,  who 
dwell  in  the  village.  In  winter  they  employ  themselves 
in  fishing,  and  in  summer  they  live  by  what  they  get 
from  the  visitors  who  resort  to  Chorillos.  They  are 
a  good-looking,  hardy  race  of  people. 

The  time  for  bathing  is  early  in  the  morning.  The 
interval  between  breakfast  and  dinner  is  devoted  to 
swinging  in  the  hammock,  either  in  the  sala  or  in  the 
corridor.  The  afternoon  and  evening  are  spent  on  the 
promenade,  and  the  later  hours  of  the  night  at  the  gaming- 
table. The  routine  of  the  day's  occupations  and  amuse- 
ments are  much  the  same  as  in  most  of  the  watering- 
places  of  Europe,  excepting  that,  in  the  latter,  the  ham- 
mock is  superseded  by  the  chair  in  the  reading-room  and 
coffee-house,  or  the  bench  on  the  promenade.  The  sultry 
nights  in  Chorillos  are  rendered  doubly  unpleasant  by 
the  swarms  of  vermin  which  infest  the  houses.  Fleas, 
bugs,  mosquitoes,  and  sancudos  combine  to  banish  rest 
from  the  couch  of  even  the  soundest  sleeper. 

Surco  is  situated  about  half  a  league  from  Chorillos, 
and  further  into  the  interior  of  the  country.  It  is  a 
poor  but  pleasant  village,  surrounded  by  tropical  trees 
and  luxuriant  vegetation.  The  climate  is  not  so  hot  as 
that  of  Lima  or  Chorillos.  Surco  is  a  very  pretty  spot, 
though  seldom  resorted  to  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 


204  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

capital ;  because  it  boasts  neither  baths  nor  gaming- 
tables. 

Two  leagues  eastward  of  Lima,  in  the  direction  of  the 
mountains,  is  the  village  El  Ate.  It  lies  in  a  fertile 
valley,  and  enjoys  a  pure  and  equal  temperature. 
It  is  much  resorted  to  by  invalids  suffering  from  pul- 
monary disorders,  which,  if  not  cured,  are  at  least 
relieved  by  the  pure  air. 

Lurin  is  situated  five  leagues  south  from  the  capital, 
and  a  quarter  of  a  league  from  the  Rio  de  Lurin,  which 
intersects  the  Quebrada  of  Huarochirin.  Fine  gardens, 
and  well-cultivated  lands,  impart  beauty  to  the  sur- 
rounding scenery.  At  Michaelmas  Lurin  is  visited  by 
many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital,  St.  Michael  being 
the  patron  saint  of  the  place.  The  village  stands  about 
a  thousand  paces  from  the  margin  of  the  sea-shore, 
which  is  two  miles  distant  from  the  rocky  islands  of 
Tarallones,  Santo  Domingo,  and  Pacchacamac.  Prior 
to  the  Spanish  conquest,  the  valley  of  Lurin  was  one  of 
the  most  populous  parts  of  the  coast  of  Peru.  The 
whole  of  the  broad  valley  was  then  called  Pacchacamac, 
because  near  the  sea-shore  and  northward  of  the  river, 
there  was  a  temple  sacred  to  the  "  Creator  of  the  Earth."  * 
Pacchacamac  was  the  greatest  deity  of  the  Yuncas, 
who  did  not  worship  the  sun  until  after  their  subjugation 
by  the  Incas.  The  temple  of  Pacchacamac  was  then 
dedicated  to  the  sun  by  the  Incas,  who  destroyed  the 


*  The  word  Pacchacamac  signifies  He  ivho  created  the  world  out  of  nothing. 
It  is  compounded  of  Paccha,  the  earth,  and  camac,  the  participle  present  of 
caman,  to  produce  something  from  nothing. 


TEMPLE    OF    PACCHACAMAC'.  205 

idols  which  the  Yuncas  had  worshipped  and  appointed 
to  the  service  of  the  temple  a  certain  number  of  virgins 
of  royal  descent.  In  the  year  1534,  Pizarro  invaded  the 
village  of  Lurin  :  his  troops  destroyed  the  temple,  and 
the  Virgins  of  the  Sun  were  dishonoured  and  murdered. 

The  ruins  of  the  temple  of  Pacchacamac  are  among 
the  most  interesting  objects  on  the  coast  of  Peru. 
They  are  situated  on  a  hill  about  558  feet  high.  The 
summit  of  the  hill  is  overlaid  with  a  solid  mass  of  brick- 
work about  thirty  feet  in  height.  On  this  artificial 
ridge  stood  the  temple,  inclosed  by  high  walls,  rising  in 
the  form  of  an  amphitheatre.  It  is  now  a  mass  of  ruins  ; 
all  that  remains  of  it  being  some  niches,  the  walls  of 
which  present  faint  traces  of  red  and  yellow  painting. 
At  the  foot,  and  on  the  sides  of  the  hill,  are  scattered 
ruins  which  were  formerly  the  walls  of  habitations.  The 
whole  was  encircled  by  a  wall  eight  feet  in  breadth,  and 
it  was  probably  of  considerable  height,  for  some  of  the 
parts  now  standing  are  twelve  feet  high,  though  the 
average  height  does  not  exceed  three  or  four  feet.  The 
mania  of  digging  for  treasures  every  year  makes  en- 
croachments on  these  vestiges  of  a  bygone  age,  whose 
monuments  are  well  deserving  of  more  careful  pre- 
servation. 

Travelling  on  the  coast  of  Peru  is  difficult  and  tedious. 
The  roads  lead  through  plains  of  sand,  where  often  not 
a  trace  of  vegetation  is  to  be  seen,  or  a  drop  of  water 
to  be  found  for  twenty  or  thirty  miles.  It  is  found 
desirable  to  take  all  possible  advantage  of  the  night,  in 
order  to  escape  the  scorching  rays  of  a  tropical  sun ; 


206  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

but  when  there  is  no  moonlight,  and  above  all,  when 
clouds  of  mist  obscure  the  directing  stars,  the  traveller 
runs  the  risk  of  getting  out  of  his  course,  and  at  day- 
break, discovering  his  error,  he  may  have  to  retrace 
his  weary  way.  This  extra  fatigue  may  possibly  dis- 
able his  horse,  so  that  the  animal  cannot  proceed 
further.  In  such  an  emergency  a  traveller  finds  his 
life  in  jeopardy ;  for  should  he  attempt  to  go  forward 
on  foot  he  may,  in  all  probability,  fall  a  sacrifice  to 
fatigue  and  thirst.  Numbers  of  beasts  of  burden  sink 
every  year  under  the  difficulties  of  such  a  journey  ;  and 
their  bones  serve  to  mark  the  direction  of  the  road. 
Long  journeys  over  these  sand  plains  should  be  under- 
taken only  with  good  and  well-tried  horses.  For  the 
most  part  the  horses  cannot  stand  hunger  and  thirst 
forty-eight  hours  without  becoming  so  exhausted  that 
the  rider  has  the  greatest  difficulty  in  making  them  drag 
on ;  and  if  he  is  inconsiderate  enough  to  force  the 
animal  to  take  a  quicker  pace,  the  horse  lies  down  and 
dies.  The  mule,  which  more  easily  supports  the  diffi- 
culties of  a  severe  journey  on  the  sparest  food,  is,  in 
Peru,  the  camel  of  the  desert.  Without  mules  a  long 
journey  on  most  parts  of  the  coast  would  be  imprac- 
ticable. The  horse  obeys  the  spur  until  he  falls  dead 
under  the  rider.  Not  so  the  mule  :  when  too  weary  to 
journey  onward  he  stands  stock  still,  and  neither  whip 
nor  spur  will  move  him  until  he  has  rested.  After  that 
he  will  willingly  proceed  on  his  way.  By  this  means 
the  traveller  has  a  criterion  by  which  he  can  judge  of 
the  powers  of  his  animal. 


SEA   PASSAGE   TO    HUACHO.  207 

Excursions  along  the  coast  have  been  greatly  facili- 
tated by  the  introduction  of  steam  navigation,  and 
travellers  now  eagerly  avail  themselves  of  that  rapid 
and  secure  mode  of  conveyance.  Even  in  sailing  vessels 
voyages  from  south  to  north  can  be  conveniently  per- 
formed in  consequence  of  the  regularity  of  the  trade- 
wind. 

During  my  residence  in  Lima,  in  the  commencement 
of  the  year  1841,  I  visited  the  port  of  Huacho,  situated 
to  the  north.  A  packet  bound  to  Panama  had  permis- 
sion to  touch  at  Huacho,  without  casting  anchor,  as  she 
had  to  convey  political  prisoners  under  sentence  of 
transportation  to  Panama.  I  was  one  of  five  passengers 
who  landed  at  Huacho,  and  among  the  number  was  the 
pastor  of  the  town,  that  very  original  individual,  "  the 
Cura  Requena."  The  passage,  which  is  usually  made 
in  fourteen  hours,  lasted  two  days  and  a  half.  Off  the 
port  we  fell  in  with  a  Peruvian  sloop  of  war,  which,  on 
our  sailing  from  Gallao,  had  been  sent  to  watch  us,  and 
to  stop  the  prisoners  in  case  they  attempted  to  escape. 
Our  captain  lay  to,  and  we  stepped  into  a  boat.  Our 
movements  were  observed  from  the  shore,  where,  for 
some  days,  a  report  had  prevailed  that  Santa  Cruz 
was  coming  with  Corsairs,  to  make  a  descent.  The 
inhabitants  believed  that  our  ship  must  belong  to  that 
expedition.  They  were  the  more  confirmed  in  their 
notion,  inasmuch  as  the  appearance  of  a  sloop  of 
war,  which  had  sailed  about  for  some  hours  in  the 
bay,  could  not  otherwise  be  explained.  Accord- 
ingly the  alarm  bell  was  rung.  The  custom-house 


208  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

officers  and  the  coast  guards,  headed  by  the  port 
captain,  and  followed  by  a  crowd  of  people,  came 
down  to  the  shore,  some  armed  with  muskets  and 
pistols,  others  with  swords  and  cudgels,  to  repel  the 
intended  attack. 

At  the  entrance  to  the  port  of  Huacho  the  breakers 
are  so  dangerous  that  an  ordinary-sized  boat  cannot 
put  in.  Landing  is  therefore  effected  in  the  small 
canoes  of  the  Indians.  When  we  approached  the  shore 
we  made  signals,  and  called  loudly  for  canoes,  but  in 
vain.  The  dismayed  Huachanos  showed  no  inclination 
to  assist  their  supposed  enemies.  Our  captain,  who 
was  with  us  in  the  boat,  said,  that  as  a  fresh  wind  from 
the  shore  was  springing  up  he  could  wait  no  longer,  and 
that  he  must  take  us  with  him  to  Panama.  This  very 
unpleasant  piece  of  information  prompted  us  to  put  into 
execution  a  plan  which  was  suggested  by  despair.  The 
tall  lank  pastor,  wrapped  in  the  black  ecclesiastical  robe, 
called  the  talar,  was  placed  at  the  prow,  where  he  stood 
up,  making  signs  of  peace  and  friendship  to  the  natives. 
This  had  the  desired  effect.  The  port  captain  had 
a  good  glass,  with  which  he  quickly  recognised  the 
marked  features  of  the  Cura,  and  several  Indian  boats 
were  instantly  despatched  to  convey  us  on  shore.  These 
Indian  canoes  consist  of  long  narrow  stumps  of  trees, 
hollowed  longitudinally.  On  either  side  is  nailed  a 
polo  de  balzas,  viz.,  a  beam  of  a  very  porous  kind  of  wood. 
One  Indian  sits  forward,  another  more  backward,  each 
having  a  short  wooden  shovel-shaped  oar,  with  which 
they  strike  the  water  right  and  left,  and  thus  scull  the 


ICHTHYOLOGICAL   COLLECTIONS.  209 

boat  onward.  The  passengers  must  crouch  or  kneel 
down  in  the  middle,  and  dare  not  stir,  for  the  least  irre- 
gularity in  the  motion  would  upset  the  boat.  We 
landed  safely,  and  amused  ourselves  by  referring  to  the 
mistake  of  the  brave  guardians  of  the  coast.  Horses 
were  provided  for  us,  and  we  rode  to  the  town,  which  is 
situated  at  about  half  a  league  up  the  gently-rising  coast. 
My  principal  occupation,  during  a  six  weeks'  resi- 
dence on  this  part  of  the  coast,  which  is  very  rich  in 
fishes,  was  to  augment  my  ichthyological  collection,  and 
to  make  myself  well  acquainted  with  the  environs  of 
Huacho.  Every  morning,  at  five  o'clock,  I  rode  down 
to  the  shore,  and  waited  on  the  strand  to  see  the  boats 
returning  with  what  had  been  caught,  during  the  night, 
by  the  fishers,  who  readily  descried  me  at  a  distance, 
and  held  up,  in  their  boat,  such  strange  inhabitants  of 
the  deep  as  had  come  into  their  possession.  I  succeeded 
in  making  out,  from  several  hundred  individual  speci- 
mens, one  hundred  and  twenty  distinct  species  of  sea 
and  river  fish.  But  an  unlucky  fate  hovered  over 
this  fine  collection.  The  fishes  were  all  put  into  a 
cask  with  brandy,  which,  by  neglect  of  the  commissary 
of  the  port,  was  left  on  the  Mole  at  Callao,  for  several 
months,  in  the  burning  heat  of  the  sun :  in  consequence  its 
contents  were  utterly  destroyed.  A  second  collection 
was  prepared,  and  immediately  shipped  for  Europe,  and 
in  the  packing  the  greatest  care  was  observed.  Never- 
theless it  arrived,  after  a  voyage  of  fifteen  months,  in  a 
state  quite  useless.  Thus  the  fruits  of  much  labour  and 
a  considerable  expense  were  entirely  lost. 

p 


210  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Huacho  is  a  large  village,  which,  since  the  war  of 
Independence,  has  received  the  title  of  "  city."  It  has 
more  than  5000  inhabitants,  of  whom  four-fifths  are 
Indians  and  the  rest  mestizes.  Very  few  whites  have 
settled  here.  Among  them  I  met  an  old  lame  Spaniard, 
"Don  Simon,"  who,  at  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century,  accompanied  the  celebrated  Alexander  von 
Humboldt  to  the  beds  of  salt  situated  a  few  miles  to  the 
south.  In  relating,  with  enthusiastic  pleasure,  his  recol- 
lections of  the  youthful  and  indefatigable  traveller,  he 
told  me  that,  some  years  ago,  he  had  read  through  the 
book  which  Humboldt  wrote  on  America,  and  he  added, 
with  great  simplicity,  "  pero,  Senor,  ahi  he  perdido  los 
estribos."* 

The  natives  employ  themselves  in  fishing,  agriculture, 
and  the  breeding  of  poultry.  Most  of  the  poultry 
brought  to  market  in  Lima  comes  from  Huacho.  Every 
Friday  large  caravan-like  processions  of  Indian  women 
repair  to  the  capital  with  fowls,  ducks,  and  turkeys. 
Fifteen  or  twenty  are  tied  together  by  the  feet,  and 
make  a  sort  of  bunch ;  and  two  of  such  bunches  are 
hung  at  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  so  that  one  hangs 
down  on  either  side  of  the  horse.  The  cholaf  sits  in 
the  middle.  Under  this  burthen  the  poor  animal  has 
to  travel  two  days  and  a  half.  Only  when  the  caravan 
halts  does  he  enjoy  the  relief  of  being  unsaddled  and 

*  Literally — "  But  there,  sir,  I  lost  the  stirrups."  Meaning  that  he  did  not 
understand  it.  The  Spanish  phrase  Perder  los  estribos,  signifies  to  get  confused 
or  embarrassed. 

t  Chola  is  the  common  designation  for  an  Indian  female.  The  masculine  is 
Cholo. 


THE    PADRE    EBQUENA.  211 

fed.  Some  of  the  Indians  of  Huacho  work  in  the  salt- 
pits.  The  women  plait  coarse  straw  hats,  and  a  kind  of 
mats  called  petates,  which  they  carry  to  Lima  for  sale. 

The  Huachanos  cannot  be  ranked  among  the  best 
classes  of  the  Indians.  They  are  malicious,  revengeful, 
and  knavish.  Their  character  has  evidently  deteriorated 
amidst  the  numerous  revolutions  which  preceded  the 
establishment  of  the  Republic,  and  the  frequent  passage 
of  troops  through  the  town.  The  Padre  Requena 
sketched  to  me  a  terrible  picture  of  his  Indios  brutos ; 
but  truly,  under  the  guidance  of  such  a  shepherd,  it  were 
unreasonable  to  expect  the  flock  to  be  very  good.  This 
venerable  Cura  was  a  fair  type  of  the  Peruvian  priest- 
hood. He  was  passionately  fond  of  hunting,  and  for  the 
enjoyment  of  that  recreation  he  kept  a  number  of  excel- 
lent horses,  and  several  packs  of  hounds,  particularly 
galgos  (greyhounds),  for  some  of  which  he  paid  150  or 
200  dollars.  In  the  most  shameless  way  he  violated 
the  ecclesiastical  vow  of  celibacy,  and  he  was  usually 
surrounded  by  several  of  his  own  children,  who  called 
him  uncle,  addressing  him  by  the  appellation  of  tio,  the 
term  usually  employed  in  Peru  to  express  that  sort  of 
relationship.  The  Padre  used  to  boast  of  his  alleged 
friendship  with  Lord  Cochrane,  in  which  he  affected 
to  pride  himself  very  greatly.  He  died  in  a  few  weeks 
after  his  return  to  Huacho.  He  refused  so  long  to 
make  his  confession,  that  the  Indians,  uttering  furious 
menaces,  assembled  in  crowds  about  his  house.  Some 
even  compelled  a  priest  to  go  into  him,  to  represent  the 
awful  consequences  of  his  obstinacy.  On  the  approach 

p  2 


212  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

of  death,  he  declared  that  the  thought  which  most  occu- 
pied him  was  his  separation  from  his  hounds,  and  when 
his  hands  were  becoming  cold  he  called  to  his  negro 
to  fetch  a  pair  of  buckskin  hunting  gloves,  and  desired 
to  have  them  drawn  on. 

In  Peru  the  clergy  have  no  fixed  stipend.  Their 
emoluments  are  derived  from  the  fees  and  perquisites 
which  their  ecclesiastical  functions  bring  in.  For  bap- 
tisms, marriages,  and  masses  fixed  sums  are  established  ; 
but  it  is  not  so  with  burials,  for  which  the  priest 
receives  a  present  proportional  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  deceased.  The  interment  of  a  poor  person  (entierro 
bawo)  costs  at  least  from  eight  to  ten  dollars,  which  sum 
is  extorted  from  the  survivors  with  the  most  unrelenting 
rigour.  For  the  burial  of  a  rich  person  (entierro  alto) 
the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  is  frequently  paid.  If 
a  wealthy  man  should  express  in  his  will  his  desire  for 
an  entierro  bawo,  the  priest  sets  this  clause  aside,  and 
proceeds  with  the  costly  ceremonies,  the  payment  for 
which  is  insured  by  the  pious  feelings  of  the  family. 
Hence  some  of  the  richer  comunerias,  of  which  Huacho 
is  one,  yield  to  the  priest  annually  from  12,000  to 
14,000  dollars.  When  a  priest  dies,  the  clergy  of  the 
neighbouring  villages  meet  and  bury  him  with  great 
pomp,  free  of  any  payment  except  a  good  banquet. 

A  rich  Indian  of  Huacho  made  a  bargain  with  his 
countrymen  that,  on  their  paying  him  weekly  a  medio 
(the  sixteenth  part  of  a  dollar),  he  would  defray  the 
expense  of  their  funerals.  By  this  agreement  he  realised 
a  considerable  sum  of  money.  The  Cholos  made  it  a 


THE  CHURCHYARD  OF  HUACHO.         213 

condition  that  they  should  be  buried  in  coffins,  which  is 
not  common  with  the  lower  classes  in  Peru.  The  Indian 
complied  with  this  condition.  When  a  Cholo  died,  a  coffin 
was  sent  to  his  residence.  If  too  short,  the  corpse  was 
bent  and  forced  into  it.  The  interment  then  took  place 
according  to  the  ritual  of  the  Church.  On  the  follow- 
ing night  the  Indian  who  had  contracted  for  the  burials 
repaired  with  a  confidential  servant  to  the  churchyard, 
dug  up  the  coffin,  threw  the  body  back  into  the  grave, 
and  carried  off  the  coffin,  with  the  mortaja  (the  funeral 
garment),  which  served  for  the  next  customer.  The 
contractor  made  each  coffin  last  as  long  as  the  boards 
would  hold  together.  This  system,  at  all  events,  secured 
the  Cholos  against  the  danger  of  being  buried  alive. 

The  churchyard  of  Huacho  presents  a  revolting  spec- 
tacle. A  low  wall  surrounds  a  space  of  sandy  ground, 
which  is  strewed  with  skulls,  bones,  fragments  of  burial 
clothes,  and  mutilated  human  bodies.  The  coffin  plun- 
derer, on  replacing  the  corpse  in  the  grave,  merely 
throws  some  loose  sand  over  it,  and  the  consequence 
is  that  the  remains  of  the  dead  frequently  become  the 
prey  of  dogs,  foxes,  and  other  carrion  feeders.  When 
the  family  of  a  deceased  person  can  contribute  nothing 
to  defray  the  funeral  expenses,  the  body  is  conveyed 
privately  during  the  night  to  the  churchyard.  In  the 
morning  it  is  found  half  consumed. 

The  environs  of  Huacho  abound  in  fine  fruit  gardens, 
and  productive  Indian  farms.  The  climate  is  healthful, 
though  very  hot.  The  vicinity  of  the  sea  and  the  con- 
venience of  good  bathing  would  render  it  an  agreeable 


214  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

place  of  residence,  were  it  not  infested  with  vermin. 
Fleas  propagate  in  the  sand  in  almost  incredible  mul- 
titudes, especially  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Indian 
huts,  and  any  person  entering  them  is  in  a  moment 
covered  with  hundreds  of  those  tormentors.  Bugs,  too, 
swarm  in  the  lime  walls ;  though  that  description  of 
vermin  is  less  numerous  in  Huacho  than  in  some  of  the 
more  northern  towns. 

In  a  fine  valley,  about  two  short  leagues  from  Huacho, 
the  little  town  of  Huaura  is  situated  on  the  bank  of 
a  river  of  the  same  name.  This  Bio  de  Huaura  is 
formed  by  the  union  of  two  rivers.  The  larger  of  the 
two  rises  in  the  Cordillera  de  Paria,  and  flows  through 
the  wild  ravine  of  Chuichin  :  the  smaller  river,  called 
the  Rio  Chico  de  Sayan,  rises  from  a  lake  of  consider- 
able size  in  the  Altos  de  Hauquimarca.  Both  unite 
below  the  village  of  Sayan.  In  the  vicinity  of  Huaura 
the  river  forms  several  marshes,  in  which  malaria  is 
generated.  In  very  few  places  have  I  seen  the  stratum 
of  malaria  so  distinctly  separated  from  the  atmosphere 
as  here.  It  lies  at  an  average  about  two,  or  two  and 
a  half  feet  above  the  marsh,  and  is  carried  over  it  by 
strong  atmospheric  currents.  It  is  distinguished  by  a 
peculiar  kind  of  opalization,  and  on  certain  changes  of 
light  it  exhibits  a  yellowish  tint.  This  is  particularly 
perceptible  in  the  morning,  on  coming  down  from  the 
high  grounds.  The  marshy  plain  then  appears  over- 
hung with  a  thick  colour-changing  sheet  of  malaria. 
Malignant  intermittent  fever  and  diseases  of  the  skin 
are  frequent  in  Huaura.  The  town  is  thinly  peopled  ; 


SUGAR   PLANTATIONS   AND   MILLS.  215 

the    number    of   inhabitants    being    not    more    than 
2000. 

A  great  sugar  plantation,  called  El  Ingenio,  is  situated 
at  about  a  quarter  of  a  league  from  Huaura.  It  for- 
merly belonged  to  the  Jesuits,  but  is  now  the  property  of 
a  rich  Lima  family.  The  trapiche,  or  sugar-mill,  is  worked 
by  a  water-wheel,  the  first  ever  established  in  Peru,  a 
circumstance  of  which  the  owner  proudly  boasts. 

The  valley  which  opens  here  is  magnificent,  and  to 
ride  through  it  easterly  eleven  leagues  towards  Sayan  is 
one  of  the  finest  excursions  which  can  be  made  in  Peru. 
Over  this  beautiful  district  are  scattered  many  rich  plan- 
tations. The  one  next  in  importance  to  El  Ingenio  is 
Acaray,  which,  though  not  very  large,  is  most  carefully 
cultivated :  another,  called  Huillcahuaura,  has  a  splendid 
building  erected  on  it.  In  the  middle  of  the  valley 
is  the  extensive  sugar  plantation  of  Luhmayo.  Near 
this  place  I  saw,  in  a  negro's  hut,  an  ounce  of  immense 
size,  which  had  been  killed  a  few  weeks  previously. 
More  than  fifty  Negroes  and  Indians  had  been  engaged 
in  subduing  this  ferocious  animal,  which  was  not  killed 
until  after  a  conflict  of  two  days,  in  the  course  of 
which  several  negroes  were  dangerously  wounded. 
This  gigantic  specimen  measured,  from  the  snout  to  the 
tip  of  the  tail,  eight  feet  three  inches ;  the  tail  itself 
measuring  two  feet  eight  inches. 

At  the  sugar  works  of  Luhmayo,  notwithstanding  the 
number  of  pipes,  and  other  methods  of  supplying  water, 
the  cylinders  are  always  worked  by  oxen,  and  are  kept 
in  motion  day  and  night.  I  took  a  view  of  the  works 


216  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

during  the  night,  and  the  extraordinary  picture  I  beheld 
will  never  be  effaced  from  my  memory.  In  the  middle 
of  the  spacious  building  appropriated  to  the  operations 
blazed  a  large  fire,  fed  by  the  refuse  of  sugar  canes. 
Around  lay  negroes,  some  asleep,  and  others  muttering 
to  each  other  in  an  under-tone.  Here  and  there  sat 
one  perfectly  silent,  wrapped  in  his  own  reflections,  and 
apparently  brooding  over  some  gloomy  plan.  The  oxen 
paced  slowly  round  the  pole,  which  directed  the  movement 
of  the  cylinders  ;  the  animals  alternately  disappearing 
in  the  obscure  background,  and  returning  to  the  point 
where  the  glare  of  the  fire,  falling  full  upon  them,  lighted 
them  up  as  if  by  the  sudden  effect  of  magic.  Behind 
them  stalked  a  tall  black  figure,  driving  them  on  with  a 
rod  made  of  brambles.  Groups  of  children  were  busily 
employed  in  thrusting  the  full  sugar  canes  between  the 
cylinders ;  and  after  they  were  pressed,  collecting  together 
the  sapless  reeds,  and  piling  them  up  in  regular  heaps. 

Next  morning,  the  person  who  officiated  as  medical 
superintendant  of  the  plantation,  showed  me  all  the 
arrangements  of  the  establishment.  He  gave  me  an 
account  of  his  cures  and  operations,  and  told  me  that  he 
often  found  it  necessary  to  amputate,  because  the  slaves 
purposely  injure  their  fingers  and  arms  in  the  Phalan- 
geles  (machines)  in  order  to  disable  themselves.  The 
worthy  ^Esculapius  had  never  in  his  life  read  a  regular 
medical  work.  He  had  originally  been  an  overseer  of 
slaves,  and  had  afterwards  turned  doctor.  He  informed 
me  that  some  time  before  I  saw  him,  ninety  negroes, 
his  patients,  had  died  of  small-pox  in  the  space  of  nine 


A   PERUVIAN   SPORTSMAN   AND    HIS   HOUNDS.        217 

months,  whereby  the  owner  of  the  plantation  had  lost 
45,000  dollars.  The  hospital  was  clean  and  well-fitted 
up,  but  over-crowded  with  sick.  Most  of  them  died 
from  intermitting  fever,  and  from  dropsy  and  rheumatism 
which  followed  it.  Not  a  few  of  the  male  negroes  suffer 
from  a  peculiar  kind  of  cutaneous  disease,  which  shows 
itself  by  large  pustules  on  the  arms  and  breast.  After  sup- 
puration they  dry  and  fall  off,  but  leave  indelible  spots, 
which,  on  a  black  skin,  are  of  a  whitish  colour ;  on  a 
brown  skin,  olive-green,  and  on  a  white  skin,  black.  I 
never  saw  the  disease  in  any  other  part  of  the  country 
except  in  this  valley.  Negroes  and  persons  of  mixed 
blood  are  more  subject  to  it  than  the  whites. 

The  two  plantations  on  the  east  side  of  the  valley  are 
Chambara  and  Quipico.  The  latter  is  celebrated  for  the 
fine  sugar  it  produces,  and  is  also  well  known  on  account 
of  the  original  character  of  its  late  proprietor,  Castilla. 
When  I  rode  into  the  court,  I  was  in  a  moment  sur- 
rounded by  about  fifty  fine  greyhounds,  and  from  every 
side  others  came  springing  forward.  This  was  but  a 
remnant  of  Castilla's  collection.  He  was  passionately 
devoted  to  hunting,  and  generally  kept  from  200  to  300 
greyhounds,  with  which  he  rode  out  daily.  A  bell  was 
rung  at  certain  hours  to  collect  the  light-footed  tribe  to 
their  meals.  A  gallows  was  erected  in  the  court  where 
the  intractable  underwent  capital  punishment  as  a  warn- 
ing to  the  rest.  One  day  when  Castilla  went  out  to 
hunt,  he  was  joined  in  the  chase  by  an  Indian,  who 
brought  with  him  a  common  mongrel.  This  animal  out- 
stripped some  of  the  greyhounds  in  speed,  and  quickly 


218  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

overtook  the  deer.  Castilla  immediately  bought  the  dog, 
for  which  he  gave  the  immense  price  of  350  dollars.  A 
few  days  after  he  rode  out  to  hunt  with  his  best  grey- 
hounds, together  with  the  newly-purchased  dog.  The 
pack  being  let  loose,  all  the  dogs  set  off  in  full  chase, 
but  the  mongrel  remained  quietly  beside  the  horses. 
On  returning  to  the  plantation,  he  was  hung  up  on  the 
gallows  as  a  warning  example. 

To  the  north  of  Huacho,  the  Pampa  del  medio  mundo, 
a  sand  plain,  seven  leagues  long,  stretches  out  to  the 
village  of  Supe.  At  short  successive  distances  farther 
to  the  north  are  the  villages  of  JBaranca,  Pativilca,  (or 
rather  Pati  Huillca),  and  la  Fortaleza.  Then  there 
intervenes  a  vast  waste,  which  extends  nearly  to 
Huarmay.  Between  that  village  and  the  Port  of 
Casma  there  is  a  similar  long  plain  of  sand.  Thus  do 
wastes,  and  fruitful  valleys,  alternate  along  the  whole 
coast  until  near  Tumbez,  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Republic 
of  the  Ecuador. 

The  whole  district  is  rich  in  memorable  monuments 
of  the  time  of  the  Incas.  The  most  important  are  the 
remains  of  the  palace  of  King  Chimu  Cancha,  not  far 
from  the  harbour  of  Huanchaco,  and  the  ruins  of  Para- 
manca,  near  la  Fortaleza.  Doctor  Unanue*  is  of  opinion 
that  the  latter  edifice  was  built  to  commemorate  the 
peace  between  King  Chimu  Cancha  and  his  conqueror, 
Capac  Yupanqui ;  and  that  of  two  other  buildings,  one 
(the  larger)  situated  towards  the  east,  marks  the 

*  Nuevodiadel  Peru.     1824. 


ANCIENT   PEKUVIAN   RUINS.  219 

dominions  of  the  powerful  Inca  Pachacutec,  and  the  other, 
(the  smaller),  towards  the  west,  indicates  the  territory 
of  the  conquered  Chimu.  This  supposition  is,  in  my 
opinion,  quite  erroneous.  Independently  of  the  plainly- 
recognizable  character  of  those  ruins,  the  construc- 
tion of  which  shows  them  to  have  been  fortifications, 
their  situation  bears  evidence  against  the  inference 
of  Unanue.  Supposing  the  larger  building  to  have 
indicated  the  position  of  the  Inca  Empire,  it  ought  to 
have  been  situated  to  the  south,  and  the  smaller  building 
would  have  been  to  the  north.  The  only  passable  road 
along  the  coast  led  between  these  two  fortified  hills  ; 
and  by  them  the  road  on  that  side  to  the  Kingdom  of 
Chimu  could  be  cut  off.  The  Incas  well  knew,  from 
experience,  that  the  subdued  populations,  usually  after  a 
longer  or  a  shorter  time,  again  revolted,  and  endeavoured 
to  shake  off  their  yoke,  and  therefore  they  were  on  their 
guard  against  such  an  occurrence.  Capac  Yupanqui 
must  have  greatly  mistrusted  an  enemy  so  formid- 
able as  Chimu  Cancha,  who  had  only  yielded  after  the 
most  obstinate  resistance,  and  it  is  no  slight  proof  of 
this  that  Paramanca*  was  built  as  a  fortress  to  hold 
the  subjugated  nations  in  check.  It  was  not,  however, 
built  as  a  monument  of  victory,  for  such  monuments 
were  always  erected  in  Cozco,  the  capital,  and  never  on 
the  field  of  battle.  Etymology  affords  no  solution  of  this 

*  According  to  some  ancient  authors  Paramanca  was  built  by  King  Chimu 
as  a  frontier  fortress  against  the  neighbouring  nations.  There  is  some  foundation 
for  this  view  of  the  subject,  as  Chimu  Cancha  had,  long  before  he  was  attacked 
by  Capac  Yupanqui,  carried  on  war  most  fiercely  with  Cuyz  Mancu  King  of 
Pacchacama,  andChuquiz  Mancu,  King  of  Runahuanac,  (the  present  Lunahuana.) 


220  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

question.  Some  write  Paramonga,  others  Paramanca.  I 
regard  the  latter  as  the  most  correct.  Garcilaso  de  la 
Vega  calls  the  valley  Parmunca.  In  the  Quichua  dialect 
Paramanca  signifies  a  pot  for  rain.  It  is  therefore 
possible  that  the  name  may  indicate  an  allusion  to  heavy 
torrents  of  rain,  which,  though  now  unusual  on  this  parti- 
cular part  of  the  coast,  may  have  occurred  in  this  basin- 
like  valley  after  a  great  earthquake. 

Five  leagues  to  the  south  of  Huacho  are  the  extensive 
Salinas,  'or  salt  pits,  which  supply  Peru  and  Chile  with 
excellent  salt.  They  spread  from  the  sea  coast  to 
the  distance  of  half  a  league  eastward,  and  present  a 
most  extraordinary  aspect.  On  approaching  them  the 
traveller  might  fancy  he  beholds  a  field  of  glaciers,  on 
which  the  sun's  rays  produce  wonderful  effects  of  varie- 
gated colour. 

This  salt  is  the  produce  of  a  natural  evaporation  of 
the  sea  water,  which  trickles  through  the  porous  stones 
of  the  coast,  and  fills  every  intervening  hollow.  The 
whole  space  is  parcelled  into  divisions,  called  fields, 
from  which,  according  to  a  definite  regulation,  square 
masses,  weighing  each  one  hundred  pounds,  are  cut.  In 
a  few  days  the  holes  are  again  filled  up  with  sea  water, 
which,  in  the  space  of  twelve  to  sixteen,  or  sometimes 
twenty  to  twenty-four  months,  being  evaporated  by  the 
sun,  leaves  a  precipitate  completely  filling  up  the  square 
holes.  The  government  has  farmed  the  salinas  to  a 
private  individual  in  Huacho,  who  keeps  on  the  spot  an 

*  Para  (rain)  Manca  (pot). 


THE   SALINAS   OF    HUACHO.  221 

overseer  with  the  necessary  number  of  labourers.  This 
establishment  is  an  inexhaustible  source  of  wealth,  and 
it  can  only  be  destroyed  by  a  violent  earthquake.  In 
the  bay  on  which  the  salinas  border  there  is  very  con- 
venient and  secure  anchoring  ground,  where  coasters 
are  constantly  lying,  ready  to  receive  the  salt,  and 
convey  it  to  any  Peruvian  or  Chilean  port.  Most  of  the 
labourers  employed  in  the  salinas  suffer  from  diseases  of 
the  skin  and  rheumatism.  Water  and  provisions  have 
to  be  brought  from  Huacho.  The  Indians,  when  they 
come  from  the  mountains  to  convey  salt,  never  take 
their  llamas  to  the  salinas.  They  go  straight  to 
Huacho,  where  the  animals  are  loaded  at  the  great 
depots.  Each  llama  carries  the  weight  of  one  hundred 
pounds,  which,  however,  is  not,  like  ordinary  burthens, 
laid  on  the  bare  back  of  the  animal — beneath  it  is 
placed  a  layer  of  thick  woollen  cloth,  called  &jerga. 

The  road  southward  from  the  Salinas  runs,  for  the 
distance  of  nine  leagues,  through  deep  sand,  chiefly 
along  the  sea-coast,  and  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
Lomas  de  Lachay.  Here  flocks  of  strand-snipes  and  fla- 
mingoes fly  constantly  before  the  traveller,  as  if  to  direct 
his  course.  In  the  pescadores  (fishermen's  huts),  five 
leagues  from  the  Salinas,  brackish  water  and  broiled 
fish  may  be  obtained,  and  sometimes  even  clover,  which 
is  brought  hither,  from  the  distance  of  several  miles,  to 
feed  the  hungry  horses.  From  the  pescadores  the  road 
crosses  steep  sand-hills,  which  rise  from  three  to  four 
hundred  feet  high,  and  fall  with  a  declivity  of  more  than 
sixty  degrees  towards  the  sea.  The  road  leads  along 


222  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

the  side  of  these  hills,  and,  where  the  ground  is  not 
firm,  it  is  exceedingly  dangerous.  On  a  false  step  of 
the  horse  the  ground  yields  beneath  his  hoof,  and  rolls 
down  the  declivity  ;  but  by  due  care  the  rider  can  easily 
recover  a  solid  footing.  There  is  on  one  of  these  hills 
a  very  large  stone,  which  at  a  certain  distance  presents 
in  colour  and  form  a  deceptions  similarity  to  an  enor- 
mous-sized seal.  Almost  perpendicularly  under  it  is  a 
small  bay,  inhabited  by  a  multitude  of  seals.  The  dull 
crashing  sound  made  by  the  breakers  on  the  shore, 
mingling  with  the  howling  of  these  animals,  make  a 
gloomy  impression  on  the  traveller  who  is  passing  along 
the  height  above  them,  and  create  a  sort  of  shuddering 
sensation.  The  natives  call  this  place  and  its  sounds 
the  Grita  Lobos  (the  Sea-dog's  Howl).  From  this  hilly 
ground  the  road  descends  into  the  fruitful  valley  of  the 
Pasamayo,  which  contains  two  villages  and  eighteen 
plantations. 

Chancay,  the  principal  town  in  this  valley,  is  the  resi- 
dence of  a  Sub-prefect.  It  is  a  league  and  a  half  from 
the  river,  and  a  short  league  from  the  sea,  where  there 
is  an  inconsiderable  and  not  very  safe  port,  which  can 
only  be  entered  by  small  vessels.  The  number  of  inha- 
bitants is  about  1200,  chiefly  Indians  and  Mulattos. 
Excellent  fruits  and  vegetables,  good  beef,  mutton,  and 
poultry,  and  well-flavoured  fish,  are  found  here  in  abun- 
dance. The  houses  are  all  of  the  very  poorest  struc- 
ture, and  are  sparingly  and  rudely  furnished.  In  the 
neighbouring  farms,  some  of  which  are  large,  as  Torre- 
bianco,  Pasamayo,  &c.,  maize  is  extensively  cultivated 


THE    PIQUES.  223 

for  exportation  and  for  food  to  the  swine,  which  are  very 
numerous.  In  no  other  valley  of  Peru  are  there  so  many 
earth-fleas,  or  piques,  as  they  are  called,  particularly  about 
the  plantations.  The  pique  is  a  small  white  insect, 
which  lives  in  sand,  but  fastens  as  a  parasite  on  man 
and  beast,  more  particularly  on  swine.  It  attacks  man 
by  penetrating  the  skin,  for  the  most  part  under  the  toe- 
nails,  where  an  egg  is  laid,  from  which  a  painful  tumour 
is  afterwards  formed.  Should  this  be  neglected,  the 
brood  is  developed,  and  penetrates  further  into  the  flesh. 
Then  follow  violent  inflammations  and  imposthumes, 
which  sometimes  assume  so  serious  a  character  that  the 
amputation  of  the  foot  becomes  necessary.  While  the 
pique  is  penetrating  there  is  no  sensation  of  its  presence ; 
it  is  first  felt  on  the  development  of  the  egg,  and  then  it 
is  still  easy  to  remove  the  bag  which  contains  it,  and 
the  mother  with  it.  The  Negresses  accomplish  this 
with  great  dexterity.  They  make  an  aperture  in  the 
skin  by  scratching  it  with  a  needle,  and  then  they  draw 
the  bag  out.  Should  it  burst,  they  take  out  the  egg  with 
the  needle ;  but  this  is  a  very  delicate  operation.  I 
have  always  been  able  to  do  it  more  speedily  and  more 
securely  with  the  lancet.  The  hole  is  commonly  of  the 
size  of  a  bean,  and  hot  cigar  ashes  are  put  into  it 
to  destroy  any  eggs  or  larvae  which  may  remain.  These 
insects  do  not  always  confine  themselves  to  the  feet ; 
they  sometimes  attack  the  body  and  the  face,  and  it  is  in 
general  extremely  difficult  for  the  patient  to  discover  how 
or  where  he  became  acquainted  with  such  troublesome 
companions.  I  once  had  six  tumours,  caused  by  broods 


224  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

of  piques,  on  my  right  foot,  and  I  could  not  trace  the 
annoyance  to  any  other  cause  than  having  stopped  for 
a  few  minutes,  while  my  horse  was  being  saddled,  in 
the  corral,  or  yard,  of  a  plantation. 

The  road  from  Chancay  to  the  Haciendas  of  Bisquira, 
Andahuasi,  and  the  village  of  Sayan,  extends  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  through  a  dreary  valley  of  sand, 
between  rows  of  sterile  hillocks  of  the  most  singular  forms. 
I  had  once  to  travel  along  twelve  leagues  of  this  weari- 
some road,  under  the  most  oppressive  heat  of  the  sun. 
The  mules  were  quite  overcome,  and  when  we  reached  the 
Cuesta  de  los  ahorcados  (the  hill  of  the  hanged)  they 
would  not  move  another  step.  We  had  to  descend  and 
give  them  a  long  rest.  We  stretched  ourselves  under 
the  bellies  of  the  animals,  the  only  shade  we  could  get  in 
this  treeless  waste.  At  last,  after  a  very  difficult  journey, 
during  which  we  lost  ourselves  in  a  marsh  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Bisquira,  we  arrived  about  midnight  at 
Andahuasi.  On  this  road,  only  two  leagues  from 
Chancay,  near  the  Hacienda  of  Chancayllo,  are  situated 
the  Colcas,  most  remarkable  subterraneous  structures,  of 
the  time  of  the  Incas.  According  to  tradition,  they 
were  built  by  the  Yuncas,  during  the  campaign  of  Capac 
Yupanqui  against  Chimu  Cancha,  as  provision  maga- 
zines for  the  numerous  army,  more  than  120,000  strong. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Pasamayo,  on  the  north  bank, 
there  are  some  salinas,  which,  however,  are  far  more 
inconsiderable  than  those  of  Huacho. 

The  first  time  I  went  from  Huacho  to  Lima,  I  wished 
to  pass  over  the  whole  road,  twenty-eight  leagues,  in 


PASSAGE    OF    THE    PASAMAYO.  225 

one  uninterrupted  ride  ;  accordingly  I  left  Huacho  at 
two  o'clock,  P.M.,  in  order  that  I  might  cross  the  great 
sand-flats  during  the  night.     A  negro  who  knew  the 
road  accompanied  me.     We  passed  through  Chancay  at 
midnight.     Some  muleteers,  lying  before  a  hut,  called  to 
us,  and  warned  us  to  stop,  as  the  river  had  swelled  very 
much.     Nevertheless  we  proceeded  onward,  and  by  one 
o'clock  we  reached  the  Pasamayo,  which,  in  consequence 
of  the  heavy  rains  from  the  mountains,  had  overflowed  its 
banks.  Several  travellers  had  stretched  themselves  on  the 
ground  to  wait  for  the  morning  light,  and  in  the  hope  that 
the  flood  would  by  that  time  subside.    No  Chimbadores  * 
were  to  be  had.     My  negro  guide  looked  at  the  water 
with  dismay,  and  declared  that  he  had  never  before  wit- 
nessed so  furious  a  swell.     However,  we  had  no  time  to 
lose,  and  I  resolved  to  attempt  the  passage  of  the  river. 
Trusting  to  my  well  tried  horse,   which  had  already 
carried  me  safely  through  many  difficult  coasting  jour- 
neys, I  cautiously  rode  into  the  river,  which  became 
deeper  at  every  step.     The  overwhelming  force  of  the 
stream  was  felt  by  my  horse  ;  and  he  presently  lost  his 
footing,  though  he  still  continued  to  struggle  vigorously 
against  the  force  of  the  current.    At  this  juncture,  some 
passing  clouds  obscured  the  moon,  and  I  lost  sight  of  a 
group  of  trees  which,  before  leaving  the  opposite  bank, 
I  fixed  my  eye  upon  as  a  guiding  beacon.    Quite  power- 
less, my  horse  and  I  were  carried  away  by  the  stream, 
and  driven  against  a  rock  in  the  middle  of  the  river. 

*  Guides,  who  conduct  travellers  across  rivers,  being  well  acquainted  with 
the  fords.     They  are  also  called  Vadeadores. 

Q 


226  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

I  now  heard  the  anxious  outcries  of  my  negro  and  the 
travellers  on  the  bank,  whilst  the  waves  rose  over  my 
head.  With  a  convulsive  effort  I  pulled  the  bridle,  and  the 
horse  then  turning  completely  round,  once  more  gained 
his  solid  footing.  I  then  gave  him  the  spur,  and  the 
courageous  animal  dashing  again  into  the  midst  of  the 
current,  swam  with  me  to  the  bank.  I  rode  forward 
with  my  negro  in  search  of  a  better  fording  place,  and 
after  several  fruitless  attempts,  we  at  length  found  one, 
and  we  crossed  the  river  safely.  The  other  travellers 
did  not  venture  to  follow  our  example,  but  called  out 
begging  us  not  to  leave  them  behind.  I  sent  the  negro 
back  on  my  horse  to  bring  them  over  ;  and  the  noble 
animal  went  backward  and  forward  no  less  than  seven 
times  without  making  one  false  step.  After  all  this 
exertion,  he  bore  me  with  unflagging  spirit  into  Lima, 
where  we  arrived  at  noon  on  the  following  day. 

From  the  Pasamayo,  the  road  runs  for  the  space  of 
two  leagues  tolerably  level,  and  for  the  most  part 
amidst  plantations.  Then  succeed  steep  sandy  hills,  for 
the  distance  of  about  four  leagues.  The  roads  are  very 
wearisome  both  to  horse  and  rider,  especially  in  the 
declivities  towards  the  plains,  where  the  horse  is  fre- 
quently over  his  knees  in  sand.  In  those  parts  there  are 
also  some  extraordinary  atmospheric  mirrors,  in  which 
we  beheld  ourselves  in  reflection,  riding  over  our  own 
heads,  and  our  figures  magnified  to  gigantic  proportions. 
Six  leagues  from  Chancay,  there  are  two  wretched 
huts,  forming  the  tambo,  or  inn,  in  which  travellers 
obtain  refreshment.  From  thence  the  road  runs 


THE    PALO    SECO    AND    THE    PIEDEAS   GORDAS.       227 

through  a  stony  tract,  partially  strewn  with  large 
masses  of  rock,  called  the  Piedras  gordas,  and  leading 
to  the  marshes  which  surround  the  Copacahuana 
plantations.  Two  leagues  further  on  is  the  river  Chil- 
lon,  which,  like  the  Pasamayo,  may  generally  be  easily 
forded,  but  which  swells  furiously  during  heavy  falls  of 
rain.  At  a  short  distance  behind  the  river,  the  road, 
called  the  Camino  de  Valles,  joins  that  leading  to  Cerro 
de  Pasco.  About  a  league  from  Lima  there  is  a  place 
called  Palo  seco,  which,  like  Piedras  gordas,  is  a 
celebrated  haunt  of  robbers.  The  traveller  has  reason 
to  congratulate  himself  if  he  passes  these  two  places 
without  an  attack. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Coast  southward  of  Lima — Chilca — Curious  Cigar  Cases  made  there — 
Yauyos — Pisco — Journey  to  Yea — A  night  on  the  Sand  Plains—Fatal 
Catastrophe  in  the  year  1823 — Vine  Plantations  at  Yea — Brandy  and  Wine 
— Don  Domingo  Elias — Vessels  for  transporting  Brandy,  (Botijas  and  odres) 
— Cruel  mode  of  skinning  Goats — Negro  Carnival — Peculiar  species  of 
Guinea  Pig — The  Salamanqueja — Cotton  Plantations — Quebrada  of  Huai- 
tara — Sangallan— Guano — Retrospect  of  the  Peruvian  Coast — Rivers — 
Medanos — Winds — Change  of  Seasons — The  Garuas — The  Lomas— Mam- 
malia— Birds — Amphibia. 

THE  coast,  southward  of  Lima,  is  similar  in  aspect, 
climate,  and  character,  to  those  parts  north  of  the  city 
which  have  just  been  described.  Fruitful  valleys, 
villages,  and  plantations,  commodious  sea-ports,  and  vast 
sandy  wastes,  alternate  one  with  the  other.  Heat, 
sometimes  almost  insupportable,  is  succeeded  by  chilly 
and  unhealthy  mists ;  whilst  here  and  there  the 
scattered  monuments  of  the  wealth  and  greatness  of 
bygone  ages  present  a  remarkable  and  painful  contrast 
to  present  poverty  and  misery. 

Proceeding  southward  of  Lima  by  way  of  Lurin,  we 
arrive  at  Chilca,  a  wretched  village  situated  on  a  soil 
which  affords  nothing  to  supply  the  wants  of  human 
existence.  It  appears  an  incomprehensible  mystery 
that  man  should  have  fixed  his  abode  on  a  spot  where 
Nature  has  granted  nothing  for  his  nourishment,  not 
even  a  drop  of  pure  water ;  whilst  at  the  distance  of  a 
few  miles,  luxuriant  valleys  offer,  spontaneously,  those 


CHILCA    AND    ITS   INHABITANTS.  229 

products  which  the  most  laborious  toil  must  fail  to 
extort  from  the  ungrateful  soil  of  Chilca.  The  hope  of 
wealth  from  commercial  speculation  or  mining  industry 
has  peopled  many  inhospitable  shores,  and  has  raised 
populous  towns  on  barren  deserts  ;  but  at  Chilca  there 
are  no  such  stimuli  of  interests.  Nevertheless,  they 
may  possibly  have  existed  in  former  ages,  for  the 
numerous  ruins  scattered  around  the  village  tend  to 
confirm  the  opinion  that  the  population  was  very 
extensive  under  the  government  of  the  Incas.  The 
force  of  custom  and  of  local  attachment  which  frequently 
chains  man  to  the  spot  where  his  progenitors  have  lived 
happily,  is  all  that  can  bind  the  natives  of  Chilca  to 
their  miserable  dwelling-place.  In  few  villages,  as  in 
Chilca,  have  the  Indians  for  more  than  300  years  so 
carefully  avoided  mixing  with  people  of  other  races. 
They  employ  themselves  in  plaiting  straw  for  hats  and 
cigar-cases.  The  latter  they  make  in  a  singularly 
beautiful  style  with  white  and  coloured  straw,  which 
they  plait  into  various  figures  and  patterns — sometimes 
into  names,  and  even  lines  of  poetry.  Some  of  these 
cigar-cases  sell  for  upwards  of  a  hundred  dollars. 
Fishing  is  a  less  profitable  occupation  to  the  people  of 
Chilca,  or,  as  they  are  called  in  the  country,  the  Chil- 
quefios  ;  for,  owing  to  the  great  distance,  only  certain 
kinds  of  fish  can  be  sent  to  the  Lima  market.  Near 
the  village  there  is  a  bed  of  very  strong  red-coloured 
salt,  which  is  exported  to  the  mountains,  but  which  sells 
at  a  lower  price  than  the  salt  of  Huacho. 

Five  leagues  south  of  Chilca,  on  the  river  of  the  same 


230  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

name,  lies  the  village  called  Canete,  which  is  the 
residence  of  a  Sub-prefect.  The  very  interesting  pro- 
vince of  Yauyos  extends  from  this  village  in  an  easterly 
direction  towards  the  Cordilleras.  The  inhabitants 
of  this  province  are  distinguishable  by  their  faces  and 
figures,  and  also  by  their  manners  and  language,  from 
the  Indians  of  the  coast  and  the  mountains.  In  stature 
they  are  small.  They  have  expanded  foreheads,  ani- 
mated eyes,  prominent  cheek-bones,  and  wide  mouths. 
Their  limbs  are  slender,  and  their  skin  is  of  a  swarthy- 
brown.  Their  dialect,  the  Cauqui,  contains  many 
radical  words  of  the  Quichua  language.  After  this 
nation  was  subjugated  by  the  Incas  their  language  was 
so  intermixed  with  others,  that  it  is  now  very  difficult 
to  trace  out  its  origin.  It  appears  to  be  totally  different 
from  the  Chinchaysuyo  language. 

Some  very  considerable  sugar  plantations,  and  several 
villages,  lie  between  Canete  and  Pisco.  Among  the 
villages  Lunahuana  and  Chincha  (upper  and  lower)  are 
celebrated  for  their  great  fertility.  Two  rivers,  at  the 
distance  of  five  leagues  from  each  other,  flow  in  a 
parallel  direction  between  Chincha  and  Pisco,  and  to 
their  waters  the  valleys  are  indebted  for  their  rich 
vegetation.  On  account  of  their  width  these  rivers  can 
only  be  passed  with  the  assistance  of  Chimbadores,  and 
many  travellers  annually  perish  in  their  incautious 
attempts  to  ford  them.  The  little  town  of  Pisco  is  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  south  river,  and  half  a  league  from 
it  there  is  a  secure  harbour  with  good  anchoring  ground. 
This  town  has  acquired  some  importance  by  the  expor- 


PISCO.  231 

tation  of  brandy  ;  and  it  has  recently  become  more 
active  and  populous  owing  to  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
Guano  islands.  The  custom-house  and  the  port  captain's 
office  are  on  the  shore,  where  there  is  also  a  large  build- 
ing erected  by  Don  Domingo  Elias,  for  a  brandy  depot. 
The  little  town  of  Pisco  has  suffered  much  from  the 
plundering  attacks  of  European  pirates,  from  earth- 
quakes, and  more  recently  from  the  "War  of  Independ- 
ence. Several  parts  of  it  have  been  rebuilt.  Within 
the  few  last  years  much  has  been  done  in  the  way  of 
improving  and  ornamenting  it.  A  broad  trench  has  been 
dug  round  the  town,  serving  the  purpose  of  drainage,  and 
thereby  greatly  contributing  to  preserve  the  health  of 
the  place.  Pisco  is  merely  the  key  to  the  large  interior 
town  of  Yea,  which  is  fourteen  leagues  distant.  I 
visited  it  in  the  year  1842.  The  steamer  conveyed  me  in 
eighteen  hours  from  Callao  to  Pisco,  where  I  hired  horses 
and  a  guide.  He  was  a  Catalonian,  who  had  frequently 
travelled  to  Yea. 

At  three  o'clock,  P.M.,  we  left  Pisco.  At  first  the 
road  passed  over  very  hard  ground,  then  through  deep 
sand,  which  continued  till  we  got  to  Yea.  Notwith- 
standing the  heat,  which  in  the  month  of  February  is 
insupportable,  I  was  wrapped  up  in  my  woollen  poncho. 
Experience  had  taught  me  that  in  the  hotter  districts 
the  change  of  temperature  which  takes  place  at  night, 
and  causes  fever,  is  least  injurious  when  the  traveller  is 
protected  in  warm  clothing.  My  Catalonian  guide,  who, 
with  his  arms  covered  merely  by  his  shirt  sleeves,  never- 
theless suffered  greatly  from  the  heat,  could  not  com- 


232  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

prehend  why  I  had  chosen  such  a  dress.  When  I  informed 
him  that  eleven  days  before  I  had,  in  the  same  clothing, 
passed  a  night  on  the  Cordilleras,  in  the  midst  of  snow, 
he  shook  his  head  in  token  of  incredulity.  Whilst  the 
bell  rang  for  evening  prayers  we  rode  into  the  Huilla 
Curin  Plantation,  which  is  surrounded  by  a  charming 
grove  of  palm  trees.  We  stopped  for  a  few  moments  to 
gather  some  excellent  figs.  About  midnight  a  heavy  fog 
spread  over  the  plain,  and  veiled  from  our  sight  a  cross 
on  the  south,  which  had  hitherto  served  to  keep  us  in 
the  right  direction.  We,  however,  advanced  about  a 
league  farther.  The  Catalonian  then  often  alighted  to 
smell  the  sand,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  we  were 
taking  the  proper  course.  This  is  a  very  good  practical 
method  ;  for  in  deserts  through  which  caravans  fre- 
quently pass,  the  dung  of  the  beasts  of  burthen  mixed 
with  the  sand  afford  a  sure  indication  of  the  track. 
When  we  had  got  about  three  quarters  of  a  league 
farther  on,  we  came  close  against  a  rock,  which  my 
guide — in  whose  acquaintance  with  the  locality  I  had 
the  most  unbounded  confidence — declared  was  quite 
unknown  to  him.  There  was  therefore  no  doubt  that  we 
had  got  out  of  the  right  course.  I  lighted  a  cigar,  and  on 
examining,  by  its  feeble  light,  my  pocket  compass,  I  dis- 
covered that  instead  of  keeping  to  the  south-east  we  had 
diverged  to  the  west.  As  there  was  now  no  hope  that 
the  fog  would  clear  away  before  day-break,  we  rolled  our- 
selves in  the  warm  sand,  to  await  the  coming  morning. 

I  afterwards  learned  that  in  this  very  spot  numerous 
travellers  had  lost  their  way,  and  had  perished  of  thirst. 


CATASTROPHE    IN   THE   SAND    PLAINS.  233 

In  the  year  1823  a  ship  stranded  on  this  coast,  with 
three  hundred  and  twenty  dragoons  on  board,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Lavalle.  The  soldiers  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  ashore,  but  thirty-six  hours  afterwards 
they  were  lost  in  this  sandy  desert.  When  intelligence 
of  the  shipwreck  reached  Pisco,  a  cavalry  regiment  was 
despatched  to  search  for  the  sufferers,  and  to  supply 
them  with  provisions  and  water ;  but  when  they  were 
found  it  was  discovered  that  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
men  had  died  from  fatigue  and  thirst,  and  a  few  days 
after  fifty  more  perished  from  exhaustion.  It  is  gene- 
rally supposed  that  a  healthy  man  can  live  four  or  five 
days  unsupplied  with  food  and  drink.  In  the  temperate 
climate  of  Europe,  and  with  bodily  rest,  this,  perhaps,  may 
be  the  case  ;  but  in  the  burning  wastes -of  Peru  to  be 
deprived  of  nourishment  for  only  forty-eight  hours,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  wander  about  in  deep  sand,  would  be 
followed  by  certain  death.  Severe  thirst  is  the  most  hor- 
rible of  torments,  especially  when  the  body  is  surrounded 
by  a  medium  altogether  of  an  arid  nature.  At  sea  it 
can  be  much  longer  endured  than  on  a  surface  of  sand. 

When  the  grey  dawn  of  morning  appeared  we  again 
mounted  our  horses,  and  rode  by  my  compass  in  the 
direction  of  E.S.E.  After  riding  a  few  leagues,  we 
turned  an  acute  angle,  which  brought  us  into  the  main 
road,  and  we  arrived  that  forenoon  in  Yea. 

On  my  return  I  so  arranged  my  journey  as  to  pass 
the  night  in  Huilla  Curin,  where  the  horses  were 
supplied  with  forage,  consisting  of  the  shoots  and  leaves 
of  the  Mastick-tree  (schinm  moiled) 


234  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Yea  is  a  moderately  large  and  very  agreeably  situ- 
ated town.     Like  most  of  the  larger  towns  on  the  coast 
it  is  peopled  with  inhabitants  of  all  colours,  particularly 
Mestizos.      It   is   the  residence  of  a  sub-prefect  and 
many  rich  planters.     Scarcely  anything  but  the  vine  is 
cultivated  in  the  Haciendas  of  the  environs ;  and  this 
branch  of  husbandry  contributes  greatly  to  enrich  the 
province.      It  is  astonishing  to  see  with  what  facility 
the  vine  thrives  in  a  soil  apparently  so  unfruitful.     The 
young  shoots  are  stuck  into  the  sand  almost  half  a  foot 
deep,  then  tied  up  and  left  to  themselves.     They  quickly 
take  root  and  shoot  forth  leaves.     Whilst  the  surround- 
ing country  bears  the  appearance  of  a  desert,  the  vine- 
yards of  Yea  are  clothed  in  delightful  verdure.     The 
grapes  are  of  superior  quality,  very  succulent  and  sweet. 
The  greater  part  are  used  for  making  brandy,  which  is 
extremely  good  and  very  well  flavoured.     All  Peru  and 
a  great  part  of  Chile  are  supplied  with  this  liquor  from 
the  Vale  of  Yea.     The  common  brandy  is  called  Aguar- 
diente de  Pisco,  because  it  is  shipped  at  that  port.     A 
kind  of  brandy  of  superior  quality,  and  much  dearer, 
made   from   Muscatel   grapes,   is    called    Aguardiente 
de   Italia.      It   is   distinguished   by  a  very   exquisite 
flavour.     Very  little  wine  is  made  at  Yea.      In  some 
plantations  they  make  a  thick  dark-brown  kind,  which 
is  very  sweet,  and  much  liked  by  the  Peruvians,  though 
not  very  agreeable  to  a  European  palate.     Only  one 
planter,  Don  Domingo  Elias*,  the   richest  and   most 


*  Elias  is  eminent  not  only  as  an  extensive  landowner  and  cultivator,  but 


YCA   BRANDY.  235 

speculative  cultivator  on  the  whole  coast,  makes  wine 
in  the  European  manner.  It  is  very  like  the  wine  of 
Madeira  and  Teneriffe,  only  it  is  more  fiery,  and 
contains  a  more  considerable  quantity  of  alcohol.  Spe- 
cimens which  have  been  sent  to  Europe  have  obtained 
the  unqualified  approbation  of  connoisseurs.  The  flavour 
is  considerably  improved  by  a  long  s.ea  voyage. 

The  brandy,  which  is  exported  by  sea,  is  put  into 
large  vessels  made  of  clay,  called  botijas.  In  form  they 
are  like  a  pear,  the  broad  end  being  downwards.  At 
the  top  there  is  a  small  aperture,  which  is  hermetically 
closed  with  gypsum.  The  large  botija  when  filled  weighs 
six  or  seven  arobas.  Two  are  a  load  for  a  mule.  To 
the  pack-saddle,  or  aparejo,  two  baskets  are  fastened,  in 
which  the  botijas  are  placed  with  the  small  ends  down- 
wards. These  botijas  were  formerly  also  used  for  con- 
veying the  brandy  across  the  mountains  ;  but,  in 
consequence  of  the  dangerous  slippery  roads,  over 
which  the  mules  often  fell,  many  were  broken.  Still 
greater  damage  was  sustained  at  the  springs  and  wells 
on  the  coast,  for  the  poor  animals,  after  their  long  jour- 
neys through  the  sandy  wastes,  rushed,  on  perceiving 
water,  in  full  flight  to  the  springs.  As  it  happens  that 
there  is  often  room  for  only  five  or  six  mules,  and  from 
seventy  to  eighty  were  often  pressing  forward,  a  great 

also  as  a  statesman.  During  the  revolutions  of  1843  and  1844,  he  was  called 
upon  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  government.  He  discharged  the  duties 
of  that  high  office  with  singular  judgment  and  moderation.  He  and  his  lady  are 
distinguished  for  their  courteous  and  liberal  hospitality  ;  and  many  foreign  visi- 
tors, like  myself,  look  back  with  pleasure  on  the  happiness  they  derived  from 
the  friendship  of  Don  Domingo  Elias. 


236  .  TEAVELS   IN    PERU. 

number  of  the  botijas  were  unavoidably  dashed  to  pieces 
in  spite  of  all  the  caution  the  arrieros  could  exercise.  The 
annual  loss  of  brandy  was  immense,  and  to  counteract  this 
evil,  bags  of  goatskin  were  introduced.  These  skins  are 
now  generally  used  for  the  conveyance  of  brandy  across 
the  mountains.  The  method  of  skinning  the  goats  is  the 
most  horribly  cruel  that  can  be  conceived.  A  negro 
hangs  the  living  animal  up  by  the  horns,  and  makes  a 
circular  incision  round  his  neck,  which,  however,  goes  no 
further  than  to  the  flesh.  He  then  draws  the  skin  from 
the  body  of  the  writhing  animal,  which  utters  the  most 
frightful  cries.  When  the  skin  is  completely  removed, 
and  not  till  then,  is  the  suffering  animal  killed.  The 
negroes  assert  that  the  skin  is  most  easily  removed  in 
this  manner,  and  that  the  odres*  become  thereby  more 
durable.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  humanely -disposed 
planters  will  soon  put  an  end  to  this  barbarous  and 
unreasonable  practice. 

I  happened  to  be  in  Yea  at  the  time  of  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  negro  carnival,  which  I  will  here  briefly 
describe.  In  some  of  the  principal  streets  of  the  town 
large  arches  are  erected,  and  gaily  decorated  with 
ribbons.  Round  these  arches  negresses  and  mestizas 
dance,  and  endeavour  to  stop  the  negroes  whilst  riding 
at  full  gallop  under  the  arches.  The  negroes  start  from 
the  distance  of  about  one  hundred  paces,  and  gallop 
straight  to  the  boundary,  where  the  women  endeavour 
to  seize  the  bridle,  and  to  throw  the  rider  from  his 
saddle.  The  task  of  the  men  is  to  ride  past  the  women 

*  An  odre  is  a  goat-skin  prepared  for  carrying  wine. 


NEGRO   FESTIVAL.  237 

without  being  stopped  ;  and  when  they  fail  in  so  doing, 
they  have  to  pay  a  fine,  and  are  hooted  into  the  bargain. 
It  is  hard  to  say  which  is  most  surprising  ; — the  speed 
of  the  horses,  the  dexterity  of  the  riders,  or  the  courage 
of  the  negresses,  who  fearlessly  throw  themselves  in  the 
way  of  the  galloping  horses.  During  the  race  the 
negroes  are  pelted  with  unripe  oranges  and  lemons, 
which,  when  thrown  by  the  vigorous  arm  of  a  zamba, 
inflict  a  sufficiently  heavy  blow.  I  saw  a  negro  gallop 
to  and  fro  for  the  space  of  an  hour,  at  full  speed,  and 
every  time  he  passed  under  the  arch  he  dexterously 
evaded  the  outstretched  hands  of  the  women  ;  thus 
giving  proof  of  uncommon  bodily  strength.  While  dash- 
ing at  full  speed  through  the  arch  of  the  bridge,  and 
leaning  forward  on  the  horse's  neck,  he  seized  two 
negresses,  one  with  each  of  his  arms,  and  pulled  them 
into  the  saddle  beside  him. 

The  climate  of  Yea  is  hot,  and  not  altogether  healthy, 
for  the  torrents  of  rain  which  fall  from  the  hills  swell 
the  river  so  as  to  make  it  overflow  its  lower  bank,  where 
marshes  are  formed,  in  which  malaria  is  developed. 
Most  of  the  plantations  in  the  environs  are  more  healthy. 

All  the  bushes  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  are  inha- 
bited by  a  kind  of  Guinea  Pig  (Cavia  Cuttleri,  King). 
These  animals  are  exceedingly  numerous.  After  sunrise 
and  towards  evening,  they  leave  their  lurking  places, 
and  play  about  in  the  grass.  Upon  the  whole  they  are 
not  shy,  and  they  allow  people  to  approach  them 
pretty  closely.  The  natives  call  this  little  animal 
the  Cui  del  Monies,  and  they  believe  it  to^  be  the 


238  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

progenitor  of  the  tame  Guinea-pig.  This  notion  is,  how- 
ever, quite  erroneous. 

Along  the  whole  of  the  Peruvian  coast  there  is  found 
a  small  animal  of  the  lizard  kind,  of  which  the  natives 
are  very  much  afraid.  They  call  it  the  Salamanqueja. 
It  lives  in  the  fissures  of  walls,  and  sometimes  is  seen 
creeping  along  the  lime  plaster  of  houses.  Its  bite  is 
believed  to  be  mortal.  From  the  descriptions  given  of 
this  animal,  I  was  curious  to  see  it,  and  I  commissioned 
some  persons  to  procure  me  one.  At  last  an  Indian 
brought  me  a  specimen  very  much  crushed,  and  I  found 
that  I  had  already  got  several  of  them  in  my  collections. 
I  now  obtained  more  of  them,  and  the  natives  beheld  me 
with  astonishment  carrying  them  alive  in  my  hand.  Of 
the  Salamanqueja  there  are  two  species,  the  Diplodac- 
tylus  lepidopygus,  Tsch.,  and  the  Discodactylus  phaco- 
phorus,  Tsch.  They  are  nearly  related  to  each  other, 
being  only  distinguished  by  one  species  having  an  orifice 
in  the  thighs,  serving  as  a  passage  for  an  issue  from  a 
gland  which  secretes  a  very  acrid  fluid.  This  little 
animal  never  bites  ;  but  it  is  possible  that  the  fluid  by 
touching  a  fresh  wound,  or  scratch,  may  cause  very 
serious  consequences. 

To  the  south  of  Yea  there  are  some  large  cotton 
plantations ;  the  most  considerable  of  which  belong  to 
'Don  Domingo  Elias.  The  cotton  for  exportation  is 
shipped  at  the  port  of  San  Nicolas.  Many  experienced 
captains  of  ships  declare  the  bay  of  San  Nicolas  to  be 
the  safest  and  best  along  the  whole  of  the  western  coast 
of  South  America, 


GUANO.  239 

The  Quebrada  of  Huaitara,  which  stretches  to  the 
east  of  Yea,  is  the  principal  channel  of  communication 
between  this  part  of  the  coast  and  the  rich  mountain 
provinces  of  Jauja  and  Huancavelica,  and  from  the  latter 
places  to  Ayacucho  and  Cosco. 

Opposite  to  Pisco  and  Chinca  there  is  a  group  of 
small  islands,  of  which  the  largest,  Sangallan,  is  six 
English  miles  distant  from  Pisco.  These  islands  have 
of  late  years  become  celebrated  on  account  of  the  great 
quantity  of  guano  that  has  been  exported  from  them. 

Guano,  (or  according  to  the  more  correct  orthography, 
Huanu,)  *  is  found  on  these  islands  in  enormous  layers 
of  from  thirty-five  to  forty  feet  thick.  The  upper  strata 
are  of  a  greyish-brown  colour,  which  lower  down  becomes 
darker.  In  the  lower  strata  the  colour  is  a  rusty-red, 
as  if  tinged  by  oxide  of  iron.  The  Guano  becomes  pro- 
gressively more  and  more  solid  from  the  surface  down- 
ward, a  circumstance  naturally  accounted  for  by  the  gra- 
dual deposit  of  the  strata,  and  the  evaporation  of  the 
fluid  particles.  Guano  is  found  on  all  the  islands,  and  on 
most  of  the  uninhabited  promontories  of  the  West  coast 
of  South  America,  especially  in  those  parts  within  the 


*  The  original  word  is  Huanu,  which  is  a  term  in  the  Quichua  dialect  meaning 
"  animal  dung ; "  for  example,  Huanacukuanu,  (excrement  of  the  Huanacu.)  As 
the  word  is  now  generally  used  it  is  an  abbreviation  of  Pishu  ffuanu — Bird- 
dung.  The  Spaniards  have  converted  the  final  syllable  nu  into  wo,  as  they  do 
in  all  the  words  adopted  from  the  Quichua  which  have  the  like  termination. 
The  European  orthography  Gfuano,  which  is  also  followed  in  Spanish  America,  is 
quite  erroneous,  for  the  Quichua  language  is  deficient  in  the  letter  Cf}  as  it  is  in 
several  other  consonants.  The  Hy  in  the  commencement  of  the  word,  is  strongly 
aspirated,  whence  the  error  in  the  orthography  of  the  Spaniards,  who  have  sadly 
corrupted  the  language  of  the  Autochthones  of  Peru. 


240  TRAVELS    IN   PERU. 

tropics.  I  have  often  been  assured  that  beds  of  Guano 
several  feet  high,  covered  with  earth,  are  found  inland 
at  some  distance  from  the  sea ;  but  I  never  met  with 
any,  and  I  have  some  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  the 
statement.  If,  however,  these  inland  strata  really  exist, 
I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  they  can  only  be  found  on 
hilly  ground ;  and  in  that  case  they  afford  strong  evi- 
dence of  a  considerable  elevation  of  the  coast. 

Guano  is  formed  of  the  excrements  of  different  kinds 
of  marine  birds,  as  mews,  divers,  sheerbeaks,  &c. ;  but 
the  species  which  I  can  name  with  more  precision  are 
the  following : — Larus  modestus,  Tsch. ;  Rhinchops  nigra, 
Lin.;  Plotus  Anhinga,  Lin.;  Pelecanm  tliayus,  Mol. ; 
Phalacrocoraw  Gaimardii,  and  albigula,  Tsch.  (Pelecanus 
Gaimardii,  Less.,  Carlo  albigula,  Brandt),  and  chiefly 
the  Sula  variegata,  Tsch. 

The  immense  flocks  of  these  birds  as  they  fly  along 
the  coast  appear  like  clouds.  When  their  vast  numbers, 
their  extraordinary  voracity,  and  the  facility  with  which 
they  procure  their  food,  are  considered,  one  cannot  be 
surprised  at  the  magnitude  of  the  beds  of  Guano,  which 
have  resulted  from  uninterrupted  accumulations  during 
many  thousands  of  years.  I  kept  for  some  days  a  living 
Sula  variegata,  which  I  fed  abundantly  with  fish.  The 
average  weight  of  the  excrement  daily  was  from  3^  to  five 
ounces.  I  have  no  doubt  that  when  the  bird  is  in  a  state  of 
freedom  the  weight  must  be  much  greater,  for  these 
birds  are  constantly  plunging  into  the  sea,  in  order  to 
devour  the  fishes  which  they  find  in  extraordinary 
masses  around  all  the  islands.  When  an  island  is  inha- 


GUANO.  241 

bited  by  millions  of  sea-birds,  though  two-thirds  of  the 
guanp  should  be  lost  while  flying,  still  a  very  consider- 
able stratum  would  be  accumulated  in  the  course  of 
a  year. 

The  marine  birds  nestle  on  the  uninhabited  islands, 
or  on  rocks  near  the  shore ;  but  they  never  settle  on 
the  flat  beach,  or  any  place  distant  from  it  inland.  On 
this  fact,  I  ground  my  conjecture  that  those  beds  of  guano 
in  the  interior,  which  may  have  been  removed  from  the 
shore  by  important  elevations  of  the  coast,  are  to  be 
found  only  on  hills. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  deposit  the  strata  are  white, 
and  the  guano  is  then  called  Guano  Blanco.  In  the 
opinion  of  the  Peruvian  cultivators,  this  is  the  most 
efficacious  kind.  It  is  found  in  the  Punta  de  Hormillos, 
on  the  islands  of  Islay,  Jesus,  Margarita,  &c. 

As  soon  as  the  dealers  in  guano  begin  to  work  one 
of  the  beds,  the  island  on  which  it  is  formed,  is  aban- 
doned by  the  birds.  It  has  also  been  remarked,  that 
since  the  increase  of  trade  and  navigation,  they  have 
withdrawn  from  the  islands  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
ports. 

Much  has  recently  been  written  on  the  employment 
and  utility  of  guano  ;  but  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
applied  as  manure  in  Peru,  seems  to  be  but  little  known. 
The  Peruvians  use  it  chiefly  in  the  cultivation  of  maize 
and  potatoes.  A  few  weeks  after  the  seeds  begin  to 
shoot,  a  little  hollow  is  dug  round  each  root,  and  is 
filled  up  with  guano,  which  is  afterwards  covered  with 
a  layer  of  earth.  After  the  lapse  of  twelve  or  fifteen 


242  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

hours,  the  whole  field  is  laid  under  water,  and  is  left  in 
that  state  for  some  hours.  Of  the  Guano  Blanco  &  less 
quantity  suffices,  and  the  field  must  be  more  speedily  and 
abundantly  watered,  otherwise  the  roots  would  be  de- 
stroyed. The  effect  of  this  manure  is  incredibly  rapid. 
In  a  few  days  the  growth  of  a  plant  is  doubled.  If  the 
manure  be  repeated  a  second  time,  but  in  smaller  quan- 
tity, a  rich  harvest  is  certain.  At  least,  the  produce 
will  be  threefold  that  which  would  have  been  obtained 
from  the  unmanured  soil. 

The  haciendas  of  the  valley  of  Chancay  have,  during 
the  last  fifty  years,  consumed  annually  from  33,000  to 
36,000  bushels  of  guano  brought  from  the  islands  of 
Chancha  and  Pisco.  The  price  of  the  bushel  of  coloured 
guano  is  one  dollar  and  a  quarter,  and  the  price  of  the 
white  from  two  to  three  dollars.  The  price  has  recently 
undergone  many  fluctuations,  in  consequence  of  the  great 
exports  to  Europe. 

The  employment  of  this  kind  of  manure  is  very 
ancient  in  Peru ;  and  there  is  authentic  evidence  of  its 
having  been  used  in  the  time  of  the  Incas.  The  white 
guano  was  then  chiefly  found  on  the  islands  opposite  to 
Chincha ;  so  that  for  upwards  of  600  years  the  deposit 
has  been  progressively  removed  from  those  islands  with- 
out any  apparent  decrease  of  the  accumulation.  The 
uniformity  of  climate  on  a  coast  where  there  is  not 
much  rain,  must  contribute  to  render  the  Peruvian 
guano  a  more  arid  manure  than  the  African,  as  fewer  of 
the  saline  particles  of  the  former  being  in  solution,  they 
are  consequently  less  subject  to  evaporation. 


THE    MEDANOS.  243 

From  3°  35'  to  21°  48'  south  latitude,  a  plain  of 
sand,  540  leagues  long,  and  varying  from  3  to  20 
leagues  in  breadth,  stretches  along  the  coast  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  It  is  intersected  by  chains  of  small 
hillocks,  which,  extending  westward  from  the  Cordilleras, 
gradually  diminish  in  height,  and  either  become  blended 
with  the  plain,  or  form  abrupt  promontories,  which  pro- 
ject into  the  sea.  Between  the  river  Loa,  which  marks 
the  southern  frontier  of  the  Peruvian  coast,  and  the 
Tumbez,  on  the  northern  boundary,  fifty-nine  rivers, 
great  and  small,  pass  through  the  line  of  coast.  Pro- 
ceeding from  the  avalanches  of  the  Andes  or  the  small 
alpine  lakes,  they  force  their  way  through  narrow 
mountain-valleys,  irrigate  the  waste  grounds,  and  then, 
after  brief  courses,  flow  into  the  great  ocean. 

A  fine  light  yellow  drift  sand  covers  hill  and  dale.  It 
is  only  where  rivers  intersect  the  plain  that  oases  of  luxu- 
riant vegetation  are  formed.  The  peril  of  traversing 
these  plains  is  greatly  increased  by  the  movability  of  the 
sand  and  the  Medanos.  The  strong  winds  raise  immense 
clouds  of  dust  and  sand.  The  sand  rises  in  columns  of 
from  eighty  to  a  hundred  feet  high,  which  whirl  about 
in  all  directions,  as  if  moved  by  magic.  Sometimes  they 
suddenly  overshadow  the  traveller,  who  only  escapes 
from  them  by  rapid  riding. 

The  medanos  are  hillock-like  elevations  of  sand,  some 
having  a  firm,  others  a  loose  base.  The  former,  which  are 
always  crescent-shaped,  are  from  ten  to  twenty  feet 
high,  and  have  an  acute  crest.  The  inner  side  is  per- 
pendicular, and  the  outer  or  bow  side  forms  an  angle 

R  2 


244  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

with  a  steep  inclination  downward.  When  driven  by 
violent  winds,  the  medanos  pass  rapidly  over  the  plains. 
The  smaller  and  lighter  ones  move  quickly  forwards 
before  the  larger  ones ;  but  the  latter  soon  overtake 
and  crush  them,  whilst  they  are  themselves  shivered  by 
the  collision.  These  medanos  assume  all  sorts  of  extra- 
ordinary figures,  and  sometimes  move  along  the  plain  in 
rows  forming  most  intricate  labyrinths,  whereby  what 
might  otherwise  be  visible  in  the  distance  is  withdrawn 
from  the  view  of  the  traveller.  A  plain  often  appears  to 
be  covered  with  a  row  of  medanos,  and  some  days  after- 
wards it  is  again  restored  to  its  level  and  uniform  aspect. 
Persons  who  have  the  greatest  experience  of  the  coast 
are  apt  to  mistake  their  way,  when  they  encounter  these 
sand-hills. 

The  medanos  with  immovable  bases  are  formed  on 
the  blocks  of  rock  which  are  scattered  about  the  plain. 
The  sand  is  driven  against  them  by  the  wind,  and  as 
soon  as  it  reaches  the  top  point  it  descends  on  the  other 
side  until  that  is  likewise  covered  ;  thus  gradually  arises 
a  conical-formed  hill.  Entire  hillock-chains  with  acute 
crests  are  formed  in  a  similar  manner.  The  small  hillock- 
chain,  by  which  the  coast  is  intersected  obliquely  from 
east  to  west,  is  a  boundary  which  arrests  the  progress  of 
the  wandering  medanos  ;  otherwise  fruitful  oases  would 
soon  be  converted  into  barren  sand-flats.  A  correct 
observation  of  these  hillock-chains  affords  a  most  certain 
scale  for  ascertaining  the  direction  of  the  prevailing 
wind.  On  their  southern  declivities  are  found  vast 
masses  of  sand  drifted  thither  by  the  mid-day  gales. 


SUMMER   ON   THE    PERUVIAN    COAST.  245 

The  northern  declivity,  though  not  steeper  than  the 
southern,  is  only  sparingly  covered  with  sand.  If  a 
hillock-chain  somewhat  distant  from  the  sea  extends  in 
a  line  parallel  with  the  Andes,  namely  from  SS.E.  to 
NN.W.,  the  western  declivity  is  almost  entirely  free  of 
sand,  as  it  is  driven  to  the  plain  below  by  the  south-east 
wind,  which  constantly  alternates  with  the  wind  from 
the  south. 

^he  movements  and  new  formations  in  the  deserts 
(like  restorations  from  death  to  life,)  are  only  in  full 
activity  during  the  hot  season  ;  for  then  the  parched 
sand  yields  to  the  slightest  pressure  of  the  atmosphere. 
In  the  cold  season  its  weight  increases  by  the  absorption 
of  humidity.  The  particles  unite  in  masses,  and  more 
easily  resist  the  wind.  In  the  meantime  the  hillocks 
also  acquire  more  firmness  or  compression  by  the 
increased  weight  which  presses  on  them  from  above. 

In  November,  summer  commences.  The  rays  of  the 
sun  are  refracted  on  the  light-grey  sandy  carpet,  and 
are  reflected  back  with  scorching  power.  Every  living 
thing  which  does  not  quickly  escape  from  their  influence 
is  devoted  to  certain  destruction.  No  plant  takes  root 
in  the  burning  soil,  and  no  animal  finds  food  on  the 
arid  lifeless  surface.  No  bird,  no  insect  moves  in  the 
burning  atmosphere.  Only  in  the  very  loftiest  regions, 
the  king  of  the  air,  the  majestic  condor,  may  be  seen 
floating,  with  daring  wing,  on  his  way  to  the  sea  coast. 
Only  where  the  ocean  and  the  desert  blend  with  each 
other  is  there  life  and  movement.  Flocks  of  carrion 
crows  swarm  over  the  dead  remains  of  marine  animals 


246  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

scattered  along  the  shore.  Otters  and  seals  impart  life 
to  the  inaccessible  rocks  ;  hosts  of  coast  birds  eagerly 
pounce  on  the  fish  and  mollusca  cast  on  shore  ;  varie- 
gated lizards  sport  on  the  sand  hillocks  ;  and  busy 
crabs  and  sea  spiders  work  their  way  by  furrows 
through  the  humid  coast. 

The  scene  changes  in  May.  A  thin  veil  of  mist  then 
overspreads  the  sea  and  the  shore.  In  the  following 
months  the  thickness  of  the  mist  increases,  and  it  is 
only  in  October  that  it  begins  to  disperse.  In  the 
beginning  and  at  the  end  of  the  period  called  winter 
this  mist  commonly  rises  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  disappears  about  three,  P.M.  It  is 
heaviest  in  August  and  September  ;  and  it  then  lies  for 
weeks  immovable  on  the  earth.  It  does  not  resolve 
into  what  may  be  properly  called  rain,  but  it  becomes  a 
fine  minute  precipitate  which  the  natives  call  GARUA, 
(thick  fog  or  drizzling  rain).  Many  travellers  have 
alleged  that  there  are  places  on  the  Peruvian  coast 
which  have  been  without  rain  for  centuries.  The  asser- 
tion is  to  a  certain  degree  correct,  for  there  are  many 
districts  in  which  there  never  is  rain  except  after  an 
earthquake,  and  not  always  even  then. 

Though  the  garua  sometimes  falls  in  large  drops,  still 
there  is  this  distinction  between  it  and  rain,  that  it 
descends  not  from  clouds  at  a  great  height,  but  is 
formed  in  the  lower  atmospheric  regions,  by  the  union 
of  small  bubbles  of  mist.  The  average  perpendicular 
height  over  which  this  fog  passes  does  not  exceed  one 
thousand  two  hundred  feet ;  its  medium  boundary  is 


THE    GARUAS.  247 

from  seven  to  eight  hundred  feet.  That  it  is  known 
only  within  a  few  miles  of  the  sea  is  a  highly-curious 
phenomenon ;  beyond  those  few  miles  it  is  superseded 
by  heavy  rains  ;  and  the  boundary  line  between  the 
rain  and  the  mist  may  be  denned  with  mathematical 
precision.  I  know  two  plantations,  the  one  six  leagues 
from  Lima,  the  other  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Huacho  : 
one-half  of  these  lands  is  watered  by  the  garuas,  the 
other  half  by  rain,  and  the  boundary  line  is  marked  by 
a  wall. 

When  the  mists  set  in,  the  chain  of  hillocks  (Lomas) 
bordering  the  sand-flats  on  the  coast  undergoes  a  com- 
plete change.  As  if  by  a  stroke  of  magic,  blooming 
vegetation  overspreads  the  soil,  which,  a  few  days  pre- 
viously, was  a  mere  barren  wilderness.  Horses  and 
cattle  are  driven  into  these  parts  for  grazing,  and 
during  several  months  the  animals  find  abundance  of 
rich  pasture.  There  is,  however,  no  water;  but  they 
do  not  appear  to  suffer  from  the  want  of  it,  for  they 
are  always  in  good  healthy  condition  on  leaving  the 

Lomas. 

..*.. 

In  some  parts  of  northern  Peru,  where  the  garuas  are 
scanty,  the  fertility  of  the  soil  depends  wholly  on  the 
mountain  rains,  for  in  summer  most  of  the  rivers  are 
dried  up.  When  there  is  a  deficiency  of  rain  the  cattle 
on  the  coast  suffer  greatly.  A  few  years  ago  a  hacien- 
dado,  or  cultivator,  in  the  vale  of  Piura,  lost  42,000 
sheep ;  the  usual  flood,  without  which  the  necessary 
fodder  could  not  be  raised,  did  not  come  on  at  the 
proper  time.  At  Piura  there  is  such  a  total  absence  of 


248  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

dew,  that  a  sheet  of  paper  left  for  a  whole  night  in  the 
open  air  does  not,  in  the  morning,  exhibit  the  smallest 
trace  of  humidity.  In  central  and  south  Peru  the 
moisture  scarcely  penetrates  half  an  inch  into  the  earth. 

In  the  oases  the  garuas  are  much  heavier  than  in  the 
adjacent  wastes.  Along  the  whole  of  the  coast  there  is 
no  rain,  and  no  vegetation  throughout  a  large  circuit. 
The  rain  commences  first  in  the  north  at  Tumbez,  and 
there  extensive  woods  are  seen.  Towards  the  east  it 
begins  first  in  the  valleys  of  the  Cordilleras,  which 
abound  in  vegetation.  These  very  extraordinary  pheno- 
mena remain  as  yet  unexplained  ;  they,  however,  merit 
the  closest  investigation  of  meteorologists. 

I  may  conclude  this  chapter  by  a  brief  view  of  the 
Fauna  of  the  higher  vertebral  animals.  In  the  region 
of  the  coast  I  have  found  twenty-six  species  of  mam- 
malia, only  eight  of  which  belong  exclusively  to  the 
coast.  Sixteen  of  the  other  species  are  to  be  found  in 
the  mountains  or  in  the  forests.  The  relation  of  this 
number  to  the  whole  of  the  mammalia  of  Peru  is  1:4,  3. 
Distributed  by  single  orders,  they  are  in  the  following 
proportions  :  —  Bats,  four  species,  of  which  only  one 
(  Vespertilio  innoxius,  Gerv.)  belongs  to  this  region  alone. 
Beasts  of  prey,  ten  kinds ;  among  them  one  of  the  mephitic 
class,  known  to  the  natives  by  the  name  of  zoritto,  or 
aiiash ;  an  otter  (Lutra  chilensis,  Ben.)  ;  a  fox  (Canis 
azarce,  Pr.  Max.),  which  abounds  in  the  cotton  planta- 
tions in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lima  and  throughout  all 
the  Lomas,  where  he  preys  on  the  lambs  ;  several  of  the 
feline  race,  among  which  are  the  two  great  American 


VERTEBRAL    ANIMALS.  249 

species — the  puma  and  the  ounce,  which  are  seldom  seen 
on  the  coast,  but  are  considerably  larger  than  those 
in  the  mountains.  The  American  lion  is  timid,  and 
shuns  man.  When  caught  young  he  is  easily  tamed. 
The  Indians  of  the  northern  provinces  sometimes  bring 
these  lions  to  Lima,  and  get  money  for  showing  them. 
They  lead  them  by  a  string,  or  put  them  in  large 
sacks,  and  carry  them  about  on  their  backs,  until  a 
show-loving  crowd  assembles  around  them.  The  ounces 
are  very  bold  and  fierce.  They  penetrate  into  plan- 
tations, and  attack  children  and  horses.  They  very 
cunningly  avoid  the  numerous  snares  laid  for  them 
by  the  Indians.  An  encounter  with  this  animal  is 
serious  and  dangerous.  A  hunt  seldom  ends  with- 
out some  of  the  pursuers  being  killed  or  wounded  by 
the  animal. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  seals.  There  are  three 
kinds  of  didelphic  or  marsupial  animals  on  the  coast. 
The  natives  call  them  mucamuca.  They  live  in  bushes 
and  shrubberies,  and  they  often  find  their  way  into  the 
store-rooms  of  the  plantations. 

Of  the  great  section  of  the  Rodentia,  I  know  of  only 
seven  species  in  Peru  ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  this 
number  might  be  doubled  by  a  careful  search  in  the 
valleys  on  the  coast.  The  common  house-mouse  is  very 
numerous  in  Lima.  The  brown  rat  appears  seldom. 
It  came  to  Peru  only  a  few  years  ago ;  but  there  is 
reason  to  apprehend  that  it  will  soon  be  very  numer- 
ous. Probably  it  has  been  imported  by  Hamburgh 
ships.  In  Callao  I  saw  specimens  of  some  that  had 


250  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

been  killed.     I  did  not  see  the  common  black  rat  in 
Peru. 

The  Armadillo  (Dasypus  tatuay,  Desm.,  L.),  is  seldom 
seen.  It  is  found  in  some  of  the  Yucca  and  Camote 
plantations.  The  negroes  eat  it,  and  its  flesh  is  said  to 
be  good. 

Of  wild  ruminating  animals  there  is  only  one  on  the 
coast :  it  is  a  kind  of  Roe  (Cervus  nemorivagus,  F.  Guv., 
the  venado  of  the  natives).  The  venados  chiefly 
inhabit  the  brushwood  along  the  coast ;  but  after  sunset 
they  visit  the  plantations,  where  they  commit  consider- 
able damage.  They  are  smaller  than  our  European 
roe,  and  somewhat  more  brown.  Englishmen  at  Lima 
go  out  to  hunt  them.  The  natives  do  not  take 
much  interest  in  the  chase.  This  animal  is  also  met 
with  in  the  coldest  regions  of  the  Cordilleras ;  but  it 
does  not  come  down  to  the  old  forests,  where  the  Red 
Deer  (Cervus  rufus,  F.  Cuv.,)  supplies  its  absence. 

In  the  woods  which  surround  some  of  the  plantations 
in  the  valleys  of  Lima,  wild  boars  (Chanchos  Simarones) 
are  occasionally  found.  They  are  of  immense  size.  At 
the  plantation  called  the  Hacienda  de  Caraponga,  one 
was  killed,  of  which  the  head  alone  was  an  ordinary 
burthen  for  a  mule. 

The  number  of  birds  in  this  very  extensive  quarter  of 
Peru  (the  marine  and  river  fowl  being  excepted),  is  very 
inconsiderable.  The  scarcity  of  woods  and  high  trees 
may  probably  account  for  this.  Besides  the  carrion 
vulture,  condors  collect  in  great  numbers  on  the  shore 
to  prey  on  the  stranded  whales.  Falcons  seldom  appear, 


BIRDS.  251 

except  the  small  Sparrow  Hawk  (Falco  sparverius,  L.), 
which  is  very  numerous  in  Peru.  One  of  the  most 
common  birds  is  the  little  Earth  Owl  (Noctua  urucurea, 
Less.),  which  is  met  with  in  nearly  all  the  old  ruins 
scattered  along  the  coast.  The  Pearl  Owl  (Stria  per- 
lata,  L.),  is  bred  in  several  plantations,  as  it  is  found 
useful  in  catching  mice.  Swallows  are  not  very  common  ; 
they  do  not  nestle  on  the  housetops,  but  on  walls  at 
some  distance  from  towns.  The  Peruvians  give  them 
the  euphonious  name,  Palomitas  de  Santa  Rosa  (Santa 
Rosa's  little  pigeons).  Among  the  singing-birds  the 
Crowned  Fly  King  (Myoarchus  coronatus,  Cab.),  is  the 
most  distinguished.  The  head,  breast,  and  belly  of 
this  bird  are  deep  red,  the  wings  and  back  very  dark 
brown.  He  always  plants  himself  on  the  highest  point 
of  a  tree,  flies  perpendicularly  upward,  whirls  about  in 
the  air  singing,  and  drops  down  again  straight  to  his 
former  perch.  The  Limenos  have  given  this  elegant 
bird  a  very  unbecoming  name,  which  I  need  not  repeat 
here.  On  some  parts  of  the  coast  it  is  called  Saca-tu-real 
(draw  out  your  real),  because  his  song  sounds  like  these 
words.  Some  fine  Tanagers  (Tanagra  frugilega,  Tsch. ; 
Tanagra  analis,  Tsch.),  visit  the  fruit-gardens  round 
Lima.  I  saw  two  birds,  of  the  starling  species,  the  red- 
bellied  Picho  (Sturnella  mititaris,  Viell.),  and  the  glossy- 
black  Chivillo  (Cassicus  palliatus,  Tsch.),  which  are  kept 
in  cages  on  account  of  their  very  melodious  song.  Three 
kinds  of  parrots,  which  abound  in  the  valleys  on  the 
coast,  commit  great  depredations  in  the  maize  fields. 
The  largest  (Conurus  tumultuosus^sch.),  is  green,  with 


252  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

a  red  forehead,  and  some  red  feathers  scattered  over 
the  body.  A  second  sort  builds  its  nest  chiefly  on  the 
sides  of  rocks  (Conurus  rupicola^sch.),  and  only  occa- 
sionally visits  the  plantations.  The  third  is  the  smallest, 
but  at  the  same  time  the  most  beautiful  of  the  whole 
(Cornurus  sitophaga,  Tsch.).  A  fine  green  overspreads 
all  the  upper  part  of  the  body,  a  blue  fringe  borders  the 
feathers  of  the  wings  ;  and  a  bright  citron-yellow  is  dif- 
fused over  the  forehead,  neck,  breast,  and  belly.  It 
is  only  seven  inches  long.  Pigeons,  large  and  small, 
swarm  in  such  multitudes  over  the  corn-fields,  and  in 
the  environs,  that  they  may  almost  be  called  the 
great  plague  of  the  country.  One  of  the  finest  is  the 
little  Turtuli  (Chaemepelia  gracilis,  Tsch.),  on  the  wing 
of  which  there  is  a  row  of  very  beautiful  shining  violet 
spots.  The  Cuculi,  one  of  the  largest  pigeons,  is  a  great 
favourite.  It  is  kept  much  in  cages.  Its  song,  which 
is  monotonous,  yet  very  melodious,  is  kept  up  from  the 
earliest  hours  of  the  morning  until  midday,  and  it  begins 
again  nearly  at  sunset.  The  song  consists  merely  of 
a  threefold  repetition  of  cu-cu-li.  After  a  pause,  it 
resumes  the  song  again.  There  are,  however,  some  of 
those  birds  which  repeat  the  cuculi  oftener  than  thrice, 
and  their  price  increases  according  to  the  number  of 
their  uninterrupted  repetitions,  which  seldom  exceed 
five  or  six.  In  Cocachacra,  however,  I  heard  one  of 
these  birds  which  repeated  its  cuculi  fourteen  times. 
The  owner  would  not  sell  it  under  fourteen  gold 
ounces. 

The  amphibia  on  the  Peruvian  coast  are  proportion- 


AMPHIBIA.  253 

ally  much  better  represented  than  the  two  foregoing 
classes.  The  gigantic  tortoises  (Chelofiia  imbricata  and 
Ch.  midas,  Schweig.),  visit  in  great  numbers  the  few 
little  frequented  inlets.  The  elephant  tortoise  (Testudo 
Schweigeri)  is  often  found  on  some  islands,  and  in  the 
marshy  mouths  of  several  rivers. 

Two  kinds  of  Crocodiles  (Champsa  sclerops  and  Ch. 
fissipes,  Wagl.),  inhabit  the  Rio  de  la  Chira.  They  grow 
to  the  length  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet. 

Among  the  lizard  class  of  reptiles,  very  large  bright 
green  Iguanas  are  found  on  the  south  coast ;  for  instance, 
in  the  Caletas  near  Merillones,  &c. ;  but  there  are  great 
numbers  of  the  land  Agama,  of  which  I  found  several 
new  species,  viz.,  Steirolepis  tigris,  thoracica,  quadrivit- 
tata,  wanthostigma,  Tsch. ;  Liolaemus  elegans,  Tsch.  ; 
Ctenoblepharys  adspersa,  Tsch.,  &c.  &c.  I  have  already 
mentioned  the  Gecko,  called  the  Salamanqueja. 

Serpents  upon  the  whole  are  rather  seldom  seen. 
They  belong  to  different  kinds,  some  poisonous,  some 
innoxious  (for  example,  Zacholm,  Psammophis,  Oxyr- 
rhopus,  SipMophis,  Opkis,  Elaps,  &c.  &c.).  A  very 
poisonous  viper  (Eschidna  ocellata,  Tsch.),  inhabits  the 
sugar-cane  fields.  Its  bite  is  almost  instantaneously 
mortal. 

The  genuine  frog  is  not  to  be  found  on  the  coast,  and 
of  the  bladder  frog,  only  two  kinds  are  known  (Cystig- 
nathus  roseus  and  nodosus,  Dum.  Bibr.).  I  have  found 
three  amphibia  of  the  toad  class.  The  Thorn  toad  ( Bufo 
spinulosus,  Wiegam.),  which  has  its  body  thickly  covered 
with  a  thorny  kind  of  warts.  The  beautiful  red  spotted 


254  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

toad  (Bufo  thaul),  and  a  very  curious  and  ugly  kind 
with  a  round  swelled  out  body,  a  loose  skin,  and  a 
large  bladder  under  the  chin  (Anaxyrus  melancholicus, 
Tsch.).  At  night  the  cry  of  this  animal  is  a  discordant 
melancholy  howl. 


CHAPTER   X. 

Roads  leading  to  the  Sierra — Chaclacayo  and  Santa  Ines — Barometrical  observa- 
tions— San  Pedro  Mama — The  Rio  Seco — Extraordinary  Geological  Phe- 
nomenon— Similar  one  described  by  Mr.  Darwin — Surco — Diseases  pecu- 
liar to  the  Villages  of  Peru — The  Verugas — Indian  mode  of  treating  the 
disorder — The  Bird-catching  Spider — Horse-Shoeing — Indian  Tambos — 
San  Juan  de  Matucanas — The  Thorn-apple  and  the  Tonga — The  Tambo 
de  Viso — Bridges — San  Mateo — Passports — Acchahuari — Malady  called 
the  Veta — Its  effects  on  horses — Singular  tact  and  caution  of  Mules — An- 
tarangra  and  Mountain  Passes — Curious  partition  of  Water — Piedra  Parada 
— Yauli — Indian  Smelting  Furnaces — Mineral  Springs — Portuguese  Mine 
owners — Saco — Oroya — Hanging  Bridges — Huaros — Roads  leading  from 
Oroya. 

FROM  Lima  two  main  roads  lead  to  the  Sierra  or  the 
mountains.  One  runs  northward  through  the  valley  of 
Canta,  in  the  direction  of  the  rich  silver  mines  of  Cerro 
de  Pasco  ;  the  other,  taking  a  more  southerly  direction, 
passes  through  the  Quebrada  of  Matucanas,  to  the  vil- 
lages of  Tarma,  Jauja,  and  Huancayo ;  and  still  further 
south,  leads  to  Huancavelica,  Ayacucho,  and  Cuzco. 
All  the  roads  running  from  the  coast  to  the  Sierra, 
present  a  similarity  of  character.  Taking  an  oblique 
direction  from  the  margin  of  the  coast,  they  run  into 
one  or  other  of  the  fan-shaped  Cordillera  valleys,  all  of 
which  are  intersected  by  rivers.  Following  the  course  of 
these  rivers,  the  roads  become  steeper  and  steeper,  and 
the  valleys  soon  contract  into  mere  ravines,  terminating  at 
the  foot  of  the  Cordillera.  The  traveller  then  threads 


256  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

his  way  up  the  acclivity,  amidst  stupendous  masses  of 
rock,  until  he  reaches  the  lofty  ridge.  Then  a  gradual 
descent  leads  to  the  level  heights,  and  thence  into  the 
deep  mountain  valleys. 

Former  travellers  having  already  described  the  route 
by  way  of  Canta,  I  will  here  trace  the  course  through 
the  Quebrada  of  Matucanas.  In  so  doing,  I  am  ena- 
bled to  present  to  the  reader  the  results  of  some  baro- 
metrical observations  which  are  the  more  interesting, 
inasmuch  as  the  Cordillera  here  advances  more  nearly 
to  the  coast  than  at  any  other  point. 

The  most  easterly  gate  of  the  city  of  Lima  (the  Por- 
tada  de  Maravillas)  opens  upon  a  broad  road,  which 
runs  directly  eastward.  At  the  distance  of  about  a 
league  and  a  half  from  the  city,  the  road  passes  over  a 
stone  bridge  called  the  Puente  de  Surco,  a  place  famed 
for  robbers.  At  this  point  the  surrounding  country 
presents  a  wild  and  dreary  aspect.  Ranges  of  grey  and 
barren  hills  encompass  the  valley ;  the  ground  is  for  the 
most  part  covered  with  sand  and  gravel.  Desolate 
remains  of  plantations  and  the  ruins  of  habitations  bear 
evidence  of  the  life  and  activity  that  once  animated  this 
desert  region,  now  abandoned  by  all  save  the  fierce 
bandit  and  his  victim,  the  solitary  traveller. 

Along  the  margins  of  the  river,  patches  of  moor 
ground  here  and  there  serve  as  pasture.  Clover  and 
maize  are  produced  only  in  those  parts  where  the  soil 
is  manured  and  artificially  watered.  Low  brushwood 
and  reeds,  growing  on  the  banks  of  the  Rimac,  supply 
firewood  to  the  city  of  Lima,  and  are  a  source  of  profit 


BAROMETKICAL  CALCULATIONS.         257 

to  some  of  the  plantation-owners  in  the  valley.  At 
Pariachi,  four  leagues  from  the  capital,  the  road  takes 
a  turn  to  north-east,  and  continues  in  that  direction, 
with  but  little  deviation,  as  far  as  the  base  of  the 
Cordillera.  Two  leagues  beyond  Pariachi  we  reach 
Chaclacayo,  a  village  containing  about  thirty  miserable 
reed  huts.  The  plantation  of  Santa  Ines,  a  little 
further  on,  is  situated  at  2386  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea."*  Mr.  Maclean,  an  English  merchant  in  Lima, 
who  has  sent  many  interesting  Peruvian  plants  to  the 
hothouses  of  England,  and  who  has  made  some  very 
attentive  barometrical  observations  during  a  journey 
in  the  interior  of  the  country,  calculates  the  altitude  of 
Chaclacayo,  at  2265  feet  above  the  sea.f  Bivero 
makes  it  2010  feet  above  that  level.J  The  difference 
between  these  calculations  is  remarkable ;  and  in  more 
considerable  altitudes  the  discrepancy  is  still  more  con- 
siderable, being  sometimes  as  much  as  from  eight  to 
nine  hundred  feet.  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  it 
is  attributable  less  to  inaccuracy  of  observation  than  to 
the  very  imperfect  instrument  made  use  of  by  Rivero. 
Maclean's  observations,  with  some  trifling  exceptions, 
correspond  with  mine.  He  used  one  of  Fortin's  baro- 
meters, and  I  one  of  Lefevre's,  which,  prior  to  my 
departure  from  Europe,  had,  during  several  weeks, 

*  All  these  calculations  are  by  English  feet. 

t  Jardine  and  Selby's  Annals  of  Natural  History. 

J  Nivelacion  barometrica  desde  el  Callao  hasta  Pasco,  por  el  camino  de 
Obrajillo,  y  desde  el  mismo  lugar  hasta  la  capital  por  via  de  Tarma,  hecha  y 
calculada  por  Mariano  Eduardo  Rivero  y  Usturitz  in  Memorial  de  Ciencias 
naturales,  &c. 

S 


258  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

been  regulated  at  the  observatory  in  Paris.  Unluckily, 
this  excellent  instrument  was  injured  by  a  fall  from  my 
horse,  and  I  found  it  impossible  to  get  it  repaired. 
Some  barometrical  observations  made  by  M.  C.  Gay, 
during  a  journey  in  Peru,  in  the  years  1839-40,  with 
one  of  Bunten's  barometers,  deviate  very  considerably 
from  all  those  above  mentioned.  Between  the  calcula- 
tions of  Gay  and  Rivero  there  is  an  average  difference 
of  from  six  hundred  to  one  thousand  feet. 

On  the  road  to  Pasco,  the  Hacienda  of  Cavallero 
corresponds,  in  its  distance  from  the  capital,  with  the 
village  of  Chaclacayo,  on  the  road  I  am  here  describing. 
At  Chaclacayo  wheat  and  sugar  are  cultivated.  The 
sugar  cane  thrives  well,  and  might  be  grown  in  greater 
quantity.  In  some  of  the  coast  districts  I  have  seen 
the  sugar  cane  cultivated  at  the  height  of  4500  feet 
above  the  sea  ;  and  I  have  seen  it  grow  spontaneously, 
and  attain  perfect  maturity,  as  high  as  6800  feet. 

From  Santa  Ines  the  road  continues  gradually  ascend- 
ing to  the  little  village  of  San  Pedro  Mama,  where  the 
two  rivers,  San  Mateo  and  Santa  Olaya,  unite  and  form 
the  Bimac.  The  walls  of  mountain  which  inclose  the 
valley  here  rise  almost  perpendicularly,  and  afford 
nestling  places  for  small  richly-plumed  parrots,  (Conu- 
rus  rupicola,  Tsch.)  I  was  much  surprised  to  see  these 
birds  inhabiting  the  barren  rocks,  as  the  parrot  always 
dwells  in  woody  regions,  and  is  found  in  other  places 
only  when  on  its  passage.  I  know  no  other  species  of 
this  family,  save  the  one  I  have  just  mentioned,  which 
permanently  nestles  on  mountains. 


THE    REO    SECO.  259 

Three  leagues  beyond  San  Pedro  lies  the  village  of 
Cocachacra.  It  is  a  small  and  poor  place,  but  is  pictu- 
resquely situated,  and  enjoys  a  fine  climate.  Its  name, 
signifying  coca-field,  or  plantation,  denotes  that  coca 
must  formerly  have  been  cultivated  here.  At  present 
that  plant  is  not  grown  in  any  part  near  the  coast,  as  it 
requires  a  damp  and  very  warm  climate.  Cocachacra 
is  5386  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Maclean  fixes 
the  altitude  of  San  Pedro  Mama,  Santa  Olaya,  and 
Cocachacra,  at  5331  feet.  Supposing  this  calculation  to 
be  correct  with  respect  to  the  latter  village,  it  cannot 
also  apply  to  San  Pedro  Mama  and  Santa  Olaya,  which 
lie  much  lower.  At  the  two  last-mentioned  places  I 
made  no  barometrical  observations. 

On  the  Pasco  road  the  hamlet  of  Llanga  is  situated, 
at  twelve  leagues  from  Lima.  On  the  other  road 
Cocachacra  is  the  same  distance  from  the  capital ;  but 
Cocachacra  is  about  2400  feet  higher  than  Llanga. 
Between  Cavallero  and  Llanga  there  is  an  interesting- 
geological  phenomenon,  which  I  will  here  describe. 

At  the  distance  of  two  leagues  from  Lima  the  road 
takes  a  turn.  At  first  it  runs  direct  north,  or  north- 
north-west  ;  suddenly  it  turns  to  north-north-east,  and 
advances  along  the  bank  of  the  river  Chillon  as  far 
as  Cavallero.  From  thence,  with  slight  deviations,  it 
continues  in  the  same  course  to  Llanga,  but  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  the  river,  as  the  latter  takes  a 
wide  sweep  northward.  From  Cavallero  the  road  runs 
for  the  space  of  three  leagues,  still  ascending,  through 
a  barren  district,  along  the  dry  bed  of  a  river,  called  the 

s2 


260  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Rio  Seco.  The  last  half-league  of  the  way  is  very  steep, 
and  leads  to  the  ridge  of  a  chain  of  hillocks  running 
diagonally  across  the  valley.  The  ground  is  strewed 
with  fragments  of  porphyry  and  other  kinds  of  rock, 
like  the  bed  of  the  Rimac.  On  reaching  the  ridge  of 
the  line  of  hillocks,  the  traveller  beholds  on  the  other 
side  a  hollow  basin,  like  the  dry  bed  of  a  lake  :  a 
furrow,  extending  lengthwise  through  this  hollow,  is 
the  continuation  of  the  bed  of  river  which  is  inter- 
sected by  the  chain  of  hills.  Descending  into  the  valley, 
and  again  following  the  course  of  the  Rio  Seco  to  the 
distance  of  about  three  leagues,  we  reach  the  village  of 
Alcocoto,  and  once  more  arrive  on  the  bank  of  the 
Rio  de  Chillon. 

Here,  therefore,  we  have  evidence  of  the  following 
remarkable  facts  ;  viz. : — that  at  some  former  period  the 
river  of  Chillon  flowed  north-westward  from  Alcocoto  to 
Cavallero,  in  the  bed  that  is  now  dry ;  and  that  a  chain  of 
hills  has  been  upheaved  diagonally  across  the  valley  and 
the  river.  By  this  chain  of  hills  the  water,  being  dammed 
up,  formed  a  lake  ;  then  it  was  again  driven  back, 
until  the  stream  broke  into  a  new  course  at  Alcocoto, 
by  which  means  the  lake  emptied  itself,  and,  having  no 
new  supply  of  water,  it  dried  up.  Now  the  Rio  de 
Chillon  flows  from  Alcocoto  to  Cavallero,  taking  a  wide 
turn,  first  westward,  next  south-westward,  and  lastly, 
direct  south,  until,  at  a  sharp  angle,  it  unites  with  the 
old  bed  of  the  river.  The  point  of  junction  is  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  Hacienda  Cavallero.  This  is,  how- 
ever, not  a  solitary  example  of  the  course  of  a  river 


GEOLOGICAL    PHENOMENA.  261 

being  interrupted  by  the  uplifting  of  a  ridge  of  hills.  A 
similar  instance  is  mentioned  by  Mr.  Darwin,  who, 
however,  did  not  see  it  himself,  but  who  describes  it  as 
follows,  from  the  observation  of  his  countryman,  Mr.  Grill, 
the  engineer  : — 

"  Travelling  from  Casma  to  Huaraz,  not  far  distant 
from  Lima,  he  (Mr.  Gill)  found  a  plain  covered  with 
ruins  and  marks  of  ancient  cultivation,  but  now  quite 
barren.  Near  it  was  the  dry  course  of  a  considerable 
river,  whence  the  water  for  irrigation  had  formerly  been 
conducted.  There  was  nothing  in  the  appearance  of  the 
water-course  to  indicate  that  the  river  had  not  flowed 
there  a  few  years  previously ;  in  some  parts,  beds  of 
sand  and  gravel  were  spread  out ;  in  others,  the  solid 
rock  had  been  worn  into  a  broad  channel,  which  in  one 
spot  was  about  forty  yards  in  breadth,  and  eight 
feet  deep.  It  is  self-evident  that  a  person  following  up 
the  course  of  a  stream  will  always  ascend  at  a  greater 
or  less  inclination.  Mr.  Gill,  therefore,  was  much 
astonished,  when  walking  up  the  bed  of  this  ancient 
river,  to  find  himself  suddenly  going  down  hill.  He 
imagined  that  the  downward  slope  had  a  fall  of  about 
forty  or  fifty  feet  perpendicular.  We  here  have  unequi- 
vocal evidence  that  a  ridge  had  been  uplifted  right 
across  the  old  bed  of  a  stream.  From  the  moment  the 
river-course  was  thus  arched  the  water  must  necessarily 
have  been  thrown  back,  and  a  new  channel  formed. 
From  that  period,  also,  the  neighbouring  plain  must  have 
lost  its  fertilising  stream,  and  become  a  desert."'55" 

*  Darwin's  Journal,  p.  359. 


262  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  inference  here  deduced  is,  that  the  rising  took 
place  at  a  period  when  the  district  was  inhabited  and 
cultivated  by  men.  Of  the  period  of  the  uplifting 
between  Cavallero  and  Alcocoto  I  could  discern  no 
proofs.  But  the  impression  produced  by  the  dry  river 
bed  involuntarily  suggests  the  idea  that,  at  no  very 
distant  period,  it  must  have  'been  the  lodgment  of 
a  stream ;  for  it  is  in  all  respects  similar  to  the  tem- 
porary dry  river  beds  so  frequently  met  with  on  the 
coast  of  Peru. 

I  made  repeated  visits  to  the  Rio  Seco,  and  I  always 
contemplated  with  wonder  the  curious  deviation  of  the 
river's  course.  But  I  must  candidly  confess  that  during 
my  abode  in  Peru,  I  did  not  venture  to  attribute  that 
deviation  to  so  partial  an  uplifting ;  for  I  was  ignorant 
of  the  existence  of  any  similar  phenomenon  which 
would  have  supported  such  an  opinion.  Now,  however, 
the  example  referred  to  by  the  eminent  English  geo- 
logist, and  which  has  its  existence  on  the  same  coast 
of  Peru,  sets  all  my  doubts  at  rest,  and  I  am  quite 
convinced  of  the  correctness  of  Mr.  Darwin's  view  of 
the  subject. 

Having  made  this  digression,  I  must  now  carry  the 
reader  back  to  Cocachacra.  Pursuing  the  road  to  the 
distance  of  three  leagues  further,  we  arrive  at  San 
Geronimo  de  Surco.  The  valley  in  this  part  becomes 
more  contracted ;  but  on  the  whole  its  character  is 
unchanged,  with  the  exception  that  the  mountains  gra- 
dually become  higher  and  steeper,  and  the  soil  less 
fertile.  The  road  frequently  runs  along  lofty  walls  of 


THE    VERUGAS.  263 

rock,  or  winds  round  sharp  projections,  which  overhang 
deep  chasms,  in  passing  which  the  greatest  precaution  is 
requisite. 

In  several  of  the  valleys  on  the  road  from  the  coast 
to  the  Sierra,  and  above  all  in  the  valley  of  Surco,  there 
are  certain  springs,  the  water  of  which  the  Indians  never 
drink.  When  a  stranger  unguardedly  approaches  one 
of  these  springs  for  the  purpose  of  quenching  his  thirst, 
he  is  saluted  by  warning  cries  of  Es  agua  de  Veruga! 
(It  is  veruga  water !)  Even  horses  and  mules  are  not 
suffered  to  refresh  themselves  at  these  springs,  where 
the  water  is  supposed  to  have  the  effect  of  producing  a 
disorder  called  the  Verugas.  As  the  existence  of  this 
disease  is  not  known  in  any  other  country,  there  appears 
ground  for  believing  that  it  has  its  origin  in  certain 
local  circumstances.  The  verugas  first  manifests  itself 
by  sore  throat,  pains  in  the  bones,  and  other  feverish 
symptoms.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  an  eruption  of 
red-coloured  pimples,  or  boils,  appears.  These  pimples 
sometimes  increase  in  magnitude,  till,  in  some  parts  of 
the  body,  they  become  nearly  as  large  as  an  egg,  and 
blood  flows  from  them  to  such  an  excess,  that  the  strength 
of  the  patient  is  exhausted,  and  consumption  frequently 
follows.  From  the  small  verugas  the  flow  of  blood  is 
greatest.  I  knew  an  instance  of  a  half-caste  Indian 
who  from  a  small  veruga  below  the  ankle  lost  two 
pounds  of  blood. 

I  was  not  able  to  trace  this  disease  to  any  other 
cause  than  that  which  the  Indians  assign  to  it.  At  all 
events,  it  is  certain  that  travellers  who  abstain  from 


264  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

drinking  the  water  of  the  condemned  springs,  escape  the 
verugas  ;  whilst  those  who  only  once  taste  such  water, 
are  attacked  by  the  disorder.  It  is  the  same  with  mules 
and  horses.  One  of  my  mules  which  drank  veruga  water 
was  attacked  by  a  large  tumour  on  the  leg.  The  disease 
is  notoriously  prevalent  in  the  village  of  Santa  Olaya. 

The  medical  treatment  of  the  Verugas  by  the  Indians 
is  quite  empirical.  They  administer  to  the  patient  the 
infusion  of  a  plant  which  they  call  Huajra-Huajra ; 
that  is,  Horn-Horn.*  I  never  witnessed  any  convincing 
proof  of  its  efficacy.  Its  operation  appears  to  be  merely 
sudorific.  A  preparation  of  white  maize  is  also  frequently 
given,  and  it  has  the  effect  of  assisting  the  action  of  the 
skin.  When  the  eruption  of  the  verugas  is  tardy,  a 
few  spoonfuls  of  wine  are  found  to  be  of  great  service. 
Sudorific  and  purifying  medicines,  together  with  cutting 
out  the  large  verugas,  and  keeping  the  wounds  for  a 
time  in  a  state  of  suppuration,  has  heretofore  been  found 
the  best  mode  of  treatment.  An  accurate  chemical 
analysis  of  the  water  which  the  Indians  declare  to  be 
agua  de  veruga,  would  be  very  desirable,  f 

In  the  Quebrada  of  Canta,  where  the  verugas  are 
less  common  than  in  that  of  Matucanas,  another  disease, 
called  the  Uta,  is  of  very  frequent  occurrence.  The  uta  is 
a  sort  of  cancer,  and  it  is  more  fearful  in  its  consequences 
than  the  verugas.  Probably  in  no  country  in  the  world 


*  The  Spaniards  term  this  plant  Una  de  gato  (Cat's-claw),  the  stalk  being  fur- 
nished with  hooked  thorns  resembling  claws. 

t  For  further  information  relative  to  this  disease,  see  my  communication  to 
Wunderlich  and  Roser's  "  Archivfur  Physiologische  Heilkunde" 


BIRD-CATCHING   SPIDER.  265 

do  so  many  local  diseases  prevail  as  in  Peru.  Every 
valley  has  its  own  peculiar  disease,  which  frequently 
does  not  extend  beyond  the  boundary  of  a  few  square 
miles,  and  is  quite  unknown  in  neighbouring  districts. 
The  origin  of  these  disorders  is,  doubtless,  to  be  traced 
to  certain  mineral  or  vegetable  influences  as  yet  unknown. 
It  is  remarkable  how  unequally  these  baneful  visitations 
affect  the  different  races  of  the  inhabitants.  The  Indians 
and  the  lighter  classes  of  half-castes  are  most  frequently 
attacked  by  the  verugas ;  the  whites  are  less  liable  to 
the  disease,  whilst  the  negroes  and  people  of  the  darker 
shades  of  mixed  blood  seldom  suffer  from  it.  The 
Indians  and  the  Chinos  are  particularly  liable  to  the 
uta.  The  caracha,  of  which  I  have  already  spoken,""" 
visits  the  Negroes,  the  Zamboes,  and  the  Mulattoes  ;  the 
lighter-complexioned  races  being  much  less  liable  to  it. 

At  Quibe  I  saw  a  bird-catching  spider  (my gale),  of 
extraordinary  large  size.  The  back  part  of  the  body 
alone  measured  two  inches.  Being  at  some  distance  I 
supposed  it  to  be  one  of  the  rodent  animals,  and  I  fired 
at  it.  To  my  mortification  I  discovered  my  mistake 
when  too  late,  for  the  specimen  was  completely  destroyed 
by  the  shot,  and  was  useless  for  my  collection.  The 
Indians  assured  me  that  on  the  margin  of  the  stream 
which  flowed  near  the  plantation  many  larger  indi- 
viduals were  to  be  found  ;  but  I  never  saw  another 
of  such  remarkable  size  as  the  one  I  inadvertently 
destroyed. 

San  Geronimo  de  Surco  is  6945  feet  above  the  level 

*  See  page  217. 


266  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

of  the  sea.  It  is  a  long  village,  and  is  situated  in 
one  of  the  most  fertile  parts  of  the  valley.  The 
houses  are  detached  one  from  another,  and  each  is 
surrounded  by  a  little  chacra.  This  place  may  be 
regarded  as  the  boundary-line  between  the  coast  and 
the  Sierra.  The  climate  is  agreeable — rather  hot 
than  cold.  Most  of  the  coast  plants  thrive  here  with 
little  culture.  Bananas,  chirimoyas,  superb  granadillas, 
pomegranates,  camotes,  &c.,  grow  here  in  luxuriant 
abundance.  Yuccas  I  did  not  see  :  their  elevation 
boundary  is  lower.  San  Geronimo  de  Surco  is  infested 
with  swarms  of  annoying  insects,  especially  sancudos, 
(Culex  molestus,  Koll.),  and  stinging  flies  (species  of 
Simoleum),  which  banish  sleep  from  the  resting-place  of 
the  weary  traveller. 

In  this  village  there  is  an  old  Spaniard  who  keeps  a 
tambo,  and  at  the  same  time  exercises  the  calling  of  a 
farrier.  One  of  my  horse's  shoes  being  loose,  I  got  him 
to  fasten  it  on.  For  hammering  in  eight  nails  he 
made  me  pay  half  a  gold  ounce,  and  at  first  he 
demanded  twelve  dollars.  He  doubtless  bore  in  mind 
the  old  Spanish  proverb  :  "  POT  un  clavo  se  pierde  una 
herradura,  por  una  herradura  un  cavallo,  por  un  cavallo 
un  cavallero"*  and  he  felt  assured  that  I  must  have 
the  damage  repaired  at  any  price.  Shortly  after  my 
arrival  in  the  Sierra  I  got  myself  initiated  in  the  art  of 
horse-shoeing,  and  constantly  carried  about  with  me  a 
supply  of  horse-shoes  and  nails,  a  plan  which  I  found 
was  generally  adopted  by  travellers  in  these  parts.  It 

*  By  a  nail  is  lost  a  shoe,  by  a  shoe  a  horse,  and  by  a  horse  a  rider. 


INDIAN    TAMBOS.  267 

is  only  in  the  larger  Indian  villages  that  farriers  are 
to  be  met  with,  that  is  to  say  in  places  fifty  or  sixty 
leagues  distant  from  each  other. 

From  Surco  the  road  runs  to  the  distance  of  two 
leagues  tolerably  level,  and  very  close  to  the  river, 
which,  from  Cocachacra,  bears  the  name  of  Rio  de  San 
Mateo.  The  next  village  is  San  Juan  de  Matucanas,  at 
a  little  distance  from  which  there  is  a  tambo  situated,  at 
the  height  of  8105  feet  above  the  sea.*  These  tambos 
of  the  Sierra  are  wretched  places,  but  the  traveller  may 
find  in  them  shelter,  and  possibly  some  miserable  kind 
of  food.  Even  in  Lima  the  tambos  are  not  much  better. 
In  the  capital  a  tambo  affords  the  traveller  the  accom- 
modation of  a  room,  containing  a  table,  a  chair,  and  a 
bedstead  ;  for  it  is  always  understood  that  he  brings  his 
mattress  and  bedding  along  with  him.  In  the  interior 
of  the  country  the  accommodation  is  limited  to  an 
empty  space  on  the  floor,  just  large  enough  to  spread  a 
mattress  upon.  Whenever  the  state  of  the  weather 
permitted  I  always  preferred  sleeping  in  the  open  air. 
Even  on  a  rainy  night  a  lodging  on  the  outside  of  the 
door  is  preferable  to  the  interior  of  the  hut,  where 
Indians,  negroes,  dogs  and  pigs  are  all  huddled  together. 
In  these  tambos  there  is  seldom  any  scarcity  of  brandy 
or  chicha  ;  but  the  hungry  traveller  sometimes  cannot 
get  even  a  potato  or  a  bit  of  maize.  Frequently,  when 
the  Indians  really  have  provisions  they  will  not  produce 


*  According  to  Maclean,  the  elevation  of  Matucanas  is  8026  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  I  presume  that  this  calculation  refers  to  the  village  itself,  which 
is  situated  about  the  eighth  of  a  league  from  the  tambo,  and  lies  much  lower. 


268  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

them,  because  they  are  fearful  of  not  being  paid.  This 
suspicion  is  pardonable  enough  ;  for  when  troops  march 
through  the  villages  the  inhabitants  are  often  cheated  by 
the  officers,  and  ill-treated  into  the  bargain.  Generally, 
in  this  part  of  the  country  the  people  are  civil,  and  will 
readily  sell  provisions  if  they  are  paid.  Not  so  the 
Indians  of  the  higher  mountains  eastward  of  the  Cordil- 
lera. To  the  traveller's  demand  for  something  to  eat, 
their  uniform  reply  is,  "  Manam  canchu "  (we  have 
nothing)  ;  and  it  is  often  found  necessary  to  resort 
to  force  in  order  to  convert  this  monotonous  answer 
into  the  more  agreeable  "Ari  conchu"  (here  is  some- 
thing). 

Matucanas,  which  is  rather  a  large  village,  lies  on  the 
left  bank,  of  the  Rimac.  The  houses  are  of  brick,  and 
roofed  with  straw.  The  soil  round  this  village  is  fertile, 
though  not  favourable  to  the  growth  of  those  plants 
which  demand  a  very  warm  temperature.  The  agricul- 
tural produce  is  therefore  limited  to  maize,  wheat, 
lucerne  (which  is  very  abundant),  and  potatoes  ;  the 
latter  are  sent  in  great  quantities  to  the  capital.  The 
cactus  grows  on  the  hills,  and  its  excellent  fruit  (tunas) 
forms  also  an  article  of  trade. 

Beyond  Matucanas  the  valley  contracts  into  a  nar- 
row ravine  no  broader  than  the  bed  of  the  river, 
and  it  gradually  assumes  a  wilder  character.  The 
way  is  difficult  along  the  ridge  of  hills  which  borders 
the  left  bank  of  the  river.  The  vegetation  is  less 
monotonous  and  scanty  than  in  the  valleys  of  the 
coast,  and  all  the  fissures  of  the  hills  are  filled  with 


POTENT   NARCOTIC    BEVERAGE.  269 

verdure.  The  stunted  willow  (Saliw  Humboldtii,  Wild.) 
grows  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  on  the  less 
steep  declivities  is  seen  the  red  thorn-apple  (Datura 
sanguined,  R.  Pav.).  To  the  latter  the  natives  give  the 
names  Huacacachu,  Yerba  de  Huaca,  or  Bovachevo;  and 
they  prepare  from  its  fruit  a  very  powerful  narcotic 
drink,  called  tonga.  The  Indians  believe  that  by  drink- 
ing the  tonga  they  are  brought  into  communication  with 
the  spirits  of  their  forefathers.  I  once  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  observing  an  Indian  under  the  influence  of  this 
drink.  Shortly  after  having  swallowed  the  beverage  he 
fell  into  a  heavy  stupor :  he  sat  with  his  eyes  vacantly 
fixed  on  the  ground,  his  mouth  convulsively  closed,  and 
his  nostrils  dilated.  In  the  course  of  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  his  eyes  began  to  roll,  foam  issued  from  his 
half-opened  lips,  and  his  whole  body  was  agitated  by 
frightful  convulsions.  These  violent  symptoms  having 
subsided,  a  profound  sleep  of  several  hours  succeeded. 
In  the  evening  I  again  saw  this  Indian.  He  was 
relating  to  a  circle  of  attentive  listeners  the  particulars 
of  his  vision,  during  which  he  alleged  he  had  held  com- 
munication with  the  spirits  of  his  forefathers.  He 
appeared  very  weak  and  exhausted. 

In  former  times  the  Indian  sorcerers,  when  they  pre- 
tended to  transport  themselves  into  the  presence  of  their 
deities,  drank  the  juice  of  the  thorn-apple,  in  order  to 
work  themselves  into  a  state  of  ecstasy.  Though  the 
establishment  of  Christianity  has  weaned  the  Indians 
from  their  idolatry,  yet  it  has  not  banished  their  old 
superstitions.  They  still  believe  that  they  can  hold 


270  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

communication  with  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors,  and 
that  they  can  obtain  from  them  a  clue  to  the  treasures 
concealed  in  the  huacas,  or  graves  ;  hence  the  Indian 
name  of  the  thorn-apple — huacacacku,  or  grave-plant. 

A  few  miles  beyond  Matucanas  there  is  a  lateral 
valley,  larger  and  more  pleasant  than  the  principal 
valley.  It  is  called  the  Quebrada  de  Viso,  and  is 
watered  by  a  little  stream.  At  the  point  where  this 
Quebrada  forms  a  junction  with  the  principal  valley 
is  situated  the  Tambo  de  Viso.  It  is  9100  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.*  At  this  tambo  the  traveller 
may  find  a  tolerable  night's  lodging  for  himself,  and 
fodder  for  his  horse.  Here  the  river  is  crossed  by  a 
bridge,  and  the  road  then  proceeds  along  the  left  bank 
of  the  river,  after  having  been  on  the  right  bank  all  the 
way  from  Lima.  The  bridges  across  these  mountain 
streams  are  always  constructed  at  points  where  the 
river  is  most  contracted  by  the  narrow  confines  of  the 
ravine.  They  consist  merely  of  a  few  poles  made  of 
the  trunk  of  the  Maguay-tree  (Agave  Americana),  and 
connected  together  by  transverse  ropes  ;  the  ropes 
being  overlaid  with  twisted  branches  and  pieces  of 
hoops.  These  bridges  are  not  more  than  three  feet 
broad,  and  they  have  no  balustrades.  When  the  space 
between  the  banks  of  the  river  is  too  long  for  the 
Maguay  stems,  strong  ropes  made  of  twisted  ox-hides 
are  substituted.  In  crossing  these  bridges  accidents 
frequently  happen,  owing  to  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  and 

*  According  to  Maclean's  calculation,  the  Tambo  de  Viso  is  9072  feet  above 
the  sea. 


DANGEROUS   MOUNTAIN   PATHWAYS.  271 

mules  getting  entangled  in  the  plaited  branches  along 
the  pathway.  A  little  way  beyond  San  Mateo  I  nar- 
rowly escaped  being  precipitated,  with  my  mule,  into 
the  rocky  chasm  forming  the  bed  of  the  river. 

The  road  between  Viso  and  San  Mateo,  a  distance  of 
about  three  leagues,  is  exceedingly  difficult  and  dangerous. 
The  ravine  becomes  narrowed  to  a  mere  cleft,  between 
walls  of  mountain  rising  on  either  side  to  the  height  of 
more  than  a  thousand  feet ;  sometimes  perpendicularly, 
and  at  other  times  inclining  inwards,  so  as  to  form  gigan- 
tic arches.  The  path  runs  along  the  base  of  these  moun- 
tains, washed  by  the  foaming  waves  of  the  stream ;  or 
it  winds  up  the  side  of  the  precipice,  over  huge  fragments 
of  rock,  which,  being  loosened  by  the  rain,  afford  no 
secure  footing  for  the  heavily-laden  mules.  Frequently 
these  loosened  blocks  give  way,  and  roll  down  into  the 
valley.  The  journey  from  Yiso  to  San  Mateo  is  asso- 
ciated in  my  mind  with  the  recollection  of  a  most 
mortifying  accident.  A  mass  of  rock,  such  as  I  have 
just  described,  gave  way,  and,  rolling  down  the  preci- 
pice, hurled  one  of  my  mules  into  the  foaming  abyss. 
My  most  valuable  instruments,  a  portion  of  my  collec- 
tions, my  papers,  and — to  me  an  irreparable  loss — a 
diary  carefully  and  conscientiously  kept  for  the  space 
of  fourteen  months,  were  in  a  moment  buried  in  the 
river.  Two  days  afterwards  the  current  washed  the 
dead  mule  ashore  at  Matucanas,  but  its  load  was 
irrecoverably  lost. 

Every  year  many  beasts  of  burthen,  and  even  travel- 
lers, perish  on  this  road.  In  the  Tambo  de  Viso  I  met 


272  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

an  officer  who,  with  two  of  his  sons,  was  coming  from 
the  Sierra.  He  had  placed  the  youngest  before  him, 
and  the  other,  a  boy  of  ten  years  of  age,  was  seated  on 
the  mule's  crupper.  When  they  were  within  about  half 
a  league  from  Viso,  a  huge  mass  of  rock,  rolling  down 
from  the  mountain,  struck  the  elder  boy,  and  hurled 
him  into  the  river.  The  afflicted  father  was  anxiously 
seeking  to  recover  the  body  of  his  lost  child. 

San  Mateo  is  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  is 
the  largest  village  in  this  valley.  It  corresponds  in 
situation  with  Culluay  in  the  Quebrada  of  Canta ;  as 
Matucanas  corresponds  with  the  village  of  Obrajillo. 
San  Mateo  is  10,947  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.* 
The  soil  produces  abundance  of  potatoes,  Ocas  (Oxalis 
tuberosa)  and  Ullucas  (Tropceolum  tuber osum).  Maize 
ripens  here  perfectly,  but  the  heads  are  small.  The 
lucerne  is  also  small,  but  very  abundant ;  it  is  very 
much  exposed  to  injury  from  the  frost,  and  is  only  good 
for  use  during  the  five  rainy  months  of  the  year.  Five 
hundred  feet  higher,  that  is  to  say,  about  11,500  feet 
above  the  sea,  is  the  boundary  elevation  for  the  growth 
of  lucerne. 

The  spirit  of  hospitality,  so  generally  prevalent  among 
the  Sierra  Indians,  does  not  seem  to  animate  the  Cholos  of 
San  Mateo.  Their  manners  are  rude  and  reserved,  and 
they  are  very  distrustful  of  strangers.  As  soon  as  a 
traveller  enters  the  village,  the  Alcalde  and  the  Reji- 

*  Maclean  states  the  elevation  to  be  10,984  feet  above  the  sea.  Rivero 
makes  it  9570,  and  Gay  10,408  feet.  Gay's  is  the  only  measurement  which  in 
any  manner  corresponds  with  mine  and  Maclean's.  In  general  Gay's  calcula- 
tions are  between  600  and  800  feet  higher  than  ours. 


AN    OPERA    BILL    FOR   A    PASSPORT.  273 

dores  make  their  appearance,  and  demand  his  passport. 
If  he  cannot  produce  it,  he  may  possibly  be  put  upon  a 
donkey,  and  conducted  to  the  nearest  Prefect,  or  may 
moreover  run  the  risk  of  being  ill-treated.  But,  fortu- 
nately, it  is  easy  to  escape  from  such  annoyances.  Any 
scrap  of  printed  or  written  paper  will  answer  for  a  pass- 
port, as  it  rarely  happens  that  either  the  Alcalde  or  the 
Rejidores  can  read.  On  one  occasion  when  my  pass- 
port was  demanded,  I  discovered  I  had  lost  it.  Fortu- 
nately, I  had  in  my  pocket  a  bit  of  waste  paper,  which 
I  had  used  instead  of  wadding  in  loading  my  gun.  I 
ventured  at  all  hazards  to  hand  it  to  the  Indian  Rejidor, 
who  having  unfolded  it,  stared  very  gravely  at  the 
words  Lucia  di  Lameroor,  which  he  saw  printed  in 
large  characters.  It  was  the  bill  of  the  opera  I  had 
attended  a  few  evenings  before  my  departure  from 
Lima.  After  examining  the  bill  very  attentively,  and 
then  scanning  me  very  narrowly,  the  Rejidor  returned 
the  paper,  with  the  observation  that  the  passport  was 
quite  correct. 

From  San  Mateo  the  road  runs  for  half-a-league 
through  a  gloomy  ravine ;  and  then  suddenly  takes  a 
steep  ascent  up  the  side  of  the  mountain,  over  fragments 
of  stones,  lying  one  above  another  like  flights  of  steps. 
The  stream  dashes  from  rock  to  rock,  covering  the 
narrow  path  with  foam,  and  washing  away  the  blocks 
of  stone  which,  in  some  of  the  most  dangerous  parts, 
serve  as  barriers  along  the  edge  of  the  precipice.  On  this 
road  long  trains  of  mules  are  frequently  met  coming 
from  the  Sierra.  The  traveller,  at  their  approach,  seeks 

T 


274  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

some  little  recess  into  which  he  may  creep,  and  there 
stand  closely  jammed  against  the  mountain  until  the 
train  passes  by.  This  is  attended  by  great  loss  of  time, 
owing  to  the  slow  and  cautious  pace  at  which  the  mules 
proceed.  On  such  a  rencounter  in  a  narrow  mountain 
path,  I  was  once  obliged  to  wait  for  several  hours,  whilst 
two  hundred  mules  passed  by ;  and  at  the  spot  where  I 
and  my  horse  stood,  the  laden  animals  had  scarcely 
space  sufficient  to  set  down  their  feet  at  the  very  edge 
of  the  pathway.  In  some  places  it  is  perfectly  impossi- 
ble either  to  go  on  one  side  or  to  turn  back  ;  and  when 
horses  or  mules  meet  at  these  difficult  points,  one  of  the 
animals  is  obliged  to  plunge  into  the  stream,  before  the 
other  can  have  room  to  pass.  The  numerous  curvatures 
of  the  road,  and  the  projecting  masses  of  mountain, 
render  it  impossible  to  see  advancing  objects  in  sufficient 
time  to  avoid  collision. 

After  having  passed  this  difficult  tract,  which  is  called 
by  the  natives  Cacray,  we  reach  the  summit  of  the 
acclivity  down  which  the  mountain  stream  descends. 
Here  the  valley  presents  quite  the  Sierra  character.  It 
is  no  longer  confined  within  steep  and  rugged  mountain 
walls,  but  runs  in  undulating  contours  along  the  bases  of 
the  hills,  and  gently  ascends  eastward  towards  the  prin- 
cipal chain  of  the  Cordillera.  The  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  calcu- 
lation, is  12,712  feet  above  sea  level.  In  some  of  the 
more  sheltered  parts  barley  is  planted  ;  but  it  does  not 


AN    INDIAN   TAMBO    DESCRIBED.  275 

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  Achahuari.  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  rresting-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  bed- 
chamber serves  for  the  hostess,  her  daughter,  her  grand- 
children, and  the  travellers ;  an  immense  woollen  counter- 
pane 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  ene- 
mies from  whose  attacks  it  is  impossible  to  escape ;  for 
the  hut  is  infested  with  vermin.  Even  should  he  with- 
draw 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, 

T  2 


276  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

and  gambol  over  the  faces  and  bodies  of  the  sleepers,— 
and  it  may  readily  be  conceived  how  anxiously  the  tra- 
veller 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  unfre- 
quent.  From  April  to  July,  the  medium  temperature 
during  the  night  is  4°  R. 

After  passing  Cacray  the  diminished  atmospheric 
pressure  begins  to  produce  an  effect  on  coast  horses 
which  have  not  been  accustomed  to  travel  in  the  Sierra. 
They  are  attacked  with  a  malady  called  the  veta,  which 
shows  itself  by  difficulty  of  breathing  and  trembling. 
The  animals  are  frequently  so  overpowered  that  they 
are  unable  either  to  move  or  stand,  and  if  they  are  not 
immediately  unsaddled  and  allowed  to  rest  they  perish. 
The  arrieros  consider  bleeding  a  cure  for  this  malady. 
They  sometimes  slit  the  horse's  nostrils,  a  remedy  which 
is  probably  efficacious,  as  it  enables  the  animal  to  inhale 
the  air  freely.  Chopped  garlic  put  into  the  nostrils  is 
supposed  to  be  a  preventive  of  the  veta.  Mules  are  less 
liable  to  the  malady,  probably  because  they  ascend  the 
acclivities  more  slowly  than  horses.  The  disease  does 
not  attack  the  native  horses  of  the  Sierra,  for  which 
reason  they  are  better  than  the  coast  horses  for  mountain 
travelling.  Mules,  however,  are  preferable  to  either. 
It  is  wonderful  with  what  tact  and  penetration  the  mule 
chooses  his  footing.  When  he  doubts  the  firmness  of  the 


SINGULAR   SAGACITY   OF   MULES.  277 

ground  he  passes  his  muzzle  over  it,  or  turns  up  the 
loose  parts  with,  his  hoof  before  he  ventures  to  step 
forward.  When  he  finds  himself  getting  into  soft  and 
marshy  ground  he  stands  stock  still,  and  refuses  to 
obey  either  stirrup  or  whip.  If  by  accident  he  sinks 
into  a  morass,  he  makes  a  halt,  and  waits  very  content- 
edly until  he  receives  assistance.  But  in  spite  of  all 
this  sagacity  the  traveller  will  not  do  well  to  resign 
himself  wholly  to  the  guidance  of  his  mule.  In  ordi- 
nary cases  these  animals  allow  themselves  to  be  guided, 
and  sometimes  they  appear  to  think  it  more  safe  to 
trust  to  the  bridle  than  to  themselves.  One  of  my 
mules  frequently  gave  me  curious  proofs  of  this  sort  of 
calculation.  When,  in  very  difficult  parts  of  the  road,  I 
dismounted,  in  order  to  walk  and  lead  him  by  the  bridle, 
I  found  it  impossible  to  get  the  animal  to  move  either 
by  force  or  persuasion.  He  spread  out  his  legs,  fixed 
his  hoofs  firmly  into  the  ground,  and  obstinately 
resisted  all  my  endeavours  to  make  him  move.  But 
as  soon  as  I  remounted  he  willingly  obeyed  every 
movement  of  the  bridle.  With  this  mule  I  could  ride 
through  marshes,  which  I  could  never  do  with  any 
other.  He  appeared  to  reflect  that,  as  I  only  dismounted 
when  the  road  was  unsafe,  his  life  was  in  no  less  danger 
than  mine. 

About  a  league  beyond  Acchahuari  the  valley  is 
bounded  by  the  principal  chain  of  the  Cordillera.  The 
ascent  may  be  gained  by  two  different  roads.  One,  the 
steeper  of  the  two,  runs  southward,  across  the  Piedra 
Parada  ;  the  other,  on  which  the  ascent  is  somewhat 


278  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

easier,  takes  an  easterly  direction,  over  Antarangra. 
We  will  first  trace  the  latter  course,  which  is  the  most 
frequented.  At  the  extremity  of  the  valley,  and  twenty- 
eight  leagues  from  the  capital,  is  situated  the  last  village 
Cashapalca,  13,236  feet  above  the  sea.  Its  inhabitants 
are  chiefly  employed  in  mining.  Formerly,  vast  quan- 
tities of  silver  were  obtained  here.  But  most  of  the 
mines  are  now  either  under  water  or  exhausted,  and  the 
village,  with  its  mine  works,  has  dwindled  into  insignifi- 
cance. Beyond  Cashapalca  there  is  a  tract  of  marshy 
ground,  which  being  passed,  a  narrow  winding  road  of 
about  two  leagues  leads  up  the  acclivity.  The  soil  is 
clayey,  and  thinly  bestrewed  with  alpine  grass,  inter- 
mingled with  syngenecous  and  cruciferous  plants.  Two 
plants  which  are  called  by  the  natives  malayerba  and  gar- 
ban  zittos,  and  are  a  deadly  poison  to  mules  and  horses, 
grow  in  great  abundance  here.  The  numerous  skeletons 
of  beasts  of  burthen  seen  along  the  road  bear  evidence 
of  the  fatal  effects  of  those  plants.  Higher  up  the 
ascent  the  vegetation  becomes  more  and  more  scanty, 
until  at  length  it  entirely  disappears,  and  nothing  is 
visible  but  the  barren  rock  of  the  Sierra  highlands. 

The  last  division  of  acclivity  is  called  by  the  natives 
the  Antarangra  (copper  rock).  On  it  there  is  a  small 
heap  of  stones,  which  I  shall  describe  by  and  by,  and  a 
cross  made  of  the  stems  of  the  Baccharis.  From  this 
point  the  traveller  catches  a  distant  glimpse  of  the 
heaven-towering  summit  of  the  Cordillera. 

I  speedily  mounted  the  ascent,  and  reached  the  goal 
of  my  journey.  Here  I  found  myself  disappointed  in 


VIEW    FROM   THE   SUMMIT   OF   THE    CORDILLERA.      279 

the  expectation  I  had  formed  of  commanding  an  unin- 
terrupted view  over  boundless  space  and  distance.  The 
prospect  is  greatly  circumscribed  by  numerous  rocky 
elevations,  which  spring  up  in  every  direction.  The 
mountain  passes  running  across  the  ridge  of  the  Cor- 
dillera are  bounded  on  all  sides  by  rocks,  sometimes 
not  very  high,  but  at  other  times  rising  to  the  eleva- 
tion of  1000  feet.  The  Pass  of  Antarangra  (also  called 
Portachuelo  del  Tingo,  or  Pachachaca,)  is  15,600  feet 
above  the  sea.'*  Nevertheless  it  is,  during  a  great 
part  of  the  year,  free  from  snow.  Scarcely  a  quarter 
of  a  league  further  northward  are  the  eternal  glaciers, 
and  they  are  several  hundred  feet  lower  than  the 
Pass.  That  the  Pass  itself  is  not  permanently  covered 
with  snow  is  a  circumstance  which  may  probably 
be  accounted  for  by  the  direction  of  the  atmospheric 
currents.  The  east  winds  penetrate  into  the  deep 
recesses  of  the  valleys,  which  are  sheltered  against  the 
cold  south  wind  by  the  adjacent  mountain  ridge.  The 
passes  have  a  gloomy  character,  and  the  rugged 
grandeur  of  the  surrounding  country  presents  an  aspect 
of  chaotic  wildness  and  disorder.  The  ground  is  covered 
with  huge  masses  of  rock ;  and  the  ungenial  fruitless 
soil  is  shunned  alike  by  plants  and  animals.  The  thin 
tendrils  of  a  lichen,  here  and  there  twining  on  a  damp 
mass  of  stone,  are  the  only  traces  of  life.  Yet  the 
remains  of  human  industry  and  activity  are  everywhere 
observable.  On  all  sides  are  seen  the  deep  cavities 

*  Maclean  makes  it  15,543  feet;  Gay,  15,924  feet;  and  Rivero,  only  14,608 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 


280  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

which  formed  the  entrances  to  the  now  exhausted 
mines.  These  cavities  are  sometimes  situated  at  ele- 
vated points  of  the  almost  inaccessible  walls  of  rock, 
and  are  occasionally  found  in  the  level  part  of  the 
valley,  and  close  on  the  roadway.  Instances  have 
occurred  of  travellers  being  killed  by  falling  into  these 
holes,  when  they  have  been  covered  by  thick  falls  of 
snow. 

It  is  curious  to  observe,  on  the  Pass  of  Antarangra, 
the  partition  of  the  waters  flowing  into  the  two  great 
oceans,  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific.  Scarcely  thirty 
paces  distant  from  each  other  there  are  two  small  lagu- 
nas.  That  situated  most  to  the  west  is  one  of  the 
sources  of  the  Rio  de  San  Mateo,  which,  under  the  name 
of  the  Bimac,  falls  into  the  Pacific.  The  other  laguna, 
that  to  the  eastward,  sends  its  waters  through  a  succes- 
sion of  small  mountain  lakes  into  the  Rio  de  Pachachaca, 
a  small  tributary  to  the  mighty  Amazon  river.  It  is 
amusing  to  take  a  cup  of  water  from  the  one  laguna 
and  pour  it  into  the  other.  I  could  not  resist  indulging 
this  whim  ;  and  in  so  doing  I  thought  I  might  possibly 
have  sent  into  the  Pacific  some  drops  of  the  water 
destined  for  the  Atlantic.  But  the  whim,  puerile  as  it 
may  be,  nevertheless  suggests  serious  reflections  on  the 
mighty  power  of  nature,  which  has  thrown  up  these 
stupendous  mountains  from  the  bosom  of  the  earth ; 
and  also  on  the  testaceous  animals  found  on  these 
heights,  memorials  of  the  time  when  the  ocean  flowed 
over  their  lofty  summits. 

From   the  ridge   the   road   runs   eastward  along  a 


LAKES   OF    THE    CORDILLERA.  281 

branch  of  the.  principal  mountain  chain.  This  branch 
forms  the  southern  boundary  of  a  gently-sloping  valley. 
The  declivity  is  terrace-formed,  and  on  each  terrace 
there  is  a  small  clear  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  coloured  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  neigh- 
bourhood 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 


282  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

thing  seldom  seen  in  these  parts,  where,  the  wood  for 
such  purposes  must  be  brought  from  the  eastern  decli- 
vity 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  wall  of  the  structure.  Now  there  is  merely  an 
iron  cross,  fixed  on  the  upper  part  of  the  block  of  moun- 
tain. On  this  spot  the  Archbishop  used  formerly  to 
celebrate  mass,  when  he  was  on  his  rounds  through  the 
diocese.  The  chapel  was  destroyed  by  lightning,  and 
has  not  been  rebuilt.  The  pass  of  the  Piedra  Parada  is 
16,008  feet  above  the  sea,  and  is  always  covered  with 
snow.  Travellers  frequently  lose  their  way  in  this  pass, 
an  accident  which  befel  me  in  March,  1842,  when  I 
was  proceeding  alone  by  that  route.  Being  overtaken 


MINES    OF    YAULI.  283 

by  a  violent  fall  of  snow,  I  could  scarcely  see  a  few 
paces  before  me.  After  wandering  about  for  several 
hours,  my  horse  became  weary,  and  I  began  to  despair 
of  extricating  myself  from  the  dreary  plains  of  snow. 
Late  in  the  evening  I  reached  a  little  valley,  where,  shel- 
tered by  some  rocks,  I  passed  the  night.  On  the  following 
morning  I  renewed  my  journey,  and  after  considerable 
exertion  I  arrived  at  an  Indian  hut,  where  I  obtained 
such  directions  as  enabled  me  to  recover  the  right  course. 

The  eastern  declivity  of  the  Pass  of  Piedra  Parada  is 
steeper  than  that  of  Huascacocha.  After  a  difficult 
ride  of  about  two  leagues,  we  reach  first  the  valley, 
and  then  the  village  of  Yauli.  The  village  lies  at  the 
height  of  13,100  feet  above  the  sea,  and  consists  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miserable  huts,  affording 
habitations  for  between  twelve  and  fourteen  thousand 
Indians,  most  of  whom  are  employed  in  mining. 

The  Cordillera,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Yauli,  is 
exceedingly  rich  in  lead  ore,  containing  silver.  Within 
the  circuit  of  a  few  miles,  above  eight  hundred  shafts 
have  been  made,  but  they  have  not  been  found  suffici- 
ently productive  to  encourage  extensive  mining  works. 
The  difficulties  which  impede  mine-working  in  these 
parts  are  caused  chiefly  by  the  dearness  of  labour  and 
the  scarcity  of  fuel.  There  being  a  total  want  of  wood, 
the  only  fuel  that  can  be  obtained  consists  of  the  dried 
dung  of  sheep,  llamas,  and  huanacus.  This  fuel  is  called 
taquia.  It  produces  a  very  brisk  and  intense  flame, 
and  most  of  the  mine-owners  prefer  it  to  coal.  The 
process  of  smelting,  as  practised  by  the  Indians,  though 


284  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

extremely  rude  and  imperfect,  is  nevertheless  adapted 
to  local  circumstances.  All  European  attempts  to  im- 
prove the  system  of  smelting  in  these  districts  have 
either  totally  failed,  or  in  their  results  have  proved  less 
effective  than  the  simple  Indian  method.  Complicated 
furnaces  made  after  European  models  are  exceedingly 
expensive,  whilst  the  natives  can  construct  theirs  at  the 
cost  of  fifty  or  sixty  dollars  each.  These  Indian 
furnaces  can,  moreover,  be  easily  erected  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  mines,  and  when  the  metal  is  not  very  abundant 
the  furnaces  may  be  abandoned  without  any  great  sacri- 
fice. For  the  price  of  one  European  furnace  the  Indians 
may  build  more  than  a  dozen,  in  each  of  which,  notwith- 
standing the  paucity  of  fuel,  a  considerably  greater 
quantity  of  metal  may  be  smelted  than  in  one  of  Euro- 
pean construction. 

About  half  a  league  beyond  Yauli  there  are  upwards 
of  twenty  mineral  springs,  all  situated  within  a  circuit 
of  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  Several  of  them  contain  saline 
properties.  One  is  called  the  Hervidero  (the  whirl- 
pool). It  is  in  the  form  of  a  funnel,  and  at  its  upper 
part  is  between  ten  and  twelve  feet  diameter.  Its  sur- 
face is  covered  with  foam.  The  temperature  of  the 
water  is  only  7°  C.  higher  than  the  atmosphere.  Some 
of  these  springs  are  tepid  and  sulphuric  ;  and  the  tem- 
perature of  one  of  them  is  as  high  as  89°  C.  Near 
some  of  the  springs  quadrangular  basins  have  been 
constructed  for  baths,  which  are  said  to  be  very  effica- 
cious in  cutaneous  and  rheumatic  complaints.  The 
climate  of  Yauli  is  exceedingly  rigorous.  In  summer 


PORTUGUESE    MINE    OWNERS    TN    PERU.  285 

the  medium  temperature  of  the  night  is  8°  C.,  but  the 
days  are  mild.  In  winter,  on  the  other  hand,  the  night 
is  + 1°  C.,  and  the  day  scarcely  4-  3°  C.,  as  the  sky  is 
continually  overhung  with  thick  clouds,  which  disperse 
themselves  in  continual  falls  of  snow.  I  passed  several 
weeks  in  Yauli  and  in  the  wild  country  around  it,  and 
during  that  time  I  made  many  valuable  additions  to 
my  natural  history  collection. 

The  distance  between  Yauli  and  Pachachaca  is  two 
leagues.  The  road  descends  gently  along  the  right 
bank  of  the  Rio  de  Yauli,  which  forms  the  principal 
source  of  the  Rio  de  Oroya.  In  this  direction  as  well 
as  in  other  parts  adjacent  to  Yauli,  there  are  numerous 
remains  of  mining  works,  formerly  the  property  of 
Portuguese.  These  works  were  destroyed  at  the  time 
of  the  persecution  of  the  Portuguese  in  Peru,  when  the 
consul,  Juan  Bautista,  was  hanged  by  the  Inquisition,  in 
Lima.  Over  those  events  there  hangs  a  veil  of  mystery, 
which  will  probably  never  be  removed.  The  Portu- 
guese were  the  most  powerful  and  intelligent  mine- 
owners  in  Peru,  and  their  prosperity  excited  the  envy 
of  the  Spanish  viceroy.  A  number  of  Portuguese 
emigrants,  who  came  from  Brazil,  to  settle  in  the  Peru- 
vian province  of  Maynas,  furnished  the  viceroy  with  a 
ground  of  complaint,  real  or  pretended.  He  set  forth 
that  the  Portuguese  of  the  eastern  parts  of  South  Ame- 
rica intended  to  make  themselves  masters  of  Peru,  and 
conjointly  with  the  Inquisition  he  commenced  coercive 
measures  against  them.  Their  consul  was  accused  of 
heresy,  condemned  and  hanged,  and  the  emigrants  were 


286  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

pursued  and  put  to  death.  Some  of  them  escaped  into 
the  forests,  where  they  were  massacred  by  the  Indians, 
and  only  a  very  few  succeeded  in  getting  back  to  Brazil. 
Many  of  the  wealthy  Portuguese  mine-owners,  seeing 
the  danger  that  threatened  them,  sank  their  vast  trea- 
sures in  lakes,  or  buried  them  in  retired  places  in  the 
plains.  These  treasures  consisted  chiefly  of  smelted 
ore  and  silver  coin,  and  only  a  very  small  portion  was 
afterwards  discovered.  Thus  were  these  active  and 
intelligent  mine-owners  sacrificed,  either  to  a  chimerical 
and  unfounded  suspicion,  or  to  a  feeling  of  avarice, 
which,  after  all,  failed  in  attaining  its  object.  The 
consequences  were  disastrous  to  the  country.  Peruvian 
mining  has  never  recovered  the  prosperity  which  it 
enjoyed  under  the  management  of  the"  Portuguese. 

Between  Yauli  and  Pachachaca  the  way  is  difficult, 
and  without  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  route,  the 
traveller  is  likely  to  lose  his  way,  and  may  even  incur 
the  danger  of  sinking  in  the  marshes  which  spread  along 
the  bank  of  the  river.  From  Pachachaca  a  broad  and 
gently  sloping  valley  conducts  to  La  Oroya,  a  distance 
of  about  three  leagues.  In  the  range  of  mountains 
forming  the  southern  boundary  of  this  valley,  the  river 
winds  its  way  through  deep  ravines.  About  half  a 
league  from  Pachachaca  there  is  a  ford  where  the  road 
divides  ;  one  division  passing  over  the  steep  mountains 
of  Yanaclara  to  Jauja,  and  the  other  running  into  the 
wild  valleys  of  Huayhuay.  Midway  between  Pachachaca 
and  La  Oroya  there  is  a  small  miserable  Indian  village 
called  Saco,  which  is  seldom  visited  by  travellers,  as  it 


HANGING   BRIDGES.  287 

is  difficult  to  procure  in  it  the  commonest  necessaries  of 
food.  In  this  place  there  is  a  natural  bridge  across  the 
river,  which  has  worked  out  a  bed  for  itself  beneath 
the  rocks.  At  several  points  along  the  course  of  this 
river  I  observed  similar  bridges  of  rock,  but  this  one 
only  is  passable  for  horses. 

La  Oroya  lies  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river  of  that 
name,  and  communicates  with  the  right  bank  by  means 
of  a  large  hanging-bridge  (Puente  de  Soga).  These 
bridges  are  composed  of  four  ropes  (sogas),  made  of 
twisted  cow-hide,  and  about  the  thickness  of  a  man's  arm. 
The  four  ropes  are  connected  together  by  thinner  ones 
of  the  same  material,  fastened  over  them  transversely. 
The  whole  is  covered  with  branches,  straw,  and  roots  of 
the  Agave  tree.  On  either  side,  a  rope  rather  more 
than  two  feet  above  the  bridge  serves  as  a  balustrade. 
The  sogas  are  fastened  on  each  bank  of  the  river  by 
piles,  or  ri vetted  into  the  rock.  During  long  continuous 
rains  these  bridges  become  loose  and  require  to  be 
tightened  ;  but  they  are  always  lower  in  the  middle 
than  at  the  ends,  and  when  passengers  are  crossing 
them  they  swing  like  hammocks.  It  requires  some 
practice,  and  a  very  steady  head  to  go  over  the  soga 
bridges  unaccompanied  by  a  Puentero.'*  However 
strongly  made,  they  are  not  Durable ;  for  the  changeable- 
ness  of  the  weather  quickly  rots  the  ropes,  which  are 
made  of  untanned  leather.  They  frequently  require 
repairing,  and  travellers  have  sometimes  no  alternative 

*  The  Puenteros  (Bridge  Guides)  are  Indians  who  assist  travellers  in  crossing 
these  dangerous  bridges. 


288  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

but  to  wait  for  several  days  until  a  bridge  is  passable, 
or  to  make  a  circuit  of  20  or  30  leagues.  The  Puente 
de  Soga  of  Oroya  is  fifty  yards  long,  and  one  and  a 
half  broad.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  in  Peru ;  but  the 
bridge  across  the  Apurimac,  in  the  province  of  Aya- 
cucho,  is  nearly  twice  as  long,  and  it  is  carried  over  a 
much  deeper  gulph. 

Another  curious  kind  of  bridge  is  that  called  the 
Huaro.  It  consists  of  a  thick  rope  extending  over  a 
river  or  across  a  rocky  chasm.  To  this  rope  are  affixed  a 
roller,  and  a  strong  piece  of  wood  formed  like  a  yoke,  and 
by  means  of  two  smaller  ropes,  this  yoke  is  drawn  along 
the  thick  rope  which  forms  the  bridge.  The  passenger 
who  has  to  cross  the  Huaro  is  tied  to  the  yoke  and 
grasps  it  firmly  with  both  hands.  His  feet,  which  are 
crossed  one  -  over  the  other,  rest  on  the  thick  rope,  and 
the  head  is  held  as  erectly  as  possible.  All  these  pre- 
liminaries being  completed,  an  Indian,  stationed  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  or  chasm,  draws  the  passenger 
across  the  Huaro.  This  is  altogether  the  most  disa- 
greeable and  dangerous  mode  of  conveyance  that  can 
possibly  be  conceived.  If  the  rope  breaks,  an  accident 
of  no  unfrequent  occurrence,  the  hapless  traveller  has 
no  chance  of  escaping  with  life,  for  being  fastened,  he 
can  make  no  effort  to  save  himself.  Horses  and  mules 
are  driven  by  the  Indians  into  the  river,  and  are  made  to 
swim  across  it,  in  doing  which  they  frequently  perish,  espe- 
cially when  being  exhausted  by  a  long  journey,  they  have 
not  strength  to  contend  against  the  force  of  the  current. 

The  village  of  Oroya,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 


ROADS   TO   THE    MOUNTAIN    DISTRICTS.  289 

the  bridge,  is  built  on  a  declivity,  and  according  to 
Maclean's  calculation  is  12,010  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  It  contains  fifty-one  miserable  huts,  which  are 
the  habitations  of  about  two  hundred  Indians.  From 
Oroya  several  roads  branch  off  into  the  different  moun- 
tain districts.  The  most  frequented  is  that  over  the 
level  height  of  Cachi-Cachi  to  Jauja.  Along  this  road 
there  are  extensive  tracts  of  ground  covered  with  cal- 
careous petrifactions.  Another  road  leading  to  Tarma 
passes  by  the  ancient  Inca  fortress  Huichay.  A  third, 
and  much  frequented  road  is  that  by  way  of  Huaypacha, 
and  from  thence  to  Junin  and  Cerro  de  Pasco. 


u 


CHAPTER    XL 

The  Cordillera  and  the  Andes — Signification  of  the  terms — Altitude  of  the 
Mountains  and  Passes — Lakes — Metals — Aspect  of  the  Cordillera — Shat- 
tered Rocks — Maladies  caused  by  the  diminished  Atmospheric  Pressure — The 
Veta  and  the  Surumpe — Mountain  Storms — The  Condor — Its  habits — 
Indian  mode  of  Catching  the  Bird—  The  Puna  or  Despoblado — Climate- 
Currents  of  Warm  Air — Vegetation — Tuberous  Plant  called  the  Maca — 
Animals  of  the  Puna — The  Llama,  the  Alpaco,  the  Huanacu  and  the 
Vicuna — The  Chacu  and  the  Bolas — Household  Utensils  of  the  Ancient 
Peruvians — The  Viscacha  and  the  Chinchilla — Puna  Birds  and  Amphibia 
— Cattle  and  Pasture— Indian  Farms — Shepherds'  Huts — Ancient  Peru- 
vian Roads  and  Buildings — Treasure  concealed  by  the  Indians  in  the  Puna. 

Two  great  mountain  chains,  running  parallel  with  each 
other,  intersect  Peru  in  the  direction  from  S.S.W.  to 
N.N.E.  The  chain  nearest  the  coast  of  the  Pacific, 
is  at  the  average  distance  of  from  sixty  to  seventy 
English  miles  from  the  sea.  The  other  chain  takes  a 
parallel  direction,  but  describes  throughout  its  whole 
course  a  slight  curve  eastward.  These  two  ranges  of 
mountain  are  called  the  Cordilleras,  or  the  Andes : 
both  terms  being  used  indiscriminately.  Even  the 
Creoles  of  Peru  confound  these  two  terms,  sometimes 
calling  the  western  chain  by  one  name,  and  sometimes 
by  the  other.  Nevertheless,  a  strict  distinction  ought 
to  be  observed  :  — the  western  chain  should  properly  be 
called  the  Cordillera,  and  the  eastern  chain  the  Andes. 
The  latter  name  is  derived  from  the  Quichua  word 
Antasuyu ;  Anta  signifying  metal  generally,  but  espe- 
cially copper,  and  Suyu  a  district ;  the  meaning  of 


THE    TERMS    ANDES    AND    CORDILLERA.  291 

Antasuyu,  therefore,  is  the  metal  district.  In  common 
parlance,  the  word  Suyu  was  dropped,  and  the  termina- 
tion a  in  Anta  was  converted  into  is.  Hence  the  word 
Antis,  which  is  employed  by  all  old  writers  and  geo- 
graphers ;  and  even  now,  is  in  common  use  among  the 
Indian  population  of  Southern  Peru.  The  Spaniards, 
according  to  their  practice  of  corrupting  the  words  of 
the  Quichua  language,  have  transformed  Antis  into  Andes, 
and  they  apply  the  name  without  distinction  to  the 
western  and  the  eastern  chain  of  mountains.* 

The  old  inhabitants  of  Peru  dwelt  chiefly  along  the 
base  of  the  eastern  mountain  chain,  where  they  drew 
from  the  mines  the  metal  which  afforded  material  for 
their  tasteful  and  ingenious  workmanship  :  those  moun- 
tains consequently  retained  the  name  of  Antis  or  Andes. 
In  the  time  of  the  Incas,  both  chains  were  called 
Ritisuyu  (Snow-Districts).  The  Spaniards,  on  the  inva- 
sion of  the  country,  advancing  from  the  sea-coast,  first 
arrived  at  the  western  mountains,  and  to  them  they 
gave  the  name  of  Cordillera,  the  term  commonly 
employed  in  the  Spanish  language,  to  designate  any 
mountain  chain.  Most  of  the  earlier  travellers  and 
topographists  named  the  western  chain  the  Cordillera 
de  los  Andes,  and  regarded  it  as  the  principal  chain,  of 
which  they  considered  the  eastern  mountains  to  be 
merely  a  branch.  To  the  eastern  range  of  mountains 
they  gave  the  name  of  Cordillera  Oriental.  I  will 

*  Some  derive  the  word  Andes  from  the  people  called  Antis,  who  dwelt  at  the 
foot  of  these  chains  of  mountains.  '  A  province  in  the  department  of  Cuzco, 
which  was  probably  the  chief  settlement  of  that  nation,  still  bears  the  name  of 
Antas. 

u  2 


292  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

here  strictly  observe  the  correct  denominations,  calling 
the  western  chain  the  Cordillera,  or  the  coast  moun- 
tains ;  and  the  eastern  chain  the  Andes,  or  the  inner 
Cordillera. 

These  two  great  mountain  chains  stand  in  respect  to 
height  in  an  inverse  relation  one  to  the  other ;  that  is 
to  say,  the  greater  the  elevation  of  the  Cordillera,  the 
more  considerable  is  the  depression  of  the  Andes.  In 
South  Peru  the  ridge  of  the  Cordillera  is  considerably 
lower  than  that  portion  of  the  Andes  which  stretches 
through  Bolivia.  The  medium  height  of  the  Cordillera 
in  South  Peru  is  15,000  feet  above  the  sea;  but  here 
and  there  particular  points  rise  to  a  much  more  con- 
siderable elevation.  The  medium  height  of  the  Andes 
is  17,000  feet  above  the  sea.  In  central  Peru  the  Cor- 
dillera is  higher  than  the  Andes.  There  the  altitude  of 
the  latter  along  the  body  of  the  chain  is  13,000  feet 
above  the  sea  :  on  the  ridge  there  are  a  few  points  some 
hundred  feet  higher.  Between  Pasco  and  Loxas  the 
average  height  of  the  Cordillera  is  between  11,000  and 
12,000  feet  above  the  sea  ;  and  the  average  elevation 
of  the  Andes  at  the  corresponding  point  is  about  2000 
feet  lower. 

The  passes  do  not  run  through  valleys,  but  always 
over  the  ridges  of  the  mountains.  The  highest  mountain 
passes  are  the  Rinconada  (16,452  feet  above  the  sea)  ; 
the  Piedra  Parada  (16,008  feet);  the  Tingo  (15,600 
feet)  ;  the  Huatillas  (14,850  feet)  ;  the  Portachuelo  de 
la  Viuda  (14,544  feet)  ;  the  Altos  de  Toledo  (15,530 
feet)  ;  and  the  Altos  de  los  Huesos  (14,300  feet).  In 


METALLIC    PRODUCE    OF    THE    MOUNTAINS.  293 

both  chains  there  are  innumerable  small  lakes  ;  these  are 
met  with  in  all  the  mountain  passes,  and  most  of  them 
are  the  sources  of  small  rivers. 

Both  the  mountain  chains,  as  well  as  their  lateral 
branches,  are  rich  in  metallic  produce  ;  but  in  the  prin- 
cipal mountains  gold  is  rare.  Some  rich  mines  on  the 
coast,  and  in  the  province  of  Arequipa,  are  now  nearly 
exhausted.  Wash  gold  is  plentiful  in  the  rivers  of  North 
Peru,  but  it  is  not  carefully  collected.  Silver,  which 
constitutes  the  principal  wealth  of  Peru,  is  found  in 
greatest  abundance  in  the  principal  chains,  viz.,  in 
Northern  and  Central  Peru,  in  the  Cordillera ;  and  in 
Southern  Peru  in  the  Andes.  It  presents  itself  in  all 
forms  and  combinations,  from  the  pure  metal  to  the 
lead-ore  mixed  with  silver.  Even  in  the  highest  eleva- 
tions, in  parts  scarcely  trodden  by  human  foot-steps, 
rich  veins  of  silver  are  discovered.  It  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible to  pass  half  a  day  in  these  regions  without  encoun- 
tering new  streaks.  Quicksilver  is  likewise  found,  but 
in  such  small  quantities,  that  the  gain  does  not  pay  the 
labour  of  the  miners.  The  only  quicksilver  vein  of  any 
magnitude  is  at  Huancavelica.  Both  mountain  chains  are 
very  rich  in  copper-ore ;  but  it  is  extracted  only  from 
the  Cordillera,  for  the  distance  of  the  Andes  from  the 
coast  renders  the  transport  too  expensive.  The  lead  and 
iron  mines,  though  amazingly  prolific,  are  not  worked ; 
the  price  of  the  metal  being  too  low  to  pay  the  labour. 

The  Cordillera  presents  an  aspect  totally  different 
from  that  of  the  Andes.  It  is  more  wild  and  rugged, 
its  ridge  is  broader,  and  its  summits  less  pyrami  Jical. 


294  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  summits  of  the  Andes  terminate  in  slender  sharp 
points  like  needles.  The  Cordillera  descends  in  terraces 
to  the  level  heights,  whilst  the  slope  of  the  Andes  is 
uniform  and  unbroken.  The  summits  of  the  calcareous 
hills  which  stretch  eastward  from  the  great  chain  of  the 
Cordillera  are  broken  and  rugged.  Large  cubical  blocks 
of  stone  become  detached  from  them,  and  roll  down 
into  the  valleys.  In  the  Quebrada  of  Huari  near  Yana- 
clara,  which  is  13,000  feet  above  the  sea,  I  collected 
among  other  fragments  of  rock  some  of  a  species  which  is 
found  at  Neufchatel  in  Switzerland.  This  disintegration, 
which  is  the  effect  of  protracted  rain  and  cold,  imparts  to 
the  mountain  ridges  the  most  singular  and  beautiful  forms ; 
their  fantastic  outlines  appearing  like  the  work  of  human 
hands.  Imagination  may  easily  picture  them  to  be 
monuments  of  the  time  of  the  Incas ;  for  viewed  from 
a  distance,  they  look  like  groups  of  giants  or  colossal 
animals.  In  former  times  the  Indians  viewed  these 
masses  of  rock  with  devout  reverence,  for  they  believed 
them  to  be  the  early  inhabitants  of  the  earth  whom 
Pacchacamac  in  his  anger  transformed  to  stone.  I  may 
here  notice  some  very  curious  forms  of  rock  which  have 
long  been  a  subject  of  controversy  among  Peruvian  tra- 
vellers. On  the  road  leading  from  Ayacucho  to  Huan- 
cavelica,  on  the  level  height  of  Paucara,  about  a  league 
beyond  the  village  of  Parcos,  there  is  a  considerable 
number  of  sand-stone  pyramids  from  eight  to  twenty- 
two  feet  high.  They  are  of  a  reddish- white  colour ; 
but  in  many  places  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  has 
overspread  them  with  a  blackish  crust.  They  are 


CURIOUS    PYRAMIDAL    ROCKS.  295 

detached  one  from  another.  Ulloa,  in  his  Noticias 
Americanas,  after  fully  describing  these  pyramids,  de- 
clares himself  doubtful  whether  they  are  the  work  of 
man  or  of  nature.  He  inclines  to  regard  them  as  human 
creations  and  suggests  that  they  may  possibly  have 
been  the  tombs  of  distinguished  curacas  and  caciques ; 
but  he  admits  that  he  is  not  acquainted  with  any  similar 
monuments  in  Peru.  As  each  pyramid  consists  of  only 
one  block  of  stone,  and  all  are  very  regularly  shaped, 
Ulloa  is  not  indisposed,  to  believe  that  the  Indians  pos- 
sessed the  secret  art  of  melting  stone.  These  blocks 
are,  however,  of  sand-stone,  and  their  fractures  are  the 
result  of  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  They  are  all 
pyramidal-shaped,  and-tolerably  equal  in  size.  In  several 
of  them  the  points  are  as  sharp  and  regular  as  though 
they  had  been  wrought  by  the  chisel  of  the  sculptor. 
These  curious  pyramids  cover  the  plateau  along  a 
distance  of  more  than  two  miles  :  sometimes  standing 
closely  together,  and  sometimes  at  considerable  distances 
apart.  TK^  Vnole  line  of  chalk  and  slate  mountains 
expending  from  Ayacucho  to  Huancavelica  is  shattered, 
and  presents  similar,  though  less  regular  detritus. 

I  have,  in  my  last  chapter,  observed  that  the  Cordil- 
lera is  the  point  of  partition  between  the  waters  of  the 
Pacific  and  the  Atlantic  Oceans.  All  the  waters  of  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  Cordillera — all  those  which  have 
their  source  on  the  level  heights  and  on  the  western 
declivity  of  the  Andes, — flow  from  thence  in  the  direction 
of  the  east,  and  work  their  way  through  the  eastern 
mountain  chain.  Throughout  the  whole  extent  of  South 


296  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

America  there  is  not  a  single  instance  of  the  Cordillera 
being  intersected  by  a  river  ;  a  fact  the  more  remark- 
able because  in  Southern  Peru  and  Bolivia,  the  coast 
chain  is  lower  than  the  Andes.  This  interesting  phe- 
nomenon, though  it  has  deeply  engaged  the  attention  of 
geologists,  has  not  yet  been  satisfactorily  explained.  I 
concur  in  the  view  taken  by  Mr.  Darwin,  who  observes 
that  it  would  be  too  rash  to  assign  to  the  eastern  chain 
of  Bolivia  and  Central  Cln'1  later  origin  than  the 
western  chain,  (that  nearest  tha  Pacific),  but  that  the 
circumstance  of  the  rivers  of  a  lower  mountain  chain 
having  forced  their  way  through  a  higher  chain  seems, 
without  this  supposition,  to  be  enigmatical.  Mr.  Darwin 
is  of  opinion  that  the  phenomenon  is  assignable  to  a 
periodical  and  gradual  elevation  of  the  second  mountain 
line  (the  Andes)  ;  for  a  chain  of  islets  would  at  first 
appear,  and  as  these  were  lifted  up,  the  tides  would  be 
always  wearing  deeper  and  broader  channels  between 
them.  } 

In  the  heights  of  the  Cordillera  the  enc\?t  of  the 
diminished  atmospheric  pressure  on  the  human  frai^e 
shows  itself  in  intolerable  symptoms  of  weariness  and  an 
extreme  difficulty  of  breathing.  The  natives  call  this 
malady  the  Puna  or  the  Soroche;  and  the  Spanish 
Creoles  give  it  the  names  of  Mareo  or  Veta.  Ignorant 
of  its  real' causes  they  ascribe  it  to  the  exhalations  of 
metals,  especially  antimony,  which  is  extensively  used 
in  the  mining  operations.  The  first  symptoms  of  the 
veta  are  usually  felt  at  the  elevation  of  12,600  feet  above 
the  sea.  These  symptoms  are  vertigo,  dimness  of  sight 


THE    VET  A.  297 

and  hearing,  pains  in  the  head  and  nausea.  Blood  flows 
from  the  eyes,  nose,  and  lips.  Fainting  fits,  spitting  of 
blood,  and  other  dangerous  symptoms,  usually  attend 
severe  attacks  of  veta.  The  sensations  which  accom- 
pany this  malady  somewhat  resemble  those  of  sea-sick- 
ness, and  hence  its  Spanish  name  mareo.  But  sea- 
sickness is  unaccompanied  by  the  distressing  difficulty 
of  breathing  experienced  in  the  veta.  This  disorder 
sometimes  proves  fatal,  -1  I  once  witnessed  a  case  in 
which  death  was  the  result.  Inhabitants  of  the  coast 
and  Europeans,  who  for  the  first  time  visit  the  lofty 
regions  of  the  Cordillera,  are  usually  attacked  with  this 
disorder.  Persons  in  good  health  and  of  a  spare  habit 
speedily  recover  from  it,  but  on  plethoric  and  stout 
individuals  its  effects  are  frequently  very  severe.  After 
an  abode  of  some  time  in  the  mountainous  regions,  the 
constitution  becomes  inured  to  the  rarefied  atmo- 
sphere. I  suffered  only  two  attacks  of  the  veta  ;  but 
they  were  very  severe.  The  first  was  on  one  of  the 
level  heights ;  and  the  second  on  the  mountain  of 
Antaichahua.  The  first  time  I  ascended  the  Cordillera 
I  did  not  experience  the  slightest  illness,  and  I  con- 
gratulated myself  on  having  escaped  the  veta ;  but  a 
year  afterwards  I  had  an  attack  of  it,  though  only  of  a 
few  hours'  duration.  The  veta  is  felt  with  great  seve- 
rity in  some  districts  of  the  Cordillera,  whilst  in  others, 
where  the  altitude  is  greater,  the  disorder  is  scarcely 
perceptible.  Thus  it  would  seem  that  the  malady  is 
not  caused  by  diminished  atmospheric  pressure,  but  is 
dependent  on  some  unknown  climatic  circumstances. 


298  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

The  districts  in  which  the  veta  prevails  with  greatest 
intensity  are,  for  the  most  part,  rich  in  the  production 
of  metals,  a  circumstance  which  has  given  rise  to  the 
idea  that  it  is  caused  by  metallic  exhalations. 

I  have  already  described  the  effect  of  the  Puna  cli- 
mate on  beasts  of  burthen.  Its  influence  on  some  of  the 
domestic  animals  is  no  less  severe  than  on  the  human 
race.  To  cats,  it  is  very  fatal,  and  at  the  elevation  of 
13,000  feet  above  the  sea  those  animals  cannot  live. 
Numerous  trials  have  been  made  to  rear  them  in  the 
villages  of  the  upper  mountains,  but  without  effect ;  for 
after  a  few  days'  abode  in  those  regions,  the  animals  die 
in  frightful  convulsions  ;  but  when  in  this  state  they  do 
not  attempt  to  bite.  I  had  two  good  opportunities  of 
observing  the  disease  at  Yauli.  Cats  attacked  in  this 
way  are  called,  by  the  natives,  azorochados,  and  anti- 
mony is  alleged  to  be  the  cause  of  the  distemper.  Dogs 
are  also  liable  to  it,  but  it  visits  them  less  severely  than 
cats,  and  with  care  they  may  be  recovered. 

Another  scourge  of  the  traveller  in  the  Cordillera,  is 
the  disease  called  the  Surumpe.  It  is  a  violent  inflam- 
mation of  the  eyes,  caused  by  the  sudden  reflection  of 
the  bright  rays  of  the  sun  on  the  snow.  By  the  rare- 
fied air  and  the  cutting  wind,  the  eyes,  being  kept  in  a 
constant  state  of  irritation,  are  thereby  rendered  very 
susceptible  to  the  effects  of  the  glaring  light.  In  these 
regions  the  sky  is  often  for  a  time  completely  over- 
shadowed by  snow  clouds,  and  the  greenish  yellow  of 
the  plain  is  soon  covered  by  a  sheet  of  snow  :  then  sud- 
denly the  sun's  rays  burst  through  the  breaking  clouds, 


THE    SUKUMPE.  299 

and  the  eyes,  unprepared  for  the  dazzling  glare,  are 
almost  blinded.  A  sharp  burning  pain  is  immediately  felt, 
and  it  speedily  increases  to  an  intolerable  degree.  The 
eyes  become  violently  inflamed,  and  the  lids  swell  and 
bleed.  The  pain  of  the  surumpe  is  the  most  intense 
that  can  be  imagined,  and  frequently  brings  on  deli- 
rium. The  sensation  resembles  that  which  it  may  be 
imagined  would  be  felt  if  cayenne  pepper  or  gunpowder 
were  rubbed  into  the  eyes.  Chronic  inflammation, 
swelling  of  the  eyelids,  dimness  of  sight,  and  even  total 
blindness  are  the  frequent  consequences  of  the  surumpe. 
In  the  Cordillera,  Indians  are  often  seen  sitting  by  the 
road-side  shrieking  in  agony,  and  unable  to  proceed  on 
their  way.  They  are  more  liable  to  the  disease  than 
the  Creoles,  who,  when  travelling  in  the  mountains, 
protect  their  eyes  by  green  spectacles  and  veils. 

Heavy  falls  of  snow  in  the  Cordillera  are  usually 
accompanied  by  thunder  and  lightning.  During  five 
months  of  the  year,  from  November  to  March,  storms 
are  of  daily  occurrence.  They  begin,  with  singular 
regularity,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
continue  until  five  or  half-past  five  in  the  evening. 
After  that  time  storms  of  thunder  and  lightning  never 
occur  ;  but  the  falls  of  snow  sometimes  continue  till 
midnight.  As  evening  approaches,  cold  mists  are 
drifted  from  the  mountain-tops  down  upon  the  plains  ; 
but  they  are  dispersed  by  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun, 
which  in  a  few  hours  melt  the  snow.  The  furious 
tempests  in  these  regions  exceed  any  idea  that  can 
be  formed  of  them,  and  can  only  be  conceived  by  those 


300  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

who  have  witnessed  them.  Some  of  these  mountain 
districts  have  acquired  an  ominous  character  for  storms ; 
Antaichahua  is  one  of  the  places  to  which  this  sort  of 
fearful  celebrity  belongs.  For  hours  together  flash 
follows  flash,  painting  blood-red  cataracts  on  the  naked 
precipices.  The  forked  lightning  darts  its  zig-zag 
flashes  on  the  mountain-tops,  or,  running  along  the 
ground,  imprints  deep  furrows  in  its  course  ;  whilst  the 
atmosphere  quivers  amidst  uninterrupted  peals  of  thun- 
der, repeated  a  thousandfold  by  the  mountain  echoes. 
The  traveller,  overtaken  by  these  terrific  storms,  dis- 
mounts from  his  trembling  horse,  and  takes  refuge 
beneath  the  shelter  of  some  overhanging  rock. 

In  these  sterile  heights  Nature  withholds  her  fos- 
tering influence  alike  from  vegetable  and  animal  life. 
The  scantiest  vegetation  can  scarcely  draw  nutriment 
from  the  ungenial  soil,  and  animals  shun  the  dreary  and 
shelterless  wilds.  The  condor  alone  finds  itself  in  its 
native  element  amidst  these  mountain  deserts.  On  the 
inaccessible  summits  of  the  Cordillera  that  bird  builds 
its  nest,  and  hatches  its  young  in  the  months  of  April 
and  May.  Few  animals  have  attained  so  universal  a 
celebrity  as  the  condor.  That  bird  was  known  in 
Europe,  at  a  period  when  his  native  land  was  numbered 
among  those  fabulous  regions  which  are  regarded  as  the 
scenes  of  imaginary  wonders.  The  most  extravagant 
accounts  of  the  condor  were  written  and  read,  and 
general  credence  was  granted  to  every  story  which 
travellers  brought  from  the  fairy  land  of  gold  and  silver. 
It  was  only  at  the  commencement  of  the  present  cen- 


THE    CONDOR.  301 

tury  that  Humboldt  overthrew  the  extravagant  notions 
that  previously  prevailed  respecting  the  size,  strength, 
and  habits  of  that  extraordinary  bird. 

The  full-grown  condor  measures,  from  the  point  of  the 
beak  to  the  end  of  the  tail,  from  four  feet  ten  inches  to 
five  feet ;  and  from  the  tip  of  one  wing  to  the  other, 
from  twelve  to  thirteen  feet.     This  bird  feeds  chiefly  on 
carrion  :  it  is  only  when  impelled  by  hunger  that  he 
seizes  living  animals,  and  even  then  only  the  small  and 
defenceless,  such  as  the  young  of  sheep,  vicunas,  and 
llamas.      He  cannot  raise  great  weights  with  his  feet, 
which,  however,  he  uses  to  aid  the  power  of  his  beak. 
The  principal  strength  of  the  condor  lies  in  his  neck  and 
in  his  feet ;  yet  he  cannot,  when  flying,  carry  a  weight 
exceeding  eight  or  ten  pounds.     All  accounts  of  sheep 
and  calves  being  carried  off  by  condors  are  mere  exagge- 
rations.     This  bird  passes  a  great  part  of  the  day  in 
sleep,  and  hovers  in  quest  of  prey  chiefly  in  the  morning 
and  evening.      Whilst  soaring  at  a  height  beyond  the 
reach  of  human  eyes,  the  sharp-sighted  condor  discerns 
his  prey  on  the  level  heights  beneath  him,  and  darts 
down  upon  it  with  the  swiftness  of  lightning.     When  a 
bait  is  laid,  it  is  curious  to  observe   the  numbers  of 
condors  which  assemble  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  in  a 
spot  near  which  not  one  had  been  previously  visible. 
These  birds  possess  the  senses  of  sight  and  smell  in  a 
singularly  powerful  degree. 

Some  old  travellers,  Ulloa  among  others,  have  affirmed 
that  the  plumage  of  the  condor  is  invulnerable  to  a 
musket-ball.  This  absurdity  is  scarcely  worthy  of  con- 


302  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

tradiction  ;  but  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  bird  has  a 
singular  tenacity  of  life,  and  that  it  is  seldom  killed  by 
firearms,  unless  when  shot  in  some  vital  part.  Its  plumage, 
particularly  on  the  wings,  is  very  strong  and  thick.  The 
natives,  therefore,  seldom  attempt  to  shoot  the  condor  : 
they  usually  catch  him  by  traps  or  by  the  laso,  or  kill 
him  by  stones  flung  from  slings,  or  by  the  Bolas.  A 
curious  method  of  capturing  the  condor  alive  is  practised 
in  the  province  of  Abancay.  A  fresh  cow-hide,  with  some 
fragments  of  flesh  adhering  to  it,  is  spread  out  on  one 
of  the  level  heights,  and  an  Indian  provided  with  ropes 
creeps  beneath  it,  whilst  some  others  station  them- 
selves in  ambush  near  the  spot,  ready  to  assist  him. 
Presently  a  condor,  attracted  by  the  smell  of  the  flesh, 
darts  down  upon  the  cow-hide,  and  then  the  Indian, 
who  is  concealed  under  it,  seizes  the  bird  by  the  legs, 
and  binds  them  fast  in  the  skin,  as  if  in  a  bag.  The 
captured  condor  flaps  his  wings,  and  makes  ineffectual 
attempts  to  fly  ;  but  he  is  speedily  secured,  and  carried 
in  triumph  to  the  nearest  village. 

The  Indians  quote  numerous  instances  of  young 
children  having  been  attacked  by  condors.  That  those 
birds  are  sometimes  extremely  fierce  is  very  certain. 
The  following  occurrence  came  within  my  own  knowledge, 
whilst  I  was  in  Lima.  I  had  a  condor,  which,  when  he 
first  came  into  my  possession,  was  very  young.  To 
prevent  his  escape,  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  fly,  he  was 
fastened  by  the  leg  to  a  chain,  to  which  was  attached  a 
piece  of  iron  of  about  six  pounds  weight.  He  had  a 
large  court  to  range  in,  and  he  dragged  the  piece  of  iron 


PUNA    OR    DESPOBLADO.  303 

about  after  him  all  day.  When  he  was  a  year  and  a  half 
old  he  flew  away,  with  the  chain  and  iron  attached  to 
his  leg,  and  perched  on  the  spire  of  the  church  of  Santo 
Tomas,  whence  he  was  scared  away  by  the  carrion 
hawks.  On  alighting  in  the  street,  a  Negro  attempted 
to  catch  him  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  him  home  ; 
upon  which  he  seized  the  poor  creature  by  the  ear,  and 
tore  it  completely  off.  He  then  attacked  a  child  in  the 
street  (a  Negro  boy  of  three  years  old),  threw  him  on 
the  ground,  and  knocked  him  on  the  head  so  severely 
with  his  beak,  that  the  child  died  in  consequence  of  the 
injuries.  I  hoped  to  have  brought  this  bird  alive  to 
Europe  ;  but,  after  being  at  sea  two  months  on  our 
homeward  voyage,  he  died  on  board  the  ship  in  the 
latitude  of  Monte  Video. 

Between  the  Cordillera  and  the  Andes,  at  the  height 
of  12,000  feet  above  the  sea,  there  are  vast  tracts  of 
uninhabited  table-lands.  These  are  called  in  the  Qui- 
chua  language  the  Puna  ;  and  the  Spaniards  give  them 
the  name  of  the  Despoblado  (the  uninhabited).  These 
table-lands  form  the  upper  mountain  regions  of  the 
South  American  Highlands.  They  spread  over  the 
whole  extent  of  Peru,  from  north-west  to  south-east,  a 
distance  of  350  Spanish  miles,  continuing  through 
Bolivia,  and  gradually  running  eastward  into  the  Argen- 
tine Republic.  With  reference  to  geography  and  natural 
history,  these  table-lands  present  a  curious  contrast  to 
the  Llanos  (plains)  of  South  America,  situated  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Andes  to  the  north-east.  Those 
boundless  deserts,  full  of  organic  life,  are,  like  the 


304  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Puna,  among  the  most  interesting  characteristics  of  the 
New  World. 

The  climate  of  these  regions  is  not  less  rigorous 
than  that  of  the  high  mountain  ridges.  Cold  winds, 
from  the  west  and  south-west,  hlow  nearly  all  the  year 
round  from  the  ice-topped  Cordillera ;  and  for  the  space 
of  four  months  these  winds  are  daily  accompanied  by 
thunder,  lightning,  and  snow-storms.  The  average 
state  of  the  thermometer  during  the  cold  season  (which 
is  called  summer,  because  it  then  seldom  snows),  is, 
during  the  night,  — 5°  R.  ;  and  at  midday,  -f  9°  7'  R. 
In  winter  the  mercury  seldom  falls  during  the  night 
below  freezing  point,  and  it  continues  between  +1°  and 
0°  R.  ;  but  at  noon  it  ascends  only  to  7°  R.  It  is, 
however,  quite  impossible  to  determine  with  precision 
the  medium  temperature  of  these  regions.  For  the 
space  of  a  few  hours  the  heat  will  frequently  vary 
between  18°  and  20°  R.  The  transition  is  the  more 
sensibly  felt  on  the  fall  of  the  temperature,  as  it  is  usually 
accompanied  by  sharp-biting  winds,  so  keen,  that  they 
cut  the  skin  on  the  face  and  hands.  A  remarkable 
effect  of  the  Puna  wind  is  its  power  of  speedily  drying 
animal  bodies,  and  thereby  preventing  putridity.  A  dead 
mule  is,  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  converted  into  a 
mummy  ;  not  even  the  entrails  presenting  the  least  trace 
of  decomposition. 

It  frequently  happens  that,  after  being  long  exposed 
to  these  cold  winds,  the  traveller  enters  warm  atmospheric 
currents.  These  warm  streams  are  sometimes  only  two 
or  three  paces,  and  at  other  times,  several  hundred  feet 


STKEAMS  OF    WARM    AIR.  305 

broad.  They  run  in  a  parallel  direction  with  each 
other,  and  one  may  pass  through  five  or  six  of  them  in 
the  course  of  a  few  hours.  On  the  level  heights  between 
Chacapalpa  and  Huancavelica,  I  remarked  that  they 
were  especially  frequent  during  the  months  of  August 
and  September.  According  to  my  repeated  observa- 
tions, I  found  that  these  warm  streams  chiefly  follow 
the  direction  of  the  Cordillera ;  namely,  from  S.S.W.  to 
N.N.E.  I  once  travelled  the  distance  of  several  leagues 
through  a  succession  of  these  currents  of  warm  air,  none 
of  which  exceeded  seven-and-twenty  paces  in  breadth. 
Their  temperature  was  11°  R.  higher  than  that  of  the 
adjacent  atmosphere.  It  would  appear  they  are  not 
merely  temporary,  for  the  mule-drivers  can  often  foretel 
with  tolerable  accuracy  where  they  will  be  encountered. 
The  causes  of  these  phenomena  well  merit  the  investiga- 
tion of  meteorologists. 

The  aspect  of  the  Puna  is  singularly  monotonous  and 
dreary.  The  expansive  levels  are  scantily  covered  with 
grasses  of  a  yellowish-brown  hue,  and  are  never 
enlivened  by  fresh-looking  verdure.  Here  and  there,  at 
distant  intervals,  may  be  seen  a  few  stunted  Quenua 
trees  (Polylepis  racemosa,  R.  P.),  or  large  patches  of 
ground  covered  with  the  Ratanhia  shrub  ~*  (Krameria 


*  From  the  most  remote  times  the  Ratanhia  has  been  employed  by  the  Indians 
as  a  medicine.  It  is  one  of  their  favourite  remedies  against  spitting  of  blood 
and  dysentery.  Most  of  the  Ratanhia  exported  to  Europe  is  obtained  in  the 
southern  Provinces  of  Peru,  particularly  in  Arica  and  Islay.  The  extract  which 
is  prepared  in  Peru,  and  which  was  formerly  sent  in  large  quantities  to  Europe, 
is  now  scarcely  an  object  of  traffic.  For  several  years  past  no  Ratanhia  has  been 
shipped  from  Callao,  and  but  very  little  from  Truxillo. 


306  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

triandria,  R.  P.).    Both  are  used  by  the  Indians  as  fuel, 
and  for  roofing  their  huts. 

The  cold  climate  and  sterile  soil  of  the  Puna  are  for- 
midable impediments  to  agriculture.  Only  one  plant  is 
cultivated  in  these  regions  with  any  degree  of  success. 
It  is  the  maca,  a  tuberous  root  grown  like  the  potato, 
and  like  it  used  as  an  article  of  food.  In  many  of  the 
Puna  districts  the  maca  constitutes  the  principal  susten- 
ance of  the  inhabitants.  It  has  an  agreeable,  and  some- 
what sweetish  flavour,  and  when  boiled  in  milk  it  tastes 
like  the  chesnut.  As  far  as  I  am  aware  this  plant  has 
not  been  mentioned  by  any  traveller,  nor  has  its  botani- 
cal character  yet  been  precisely  determined.  Possibly 
it  is  a  species  of  Tropseolum,  but  of  this  I  am  uncertain. 
The  root  is  about  the  size  of  a  large  chesnut.  Macas 
maybe  kept  for  more  than  a  year,  if, after  being  taken  from 
the  earth,  they  are  left  a  few  days  to  dry  in  the  sun, 
and  then  exposed  to  the  cold.  By  this  means  they 
become  shrivelled  and  very  hard.  From  these  dried 
macas,  the  Indians  prepare  a  sort  of  soup  or  rather 
syrup,  which  diffuses  a  sweet  sickly  sort  of  odour,  but 
which,  when  eaten  with  roasted  maize,  is  not  altogether 
unpalatable.  The  maca  thrives  best  at  the  height  of 
between  12,000  and  13,000  feet  above  the  sea.  In  the 
lower  districts  it  is  not  planted,  for  the  Indians  declare  it 
to  be  flavourless  when  grown  there.  Besides  the  maca, 
barley  is  reared  in  the  Puna.  I  saw  there  fields  of  bar- 
ley 13,200  feet  above  the  sea.  It  does  not,  however, 
attain  full  maturity,  seldom  even  snoots  into  ears,  and 
is  cut  whilst  green  as  fodder  for  horses. 


THE    LLAMA.  307 

But  poor  and  scanty  as  is  the  vegetation  of  the 
Puna,  the  animal  kingdom  is  there  richly  and  beautifully 
represented.  Those  regions  are  the  native  home  of  the 
great  Mammalia,  which  Peru  possessed  before  horses 
and  black  cattle  were  introduced  by  the  Spaniards.  I 
allude  to  the  llama  and  his  co-genera  the  alpaco,  the 
huanacu,  and  the  vicuna.  On  these  interesting  animals 
I  will  subjoin  a  few  observations.*  The  two  first  are 
kept  as  domestic  animals  ;  the  llama  perfectly,  and  the 
alpaco  partially  tame. 

The  llama  measures  from  the  sole  of  the  hoof  to  the  top 
of  the  head,  4  feet  6  to  8  inches;  from  the  sole  of  the 
hoof  to  the  shoulders,  from  2  feet  1 1  inches  to  3  feet. 
The  female  is  usually  smaller  and  less  strong  than  the 
male,  but  her  wool  is  finer  and  better.  The  colour  is 
very  various  ;  generally  brown,  with  shades  of  yellow 
or  black  ;  frequently  speckled,  but  very  rarely  quite 
white  or  black.  The  speckled  brown  llama  is  in  some 
districts  called  the  moromoro. 

The  young  llamas  are  left  with  the  dam  for  about  the 
space  of  a  year,  after  which  time  they  are  removed  and 
placed  with  flocks.  When  about  four  years  old,  the 
males  and  females  are  separated ;  the  former  are  trained 
to  carry  burthens,  and  the  latter  are  kept  in  the  pas- 
tures of  the  level  heights.  Most  of  the  flocks  of  llamas 
are  reared  in  the  southern  Puna  provinces,  viz. : — Cuzco 
and  Ayacucho,  and  from  thence  they  are  sent  to  the 

*  More  lengthened  information  respecting  them  may  be  found  in  the  "  Fauna 
Peruana."  I  have  there  noted  all  their  specific  varieties,  and  have  corrected  the 
erroneous  accounts  given  of  them  by  some  previous  travellers. 

x  2 


308  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

silver  mines  of  North  Peru.  The  price  of  a  strong  full- 
grown  llama  is  from  three  to  four  dollars  ;  but  if  pur- 
chased in  flocks  in  the  provinces  above  named,  they  may 
be  had  for  one  and  a  half  or  two  dollars  each.  Shortly 
after  the  conquest  the  price  of  one  of  these  animals  was 
between  eighteen  and  twenty  ducats  ;  but  the  increase 
of  horses,  mules,  and  sheep,  lowered  their  value.  The 
burthen  carried  by  the  llama  should  not  exceed  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds,  and  the  animal  is 
seldom  laden  with  more  than  a  hundred- weight.  When 
the  llama  finds  his  burthen  too  heavy  he  lies  down,  and 
cannot  be  made  to  rise  until  some  portion  of  the  weight 
is  removed  from  his  back.  In  the  silver  mines  the  llamas 
are  of  the  most  important  utility,  as  they  frequently  carry 
the  metal  from  the  mines  in  places  where  the  declivities 
are  so  steep  that  neither  asses  nor  mules  can  keep  their 
footing. 

The  Indians  frequently  proceed  with  large  flocks  of 
llamas  to  the  coast,  to  procure  salt.  Their  daily  jour- 
neys are  short,  never  exceeding  three  or  four  leagues ; 
for  the  animals  will  not  feed  during  the  night,  and 
therefore  they  are  allowed  to  graze  as  they  go,  or  to 
halt  for  a  few  hours  at  feeding-time.  When  resting 
they  make  a  peculiar  humming  noise,  which,  when  pro- 
ceeding from  a  numerous  flock  at  a  distance,  is  like  a 
number  of  JEolian  harps  sounding  in  concert. 

A  flock  of  laden  llamas  journeying  over  the  table- 
lands is  a  beautiful  sight.  They  proceed  at  a  slow  and 
measured  pace,  gazing  eagerly  around  on  every  side. 
When  any  strange  object  scares  them,  the  flock  sepa- 


THE    ALPACO.  309 

rates,  and  disperses  in  various  directions,  and  the 
arrieros  have  no  little  difficulty  in  reassembling  them. 
The  Indians  are  very  fond  of  these  animals.  They 
adorn  them  by  tying  bows  of  ribbon  to  their  ears,  and 
hanging  bells  round  their  necks ;  and  before  loading, 
they  always  fondle  and  caress  them  affectionately.  If, 
during  a  journey,  one  of  the  llamas  is  fatigued  and  lies 
down,  the  arriero  kneels  beside  the  animal,  and  addresses 
to  it  the  most  coaxing  and  endearing  expressions.  But 
notwithstanding  all  the  care  and  attention  bestowed  on 
them,  many  llamas  perish  on  every  journey  to  the  coast, 
as  they  are  not  able  to  bear  the  warm  climate. 

Some  old  travellers  have  stated  that  the  Indians  employ 
the  llama  for  riding  and  for  draught ;  but  these  accounts 
are  quite  erroneous.  It  sometimes  happens  that  when 
crossing  a  river,  an  Indian  lad,  to  avoid  getting  wet,  may 
mount  on  the  back  of  one  of  the  llamas  ;  but  in  such  a 
case,  he  immediately  dismounts  on  reaching  the  opposite 
bank.  The  flesh  of  the  llama  is  spongy  and  not  agreeable 
in  flavour.  Its  wool  is  used  for  making  coarse  cloths. 

The  alpaco,  or  paco,  is  smaller  than  the  llama.  It 
measures  from  the  lower  part  of  the  hoof  to  the  top  of 
the  head  only  three  feet  three  inches,  and  to  the  shoul- 
ders two  feet  and  a  half.  In  form  it  resembles  the 
sheep,  but  it  has  a  longer  neck  and  a  more  elegant  head. 
The  fleece  of  this  animal  is  beautifully  soft  and  very 
long ;  in  some  parts  it  is  four  or  five  inches  in  length. 
Its  colour  is  usually  either  white  or  black  ;  but  in  some 
few  instances  it  is  speckled.  The  Indians  make  blankets 
and  ponchos  of  the  alpaco  wool.  It  is  also  frequently 


310  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

exported  to  Europe,  and  it  sells  at  a  good  price  in 
England.  The  alpacos  are  kept  in  large  flocks,  and 
throughout  the  whole  of  the  year  they  graze  on  the 
level  heights.  At  shearing  time  only  they  are  driven 
to  the  huts.  They  are  in  consequence  very  shy,  and  they 
run  away  at  the  approach  of  a  stranger.  The  obstinacy 
of  the  alpaco  is  remarkable.  When  one  of  these  ani- 
mals is  separated  from  the  flock,  he  throws  himself  on 
the  ground,  and  neither  force  nor  persuasion  will  induce 
him  to  rise  ; — sometimes  suffering  the  severest  punish- 
ment rather  than  go  the  way  the  driver  wishes.  Few 
animals  seem  to  require  so  imperatively  the  companion- 
ship of  its  own  species,  and  it  is  only  when  brought  to 
the  Indian  huts  very  young,  that  the  alpacos  can  be 
separated  from  their  flocks. 

The  largest  animal  of  this  family  is  the  huanacu.  It 
measures  five  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  hoof  to  the 
top  of  the  head,  and  three  feet  three  inches  to  the 
shoulders.  In  form  it  so  nearly  resembles  the  llama,  that 
until  a  very  recent  period,  zoologists  were  of  opinion 
that  the  llama  was  an  improved  species  of  the  huanacu, 
and  that  the  latter  was  the  llama  in  its  wild  state.  In 
the  "  Fauna  Peruana"  I  have  explained  the  erroneous- 
ness  of  this  opinion,  and  described  the  specific  differences 
existing  between  the  two  animals.  On  the  neck,  back, 
and  thighs  the  huanacu  is  of  a  uniform  reddish-brown 
colour.  The  under  part  of  the  body,  the  middle  line  of 
the  breast,  and  the  inner  side  of  the  limbs  are  of  a  dingy 
white.  The  face  is  dark  grey,  and  the  lips  of  a  clear 
white.  Of  the  huanacus  there  are  not  those  varieties 


THE    HUANACU    AND   THE    VICUNA.  311 

which  are  found  among  the  llamas  and  the  alpacos.  The 
wool  is  shorter  and  coarser  than  that  of  the  llama,  and  it 
is  of  nearly  uniform  length  on  all  parts  of  the  body. 

The  huanacus  live  in  small  herds  of  five  or  seven, 
seldom  exceeding  the  latter  number.  In  some  dis- 
tricts they  are  very  shy,  and  retreat  when  any  one 
approaches.  If  taken  very  young  they  may  be  tamed  ; 
but  they  are  always  ready  to  fall  back  into  their  wild 
state.  It  is  with  great  difficulty  they  can  be  trained  as 
beasts  of  burthen.  In  the  menageries  of  Europe,  hua- 
nacus brought  from  Chile  are  frequently  represented  to 
be  llamas. 

The  vicuna  is  a  more  beautiful  animal  than  any  of 
those  just  described.  Its  size  is  between  that  of  the 
llama  and  the  alpaco.  It  measures  from  the  sole  of 
the  foot  to  the  top  of  the  head  four  feet  one  inch,  and 
two  and  a  half  feet  to  the  shoulders.  The  neck  is  longer 
and  more  slender  than  in  either  of  the  other  relative 
species  ;  and  from  them  the  vicuna  is  also  distinguished 
by  the  superior  fineness  of  its  short,  curly  wool.  The 
crown  of  the  head,  the  upper  part  of  the  neck,  the  back, 
and  thighs  are  of  a  peculiar  reddish-yellow  hue,  called 
by  the  people  of  the  country  color  de  vicuna.  The 
lower  part  of  the  neck,  and  the  inner  parts  of  the  limbs, 
are  of  a  bright  ochre  colour,  and  the  breast  and  lower 
part  of  the  body  are  white. 

During  the  rainy  season  the  vicuna  inhabits  the 
ridges  of  the  Cordillera,  where  some  scanty  vegetation 
is  to  be  found.  It  never  ventures  up  to  the  naked 
rocky  summits,  for  its  hoofs  being  accustomed  only  to 


312  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

turfy  ground,  are  very  soft  and  tender.  It  lives  in 
herds,  consisting  of  from  six  to  fifteen  females,  and  one 
male,  who  is  the  protector  and  leader  of  the  herd. 
Whilst  the  females  are  quietly  grazing,  the  male  stands 
at  the  distance  of  some  paces  apart,  and  carefully  keeps 
guard  over  them.  At  the  approach  of  danger  he  gives 
a  signal,  consisting  of  a  sort  of  whistling  sound,  and  a 
quick  movement  of  the  foot.  Immediately  the  herd 
draws  closely  together,  each  animal  anxiously  stretching 
out  its  head  in  the  direction  of  the  threatening  danger. 
They  then  take  to  flight ;  first  moving  leisurely  and 
cautiously,  and  then  quickening  their  pace  to  the  utmost 
degree  of  speed ;  whilst  the  male  vicuna  who  covers 
the  retreat  frequently  halts,  to  observe  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  The  females,  with  singular  fidelity  and 
affection,  reward  the  watchful  care  of  their  protector. 
If  he  is  wounded  or  killed,  they  gather  round  him  in  a 
circle,  uttering  their  shrill  tones  of  lamentation,  and 
they  will  suffer  themselves  to  be  captured  or  killed, 
rather  than  desert  him  by  pursuing  their  flight.  .  The 
neigh  of  the  vicuna,  like  that  of  the  other  animals  of 
its  class,  resembles  a  short,  sharp  whistle.  But  when 
the  shrill  sound  vibrates  through  the  pure  Puna  air,  the 
practised  ear  can  readily  distinguish  the  cry  of  the 
vicuna  from  that  of  the  other  animals  of  the  same 
family. 

The  Indians  seldom  employ  fire-arms  in  hunting  the 
vicunas.  They  catch  them  by  what  they  term  the  chacu. 
In  this  curious  hunt,  one  man  at  least  belonging  to  each 
family  in  the  Puna  villages  takes  a  part,  and  women 


THE   CHACU    AND    THE    BOLAS.  313 

accompany  the  train,  to  officiate  as  cooks  to  the  hunters. 
The  whole  company,  frequently  amounting  to  seventy 
or  eighty  individuals,  proceeds  to  the  Altos  (the  most 
secluded  parts  of  the  Puna),  which  are  the  haunts  of 
the  vicunas.  They  take  with  them  stakes,  and  a  great 
quantity  of  rope  and  cord.  A  spacious  open  plain  is 
selected,  and  the  stakes  are  driven  into  the  ground  in  a 
circle,  at  intervals  of  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  apart, 
and  are  connected  together  by  ropes  fastened  to  them 
at  the  height  of  two  or  two  and  a  half  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  circular  space  within  the  stakes  is  about 
half  a  league  in  circumference,  and  an  opening  of  about 
two  hundred  paces  in  width  is  left  for  entrance.  On 
the  ropes  by  which  the  stakes  are  fastened  together  the 
women  hang  pieces  of  coloured  rags,  which  flutter  about 
in  the  wind.  The  chacu  being  fully  prepared,  the  men, 
some  of  whom  are  mounted  on  horseback,  range  about 
within  a  circuit  of  several  miles,  driving  before  them 
all  the  herds  of  vicunas  they  meet  with,  and  forcing 
them  into  the  chacu.  When  a  sufficient  number  of 
vicunas  is  collected,  the  entrance  is  closed.  The  timid 
animals  do  not  attempt  to  leap  over  the  ropes,  being 
frightened  by  the  fluttering  rags  suspended  from  them, 
and,  when  thus  secured,  the  Indians  easily  kill  them 
by  the  bolas.  These  bolas  consist  of  three  balls,  com- 
posed either  of  lead  or  stone  ;  two  of  them  heavy,  and 
the  third  rather  lighter.  They  are  fastened  to  long, 
elastic  strings,  made  of  twisted  sinews  of  the  vicuna, 
and  the  opposite  ends  of  the  strings  are  all  tied  together. 
The  Indian  holds  the  lightest  of  the  three  balls  in  his 


314  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

hand,  and  swings  the  two  others  in  a  wide  circle  above  his 
head ;  then,  taking  his  aim  at  the  distance  of  about  fifteen 
or  twenty  paces,  he  lets  go  the  hand-ball,  upon  which 
all  the  three  balls  whirl  in  a  circle,  and  twine  round 
the  object  aimed  at.  The  aim  is  usually  taken  at  the 
hind  legs  of  the  animals,  and  the  cords  twisting  round 
them,  they  become  firmly  bound.  It  requires  great 
skill  and  long  practice  to  throw  the  bolas  dexterously, 
especially  when  on  horseback  :  a  novice  in  the  art  incurs 
the  risk  of  dangerously  hurting  either  himself  or  his 
horse,  by  not  giving  the  balls  the  proper  swing,  or  by 
letting  go  the  hand-ball  too  soon. 

The  vicunas,  after  being  secured  by  the  bolas,  are 
killed,  and  the  flesh  is  distributed  in  equal  portions 
among  the  hunters.  The  skins  belong  to  the  Church. 
The  price  of  a  vicuna  skin  is  four  reals.  When  all  the 
animals  are  killed,  the  stakes,  ropes,  &c.  are  packed  up 
carefully,  and  conveyed  to  another  spot,  some  miles  dis- 
tant, where  the  chacu  is  again  fixed  up.  The  hunting 
is  continued  in  this  manner  for  the  space  of  a  week. 
The  number  of  animals  killed  during  that  interval  varies 
according  to  circumstances,  being  sometimes  fifty  or 
sixty,  and  at  other  times  several  hundred.  During  five 
days  I  took  part  in  a  chacu  hunt  in  the  Altos  of  Huay- 
huay,  and  in  that  space  of  time  122  vicunas  were  caught. 
With  the  money  obtained  by  the  sale  of  the  skins  a  new 
altar  was  erected  in  the  church  of  the  district.  The 
flesh  of  the  vicuna  is  more  tender  and  better  flavoured 
than  that  of  the  llama.  Fine  cloth  and  hats  are  made 
of  the  wool.  When  taken  young,  the  vicunas  are  easily 


ANCIENT   DOMESTIC   UTENSILS.  315 

tamed,  and  become  very  docile ;  but  when  old,  they  are 
intractable  and  malicious.  At  Tarma  I  possessed  a 
large  and  very  fine  vicuna.  It  used  to  follow  me  like 
a  dog  whenever  I  went  out,  whether  on  foot  or  on 
horseback. 

The  frequent  hunting  seems  not  to  have  the  effect  of 
diminishing  the  numbers  of  these  animals.  If  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  villages  where  chacus  are  frequently 
established,  they  are  less  numerous  than  in  other  parts, 
it  is  because,  to  elude  the  pursuit  of  the  hunters,  they 
seek  refuge  in  the  Altos,  where  they  are  found  in  vast 
numbers.  Several  modern  travellers  have  lamented 
the  diminution  of  the  vicunas,  but  without  reason.  In 
former  times  those  animals  were  hunted  more  actively 
than  at  present. 

Under  the  dynasty  of  the  Incas,  when  every  useful 
plant  and  animal  was  an  object  of  veneration,  the  Peru- 
vians rendered  almost  divine  worship  to  the  llama  and 
his  relatives,  which  exclusively  furnished  them  with 
wool  for  clothing,  and  with  flesh  for  food.  The  temples 
were  adorned  with  large  figures  of  these  animals  made 
of  gold  and  silver,  and  their  forms  were  represented 
in  domestic  utensils  made  of  stone  or  clay.  In  the 
valuable  collection  of  Baron  Clemens  von  Hugel  at 
Vienna,  there  are  four  of  these  vessels,  composed  of 
porphyry,  basalt,  and  granite,  representing  the  four 
species,  viz.,  the  llama,  the  alpaco,  the  huanacu,  and  the 
vicuna.  These  antiquities  are  exceedingly  scarce,  and 
when  I  was  in  Peru  I  was  unable  to  obtain  any  of  them. 
How  the  ancient  Peruvians,  without  the  aid  of  iron 


316  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

tools,  were  able  to  carve  stone   so  beautifully,   is   in- 
conceivable. 

Besides  the  animals  above  mentioned,  several  others 
peculiar  to  the  Puna  are  deserving  of  remark.     Among 
these   are  the  Tarush  (Cervus  antisiensis,    Orb.)  ;  the 
timid  roe,  which  inhabits  the  high  forests  skirting  the 
Andes ;   the  Yiscacha  (Lagidium  peruanum,  May,  and 
L.  pallipes,  Benn.),  and  the  Chinchilla  (Eriomys  Chin- 
chilla, Licht.),  whose  skin  supplies  the  beautiful  fur  so 
much  prized  by  the  ladies  of  Europe.     The  viscachas 
and  chinchillas  resemble  the  rabbit  in  form  and  colour, 
but  they  have  shorter  ears  and  long  rough  tails.     They 
live  on  the  steep  rocky  mountains,  and  in  the  morning 
and  evening  they  creep  out  from  their  holes  and  cre- 
vices to  nibble  the  alpine  grasses.    At  night  the  Indians 
set  before  their  holes  traps  made  of  horse-hair,  in  which 
the  animals  are  easily  caught.     The  most  remarkable  of 
the  beasts  of  prey  in  these  high  regions  is  the  Atoc 
(Canis  Azarce,  Pr.  Max.).     It  is  a  species  of  fox,  which 
is  found  throughout  the  whole  of  South  Amqrica.     The 
warmer   Puna   valleys    are    inhabited  by  the   Cuguar 
(Fells  concolor,  L.),  or,  as  the  Indians  call  it,  the  Poma. 
When  driven  by  hunger,  this  animal  ventures  into  the 
loftiest  Puna   regions,    even   to   the    boundary  of  the 
eternal    snow.     The    wild    Hucumari   (Ursus  ornatus, 
Fr.  Cuv.)  but  seldom  wanders  into  the  cold  Puna.    The 
hucumari  is  a  large  black  bear,  with  a  white  muzzle 
and  light-coloured  stripes  on  the  breast. 

Of  the  numerous  Puna  birds,  the  majority  of  which 
may  be  classed  as  water-fowl,  I  will  notice  only  a  few  of 


ANIMALS    OF    THE    PUNA.  317 

the  most  characteristic.  Next  to  the  condor,  the  most 
remarkable  bird  of  prey  is  the  Huarahuau,  or  the  Aloi, 
(Polylorus  megalopterus,  Cob.),""  one  of  the  gyr-falcon 
species.  This  bird,  which  is  a  constant  inhabitant  of 
the  level  heights,  preys  on  the  carcases  of  dead  horses, 
mules,  &c.,  but  never  attempts  to  meddle  with  living 
animals.  It  is  very  harmless,  and  has  so  little  timidity, 
that  it  suffers  itself  to  be  approached  near  enough  to  be 
knocked  down  with  a  stick.  The  Acacli,  or  Pito,  (Co- 
laptes  rupicola,  Orb.)  flutters  about  the  mountains ;  it 
is  a  woodpecker,  brown-speckled,  with  a  yellow  belly. 
This  bird  is  seen  in  very  great  numbers,  and  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  imagine  how  it  procures  food  in  the  Puna, 
where  there  are  no  insects.  All  the  other  woodpecker 
species  exclusively  confine  themselves  to  woody  regions. 

The  thickets  of  rushy  grass  are  inhabited  by  the 
Pishacas,  or  Yutu,  a  species  of  partridge  (Tinamotis 
Pentlandii,  Vig.)  which  the  Indians  catch  by  dogs. 
These  dogs  of  the  Puna  Indians  are  a  peculiar  race 
(Canis  Ingce,  Tsch.).  They  are  distinguished  by  a 
small  head,  a  pointed  muzzle,  small  erect  ears,  a  tail 
curling  upwards,  and  a  thick  shaggy  skin.  They  are 
in  a  half-wild  state,  and  very  surly  and  snappish. 
They  furiously  attack  strangers,  and  even  after  having 
received  a  deadly  wound  they  will  crawl  along  the 
ground,  and  make  an  effort  to  bite.  To  white  people 
they  appear  to  have  a  particular  antipathy  ;  and  some- 
times it  becomes  rather  a  venturous  undertaking  for  a 

*  Phalcoboenm  montanus,  Orb. 


318  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

European  traveller  to  approach  an  Indian  hut,  for  these 
mountain  dogs  spring  up  to  the  sides  of  the  horse,  and 
try  to  bite  the  rider's  legs.  They  are  snarlish  and 
intractable  even  to  their  masters,  who  are  often  obliged 
to  enforce  obedience  by  the  help  of  a  stick.  Yet  these 
dogs  are  very  useful  animals  for  guarding  flocks,  and 
they  have  a  keen  scent  for  the  pishacas,  which  they 
catch  and  kill  with  a  single  bite. 

There  is  a  very  curious  little  bird  in  the  Puna, 
about  the  size  of  a  starling.  Its  plumage  is  exceedingly 
pretty,  being  on  the  back  brown,  striped  with  black ;  on 
the  throat  grey,  with  two  dark  stripes,  and  on  the 
breast  white.  This  bird  has  the  remarkable  peculiarity 
of  making  a  monotonous  sound  at  the  close  of  every 
hour,  during  the  night.  The  Indians  call  it  the  Inga- 
huallpa,  or  Cock  of  the  Inga,  (Thinocorus  Ingce,  Tsch.), 
and  they  associate  many  superstitious  notions  with  its 
regular  hourly  cry.  The  Puna  morasses  and  lagunas  are 
animated  by  numerous  feathered  inhabitants.  Among 
them  is  the  huachua  (Chloephaga  melanoptera,  Eyt.), 
a  species  of  goose.  The  plumage  of  the  body  is  daz- 
zlingly  white,  the  wings  green,  shading  into  brilliant 
violet,  and  the  feet  and  beak  of  a  bright  red.  The  Licli 
(Charadrius  resplendens,  Tsch.)  is  a  plover,  whose  plum- 
age in  colour  is  like  that  of  the  huachua,  but  with  a 
sort  of  metallic  brightness.  There  are  two  species  of 
ibis  which  belong  to  the  Puna,  though  they  are  occa- 
sionally seen  in  some  of  the  lower  valleys.  One  is 
the  Bandurria  (Theristocus  melanopis,  Wagl.),  and  the 
other  is  the  Yanahuico  (Ibis  Ordi,  Bonap.).  On  the 


CATTLE    AND    PASTURAGE.  319 

lagunas  swim  large  flocks  of  Quiullas  (Larus  serranus, 
Tsch.),  white  mews,  with  black  heads  and  red  beaks, 
and  the  gigantic  water-hen  (Fulica  yigantea,  Soul.). 
The  plumage  of  the  latter  is  dark  grey,  and  at  the  root 
of  the  red  beak  there  is  a  large  yellow  botch,  in  the 
form  of  a  bean,  whence  the  Indians  give  this  bird  the 
name  of  A  nash  sinqui,  or  bean  nose.  Among  the  few 
amphibia  found  in  these  regions  one  is  particularly 
remarkable.  It  is  a  small  kind  of  toad  (Leiuperus 
viridis,  Tsch.),  and  inhabits  the  boundaries  of  the  per- 
petual snow. 

The  grasses  of  the  Puna  are  used  as  fodder,  and 
in  many  of  the  sheltered  valleys  there  are  farms  (Haci- 
endas de  Ganado),  where  large  herds  of  cattle  are 
reared.  The  owners  of  some  of  these  farms  possess 
several  thousand  sheep,  and  from  four  to  five  hundred 
cows.  During  the  rainy  season  the  cattle  are  driven 
into  the  Altos.  They  graze  in  those  high  regions, 
often  at  the  altitude  of  15,000  feet  above  sea.  When 
the  frost  sets  in  they  are  brought  down  to  the  marshy 
valleys,  and  they  suffer  much  from  insufficiency  of  pas- 
ture. From  the  wool  of  the  sheep  a  coarse  kind  of 
cloth,  called  Bayeta,  is  made  in  the  Sierra.  Some  of 
this  wool  is  exported,  and  is  much  prized  in  Europe. 
The  old  black  cattle  and  sheep  are  slaughtered,  and 
their  flesh,  when  dried,  is  the  principal  food  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Puna,  particularly  of  the  mining 
population.  The  dried  beef  is  called  Charqui,  and  the 
mutton  is  called  Chalona.  The  bulls  graze  in  the 
remote  Altos,  and  most  of  them  are  reserved  for  the 


320  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

bull  fights  in  the  Sierra  villages.  As  they  seldom  see  a 
human  being  they  become  exceedingly  wild  ;  so  much 
so  that  the  herdsmen  are  often  afraid  to  approach  them. 
In  the  daytime  they  roam  about  marshy  places,  and  at 
nightfall  they  retire  for  shelter  beneath  some  overhang- 
ing rock.  These  animals  render  travelling  in  many 
parts  of  the  Puna  extremely  dangerous,  for  they  often 
attack  people  so  suddenly  as  to  afford  no  time  for 
defence.  It  is  true  they  usually  announce  their  ap- 
proach by  a  deep  bellow  ;  but  the  open  plain  seldom 
presents  any  opportunity  for  escape.  On  several  occa- 
sions a  well-aimed  shot  alone  saved  me  from  the  attack 
of  one  of  these  ferocious  bulls. 

The  walls  of  the  haciendas  are  of  rough  unhewn 
stone.  They  are  divided  into  large  square  rooms, 
always  damp,  cold,  and  uninhabitable.  Beneath  the 
straw  roofs  there  usually  hang  long  rows  of  the  stuffed 
skins  of  foxes  ;  for  every  Indian  who  kills  an  old  fox 
receives,  by  way  of  reward,  a  sheep,  and  for  a  young 
one  a  lamb.  The  Cholos  are  therefore  zealous  fox- 
hunters,  and  they  may  possibly  succeed  in  altogether 
extirpating  that  animal,  which  in  some  districts  is  so 
numerous  as  to  be  a  perfect  scourge. 

As  the  sheep,  even  in  the  dry  season,  find  pasture 
more  easily  than  the  horned  cattle,  they  are  left  during 
the  whole  year  in  the  higher  parts  of  the  Puna,  under 
the  care  of  Indian  shepherds.  At  night  they  are 
driven  into  corales,  large  square  roofless  buildings,  and 
are  guarded  by  dogs.  The  shepherds  make  a  practice 
of  every  year  burning  the  dry  grass  of  the  Puna,  in 


PUNA    HUTS.  321 

order  to  improve  the  growth  of  the  fodder.  A  Puna 
fire  does  not,  however,  present  the  imposing  spectacle  of 
the  prairie  fires,  as  described  by  travellers  in  North 
America,  possibly  because  the  Puna  straw  is  shorter, 
and  is  always  somewhat  damp. 

The  dwellings  of  the  shepherds  are  built  in  the  same 
rude  style  which  characterises  all  the  huts  in  the  Puna, 
and  they  impress  the  European  traveller  with  a  very 
unfavourable  notion  of  the  intelligence  of  the  people. 
The  architecture  of  these  huts  consists  in  laying  down 
some  large  stones,  in  a  circle  of  about  eight  or  ten  feet 
in  diameter,  by  way  of  a  foundation.  These  stones  are 
covered  with  earth  or  turf,  and  then  with  successive 
layers  of  stones  and  earth,  until  the  wall  attains  the 
height  of  about  four  feet :  at  the  point  most  sheltered 
from  the  wind,  an  opening  of  a  foot  and  a  half  or  two 
feet  high  serves  as  a  door.  On  this  low  circular  wall 
rests  the  roof,  which  is  formed  in  the  following  manner. 
Six  or  eight  magay  poles  are  fastened  together,  so  as 
to  form  a  point  at  the  top/""  Over  these  poles  thin  laths 
are  laid  horizontally,  and  fastened  with  straw-bands,  and 
the  whole  conical-formed  frame-work  is  overlaid  with  a 
covering  of  Puna  straw.  As  a  security  against  the 
wind,  two  thick  straw-bands  are  crossed  over  the  point 
of  the  roof,  and  at  their  ends,  which  hang  down  to  the 
ground,  heavy  stones  are  fastened.  The  whole  fabric  is 


*  The  Magay  is  the  stem  of  the  American  Agave.  It  has  a  sort  of  spungy 
sap ;  but  it  is  covered  externally  with  a  strong  tough  bast.  The  Magay  supplies 
the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Peru  with  an  excellent  kind  of  light  and  strong  build- 
ing wood. 


322  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

then  completed.  The  hut  at  its  central  point  is  about 
eight  feet  high  ;  but  at  the  sides,  no  more  than  three 
and  a  half  or  four  feet.  The  entrance  is  so  low,  that  one 
is  obliged  to  creep  in  almost  bent  double  ;  and  before 
the  aperture  hangs  a  cow-hide,  by  way  of  a  door. 

Internally  these  huts  present  miserable  pictures  of 
poverty  and  uncleanliness.  Two  stones  serve  as  a  stove, 
containing  a  scanty  fire  fed  by  dry  dung  (bunegas), 
and  turf  (champo).  An  earthen  pot  for  cooking  soup, 
another  for  roasting  maize,  two  or  three  gourd-shells 
for  plates,  and  a  porongo  for  containing  water,  make 
up  the  catalogue  of  the  goods  and  chattels  in  a  Puna 
hut.  On  dirty  sheep-skins  spread  on  the  ground,  sit 
the  Indian  and  his  wife,  listlessly  munching  their 
coca ;  whilst  the  naked  children  roll  about  paddling  in 
pools  of  water  formed  by  continual  drippings  from  the 
roof.  The  other  inhabitants  of  the  hut  are  usually  three 
or  four  hungry  dogs,  some  lambs,  and  swarms  of  guinea- 
pigs. 

From  all  this  it  will  readily  be  imagined  that  a  Puna 
hut  is  no  very  agreeable  or  inviting  retreat.  Yet,  when 
worn  out  by  the  dangers  and  fatigues  of  a  long  day's 
journey,  and  exposed  to  the  fury  of  a  mountain  storm, 
the  weary  traveller,  heedless  of  suffocating  clouds  of 
smoke  and  mephitic  odours,  gladly  creeps  into  the  rude 
dwelling.  Taking  up  his  resting-place  on  the  damp 
floor,  with  his  saddle-cloth  for  a  pillow,  he  is  thankful 
to  find  himself  once  again  in  a  human  habitation,  even 
though  its  occupants  be  not  many  degrees  elevated 
above  the  brute  creation. 


THE  GREAT  1NCA  ROAD.  323 

In  the  Puna  there  are  many  remains  of  the  great 
high  road  of  the  Incas,  which  led  from  Cuzco  to  Quito, 
stretching  through  the  whole  extent  of  Peru.  It  was 
the  grandest  work  that  America  possessed  before  Euro- 
pean civilisation  found  its  way  to  that  quarter  of  the 
world.  Even  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  wise 
dominion  of  the  ancient  Peruvian  sovereigns,  their  com- 
prehensive laws,  and  the  high  civilisation  they  diffused 
over  the  whole  country,  must  by  this  gigantic  work  be 
impressed  with  the  highest  idea  of  the  cultivation  of  the 
age ;  for  well-constructed  roads  may  always  be  regarded 
as  proofs  of  a  nation's  advancement.  There  is  not  in 
Peru  at  the  present  time  any  modern  road  in  the  most 
remote  degree  comparable  to  the  Incas'  highway.  The 
best  preserved  fragments  which  came  under  my  obser- 
vation were  in  the  Altos,  between  Jauja  and  Tarma. 
Judging  from  these  portions,  it  would  appear  that  the 
road  must  have  been  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet 
broad,  and  that  it  was  paved  with  large  flat  stones.  At 
intervals  of  about  twelve  paces  distant  one  from  another 
there  is  a  row  of  smaller  stones,  laid  horizontally  and  a 
little  elevated,  so  that  the  road  ascended,  as  it  were,  by 
a  succession  of  terraces.  It  was  edged  on  each  side  by 
a  low  wall  of  small  stones. 

Other  remains  of  ancient  Peru,  frequently  met  with 
in  these  parts,  are  small  buildings,  formerly  used  as 
stations  for  the  messengers  who  promulgated  the  com- 
mands of  the  Incas  through  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Some  of  these  buildings  are  still  in  a  tolerably  good 
state  of  preservation.  They  were  always  erected  on 

Y2 


324  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

little  hillocks,  and  at  such  distances  apart,  that  from 
each  station  the  nearest  one  on  either  side  was  discern- 
ible. "When  a  messenger  was  despatched  from  a  station 
a  signal  was  hoisted,  and  a  messenger  from  the  next 
successive  station  met  him  half-way,  and  received  from 
him  the  despatch,  which  was  in  this  manner  forwarded 
from  one  station  to  another  till  it  reached  its  destina- 
tion. A  constant  communication  was  thus  kept  up 
between  •  the  capital  and  the  most  distant  parts  of  the 
country.  A  proof  of  the  extraordinary  rapidity  with 
which  these  communications  were  carried  on  is  the  fact, 
recorded  on  unquestionable  authority,  that  the  royal 
table  in  Cuzco  was  served  with  fresh  fish,  caught  in  the 
sea  near  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Lurin,  a  distance  of 
more  than  200  leagues  from  Cuzco. 

The  messenger  stations  have  by  some  travellers  been 
confounded  with  the  forts,  of  which  remains  are  met 
with  along  the  great  Inca  road.  The  forts  were  build- 
ings destined  for  totally  different  purposes.  They  were 
magazines  for  grain,  and  were  built  by  the  Incas 
to  secure  to  their  armies  in  these  barren  regions 
the  requisite  supplies  of  food.  Vestiges  of  these  forts 
are  frequently  seen  in  the  Altos  of  Southern  and  Central 
Peru.  They  are  broad  round  towers,  usually  built 
against  a  rocky  declivity,  and  with  numerous  long 
apertures  for  the  admission  of  air. 

Even  the  broad  level  heights  in  which  no  trace  of 
human  habitations  is  discoverable,  have  been  excavated 
by  the  mercenary  Peruvian  mestizos  and  Creoles  in 
search  of  hidden  treasures.  Their  faith  in  the  exist- 


AN  INCA'S  KANSOM.  325 

ence  of  concealed  riches  is  founded  on  the  following 
tradition.  When  the  last  reigning  Inca,  Atabiliba  or 
Atahuallpa,  was  made  prisoner  by  Don  Francisco  Pizarro, 
in  Caxamarca,  he  proposed  to  ransom  himself  from  the 
Spanish  commander.  The  price  he  offered  for  his 
liberty  was  to  fill  with  gold  the  cell  in  which  he  was 
confined,  to  the  height  of  a  certain  line  on  the  wall, 
which  Pizarro  marked  with  his  sword.  The  cell,  it  may 
be  mentioned,  was  twenty-two  feet  long  and  seventeen 
broad.  A  quantity  of  gold  which  the  Inca  ordered  to 
be  collected  in  Caxamarca  and  its  vicinity,  when  piled 
up  on  the  floor  of  the  cell,  did  not  reach  above  halfway 
to  the  given  mark.  The  Inca  then  dispatched  messen- 
gers to  Cuzco  to  obtain  from  the  royal  treasury  the 
gold  required  to  make  up  the  deficiency ;  and  accord- 
ingly eleven  thousand  llamas  were  despatched  from 
Cuzco  to  Caxamarca,  each  laden  with  one  hundred 
pounds  of  gold.  But  ere  the  treasure  reached  its  des- 
tination, Atahuallpa  was  hanged  by  the  advice  of  Don 
Diego  de  Almangra  and  the  Dominican  monk  Vicente 
de  Yalverde.  The  terror-stirring  news  flew  like  wild- 
fire through  the  land,  and  speedily  reached  the  convoy 
of  Indians,  who  were  driving  their  richly-laden  llamas 
over  the  level  heights  into  Central  Peru.  On  the  spot 
where  the  intelligence  of  Atahuallpa's  death  was  com- 
municated to  them,  the  dismayed  Indians  concealed  the 
treasure,  and  then  dispersed. 

Whether  the  number  of  the  llamas  was  really  so  con- 
siderable as  it  is  stated  to  have  been,  may  fairly  be 
doubted ;  but  that  a  vast  quantity  of  gold  was  on  its 


326  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

way  to  Caxamarca,  and  was  concealed,  is  a  well-authen- 
ticated fact.  That  the  Indians  should  never  have  made 
any  attempt  to  recover  this  treasure  is  quite  consistent 
with  their  character.  It  is  not  improbable  that  even  now 
some  particular  individuals  among  them  may  know  the 
place  of  concealment ;  but  a  certain  feeling  of  awe 
transmitted  through  several  centuries  from  father  to 
son,  has,  in  their  minds,  associated  the  hidden  treasure 
with  the  blood  of  their  last  king,  and  this  feeling  doubt- 
less prompts  them  to  keep  the  secret  inviolate. 

From  traditionary  accounts,  which  bear  the  appear- 
ance of  probability,  it  would  appear  that  the  gold  was 
buried  somewhere  in  the  Altos  of  Mito,  near  the  valley 
of  Jauja.  Searches  have  frequently  been  made  in  that 
vicinity,  but  no  clue  to  the  hiding-place  has  yet  been 
discovered. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Cerro  de  Pasco — First  discovery  of  the  Mines — Careless  mode  of  working  them 
— Mine  Owners  and  Mine  Labourers — Amalgamating  and  Refining — 
Produce  of  the  Mines — Life  in  Cerro  de  Pasco — Different  Classes  of  the 
Population — Gaming  and  Drunkenness — Extravagance  and  Improvidence 
of  the  Indian  Mine  Labourers— The  Cerro  de  San  Fernando— Other  Im- 
portant Mining  Districts  in  Peru— The  Salcedo  Mine — Castrovireyna— 
Vast  Productiveness  of  the  Silver  Mines  of  Peru — Rich  Mines  secretly  known 
to  the  Indians — Roads  leading  from  Cerro  de  Pasco — The  Laguna  of  Chin- 
chaycocha — Battle  of  Junin — Indian  Robbers. — A  Day  and  a  Night  in  the 
Puna  Wilds. 

HAVING  traversed  the  long  and  difficult  route  from 
the  capital  of  Peru,  by  way  of  the  wild  Cordillera  to 
the  level  heights  of  Bombon,  and  from  thence  having 
ascended  the  steep  winding  acclivities  of  the  mountain 
chain  of  Olachin,  the  traveller  suddenly  beholds  in  the 
distance  a  large  and  populous  city.  This  is  the  cele- 
brated Cerro  de  Pasco,  famed  throughout  the  world  for 
its  rich  silver  mines.  It  is  situated  in  10°  48'  S.  latitude 
and  76°  23'  W.  longitude,  and  at  the  height  of  13,673 
feet  above  the  sea  level.  It  is  built  in  a  basin-shaped 
hollow,  encircled  by  barren  and  precipitous  rocks.  Be- 
tween these  rocks  difficult  winding  roads  or  paths  lead 
down  to  the  city,  which  spreads  out  in  irregular  divi- 
sions, surrounded  on  all  sides  by  little  lagunes,  or 
swamps.  The  pleasing  impression  created  by  the  first 
view  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  from  the  heights  is  very  greatly 
modified  on  entering  the  town.  Crooked,  narrow,  and 
dirty  streets  are  bordered  by  rows  of  irregularly-built 


328  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

houses ;  find  miserable  Indian  huts  abut  close  against 
well-built  dwellings,  whose  size  and  structure  give  a 
certain  European  character  to  the  city  when  viewed 
from  a  distance.  Without  bestowing  a  glance  on  the 
busy  throng  which  circulates  through  the  streets  and 
squares,  the  varied  styles  of  the  buildings  sufficiently 
indicate  to  the  observer  how  many  different  classes  of 
people  have  united  together  to  found,  in  the  tropics,  and 
on  the  very  confines  of  the  perpetual  snow,  a  city  of 
such  magnitude,  and  of  so  motley  an  aspect.  The  wild 
barrenness  of  the  surrounding  scenery,  and  the  extreme 
cold  of  the  rigorous  climate — the  remote  and  solitary 
position  of  the  city — all  denote  that  one  common  bond 
of  union  must  have  drawn  together  the  diversified 
elements  which  compose  the  population  of  Cerro  de 
Pasco.  And  so  it  really  is.  In  this  inhospitable  region, 
where  the  surface  of  the  soil  produces  nothing,  nature 
has  buried  boundless  stores  of  wealth  in  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  and  the  silver  mines  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  have 
drawn  people  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  one  point, 
and  for  one  object. 

History  relates  that  about  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
years  ago  an  Indian  shepherd,  named  Huari  Capcha, 
tended  his  flocks  on  a  small  pampa  to  south-east  of  the 
lake  of  Llauricocha,  the  mother  of  the  great  river  Amazon. 
One  day,  when  the  shepherd  had  wandered  further  than 
usual  from  his  hut,  he  sought  a  resting-place  on  a 
declivity  of  the  Cerro  de  Santiestevan,  and  when  evening- 
drew  in  he  kindled  a  fire  to  protect  himself  against  the 
cold ;  he  then  lay  down  to  sleep.  When  he  awoke  on 


THE    DESCUBRIDORA  MINE. 

the  following  morning,  he  was  amazed  to  find  the  stone 
beneath  the  ashes  of  his  fire  melted  and  turned  to  silver. 
He  joyfully  communicated  the  discovery  to  his  master, 
Don  Jose  Ugarte,  a  Spaniard,  who  owned  a  hacienda  in 
the  Quebrada  de  Huariaca.  Ugarte  forthwith  repaired 
to  the  spot,  where  he  found  indications  of  a  very  rich 
vein  of  silver  ore,  which  he  immediately  made  active 
preparations  for  working.  In  this  mine,  which  is  dis- 
guished  by  the  name  of  La  Descubridora  (the  discoverer), 
silver  is  still  obtained.  From  the  village  of  Pasco,  about 
two  leagues  distant,  where  already  productive  mines 
were  worked,  several  rich  mine-owners  removed  to 
Llauricocha  ;  here  they  sought  and  discovered  new  veins, 
and  established  new  mining  works.  The  vast  abundance 
of  the  ore  drew  new  speculators  to  the  spot ;  some  to 
work  the  mines,  and  others  to  supply  the  necessary 
wants  of  the  increasing  population.  In  this  manner 
was  rapidly  founded  a  city,  which,  at  times  when  the 
produce  of  metal  is  very  considerable,  counts  18,000 
inhabitants. 

In  Cerro  de  Pasco  there  are  two  very  remarkable 
veins  of  silver.  One  of  them,  the  Veta  de  Colquirirca, 
runs  nearly  in  a  straight  line  from  north  to  south,  and 
has  already  been  traced  to  the  length  of  9,600  feet,  and 
the  breadth  of  412  ;  the  other  vein  is  the  Veta  de 
Pariarirca,  which  takes  a  direction  from  east-south-east 
to  west-north-west,  and  which  intersects  the  Yeta  de 
Colquirirca  precisely,  it  is  supposed,  under  the  market- 
place of  the  city.  Its  known  extent  is  6,400  feet  in 
length,  and  380  feet  in  breadth.  From  these  large  veins 


330  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

numberless  smaller  ones  branch  off  in  various  directions, 
so  that  a  net- work  of  silver  may  be  supposed  to  spread 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Some  thousand  open 
ings  or  mouths  (bocaminas)  are  the  entrances  to  these 
mines.  Most  of  these  entrances  are  within  the  city 
itself,  in  small  houses  ;  and  some  are  in  the  dwellings  of 
the  mine-owners.  Many  of  them  are  exceedingly  shallow, 
and  not  more  than  five  hundred  deserve  the  name  of 
shafts.  All  are  worked  in  a  very  disorderly  and  care- 
less way ;  the  grand  object  of  their  owners  being  to 
avoid  expense.  The  dangerous  parts  in  the  shafts  are 
never  walled  up,  and  the  excavations  proceed  without 
the  adoption  of  any  measures  of  security.  The  conse- 
quence is,  that  accidents  caused  by  the  falling  in  of  the 
galleries  are  of  frequent  occurrence ;  and  every  year  the 
lives  of  numbers  of  the  Indian  miners  are  sacrificed.  A 
melancholy  example  of  the  effects  of  this  negligence  is 
presented  by  the  now  ruined  mine  of  Matagente  (lite- 
rally Kill  People),  in  which  three  hundred  labourers 
were  killed  by  the  falling  in  of  a  shaft.  I  descended 
into  several  of  the  mines,  among  others  into  the  Descu- 
bridora,  which  is  one  of  the  deepest,  and  I  always  felt 
that  I  had  good  reason  to  congratulate  myself  on  return- 
ing to  the  surface  of  the  earth  in  safety.  Rotten  blocks 
of  wood  and  loose  stones  serve  for  steps,  and,  where 
these  cannot  be  placed,  the  shaft,  which  in  most  instances 
runs  nearly  perpendicular,  is  descended  by  the  help 
of  rusty  chains  and  ropes,  whilst  loose  fragments  of 
rubbish  are  continually  falling  from  the  damp  walls. 
The  mine  labourers,  all  of  whom  are  Indians,  are  of 


MINE    LABOURERS.  331 

two  classes.  One  class  consists  of  those  who  work  in 
the  mines  all  the  year  round  without  intermission,  and 
who  receive  regular  wages  from  the  mine  owners ; — the 
other  class  consists  of  those  who  make  only  temporary 
visits  to  Cerro  de  Pasco,  when  they  are  attracted 
thither  by  the  boy  as*  This  latter  class  of  labourers 
are  called  maquipuros.  Most  of  them  come  from  the 
distant  provinces,  and  they  return  to  their  homes  when 
the  boya  is  at  an  end.  The  mine  labourers  are  also 
subdivided  into  two  classes,  the  one  called  barreteros, 
whose  employment  consists  in  breaking  the  ore ;  and 
the  other  called  hapires,  or  cliaquiris,  who  bring  up  the 
ore  from  the  shaft.  The  work  allotted  to  the  hapires 
is  exceedingly  laborious.  Each  load  consists  of  from 
fifty  to  seventy-five  pounds  of  metal,  which  is  carried  in 
a  very  irksome  and  inconvenient  manner  in  an  untanned 
hide,  called  a  capacho.  The  hapire  performs  his  toil- 
some duty  in  a  state  of  nudity,  for,  notwithstanding  the 
coldness  of  the  climate,  he  becomes  so  heated  by  his 
laborious  exertion,  that  he  is  glad  to  divest  himself  of 
his  clothing.  As  the  work  is  carried  on  incessantly  day 
and  night,  the  miners  are  divided  into  parties  called 
puntas,  each  party  working  for  twelve  successive  hours. 
At  six  o'clock  morning  and  evening  the  puntas  are 
relieved.  Each  one  is  under  the  inspection  of  a  mayor- 
domo.  When  a  mine  yields  a  scanty  supply  of  metal, 

*  A  mine  is  said  to  be  in  boya  when  it  yields  an  unusually  abundant  supply 
of  metal.  Owing  to  the  great  number  of  mines  in  Cerro  de  Pasco,  some  of  them 
are  always  in  this  prolific  state.  There  are  times  when  the  boyas  bring  such 
an  influx  of  miners  to  Cerro  de  Pasco  that  the  population  is  augmented  to  double 
or  triple  its  ordinary  amount. 


332  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  labourers  are  paid  in  money ;  the  barreteros  receiving 
six  reals  per  day,  and  the  hapires  only  four.  During 
the  boyas  the  labourers  receive  instead  of  their  wages 
in  money,  a  share  of  the  ore.  The  Indians  often  try  to 
appropriate  to  themselves  surreptitiously  pieces  of  ore ; 
but  to  do  this  requires  great  cunning  and  dexterity,  so 
narrowly  are  they  watched  by  the  mayordomos.  Never- 
theless, they  sometimes  succeed.  One  of  the  hapires 
related  to  me  how  he  had  contrived  to  carry  off  a  most 
valuable  piece  of  silver.  He  fastened  it  on  his  back, 
and  then  wrapping  himself  in  his  poncho,  he  pretended 
to  be  so  ill,  that  he  obtained  permission  to  quit  the 
mine.  Two  of  his  confederates  who  helped  him  out, 
assisted  him  in  concealing  the  treasure.  The  polvoritta, 
a  dark  powdery  kind  of  ore,  very  full  of  silver,  used  to 
be  abstracted  from  the  mines  by  the  following  stratagem. 
The  workmen  would  strip  off  their  clothes,  and  having 
moistened  the  whole  of  their  bodies  with  water,  would 
roll  themselves  in  the  polvorilla  which  stuck  to  them. 
On  their  return  home  they  washed  off  the  silver-dust 
and  sold  it  for  several  dollars.  But  this  trick  being 
detected,  a  stop  was  soon  put  to  it,  for,  before  leaving 
the  mines,  the  labourers  are  now  required  to  strip  in 
order  to  be  searched. 

The  operation  of  separating  the  silver  from  the  dross 
is  performed  at  some  distance  from  Cerro  de  Pasco,  in 
haciendas,  belonging  to  the  great  mine  owners.  The 
process  is  executed  in  a  very  clumsy,  imperfect,  and  at 
the  same  time,  a  very  expensive  manner.  The  amalga- 
mation of  the  quicksilver  with  the  metal  is  effected  by 


AMALGAMATION   AND   REFINING.  333 

the  tramping  of  horses.  The  animals  employed  in  this 
way  are  a  small  ill-looking  race,  brought  from  Aya- 
cucho  and  Cuzco,  where  they  are  found  in  numerous 
herds.  The  quicksilver  speedily  has  a  fatal  effect  on 
their  hoofs,  and  after  a  few  years  the  animals  become 
unfit  for  work.  The  separation  of  the  metals  is  managed 
with  as  little  judgment  as  the  amalgamation,  and  the 
waste  of  quicksilver  is  enormous.  It  is  computed  that 
on  each  mark  of  silver,  half  a  pound  of  quicksilver  is 
expended.  The  quicksilver,  with  the  exception  of  some 
little  brought  from  Idria  and  Huancavelica,  comes  from 
Spain  in  iron  jars,  each  containing  about  seventy-five 
pounds  weight  of  the  metal.  In  Lima  the  price  of  these 
jars  is  from  sixty  to  100  dollars  each,  but  they  are 
occasionally  sold  as  high  as  135  or  140  dollars.  Con- 
sidering the  vast  losses  which  the  Peruvian  mine-owners 
sustain  by  the  waste  of  quicksilver  and  the  defective 
mode  of  refining,  it  may  fairly  be  inferred,  that  their 
profits  are  about  one-third  less  than  they  would  be 
under  a  better  system  of  management. 

In  Cerro  de  Pasco  there  are  places  called  boliches,  in 
which  the  silver  is  separated  from  the  dross  by  the 
same  process  as  that  practised  in  the  haciendas,  only 
on  a  smaller  scale.  In  the  boliches  the  amalgamation 
is  performed,  not  by  horses  but  by  Indians,  who  mix 
the  quicksilver  with  the  ore  by  stamping  on  it  with 
their  feet  for  several  hours  in  succession.  This  occupa- 
tion they  usually  perform  barefooted,  and  the  conse- 
quence is,  that  paralysis  and  other  diseases  caused 
by  the  action  of  mercury,  are  very  frequent  among 


334  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  persons  thus  employed.  The  owners  of  the  boli- 
ches,  who  are  mostly  Italians,  are  not  mine  proprie- 
tors. They  obtain  the  metal  from  the  Indians,  who 
give  them  their  kiMchacas*  in  exchange  for  brandy  and 
other  articles.  On  the  other  hand,  the  owners  of  the 
boliches  obtain  the  money  required  for  their  specula- 
tions from  capitalists,  who  make  them  pay  an  enormous 
interest.  Nevertheless,  many  amass  considerable  for- 
tunes in  the  course  of  a  few  years  ;  for  they  scruple  not 
to  take  the  most  unjust  advantage  of  the  Indians,  whose 
laborious  toil  is  rewarded  by  little  gain. 

The  law  requires  that  all  the  silver  drawn  from  the 
mines  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  shall  be  conveyed  to  a  govern- 
ment smelting-house,  called  the  Callana,  there  to  be 
cast  into  bars  of  one  hundred  pounds  weight,  to  be 
stamped,  and  charged  with  certain  imposts.  The  value 
of  silver  in  Cerro  de  Pasco  varies  from  seven  to  eight 
dollars  per  mark.  The  standard  value  in  Lima  is  eight 
dollars  and  a-half. 

It  is  impossible  to  form  anything  like  an  accurate 
estimate  of  the  yearly  produce  of  the  mines  of  Cerro  de 
Pasco  ;  for  a  vast  quantity  of  silver  is  never  taken  to  the 
Callana,  but  is  smuggled  to  the  coast,  and  from  thence 
shipped  for  Europe.  In  the  year  1838,  no  less  than 
85,000  marks  of  contraband  silver  were  conveyed  to 
the  sea  port  of  Huacho,  and  safely  shipped  on  board  a 
schooner.  The  quantity  of  silver  annually  smelted  and 
stamped  in  the  Callana  is  from  two  to  three  hundred 

*  Huachacas  are  the  portions  of  ore  which  are  distributed  among  the  Indians 
at  the  time  of  the  boyas,  instead  of  their  wages  being  paid  in  money. 


MINING*  IN    CERRO    DE    PASCO.  335 

thousand  marks — seldom  exceeding  the  latter  amount. 
From  1784  to  1820,  1826,  and  1827,  the  amount  was 
8,051,409  marks;  in  the  year  1784  it  was  68,208  marks; 
and  in  1785,  73,455  marks.  During  seventeen  years  it 
was  under  200,000  marks  ;  and  only  during  three  years 
above  300,000.  The  produce  of  the  mines  is  exceed- 
ingly fluctuating.  The  successive  revolutions  which 
have  agitated  the  country  have  tended  very  consider- 
ably to  check  mining  operations.  On  the  overthrow  of 
Santa  Cruz,  Don  Miguel  Otero,  the  most  active  and 
intelligent  mine-owner  of  Cerro  de  Pasco,  was  banished ; 
an  event  which  had  a  very  depressing  influence  on  all 
the  mining  transactions  of  that  part  of  South  America. 
Within  the  last  few  years,  however,  mining  has  received 
a  new  impetus,  and  attention  has  been  directed  to  the 
adoption  of  a  more  speedy  and  less  expensive  system  of 
amalgamation. 

As  a  place  of  residence  Cerro  de  Pasco  is  exceedingly 
disagreeable  ;  nothing  but  the  pursuit  of  wealth  can 
reconcile  any  one  to  a  long  abode  in  it.  The  climate, 
like  that  of  the  higher  Puna,  is  cold  and  stormy.  The 
better  sort  of  houses  are  well  built,  and  are  provided 
with  good  English  fire-places  and  chimneys.  But  how- 
ever comfortably  lodged,  the  new  comer  cannot  easily 
reconcile  himself  to  the  reflection  that  the  earth  is 
hollow  beneath  his  feet.  Still  less  agreeable  is  it  to  be 
awakened  in  the  night  by  the  incessant  hammering  of  the 
Indian  miners.  Luckily  earthquakes  are  of  rare  occur- 
rence in  those  parts  :  it  would  require  no  very  violent 
shock  to  bury  the  whole  city  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth. 


336  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Silver  being  the  only  produce  of  the  soil,  the  neces- 
saries of  life  are  all  exceedingly  dear  in  the  Cerro,  as 
they  have  to  be  brought  from  distant  places.  The 
warehouses  are,  it  is  true,  always  plentifully  supplied 
even  with  the  choicest  luxuries ;  but  the  extortion  of 
venders  and  the  abundance  of  money  render  prices 
most  exorbitant.  The  market  is  so  well  supplied  with 
provisions  that  it  may  vie  with  that  of  Lima.  The 
products  of  the  coast,  of  the  table-lands  and  the  forests, 
are  all  to  be  procured  in  the  market  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  ; 
but  the  price  demanded  for  every  article  is  invariably 
more  than  double  its  worth.  House  rents  are  also 
extravagantly  high ;  and  the  keep  of  horses  is  exceed- 
ingly expensive. 

The  population  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  presents  a  motley 
assemblage  of  human  beings,  such  as  one  would  scarcely 
expect  to  find  in  a  city  situated  at  14,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  and  encircled  by  wild  mountains.  The  Old  and 
the  New  Worlds  seem  there  to  have  joined  hands,  and 
there  is  scarcely  any  nation  of  Europe  or  America  that 
has  not  its  representative  in  Cerro  de  Pasco.  The 
Swede  and  the  Sicilian,  the  Canadian  and  the  Argenti- 
nian, are  all  united  here  at  one  point,  and  for  one  object. 
The  inhabitants  of  this  city  may  be  ranked  in  two  divi- 
sions, viz.,  traders  and  miners — taking  both  terms  in 
their  most  comprehensive  sense.  The  mercantile  popu- 
lation consists  chiefly  of  Europeans  or  white  Creoles, 
particularly  those  who  are  owners  of  large  magazines. 
The  keepers  of  coffee  houses  and  brandy  shops  are  here, 
as  in  Lima,  chiefly  Italians  from  Genoa.  Other  shops 


MINE   OWNERS   AND   MINE-WORKING.  337 

are  kept  by  the  Mestizos,  and  the  provision-dealers  are 
chiefly  Indians,  who  bring  their  supplies  from  remote 
places. 

The  mining  population  may  be  divided  into  mine- 
owners  (miner os)  and  Indian  labourers.  The  majority 
of  the  mineros  are  descendants  of  the  old  Spanish 
families,  who,  at  an  early  period,  became  possessors  of 
the  mines,  whence  they  derived  enormous  wealth,  which 
most  of  them  dissipated  in  prodigal  extravagance.  At 
the  present  time,  only  a  very  few  of  the  mineros  are 
rich  enough  to  defray,  from  their  own  resources,  the 
vast  expense  attending  the  operations  of  mining.  They 
consequently  raise  the  required  money  by  loans  from 
the  capitalists  of  Lima,  who  require  interest  of  100 
or  120  per  cent.,  and,  moreover,  insist  on  having  bars 
of  silver  at  a  price  below  standard  value.  To  these 
hard  conditions,  together  with  the  custom  that  has  been 
forced  upon  the  miners  of  paying  their  labourers  in 
metal,  at  times  when  it  is  very  abundant,  may  be  traced 
the  cause  of  the  miserable  system  of  mine-working  prac- 
tised in  Cerro  de  Pasco.  To  liquidate  his  burthen- 
some  debts  the  minero  makes  his  labourers  dig  as  much 
ore  as  possible  from  the  mine,  without  any  precautions 
being  taken  to  guard  against  accidents.  The  money- 
lenders, on  the  other  hand,  have  no  other  security  for 
the  recovery  of  their  re-payment  than  the  promise  of 
the  minero,  and  a  failure  of  the  usual  produce  of  a  mine 
exposes  them  to  the  risk  of  losing  the  money  they  have 
advanced. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  can  scarcely  be  expected 

z 


338  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

that  the  character  and  habits  of  the  minero  should 
qualify  him  to  take  a  high  rank  in  the  social  scale. 
His  insatiable  thirst  for  wealth  continually  prompts  him 
to  embark  in  new  enterprises,  whereby  he  frequently 
loses  in  one  what  he  gains  in  another.  After  a  mine  has 
been  worked  without  gain  for  a  series  of  years,  an  unex- 
pected hoy  a  probably  occurs,  and  an  immense  quan- 
tity of  silver  may  be  extracted.  But  a  minero  retiring 
on  the  proceeds  of  a  boya  is  an  event  of  rare  occur- 
rence. A  vain  hope  of  increasing  fortune  prompts  him 
to  risk  the  certain  for  the  uncertain  ;  and  the  result 
frequently  is,  that  the  once  prosperous  minero  has 
nothing  to  bequeath  to  his  children  but  a  mine  heavily 
burthened  with  debt.  The  persevering  ardour  of  persons 
engaged  in  mining  is  truly  remarkable.  Unchecked  by 
disappointment,  they  pursue  the  career  in  which  they 
have  embarked.  Even  when  ruin  appears  inevitable, 
the  love  of  money  subdues  the  warnings  of  reason,  and 
hope  conjures  up,  from  year  to  year,  visionary  pictures 
of  riches  yet  to  come. 

Joined  to  this  infatuated  pursuit  of  the  career  once 
entered  on,  an  inordinate  passion  for  cards  and  dice 
contributes  to  ruin  many  of  the  mineros  of  Cerro  de 
Pasco.  In  few  other  places  are  such  vast  sums  staked 
at  the  gaming-table  ;  for  the  superabundance  of  silver 
feeds  that  national  vice  of  the  Spaniards  and  their 
descendants.  From  the  earliest  hours  of  morning  cards 
and  dice  are  in  requisition.  The  mine-owner  leaves  his 
silver  stores,  and  the  shop-keeper  forsakes  his  counter, 
to  pass  a  few  hours  every  day  at  the  gaming-table ; 


THE    HAPIRES.  339 

and  card-playing  is  the  only  amusement  in  the  best 
houses  of  the  town.  The  mayordomos,  after  being 
engaged  in  the  mines  throughout  the  whole  day,  as- 
semble with  their  comrades  in  the  evening,  round  the 
gaming-table,  from  which  they  often  do  not  rise  until  six 
in  the  morning  when  the  bell  summons  them  to  resume 
their  subterraneous  occupation.  They  not  unfrequently 
gamble  away  their  share  of  a  boya  before  any  indica- 
tion of  one  is  discernible  in  the  mine. 

The  working  class  of  miners  is  composed  of  Indians, 
who  throng  to  Cerro  de  Pasco  from  all  the  provinces, 
far  and  near,  especially  when  boyas  are  expected.  At 
times,  when  the  mines  are  not  very  productive,  the 
number  of  Indian  labourers  amounts  to  between  three 
and  four  thousand  ;  but  when  there  is  a  great  supply  of 
metal,  the  ordinary  number  of  mine-workers  is  more 
than  tripled.  The  Indians  labour  with  a  degree  of 
patient  industry,  which  it  would  be  vain  to  expect  from 
European  workmen  similarly  circumstanced.  This 
observation  applies  to  the  hapires  in  particular.  Con- 
tent with  wretched  food,  and  still  more  wretched  lodging, 
the  hapire  goes  through  his  hard  day's  work,  partaking 
of  no  refreshment  but  coca,  and  at  the  end  of  the  week, 
(deduction  being  made  for  the  food,  &c.,  obtained  on 
credit  from  the  minero),  he,  possibly,  finds  himself  in 
possession  of  a  dollar.  This  sum  he  spends  on  his  Sun- 
day holiday  in  chicha  and  brandy,  of  which  he  takes  as 
much  as  his  money  will  pay  for,  or  as  he  can  get  on 
credit.  When  excited  by  strong  drinks,  such  as  maize 
beer,  chicha,  and  brandy,  to  which  they  are  very  much 

z  2 


340  TKAVELS   IN   PERU. 

addicted,  the  Indian  miners  are  exceedingly  quarrel- 
some. The  labourers  belonging  to  the  different  mines 
go  about  the  streets  rioting  and  attacking  each  other, 
and  they  frequently  get  involved  in  dangerous  affrays. 
No  Sunday  or  Friday  passes  over  without  the  occurrence 
of  battles,  in  which  knives,  sticks,  and  stones  are  used  as 
weapons ;  and  the  actors  in  these  scenes  of  violence 
inflict  on  each  other  severe  and  often  fatal  wounds. 
Any  effective  police  interference  to  quell  these  street 
riots,  is  out  of  the  question. 

When  an  unusually  abundant  produce  of  the  mines 
throws  extra  payment  into  the  hands  of  the  mine 
labourers,  they  squander  their  money  with  the  most 
absurd  extravagance,  and  they  are  excellent  customers  to 
the  European  dealers  in  dress  and  other  articles  of  luxury. 
Prompted  by  a  ludicrous  spirit  of  imitation,  the  Indian, 
in  his  fits  of  drunkenness,  will  purchase  costly  things 
which  he  can  have  no  possible  use  for,  and  which  he 
becomes  weary  of,  after  an  hour's  possession.  I  once 
saw  an  Indian  purchase  a  cloak  of  fine  cloth,  for  which 
he  paid  ninety-two  dollars.  He  then  repaired  to  a 
neighbouring  pulperia,1*  where  he  drank  till  he  became 
intoxicated,  and  then,  staggering  into  the  street,  he  fell 
down,  and  rolled  in  the  kennel.  On  rising  and  disco- 
vering that  his  cloak  was  besmeared  with  mud,  he  threw 
it  of,  and  left  it  in  the  street,  for  any  one  who  might 
choose  to  pick  it  up.  Such  acts  of  reckless  prodigality 
are  of  daily  occurrence.  A  watchmaker  in  Cerro  de 
Pasco  informed  me  that  one  day  an  Indian  came  to  his 

*  A  shop  in  which  chicha,  brandy,  &c.,  are  vended. 


CERRO   DE   SAN   FERNANDO.  341 

shop  to  purchase  a  gold  watch.  He  showed  him  one, 
observing  that  the  price  was  twelve  gold  ounces,  (204 
dollars),  and  that  it  would  probably  be  too  dear  for  him. 
The  Cholo  paid  the  money,  and  took  the  watch  ;  then, 
after  having  examined  it  for  a  few  minutes,  he  dashed  it 
on  the  ground,  observing  that  the  thing  was  of  no  use  to 
him.  When  the  Indian  miner  possesses  money,  he  never 
thinks  of  laying  by  a  part  of  it,  as  neither  ho  nor  any 
of  his  family  feel  the  least  ambition  to  improve  their 
miserable  way  of  life.  With  them,  drinking  is  the 
highest  of  all  gratifications,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
present  moment,  they  lose  sight  of  all  considerations  for 
the  future.  Even  those  Cholos  who  come  from  distant 
parts  of  the  country  to  share  in  the  rich  harvest  of  the 
mines  of  Cerro  de  Pasco,  return  to  their  homes  as  poor 
as  when  they  left  them,,  and  with  manners  and  morals 
vastly  deteriorated. 

Besides  the  mines  of  Cerro  de  Pasco,  which  in  point 
of  importance  are  nowise  inferior  to  those  of  Potosi, 
there  are  numerous  very  rich  mining  districts  in  Peru. 
Among  the  most  prolific  may  be  ranked  the  provinces 
of  Pataz,  Huamanchuco,  Caxamarca,  and  Hualgayoc. 
In  this  last-named  province  is  situated  the  Cerro  de 
San  Fernando,  on  which  Alexander  Von  Humboldt  has 
conferred  so  much  celebrity.  The  rich  silver  veins 
were  discovered  there  in  the  year  1771  ;  and  there  are 
now  upwards  of  1400  bocaminas.  On  the  insulated 
mountain  the  veins  of  metal  intersect  each  other  in 
every  direction,  and  they  are  alike  remarkable  for  being 
easily  worked  and  exceedingly  prolific.  The  mines  of 


342  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

Huantaxaya,  situated  on  the  coast  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Iquique,  were  also  very  rich,  and  the  silver  obtained 
from  them  was  either  pure  or  containing  a  very  slight 
admixture  of  foreign  substances.  They  yielded  an 
incredible  quantity  of  metal,  but  they  were  speedily 
exhausted  ;  and  are  now  totally  barren.  The  chains  of 
hills  in  the  southern  districts  of  Peru  contain  a  multi- 
tude of  very  rich  mines,  of  which  the  most  remarkable 
are  those  of  San  Antonio  de  Esquilache,  Tamayos, 
Picotani,  Cancharani,  and  Chupicos ;  but  owing  to  bad 
working  and  defective  drainage,  many  of  the  veins  are 
in  a  very  ruinous  state,  and  the  metal  drawn  from  them 
bears  no  proportion  to  the  quantity  they  contain.  The 
Salcedo  mine  is  very  celebrated  for  the  vast  abundance 
of  its  produce,  and  the  tragical  end  of  its  original 
owner. 

Don  Jose  Salcedo,  a  poor  Spaniard,  who  dwelt  in 
Puno,  was  in  love  with  a  young  Indian  girl,  whose 
mother  promised,  on  condition  of  his  marrying  her 
daughter,  that  she  would  show  him  a  rich  silver  mine. 
Salcedo  fulfilled  the  condition,  obtained  possession  of 
the  mine,  and  worked  it  with  the  greatest  success.  The 
report  of  his  wealth  soon  roused  the  envy  of  the  Count 
de  Lemos,  then  viceroy  of  Peru,  who  sought  to  possess 
himself  of  the  mine.  By  his  generosity  and  benevo- 
lence Salcedo  had  become  a  great  favourite  with  the 
Indian  population,  and  the  viceroy  took  advantage  of 
this  circumstance  to  accuse  him  of  high  treason,  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  exciting  the  Indians  against  the 
Spanish  government.  Salcedo  was  arrested,  tried,  and 


THE   SALCEDO   MINE.  343 

condemned  to  death.  Whilst  he  was  in  prison,  he 
begged  to  be  permitted  to  send  to  Madrid  the  docu- 
ments relating  to  his  trial,  and  to  appeal  to  the  mercy 
of  the  king.  He  proposed,  if  the  viceroy  would  grant  his 
request,  that  he  would  pay  him  the  daily  tribute  of  a  bar 
of  silver,  from  the  time  when  the  ship  left  the  port  of 
Callao  with  the  documents,  until  the  day  of  her  return. 
When  it  is  recollected  that  at  that  period  the  voyage 
from  Callao  to  Spain  occupied  from  twelve  to  sixteen 
months,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  enormous 
wealth  of  Salcedo  and  his  mine.  The  viceroy  rejected 
this  proposition,  ordered  Salcedo  to  be  hanged,  and  set 
out  for  Puno  to  take  possession  of  the  mine.* 

But  this  cruel  and  unjust  proceeding  failed  in  the 
attainment  of  its  object.  As  soon  as  Salcedo's  death- 
doom  was  pronounced,  his  mother-in-law,  accompanied 
by  a  number  of  relations  and  friends,  repaired  to  the 
mine,  flooded  it  with  water,  destroyed  the  works,  and 
closed  up  the  entrance  so  effectually  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  trace  it  out.  They  then  dispersed ;  but  some 
of  them,  who  were  afterwards  captured,  could  not  be 
induced,  either  by  promises  or  tortures,  to  reveal  the 
position  of  the  mouth  of  the  mine,  which  to  this  day 
remains  undiscovered.  All  that  is  known  about  it  is 
that  it  was  situated  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cerro  de 
Laycacota  and  Cananchari. 

Another  extraordinary  example  of  the  productiveness 
of  the  Peruvian  mines,  is  found  at  San  Jose,  in  the 
department  of  Huancavelica.  The  owner  of  the  mines 

*  The  date  of  Salcedo's  death  was  May,  1669. 


344  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

of  San  Jose  requested  the  viceroy  Castro,  whose  friend 
he  was,  to  become  godfather  to  his  first  child.  The 
viceroy  consented,  but  at  the  time  fixed  for  the  christen- 
ing, some  important  affair  of  state  prevented  him  from 
quitting  the  capital,  and  he  sent  the  vice-queen  to 
officiate  as  his  proxy.  To  render  honour  to  his  illus- 
trious guest,  the  owner  of  the  San  Jose  mines  laid  down 
a  triple  row  of  silver  bars  along  the  whole  way  (and  it 
was  no  very  short  distance),  from  his  house  to  the 
church.  Over  this  silver  pavement  the  vice-queen 
accompanied  the  infant  to  the  church,  where  it  was 
baptised.  On  her  return,  her  munificent  host  presented 
to  her  the  whole  of  the  silver  road,  in  token  of  his 
gratitude  for  the  honour  she  had  conferred  on  him. 
Since  that  time,  the  mines  and  the  province  in  which 
they  are  situated  have  borne  the  name  of  Castrovireyna. 
In  most  of  these  mines  the  works  have  been  discon- 
tinued. Owing  to  defective  arrangements,  one  of  the 
richest  of  these  mines  fell  in,  and  122  workmen  were 
buried  in  the  ruins.  Since  that  catastrophe,  the  Indians 
refuse  to  enter  the  mines.  Many  stories  are  related  of 
spirits  and  apparitions  said  to  haunt  the  mines  of 
Castrovireyna.  I  was  surprised  to  hear  these  tales,  for 
the  imagination  of  the  Indian  miners  is  not  very  fertile 
in  the  creation  of  this  sort  of  superstitious  terrors. 

Notwithstanding  the  enormous  amount  of  wealth 
which  the  mines  of  Peru  have  already  yielded,  and 
still  continue  to  yield,  only  a  very  small  portion  of  the 
silver  veins  have  been  worked.  It  is  a  well-known  fact, 
that  the  Indians  are  aware  of  the  existence  of  many  rich 


MINES   SECKETLY   KNOWN   TO   THE    INDIANS.        345 

mines,  the  situation  of  which  they  will  never  disclose  to 
the  whites,  nor  to  the  detested  'mestizos.  Heretofore 
mining  has  been  to  them  all  toil  and  little  profit,  and  it 
has  bound  them  in  chains  from  which  they  will  not 
easily  emancipate  themselves.  For  centuries  past,  the 
knowledge  of  some  of  the  richest  silver  mines  has  been 
with  inviolable  secrecy  transmitted  from  father  to  son. 
All  endeavours  to  prevail  on  them  to  divulge  these 
secrets  have  hitherto  been  fruitless.  In  the  village  of 
Huancayo,  there  lived,  a  few  years  ago,  two  brothers, 
Don  Jose  and  Don  Pedro  Yriarte,  two  of  the  most 
eminent  mineros  of  Peru.  Having  obtained  certain 
intelligence  that  in  the  neighbouring  mountains  there 
existed  some  veins  of  pure  silver,  they  sent  a  young 
man,  their  agent,  to  endeavour  to  gain  further  informa- 
tion on  the  subject.  The  agent  took  up  his  abode  in 
the  cottage  of  a  shepherd,  to  whom,  however,  he  gave 
not  the  slightest  intimation  of  the  object  of  his  mission. 
After  a  little  time,  an  attachment  arose  between  the 
young  man  and  the  shepherd's  daughter,  and  the  girl 
promised  to  disclose  to  her  lover  the  position  of  a  very 
rich  mine.  On  a  certain  day,  when  she  was  going  out 
to  tend  her  sheep,  she  told  him  to  follow  her  at  a 
distance,  and  to  notice  the  spot  where  she  would  let  fall 
her  mania ;  by  turning  up  the  earth  on  that  spot,  she 
assured  him  he  would  find  the  mouth  of  a  mine.  The 
young  man  did  as  he  was  directed,  and  after  digging 
for  a  little  time,  he  discovered  a  mine  of  considerable 
depth,  containing  rich  ore.  Whilst  busily  engaged  in 
breaking  out  the  metal,  he  was  joined  by  the  girFs 


346  TRAVELS   IN   PEKU. 

father,  who  expressed  himself  delighted  at  the  discovery, 
and  offered  to  assist  'him.  After  they  had  been  at 
work  for  some  hours,  the  old  Indian  handed  to  his 
companion  a  cup  of  chicha,  which  the  young  man 
thankfully  accepted.  But  he  had  no  sooner  tasted  the 
liquor  than  he  felt  ill,  and  he  soon  became  convinced 
that  poison  had  been  mixed  with  the  beverage.  He 
snatched  up  the  bag  containing  the  metal  he  had 
collected,  mounted  his  horse,  and  with  the  utmost  speed 
galloped  off  to  Huancayo.  There,  he  related  to  Yriarte 
all  that  had  occurred,  described  as  accurately  as  he 
could  the  situation  of  the  mine,  and  died  on  the  follow- 
ing night.  Active  measures  were  immediately  set  on 
foot,  to  trace  out  the  mine,  but  without  effect.  The 
Indian  and  all  his  family  had  disappeared,  and  the 
mine  was  never  discovered. 

In  Huancayo  there  also  dwelt  a  Franciscan  monk. 
He  was  an  inveterate  gamester,  and  was  involved  in 
pecuniary  embarrassments.  The  Indians  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  his  dwelling-place  were  much  attached  to 
him,  and  frequently  sent  him  presents  of  poultry,  cheese, 
butter,  &c.  One  day,  after  he  had  been  a  loser  at  the 
gaming-table,  he  complained  bitterly  of  his  misfortunes 
to  an  Indian,  who  was  his  particular  friend.  After  some 
deliberation,  the  Indian  observed,  that  possibly  he  could 
render  him  some  assistance ;  and,  accordingly,  on  the 
following  evening,  he  brought  him  a  large  bag  full  of 
rich  silver  ore.  This  present  was  several  times  repeated ; 
but  the  monk,  not  satisfied,  pressed  the  Indian  to  show 
him  the  mine  from  whence  the  treasure  was  drawn. 


STEATAGEM   OF   A   MONK.  347 

The  Indian  consented,  and  on  an  appointed  night  he 
came,  accompanied  by  two  of  his  comrades,  to  the  dwell- 
ing of  the  Franciscan.  They  blindfolded  him,  and  each 
in  turn  carried  him  on  his  shoulders  to  a  distance  of 
several  leagues,  into  the  mountain  passes.  At  length 
they  set  him  down,  and  the  bandage  being  removed  from 
his  eyes,  he  discovered  that  he  was  in  a  small  and  some- 
what shallow  shaft,  and  was  surrounded  by  bright  masses 
of  silver.  He  was  allowed  to  take  as  much  as  he  could 
carry,  and  when  laden  with  the  rich  prize,  he  was  again 
blindfolded,  and  conveyed  home  in  the  same  manner  as 
he  had  been  brought  to  the  mine.  Whilst  the  Indians 
were  conducting  him  home,  he  hit  on  the  following 
stratagem.  He  unfastened  his  rosary,  and  here  and 
there  dropped  one  of  the  beads,  hoping  by  this  means 
to  be  enabled  to  trace  his  way  back  on  the  following 
day  ;  but  in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  hours  his  Indian 
friend  again  knocked  at  his  door,  and  presenting  to  him 
a  handful  of  beads,  said,  "  Father,  you  dropped  your 
rosary  on  the  way,  and  I  have  picked  it  up." 

When  I  was  in  Jauja,  in  the  year  1841,  an  Indian 
whom  I  had  previously  known,  from  his  having  accom- 
panied me  on  one  of  my  journeys  in  the  Sierra,  came  to 
me  and  asked  me  to  lend  him  a  crow-bar.  I  did  so,  and 
after  a  few  days,  when  he  returned  it,  I  observed  that 
the  end  was  covered  with  silver.  Some  time  afterwards 
I  learned  that  this  Indian  had  been  imprisoned  by  order 
of  the  sub-prefect,  because  he  had  offered  for  sale  some 
very  rich  silver  ore,  and  on  being  questioned  as  to  where 
he  had  obtained  it,  his  answer  was  that  he  found  it 


348  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

on  the  road ;  a  tale,  the  truth  of  which  was  very 
naturally  doubted.  The  following  year,  when  I  was 
again  in  Jauja,  the  Indian  paid  me  another  visit.  He 
then  informed  me  that  he  had  been  for  several  months 
confined  in  a  dark  dungeon  and  half-starved,  because  the 
sub-prefect  wanted  to  compel  him  to  reveal  the  situation 
of  a  mine  which  he  knew  of,  but  that  he  would  not  disclose 
the  secret,  and  adhered  firmly  to  the  statement  he  had 
made  of  having  found  the  ore.  After  a  little  further 
conversation,  he  became  more  communicative  than  I  had 
any  reason  to  expect,  though  he  was  fully  convinced  I 
would  not  betray  him.  He  confessed  to  me  that  he 
actually  knew  of  a  large  vein  containing  valuable  silver, 
of  which  he  showed  me  a  specimen.  He  further  told 
me  that  it  was  only  when  he  was  much  in  want  of  money 
that  he  had  recourse  to  the  mine,  of  which  the  shaft  was 
not  very  deep  ;  and,  moreover,  that  after  closing  it  up, 
he  always  carried  the  loose  rubbish  away  to  a  distance 
of  some  miles,  and  then  covered  the  opening  so  care- 
fully with  turf  and  cactus,  that  it  was  impossible  for 
any  one  to  discern  it.  This  Indian  dwelt  in  a  miserable 
hut,  about  three  leagues  from  Jauja,  and  his  occupation 
was  making  wooden  stirrups,  which  employment  scarcely 
enabled  him  to  earn  a  scanty  subsistence.  He  assured 
me  it  was  only  when  he  was  called  upon  to  pay  contri- 
butions, which  the  government  exacts  with  merciless 
rigour,  that  he  had  recourse  to  the  mine.  He  then 
extracted  about  half  an  aroba  of  ore,  and  sold  it  in 
Jauja,  in  order  to  pay  the  tax  levied  on  him. 

I  could  quote  many  well-authenticated  instances  of 


FATE   OF   HUARI   CAPCHA.  349 

the  same  kind ;  but  the  above  examples  sufficiently 
prove  the  reluctance  of  the  Indians  to  disclose  the 
secret  of  their  hidden  treasures,  and  their  indifference 
about  obtaining  wealth  for  themselves.  It  is  true  that 
the  Indians  are  not,  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  so  reso- 
lutely reserved  as  they  are  in  Huancayo  and  Jauja, 
for  all  the  most  important  mines  have  been  made 
known  to  the  Spaniards  by  the  natives.  But  the  Peru- 
vian Indians  are  composed  of  many  different  races,  and 
though  all  were  united  by  the  Incas  into  one  nation, 
yet  they  still  differ  from  each  other  in  manners  and 
character.  The  sentiment  of  hatred  towards  the  whites 
and  their  descendants  has  not  been  kept  up  in  an  equal 
degree  among  them  all.  In  proportion  as  some  are 
friendly  and  social  with  the  Creoles,  others  are  reserved 
and  distrustful.  In  general,  the  Indians  regard  with 
unfriendly  feelings  those  whites  who  seek  to  trace  out 
new  mines  ;  for  they  cherish  a  bitter  recollection  of  the 
fate  of  Huari  Capcha,  the  discoverer  of  the  mines  of 
Cerro  de  Pasco,  who,  it  is  said,  was  thrown  into  a 
dungeon  by  the  Spaniard,  Ugarte,  and  ended  his  days 
in  captivity.  I  have  not  met  with  any  proofs  of  the 
authenticity  of  this  story,  but  I  frequently  heard  it 
related  by  the  Indians,  who  referred  to  it  as  their  justi- 
fication for  withholding  from  the  whites  any  directions 
for  finding  mines. 

But  to  return  to  Cerro  de  Pasco.  That  city  has,  by 
its  wealth,  become  one  of  the  most  important  in  the 
Peruvian  Republic  ;  and  under  improved  legislation, 
and  a  judicious  mining  system,  it  might  be  rendered 


350  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

still  more  prosperous  and  fully  deserving  of  its  title  of 
"  Treasury  of  Peru."  Though  from  its  situation  Cerro 
de  Pasco  is  cut  off  from  the  principal  lines  of  communi- 
cation with  other  parts  of  Peru,  yet  the  city  is  itself  the 
central  point  of  four  roads,  on  which  there  is  consider- 
able traffic.  Westward  runs  the  road  to  Lima,  through 
the  Quebrada  of  Canta,  by  which  all  the  silver  that  is 
not  contraband  is  transported  to  the  capital.  The 
silver,  when  melted  into  bars,  is  consigned  to  the  care 
of  the  mule-drivers,  merely  on  their  giving  a  receipt  for 
it ;  and  in  this  manner  they  are  sometimes  entrusted 
with  loads  of  the  value  of  several  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  which  they  convey  to  Lima  unattended  by  any 
guards  or  escort.  There  is,  however,  no  danger  of 
their  being  plundered  ;  for  the  robbers  do  not  take  the 
stamped  bars  of  silver.  The  silver  specie,  on  the  other 
hand,  which  is  sent  from  Lima,  is  escorted  by  a  military 
guard  as  far  as  Llanga  or  Santa  Rosa  de  Quibe.  The 
escort  is  not,  however,  very  adequate  to  resist  the  high- 
way robbers,  consisting  of  numerous  bands  of  armed 
negroes.  On  the  east  is  the  road  running  through  the 
Quebrada  de  Huarriaca  to  the  town  of  Huanuco  and  the 
Huallaga  Forests.  The  road  on  the  north  of  Cerro  de 
Pasco  leads  to  the  village  of  Huanuco  el  Viejo,  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  places  of  Peru,  being  full  of  inte- 
resting ruins  of  the  time  of  the  Incas.  From  Huanuco 
the  road  leads  to  Huaraz,  and  from  thence  to  the  north 
coast.  The  south  road  passes  over  the  level  heights 
to  Tarma,  Jauja  and  the  other  southern  provinces. 
From  the  village  of  Pasco  two  roads  diverge,  the  one 


LAKE  OF  CHINCH AYCOCHA.  351 

leading  to  Lima,  the  other  to  Tarma.  The  former 
crosses  the  Pampa  of  Bombon  and  the  Diezmo,  and 
continues  onward  to  the  Pass  of  La  Viuda.  The  latter 
leads  by  way  of  the  Tambo  Ninacaca,  and  the  village  of 
Carhuamayo'*  to  Junin,  passing  near  a  very  large  lake, 
situated  at  the  height  of  13,000  feet  above  the  sea. 
This  lake  is  the  Laguna  de  Chinchaycocha,f  which  is 
twelve  leagues  long,  and  at  its  utmost  breadth  measures 
two  leagues  and  a  half.  It  is  the  largest  of  the  South 
American  lakes,  next  to  the  Laguna  de  Titicaca,  which 
is  eighty-four  English  miles  long  and  forty-one  broad. 
As  the  lake  of  Chinchaycocha  loses  by  various  outlets 
much  more  water  than  it  receives  from  its  tributary 
sources,  it  is  evident  that  it  must  be  fed  by  subterraneous 
springs.  Its  marshy  banks  are  overgrown  by  totora 
(Malacochcete  Totora),  and  are  inhabited  by  numerous 
water  fowl.  The  Indians  entertain  a  superstitious  belief 
that  this  lake  is  haunted  by  huge  fish-like  animals,  who 
at  certain  hours  of  the  night  leave  their  watery  abode 
to  prowl  about  the  adjacent  pasture  lands,  where  they 
commit  great  havoc  among  the  cattle.  The  south- 
western end  of  the  lake  is  intersected  by  a  marshy 
piece  of  ground,  interspersed  with  stones,  called  the 
Calzada,  which  forms  a  communication  between  the 
two  banks  of  the  lake.  At  the  distance  of  about  half  a 
league  from  the  lake  is  a  village,  which,  under  the 
Spanish  domination,  was  called  Reyes.  Adjacent  to  it 
is  the  celebrated  Pampa  of  Junin,  which,  on  the  24th  of 

*  Ninacaca  is  12,8.53  feet,  and  Carhuamayo  13,087  feet  above  the  sea  level, 
t  It  is  also  called  the  Laguna  de  Reyes,  and  the  Laguna  de  Junin. 


352  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

August,  1824,  was  the  scene  of  a  battle  between  the 
Spanish  forces,  commanded  by  General  Canterac,  and 
the  insurgents,  headed  by  Don  Simon  Bolivar.  The 
result  of  this  battle  had  an  important  influence  on  the 
destiny  of  Peru.  It  is  generally  believed  that  treachery 
in  the  Spanish  army  threw  the  victory  into  the  hands 
of  the  insurgents.  A  few  days  prior  to  the  battle 
Bolivar  is  said  to  have  received,  from  the  Spanish  camp, 
a  letter  in  cypher,  which  he  transmitted  for  explanation 
to  his  minister,  Monteagudo,  in  Cerro  de  Pasco.  The 
answer  received  from  the  minister  was,  that  the  letter 
recommended  Bolivar  to  attack  the  enemy  without  a 
moment's  delay,  for  that  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards 
the  victory  was  insured  to  him.  The  bearer  of  the 
letter  is  still  living,  and  he  does  not  deny  that  he  was 
in  the  secret  of  the  whole  plot.  The  insurgents  were 
victorious,  and  in  commemoration  of  their  triumph  they 
gave  to  the  village  of  Reyes,  and  to  the  whole  province, 
the  name  of  Junin,  calling  them  after  the  plain  on 
which  the  battle  was  fought. 

From  Junin,  the  road  runs  to  the  distance  of  eight 
leagues  across  a  difficult  level  height,  to  Cacas,  a  hamlet 
containing  only  a  few  huts.  From  thence,  it  is  con- 
tinued three  leagues  further,  through  several  narrow 
Quebradas,  and  finally  terminates  in  the  beautiful  valley 
of  Tarma. 

Many  of  the  Indians  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cerro 
de  Pasco,  especially  those  who  dwell  in  the  Puna,  in  the 
direction  of  Cacas,  infest  the  roads  for  the  purpose  of 
plunder.  They  conceal  themselves  behind  the  rocks, 


MURDERED    TRAVELLERS.  353 

where  they  lie  in  wait  for  travellers,  whom  they  severely 
wound,  and  sometimes  even  kill,  by  stones  hurled  from 
their  slings.  When  great  boyas  occur  in  the  mines  of 
the  Cerro,  these  roads  are  so  unsafe  that  it  is  not  pru- 
dent to  travel,  except  in  well-armed  parties.  The  soli- 
tary traveller  who  seeks  a  night's  lodging  in  one  of  the 
Puna  huts,  exposes  himself  to  great  peril ;  for  the  host 
not  unfrequently  assassinates  his  sleeping  guest.  Nor 
is  there  much  greater  security  in  villages,  such  as  Junin 
and  Carhuamayo.  Only  a  few  years  ago,  the  bodies  of 
three  travellers  were  found  in  the  house  of  the  Alcalde 
of  Junin,  the  principal  authority  in  the  village.  The 
travellers  had  sought  shelter  for  the  night,  and  were 
inhumanly  murdered.  Every  year  persons  known  to 
have  been  travelling  in  these  parts,  mysteriously  disap- 
pear, and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  they  have 
been  murdered  by  the  Indians.  Many  of  these  Indians 
are  mine  labourers,  who,  for  their  incorrigible  turpitude, 
have  been  banished  from  the  Cerro,  and  who  live  by 
pillage. 

I  will  close  this  chapter  with  a  brief  description  of 
four-and-twenty  hours  which  I  passed  during  a  journey 
in  the  wildest  part  of  the  Puna  region. 

On  the  12th  of  January,  1840,  having  passed  the 
night  in  the  hut  of  a  Puna  shepherd,  I  awoke  next 
morning  at  day-break.  The  sun  was  just  beginning  to 
cast  a  light  tinge  of  red  on  the  snow-capped  tops  of  the 
Cordillera.  Through  the  aperture  in  the  roof  of  the 
hut,  which  served  the  purpose  of  a  chimney,  there  pene- 
trated a  feeble  light,  just  sufficient  to  show  the  misery 

A  A 


354  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

and  poverty  that  prevailed  in  the  interior  of  the  habita- 
tion. I  rose  from  the  resting-place  on  which,  only  a 
few  hours  previously,  I  had  stretched  myself  exhausted 
by  -cold  and  fatigu?,  and  raising  the  cow-hide,  which 
closed  the  doorway  of  the  hut,  I  crept  out  to  make 
preparations  for  the  continuance  of  my  journey. 

I  saddled  my  mule,  and  put  into  one  of  the  saddle- 
bags a  small  supply  of  food.  Whilst  I  was  thus  engaged, 
one  of  those  fierce  little  dogs  which  are  domiciled  in 
every  Indian  hut,  slily  watched  my  movements  ;  and 
though  he  had  rested  at  the  foot  of  my  bed  during  the 
night,  yet  he  was  only  prevented,  by  the  repeated 
threats  of  his  master,  from  making  an  attack  upon  me. 
My  Indian  host  handed  me  my  gun ;  I  paid  for  my 
night's  lodging  by  a  few  reals  and  some  paper  cigars  ; 
and  having  asked  him  to  direct  me  on  my  way,  I  rode 
off  whilst  he  was  expressing  his  gratitude,  and  his  kind 
wishes  in  the  words,  "  Dios  lo  pague !  " 

The  sky  was  overhung  by  a  thick  mist,  and  the  snow 
which  had  fallen  during  the  night  covered  the  ground 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  On  my  way  I  met  an 
old  Indian  woman  driving  her  sheep.  The  bleating 
flock  moved  slowly  on,  leaving  a  deep  furrow  in  the 
snow,  and  seeming  impatient  till  the  genial  sun  should 
dispel  the  mist  and  dissolve  the  white  covering  which 
overspread  their  scanty  pasture.  A  little  further  on  I 
met  the  son  of  this  same  Indian  shepherdess.  He  and 
his  dog  were  busily  engaged  in  catching  partridges, 
destined  to  be  sold  on  the  following  Sunday,  in  the 
nearest  village. 


A    PUNA    SUNRISE.  355 

My  road  lay  along  a  gentle  acclivity,  interspersed 
with  rocks  and  swamps,  which  often  obliged  me  to  make 
wide  detours.  The  swamps  (or  as  the  natives  call  them, 
Atottaderos,)  are  dangerous  enemies  to  travellers  in  the 
Puna,  who,  with  their  horses  and  mules,  sometimes  sink 
into  them  and  perish.  Even  in  the  most  open  parts  of 
the  country  it  is  not  easy  to  discern  the  swamps,  and 
the  ground  often  sinks  beneath  the  rider  where  he  least 
expects  it.  At  length  the  sun  began  to  disperse  the 
mist,  and  the  snow  gradually  melted  beneath  his  burn- 
ing rays.  Inspired  with  new  vigour,  I  took  a  survey  of 
the  wild  solitude  around  me.  I  was  now  on  one  of  the 
level  heights,  about  14,000  feet  above  the  sea.  On  both 
sides  arose  the  high  Cordillera  summits  crowned  with 
eternal  ice  ;  detached  peaks  here  and  there  towering  to 
the  skies.  Behind  me  lay,  deep  and  deeper,  the  dark 
valleys  of  the  lower  mountain  regions,  which,  with  the 
scarcely  discernible  Indian  villages,  receded  in  the  dis- 
tance, till  they  blended  with  the  line  of  the  horizon. 
Before  me  stretched  the  immeasurable  extent  of  the  level 
heights,  at  intervals  broken  by  ridges  of  hills.  It  seemed 
as,  though  here  in  the  snow  plains  of  the  Cordillera, 
Nature  had  breathed  out  her  last  breath.  Here  life  and 
death  meet  together  as  it  were  to  maintain  the  eternal 
struggle  between  being  and  annihilation. 

How  little  life  had  the  sun  yet  wakened  around  me  ! 
The  dull  yellow  Puna  grass,  scarcely  the  length  of  one's 
finger,  blended  its  tint  with  the  greenish  hue  of  the 
glaciers.  Advancing  further  on  my  onward  course, 
how  joyfully  I  greeted  as  old  acquaintance  the  purple 

A  A  2 


356  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

gentiana  and  the  brown  calceolaria !  With  what  plea- 
sure I  counted  the  yellow  blossoms  of  the  echinocactus ! 
and  presently  the  sight  of  the  ananas-cactus  pictured  in 
my  mind  all  the  luxuriance  of  the  primeval  forests. 
These  cacti  were  growing  amidst  rushes  and  mosses 
and  syngeneses,  which  the  frost  had  changed  to  a  rusty 
brown  hue.  Not  a  butterfly  fluttered  in  the  rarefied 
atmosphere ;  no  fly  or  winged  insect  of  any  kind  was 
discernible.  A  beetle  or  a  toad  creeping  from  their 
holes,  or  a  lizard  warming  himself  in  the  sun,  are  all 
that  reward  the  search  of  the  naturalist. 

As  I  journeyed  onward,  animate  life  awakened  in 
rich  variety  around  me.  Birds,  few  in  species,  but 
numerous  in  individuals,  everywhere  met  my  view. 
Herds  of  vicunas  approached  me  with  curious  gaze, 
and  then  on  a  sudden  fled  with  the  swiftness  of  the 
wind.  In  the  distance  I  observed  stately  groupes  of 
huanacus  turning  cautiously  to  look  at  me,  and  then 
passing  on.  The  Puna  stag  (tarush),  slowly  advanced 
from  his  lair  in  the  mountain  recesses,  and  fixed  on  me 
his  large  black  wondering  eyes  ;  whilst  the  nimble  rock 
rabbits  (viscachas),  playfully  disported  and  nibbled  the 
scanty  herbage  growing  in  the  mountain  crevices. 

I  had  wandered  for  some  hours  admiring  the  varie- 
ties of  life  in  this  peculiar  alpine  region,  when  I  stumbled 
against  a  dead  mule.  The  poor  animal  had  probably 
sunk  beneath  his  burthen,  and  had  been  left  by  his 
driver  to  perish  of  cold  and  hunger.  My  presence 
startled  three  voracious  condors,  which  were  feeding  on 
the  dead  carcass.  These  kings  of  the  air  proudly  shook 


AN   ATTACK   OF   VETA.  357 

their  crowned  heads,  and  darted  at  me  furious  glances 
with  their  blood-red  eyes.  Two  of  them  rose  on  their 
giant  wings,  and  in  narrowing  circles  hovered  threat- 
ingly  above  my  head,  whilst  the  third  croaking  fiercely, 
kept  guard  over  the  booty.  I  cocked  my  gun  in  rea- 
diness for  defence,  and  cautiously  rode  past  the  menacing 
group,  without  the  least  desire  of  further  disturbing 
their  banquet.  These  condors  were  the  only  hostile 
animals  I  encountered  in  this  part  of  the  Puna. 

It  was  now  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  had 
ridden  on  a  continuous  though  gradual  ascent  since  sun- 
rise. My  panting  mule  slackened  his  pace,  and  seemed 
unwilling  to  mount  a  rather  steep  ascent  which  we  had 
now  arrived  at.  To  relieve  him  I  dismounted,  and 
began  walking  at  a  rapid  pace.  But  I  soon  felt  the 
influence  of  the  rarefied  atmosphere,  and  I  experienced 
an  oppressive  sensation  which  I  had  never  known  before. 
I  stood  still  for  a  few  moments  to  recover  myself,  and 
then  tried  to  advance ;  but  an  indescribable  oppression 
overcame  me.  My  heart  throbbed  audibly  ;  my  breath- 
ing was  short  and  interrupted.  A  world's  weight 
seemed  to  lie  upon  my  chest ;  my  lips  swelled  and 
burst ;  the  capillary  vessels  of  my  eyelids  gave  way, 
and  blood  flowed  from  them.  In  a  few  moments  my 
senses  began  to  leave  me.  I  could  neither  see,  hear,  nor 
feel  distinctly.  A  grey  mist  floated  before  my  eyes  ; 
and  I  felt  myself  involved  in  that  struggle  between  life 
and  death  which,  a  short  time  before,  I  fancied  I  could 
discern  on  the  face  of  nature.  Had  all  the  riches  of 
earth,  or  the  glories  of  heaven  awaited  me  a  hundred 


358  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

feet  higher,  I  could  not  have  stretched  out  my  hand 
towards  them. 

In  this  half  senseless  state  I  lay  stretched  on  the 
ground,  until  I  felt  sufficiently  recovered  to  remount 
my  mule.  One  of  the  Puna  storms  was  now  gathering, 
thunder  and  lightning  accompanied  a  heavy  fall  of 
snow,  which,  very  soon,  lay  a  foot  deep  on  the  ground. 
In  a  short  time  I  discovered  that  I  had  missed 
my  way.  Had  I  then  known  the  Puna  as  well  as  I 
afterwards  did,  I  should  have  shaped  my  course  by  the 
flight  of  birds.  But  unluckily  I  pursued  the  fresh  track 
of  a  herd  of  vicunas,  which  led  me  directly  into  a  swamp. 
My  mule  sank,  and  was  unable  to  extricate  himself. 
I  was  almost  in  despair.  Nevertheless,  I  cautiously 
alighted,  and  with  incredible  difficulty  I  succeeded  in 
digging  out  with  a  dagger  the  mud  in  which  the  animal's 
legs  were  firmly  fixed,  and  at  length  I  got  him  back  to 
a  solid  footing.  After  wandering  about  in  various 
directions,  I  at  length  recovered  the  right  path,  which 
was  marked  by  numerous  skeletons  protruding  above 
the  snow.  These  were  the  remains  of  beasts  of  burthen, 
which  had  perished  on  their  journeys ;  a  welcome, 
though  an  ominous  guide  to  the  wandering  traveller. 
The  clouds  now  suddenly  separated,  and  the  blazing 
light  of  the  tropical  sun  glared  dazzlingly  on  the  white 
plain  of  snow.  In  a  moment  I  felt  my  eyes  stricken 
with  surwnpe. 

Suffering  the  most  violent  pain,  and  tormented  by 
the  apprehension  of  blindness,  I  with  great  difficulty 
pursued  my  way.  My  mule  could  scarcely  wade  through 


A  NIGHT'S  LODGING  IN  A  CAVE.  359 

the  sward,  which  was  becoming  more  and  more  thick ; 
and  night  was  advancing.  I  had  lost  all  feeling  in 
my  feet,  my  benumbed  fingers  could  scarcely  hold  the 
bridle,  and  I  well  knew  that  the  nearest  point  at  which 
I  could  obtain  the  shelter  of  a  human  habitation  was 
eight  German  miles  distant.  I  was  beginning  to  give 
myself  up  for  lost  when  I  observed  a  cave  beneath  an 
overhanging  rock.  Mother  Nature,  in  whose  service  I 
had  undertaken  my  long  and  perilous  wanderings  at  that 
critical  juncture,  provided  for  me  a  retreat,  though  in 
one  of  her  rudest  sheltering  places.  I  entered  the  cave, 
which  protected  me  securely  against  the  wind  and  the 
snow.  Having  unsaddled  my  mule,  I  made  a  bed  of  my 
saddle  clothes  and  poncho.  I  tied  the  animal  to  a  stone, 
and  whilst  he  eagerly  regaled  himself  with  the  little 
grass  that  was  not  buried  beneath  the  snow,  I  satisfied 
my  hunger  with  some  roasted  maize  and  cheese. 

Exhausted  by  the  fatigue  of  the  day,  I  lay  down  to 
sleep ;  but  no  sooner  had  I  fallen  into  a  slumber,  than  I 
was  awoke  by  a  violent  smarting  in  my  eyes,  occasioned 
by  the  surumpe.  There  was  no  longer  any  hope  of 
sleep.  The  night  seemed  endless.  When  the  dawn  of 
morning  appeared,  I  made  an  effort  to  open  my  eyes, 
which  were  closed  with  coagulated  blood.  On  looking 
around  me  I  beheld  all  the  horror  of  my  situation.  A 
human  corpse  had  served  for  my  pillow.  Shuddering  I 
went  in  search  of  my  mule,  for  I  was  eager  to  hurry 
from  this  dismal  spot  ;  but  my  misery  was  not  yet  at 
an  end.  The  poor  beast  lay  dead  on  the  ground  ;  in 
his  ravenous  hunger  he  had  eaten  of  the  poisonous 


360  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

yarbancillo.  What  could  I  do !  In  despair  I  turned 
back  to  the  cave. 

The  sun  had  now  fully  risen,  and  his  genial  rays 
diffused  warmth  over  this  frozen  region.  Somewhat 
roused  by  the  reviving  light  and  life  around  me,  I  began 
to  examine  the  body  of  my  lifeless  companion.  Haply, 
thought  I,  he  may  be  one  of  my  own  race  ;  a  traveller 
who  has  perished  of  cold  and  hunger.  No.  He  was  a 
half-caste  Indian,  and  many  deadly  wounds  on  his  head 
showed  that  he  had  died  of  the  slings  of  Indian  robbers, 
who  had  stripped  him  even  of  his  clothes,  and  concealed 
the  body  in  the  cave. 

I  seized  my  gun  and  shot  a  rock  rabbit,  then  col- 
lecting some  fuel,  I  kindled  a  fire  and  roasted  the  little 
animal,  which  afforded  me  a  no  very  savoury  breakfast. 
I  then  waited  patiently  in  the  hope  that  some  timely 
help  would  deliver  me  from  my  dreary  situation. 

It  was  about  noon.  I  heard  a  monotonous  short  cry. 
With  joy  I  recognised  the  well-known  sound.  I  climbed 
up  the  nearest  rock,  and  looking  down  into  a  hollow,  I 
perceived  two  Indians  whom  I  had  seen  the  day  before, 
driving  their  llamas  to  the  nearest  mine  works.  I  pre- 
vailed on  them,  by  the  gift  of  a  little  tobacco,  to  let  me 
have  one  of  their  llamas  to  carry  my  luggage,  and 
having  strewed  a  few  handfuls  of  earth  on  the  corpse 
of  the  murdered  man,  I  departed.  The  scene  of  the 
incidents  above  described  was  the  Cave  of  Lenas,  in  the 
Altos  which  lead  southward  to  the  Quebrada  of  Huaitara. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

The  Sierra — Its  Climate  and  Productions— Inhabitants — Trade — Eggs  Circu- 
lated as  Money — Mestizos  in  the  Sierra — Their  Idleness  and  Love  of 
Gaming  and  Betting — Agriculture — The  Quinua  Plant,  a  substitute  for 
Potatoes — Growth  of  Vegetables  and  Fruits  in  the  Sierra — Rural  Festivals 
at  the  Seasons  of  Sowing  and  Reaping — Skill  of  the  Indians  in  various 
Handicrafts  —  Excess  of  Brandy-Drinking — Chicha — Disgusting  mode  of 
making  it — Festivals  of  Saints — Dances  and  Bull  Fights — Celebration 
of  Christmas-Day,  New-Year's-Day,  Palm-Sunday,  and  Good-Friday — 
Contributions  levied  on  the  Indians — Tardy  and  Irregular  Transmission  of 
Letters — Trade  in  Mules — General  Style  of  Building  in  the  Towns  and 
Villages  of  the  Sierra — Ceja  de  la  Montana. 

THE  Peruvian  highlands,  or  level  heights,  described  in 
a  previous  chapter  under  the  designation  of  the  Puna, 
are  intersected  by  numerous  valleys  situated  several 
thousand  feet  lower  than  the  level  heights,  from  which 
they  totally  differ  in  character  and  aspect.  These  val- 
leys are  called  the  Sierra.  The  inhabitants  of  Lima 
usually  comprehend  under  the  term  Sierra,  the  whole 
interior  of  Peru,  and  every  Indian  who  is  not  an  inha- 
bitant of  the  coast,  or  of  the  forest  regions,  is  called  by 
them  a  Serrano.  But  strictly  speaking,  the  Sierra 
includes  only  the  valleys  between  the  Cordillera  and  the 
Andes,  and  I  shall  here  use  the  term  in  its  more  limited 
and  proper  sense. 

In  the  Sierra  there  are  only  two  seasons  throughout 
the  year.  The  winter  or  rainy  season  commences  in 
October ;  but  the  rains  are  neither  so  heavy  nor  so 


362  TRAVELS   IN    PEKU. 

continuous  as  in  the  forest  districts.  The  falls  of  rain 
seldom  last  longer  than  two  or  three  days  in  succession. 
Storms  of  thunder  and  lightning  are  very  frequent  in 
the  Sierra ;  they  are  not  accompanied  by  snow  as  in 
the  Puna,  but  often  by  hail.  The  thermometer  never  falls 
below  +  4°  R.,  and  during  the  daytime  it  is  on  the 
average  at  4-  1 1°  R.  In  April  the  summer  season  sets 
in,  bringing  with  it  an  uninterrupted  succession  of  warm 
bright  days.  The  nights  in  summer  are  colder  than  in 
winter.  In  a  summer  night  the  thermometer  will  some- 
times fall  below  freezing  point,  and  the  cold  is  often 
very  severe.  About  noon  the  heat  is  oppressive,  though 
the  average  heat  of  the  day  does  not  exceed  13,  9°  R. 
During  the  summer  season  the  horizon  is  frequently 
obscured  by  heavy  dark  clouds,  which  seldom  break 
over  the  valleys,  but  continue  frowning  over  the  hills. 
The  natives  call  these  portentous  clouds  Misti  Manchari 
(terror  of  the  whites),"5'  because  the  inhabitants  of  the 
coast  always  regard  them  as  indicative  of  stormy 
weather. 

The  climate  of  the  Sierra  favours  the  natural  fruit- 
fulness  of  the  soil,  which  richly  repays  the  labour  of  the 
husbandman  ;  but  plants,  peculiar  to  the  warm  tropical 
regions,  do  not  thrive  well  here.  Prior  to  the  European 
emigration  to  Peru,  only  maize,  quinua  (Chenopodium 
Quinoa,  L.),  and  a  few  tuberous  roots  were  grown  in 
the  Sierra ;  but  since  the  Spanish  conquest,  the  Euro- 
pean cereals,  lucerne,  and  various  kinds  of  vegetables 

*  The  Indians  apply  the  designation  Misti,  meaning  Mestizo,  to  all  persons 
except  Indians  or  Negroes,  whether  they  be  Europeans  or  White  Creoles. 


THE    SIERRA   AND   THE    SERRANOS.  363 

are  cultivated  with  perfect  success.  But  the  eye  of  the 
traveller  seeks  in  vain  for  those  stately  forests  which 
clothe  the  mountainous  districts  of  Europe ;  the  barren 
acclivities  afford  nurture  only  for  the  agave-tree,  and 
some  very  large  species  of  cactus.  Groups  of  willow- 
trees  (Salix  Humboldtii),  which  attain  the  height  of 
about  twenty  or  twenty-five  feet,  together  with  the 
quinua-tree,  form  here  and  there  little  thickets  on  the 
banks  of  rivers. 

These  regions,  so  favoured  by  nature,  have  from  the 
earliest  period  been  the  chosen  dwelling-places  of  the 
Peruvians  ;  and  therefore  in  the  Sierra,  which  measured 
by  its  superficies,  is  not  of  very  great  extent,  the  popu- 
lation has  increased  more  than  in  any  other  part  of. 
Peru.  The  valleys  already  contain  numerous  towns, 
villages,  and  hamlets,  which  would  rise  in  importance, 
if  they  had  greater  facility  of  communication  one  with 
another.  But  they  are  surrounded  on  all  sides  by 
mountains,  which  can  be  crossed  only  by  circuitous  and 
dangerous  routes.  The  few  accessible  pathways  are 
alternately  up  rugged  ascents,  and  down  steep  decli- 
vities ;  or  winding  through  narrow  ravines,  nearly  choked 
up  by  broken  fragments  of  rock,  they  lead  to  the  dreary 
and  barren  level  heights. 

The  Serranos,  or  inhabitants  of  the  Sierra,  especially 
those  who  dwell  in  the  smaller  villages,  are  chiefly 
Indians.  In  the  towns  and  larger  villages,  the  mestizos 
are  numerous.  The  whites  are  very  thinly  scattered 
over  the  Sierra ;  but  many  of  the  mestizos  are  very 
anxious  to  be  thought  white  Creoles.  A  rich  serrano, 


364  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

who  bears  in  his  features  the  stamp  of  his  Indian  descent, 
will  frequently  try  to  pass  himself  off  to  a  foreigner  for 
an  old  Spaniard.  Here,  even  more  than  on  the  coast, 
the  mestizo  is  ambitious  to  rank  himself  on  a  level  with 
.the  white,  whilst  he  affects  to  regard  the  Indian  as  an 
inferior  being. 

The  few  Spaniards  who  reside  in  the  Sierra  are  men 
who  have  served  in  the  Spanish  army,  and  who,  at  the 
close  of  the  war  of  independence,  settled  in  that  part 
of  Peru.  Many  of  them  keep  shops  in  the  towns  and 
villages,  and  others,  by  advantageous  marriages,  have 
become  the  possessors  of  haciendas.  Those  who  have 
enriched  themselves  in  this  way  are  remarkable  alike 
for  ignorance  and  pride,  and  give  themselves  the  most 
ludicrous  airs  of  assumed  dignity.  The  Creoles  are  the 
principal  dealers  in  articles  of  European  commerce. 
They  journey  to  Lima  twice  or  thrice  a-year  to  make 
their  purchases,  which  consist  in  white  and  printed 
calicoes,  woollen  cloths,  hard-wares,  leather,  soap,  wax, 
and  indigo.  In  the  Sierra,  indigo  is  a  very  considerable 
article  of  traffic  :  the  Indians  use  a  great  quantity  of  it 
for  dyeing  their  clothes ;  blue  being  their  favourite 
colour.  Wax  is  also  in  great  demand  ;  for  in  the  reli- 
gious ceremonies,  which  are  almost  of  daily  occurrence, 
a  vast  quantity  of  tapers  are  consumed.  The  principal 
articles  of  traffic  produced  by  the  natives  are  woollen 
ponchos  and  blankets,  unspun  coloured  wool,  saddle- 
cloths, stirrups  and  horse  shoes.  The  last-named 
articles  are  purchased  chiefly  by  the  Arrieros  of  the 
coast.  It  may  seem  strange  that  stores  of  horse  shoes 


BRANDY-DRINKING   IN   THE   SIERRA.  365 

should  be  kept  ready  made  ;  but  so  it  is  ;  for  though  in 
Europe  we  make  the  shoe  to  fit  the  hoof,  yet  in  Peru  it 
is  the  practice  to  cut  the  hoof  to  fit  the  shoe.  On  Yea 
brandy  more  money  is  expended  than  on  every  other 
article  of  trade  combined.  The  quantity  of  that  spirit 
annually  transported  to  the  Sierra  exceeds  belief.  To 
see  the  Indians  on  Sundays  and  festival  days  thronging 
to  the  shops  of  the  spirit  dealers,  with  their  jugs  and 
bottles,  one  might  fairly  presume  that  more  brandy 
is  drunk  in  the  Sierra  in  one  day,  than  in  many  of 
the  towns  of  Europe  in  a  year.  In  some  parts — for 
example,  in  the  province  of  Jauja — hens'  eggs  are  circu- 
lated as  small  coin,  forty-eight  or  fifty  being  counted  for 
a  dollar.  In  the  market-place  and  in  the  shops  the 
Indians  make  most  of  their  purchases  with  this  brittle 
sort  of  money  :  one  will  give  two  or  three  eggs  for 
brandy,  another  for  indigo,  and  a  third  for  cigars. 
These  eggs  are  packed  in  boxes  by  the  shop-keepers, 
and  sent  to  Lima.  From  Jauja  alone,  several  thousand 
loads  of  eggs  are  annually  forwarded  to  the  capital. 

Most  of  the  mestizos  possess  little  estates  (chacras), 
the  produce  of  which,  consisting  of  grain,  vegetables 
and  clover,  is  disposed  of  in  the  towns  of  the  Sierra,  or 
in  the  mining  districts  of  the  Puna.  As  the  profits 
arising  from  the  chacras  usually  suffice  to  provide  their 
owners  with  a  comfortable  subsistence,  the  mestizos 
pass  their  lives  in  idleness  and  pleasure.  They  spend 
the  chief  portion  of  the  day  in  the  true  Spanish  style, 
gossiping  in  groups  in  the  streets,  and  wrapped  in 
their  mantles.  When  the  state  of  the  weather  does 


366  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

not  admit  of  this  sort  of  out-door  lounging  the  time  is 
passed  in  gaming  or  cock-fighting.  This  latter  diver- 
sion is  no  less  in  favour  in  the  Sierra  than  in  Lima. 
Such  enormous  bets  are  laid  at  these  cock-fights,  that 
the  losses  frequently  entail  ruin  on  persons  of  tolerably 
good  fortune. 

The  agriculture  of  the  Sierra  is  wholly  consigned  to 
the  Indians,  who  either  cultivate  their  own  lands,  or  for 
very  poor  wages  labour  for  the  mestizos.  In  September 
the  ground  is  ploughed  and  prepared  for  sowing,  which 
operation  is  performed  in  October,  and  the  reaping 
takes  place  in  April  or  May.  By  this  means  the  seed 
is  left  in  the  ground  throughout  all  the  rainy  season. 
In  February  violent  frost  frequently  comes  on  during 
the  night,  by  which  the  seed  is  so  much  injured  that 
the  harvest  fails,  and  the  scarcity  occasions  severe 
suffering  and  even  famine.  When  the  cold  clear  nights 
create  apprehensions  of  damage  to  the  seed,  the  people 
form  themselves  into  processions,  and  go  through  the 
villages  and  towns  imploring  the  mercy  of  Heaven.  In 
the  dead  of  the  night  it  is  no  unusual  thing  to  be 
aroused  by  the  ringing  of  bells.  The  inhabitants  then 
get  up  and  hurry  to  church,  where  the  solemn  proces- 
sions are  formed.  Penitents  clothed  in  sackcloth  go 
through  the  streets,  scourging  themselves ;  and  the 
Indians,  in  their  native  language,  utter  prayers  and 
offer  up  vows  to  Heaven.  For  the  space  of  some  hours 
an  incessant  movement  and  agitation  pervade  the  streets, 
and  when  day  begins  to  dawn  the  people  return  to  their 
homes,  trembling  between  hope  and  fear.  The  fate  of 


THE    QUINUA    PLANT.  367 

the  Indians,  when  their  harvest  fails  them,  is  indeed 
truly  miserable,  for,  abstemious  as  they  are,  they  can 
scarcely  procure  wherewith  to  satisfy  their  hunger.  In 
the  year  1840,  which  was  a  period  of  scarcity,  I  saw 
the  starving  Indian  children  roaming  about  the  fields, 
and  eating  the  grass  like  cattle. 

Maize  is  the  species  of  grain  most  extensively  culti- 
vated in  the  Sierra  :  it  is  of  excellent  quality,  though 
smaller  than  that  grown  on  the  coast.  Wheat,  though 
it  thrives  well,  is  cultivated  only  in  a  very  limited  quan- 
tity, and  the  bread  made  from  it  is  exceedingly  bad. 
The  other  species  of  European  grain,  barley  excepted, 
are  unknown  to  the  Serranos.  To  compensate  for  the 
want  of  them,  they  have  the  quinua  (Chenopodiwn 
Quinoa,  L.),  which  is  at  once  a  nutritious,  wholesome, 
and  pleasant  article  of  food.  The  leaves  of  this  plant, 
before  it  attains  full  maturity,  are  eaten  like  spinach ; 
but  it  is  the  seeds  which  are  most  generally  used 
as  food.  They  are  prepared  in  a  variety  of  ways,  but 
most  frequently  boiled  in  milk  or  in  broth,  and  some- 
times cooked  with  cheese  and  Spanish  pepper.  The 
dried  stems  of  the  quinua  are  used  as.  fuel.  Experi- 
ments in  the  cultivation  of  this  plant  have  been  tried  in 
some  parts  of  Germany,  and  with  considerable  success. 
It  would  appear,  however,  that  its  flavour  is  not  much 
liked  ;  a  circumstance  rather  surprising  to  the  traveller 
who  has  tasted  it  in  Peru,  where  it  is  regarded  in  the 
light  of  a  delicacy.  It  were  to  be  wished  that  the 
general  cultivation  of  the  quinua  could  be  introduced 
throughout  Europe  ;  for  during  the  prevalence  of  the 


368  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

potato  disease  this  plant  would  be  found  of  the  greatest 
utility.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  potatoes  and  tea, 
two  articles  now  in  such  universal  use,  were  not  liked 
on  their  first  introduction  into  Europe.  The  quinua 
plant,  which  yields  a  wholesome  article  of  food,  would 
thrive  perfectly  in  our  hemisphere,  and,  though  in  its 
hitherto  limited  trial  it  has  not  found  favour,  there  is  no 
reason  to  conclude  that  it  may  not  at  a  future  time 
become  an  object  of  general  consumption. 

Four  kinds  of  tuberous  plants  are  successfully  culti- 
vated in  the  Sierra  ;  viz.,  the  potato,  the  ulluco,  the  oca, 
and  the  mashua.  Of  potatoes  there  are  several  varie- 
ties, and  all  grow  in  perfection.  The  ulluco  (Tropceolum 
tuberosum)  is  smaller  than  the  potato,  and  is  very  various 
in  its  form,  being  either  round,  oblong,  straight,  or 
curved.  The  skin  is  thin,  and  of  a  reddish-yellow 
colour,  and  the  inside  is  green.  When  simply  boiled  in 
water  it  is  insipid,  but  is  very  savoury  when  cooked  as 
a  picante.  The  oca  (O^alis  tuber  osa)  is  an  oval-shaped 
root  \  the  skin  pale  red,  and  the  inside  white.  It  is 
watery,  and  has  a  sweetish  taste;  for  which  reason  it  is 
much  liked  by  the  Peruvians.  The  mashua  is  the  root 
of  a  plant  as  yet  unknown  to  botanists.  It  is  cultivated 
and  cooked  in  the  same  manner  as  those  already 
described.  In  form,  however,  it  differs  from  them  all. 
It  is  of  a  flat  pyramidal  shape,  and  the  lower  end  termi- 
nates in  a  fibrous  point.  It  is  watery,  and  insipid  to  the 
taste  ;  but  is  nevertheless  much  eaten  by  the  Serranos. 
As  the  mashua  roots  will  not  keep,  they  are  not  trans- 
ported from  the  places  in  which  they  are  grown,  and, 


SIERRA   FRUITS.  369 

therefore,  are  not  known  in  Lima.  The  Indians  use 
the  mashua  as  a  medicine  :  they  consider  it  an  effi- 
cacious remedy  in  cases  of  dropsy,  indigestion,  and 
dysentery. 

The  vegetables  and  fruits  of  Europe  thrive  luxuriantly 
in  the  warm  Sierra  valleys ;  yet,  but  few  of  them  have 
been  transplanted  thither,  and  those  few  are  but  little 
esteemed.  Some  of  the  cabbage  and  salad  species, 
together  with  onions,  garlic,  and  several  kinds  of  pulse, 
are  all  that  are  cultivated.  It  is  remarkable  that  in 
these  regions  no  indigenous  fruit-trees  are  to  be  seen. 
The  only  fruit  really  belonging  to  the  Sierra  is  the  Tuna. 
In  some  of  the  sheltered  ravines,  or,  as  they  are  called, 
Quebradas,  oranges,  lemons,  and  granadillas  flourish  at 
the  height  of  10,000  feet  above  sea  level.  The  fruits 
which  have  been  transplanted  from  Europe  are  for  the 
most  part  indifferent,  as  not  the  least  care  is  bestowed 
on  their  cultivation.  The  effect  of  this  neglect  is  par- 
ticularly obvious  in  apples,  pears,  and  damson-plums. 
Cherries  and  chesnuts  are  unknown  in  these  parts;  but 
on  the  other  hand,  peaches  and  apricots  (duraznos)  grow 
in  amazing  abundance,  and  many  very  fine  species  are 
found,  especially  in  the  southern  provinces.  Excursions 
to  the  duraznales  (apricot  gardens),  in  the  months  of 
April  and  May,  to  eat  the  ripe  fruit  fresh  plucked  from 
the  trees,  are  among  the  most  tavourite  recreations  of 
the  Serranos.  Some  of  the  Sierra  districts  are  cele- 
brated throughout  Peru  for  their  abundance  of  fruit. 
This  luxuriance  is  particularly  remarkable  in  several  of 
the  deep  valleys,  for  instance,  in  Huanta;  but,  strictly 

B  B 


370  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

speaking,  these  deep  valleys  partake  less  of  the  character 
of  the  Sierra  than  of  the  higher  forest  regions. 

The  periods  of  sowing  and  reaping  are  celebrated  by 
the  Indians  with  merry-making,  a  custom  which  has 
descended  from  the  time  of  the  Incas,  when  those 
periods  corresponded  with  the  two  great  divisions  of  the 
year.  Even  a  scanty  harvest,  an  event  of  frequent 
occurrence,  occasions  no  interruption  to  these  rustic 
festivals.  Bands  of  music,  consisting  of  trumpets,  fiddles, 
and  flutes,  play  whilst  the  corn  is  cut  down,  and 
during  their  work  the  labourers  freely  regale  themselves 
with  chicha,  huge  barrels  of  which  are  placed  for  their 
unrestrained  use.  The  consequence  is,  that  they  are 
almost  continually  intoxicated ;  and  yet  whilst  in  this 
state  it  is  no  unusual  thing  to  see  them  dancing  with 
heavy  loads  of  sheaves  on  their  heads.  Their  dinner  is 
cooked  in  the  fields,  in  large  pots  and  kettles,  and  to  par- 
take of  it  they  all  sit  down  on  the  ground  in  rows,  one 
behind  another.  The  wheat  and  barley  when  cut  are 
spread  out  in  little  heaps  on  the  ground,  and,  instead  of 
thrashing,  the  grain  is  pressed  out  of  the  ears  by  the 
tramping  of  horses,  the  animals  being  driven  round  and 
round  in  a  circle.  As  soon  as  this  process  is  ended,  the 
agents  of  the  Government  and  the  priests  make  their 
appearance  to  claim  the  tithes. 

In  the  larger  villages  and  towns  of  the  Sierra,  the 
Indians  frequently  employ  themselves  in  handicrafts,  in 
some  of  which  they  attain  a  high  degree  of  perfection, 
for  they  are  not  wanting  either  in  talent  or  in  mecha- 
nical dexterity.  As  goldsmiths  they  are  remarkably 


INDIAN    MANUFACTURES   AND    ART.  371 

skilful,  and  in  this  branch  of  industry  they  produce 
work  which,  for  taste  and  exquisite  finish,  cannot  be 
excelled  in  the  capitals  of  Europe.  The  various  kinds 
of  vessels  and  figures  of  silver  wire  (filicjranas) ,  made 
by  the  cholos  in  Ayacucho,  have  always  been  favourite 
articles  of  ornament  in  Spain.  The  Indians  of  Jauja 
are  very  skilful  in  working  iron,  and  the  objects  of  their 
workmanship  are  much  esteemed  throughout  Peru.  Of 
leather  also  they  make  various  things  in  very  beautiful 
style ;  and  saddle-cloths,  bridles,  &c.  of  their  manu- 
facture are  much  more  elegant  and  infinitely  cheaper 
than  those  made  in  Lima.  In  Cuzco  and  the  adjacent 
provinces  many  of  the  Indians  evince  considerable  talent 
in  oil-painting.  Their  productions  in  this  way  are,  of 
course,  far  from  being  master-pieces ;  but  when  we  look 
on  the  paintings  which  decorate  their  churches,  and 
reflect  that  the  artists  have  been  shut  out  from  the 
advantages  of  education  and  study ;  and  moreover, 
when  we  consider  the  coarse  materials  with  which  the 
pictures  have  been  painted,  it  must  be  acknowledged 
that  they  indicate  a  degree  of  talent,  which,  if  duly  cul- 
tivated, would  soar  far  above  mediocrity.  In  Tarma 
and  its  neighbourhood  the  natives  weave  an  exquisitely 
fine  description  of  woollen  cloth.  They  make  ponchos 
of  vicuna  wool,  which  sell  for  100  or  120  dollars  each, 
and  which  are  equal  to  the  finest  European  cloth.  The 
beauty  of  these  Indian  textures  is  truly  wonderful,  con- 
sidering the  rude  process  of  weaving  practised  by  the 
natives.  They  work  various  colours,  figures,  and  inscrip- 
tions in  the  cloth,  and  do  all  this  with  a  rapidity  which 

B  B  2 


372  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

equals  the  operations  of  ordinary  looms.  The  most 
valuable  textures  they  weave  are  those  produced  from 
the  wool  of  the  vicuna  and  the  alpaco.  They  likewise 
make  very  fine  textures  of  cotton  and  silk.  It  is  curious 
that  the  Indians  of  each  province  have  some  particular 
branch  of  industry  to  which  they  exclusively  apply  them- 
selves, to  the  neglect  of  all  others. 

The  Serranos  are  a  very  social  people.     In  the  towns 
they  keep  up  a  continual  round  of  evening  parties,  in 
which  singing  and  dancing  are  favourite  amusements ; 
but  on  these  occasions  they  indulge  in  brandy-drinking  to 
a  terrible  excess.  As  soon  as  a  party  is  assembled,  bottles 
and  glasses  are  introduced,  and  each  individual,  ladies  as 
well  as  gentlemen,  drinks  to  the  health  of  the  company. 
For  a  party  of  thirty  or  more  persons,  not  more  than 
three  or  four  glasses  are  brought  in,  so  that  one  glass  is 
passed  repeatedly  from  hand  to  hand,  and  from  mouth 
to  mouth.     The  quantity  of  brandy  drunk  at  one  of  the 
evening  parties  called  in  the  Sierra  Jaranas,  is  almost 
incredible.      According  to  my  observation,  I  should  say 
that  a  bottle  to  each  individual,  ladies  included,  is  a  fair 
average  estimate,  the  bottles  being  of  the  size  of  those 
used  in  Europe  for  claret.     In  the  year  1839,  whilst  I 
was  residing  for  a  time  in  one  of  the  largest  towns  of 
the  Sierra,  a  ball  was  given  in  honour  of  the  Chilian 
General  Bulnes  :  on  that  occasion  the  brandy  flowed  in 
such  quantities,  that,  when  morning  came,  some  members 
of  the  company  were  found  lying  on  the  floor  of  the 
ball-room  in  a  state  of  intoxication.     These  facts  natu- 
rally create  an  impression  very  unfavourable   to    the 


CHICHA    MASCADA.  373 

inhabitants  of  the  Sierra ;  but  a  due  allowance  must  be 
made  for  the  want  of  education  and  the  force  of  habit 
on  the  part  of  those  who  fall  into  these  excesses.  These 
people  possess  so  many  excellent  moral  qualities,  that  it 
would  be  unjust  to  condemn  them  solely  on  account  of 
these  orgies.  The  Serrano  is  far  from  being  addicted  to 
habitual  drunkenness,  notwithstanding  his  intemperate 
use  of  strong  drinks  amidst  the  excitement  of  company. 
But  if  the  vice  of  excessive  drinking  be  occasionally 
indulged  in  among  the  better  class  of  people  of  the 
Sierra,  it  is  much  more  frequent  among  the  Indian 
inhabitants.  Every  one  of  their  often-recurring  fes- 
tivals is  celebrated  by  a  drinking  bout,  at  which  enor- 
mous quantities  of  brandy  and  chicha  are  consumed. 
In  some  districts  of  the  Sierra  the  chicha  is  prepared  in 
a  peculiar  and  very  disgusting  manner  by  the  Indians. 
Instead  of  crushing  the  jora  (dried  maize-grain)  between 
two  stones,  which  is  the  usual  method,  the  Indians 
bruise  it  with  their  teeth.  For  this  purpose  a  group 
of  men  and  women  range  themselves  in  a  circle  round  a 
heap  of  jora;  each  gathers  up  a  handful,  chews  it,  and 
then  ejects  it  from  the  mouth  into  a  vessel  allotted  for 
its  reception.  This  mass,  after  being  boiled  in  water, 
and  left  to  ferment,  is  the  much-admired  chicha  mascada, 
(that  is  to  say,  chewed  chicha),  the  flavour  of  which  is 
said  to  surpass  that  of  the  same  beverage  made  in  any 
other  way.  But  they  who  have  been  eye-witnesses  of 
the  disgusting  process,  and  who  bear  in  mind  various 
other  preparations  of  Indian  cookery  in  which  the 
teeth  perform  a  part,  require  some  fortitude  ere  they 


374  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

yield  to  the  pressing  invitation  of  the  hospitable  Serrano, 
and  taste  the  proffered  nectar. 

When  it  is  wished  to  make  the  chicha  particularly 
strong  and  well  flavoured,  it  is  poured  into  an  earthen 
jar  along  with  several  pounds  of  beef.  This  jar  is  made 
perfectly  air-tight,  and  buried  several  feet  deep  in  the 
ground,  where  it  is  left  for  the  space  of  several  years. 
On  the  birth  of  a  child  it  is  customary  to  bury  a  botija 
full  of  chicha,  which,  on  the  marriage  of  the  same  child,  is 
opened  and  drunk.  This  chicha  has  a  very  agreeable 
flavour,  but  is  so  exceedingly  potent,  that  a  single  glass 
of  it  is  sufficient  to  intoxicate  a  practised  chicha-drinker, 
or,  as  they  say  in  the  country,  a  chichero. 

Every  village  in  the  Sierra  has  its  own  tutelary  saint, 
whose  festival  is  celebrated  with  great  solemnity.  Bull- 
fights and  dances  constitute  the  principal  diversions  on 
these  occasions.  These  dances  are  relics  of  the  Raymi 
or  monthly  dances^  by  which  the  Incas  used  to  mark 
the  divisions  of  time ;  and  they  are  among  the  most 
interesting  customs  peculiar  to  these  parts  of  Peru. 
The  dancers  wear  dresses  similar  to  those  worn  by  the 
ancient  Peruvians  when  they  took  part  in  the  Rayim. 
Their  faces  and  arms  are  painted  in  various  colours, 
and  they  wear  feather  caps  and  feather  ponchos.  They 
have  bracelets  and  anklets,  and  they  are  armed  with 
clubs,  wooden  swords,  and  bows  and  arrows.  Their 
music,  too,  is  also  similar  to  that  of  their  forefathers. 
Their  instruments  consist  of  a  sort  of  pipe  or  flute  made 
of  reed,  and  a  drum  composed  simply  of  a  hoop  with  a 
skin  stretched  upon  it.  To  the  inharmonious  sound  of 


AMUSEMENTS   AND   FESTIVALS.  375 

these  instruments,  accompanying  monotonous  Quichua 
songs,  the  dances  commence  with  those  solemn  move- 
ments with  which  the  Incas  used  to  worship  the  sun  : 
they  then  suddenly  assume  a  more  joyous  character,  and 
at  last  change  to  the  wild  war-dance,  in  which  the 
mimic  contest,  stimulated  by  copious  libations  of  chicha, 
frequently  ends  in  a  real  fight.  In  the  larger  towns, 
where  the  Mestizo  portion  of  the  population  pre- 
dominates, these  dances  are  discouraged,  and  in  course 
of  time  they  will  probably  be  entirely  discontinued, 
though  they  are  very  scrupulously  adhered  to  by  the 
Indians. 

On  festival  days,  bull-fights  constitute  the  most 
favourite  popular  diversion.  In  the  Sierra  this  barba- 
rous sport  is  conducted  with  even  more  recklessness  and 
cruelty  than  in  the  Corridas  of  Lima.  Every  occasion 
on  which  an  entertainment  of  this  sort  takes  place  is 
attended  with  loss  of  life,  and  sometimes  the  sacrifice 
both  of  men  and  horses  is  very  considerable.  During 
my  residence  in  Jauja,  fourteen  Indians  and  nineteen 
horses  were  killed  or  seriously  wounded  in  a  bull-fight ; 
yet  catastrophes  of  this  kind  appear  to  make  no  im- 
pression on  the  people. 

Some  of  the  church  festivals  are  celebrated  by  the 
Indians  of  the  Sierra,  in  a  manner  which  imparts  a 
peculiar  colouring  to  the  religious  solemnities.  In  the 
midnight  mass  on  Christmas  Eve,  they  imitate  in  the 
churches  the  sounds  made  by  various  animals.  The 
singing  of  birds,  the  crowing  of  cocks,  the  braying  of 
asses,  the  bleating  of  sheep,  &c.,  are  simulated  so 


376  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

perfectly,  that  a  stranger  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
animals  have  assembled  in  the  temple  to  participate  in 
the  solemnity.  At  the  termination  of  the  mass,  troops 
of  women  perambulate  the  streets,  during  the  remainder 
of  the  night.  Their  long  black  hair  flows  loosely  over 
their  bare  shoulders ;  and  in  their  hands  they  carry 
poles  with  long  fluttering  strips  of  paper  fixed  to  the 
ends  of  them.  They  occasionally  dance  and  sing  pecu- 
liarly beautiful  melodies,  accompanied  by  a  harp,  a  fiddle, 
and  a  flute  ;  and  they  mark  the  measure  of  the  music  by 
the  movement  of  their  poles. 

The  celebration  of  Christmas-day  is  marked  by  the 
appearance  of  what  are  termed  the  Negritos.  These 
are  Indians,  with  their  faces  concealed  by  hideous 
negro  masks.  Their  dress  consists  of  a  loose  red  robe, 
richly  wrought  with  gold  and  silver  thread,  white  pan- 
taloons, and  their  hats  are  adorned  with  waving  black 
feathers.  In  their  hands  they  carry  gourd  bottles, 
painted  in  various  gay  colours,  and  containing  dried 
seeds.  Whilst  they  sing,  the  Negritos  shake  these 
gourds,  and  mark  the  time  by  the  rattling  of  the  dried 
seeds.  They  perform  the  dances  of  the  Guinea  negroes, 
and  imitate  the  attitudes  and  language  of  a  race  which 
they  hold  in  abhorrence  and  contempt.  For  the  space 
of  three  days  and  nights  these  negritos  parade  the 
streets,  entering  the  houses  and  demanding  chicha  and 
brandy,  with  which  the  inhabitants  are  glad  to  supply 
them,  to  avoid  violence  and  insult. 

On  New  Year's  Day  other  groups  of  mummers, 
called  Corcobados,  perambulate  the  streets.  They  are 


THE   CORCOBADOS.  377 

enveloped  in  cloaks  of  coarse  grey  woollen  cloth,  their 
head-gear  consists  of  an  old  vicuna  hat,  with  a  horse's 
tail  dangling  behind.  Their  features  are  disguised  by 
ludicrous  masks  with  long  beards;  and,  bestriding  long 
sticks  or  poles,  they  move  about  accompanied  by  bur- 
lesque music.  Every  remarkable  incident  that  has 
occurred  in  the  families  of  the  town  during  the  course 
of  the  year,  is  made  the  subject  of  a  song  in  the 
Quichua  language  ;  and  these  songs  are  sung  in  the 
streets  by  the  Corcobados.  Matrimonial  quarrels  are 
favourite  subjects,  and  are  always  painted  with  high 
comic  effect  in  these  satirical  songs.  The  Corcobados 
go  about  for  two  days  ;  and  they  usually  wind  up 
their  performances  by  drinking  and  fighting.  When 
two  groups  of  these  Corcobados  meet  together,  and 
the  one  party  assails  with  ridicule  anything  which  the 
other  is  disposed  to  defend,  a  terrible  affray  usually 
ensues,  and  the  sticks  which  have  served  as  hobby- 
horses, are  converted  into  weapons  of  attack. 

In  order  to  facilitate  the  conversion  of  the  idolatrous 
Indians,  the  Spanish  monks  who  accompanied  Pizarro's 
army,  sought  to  render  the  Christian  religion  as  attrac- 
tive as  possible  in  the  eyes  of  the  heathen  aborigines 
of  Peru.  With  this  view  they  conceived  the  idea  of 
dramatising  certain  scenes  in  the  life  of  Christ,  and 
having  them  represented  in  the  churches.  In  the 
larger  towns  these  performances  have  long  since  been 
discontinued,  but  they  are  still  kept  up  in  most  of  the 
villages  of  the  Sierra,  indeed  the  efforts  made  'by 
enlightened  ecclesiastics  for  their  suppression,  have 


378  TRAVELS    IN   PERU. 

been  met  with  violent  opposition  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians. 

On  Palm  Sunday,  an  image  of  the  Saviour  seated  on 
an  ass  is  paraded  about  the  principal  streets  of  the 
town  or  village.  The  Indians  strew  twigs  of  palm  over 
the  animal,  and  contend  one  with  another  for  the 
honour  of  throwing  their  ponchqs  down  on  the  ground, 
in  order  that  the  ass  may  walk  over  them.  The  animal 
employed  in  this  ceremony  is,  when  very  young,  singled 
out  for  the  purpose,  and  is  never  suffered  to  carry  any 
burthen  save  the  holy  image.  He  is  fed  by  the  people, 
and  at  every  door  at  which  he  stops,  the  inmates  of  the 
house  pamper  him  up  with  the  best  fodder  they  can 
procure.  The  ass  is  looked  upon  as  something  almost 
sacred,  and  is  never  named  by  any  other  appellation 
than  the  Burro  de  Nuestro  Senor  (our  Lord's  ass).  In 
some  villages  I  have  seen  these  animals  so  fat  that  they 
were  scarcely  able  to  walk. 

Good  Friday  is  solemnised  in  a  manner  the  effect  of 
which,  to  the  unprejudiced  foreigner,  is  partly  burlesque 
and  partly  seriously  impressive.  From  the  early  dawn 
of  morning  the  church  is  thronged  with  Indians,  who 
spend  the  day  in  fasting  and  prayer.  At  two  in  the 
afternoon  a  large  image  of  the  Saviour  is  brought  from 
the  sacristy  and  laid  down  in  front  of  the  altar.  Imme- 
diately all  the  persons  in  the  church  rush  forward  with 
pieces  of  cotton  to  touch  the  wounds.  This  gives  rise 
to  a  struggle,  in  which  angry  words  and  blows  are 
interchanged  ;  in  short,  there  ensues  a  disgraceful  scene 
of  uproar,  which  is  only  checked  by  the  interposition  of 


SOLEMNIZATION   OF   GOOD   PEIDAY.  379 

one  of  the  priests.  Order  being  restored,  the  sacred 
image  is  fixed  on  the  cross  by  three  very  large  silver 
nails,  and  the  head  is  encircled  by  a  rich  silver  crown. 
On  each  side  are  the  crosses  of  the  two  thieves.  Having 
gaped  at  this  spectacle  to  their  hearts'  content,  the 
cholos  retire  from  the  church.  At  eight  in  the  evening 
they  reassemble  to  witness  the  solemn  ceremony  of 
taking  down  the  Saviour  from  the  cross.  The  church 
is  then  brilliantly  lighted  up.  At  the  foot  of  the  cross 
stand  four  white-robed  priests,  called  los  Santos  Varones 
(the  holy  men),  whose  office  it  is  to  take  down  the 
image.  At  a  little  distance  from  them,  on  a  sort  of 
stage  or  platform,  stands  a  figure  representing  the  Virgin 
Mary.  This  figure  is  dressed  in  black,  with  a  white 
cap  on  its  head.  A  priest,  in  a  long  discourse,  explains 
the  scene  to  the  assembled  people,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  address,  turning  to  the  Santos  Yarones,  he  says, 
"  Ye  holy  men,  ascend  the  ladders  of  the  cross,  and 
bring  down  the  body  of  the  Redeemer !"  Two  of  the 
Santos  Varones  mount  with  hammers  in  their  hands, 
and  the  priest  then  says,  "  Ye,  holy  man,  on  the  right 
of  the  Saviour,  strike  the  first  blow  on  the  nail  of  the 
hand,  and  take  it  out!"  The  command  is  obeyed, 
and  no  sooner  is  the  stroke  of  the  hammer  heard, 
than  deep  groans  and  sounds  of  anguish  resound 
through  the  church  ;  whilst  the  cry  of  "  Misericordia  ! 
misericordia !"  repeated  by  a  thousand  imploring 
voices,  produces  an  indescribable  sensation  of  awe  and 
melancholy.  The  nail  is  handed  to  one  of  the  priests 
standing  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  who  transfers  it  to 


380  TRAVELS   Itf   PERU. 

another,  and  this  one  in  his  turn  presents  it  to  the 
figure  of  the  Virgin.  To  that  figure  the  priest  then 
turns  and  addresses  himself,  saying  :  "  Thou  afflicted 
mother,  approach  and  receive  the  nail  which  pierced 
the  right  hand  of  thy  holy  Son  I"  The  priest  steps  for- 
ward a  few  paces,  and  the  figure,  by  some  concealed 
mechanism,  advances  to  meet  him,  receives  the  nail 
with  both  hands,  lays  it  on  a  silver  plate,  dries  its  eyes, 
and  then  returns  to  its  place  in  the  middle  of  the  plat- 
form. The  same  ceremony  is  repeated  when  the  two 
other  nails  are  taken  out.  Throughout  the  whole  per- 
formance of  these  solemnities,  an  uninterrupted  groaning 
and  howling  is  kept  up  by  the  Indians,  who  at  every 
stroke  of  the  hammer  raise  their  cries  of  Misericordia  ! 
These  sounds  of  anguish  reach  their  climax  when  the 
priest  consigns  the  body  of  the  Saviour  to  the  charge 
of  the  Virgin.  The  image  is  laid  in  a  coffin  tastefully 
adorned  with  flowers,  which,  together  with  the  figure 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  is  paraded  through  the  streets. 
Whilst  this  nocturnal  procession,  lighted  by  thousands 
of  wax  tapers,  is  making  the  circuit  of  the  town,  a  party 
of  Indians  busy  themselves  in  erecting  before  the  church 
door  twelve  arches  decorated  with  flowers.  Between 
every  two  of  the  arches  they  lay  flowers  on  the  ground, 
arranging  them  in  various  figures  and  designs.  These 
flower-carpets  are  singularly  ingenious  and  pretty.  Each 
one  is  the  work  of  two  cholos,  neither  of  whom  seems  to 
bestow  any  attention  to  what  his  comrade  is  doing  ;  and 
yet,  with  a  wonderful  harmony  of  operation,  they  create 
the  most  tasteful  designs  —  arabesques,  animals,  and 


PRIESTLY    KNAVERY.  381 

landscapes,  which  grow,  as  it  were  by  magic,  under  their 
hands.  Whilst  I  was  in  Tarma,  I  was  at  once  interested 
and  astonished  to  observe  on  one  of  these  flower-carpets 
the  figure  of  the  Austrian  double  eagle.  On  inquiry  I 
learned  from  an  Indian  that  it  had  been  copied  from 
the  quicksilver  jars,  exported  from  Idria  to  Peru.  On 
the  return  of  the  procession  to  the  church,  a  hymn,  with 
harp  accompaniment,  is  sung  to  the  Virgin,  as  the  figure 
is  carried  under  the  arches  of  flowers.  The  bier  of  the 
Saviour  is  then  deposited  in  the  church,  where  it  is 
watched  throughout  the  night. 

On  the  following  morning,  at  four  o'clock,  the  cere- 
mony of  hanging  Judas  takes  place  in  front  of  the 
church.  A  figure  of  Judas,  the  size  of  life,  is  filled  with 
squibs  and  crackers,  and  is  frequently  made  to  bear  a 
resemblance  to  some  obnoxious  inhabitant  of  the  place. 
After  the  match  is  applied  to  the  combustible  figure, 
the  cholos  dance  around  it,  and  exult  in  the  blowing  up 
of  their  enemy. 

In  the  Sierra,  as  well  as  on  the  coast,  the  priests  are 
usually  the  tyrants  rather  than  the  guardians  of  their 
flocks ;  and  they  would  frequently  be  the  objects  of 
hatred  and  vengeance  but  for  the  deep-rooted  and 
almost  idolatrous  reverence  which  the  Indians  cherish 
for  priestcraft.  It  is  disgusting  to  see  the  Peruvian 
priests,  who  usually  treat  the  Indians  like  brutes, 
behaving  with  the  most  degrading  servility  when  they 
want  to  get  money  from  them.  The  love  of  the  Indians 
for  strong  drinks  is  a  vice  which  the  priests  turn  to 
their  own  advantage.  For  the  sake  of  the  fees  they 


382  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

frequently  order  religious  festivals,  which  are  joyfully 
hailed  by  the  Indians,  because  they  never  fail  to  end  in 
drinking  bouts. 

Added  to  the  ill  treatment  of  the  priests,  the  Indians 
are  most  unjustly  oppressed  by  the  civil  authorities.  In 
the  frequent  movements  of  troops  from  one  place  to 
another,  they  are  exposed  to  great  losses  and  vexations. 
They  are  compelled  to  perform  the  hardest  duties  with- 
out payment,  and  often  the  produce  of  their  fields  is  laid 
under  contribution,  or  their  horses  and  mules  are  pressed 
into  the  service  of  the  military.  When  intelligence  is 
received  of  the  march  of  a  battalion,  the  natives  convey 
their  cattle  to  some  remote  place  of  concealment  in  the 
mountains,  for  they  seldom  recover  possession  of  them 
if  once  they  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  soldiery. 

Every  fortnight  a  mail  is  despatched  with  letters  from 
Lima  to  Tarma,  Jauja,  Huancavelica,  Ayacucha,  Cuzco, 
and  into  Bolivia ;  another  proceeds  to  the  northern  pro- 
vinces ;  a  third  to  Arequipa  and  the  southern  provinces  ; 
and  every  week  one  is  despatched  to  Cerro  de  Pasco. 
In  Lima,  the  letter-bag  is  consigned  to  the  charge  of  an 
Indian,  who  conveys  it  on  the  back  of  a  mule  to  the 
next  station, "*  where  it  is  received  by  another  Indian  ; 
and  in  this  manner,  handed  from  cholo  to  cholo,  the 
letter-bag  traverses  the  whole  of  its  destined  route,  un- 
accompanied by  an  official  courier.  As  soon  as  the 
mail  arrives  at  a  station,  a  flag  is  displayed  at  the  house 
of  the  post-master,  to  intimate  to  those  who  expect  let- 
ters that  they  may  receive  them  ;  for  they  are  not  sent 

*  The  distance  from  one  station  to  another  varies  from  six  to  twelve  miles. 


TRANSMISSION   OF    LETTERS.  383 

round  to  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  and 
it  is  sometimes  even  a  favour  to  get  them  three  or  four 
days  after  their  arrival.  The  Peruvian  post  is  as  tardy 
as  it  is  ill  regulated.  On  one  of  my  journeys,  I  started 
from  Lima  two  days  after  the  departure  of  the  mail. 
On  the  road  I  overtook  and  passed  the  Indian  who  had 
charge  of  the  letters,  and,  without  hurrying  myself,  I 
arrived  in  Tarma  a  day  and  a  half  before  him.  Ascend- 
ing the  Cordillera,  I  once  met  an  Indian  very  leisurely 
driving  his  ass  before  him  with  the  mail-bag  fastened  to 
its  back.  Between  the  towns  which  do  not  lie  in  the 
regular  line  of  route,  there  is  no  post-office  communica- 
tion ;  for  example,  between  Pasco  and  Caxamarca,  or 
between  Pasco  and  Tarma,  or  Jauja;  and  when  it  is 
wished  to  despatch  letters  from  one  to  another  of  these 
towns,  private  messengers  must  be  employed.  The  con- 
sequence is,  that  business,  which  in  Europe  would  be 
conducted  through  the  medium  of  correspondence,  can 
be  arranged  only  by  personal  communication  in  Peru. 
Travelling  is  difficult,  but  not  very  expensive,  as  every 
one  possesses  horses  or  mules. 

The  best  mules  employed  in  the  Sierra  are  obtained 
from  the  province  of  Tucuman  in  Buenos  Ayres.  For- 
merly the  arrieros  used  annually  to  bring  droves  of 
several  thousand  mules  through  Bolivia  and  the  Peru- 
vian Sierra,  selling  as  many  as  they  could  on  the  way, 
and  taking  to  Cerro  de  Pasco  those  that  remained 
unsold.  During  the  Spanish  domination,  the  mule  trade 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  Government,  to  whose  agents  it 
afforded  ample  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  injustice 


384  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

and  extortion.  It  was  one  of  the  most  oppressive  of  the 
rcpartimientos*  Every  Indian  was  compelled  to  pur- 
chase a  mule,  and  was  not  allowed  even  the  privilege 
of  choosing  the  animal.  The  mules  were  distributed  by 
the  authorities,  and  were  tied  to  the  doors  of  the  houses 
for  whose  occupants  they  were  destined.  After  the 
distribution  of  the  mules,  a  collector  went  round  to 
receive  the  payment.  During  the  war  in  Buenos  Ayres 
the  traffic  in  mules  suffered  very  considerably.  For  the 
space  of  twelve  years  not  a  mule  had  been  brought  from" 
that  part  of  South  America  to  Peru,  when  in  1840  the 
Tucumanians  revisited  the  Sierra  with  their  droves  of 
mules.  They  were  joyfully  welcomed  by  the  Serranos, 
who  gave  good  prices  for  the  animals,  and  since  then 
the  traffic  has  begun  to  revive. 

In  tracing  the  characteristic  features  of  the  Sierra,  I 
have  as  far  as  possible  confined  myself  to  generalities, 
and  I  will  not  now  weary  the  reader  by  entering  upon 
a  minute  description  of  particular  towns  and  villages. 
All  are  built  pretty  nearly  after  one  model.  The  large 
quadrangular  Plaza  is  inclosed  on  three  of  its  sides  with 
buildings,  among  which  there  is  always  the  Government 
house  (cabildo),  and  the  public  jail ;  the  fourth  side  is 
occupied  by  a  church.  From  this  Plaza  run  in  straight 
lines  eight  streets,  more  or  less  broad,  and  these  streets 
are  crossed  at  right  angles  by  others  ;  all  presenting  the 
same  uniformity  as  in  Lima.  The  houses  are  roomy, 
surrounded  by  court-yards,  and  consist  of  a  ground- 

*  Repartimientos  (literally,  distributions)  were  the  compulsory  sale  of  articles 
by  the  provincial  authorities. 


BUILDINGS   AND   ROADS   IN   THE   SIERRA.  385 

floor  and  a  story  above,  but  very  frequently  of  the 
ground-floor  only.  The  walls  are  of  brick,  and  the 
roofs  are  tiled.  The  churches  are  in  very  bad  taste, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  in  the  larger  towns,  which 
have  a  good  appearance  externally,  and  are  richly  deco- 
rated within.  The  smaller  Indian  villages  are  poor  and 
dirty,  and  are  built  with  little  attention  to  regularity. 
But  even  in  them  the  quadrangular  Plaza  is  never 
wanting,  and  at  least  four  straight  streets  issue  from  it. 

The  Sierra  is  by  far  the  most  populous  part  of  Peru. 
The  banks  of  the  rivers  flowing  through  the  fertile 
valleys  are  thickly  clustered  with  villages,  which  give  a 
peculiar  charm  to  the  landscape,  doubly  pleasing  to 
the  eye  of  the  traveller  who  comes  from  the  barren 
parts  of  the  country.  The  cultivated  lands  afford 
evidence  of  progressive  improvement,  and  it  is  easy  to 
imagine  the  flourishing  condition  to  which  this  country 
might  arrive  with  increased  population. 

From  the  Sierra  two  separate  roads  lead  to  the  east- 
ern declivity  of  the  Andes.  One  lies  along  the  banks 
of  the  mountain  rivers,  and  the  other  passes  over  the 
ridges  of  the  mountains.  The  first  way  is  very  difficult, 
and  scarcely  practicable,  for  in  some  parts  the  streams 
flow  through  narrow  ravines,  bordered  on  each  side  by 
perpendicular  rocks,  and  occasionally  their  course  is 
hidden  amidst  impenetrable  forests.  The  other  way, 
across  the  mountains,  leads  again  into  the  Puna  region, 
and  from  thence  over  the  steep  ridges  of  the  Andes  to 
their  barren  summits.  Descending  from  these  summits, 
we  arrive  on  the  sharp  ridges  of  one  of  the  many  side 

c  c 


386  TEAVELS    IN    PERU. 

branches  of  the  Puna  Cordillera,  which  run  eastward. 
The  Peruvians  call  these  sharp  mountain  ridges  CuchiUas 
(knives).  After  crossing  the  Andes,  and  descending  a 
few  hundred  feet  lower,  in  the  direction  of  the  east,  the 
traveller  beholds  a  country  totally  different  from  that 
which  he  left  on  the  western  declivity  of  the  mountains. 
On  the  eastern  side  the  soil  is  richly  covered  with  vege- 
tation. From  the  cuchillas  the  road  ascends  to  some 
higher  ridges,  crowned  with  stunted  trees  and  brush- 
wood, which  gradually  spreading  upward,  blend  with 
the  high  forests.  These  wooded  ridges  are  called  by 
the  natives  Ceja  de  la  Montana  (the  mist  of  the  moun- 
tains). In  these  regions  the  climate  is  generally  more 
mild  than  in  the  Sierra,  for  the  mercury  never  falls  to 
freezing  point,  and  in  the  middle  part  of  the  day  it 
never  rises  so  high  as  in  the  warm  Sierra  valleys. 
Throughout  the  whole  year  the  Ceja  de  la  Montana  is 
overshadowed  by  thick  mists,  rising  from  the  rivers  in 
the  valleys.  In  the  dry  season  these  mists  are  absorbed 
by  the  sun's  rays,  but  in  winter  they  float  in  thick  clouds 
over  the  hills,  and  discharge  themselves  in  endless  tor- 
rents of  rain.  The  damp  vapours  have  an  injurious 
effect  on  the  health  of  the  inhabitants  of  these  districts, 
which  are,  however,  very  thinly  populated,  as  the  con- 
stant moisture  unfits  the  soil  for  the  cultivation  of 
anything  except  potatoes.  The  pure  alpine  air  of  the 
Puna  is  preferred  by  the  Indians  to  the  vapoury  atmo- 
sphere of  the  Ceja. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Road  to  the  Primeval  Forests — Barbacoas,  or  Indian  Suspension  Bridges — 
Vegetation — Hollow  Passes — Zoology — The  Montana — Plantations — Inha- 
bitants— Trade  in  Peruvian  Bark — Wandering  Indians — Wild  Indians  or 
Indies  Bravos — Languages,  Manners,  and  Customs  of  the  Indios  Bravos — 
Dress — Warlike  Weapons  and  Hunting  Arms — Dwellings — Religion — 
Physical  formation  of  the  Wild  Indian  Tribes — Animals  of  the  Aboriginal 
Forests — Mammalia — Hunting  the  Ounce — Birds — Amphibia — Poisonous 
Serpents — Huaco — Insects — Plants. 

LEAVING  Ceja  de  la  Montana,  we  will  trace  the  route  to 
the  aboriginal  forests,  which  extend  eastwardly  from 
the  bases  of  the  Andes.  The  whole  plain  is  overspread 
by  a  thick  veil  of  mist,  which  does  not  disperse  until 
about  noon,  and  then  an  undulating  dark  green  canopy 
clouds  the  vapoury  atmosphere.  A  European,  whose 
heart  throbs  at  the  bare  idea  of  one  of  those  vast  virgin 
forests,  gazes  anxiously  forward  on  the  boundless  dist- 
ance, and  finds  the  pace  of  his  cautious  mule  too  tardy 
for  his  impatient  hopes  and  wishes.  He  beholds  in 
perspective  the  goal  of  his  long  journey.  Nature,  in 
all  her  virginal  freshness  and  grandeur,  opens  to  his 
astonished  eyes,  and  he  feels  a  sensation  of  delight  he 
never  before  experienced.  Regardless  of  present  toil 
and  danger,  he  sees  only  the  pleasure  to  come.  But  he 
is  soon  drawn  back  to  cool  reality,  and  is  forcibly 
reminded  of  the  truth,  that  every  enjoyment  must  be 

c  c  2 


388  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

earned  by  labour.  The  road  is  broken,  narrow,  and 
steep ;  over  the  woody  sides  of  the  hills  it  is  easily 
passable  ;  but  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  descend,  it  pre- 
sents all  those  difficulties  which  have  been  interestingly 
described  by  the  early  travellers  in  Peru.  The  scanty 
population  of  the  surrounding  districts,  the  native  list- 
lessness  of  the  Indians,  and  their  indifference  to  the 
conveniences  of  life,  are  obstacles  to  the  making  of 
roads  which  might  be  passable  without  difficulty  and 
danger.  However,  where  nature  from  the  state  of  the 
country  has  compelled  man  to  establish  a  communication, 
it  is  executed  in  the  most  rude  and  unsatisfactory  man- 
ner. A  most  decided  proof  of  this  is  apparent  in  the 
bridges  called  barbacoas,  which  are  constructed  where  the 
way  is  through  a  derumbo,  or  a  small  narrow  mountain- 
pass,  or  where  there  is  an  obstruction  caused  by  a  rock 
which  cannot  be  passed  circuitously.  The  barbacoas 
are  constructed  in  the  following  manner.  Stakes  from 
three  to  three  and  a  half  feet  long  are  driven  into  the 
ground,  or  into  the  crevices  of  rocks.  Over  the  ends  of 
these  stakes  are  fastened  strong  branches  of  trees,  the 
interstices  are  filled  up  with  mud,  and  the  whole  is 
covered  by  a  sort  of  matting  composed  of  plaited 
branches  and  reeds.  If  the  ground  admits  of  it,  which 
is  seldom  the  case,  a  pile  of  stones  is  built  up  beneath 
the  barbacoa,  extending  to  at  least  one-half  its  breadth. 
When  it  is  considered  that  there  is,  probably,  on  the  one 
side  of  this  bridge,  a  rock  inclining  at  a  very  acute  angle, 
or  an  almost  perpendicular  declivity  of  a  hill  of  loose 
earth,  and  that  on  the  other  side  there  yawns  a  deep 


BARB  AGO  AS.  389 

abyss  against  which  there  is  not  the  least  protection,  the 
traveller  may  well  be  pardoned  if  he  shudders  as  he 
passes  over  the  creaking  and  shaking  barbacoa.  These 
fragile  bridges  are  often  so  much  worn,  that  the  feet  of 
the  mules  slip  through  the  layers  of  mud  and  reeds, 
and  whilst  making  efforts  to  disengage  themselves,  the 
animals  fall  over  the  edge  of  the  barbacoa,  and  are 
hurled  into  the  chasm  below,  dragging  down  the  crazy 
structure  along  with  them.  In  consequence  of  these 
accidents,  the  way  is  often  for  weeks,  or  even  months, 
impassable. 

In  the  construction  of  these  rude  bridges,  I  observed 
that  the  Indians,  in  their  simplicity,  always  faithfully 
copy  their  great  instructress,  nature.  The  majority  of 
the  plants  growing  in  these  regions  belong,  if  I  may  use 
the  expression,  to  an  aerial  vegetation.  The  small, 
gnarled,  low-branched  trees,  have  often  scarcely  one-half 
of  their  roots  in  the  earth  :  the  other  half  spreads  over 
the  surface  of  the  soil ;  then  winding  round  the  roots 
or  branches  of  some  neighbouring  plant,  fastens  on  it, 
and  intimately  uniting  with  it,  forms  a  kind  of  sus- 
pension bridge,  over  which  the  intertwining  of  numerous 
luxuriant  climbing  plants  makes  a  strong,  impenetrable 
network.  All  the  trees  and  shrubs  are  covered  with 
innumerable  parasites,  which,  in  the  higher  regions,  are 
met  with  in  their  smaller  forms,  as  lichens,  mosses,  &c. ; 
but  lower  down,  in  the  course  of  the  various  trans- 
formations they  undergo,  they  appear  in  larger  de- 
velopment. 

The  whole  vegetable  kingdom  here  is  stamped  by  a 


390  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

peculiar  character.  It  presents  immense  fulness  and  luxu- 
riance :  it  spreads  widely,  with  but  little  upward  deve- 
lopment, rising  on  the  average  only  a  few  feet  above  the 
earth.  Trees,  shrubs,  and  tendrils,  in  endless  complica- 
tion of  colour,  entwine  together,  sometimes  fostering, 
sometimes  crushing  each  other.  Out  of  the  remains  of 
the  dead  arises  a  new  generation,  with  an  increase  of 
vital  impulse.  It  seems  as  though  the  ice-crowned  Andes 
looked  down  with  envy  on  the  luxuriant  vegetation  of 
the  forests,  and  sought  to  blight  it  by  sending  down  cold 
nightly  winds.  The  low  temperature  of  the  night  coun- 
teracts that  extreme  development  which  the  humidity 
of  the  soil  and  the  great  heat  of  the  day  promote.  But 
what  the  vegetation  loses  in  upward  growth,  it  gains  in 
superficial  extension,  and  thereby  it  secures  more  pro- 
tection against  the  ever-alternating  temperature. 

The  farther  we  descend  the  eastern  declivity,  the 
more  difficult  becomes  the  way.  During  the  rainy  sea- 
son deep  fissures  are  worked  out  by  the  flow  of  waters  ; 
the  ground  is  slippery  and  full  of  holes.  The  sides  of 
these  hollow  passes  are  often  so  close  together  that  the 
rider  cannot  keep  his  legs  down  on  each  side  of  his 
mule,  and  is  obliged  to  raise  up  his  feet  and  thrust  them 
forward.  "When  beasts  of  burthen,  coming  in  opposite 
directions,  meet  in  these  places,  the  direst  confusion 
ensues,  and  frequently  sanguinary  conflicts  arise  among 
the  Indians.  The  weaker  party  are  then  obliged  to 
unload  their  mules,  and  the  poor  beasts  are  dragged 
backward  by  their  hind  legs,  until  they  reach  a  point  at 
which  there  is  sufficient  space  for  the  others  to  pass. 


DANGEROUS   MOUNTAIN    PASSES.  391 

When  I  was  proceeding  through  one  of  these  cavities 
on  Christmas-eve,  1840,  I  encountered  a  heavily  laden 
ass  coming  down  a  steep  declivity.  Ere  I  had  time  to 
leap  from  my  saddle,  the  ass  came  direct  upon  me  with 
such  force  that  my  horse  was  driven  backwards  by  the 
concussion,  and  I  was  thrown.  Ten  months  afterwards, 
another  encounter  of  the  same  kind  threatened  me  with 
a  similar  disaster,  and  to  save  myself  I  had  no  alterna- 
tive but  to  shoot  the  ass.  The  Indian  who  was  driving 
the  animal  neglected  the  usual  warning  cry,  given  by 
the  arrieros  when  they  enter  those  dangerous  passes, 
and  he  was  regardless  of  my  repeated  calls  desiring  him 
to  stop. 

In  some  steep  places,  with  the  view  of  improving  the 
roads,  the  Indians  lay  down  large  stones  in  the  form  of 
steps  ;  but  to  ride  over  these  rude  flights  of  steps  is  no 
easy  task,  for  the  stones  are  small,  and  are  placed  at 
the  distance  of  a  foot  and  a  half  or  two  feet  apart.  The 
mule  begins  by  placing  his  hind  feet  on  the  first  stone, 
then  springing  forward  he  reaches  the  third  stone  with 
his  fore  feet,  at  the  same  time  placing  his  hind  feet  to 
the  second.  By  this  manoeuvre  the  mule's  body  is  kept 
at  full  stretch,  and  the  rider  is  obliged  to  lean  forward 
over  the  animal's  neck  to  avoid  being  thrown  head-fore- 
most by  the  violent  jerks  when  the  mule  springs  from 
step  to  step.  It  is  absolute  torture  to  ride  down  a 
descent  of  five  or  six  leagues,  along  a  road  such  as  I 
have  just  described  :  willingly  would  the  harassed  rider 
dismount  and  pursue  his  course  on  foot ;  but  were  he  to 
attempt  to  do  so,  the  mule  would  stand  stock  still.  I 


392  TKAYELS   IN   PEEU. 

have  already  remarked  the  singular  obstinacy  with 
which  the  mules  refuse  to  proceed  when  their  riders 
dismount,  and  it  sometimes  gives  rise  to  very  comical 
scenes.  On  my  way  to  Vitoc,  I  was  passing  through  a 
ravine  in  which  the  uprooted  trunk  of  a  tree  was  rest- 
ing slantwise  against  a  rock.  Though  there  was  not 
room  for  me  to  ride  under  it,  yet  there  was  sufficient 
space  to  allow  my  mule  to  pass,  and  I  accordingly  dis- 
mounted ;  but  all  my  efforts  to  drive  the  animal  for- 
ward were  fruitless.  I  had  no  alternative  but  to  ride 
close  up  to  the  tree,  then  spurring  the  mule,  I  quickly 
slipped  out  of  the  saddle,  and  seizing  the  trunk  of  the 
tree,  I  hung  to  it  until  the  mule  had  passed  on. 

No  less  difficult  and  dangerous  are  the  steep  decli- 
vities over  loamy  soils,  which  are  frequently  met  with  in 
these  districts.  On  them  the  mule  has  no  firm  footing, 
and  is  in  danger  of  slipping  down  at  every  step.  But 
the  wonderful  instinct  of  these  animals  enables  them  to 
overcome  the  difficulty.  They  approximate  the  hind 
and  fore  feet  in  the  manner  of  the  Chamois  goat,  when 
he  is  about  to  make  a  spring,  and  lowering  the  hinder 
part  of  the  body  in  a  position,  half  sitting  half  standing, 
they  slide  down  the  smooth  declivity.  At  first  this 
sliding  movement  creates  a  very  unpleasant  feeling  of 
apprehension,  which  is  not  altogether  removed  by  fre- 
quent repetitions.  Accidents  frequently  occur,  in  which 
both  mule  and  rider  are  mortally  injured. 

There  is  more  variety  of  animals  in  these  regions 
than  in  the  mountainous  parts  ;  but  they  have  few 
peculiarities  of  character.  The  swift-footed  roe  of  the 


ANIMALS   OF   THE    LOWER   FORESTS.  393 

Cordillera  roams  here  and  dwells  in  the  thickets,  avoid- 
ing the  warm  forest.  The  dark-brown  coati  (Nasua 
montana,  Tsch.)  howls,  and  digs  at  the  roots  of  trees  in 
search  of  food  ;  the  shy  opossum  crawls  fearfully  under 
the  foliage ;  the  lazy  armadillo  creeps  into  his  hole  ;  but 
the  ounce  and  the  lion  seldom  stray  hither  to  contest  with 
the  black  bear  ( Ursus  frugilegus,  Tsch.)  the  possession 
of  his  territory.  The  little  hairy  tapir  (Tapirus  villosus, 
Wagn.)  ventures  only  at  twilight  out  of  his  close  am- 
bush to  forage  in  the  long  grass. 

Of  the  birds  there  is  not  much  variety  of  species  ;  but 
all  are  remarkable  for  gay-coloured  plumage.  Among 
the  most  characteristic  of  these  districts  are  the  red- 
bellied  tanagra,  (Tanagra  igniventris,  Orb.),  the  fire- 
coloured  pyranga  (Phcenisoma  bivittata,  Tsch.),  two 
species  of  the  crow,  one  of  which  is  of  a  fine  blue  colour, 
(Cyanocorax  viridicyanus,  G.  R.  Gray),  the  other  green 
on  the  back  and  bright  yellow  on  the  belly,  (Cyanoc. 
peruanus,  Cab.).  The  Indians  call  the  latter  Quien- 
quien,  as  it  utters  a  sort  of  screaming  sound  resembling 
these  syllables.  Individual  birds  belonging  to  the  Pene- 
lope family  (P.  rufiventris  and  adspersa,  Tsch.)  and  the 
green  pepper-eater  (Pteroglossus  cceruleo-cinctus  Tsch., 
Pt.  atro-gularis,  Sturm.)  are  found  in  the  lower  forests. 

Proceeding  still  farther  downward  we  at  length  reach 
the  Montana.  The  Peruvians  apply  this  name  to  the 
vast  aboriginal  forests  which  extend  across  the  whole 
country  from  north  to  south  along  the  eastern  foot  of 
the  Andes.  Those  which  lie  higher,  and  in  which  the 
spaces  between  the  lofty  trees  are  overgrown  with  thick 


394  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

masses  of  bushes  and  twining  plants,  are  called  by  the 
natives  simply  Montafias.  Those  which  are  free  from 
these  intermediate  masses  of  vegetation  they  call  Mon- 
tanas  reales  (royal  mountains).  At  first  sight  they  pro- 
duce the  impression  of  a  virgin  forest  of  oaks. 

The  distance  from  the  Ceja  to  the  district  properly 
called  the  Montana  is  very  various  at  different  points. 
In  some  parts  it  takes  six  or  eight  days'  hard  riding ;  in 
other  directions  the  traveller  may,  in  the  morning,  leave 
the  snow-covered  Puna  huts,  and  at  sunset,  on  the 
uninhabited  margin  of  the  primeval  forest,  he  may  taste 
pine-apples  and  bananas  of  his  own  gathering.  Such  a 
day  certainly  deserves  to  form  an  epoch  in  his  life  ;  for 
in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  he  passes  through  the  most 
opposite  climates  of  the  earth,  and  the  gradual  progres- 
sion of  the  development  of  the  vegetable  world  is  spread 
out  in  visible  reality  before  him. 

The  Montanas  of  Peru  are,  in  general,  but  thinly 
peopled  with  Christian  Indians.  They  are  employed 
either  in  cultivating  their  own  fields,  or  in  working  as 
day-labourers  in  the  great  plantations.  The  produc- 
tions of  the  haciendas  consist  chiefly  of  sugar,  coffee, 
maize,  coca,  tobacco,  oranges,  bananas,  and  pine-apples, 
which  are  sent  to  the  Sierra.  The  cultivation  of  bark, 
balsams,  gums,  honey  and  wax  also  occupies  a  great 
number  of  Indians. 

The  plantation  buildings  stand  on  rising  grounds. 
The  walls  are  constructed  of  reeds,  the  interstices  being 
filled  up  with  loam,  and  the  roofs  are  of  straw  or  palm 
leaves.  Around  the  buildings  are  the  fields  allotted  to 


CULTIVATION   AND   TRAFFIC.  395 

cultivation,  in  which  the  soils  favourable  to  the  pro- 
duction of  certain  plants  are  selected.  The  coffee 
usually  grows  round  the  house,  and  an  adjacent  building- 
contains  the  store-rooms.  The  fruit-trees  grow  along 
the  margins  of  the  maize  fields ;  marshy  ground  is 
selected  for  the  sugar  fields ;  in  the  vicinity  of  brooks 
and  streams  the  useful  banana  flourishes  ;  the  pine-trees 
are  ranged  in  rows  on  the  hot  dry  declivities,  and  the 
coca  is  found  to  thrive  best  in  warm  hollow  dells. 

As  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere,  added  to  the 
multitudes  of  insects,  mice  and  rats,  prevents  any  length- 
ened preservation  of  provisions,  the  cultivators  sell  or 
exchange  them  as  speedily  as  possible ;  hence  arises  a 
very  active  intercourse  in  business  between  the  Mon- 
tanas  and  the  Sierra.  The  mountain  Indians  bring 
llamas,  dried  meat,  potatoes,  bark,  and  salt,  to  exchange 
for  fruit ;  it  is  very  seldom  that  any  money  circulates 
in  this  traffic.  Only  the  owners  of  plantations  sell  their 
productions  for  ready  money,  with  which  they  purchase 
in  the  upland  towns,  European  goods,  particularly  printed 
and  plain  cottons,  coarse  woollen  stuffs,  knives,  hatchets, 
fishing-tackle,  &c. ;  with  these  goods  they  pay  their 
labourers,  charging  them  for  every  article  five  or  even 
six  times  its  value.  As  there  is  throughout  these  forest 
regions  a  great  want  of  men,  the  plantation  owners 
endeavour  to  get  the  few  Indians  who  settle  voluntarily 
on  their  property,  fixed  to  it  for  ever.  They  sell  them 
indispensable  necessaries  at  an  extravagant  price,  on 
condition  of  their  paying  for  them  by  field  labour. 

I  have  seen  an  Indian  give  five  days'  labour,  from  six 


396  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

o'clock  in  the  morning  to  sunset,  for  a  red  pocket- 
handkerchief,  which  in  Germany  would  not  be  worth 
four  groschen.  The  desire  to  possess  showy  articles,  the 
necessity  of  obtaining  materials  for  his  wretched  cloth- 
ing, or  implements  to  enable  him,  in  his  few  free  hours, 
to  cultivate  his  own  field,  and,  above  all,  his  passion  for 
coca  and  intoxicating  drinks,  all  prompt  the  Indian  to 
incur  debt  upon  debt  to  the  plantation  owner.  The 
sugar-cane  is  seldom  used  in  the  forest  plantations  for 
making  sugar.  The  juice  is  usually  converted  into 
the  cakes  called  chancacas,  which  have  been  already 
mentioned,  or  it  is  made  into  guarapo,  a  strong  liquor, 
which  the  Indians  spare  no  effort  to  procure.  When 
they  begin  to  be  intoxicated,  they  desire  more  and  more 
of  the  liquor,  which  is  readily  given,  as  it  is  the  interest 
of  the  owners  to  supply  it.  After  some  days  of  extreme 
abstinence  they  return  to  their  work,  and  then  the  Mayor- 
domo  shows  them  how  much  their  debt  has  increased, 
and  the  astonished  Indian  finds  that  he  must  labour 
for  several  months  to  pay  it ;  thus  these  unfortunate 
beings  are  fastened  in  the  fetters  of  slavery.  Their 
treatment  is,  in  general,  most  tyrannical.  The  Negro 
slave  is  far  more  happy  than  the  free  Indians  in  the 
haciendas  of  this  part  of  Peru.  At  sunrise  all  the 
labourers  must  assemble  in  the  courtyard  of  the  planta- 
tion where  the  Mayordomo  prescribes  to  them  their 
day's  work,  and  gives  them  the  necessary  implements. 
They  are  compelled  to  work  in  the  most  oppressive 
heat,  and  are  only  allowed  to  rest  thrice  for  a  few 
minutes,  at  times  fixed,  for  chewing  their  coca  and  for 


BURNING   FOREST   TREES.  397 

dinner.  For  indolence  or  obstinacy  they  suffer  cor- 
poral punishment,  usually  by  being  put  into  a  kind  of 
stocks,  called  the  CEPO,  in  which  the  culprit  stands  from 
twelve  to  forty-eight  hours,  with  his  neck  or  legs  fixed 
between  two  blocks  of  wood. 

The  labour  of  bringing  the  forest  lands  into  a  pro- 
ductive state  is  one  of  the  severest  tasks  in  the  Mon- 
tanas,  and  it  can  only  be  performed  in  the  hottest  season 
of  the  year.  As  the  soil  is  always  moist  and  the  vegeta- 
tion full  of  sap,  the  trees  must  be  cut  down  about  the 
end  of  the  rainy  season,  and  after  drying  for  some  months 
they  are  burned ;  but  they  are  seldom  brought  into  a 
state  of  such  aridity  as  to  be  destroyed  by  the  action  of 
the  fire.  This  is  a  considerable  obstruction  to  the  pro- 
gress of  raising  plants ;  for  the  seed  must  be  sown 
between  the  felled  trees,  which  are  perhaps  only  half 
charred  and  are  still  damp.  In  consequence  of  this,  the 
practice  is,  in  the  first  year,  to  plant  maize  at  the  places 
where  the  burnt  trees  are  laid  ;  the  maize  grows  in 
almost  incredible  abundance,  and  the  result  is  a  singu- 
larly rich  harvest,  after  which,  part  of  the  burned  wood 
is  removed.  The  same  process  is  renewed  after  every 
harvest,  until  all  the  burnt  trees  are  cleared  off  and 
a  free  field  gained  for  the  cultivation  of  the  perennial 
plants. 

Far  more  fortunate  than  the  Indians  who  are  neigh- 
bours of  the  plantations,  are  those  who  live  far  back  in 
the  interior  of  the  forests,  and  who,  in  consequence  of 
their  great  distance  from  any  settlement,  seldom  have 
intercourse  with  the  civilized  world.  Content  with  what 


398  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

bounteous  nature  offers  them,  and  ignorant  of  the  wants 
of  more  refined  life,  they  seek  nothing  beyond  such 
things  as  they  can,  without  any  great  efforts,  obtain  in 
the  districts  in  which  they  dwell.  There  they  plant  their 
little  patches  of  ground,  the  care  of  which  is  consigned  to 
the  women.  The  men  take  their  bows  and  arrows  and 
set  out  on  hunting  expeditions,  during  which  they  are 
for  weeks,  often  months,  absent  from  their  homes.  The 
rainy  season  drives  them  back  to  their  huts,  where  they 
indulge  in  indolent  repose,  which  is  only  occasionally 
suspended  when  they  are  engaged  in  fishing.  The  re- 
turn of  the  sunny  sky  draws  them  out  again  on  their 
expeditions  in  which  they  collect  a  sufficient  supply  of 
food  for  the  year. 

But  wherever  these  Indians  have  settled  on  the  banks 
of  great  rivers,  the  trading  intercourse  produces  an 
alteration  in  their  mode  of  life.  Europeans  and  Creoles 
then  try  to  create  among  them,  as  among  the  plantation 
Indians,  a  desire  to  satisfy  unnecessary  wants,  and 
thereby  they  are  induced  to  collect  the  valuable  produc- 
tions of  the  forests.  In  the  loftier  districts  of  the  Mon- 
taiias  the  Peruvian  bark  is  found  :  the  lower  and  more 
marshy  places  produce  the  sarsaparilla,  and  a  sort  of 
wood  for  dyeing  called  Llangua.  This  last-named  article 
has  not  yet  found  its  way  to  Europe. 

In  the  month  of  May  the  Indians  assemble  to  collect 
the  Peruvian  bark,  for  which  purpose  they  repair  to  the 
extensive  Cinchona  woods.  One  of  the  party  climbs  a 
high  tree  to  obtain,  if  possible,  an  uninterrupted  view 
over  the  forest,  and  to  spy  out  the  Manchas,  or  spots 


PERUVIAN    BARK.  399 

where  there  are  groups  of  Peruvian-bark  trees.  The 
men  who  thus  spy  out  the  trees  are  called  Cateadores, 
or  searchers.  It  requires  great  experience  to  single 
out  the  dark  leaf-covered  expanse,  the  Cinchona  groups 
merely  by  the  particular  tint  of  the  foliage,  which 
often  differs  but  very  little  from  that  of  the  surrounding 
trees.  As  soon  as  the  cateador  has  marked  out  and 
correctly  fixed  upon  the  mancha,  he  descends  to  his 
companions,  and  leads  them  with  wonderful  precision 
through  the  almost  impenetrable  forest  to  the  group. 
A  hut  is  immediately  built,  which  serves  as  a  resting- 
place  during  night,  and  is  also  used  for  drying  and 
preserving  the  bark.  The  tree  is  felled  as  near  the  root 
as  possible,  divided  into  pieces,  each  from  three  to  four  feet 
long,  and  with  a  short  curved  knife  a  longitudinal  inci- 
sion is  made  in  the  bark.  After  a  few  days,  if  the 
pieces  are  found  to  be  getting  dry,  the  bark  already 
incised  is  stripped  off  in  long  slips,  which  are  placed  in 
the  hut,  or  in  hot  weather  laid  before  it  to  dry.  In 
many  parts,  particularly  in  the  central  and  southern 
districts  of  Peru,  where  the  moisture  is  not  very  great, 
the  bark  is  dried  in  the  forest,  and  the  slips  are  packed 
in  large  bundles.  In  other  districts,  on  the  contrary, 
the  bark  is  rolled  up  green,  and  sent  to  the  neighbour- 
ing villages,  where  it  is  dried.  Towards  the  end  of 
September  the  Cascarilleros*  return  to  their  homes. 

In  the  more  early  periods  of  South  American  history, 
the  bark  was  a  principal  article  of  Peruvian  commerce. 

*  Bark-gatherers.     The  Peruvians  call  the  bark  cascarilla,  and  they  point  out 
the  distinctions  of  a  great  number  of  species  and  varieties. 


400  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century  its 
value  has,  however,  considerably  diminished,  chiefly  in 
consequence  of  adulterated  and  inferior  kinds,  which  are 
supplied  from  other  quarters,  perhaps  also  on  account  of 
the  more  frequent  use  of  quinine  ;  for  in  the  production 
of  the  alcoloides  less  bark  is  employed  than  was  formerly 
used  in  substance.  During  the  war  of  independence  the 
bark  trade  received  its  death-blow,  and  for  the  space  of 
several  years  scarcely  more  than  a  few  hundred- weights 
of  bark  were  exported  from  Peru.  The  Montanas  of 
Huanuco,  which  once  furnished  all  the  apothecaries  of 
Europe  with  the  "  divine  medicine/'  are  beginning  again 
to  yield  supplies.  From  the  roots  of  the  felled  trees  a 
vigorous  after-growth  has  commenced.  In  the  Mon- 
tailas  of  Huamalies  a  kind  of  bark  is  found,  the  nature 
of  which  is  not  yet  denned  by  botanists  ;  and  from  the 
Montanas  of  Urubamba  comes  the  highly  esteemed  Cas- 
carilla  de  Cuzco,  which  contains  an  alcaloid,  named  Cus- 
conin*  Possibly  the  medicinal  bark  may  again  become 
a  flourishing  branch  of  trade  for  Peru,  though  it  can 
never  again  recover  the  importance  which  was  attached 
to  it  a  century  ago.  During  my  residence  in  Peru,  a 
plan  was  in  agitation  for  establishing  a  quinine  manu- 
factory at  Huanuco.  The  plan,  if  well  carried  out, 
would  certainly  be  attended  with  success.  There  is  in 
Bolivia  an  establishment  of  this  kind  conducted  by  a 
Frenchman ;  but  the  quinine  produced  is  very  impure. 

*  From  Cuzco,  the  ancient  residence  of  the  Incas.  It  was  discovered  by 
the  French  chemists  Corriol  and  Pelletier,  in  the  Cascarilla  which  is  shipped 
in  Arica  ;  hence  this  alcoloid  is  also  called  Aricin. 


INDIAN    MEDICINES    AND    CHARMS.  401 

The  inhabitants  of  the  Peruvian  forests  drink  an  infusion 
of  the  green  bark  as  a  remedy  against  intermitting 
fever.  I  have  found  it  in  many  cases  much  more  effica- 
cious than  the  dried  kind,  for  less  than  half  the  usual 
dose  produces,  in  a  short  time,  convalescence,  and  the 
patient  is  secure  against  returning  febrile  attacks. 

A  class  of  Indians  who  live  far  back  in  the  heart  of  the 
woods  of  Southern  Peru  and  Bolivia  employ  themselves 
almost  exclusively  in  gathering  balsams  and  odorous 
gums  from  resinous  plants,  many  of  which  are  burned  in 
the  churches  as  incense.  They  also  collect  various 
objects,  supposed  to  be  sympathetic  remedies,  such  as  the 
claws  of  the  tapir,  against  falling  sickness ;  and  the  teeth 
of  poisonous  snakes  which  carefully  fixed  in  leaves,  and 
stuck  into  the  tubes  of  rushes,  are  regarded  as  powerful 
specifics  against  headache  and  blindness.  Various  salves, 
plasters,  powders,  seeds,  roots,  barks,  &c.,  to  each  of 
which  is  attributed  some  infallible  curative  power,  are 
prepared  and  brought  to  market  by  the  Indians. 
When  the  rainy  season  sets  in  they  leave  the  forest  and 
proceed  in  parties  to  the  mountainous  country.  On 
these  occasions,  contrary  to  the  general  custom  of  the 
Indians,  the  men,  not  the  women,  carry  the  burthens. 
They  are  accompanied  by  the  women  as  far  as  the 
Sierra ;  for  the  loads,  which  are  often  very  heavy,  graze 
the  backs  of  the  men  who  carry  them,  and  the  women 
then  act  as  surgeons.  The  injured  part  is  first  carefully 
washed  with  copaiba  balsam,  moistened,  then  covered 
with  leaves  fixed  on  with  small  stripes  of  leather,  over- 
laid with  the  hide  of  some  forest  animal.  These  opera- 

D  D 


402  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

tions  being  performed,  the  loads  are  again  fastened  on 
the  backs  of  the  Indians.  In  their  native  forests  these 
people  wear  but  little  clothing.  Their  dress  is  limited 
to  a  sort  of  loose  tunic  without  sleeves  for  the  women, 
and  for  the  men  merely  a  piece  of  cloth  fastened  round 
the  waist.  They  go  barefooted  ;  but  they  paint  their 
feet  and  legs  with  the  juice  of  the  Huito  (Genipa  obloncji- 
folia,  R.  Pav.)  in  such  a  manner  that  they  seem  to  be 
wearing  half-boots.  The  juice  of  the  Huito  has  the 
effect  of  protecting  them  against  the  stings  of  insects. 
The  colouring  adheres  so  strongly  to  the  skin  that  it 
cannot  be  washed  off  by  water ;  but  oil  speedily  re- 
moves it.  In  the  Sierra  these  Indians  put  on  warmer 
clothing,  and  on  their  feet  they  wear  a  kind  of  boots 
called  aspargetas,  made  of  the  plaited  tendrils  of  plants. 

The  stock  of  balsams  and  drugs  being  disposed  of, 
the  Indians,  after  a  few  months'  absence,  return  to  their 
homes.  Some  of  them,  however,  wander  to  the  distance 
of  two  or  three  hundred  leagues  from  their  native 
forests,  traversing  the  greater  part  of  Peru,  and  even 
visiting  Lima,  carrying  large  flask  gourds  filled  with 
balsams.  These  wandering  tribes  seek  frequent  contact 
with  other  nations.  They  are  not  distrustful  and  reserved, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  annoyingly  communicative.  It  is 
not  easy  to  discover  the  cause  of  this  exception,  or  to 
ascertain  the  time  when  the  Indians  began  to  travel  the 
country  as  physicians  and  apothecaries.  The  earliest 
writers  on  the  oldest  epochs  of  Peruvian  history  make 
no  mention  of  this  race  of  medical  pedlars. 

The  Indians  here  alluded  to  all  profess  Christianity, 


INDIOS   BRAVOS.  403 

and  must,  as  Indios  Christianos,  in  strict  correctness,  be 
distinguished  from  the  wild  Indians,  Indios  Bravos,  who 
exclusively  inhabit  the  eastern  Montanas  of  Peru,  towards 
the  frontiers  of  Brazil.  These  Indios  Bravos  compre- 
hend numerous  tribes,  each  of  which  has  its  own  customs, 
religion,  and  also,  in  general,  its  own  language.  Only 
very  few  of  them  are  known,  for  since  the  overthrow 
of  the  missions  there  is  little  communication  with 
them.  Respecting  the  Indios  Bravos  who  inhabit  the 
Montanas  of  Southern  Peru,  I  have  been  unable  to  collect 
any  accurate  information.  They  remain  quite  unknown, 
for  impenetrable  wilds  intervene  between  them  and  the 
civilised  world,  and  seldom  has  a  European  foot  ventured 
into  their  territory.  The  wild  Indians  in  Central  Peru 
are  most  set  against  the  Christians,  particularly  those 
called  Iscuchanos,  in  the  Montana  de  Huanta,  and  those 
known  by  the  name  of  Chunchos,  in  the  Montana  de  Vitoc. 
The  Iscuchanos  sometimes  maintain  with  the  inhabitants 
of  Huanta  a  trade  of  barter ;  but  this  intercourse  is  occa- 
sionally interrupted  by  long  intervals  of  hostility,  during 
which  the  Iscuchanos,  though  rather  an  inoffensive  race, 
commit  various  depredations  on  the  Huantanos  ;  driving 
the  cattle  from  the  pastures,  carrying  off  the  produce  of  the 
soil,  and  spreading  terror  throughout  the  whole  district. 
Some  years  ago,  when  the  inhabitants  of  Huanta  had 
assembled  for  the  procession  of  the  Festival  of  Corpus 
Christi,  a  troop  of  Iscuchanos  came  upon  them  with  wild 
bulls,  turning  the  infuriated  animals  against  the  proces- 
sion, which  was  dispersed,  and  many  of  the  Huantanos 
were  killed  or  severely  wounded.  These  Iscuchanos  are  so 

DD  2 


404  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

favoured  by  the  locality  of  the  district  they  inhabit,  that 
even  were  a  military  expedition  sent  to  drive  them  farther 
back  into  the  woods,  it  would  probably  be  unsuccessful. 

The  Chunchos  are  far  more  dangerous,  and  are  one  of 
the  most  formidable  races  of  the  Indios  Bravos.  They 
inhabit  the  most  southern  part  of  the  Pampa  del  Sacra- 
mento (the  terra  incognita  of  Peru)  and  chiefly  the 
district  through  which  flow  the  rivers  Chanchamayo 
and  Perene.  Those  regions  are  inhabited  by  a  great 
number  of  tribes,  most  of  which  are  only  known  by 
name.  The  frontier  neighbours  of  the  Chunchos  are 
the  sanguinary  Campas  or  Antes  who  destroyed  the 
missions  of  Jesus  Maria  in  Pangoa,  and  who  still  occa- 
sionally pay  hostile  visits  to  San  Buenaventura  de  Cha- 
vini,  the  extreme  Christian  outpost  in  the  Montana  de 
Andamarca.  The  savage  race  of  the  Casibos,  the  enemies 
of  all  the  surrounding  populations,  inhabit  the  banks  of 
the  river  Pachitea.  This  race  maintains  incessant  war 
with  all  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  constantly  seeks  to 
destroy  them.  According  to  the  accounts  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, they,  as  well  as  the  Antes  and  Chunchos,  are 
still  cannibals,  and  undertake  warlike  expeditions  for  the 
purpose  of  capturing  prisoners,  whom  they  devour. 
After  the  rainy  season,  when  the  Simirinches,  the  Ama- 
puahas,  or  Consbos,  hunt  in  the  western  forests,  they  often 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Casibos,  who  imitate  in  perfec- 
tion the  cries  of  the  forest  animals,  so  that  the  hunters 
are  treacherously  misled,  and  being  captured,  are  carried 
off  as  victims.  Many  horrible  accounts  of  this  barbarous 
tribe  were  related  by  the  missionaries  centuries  ago, 


INDIAN   CANNIBALS.  405 

when  romantic  stories  and  exaggerations  of  every  kind 
were  the  order  of  the  day  ;  but  the  most  recent  commu- 
nications of  the  missionaries  from  Ocopa  confirm  the  fact, 
that  in  the  year  1842  the  Casibos  continued  to  be  savage 
Anthropophagi.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  they  never 
eat  women,  a  fact  which  some  may  be  inclined  to  attri- 
bute to  respect  for  the  female  sex.  It  is,  however, 
assignable  to  a  different  feeling.  All  the  South  Ame- 
rican Indians,  who  still  remain  under  the  influence  of 
sorcery  and  empiricism,  consider  women  in  the  light  of 
impure  and  evil  beings,  and  calculated  to  injure  them. 
Among  a  few  of  the  less  rude  nations  this  aversion  is 
apparent  in  domestic  life,  in  a  certain  unconquerable 
contempt  of  females.  With  the  Anthropophagi  the 
feeling  extends,  fortunately,  to  their  flesh,  which  is  held 
to  be  poisonous. 

The  languages  spoken  by  the  wild  Indian  tribes 
are  very  various.  From  the  Marafion  to  Omaguas, 
Quichua,  the  language  of  the  Incas,  is  spoken.  On  the 
left  bank  of  the  Ucayali  the  dialect  of  the  Panos  pre- 
vails. On  the  right  bank  the  Cascas,  the  Sinabus,  and 
the  Diabus,  preserve  their  own  idioms,  which  are  so 
different  that  those  races  are  reciprocally  unable  to 
communicate  with  each  other.  On  Upper  Ucayali 
evidences  of  common  origin  are  said  to  be  apparent 
between  the  Simirinches,  Campas,  Runaguas,  and  Mocho- 
bos.  But  on  this  subject  no  accurate  conclusions  can  be 
formed ;  for  the  accounts  given  by  the  missions  in  early 
periods  were  very  imperfect,  and  most  of  the  races  are 
so  intractable  that  it  has  since  been  impossible  to  collect 


406  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

correct  information.  According  to  the  accounts  of 
travelled  missionaries  which  I  had  the  opportunity  of 
examining  in  the  convent  of  Ocopa,  it  appears  that, 
besides  the  Quichua,  the  idioms  spoken  by  the  Panos, 
Cascas,  Simirinches,  and  the  Chunchos,  may  be  set  down 
as  dialects  of  decidedly  different  origins. 

The  mode  of  living  among  all  these  Indians  is  very 
much  the  same.  War  and  hunting  in  summer,  and 
repairing  their  warlike  weapons  in  winter,  are  the  occu- 
pations of  the  men.  The  women  cultivate  the  fields,  lay 
up  the  stores  of  provisions,  fish,  spin  and  cook.  Their 
clothes  are  of  the  most  simple  kind.  Many  of  the  races 
wear  no  clothing,  and  have  their  bodies  wholly  or  par- 
tially bedaubed  with  paint.  The  men  of  some  races 
wear  a  kind  of  shirt  without  sleeves,  and  the  women  a 
petticoat  reaching  from  the  waist  to  the  knees.  These 
garments  are  made  of  cotton  obtained  from  the  unculti- 
vated tree  Bombaw,  and  their  colour  is  white,  blue,  or  red. 
The  custom  of  boring  the  ears,  the  nose,  and  the  under 
lip  for  the  insertion  of  some  ornament  is  much  practised, 
particularly  by  the  Panos,  Shipeos,  and  Pirras.  They 
paint  their  bodies,  but  not  exactly  in  the  tattoo  manner ; 
they  confine  themselves  to  single  stripes.  The  Sensis 
women  draw  two  stripes  from  the  shoulder,  over  each 
breast,  down  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach ;  the  Pirras  women 
paint  a  band  in  the  form  of  a  girdle  round  the  waist, 
and  they  have  three  of  a  darker  colour  round  each 
thigh.  These  stripes,  when  once  laid  on,  can  never  be 
removed  by  washing.  They  are  made  with  the  unripe 
fruit  of  one  of  the  Rubiacaceae.  Some  tribes  paint  the  face 


WARLIKE   WEAPONS   AND    POISONS.  407 

only  ;  others,  on  the  contrary,  do  not  touch  that  part ; 
but  bedaub  with  colours  their  arms,  feet,  and  breasts. 

In  hunting,  bows  and  arrows  are  the  principal  weapons 
used  by  the  Indians.  In  war  they  use,  besides  bows  and 
arrows,  clubs  and  a  kind  of  sword  made  of  wood.  The 
arrows  are  reeds,  five  or  six  feet  long,  and  of  the  thick- 
ness of  a  finger.  The  point  is  of  very  hard  wood,  and 
is  strongly  barbed  by  notches  and  with  sharp  fish  teeth 
about  three  inches  long.  To  the  other  extremity  of  the 
arrow  coloured  feathers  are  always  affixed. 

Among  many  Indians,  particularly  in  the  western  and 
northern  districts  of  the  Pampa  del  Sacramento,  the 
Pocuna  is  a  weapon  much  used  in  hunting.  It  is  made 
of  a  long  reed,  and  measures  eight  or  ten,  or  even  more, 
feet.  At  one  end  are  fixed  two  teeth  of  a  javali,  or 
white-lipped  peccary  (Dicotyles  labiatus),  on  which  the 
reed  is  rested  when  taking  aim.  The  arrows,  which  are 
only  one  and  a  half  or  two  inches  long,  are  made  of  the 
thick  part  of  a  strong  cactus  stem.  In  general  their 
small  arrows  are  poisoned,  for  otherwise  the  wound 
would  be  too  inconsiderable  to  kill  even  a  little  bird. 
The  poison  for  arrows  differs  almost  with  every  tribe, 
and  very  mysterious  ceremonies  are  observed  at  its  pre- 
paration. On  this  account  the  art  of  preparing  it,  and 
the  ingredients  employed,  are  only  very  partially  known 
to  Europeans.  Their  elements  are  obtained  from  several 
plants  not  yet  defined  botanically,  among  which  the 
ApiJmasca  and  poison  capsicum  are  much  resorted  to. 
Infusions  of  the  leaves  of  a  very  strong  kind  of  tobacco, 
and  of  the  Sanano  (Taberncemontana  Sanano,  R.  P.),  and 


408  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

of  Euphorbiacese,  are  also  taken.  Some  modern  travel- 
lers, contrary  to  the  testimony  of  the  oldest  writers  on 
Peru,  have  asserted  that  no  animal  substance  is  employed 
in  the  poison  for  arrows.  I  am,  however,  enabled  to 
state,  on  the  authority  of  an  Indian  who  had  himself 
often  made  the  poison,  that  not  only  the  black  and  very 
poisonous  emmet  (Cryptac&reo  atrato  tiffin) ,  but  also  the 
teeth  of  the  formidable  serpent,  known  to  the  Indians  by 
the  name  of  Miuamaru  or  Jergon  (Lachesis  picta,  Tsch.), 
are  used  for  that  purpose. 

The  wound  of  the  poisoned  arrow  is  fatal  and  rapid. 
Men  and  large  mammalia  die  in  about  four  or  five 
minutes  after  receiving  the  wound  ;  the  smaller  mam- 
miferous  animals  and  birds,  in  two  minutes.  The 
blow-reed  sends  these  deadly  arrows  with  great  cer- 
tainty to  the  distance  of  thirty-two  or  thirty-six  paces. 
Hunting  with  the  blow-reed  must  be  long  practised  in 
order  to  acquire  dexterity  in  its  use,  and  great  caution 
is  requisite  to  avoid  being  self- wounded  by  the  small 
sharp  arrows.  An  example  came  to  my  knowledge  in 
the  case  of  an  Indian  who  let  an  arrow  fall  unobserved 
from  his  quiver  ;  he  trod  upon  it,  and  it  penetrated  the 
sole  of  his  foot ;  in  a  very  short  time  he  was  a  corpse. 

The  club  called  Matusino  is  four  or  five  feet  long,  and 
is  encircled  in  a  spiral  form  at  the  thick  end,  by  a  row 
of  deers'  horns.  A  single  long  horn  is  fastened  in  the 
centre,  the  chief  use  of  which  is  to  stick  it  in  the  earth 
when  the  club  is  rested.  Only  a  few  races  of  upper 
and  lower  Ucayali  and  the  Sensis  use  this  formidable 
weapon,  which  is  very  inconvenient  and  obstructive  in 


HUTS    OF    THE    WILD    INDIANS.  409 

passing  through  thick  forests.  The  macana,  or  wooden 
sword,  is  made  of  strong  chunta.  The  colour  of  this 
wood  is  a  deep  blackish  brown ;  it  is  very  hard  and 
heavy,  and  is  always  used  for  implements  which  require 
great  durability  and  strength.  The  macana  is  about 
four  feet  long,  one  inch  thick,  and  from  five  to  six 
inches  broad  ;  towards  the  hilt  end  the  breadth  is  about 
three  inches,  and  it  is  rounded.  It  is  so  well  cut  and 
polished,  that  a  sabre  scarcely  excels  it  in  sharpness. 
The  weapon  is  so  heavy  that  it  requires  both  hands  to 
wield  it. 

There  are  not  only  offensive,  but  also  defensive, 
weapons.  One  of  the  latter  is  the  viche,  a  very  simple 
shield,  one  and  a  half  or  two  feet  in  diameter.  It  con- 
sists of  a  strong  frame  of  twisted  creeping  plants,  over 
which  the  skin  of  a  deer  or  tapir  is  stretched  and  fas- 
tened with  twine.  On  the  inside  there  are  two  holds 
for  the  arm  ;  the  edge  is  adorned  with  coloured  feathers. 

The  Indians  of  the  races  above  noticed  seldom  live  in 
villages,  but  chiefly  in  huts  scattered  through  the  forests. 
Sometimes  they  construct  a  few  of  their  dwellings  near 
together,  and  so  form  a  hamlet.  Their  huts  are  either 
quadrangular,  oblong,  or  circular.  The  walls  consist  of 
strong  stems  of  trees,  bound  together  by  twining  plants  ; 
and  the  roof  is  of  palm  leaves  laid  over  a  skeleton  of  reeds. 
The  entrance,  which  is  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  pre- 
vailing wind,  is  left  open,  and  but  seldom  protected  by  a 
door.  At  Chanchamayo  I  saw  a  very  simple  kind  of 
hut  among  the  Chunchos.  It  resembled  an  open  um- 
brella with  the  handle  stuck  in  the  earth.  The  single 


410  TEAVELS   IN   PERU. 

wall,  which  also  formed  its  roof,  consisted  of  eight  long 
reeds  :  they  spread  out  below  in  the  form  of  a  fan, 
standing  obliquely  on  the  earth,  and  fastened  to  three 
stems  of  trees.  On  this  simple  skeleton  were  laid  length- 
ways the  leaves  of  the  omero,  a  kind  of  palm.  A  strong 
stem  fixed  firmly  in  the  earth,  extended  obliquely  to  the 
middle  of  the  inner  side  of  the  wall,  and  two  thinner 
stems  on  each  side,  served  as  supports  for  this  frail  build- 
ing. According  to  the  direction  of  the  wind  the  hut  is 
turned  round. 

The  Indian  huts  all  stand  detached  from  each  other, 
and  they  are  seldom  divided  internally  into  apartments. 
They  occupy  very  little  ground,  never  more  than  sixty 
square  feet  of  superficies.  In  the  principal  settlement 
of  an  Indian  race,  the  huts  are  scattered  over  a  circuit 
of  some  miles  in  the  forests. 

Any  form  of  government  is  a  thing  quite  unknown  to 
most  of  the  Indios  Bravos  of  Peru.  Uniformity  of 
speech,  manners,  and  arms,  unite  together  a  number  of 
Indians,  who  thus  form  a  race,  but  there  is  among  them 
no  bond  of  subjection,  or  of  duty  to  any  government, 
either  voluntarily  chosen,  or  self-constituted.  Among  the 
inhabitants  of  Lower  Ucayali,  however,  the  oldest,  or  the 
bravest  individuals  of  each  race  are  either  publicly,  or 
silently  recognised  as  chiefs.  Respect  to  age  prevails 
only  among  a  few  of  the  races,  as  the  Setebos,  Mayor- 
hunas,  and  Panos.  Among  others,  as  the  Campos, 
Casibos,  and  Chunchos,  the  old  are  put  to  death.  It 
is  a  general  custom  of  the  wild  Indian  to  kill  their  aged 
prisoners  immediately  on  their  being  captured. 


MARRIAGE   CEREMONIES.  411 

Social 'meetings  among  these  races  are  of  rare  occur- 
rence. Gloomy,  reserved,  and  distrustful,  the  Indian  is 
only  at  ease  in  the  circle  he  has  himself  formed.  When, 
however,  the  general  interest  of  the  race  is  in  question, 
then  he  comes  boldly  forward  in  support  of  the  whole. 
The  usual  assemblages  are  for  the  arrangement  of  long 
hunting  excursions,  and  warlike  expeditions.  The  depar- 
tures and  the  returns  are  celebrated  by  tumultuous 
feasts,  in  which  intoxicating  drinks  flow  freely.  Most  of 
the  liquors  are  prepared  from  Yucca,  or  the  fruits  of  the 
Chunta,  called  the  Mazato,  or  other  species  of  palms. 
In  the  most  remote  forests,  and  among  the  most  insu- 
lated tribes,  the  preparation  of  intoxicating  liquors  is 
known ;  and  there  certainly  is  not  in  all  South  America 
an  Indian  race  which  is  not  familiar  with  it.  Wild 
dances  form  part  of  the  entertainments,  and  the  banquet 
usually  ends  with  a  sanguinary  battle. 

Marriage  in  most  races  is  celebrated  socially,  but  not 
among  those  in  which  polygamy  prevails.  The  formula 
observed  on  the  occasion  differs  in  different  tribes ;  in 
some  the  union  is  effected  under  painful  ceremonies  to 
the  bride,  in  others  with  fasting  and  penitential  torments 
to  the  bridegroom.  In  general  the  Indian  selects  a 
wife  for  himself.  In  the  greater  number  of  tribes  a 
maiden  is  set  up  as  a  prize,  and  the  young  men  com- 
mence a  life  or  death  contest  for  her.  The  oldest  war- 
riors are  arbitrators,  and  from  their  hands  the  conqueror 
receives  the  prize.  This  is  the  practice  among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Rio  de  Santa  Catalina.  With  them, 
as  well  as  with  most  of  the  tribes  of  Western  Ucayali, 


412  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

the  birth  of  a  child  is  festively  celebrated.  The  oldest 
individuals  of  the  race  assemble  to  receive  the  child, 
which  is  repeatedly  blown  on  to  drive  demons  and 
sickness  away  from  it ;  the  name  of  an  animal  is  then 
given  to  it,  and,  according  to  Don  Pedro  Beltran,  the 
witnesses  of  the  ceremony  mark  with  a  wooden  pencil 
some  hieroglyphic  characters  on  two  leaves,  which  are 
carefully  preserved,  and  on  the  death  of  the  Indian, 
deposited  in  the  grave  with  him. 

The  dead  are  buried  in  the  huts.  The  survivors 
having  testified  their  sorrow  by  a  melancholy  howl  three 
times  repeated,  leave  the  place  and  build  a  new  residence 
for  themselves  in  a  distant  district.  They  break  in 
pieces  all  the  household  furniture  of  the  deceased,  but 
they  bury  with  him  his  warlike  weapons  and  his  agri- 
cultural implements,  under  the  conviction  that  he  will 
use  them  in  the  place  to  which  he  is  going.  A  peculiar 
custom  among  several  races  is  this  :  the  oldest  son  cuts 
a  piece  from  the  heel  of  his  deceased  father,  which  he 
hangs  round  his  neck,  and  wears  as  a  sacred  relic. 
Some  of  the  tribes  on  the  Perene  and  Capanegua  do 
not,  like  most  wild  nations,  respect  the  remains  of  the 
dead,  but  throw  the  bodies  into  the  forest  unburied,  to 
be  devoured  by  beasts  of  prey. 

Very  little  is  correctly  known  of  the  religion  of  the 
Peruvian  Indios  Bravos.  All  believe  in  the  existence  of 
superior  beings,  and  distinguish  them  as  good  and  evil ; 
and  they  are  accordingly  venerated  from  gratitude,  or 
from  fear.  The  former  they  regard  as  beneficent; 
but  the  latter  as  having  the  power  of  bringing  into 


RELIGION    AND    SUPERSTITIONS.  413 

exercise  all  the  destroying  forces  of  nature.  These 
people,  therefore,  find  in  the  sky,  in  the  air,  and  on  the 
earth,  objects  for  their  adoration.  Certain  constellations 
are  regarded  as  favourable  phenomena,  while  others  are 
looked  at  with  a  secret  horror.  The  sun  is  by  all  gladly 
worshipped,  more  particularly  by  the  descendants  of 
those  who  in  early  times  stood  in  connection  with  the 
Incas.  On  the  other  hand,  they  pay  but  a  reluctant 
tribute  to  the  moon,  perhaps  because  by  its  pale  light 
fearful  images  are  reflected  around  them  in  the  forests, 
and  because  its  phases  are  to  them  involved  in  impene- 
trable mystery.  They  ascribe  thunder  and  lightning 
to  demoniacal  influences,  and  to  the  same  origin  they 
attribute  certain  winds  which  have  an  injurious  influence 
on  their  health.  But  their  religious  notions  are  not 
connected  exclusively  with  the  phenomena  of  nature, 
which  are  to  them  inexplicable.  With  all  their  ideas 
on  surrounding  nature,  two  conflicting  principles  are 
invariably  connected,  one  of  which  is  believed  to  be 
beneficial,  the  other  injurious  to  them.  In  the  animals 
of  the  forest,  the  plants,  the  stones,  in  everything, 
they  trace  these  beneficent  or  demoniacal  powers. 
Every  idea,  every  action  is  with  them  a  consequence  of 
the  influence  of  one  of  these  two  powers,  and  free  will 
is  impossible.  Though  a  rude  materialism  cripples  the 
intelligence  of  these  Indians,  yet  they  seem  to  be  sensi- 
ble of  the  connection  between  that  which  is  perceptible 
to  their  senses,  and  something  higher — something  beyond 
the  sphere  of  corporeal  perception.  But,  of  the  nature 
of  this  higher  something,  they  have  no  comprehension, 


414  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

nor  do  they  endeavour  to  render  to  themselves  any 
account  of  it.  They  are  satisfied  with  an  obscure  idea 
of  the  difference  between  the  visible  and  the  invisible  ; 
but,  still  this  idea  is  so  contracted  that  they  always  give 
to  the  spiritual  a  corporeal  form  ;  and  they  attribute  to 
natural  objects  with  which  they  come  most  in  contact, 
the  possession  of  good  or  evil  qualities,  thus  assigning  to 
them  the  nature  of  spiritual  beings. 

None  of  these  tribes  appear,  as  yet,  to  have  advanced 
so  far  as  to  be  impressed  with  the  persuasion  that  the 
whole  of  nature  is  guided  by  unchangeable  laws  over 
which  one  will  presides.  In  general,  they  have  no  idea 
of  a  spiritual  unity,  and  are  utter  strangers  to  the  know- 
ledge of  one  God.  They  all,  however,  believe  in  the 
immortality  of  the  soul.  They  see  the  lifeless  body, 
they  have  certain  proof  that  the  earthly  integument  is 
no  longer  the  abode  of  the  soul ;  but,  as  they  can  form 
no  notion  of  anything  spiritual  entirely  self-existent,  they 
imagine  that  their  dead  will,  in  new  life,  appear  under  a 
new  bodily  form.  The  several  tribes  differ  greatly  in 
their  belief  of  the  nature  of  the  metamorphoses  which 
they  expect  to  take  place.  Those  who  look  forward  to 
the  re-appearance  of  the  deceased  in  human  life,  bury 
with  the  men  hunting  and  agricultural  instruments ;  but 
their  notions  even  on  this  head  are  not  very  clear,  and 
when  questioned  on  the  subject  their  answers  are  very 
confused.  They  say  that  they  are  going  to  a  very  beau- 
tiful place,  far  from  their  present  dwelling  ;  but,  accord- 
ing to  their  conception,  it  appears  that  the  place  though 
distant  is  still  on  earth.  Those  races  who  believe  in 


PHYSICAL    PECULIAKITIES.  415 

metamorphoses  into  the  forms  of  the  lower  animals,  are 
persuaded  that  the  dead  in  their  new  forms  will  inhabit 
the  woods  around  their  homes,  and  avenge  the  wrongs 
they  have  suffered  during  life.  This  is  the  belief  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Upper  Ucayali  and  Pachitea. 

In  considering  the  physical  formation  of  the  wild 
Indians,  we  may  class  them  according  to  their  natural 
divisions,  viz.,  the  inhabitants  of  the  more  highly  situated 
lands,  or  mountains,  and  those  of  the  low  hot  flat  country. 
The  former  dwell  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  hill-chain, 
dividing  the  river  territory  of  the  Huallaga  and  Ucayali, 
and  spreading  to  the  banks  of  the  Chauchamayo,  Perene, 
and  Apurimac.  These  are  the  Iscuchanos.  They  are 
rather  tall  and  generally  slim ;  their  limbs  are  vigorous  ; 
their  hands  and  feet  small,  and  in  walking  their  toes  are 
much  turned  in.  The  head  is  proportionally  large,  with 
very  strong  bones  ;  the  forehead  is  low,  the  eyes  small 
and  animated,  the  nose  large  and  rather  sharp,  the  cheek- 
bones a  little  prominent.  The  mouth  is  not  large,  and 
the  lips  are  delicately  formed,  but  often  disfigured  by 
ornaments.  The  ears  are  small,  quite  the  reverse  of 
those  of  the  Indians  of  the  flat  lands.  The  pointed  chin 
is  only  sparingly  covered  with  beard,  which  does  not 
appear  until  advanced  age,  and  on  the  cheeks  there  is 
none.  The  hair  of  the  head  is  long,  stiff,  and  of  a  bril- 
liant black.  Many  of  the  tribes  dye  their  hair  ;  the 
Chunchos  dye  it  red,  and  the  Antis  are  said  to  dye  it 
blue ;  as  to  the  latter  colour  it  appears  to  me  impro- 
bable, but  I  mention  it  on  the  authority  of  Friar  Leceta. 
The  skin  is  fine  and  soft,  the  colour  a  deep  rusty  brown. 


416  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

In  speaking  of  the  South  American  Indians,  it  is  usual 
to  describe  their  skin  as  copper  colour,  but  this  term  is 
incorrect,  for  there  certainly  is  no  single  tribe  to  which 
it  might  be  perfectly  applicable.  It  appears  to  me  that 
the  colour  of  all  is  much  fainter,  and  tending  more  to 
brown  or  yellow.  "Rusty  brown,"  if  the  expression 
may  be  used,  appears  to  me  far  more  descriptive. 

The  second  natural  section  of  the  wild  Indians  inhabits 
the  northern  part  of  the  Pampa  del  Sacramento,  the 
banks  of  the  Ucayali,  and  of  the  Maranon.  They  are 
smaller  than  those  just  described.  There  is  a  certain 
peculiarity  in  the  make  of  these  people ;  for  though  they 
are  broad  over  the  shoulders  yet  their  chests  are  flat, 
and  their  shoulder  blades  lie  low.  Their  limbs  are  lank, 
and  their  hands  rather  small ;  the  soles  of  the  feet  are 
broad  and  flat.  The  face  is  broad,  the  eyes  long  shaped, 
the  pupil  deeply  set,  the  nose  is  flat,  with  large  oblique 
nostrils,  and  the  cheek-bones  are  prominent.  The  mouth  is 
wide,  the  lips  thick,  and  among  some  tribes  the  mouth 
and  nose  are  very  close  together.  The  chin  is  small  and 
round,  the  ears  large  and  standing  out  from  the  head. 
The  hair  and  beard  of  these  Indians  are  the  same  as  in 
those  of  the  hilly  country.  The  colour  of  the  skin  varies 
much  ;  in  some  it  is  a  light  reddish  brown ;  in  others,  a 
kind  of  yellow,  very  like  that  of  the  Mongols.  The 
women  of  all  these  tribes  are  exceedingly  ugly,  and  far 
from  corresponding  with  the  picture  a  European  imagina- 
tion might  form  of  the  daughters  of  the  aboriginal  forests. 
These  women  soon  become  old,  for  they  not  only  fulfil 
female  duties,  but  execute  the  greater  part  of  those 


ANIMAL    WORLD    IN    THE    FORESTS.  417 

severer  labours  which  ought  to  fall  to  the  share  of  the 
stronger  sex. 

To  the  above  outline  sketch  of  the  human  inhabitants 
of  the  aboriginal  forests,  I  will  now  add  some  description 
of  the  animal  world,  as  it  came  under  my  observation  in 
those  luxuriant  regions. 

Unlike  the  peaceful  repose  which  presides  over  animal 
life  on  the  level  heights,  are  the  constant  aggressions  and 
combats  which  prevail  in  the  forest  regions.  There  the 
strong  attack  the  weak,  and  the  cunning  inveigle  the 
unwary :  strength  and  intelligence,  caution  and  instinct, 
are  unceasingly  in  active  operation.  The  variegated  forms 
and  colours  which  meet  the  eye,  and  the  multifarious 
cries  and  tones  which  resound  through  the  woods,  form, 
altogether,  the  most  singular  contrasts.  The  gold- 
feathered  colibri  hums  lightly  through  the  air,  soaring- 
over  the  heavy,  sombre-coloured  tapir.  The  sprightly 
singing-bird  pours  forth  his  melodious  chaunts  amidst 
the  thick  foliage  of  the  aged  trees,  whilst  the  fierce 
ounce,  prowling  for  his  prey,  growls  as  he  passes 
over  their  enormous,  spreading  roots.  Slowly  do 
the  eye  and  the  ear  learn  to  distinguish  individuals 
in  the  vast  mass  of  apparent  chaotic  confusion,  and  to 
recognise  quickly  fleeting  forms,  or  distant  resounding 
sounds. 

The  whole  of  the  animal  world  is  here  developed  to 
the  view,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  assign  the  predomin- 
ance to  any  one  class.  Yet,  perhaps,  the  variegated 
feathered  tribe  is  relatively  most  extensively  represented. 
The  number  of  the  mammalia  is  also  important.  They 

EE 


418  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

are   seldom  seen  by  the  hunter  during  the   day,  but 
twilight  draws  them  from  their  hiding-places. 

Troops  of  monkeys  skip  from  tree  to  tree,  looking 
timidly  around,  and  uttering  mournful  howls.  Among 
them  are  swarms  of  the  black  marimonda  (A teles),  with 
slender  long  arms  and  red-brown  or  black  faces  ;  in 
some  the  faces  are  encircled  with  white  hair  (Ateles 
marginatus,  Geoff.),  which  gives  them  a  striking  resem- 
blance to  an  old  negro.  Next  is  seen  a  group  of  silver- 
grey  monkeys  (Lagothrix  Humboldtii,  Geoff.),  stalking 
over  heaps  of  broken  branches  and  twigs  in  search  of  a 
resting-place.  These  monkeys,  which  are  the  largest  in 
South  America,  are  about  three  feet  high,  and  are  bold 
and  vicious.  When  wounded  they  take  a  position  of 
defence  against  the  hunter,  struggling,  and  uttering  loud 
cries,  upon  which  their  companions  hasten  down  from 
the  trees  to  assist  them.  But,  soon,  a  short  stifled  cry 
is  heard :  it  is  the  cry  of  mortal  convulsion.  That  sound 
drives  them  instantly  back,  and  they  disperse  in  wild 
flight.  The  sly  sayu  ventures  to  approach  the  dwell- 
ings of  men,  where  he  plunders  maize  fields  with 
incredible  dexterity.  The  delicate  silky-haired  monkey, 
shivering  at  every  cool  breeze  or  shower  of  rain,  and 
starting  at  the  slightest  noise,  creeps  for  shelter  into  the 
thicket,  where  he  lies  peeping  with  his  penetrating  eyes 
in  the  direction  of  the  apprehended  danger. 

At  sunset  swarms  of  bats  flutter  through  field  and 
forest  in  all  directions,  and  greedily  devour  the  insects 
which  in  the  twilight  awaken  to  full  activity.  Some  of 
these  bats  (Phyllostoma  hastatum,  Geoff.)  are  remark- 


BLOOD-SUCKING    BATS.  419 

able  for  their  expanse  of  wing,  which  measures  nearly 
two  feet.  Others  are  distinguished  for  ugliness  and  for 
their  offensive  smell.  These  latter  fly  into  the  Indian 
huts  at  night  and  greatly  annoy  the  inhabitants,  who 
cannot  get  rid  of  them  by  fire  or  smoke,  or  any  other 
means,  until  at  the  midnight  hour  they  retire  of  their 
own  accord.  Not  less  troublesome  are  the  leaf-nosed 
bats  (Phyllostomd),  which  attack  both  man  and  beast. 
This  bat  rubs  up  the  skin  of  his  victim,  from  which  he 
sucks  the  blood.  The  domestic  animals  suffer  greatly 
from  the  nocturnal  attacks  of  these  bats,  and  many  are 
destroyed  by  the  exhaustion  consequent  on  the  repeated 
blood-sucking.  The  blood  drawn  by  the  bat  itself  does 
not  exceed  a  few  ounces  ;  but  if,  when  satisfied,  it  drops 
down  to  the  ground,  or  flies  away,  the  wound  continues 
to  bleed  for  a  long  time,  and  in  the  morning  the  animal 
is  often  found  in  a  very  weak  condition,  and  covered 
with  blood.  One  of  my  mules,  on  which  a  leaf-nosed 
bat  made  a  nightly  attack,  was  only  saved  by  having  his 
-back  rubbed  with  an  ointment  made  of  spirits  of  cam- 
phor, soap  and  petroleum.  The  blood-suckers  have 
such  an  aversion  to  the  smell  of  this  ointment  that  on  its 
application  they  ceased  to  approach  the  mule.  These 
bats  are  very  mischievous  in  the  plantations  of  the 
forests,  where  beasts  of  burthen  and  horned  cattle  are  ex- 
posed to  their  attacks.  Whether  they  venture  to  assail 
man  has  been  a  much-disputed  question.  Several  tra- 
vellers declare  that  they  do  not.  I  may,  however, 
mention  a  case  which  occurred  within  my  own  know- 
ledge, A  bat  (Ph.  erythromox,  Tsch.)  fastened  on  the 

E  E  2 


420  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

nose  of  an  Indian  lying  intoxicated  in  a  plantation,  and 
sucked  so  much  blood  that  it  was  unable  to  fly  away. 
The  slight  wound  was  followed  by  such  severe  inflam- 
mation and  swelling  that  the  features  of  the  Cholo  were 
not  recognisable. 

Many  beasts  of  prey,  and  among  them  some  of  formid- 
able strength  and  fierceness,  make  havoc  among  the 
other  animals  of  the  forests.  In  the  more  lofty  Mon- 
tanas  the  black  bear  (U.  frugilegus,  Tsch.)  roams  as 
wild  as  his  fellow-depredator  of  the  Cordillera.  He 
often  enters  the  maize  fields  of  the  Indians,  breaks 
the  stalks  of  the  plants  and  drags  the  green  tops 
away  to  his  hole.  When  this  bear  cannot  obtain  his 
customary  vegetable  food,  consisting  chiefly  of  the 
fruits  of  a  pandanea,  (Phyteleplias) ,  he  watches  for  the 
deer  and  wild  boars,  or  attacks  the  oxen  employed  to 
turn  the  machinery  in  the  sugar-mills :  he  has  even  been 
known  to  assail  solitary  travellers.  The  lively  coatis 
traverse  the  forests  in  flocks.  They  collect  round  the 
roots  of  trees  and  search  for  the  larvae  of  insects  ;  light- 
footed,  they  climb  up  bush  and  tree  to  find  birds'  nests, 
and  feast  on  the  eggs  and  the  young.  With  a  monoto- 
nous howl,  not  unlike  that  made  by  some  dogs  on  a  clear 
moonlight  night,  the  yellow-breasted  glutton,  (Galictis 
Barbara,  Wieg.),  the  omeyro  of  the  Indians,  announces 
his  presence.  But  the  most  fierce  of  all  these  wild 
forest  animals  are  those  of  the  feline  class.  The  spot- 
less dark-grey  yaguarundi,  not  much  larger  than  the 
wild  cat  of  Europe,  pursues  all  kinds  of  birds,  particu- 
larly the  pigeon,  the  partridge,  and  the  penelope.  The 


THE  PUMA  AND  THE  OUNCE.          421 

oscollo,  (F.  celidoy aster,  Tern.),  the  uturunca,  (F.  par- 
dalis,  L.),  and  the  long-tailed,  yellowish-grey  tiger-cat, 
(F.  macrourura,  Pr.  M.),  all  lie  in  wait,  not  only  for 
the  weaker  mammalia,  but  sometimes  they  even  venture 
into  the  plantations  and  kill  dogs  and  poultry.  The 
maneless  Mexican  lion  (the  puma),  roams  through  the 
upper  regions  of  the  forest,  where  he  has  almost  undis- 
puted hunting-ground.  He  fearlessly  assails  victims  who 
cannot  effectually  defend  themselves,  such  as  the  horse, 
the  mule,  and  the  ass,  and  he  tears  large  pieces  of  flesh 
from  their  ribs ;  but  he  does  not  venture  to  meddle  with 
oxen.  He  shuns  men,  and  in  the  forest  he  even  flies 
from  the  unarmed  Indian.  I  fired  at  a  very  large 
puma,  which  immediately  fled,  roaring  loudly.  When 
severely  wounded  and  driven  into  a  corner,  this  animal 
frequently  commences  a  combat  of  despair,  and  some- 
times kills  the  hunter.  The  puma  measures  in  length 
about  four  feet,  and  in  height  more  than  two  feet.  More 
direful  than  any  of  the  felines  mentioned  above  is  the 
sanguinary  ounce,  *  which  possesses  vast  strength,  and 
is  of  a  most  savage  disposition.  Though  the  favourite 
haunts  of  this  animal  are  the  expansive  Pajonales,  yet  he 
frequently  takes  up  his  abode  in  the  vicinity  of  villages 
and  plantations,  spreading  terror  among  the  inhabitants. 
Far  from  being  intimidated  at  the  sight  of  men,  he  often 
attacks  individuals,  and  when  pressed  by  hunger  is  not 
afraid,  even  in  broad  day-light,  to  slip  into  the  forest 


»  The  Indian  name  for  this  animal  is  Chaque  chinca.     The  black  variety 
Tana  chinca  is  called  by  the  Spaniai-ds  Tigre  or  Yaguar. 


422  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

villages  in  order  to  carry  off  food,  and  the  booty,  when 
once  seized,  is  not  easily  recovered. 

An  amusing  example  of  this  occurred  in  the  Montana 
of  Vitoc.     An  Indian  one  night   heard  his  only  pig 
squeaking  loudly,  as  if  in  pain.     He  hastened  to  the 
door  of  his  hut  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  he 
discovered  that  an   ounce  had  seized  the  pig  by  the 
head,  and  was  carrying  it  off.     The  Cholo,  who  deter- 
mined to  make  an  effort  to  recover  his  property,  seized 
the  pig  by  the  hind  legs,  and  endeavoured  to  drag  it 
from  the  grasp  of  the  robber.     This  contest  was  kept  up 
for  some  time,  the  ounce,  with  his  eyes  glaring  in  the 
darkness,  holding  fast  the  head  of  the  pig,  and  the 
Indian  pulling  it  hard  by  the  legs.    At  length  the  Indian's 
wife  came  to  the  door  of  the  hut  with  a  lighted  faggot, 
and  the  scared  ounce,   with  terrible  howlings,   slowly 
retired  to  the  forest.     In  general  the  Indians  have  a 
great  dread  of  these  animals,  and  seldom  venture  singly 
into  the  parts  they  frequent.     The  ounce  hunter  is  the 
only  one  who  ventures  to  approach  them.     He  is  armed 
with  a  long  spear,  with  which  he  gives  the  ferocious 
animal  a  death  blow.      He  lets  the  ounce  come  within 
a  few  paces  of  him   without  making  the  least  show 
either  of  flight  or  attack.     If,  however,  the  stroke  he 
aims  does  not  immediately  reach  the  seat  of  life,  the 
hunter,  in  general,  becomes  the  victim  of  his  bold  attempt. 
Before    he   can   stand   on   his    defence,    the   wounded 
ounce  drags  him  to  the  ground,  and  tears  the  flesh  from 
his  bones. 

Sometimes  the  villagers  collect  their  dogs  together  for 


HUNTING    THE    OUNCE.  423 

a  general  hunt.  They  drive  the  ounce  into  a  place  from 
whence  there  is  no  escape,  or  often  up  a  tree,  where 
they  shoot  him  with  long  arrows  sent  from  their  bows 
or  blow-tubes.  In  a  few  places  snares  are  laid,  or  large 
holes  are  dug,  and  a  sharp-pointed  stake  is  stuck  in  the 
middle,  covered  with  stalks  and  branches  of  trees,  on 
which  the  bait  is  laid.  The  ounce  is,  however,  too 
cunning  to  be  easily  caught  in  traps,  and  it  is  only  when 
pressed  by  hunger  that  he  can  be  tempted  by  a  bait. 
In  some  districts  the  ounces  have  increased  so  greatly, 
and  done  so  much  damage,  that  the  natives  have  been 
compelled  to  remove  and  settle  in  other  places.  I 
need  only  refer  to  the  Quebrada  of  Mayunmarca,  in  the 
Montana  of  Huanta,  near  the  road  to  Anco.  There 
once  stood  the  little  village  of  Mayumarca,  which  has 
been  abandoned  for  more  than  a  hundred  years,  as  it 
was  found  that  the  jaguars  annually  decimated  the  inha- 
bitants ;  this  Quebrada  is  still  in  such  bad  repute  that 
not  a  single  Indian  will  venture  into  it. 

There  is  a  black  variety  of  the  ounce,  by  many 
erroneously  regarded  as  a  distinct  species.  It  has  the 
identical  marks  of  the  common  jaguar,  or  ounce,  only  its 
colour  is  a  dark,  blackish-brown,  whereby  the  whole  of 
the  black  spots  are  rendered  indistinct.  On  the  lower 
banks  of  the  Ucayali  and  the  Marafion  this  dark  variety 
is  more  frequently  met  with  than  in  the  higher  forests  ; 
in  the  Montafias  of  Huanta  and  Urubamba  it  is  also  not 
uncommon.  It  is  upon  the  whole  larger,  stronger,  and 
more  daring  than  the  lighter  kind,  and  I  have  actually 
seen  many  black  skins  which  exceeded  the  usual  length ; 


424  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

but  of  specific  distinctions  there  is  no  indication.  The 
superstitious  Indians  assign  extraordinary  powers  to 
everything  that  departs  from  the  common  course  ;  the 
black  ounce  is,  accordingly,  supposed  to  possess  singular 
properties.  The  yana  chinca  holds  a  prominent  place  in 
the  religious  ceremonies  of  some  of  the  Indian  races. 

Turning  from  these  fierce  natives  of  the  forests,  we 
will  now  take  a  glimpse  at  the  peaceful  inhabitants  of 
those  umbrageous  regions.  In  the  hollow  stems  of 
trees,  or  among  their  canopied  branches,  are  found  the 
timid  marsupial  animals  (Did.  impavida,  and  noctivaga, 
Tsch.)  These  animals  remain  in  obscure  holes  until  the 
sun  sinks  beneath  the  horizon,  when  they  slip  out  in 
search  of  insects  and  fruit.  Not  unfrequently  they 
penetrate  into  the  slightly  guarded  Indian  huts,  creeping 
into  every  corner,  until  at  last  they  are  caught  in  traps 
baited  with  pieces  of  banana  and  pine-apple.  The  lofty 
Terebintkacece,  with  their  walnut-like  fruit,  are  inhabited 
by  swarms  of  squirrels,  which  strongly  remind  the  Euro- 
pean of  his  own  woods.  Numbers  of  the  mouse  family, 
from  the  small  tree-mouse  (Drymomys  parmdus,  Tsch.) 
to  the  large,  loathsome,  spinous  rat  (Echinomys  leptosoma, 
Wagn.)  swarm  over  all  the  Montanas,  and  love  to 
approximate  to  the  dwellings  of  man.  These  animals 
destroy  the  gathered  harvest,  and  even  in  these  remote 
regions  they  become  a  plague.  It  is  a  striking  fact,  that 
certain  animals  are  almost  inseparable  from  man.  They 
keep  with  him,  or  follow  him  wherever  he  settles.  The 
mouse  genus  is  one  of  these.  On  the  coast  mice  are 
not  the  same  as  on  the  mountains,  and  in  the  forests 


THE    SLOTH    AND   THE    AKMADILLO.  425 

they  are  again  different.     Everywhere  they  leave  their 
original  dwelling  places,  which  they  exchange  for  an 
abode  with  man.      As  the  mouse  and  the    rat  attack 
the  gathered  fruits  of  the  earth,  the  agouti  preys  on 
those  yet   standing  in  the  field.      These  animals  are 
seldom  found  in  the  depths  of  the  forest,  but  more  fre- 
quently on  its  edge  near  the  chacras  of  the  Indians. 
Shortly  before  sunset  they  leave  the  thickets,  and  steal- 
thily repair  to  the  maize,  yucca,  and  anana  fields,  where 
they  scratch  up  the  root  and  eat  the  grain  and  fruit; 
but  the  slightest  noise  drives  them  back  to  their  holes. 
In  the  deeper  recesses  of  the  forest  resounds  the  mono- 
tonous, drawling  cry  of  the  sloth.     Here  we  have  a 
symbol  of  life  under  the  utmost  degree  of  listlessness, 
and  of  the  greatest  insensibility  in  a  state  of  languid 
repose.    This  emblem  of  misery  fixes  itself  on  an  almost 
leafless  bough,  and  there  remains  defenceless ;  a  ready 
prey  to  any  assailant.      Better  defended  is  the  scale- 
covered   armadillo,  with  his  coat   of  mail.      Towards 
evening  he  burrows  deep  holes  in  the  earth,  and  searches 
for  the  larvae  of  insects,  or  he  ventures  out  of  the  forest, 
and  visits  the  yucca  fields,  where  he  digs  up  the  well- 
flavoured  roots.     The  ant-eater  rakes  up  with  his  long 
curved  claws  the  crowded  resorts  of  ants,  stretches  out 
his  long,  spiral,  and  adhesive  tongue,  into  the  midst  of 
the  moving  swarm,  and  draws  it  back  covered  with  a 
multitude  of  crawling  insects. 

In  the  soft  marshy  grounds,  or  in  the  damp  shady 
recesses  of  the  forests,  the  heavy  tapir  reposes  during 
the  heat  of  the  day  ;  but  when  the  fresh  coolness  of 


426  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

evening  sets  in,  he  roves  through  the  forest,  tears 
the  tender  twigs  from  the  bushes,  or  seeks  food  in  the 
grass-covered  Pajonales.  Sometimes  a  multitude  of 
tapirs  sally  from  the  forests  into  the  cultivated  fields,  to 
the  great  alarm  of  the  Indians.  A  broad  furrow  marks 
the  tract  along  which  they  have  passed,  and  the  plants 
they  encounter  in  their  progress  are  trampled  down  or 
devoured.  Such  a  visit  is  particularly  fatal  to  the  coca 
fields  ;  for  the  tapirs  are  extremely  fond  of  the  leaves  of 
the  low-growing  coca  plant,  and  they  often,  in  one  night, 
destroy  a  coca  field  which  has  cost  a  poor  Indian  the 
hard  labour  of  a  year. 

Flocks  of  the  umbilical  hog,  or  peccary,  traverse  the 
level  Montanas.  If  one  of  them  is  attacked  by  the 
hunter,  a  whole  troop  falls  furiously  on  him,  and  it  is 
only  by  promptly  climbing  up  a  tree  that  he  can  escape ; 
then,  whizzing  and  grunting,  they  surround  the  stem, 
and  with  their  snouts  turn  up  the  earth  round  the  root, 
as  if  intending  to  pull  down  the  tree  and  so  get  at  their 
enemy.  The  stag  lurks  in  the  thicket  to  withdraw  from 
the  eyes  of  the  greedy  ounce  ;  but  towards  evening  he 
leaves  his  hiding  place,  and  sometimes  strays  beyond 
the  boundary  of  the  forest ;  he  ventures  into  the  maize 
fields  of  the  plantations,  where  he  tarries  until  night  is 
far  advanced. 

The  same  diversity  of  nature  and  habits  is  seen  in 
the  numerous  hosts  of  birds  that  inhabit  the  leafy  cano- 
pies of  the  forest.  On  the  loftiest  trees,  of  on  detached 
rocks,  eagles,  kites,  and  falcons,  build  their  eyries. 
The  most  formidable  of  these  birds  of  prey,  both  for 


THE    TUNQUI.  427 

boldness  and  strength,  the  Morphnus  harpyia,  Cab., 
darts  down  on  the  largest  animals  and  fears  not  to 
encounter  the  fiercest  inhabitant  of  the  forest.  The  owl 
(Noctua,  Scops,  Stria,)  and  the  goat-milker  (Caprimul- 
gus,  Hydropsalis,  Chordiles,)  fly  with  softly  flapping 
wings  to  their  hunting  quarters  to  surprise  their  victims 
whilst  asleep.  In  the  hilly  parts  of  the  Montarias  the 
black  ox-bird  (Cephalopterus  ornatus,  Geoff.),  the  Toro- 
pishu  of  the  Indians  fills  the  forest  with  his  distant 
bellow,  similar  to  the  roaring  of  a  bull.  The  Tunqui  * 
inhabits  the  same  district.  This  bird  is  of  the  size  of  a 
cock  ;  the  body  is  bright  red,  but  the  wings  are  black. 
The  head  is  surmounted  by  a  tuft  of  red  feathers,  be- 
neath which  the  orange  bill  projects  with  a  slight  curve. 
It  lives  sociably  with  other  birds  in  thickets,  or  among 
Cinchona  trees,  the  fruit  of  which  is  part  of  its  food. 
Its  harsh  cry  resembles  the  grunt  of  the  hog,  and 
forms  a  striking  contrast  to  its  beautiful,  plumage. 
Numberless  fly-catchers  and  shrikes  (Muscicapidcs  and 
Laniadfe]  hover  on  tree  and  bush,  watching  for  the 
passing  insects,  which  they  snatch  up  with  extraordinary 
dexterity.  Finches  twitter  on  the  summits  of  the  loftiest 
trees  beyond  the  reach  of  the  hunter's  shot  :  they  are 
distinguished,  like  the  Ampelidce,  who,  however,  live 
amongst  the  lower  bushes,  by  the  lively  and  almost 

*  Rupicola  peruviana,  Ch.  Dum.  The  colour  of  the  female  is  reddish  brown, 
and  she  is  named  by  the  natives  Tunqui  mulato  ;  the  male  is  called  Tunqui  Colo- 
rado. In  some  parts  of  the  Montarias  the  Cephalopterus  ornatus  is  called  Yana 
Tunqui.  Thus,  even  the  Indians  have  observed  the  relationship  of  these  birds, 
which,  classed  according  to  our  system  of  natural  history,  actually  belong  to  one 
family,  the  AmpeUda.  Their  affinity  is  indicated  very  correctly  by  the  Indian 
name. 


428  TRAVELS    IK    PEUU. 

dazzling  colours  of  their  feathers.  In  modest  plumage 
of  cinnamon-brown,  with  head  and  neck  of  dark  olive, 
the  Oryanisfa*  raises,  in  the  most  woody  parts  of  the 
forest,  her  enchanting  song,  which  is  usually  the  prog- 
nostic of  an  approaching  storm.  The  tender,  melancholy 
strains  and  the  singular  clearness  of  the  innumerable 
modulations  charm  the  ear  of  the  astonished  traveller, 
who,  as  if  arrested  by  an  invisible  power,  stops  to  listen 
to  the  syren,  unmindful  of  the  danger  of  the  threatening 
storm.  On  old  decayed  stumps  of  trees  the  busy 
creeper  f  and  the  variegated  woodpecker  are  seen 
pecking  the  insects  from  under  the  loose  bark,  or  by 
their  tapping  bring  them  out  of  their  concealed  crevices ; 
while  the  red-tailed  potter-bird  (Opetiorynchus  rufican- 
dus,  Pr.  Max.)  builds  his  dwelling  of  potter's  clay,  or 
loam,  as  firmly  as  if  it  were  destined  to  last  for  ever. 
The  pouched  starlings  J  hang  their  nests,  often  four  or 
five  feet  long,  on  the  slender  branches  of  trees,  where 
they  swing  to  and  fro  with  the  slightest  breath  of  wind. 
Like  a  dazzling  flash  of  coloured  light  the  colibri  (hum- 
ming-bird) appears  and  disappears.  No  combination  of 
gorgeous  colouring  can  exceed  that  which  is  presented 
in  the  plumage  of  the  golden-tailed  humming  or  fly-bird 
(Trochilus  chrysurm,  Cuv.)  which  haunts  the  warm 

*  The  Organistas  of  Peru,  Brazil,  and  Guiana,  &c.,  mentioned  by  so  many 
travellers,  all  belong  to  the  family  of  the  Troglodytinse,  to  the  two  genera, 
Troglodytes,  Vieill,  and  Cyphorhinus,  Cab.  The  Peruvian  Organista  above 
alluded  to,  is  the  Troglodytes  lewophrys,  Tsch.  In  Guiana  it  appears  to  be  the 
Cyphorhinus  carinatus,  Cab. 

t  Xenops,  Anabates,  Dendrocolaptes,  and  many  other  kinds  of  Capita  and 
Picus. 

+  These  are  different  kinds  of  Ca-ssicus  and  Icterus. 


CURIOUS    BIRDS.  429 

primeval  forests,  but  it  is  still  more  frequently  found  in 
the  pure  atmosphere  of  the  ceja-girded  Montanas,  The 
silky  cuckoo  (Trogon  heliothri^  Tsch.)  retires  into  the 
thickest  masses  of  foliage,  from  which  its  soft  rose- 
coloured  plumage  peeps  out  like  a  flower.  The  cry  of  the 
voraciuos  chuquimbis*  accompanies  the  traveller  from  his 
first  steps  in  the  Montanas  to  his  entrance  into  the  pri- 
meval forests,  where  he  finds  their  relative,  Dios  te  de  f. 
This  bird  accompanies  its  significant  cry  by  throwing 
back  its  head  and  making  a  kind  of  rocking  movement 
of  its  body.  The  Indians,  who  are  always  disposed  to 
connect  superstitious  ideas  with  the  natural  objects  they 
see  around  them,  believe  that  some  great  misfortune  will 
befall  any  one  who  may  shoot  this  bird,  because  it  utters 
the  sacred  word,  Dios.  Long  trains  of  green  parrots  fill 
the  air  with  their  noisy  chattering.  One  kind  of  these 
birds  (Ps.  mercenarius,  Tsch.)  is  remarkable  for  regular 
migrations.  Every  morning  they  sally  forth  in  flocks 
from  the  upper  to  the  lower  forests,  where  they  pass  the 
day,  and  they  regularly  return  before  sunset  to  their  roost- 
ing places.  From  year  to  year  these  parrots  leave  their 
night  quarters  daily  at  the  same  hour,  and  return  with 
equal  punctuality  before  sunset.  This  regularity  of  de- 
parting and  returning  has  caused  the  natives  to  give 
them  the  name  of  Jornaleros  (day-labourers).  From  the 

*  Kinds  of  Pteroglossus.  Those  most  frequently  met  with  in  the  Montanas 
are  the  Pt.  atrogularis,  Sturm  ;  PL  cceruleocinctus,  Tsch.  (Aulacorhynchus,  Orb.); 
and  Pt.  Derbianus,  Gould. 

•f*  Dios  te  de,  signifies  May  God  give  it  thee.  The  sound  which  is  interpreted 
Dios  te  de,  resembles  very  much  the  cry  of  most  of  the  Toucans,  or  pepper- 
eaters. 


430  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

depth  of  the  forests  sounds  often  arise  which  resemble 
human  voices,  and  the  astonished  hunter  then  believes 
that  he  is  in  the  vicinity  of  his  companions,  or,  perhaps,  of 
hostile  Indians.  He  eagerly  listens,  and  it  is  only  when 
well  acquainted  with  the  sounds  of  the  winged  inhabitants 
of  the  woods  that  he  can  recognise  the  melancholy  tones 
of  the  wood-pigeons  (C.  infuscata,  Licht. ;  C.  melancho- 
lica,  Tsch.).  When  day  begins  to  depart,  groups  of  the 
pheasant-like  Hachahuallpa*  assemble,  and  with  the  cry 
of  Ven  acd,  Ven  acd^  summon  their  distant  companions. 
Not  only  are  the  trees  of  the  forests  peopled  with 
myriads  of  birds,  but  the  earth  has  also  its  feathered 
inhabitants,  who  seldom  soar  above  the  level  of  the  soil. 
They  build  their  nests  among  the  roots  and  fallen 
branches,  and  depend  for  movement  more  on  their  feet 
than  on  their  wings.  Among  those  members  of  the 
winged  tribe,  who  show  no  disposition  to  soar  into  the 
regions  of  air,  we  find  here  the  turcassa,  a  pigeon 
with  richly-shaded  plumage  ;  the  beautifully  speckled 
toothed  fowl  (Odontophorm  speciosus,  Tsch.),  and  short- 
tailed  grass  fowl,  or  crake,J  whose  flesh  when  cooked  is 
delicately  white  and  finely  flavoured.  In  marshy  places 
and  on  the  slimy  banks  of  rivers,  the  jabiru  (Mycteria 
americana,  L.),  loves  to  wade,  together  with  the  rose- 
coloured  spoon-bill  (Platalea  ajaja,  L.)  ;  the  fish-de- 
vouring ibis  (Tantalus  loculator,  L.),  the  curved-billed 
snipe  (Rhynchoea  Hilcerea,  VaL),  the  party-coloured 

*  Several  kinds  of  Penelope. 

f  The  cry  of  this  bird  closely  resembles  the  Spanish  words  Ven  ard  (Corae 
hither). 

%  Seven  species  of  Crvpturus. 


AMPHIBIA    OF    THE    FORESTS.  431 

cranes,  plovers,  land-rails,  shrites,  and  even  sea-swal- 
lows/'5" In  the  rivers  there  are  ducks  :  these  birds  are, 
perhaps,  carried  down  by  the  currents  from  the  Andes, 
or,  possibly,  they  fly  in  great  trains  from  the  inner 
waters  of  Brazil. 

Of  the  amphibia  in  the  principal  forests  of  Peru, 
only  the  great  fresh- water  tortoise  (Hydraspis  ewpansa, 
Fitz.),  is  useful  to  the  natives.  On  the  sandy  banks  of 
rivers  this  animal  buries  its  eggs,  from  which  the 
Indians  extract  oil :  its  flesh,  also,  supplies  well-flavoured 
food.  All  other  animals  of  this  class  are  objects  of 
terror,  or  at  least  of  aversion,  to  the  Indians.  In  the 
warm  sand  of  the  river  banks,  lies  the  lazy  caiman.f 
He  keeps  his  jaws  wide  open,  only  closing  them  to 
swallow  the  innumerable  flies  which  he  catches  on  his 
tongue.  To  the  helplessness  of  these  animals  when  on 
land,  the  natives  have  to  be  thankful  that  they  are  not 
the  most  dangerous  scourges  of  the  forest :  in  water, 
their  boldness  and  swiftness  of  motion  are  fearful.  The 
number  of  lizards  here  is  not  great,  nor  do  they  attain 
so  considerable  a  size  as  in  other  equatorial  regions. 
The  serpents  are  to  be  feared,  and  on  approaching 
them,  it  is  not  easy  to  decide  at  the  first  view  whether 
they  belong  to  a  poisonous  or  innoxious  species.  In  the 
forests,  where  the  fallen  leaves  lie  in  thick,  moist  layers, 
the  foot  of  the  hunter  sinks  deep  at  every  step.  Multi- 
tudes of  venomous  amphibia  are  hatched  in  the  half- 
putrescent  vegetable  matter,  and  he  who  inadvertently 


*  Sterna  erythrorhynchos,  Prince  Max.  St.  magnirnstris,  Lioht. 
"\*  Champsajissipcs,  sclcrops  et  nir/ra,  Wagl. 


432  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

steps  on  one  of  these  animals  may  consider  himself 
uncommonly  fortunate  if  he  can  effect  his  retreat 
without  being  wounded.  But  it  is  not  merely  in  these 
places,  which  seem  assigned  by  nature  for  their  abode, 
that  loathsome  reptiles  are  found :  they  creep  between  the 
roots  of  large  trees,  under  the  thickly  interwoven  brush- 
wood, on  the  open  grass  plots,  and  in  the  maize  and 
sugar-cane  fields  of  the  Indians  :  nay,  they  crawl  even 
into  their  huts,  and  most  fortunate  is  it  for  the  inha- 
bitants of  those  districts  that  the  number  of  the 
venomous,  compared  with  the  innoxious  reptiles,  is 
comparatively  small.  Of  the  poisonous  serpents,  only 
a  few  kinds  are  known  whose  bite  is  attended  with 
very  dangerous  consequences.  The  Miuamaru,  or 
J ergon  (Lachesis  picta,  Tsch.),  is,  at  most,  three  feet 
long,  with  a  broad,  heart-shaped  head,  and  a  thick 
upper  lip.  It  haunts  the  higher  forests,  while  in  those 
lower  down  his  place  is  filled  by  his  no  less  fearful 
relative  Flammon  (Lachesis  rhombeata,  Prince  Max.), 
which  is  six  or  seven  feet  in  length.  These  serpents 
are  usually  seen  coiled  almost  in  a  circle,  the  head 
thrust  forward,  and  the  fierce,  treacherous-looking  eyes 
glaring  around,  watching  for  prey,  upon  which  they 
pounce  with  the  swiftness  of  an  arrow;  then,  coiling 
themselves  up  again,  they  look  tranquilly  on  the  death- 
struggle  of  the  victim.  It  would  appear  that  these 
amphibia  have  a  perfect  consciousness  of  the  dreadful 
effect  of  their  poisonous  weapon,  for  they  use  it  when 
they  are  neither  attacked  nor  threatened,  and  they 
wound  not  merely  animals  fit  for  their  food,  but  all  that 


POISONOUS   SNAKES.  433 

come  within  their  reach.  More  formidable  than  the 
two  snakes  just  described,  but  happily  much  less  com- 
mon, is  the  brown,  ten-inch  long  viper.  *  It  is  brown, 
with  two  rows  of  black  circular  spots.  The  effect  of 
its  bite  is  so  rapid,  that  it  kills  a  strong  man  in  two  or 
three  minutes.  So  convinced  are  the  natives  of  its 
inevitably  fatal  result,  that  they  never  seek  any  remedy; 
but  immediately  on  receiving  the  wound,  lay  themselves 
down  to  die.  In  the  Montanas  of  Pangoa  this  viper 
abounds  more  than  in  any  other  district,  and  never 
without  apprehension  do  the  Cholos  undertake  their 
annual  journey  for  the  coca  harvest,  as  they  fear  to  fall 
victims  to  the  bite  of  this  viper.  The  warning  sound 
of  the  rattle-snake  is  seldom  heard  in  the  hot  Montanas, 
and  never  in  the  higher  regions. 

Nature,  who  in  almost  all  things  has  established  an 
equilibrium,  supplies  the  natives  with  remedies  against 
the  bite  of  the  serpent.  One  of  the  cures  most 
generally  resorted  to  is  the  root  of  the  amarucachu, 
(Polianthes  tuber  osa,  L.),  cut  into  slips  and  laid  upon 
the  wound.  Another  is  the  juice  of  the  creeping  plant 
called  vejuco  de  huaco  (Mikania  Huaco,  Kth.),  which 
is  already  very  widely  celebrated.  This  latter  remedy 
was  discovered  by  the  negroes  of  the  equatorial  province, 
Choco.  They  remarked  that  a  sparrow-hawk,  called  the 
huaco,  picked  up  snakes  for  its  principal  food,  and  when 
bitten  by  one  it  flew  to  the  vejuco  and  ate  some  of  the 

*  Echidna  ocellata,  Tsch.     This  is  the  only  species  of  the  viper  family  belong- 
ing to  South  America,  as  yet  known. 

F  F 


434  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

leaves.  At  length  the  Indians  thought  of  making  the 
experiment  on  themselves,  and  when  bitten  by  serpents 
they  drank  the  expressed  juice  of  the  leaves  of  the 
vejuco,  and  constantly  found  that  the  wound  was  thereby 
rendered  harmless.  The  use  of  this  excellent  plant 
soon  became  general ;  and  in  some  places  the  belief  of 
the  preservative  power  of  the  vejuco  juice  was  carried  so 
far  that  men  in  good  health  were  inoculated  with  it. 
In  this  process  some  spoonsful  of  the  expressed  fluid  are 
drunk,  and  afterwards  some  drops  are  put  into  incisions 
made  in  the  hands,  feet,  and  breast.  The  fluid  is  rubbed 
into  the  wounds  by  fresh  vejuco  leaves.  After  this 
operation,  according  to  the  testimony  of  persons  worthy 
of  credit,  the  bite  of  the  poisonous  snake  fails  for  a  long 
time  to  have  any  evil  effect.  Besides  the  two  plants 
mentioned  above,  many  others  are  used  with  more  or 
less  favourable  results.  The  inhabitants  of  the  Montana 
also  resort  to  other  means,  which  are  too  absurd  to  be 
detailed  here  ;  yet  their  medicines  are  often  of  benefit, 
for  their  operation  is  violently  reactive.  They  usually 
produce  the  effect  of  repeated  emetics,  and  cause  great 
perspiration.  There  is  much  difference  in  the  modes  of 
external  treatment  of  the  wound,  and  burning  is  often 
employed.  I  saw  an  Indian  apply  to  his  wife's  foot, 
which  had  been  bitten,  a  plaster,  consisting  of  moist  gun- 
powder, pulverised  sulphur,  and  finely-chopped  tobacco, 
mixed  up  together.  He  laid  this  over  the  wounded  part 
and  set  fire  to  it.  This  application,  in  connection  with 
one  of  the  nausea-exciting  remedies  taken  inwardly, 
had  a  successful  result. 


THE    GIANT    SNAKE.  435 

Innoxious  snakes*  wind  on  tendrilled  climbing  plants, 
or  lie  like  necklaces  of  coral  on  the  brown  decayed 
leaves  (Elap.  affinis,  Fitz.).  Where  the  branches  of  rivers 
enter  the  gloomy  forests  and  form  little  narrow  lagunes, 
over  which  the  high  trees  spread  in  vaulted  cupolas 
almost  impervious  to  the  light  of  day,  there  dwells  the 
powerful  giant  snake,  (Eunectes  murinm,  Wagl.,)  called 
by  the  Indians,  in  their  figurative  language,  yacumaman, 
"mother  of  the  waters."  Stretched  in  listless  repose, 
or  winding  round  the  stem  of  an  old  tree,  bathing  her 
tail  in  the  cool  lagune,  she  watches  wistfully  for  the 
animals  of  the  forest  who  come  to  the  waters  to  quench 
their  thirst.  Whilst  she  gazes  at  her  distant  prey,  the 
fascinating  power  of  her  eyes  seems  to  subdue  the  trem- 
bling victim,  and,  unable  even  to  attempt  escape,  he 
falls  an  easy  sacrifice. 

The  amphibia  of  the  frog  species,  which  lie  concealed 
in  silent  repose  during  the  day,  raise,  after  sunset,  their 
far-sounding  voices.  The  violet  coloured  throat-blad- 
der (Cystignathus  silvestris,  Tsch.)  maintains  his  loud, 
uniform  croak  beneath  the  bushes,  or  penetrates  into  the 
huts  of  the  inhabitants.  The  trapichero,  or  sugar-mill 
frog,  is  a  large  species,  almost  half  a  foot  in  length.  Its 
croak  resembles  very  much  the  grating  sound  caused  by 
the  working  of  a  sugar-mill,  for  which  reason  the  natives 
have  given  it  the  name  of  trapichero,  or  the  sugar-miller. 
The  croaking  of  these  frogs,  whose  manifold  tones  blend 

*  Sphenocephalus  melanogenys,  Tsch.  ;  LygopJtis  Reginae^  Wagl. ;  L.  taeniurus, 
Tsch. ;  L.  elegans,  Tsch. 

F  F  2 


436  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

together  in  confused  union,  augments  not  a  little  the 
distressing  dreariness  of  a  forest  night. 

Of  the  numerous  species  of  insects  which  swarm  in 
these  regions,  few  are  remarkable  for  beauty  ;  but  many 
fix  attention  by  their  peculiar  habits.  The  bites  and 
stings  of  numbers  of  them  are  very  dangerous,  and  it 
requires  much  caution  to  guard  against  their  attacks. 

Variegated  butterflies  flutter  noiselessly  among  the 
spreading  branches  of  the  trees,  or  sun  themselves  on 
the  warm  masses  of  fallen  leaves.  The  most  remark- 
able of  these  butterflies  is  the  large  atlas,  whose 
brilliant  blue  tints  shine  out  with  lustrous  radiance  in 
the  dim  light  of  the  forest.  Along  the  banks  of  rivers, 
and  especially  in  hot  marshy  spots,  small  musquitoes 
swarm.  The  bite  of  this  animal  produces  an  intolerable 
burning  sensation,  and  often  causes  considerable  inflam- 
mation. But  more  troublesome,  and  also  much  more 
numerous,  are  the  stinging-flies  (sancudos).  On  my  first 
arrival  in  the  Montana,  I  lay  several  days  exceedingly 
ill  in  consequence  of  severe  swelling  of  the  head  and 
limbs,  caused  by  the  bites  of  these  insects.  To  the 
inhabitant  of  the  forest  the  sancudos  are  an  incessant 
torment.  In  no  season  of  the  year,  in  no  hour  of  the 
day  or  night,  is  there  any  respite  from  their  attacks. 
Rubbing  the  body  with  unctuous  substances,  together  with 
the  caustic  juices  of  certain  plants,  and  at  night  inclosing 
one's  self  in  a  tent  made  ofiucuyo  (cotton  cloth),  or  palm- 
tree  bast,  are  the  only  means  of  protection  against  their 
painful  stings.  The  clothes  commonly  worn  are  not 
sufficient,  for  they  are  perforated  by  the  long  sting  of 


STINGING    INSECTS.  437 

the  larger  species,  particularly  of  the  much-dreaded 
huir-pasimi-sancudo  (Lip-gnat).  Regularly  every  evening 
at  twilight  fresh  swarms  of  these  mischievous  insects 
make  their  appearance. 

The  ticks  (ivodes)  are  a  class  of  insects  destined  by 
nature  for  the  suction  of  plants  ;  but  they  often  forsake 
trees,  shrubs,  and  grasses,  to  fasten  on  man  and  other 
animals.  With  their  long  sharp  stings  they  make  punc- 
tures, in  which  they  insert  their  heads,  and  thereby 
occasion  very  painful  sores.  These  insects  appear  to 
have  no  preference  for  any  particular  class  of  animals. 
They  are  often  found  on  the  hair  of  dead  mammalia,  and 
among  the  feathers  of  birds  which  have  been  shot ;  even 
the  toad,  the  frog,  and  the  scaly  lizzard  are  not  spared 
by  them.  Much  more  troublesome  than  these  insects 
are  the  antanas,  which  are  not  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 
They  penetrate  the  surface  of  the  skin,  and  introduce 
themselves  beneath  it,  where  they  propagate  with  incre- 
dible rapidity  ;  and  when  some  thousands  of  them  are 
collected  together,  a  blackish  spot  appears,  which  quickly 
spreads.  If  these  insects  are  not  destroyed  when 
they  first  introduce  themselves  into  the  punctures,  they 
multiply  with  incalculable  rapidity,  destroying  the  skin, 
and  all  the  tender  parts  in  contact  with  it.  Washing 
with  brandy,  which  is  often  found  to  be  a  remedy  against 
the  less  mischievous  isancos,  is  not  sufficient  for  the 
removal  of  the  antanas.  For  their  extirpation  the  only 
effectual  remedy  is  frequently  bathing  the  part  affected 
with  a  mixture  of  spirits  of  wine  and  corrosive  sublimate. 

Who   can   describe  the   countless    myriads   of  ants 


438  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

which  swarm  through  the  forests '(  Every  shrub  is  full 
of  creeping  life,  and  the  decayed  vegetation  affords 
harbour  for  some  peculiar  kinds  of  these  insects.  The 
large  yellow  puca-pipi  is  seen  in  multitudes  in  the  open 
air,  and  it  even  penetrates  into  the  dwellings.  This 
insect  does  not  bite,  but  its  crawling  creates  great  irrita- 
tion to  the  skin.  The  small  black  yana-pifi,  on  the 
contrary,  inflicts  most  painful  punctures.  A  very  mis- 
chievous species  of  stinging  ant  is  the  black  sunchiron. 
This  insect  inflicts  a  puncture  with  a  long  sting,  which 
he  carries  in  the  rear  of  his  body.  The  wound  is  exceed- 
ingly painful,  and  is  sometimes  attended  by  dangerous 
consequences.  My  travelling  companion,  C.  Klee,  being 
stung  by  one  of  these  ants,  suffered  such  severe  pain  and 
fever,  that  he  was  for  a  short  while  delirious.  A  few 
nights  afterwards,  a  similar  attack  was  made  on  myself 
during  sleep.  It  suddenly  awoke  me,  and  caused  me  to 
start  up  with  a  convulsive  spring.  I  must  confess  that 
I  never,  in  my  whole  life,  experienced  such  severe  pain 
as  I  did  at  that  moment. 

A  most  remarkable  phenomenon  is  exhibited  by  the 
swarms  of  the  species  called  the  riaui-huacan-fipi,* 
the  great  wandering  ant.  They  appear  suddenly  in 
trains  of  countless  myriads,  and  proceed  forward  in  a 
straight  direction,  without  stopping.  The  small,  the 
weak,  and  the  neuters  are  placed  in  the  centre,  while  the 
large  and  the  strong  flank  the  army,  and  look  out  for 
prey.  These  swarms,  called  by  the  natives  Chacus, 

*  From  nauij  the  eye,  huacay,  to  cry,  and  pia,  the  ant ; — so  called  by  the 
Indians,  because  the  pain  of  its  numerous  stings  brings  tears  into  the  eyes. 


ANTS   AND    ANT-HILLS.  439 

sometimes  enter  a  hut  and  clear  it  of  all  insects, 
amphibia,  and  other  disagreeable  guests.  This  work 
being  accomplished,  they  again  form  themselves  into  a 
long  train,  and  move  onwards.  The  united  force  of 
these  small  creatures  is  vast,  and  there  is  no  approach 
to  the  fabulous,  when  it  is  related  that  not  only  snakes, 
but  also  large  mammalia,  such  as  agoutis,  armadillas,  &c. 
on  being  surprised  by  them,  are  soon  killed.  On  the 
light  dry  parts  of  the  higher  Montanas  we  find  the  large 
conical  dwellings  of  the  termes  so  firmly  built,  that  they 
are  impenetrable  even  to  rifle  shot.  They  sometimes 
stand  singly,  sometimes  together,  in  long  lines.  In  form 
they  strongly  resemble  the  simple,  conical  Puna  huts. 

Before  leaving  the  animal  kingdom  of  these  forest 
regions,  which  I  have  here  sketched  only  briefly  and  frag- 
mentally,  I  must  notice  two  insects,  the  Cucaracha  and 
the  Chilicabra,  species  of  the  Cockroach  (Blatta).  They 
are  exceedingly  numerous  and  troublesome.  The  Cuca- 
racha, which  more  particularly  infests  the  deep  regions 
of  the  forest,  is  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  and  above  half 
an  inch  broad ;  it  is  reddish  brown,  with  a  yellow  neck. 
The  Chilicabra,  though  smaller,  is  more  mischievous, 
by  reason  of  its  greater  numbers.  They  settle  in  the 
huts,  where  they  destroy  provisions,  gnaw  clothes,  get 
into  beds,  and  into  the  dishes  at  meal  time.  These 
insects  defy  every  precaution  that  can  be  taken  against 
their  tormenting  attacks.  Luckily,  nature  has  provided 
enemies  for  their  destruction.  Among  these  is  a  small 
reddish  yellow  ant,  called  by  the  Indians,  the  Pucchu- 

pi,  a  useful  member  of  the  ant  family,  for  it  pursues 


440  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

and  destroys  the  mischievous  cockroaches.  There  is 
also  a  very  elegant  little  bird,  called  the  Cucarac/iero 
(Troglodytes  audax,  Tsch.)  which  wages  war  against  these 
insects.  On  seizing  one  of  them  it  first  bites  off  the 
head,  then  devours  the  body,  and  throws  away  the  tough 
wings.  These  operations  being  completed,  it  hops  to  the 
nearest  bush,  and  tunes  its  melodious  song,  the  sounds 
of  which  closely  resemble  the  words  "  Acabe  la  tarea!" 
a  name  which  the  Indians  give  to  this  bird.*  I  could 
yet  fill  many  pages  with  descriptions  of  insects  which 
are  dangerous  or  troublesome,  and  among  them  are 
included  the  julus,  measuring  six  inches  in  length,  the 
large  black  and  red  scorpion,  not  forgetting  the  numer- 
ous poisonous  wasps  and  the  cicadas.  However,  those 
which  have  been  noticed  will  suffice  to  afford  an  idea  of 
the  ever-active  movements  of  animal  life  in  the  forests. 

Willingly  would  I  take  a  view  of  the  vegetation  of 
the  virgin  forests,  and  attempt  to  sketch  its  progressive 
developments  and  alternations  from  the  hilly  Montanas 
of  the  eastern  declivities  of  the  Andes  to  the  humid  level 
banks  of  the  larger  rivers ;  but  I  do  not  feel  myself 
competent  to  undertake  a  labour  to  which  former  tra- 
vellers intimately  acquainted  with  the  world  of  plants 
have  already  rendered  full  justice,  f  Being  devoted  to 

*  "  Acabe  la  tarea  "  may  be  translated  "  My  task  is  finished"  But  the  Indians 
are  not  very  consistent  in  their  interpretations  of  the  song  of  the  Cucarachero  ; 
for  in  some  districts,  they  contend  that  it  repeats  the  words — Casa  te  Soltera, 
"  Go  and  get  married,  Maiden." 

f  A.  von  Humboldt,  von  Martius,  and,  in  particular,  Pb'ppig,  who  has  pub- 
lished a  narrative  of  his  journey  through  Peru,  distinguished  by  its  precision, 
and  written  in  a  style  so  elegant  and  simple  that  its  perusal  affords  the  utmost 
interest  and  pleasure. 


FOREST    VEGETATION.  441 

the  study  of  zoology,  and,  unfortunately,  too  little  fami- 
liar with  botany,  I  have  confined  myself  to  a  description 
of  the  general  impression  produced  by  the  luxuriant 
growth  of  the  soil,  without  entering  into  the  individuali- 
ties of  the  vegetation.  In  the  more  highly  situated 
Montafias,  where  the  cinchona  is  found  in  the  place  of 
its  nativity,  the  gigantic  orchidese,  the  numerous  fern 
plants,  the  tree-like  nettles,  the  wonderful  bignonias, 
and  the  numerous,  impenetrable  complications  of  climb- 
ing plants,  powerfully  rivet  the  attention  of  the  observer. 
Lower  down,  in  the  lighter  forest  soil,  amidst  numerous 
shrubs  and  climbers,  the  eye  delights  to  dwell  on  the 
manifold  forms  of  the  stately  palm,  on  the  terebin- 
thacese,  on  the  thickly-leaved  balsam-yielding  legu- 
minosse,  on  the  luxuriant  laurels,  on  the  pandanea3  or 
the  large-leaved  heliconias,  and  on  the  solanese,  with 
their  gigantic  blossoms  and  thousands  of  flowers.  De- 
scending still  farther,  the  flat  lands  of  the  forest 
assume  a  dark  and  gloomy  aspect.  The  massive  foliage 
of  trees  overarches  stems  which  are  the  growth  of  cen- 
turies, and  form  a  canopy  almost  impervious  to  the 
light  of  day.  On  the  slimy  soil  no  small  shrub  uprears 
its  head,  no  flowering  plant  unfolds  its  blossom.  The 
mighty  trees  stand  alone,  and  erect  in  rows,  like  grave- 
stones in  a  churchyard  ;  and  the  child  of  darkness — the 
rapidly-shooting  mushroom — finds  genial  nurture  on  the 
warm  humid  earth. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Montana  of  San  Carlos  de  Vitoc — Villages — Hacienda  of  Maraynioc — The  Coca 
Plant — Mode  of  Cultivating  and  Gathering  it — Mastication  of  Coca — Evil 
Consequences  of  its  excessive  Use — Its  Nutritious  Qualities — Indian  Super- 
stitions connected  with  the  Coca  Plant — Suggestions  for  its  Introduction  in 
the  European  Navies — Fabulous  animal  called  the  Carbunculo — The 
Chunchos — Missions  to  Cerro  de  la  Sal — Juan  Santos  Atahuallpa — The 
Franciscan  Monks — Depopulation  of  Vitoc. 

THE  Montana  of  San  Carlos  de  Vitoc  is,  without 
exception,  one  of  the  most  interesting  districts  of  Peru. 
It  has  on  the  one  side,  and  at  a  short  distance,  the 
populous  villages  of  the  Sierra,  and  on  the  other  it 
borders  on  the  forests,  through  which  the  wild  Indians 
range  in  their  hunting  excursions.  It  was  formerly  the 
principal  key  to  the  missionary  stations  of  the  Pampa 
del  Sacramento,  the  Chanchamayo,  Perene,  and  Upper 
Ucayali.  It  is  only  twenty  leagues  distant  from  Tarma, 
from  whence  the  road  leads  through  the  fertile  valley 
Acobamba,  to  Palca.  Eastward  of  the  latter  place  are 
the  ruins  of  a  fort,  which  in  former  times  must  have  been 
a  place  of  considerable  importance.  The  wild  Indians 
have  repeatedly  made  hostile  sallies  from  their  forests, 
and  it  is  only  by  this  bulwark,  which,  with  four  small 
field-pieces,  completely  defends  the  narrow  valley,  that 
they  have  been  checked  in  their  advance  on  Tarma. 


PASSAGE    ACROSS   THE   ANDES.  443 

An  exceedingly  steep  path  runs  about  a  league  and  a 
half  up  the  acclivity ;  then,  becoming  somewhat  more 
level,  it  extends  to  the  base  of  the  crest,  which  at  that 
part  is  about  14,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Here  the  aspect  of  the  Andes  is  by  no  means  so 
imposing  as  that  of  the  Cordillera,  for  the  glaciers  and 
steep  rocky  summits  are  wanting.  The  highest  peaks 
rise  only  about  200  feet  above  the  crest.  As  in  the 
Cordillera,  the  eastern  declivity  inclines  much  more 
gently  than  the  western,  but  the  road  is  marshy,  and 
is  interspersed  with  large  hollows,  into  which  the  mules 
often  fall,  and  are  killed.  After  passing  over  the  Andes, 
two  leagues  farther,  we  come  to  the  hacienda  Maraynioc, 
where  numerous  herds  of  cattle  are  kept.  Round  the 
hacienda  there  are  potato  plantations,  and  the  potatoes 
reared  here  are  so  excellent,  that  they  are  celebrated 
throughout  the  whole  Sierra.  Every  morning  the  sky 
is  obscured  by  heavy  clouds  ;  it  rains  regularly  two 
days  in  the  week,  and  there  are  frequent  falls  of  snow; 
yet  notwithstanding  this  excessive  humidity,  a  bad* 
harvest  is  an  event  never  to  be  apprehended.  The 
cultivation  of  maize  is,  however,  found  to  be  imprac- 
ticable here,  for  soon  after  germination  the  ears  rot. 
A  small  stream  flows  past  the  hacienda,  and  after  a 
course  of  about  three  leagues,  it  reaches  the  Montana 
de  Vitoc.  Formerly,  the  road  ran  close  along  the  bank 
of  this  stream,  but  in  consequence  of  the  repeated  depo- 
pulation of  Vitoc,  it  became  neglected,  and  at  length 
impassable.  The  way  is  now  over  the  Cuchillo,  or  sharp 
edge  of  a  mountain  ridge,  and  it  must  be  at  least  four 


444  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

times  longer  than  the  course  formerly  taken.  From 
Maraynioc  the  road  proceeds,  for  the  length  of  a  league, 
through  a  valley  overgrown  with  brushwood,  and  then 
rises  to  a  lateral  branch  of  the  Andes,  which  is  almost 
as  high  as  the  main  chain.  The  Indians  call  this  ridge, 
Manam  rimacunan  ("Thou  shalt  not  speak!"),  for  a 
heavy  wind,  accompanied  by  drifting  snow,  blows  con- 
stantly, and  renders  it  scarcely  possible  to  open  the 
mouth  to  utter  a  word.  From  Manarimacunan,  down- 
ward, to  the  lower  Montafia,  the  road  passes  over 
stones  laid  in  echelon  form,  and  through  a  very  slippery 
hollow  way,  which  descends  rapidly  downward,  and  is 
surrounded  by  almost  impenetrable  woods ;  the  only 
open  and  level  place  is  the  field  of  Chilpes,  which  is  a 
few  hundred  paces  long. 

Here  it  is  highly  interesting  to  contemplate  the  rapid 
increase  of  vegetation,  and  the  varied  changes  in  the 
animal  world.  From  the  brink  of  a  ridge  where  only 
feeble  vegetation  can  be  seen,  we  descend  a  few  leagues 
and  speedily  find  ourselves  in  the  region  of  the  Cinchona 
tree,  and  in  the  evening  we  are  among  lofty  palms.  The 
first  human  dwellings  seen  on  entering  the  Montana  are 
half  a  dozen  small  huts,  forming  the  hamlet  Amaruyo, 
formerly  called  Sibis,  and  immediately  after  we  come  to 
the  village  of  Vitoc.  It  consists  of  about  fifty  wretched 
huts,  and  has  a  small  church,  in  which  worship  is  per- 
formed twice  a  year  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole 
valley. 

Vitoc  is  surrounded  by  two  rivers,  which  unite  in  a 
sharp  angle,  called  the  Tingo,  and  which  separate  the 


VALLEY   OF    VITOC.  445 

valley  from  the  territory  of  the  wild  Indians.  The  valley 
is  deep,  and  the  surrounding  heights  are  broken  by  many 
quebradas.     The  soil  is  very  fruitful,  and  the  locality  is 
less  than  some  others  infested  with  troublesome  insects  ; 
yet  it  is  but  scantily  peopled,  for,  besides  the  two  vil- 
lages and  the   Hacienda  of  Maraynioc,  already  men- 
tioned, it  contains  only  a  few  scattered  chacras.     The 
inhabitants  of  this,   the  most  favoured  district  of  the 
Montanas,  scarcely  amount  to  200.     The  villagers  em- 
ploy themselves  chiefly  in  the  cultivation  of  pines,  which 
are  sent  to  Lima.    The  Indians  of  Palca  and  Tapo  bring 
them  potatoes,  salt,  and  butcher's  meat,  for  which  the 
villagers  exchange  their  pine-apples.     The  fruit  is  con- 
veyed by  asses  to  the  coast,  where,  however,  it  seldom 
arrives  in  good  condition.    The  other  productions  of  the 
Montana  are  maize,  oranges,  bananas,  paltas,  Spanish 
pepper,   &c.  ;  but  these  articles  are  sold  only  in  the 
Sierra.     Each  inhabitant  of  the  village  cultivates  his 
own  piece  of  ground,  which  he  can  enlarge  when  he 
pleases  ;  but  these  people  are  too  indolent  to  devote 
themselves  seriously  to  agriculture.    It  is  only  when  the 
governor  in   Tarma  compels  them  to  pay  the  annual 
contribution,  that  they  make  an  effort  to  augment  their 
earnings ;  they  then  seek  a  market  for  the  products  of 
their  cultivation,  and  sell  them  for  ready  money.    Vitoc 
and  some  of  the  villages  in  its  neighbourhood,  form  alto- 
gether only  one  ecclesiastical  community,  whose  pastor 
lives  in  Tarma  the  whole  year  round.      He  goes  to 
Pucara  only  once  in  six  or  eight  months,  to  read  a  couple 
of  masses,  and  to  solemnize  marriages  and  christenings, 


446  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

but  chiefly  to  collect  fees  for  burials  which  may  have 
taken  place  during  his  absence. 

The  plantation  of  Pacchapata  is  of  considerable  extent, 
but  produces  very  little.  The  system  of  repartimientos, 
already  described,  by  which  the  poor  Indian  is  kept  in 
a  state  of  slavery  by  advances  of  clothing,  meat,  brandy, 
&c.,  is  practised  in  this  hacienda  to  a  great  extent.  The 
labourer  who  is  set  down  in  the  plantation-book  as  a 
debtor  for  ten  or  twelve  dollars,  has  a  good  chance  of 
remaining  during  the  rest  of  his  life  a  tributary  slave ; 
for  if  he  tries  by  prolonged  labour  to  relieve  himself 
from  the  debt,  the  owner  of  the  plantation  causes  brandy 
to  be  made,  and  this  is  too  great  a  temptation  to  be  re- 
sisted by  an  Indian.  The  butcher's  meat  given  to  the 
labouring  Indians  in  general  consists  of  Chalonas,  that  is, 
the  dry  flesh  of  sheep  which  have  died  in  the  haciendas 
of  the  hilly  districts.  For  a  meagre,  tough,  unwhole- 
some chalona  the  Indian  has  to  add  a  dollar  and  a  half 
or  two  dollars  to  his  debt,  while  a  living  sheep  in  the 
Sierra  would  not  cost  half  the  price.  It  is  the  same 
with  other  articles  furnished  by  the  haciendas.  Euro- 
pean importations,  such  as  can  be  purchased  at  very 
low  prices  in  the  Sierra,  are  sold  at  high  profits  by  the 
owners  of  plantations  to  the  poor  Indians,  who  have  to 
repay  them  by  long  and  severe  labour. 

At  Pacchapata,  besides  maize,  yuccas,  and  fruits,  sugar, 
coffee,  and  coca  are  also  cultivated.  The  sugar-cane 
grows  in  abundance,  and  is  of  good  quality.  An  excel- 
lent kind  of  coffee  is  grown  here  ;  the  bean  is  slightly 
globular,  and  its  colour  is  a  greenish  blue.  In  former 


CULTIVATION    OF    COCA.  447 

times  the  viceroy  used  to  send  the  coffee  of  Vitoc  as  a 
highly-esteemed  present  to  the  court  of  Madrid.  The 
coca  is  also  very  fine,  and  yields  three  harvests  in  the 
year ;  which,  however,  is  only  the  case  in  a  few  of  the 
Montanas,  as,  for  example,  at  Pangoa  and  Huanta.  I 
may  here  subjoin  some  notice  of  this  highly  interesting 
plant. 

The  coca  (Erythrowylon  coca,  Lam.)  is  a  shrub  about 
six  feet  in  height,  with  bright  green  leaves  and  white 
blossoms.  The  latter  are  succeeded  by  small  scarlet 
berries.  It  is  raised  from  the  seed,  in  garden-beds  called 
almazigas.  When  the  young  shoots  are  one  and  a  half 
or  two  feet  high,  they  a^e  removed  to  regularly  laid  out 
coca  fields  (cocales),  where  they  are  planted  at  the  dis- 
tance of  about  three  spans  from  each  other.  The  coca 
requires  humidity;  therefore,  during  the  first  year  or  two 
after  it  is  planted  in  the  fields,  maize  is  sown  between 
the  matas,  or  young  shoots,  to  screen  them  from  the  too 
great  influence  of  the  sun.  When  the  leaves  are  ripe, 
that  is  to  say,  when  on  being  bent  they  crack  or  break 
off,  the  gathering  commences.  The  leaves  are  stripped 
from  the  branches,  a  task  usually  performed  by  women, 
and  it  requires  great  care  lest  the  tender  leaves  and 
young  twigs  should  be  injured.  In  some  districts  the 
Indians  are  so  very  careful  in  gathering  the  coca,  that, 
instead  of  stripping  off  the  leaves,  they  cut  them  from 
the  stem  by  making  an  incision  with  their  nails.  The 
plant  thus  rendered  leafless  is  soon  again  overgrown 
with  verdant  foliage.  After  being  gathered,  the  leaves 
are  spread  out  on  poarse  wroollen  cloths  and  dried  in  the 


448  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

sun.  The  colour  of  the  leaves  when  dried  is  a  pale 
green.  The  drying  is  an  operation  which  likewise  de- 
mands great  care  and  attention,  for  if  the  leaves  imbibe 
damp,  they  become  dark  coloured,  and  then  they  sell  for 
a  much  lower  price  than  when  they  are  green.  The 
dry  coca  is  finely  packed  in  woollen  sacks  and  covered 
with  sand.  These  sacks  are  of  various  sizes  and  colours, 
in  different  parts  of  the  Montanas.  In  Huanuco  they  are 
grey  or  black,  and  when  filled  weigh  from  75  to  80 
pounds.  In  Vitoc  they  are  grey  and  white,  and  contain 
150  pounds.  In  Huanta  and  Anco  they  are  small  in 
size,  and  black  or  brown  in  colour,  and  contain  merely 
one  aroba.  In  the  Montanas  of  Urubamba,  Calca,  and 
Paucartambo,  the  coca  leaves  are  put  into  small  baskets, 
called  cestos,  and  covered  with  sand.  Great  care  is  also 
requisite  in  the  carriage  of  the  coca,  for  if  damp  be 
allowed  to  penetrate  the  sack,  the  leaves  become  hot,  or, 
as  the  natives  express  it,  Se  calientan,  and  are  thereby 
rendered  useless. 

The  Indians  masticate  the  coca.  Each  individual 
carries  a  leathern  pouch,  called  the  huattqui,  or  the 
chuspa,  and  a  small  flask  gourd,  called  the  ishcupuru. 
The  pouch  contains  a  supply  of  coca  leaves,  and  the 
gourd  is  filled  with  pulverised  unslaked  lime.  Usually 
four  times,  but  never  less  than  three  times  a  day,  the 
Indian  suspends  his  labour,  for  the  purpose  of  mastica- 
ting coca.  This  operation,  (wrhich  is  termed  chacchar  or 
acullicar)  is  performed  in  the  following  manner  :  some 
of  the  coca  leaves,  the  stalks  having  been  carefully 
picked  off,  are  masticated  until  they,  form  a  small  ball, 


MASTICATION    OF    COCA.  449 

or  as  it  is  called  an  acullico.  A  thin  slip  of  damp  wood 
is  then  thrust  into  the  ishcupuru,  or  gourd,  and  when 
drawn  out  some  portion  of  the  powdered  lime  adheres 
to  it.  The  acuttico,  or  ball  of  masticated  coca  leaves,  is, 
whilst  still  lying  in  the  mouth,  punctured  with  this  slip 
of  wood,  until  the  lime  mixing  with  it,,  gives  it  a  proper 
relish,  and  the  abundant  flow  of  saliva  thus  excited  is 
partly  expectorated  and  partly  swallowed.  When  the 
ball  ceases  to  emit  juice,  it  is  thrown  away,  and  a  new 
one  is  formed  by  the  mastication  of  a  fresh  mouthful  of 
coca  leaves.  In  Cerro  de  Pasco,  and  in  places  still  fur- 
ther South,  the  Indians  use,  instead  of  unslaked  lime,  a 
preparation  of  the  pungent  ashes  of  the  quinua  (Cheno- 
podiwn  Quinua,  L.).  This  preparation  is  called  Llucta  or 
Llipta.  In  using  it  a  piece  is  broken  off  and  masticated 
along  with  the  acullico.  In  some  of  the  Montana 
regions  the  Llucta  is  made  from  the  ashes  of  the  musa 
root.  The  application  of  the  unslaked  lime  demands 
some  precaution,  for  if  it  comes  in  direct  contact  with 
the  lips  and  gums,  it  causes  a  very  painful  burning. 
During  a  fatiguing  ride  across  the  level  heights,  where, 
owing  to  the  cold  wind,  I  experienced  a  difficulty  of 
respiration,  my  Arriero  recommended  me  to  chew  coca, 
assuring  me  that  I  would  experience  great  relief  from 
so  doing.  He  lent  me  his  huattqui,  but  owing  to  my 
awkward  manner  of  using  it,  I  cauterised  my  lips  so 
severely  that  I  did  not  venture  on  a  second  experiment. 
The  flavour  of  coca  is  not  unpleasant.  It  is  slightly 
bitter,  aromatic,  and  similar  to  the  worst  kind  of  green 
tea.  When  mixed  with  the  ashes  of  the  musa  root 

G  G 


450  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

it  is  somewhat  piquant,  and  more  pleasant  to  European 
palates  than  it  is  without  that  addition.  The  smell 
of  the  fresh  dried  leaves  in  a  mass  is  almost  over- 
powering ;  but  this  smell  entirely  goes  when  they  are 
packed  in  the  sacks.  All  who  masticate  coca  have  a 
very  bad  breath,  pale  lips,  and  gums,  greenish  and 
stumpy  teeth,  and  an  ugly  black  mark  at  the  angles  of 
the  mouth.  An  inveterate  coquero,  or  coca  chewer,  is 
known  at  the  first  glance.  His  unsteady  gait,  his  yel- 
low-coloured skin,  his  dim  and  sunken  eyes  encircled  by 
a  purple  ring,  his  quivering  lips  and  his  general  apathy, 
all  bear  evidence  of  the  baneful  effects  of  the  coca  juice 
when  taken  in  excess.  All  the  mountain  Indians  are 
addicted  more  or  less  to  the  practice  of  masticating  coca. 
Each  man  consumes,  on  the  average,  between  an  ounce 
and  an  ounce  and  a-half  per  day,  and  on  festival  days 
about  double  that  quantity.  The  owners  of  mines  and 
plantations  allow  their  labourers  to  suspend  their  work 
three  times  a  day  for  the  chacchar,  which  usually  occupies 
upwards  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour ;  and  after  that  they 
smoke  a  paper  cigar,  which  they  allege  crowns  the  zest 
of  the  coca  mastication.  He  who  indulges  for  a  time  in 
the  use  of  coca  finds  it  difficult,  indeed  almost  impossible, 
to  relinquish  it.  This  fact  I  saw  exemplified  in  the 
cases  of  several  persons  of  high  respectability  in  Lima, 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  retiring  daily  to  a  private  apart- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  masticating  coca.  They  could 
not  do  this  openly,  because  among  the  refined  class  of 
Peruvians  the  chacchar  is  looked  upon  as  a  low  and  vulgar 
practice,  befitting  only  to  the  labouring  Indians.  Yet, 


CONSEQUENCES  OF  THE  USE  OF  COCA.      451 

Europeans  occasionally  allow  themselves  to  fall  into  this 
habit ;  and  I  knew  two  in  Lima,  the  one  an  Italian  and 
the  other  a  Biscayan,  who  were  confirmed  coqueros  in 
the  strictest  sense  of  the  word.  In  Cerro  de  Pasco 
there  are  societies  having  even  Englishmen  for  their 
members,  which  meet  on  certain  evenings  for  the  chac- 
char.  In  these  places,  instead  of  lime  or  ashes,  sugar 
is  served  along  with  the  coca  leaves.  A  member  of 
one  of  these  clubs  informed  me  that  on  the  few  first 
trials  the  sugar  was  found  very  agreeable,  but  that 
afterwards  the  palate  required  some  more  pungent 
ingredient. 

The  operation  of  the  coca  is  similar  to  that  of  narco- 
tics administered  in  small  doses.  Its  effects  may  be 
compared  to  those  produced  by  the  thorn-apple  rather 
than  to  those  arising  from  opium.  I  have  already 
noticed  the  consequences  resulting  from  drinking  the 
decoction  of  the  datura.*""  In  the  inveterate  coquero 
similar  symptoms  are  observable,  but  in  a  mitigated 
degree.  I  may  mention  one  circumstance  attending 
the  use  of  coca,  which  appears  hitherto  to  have  escaped 
notice  :  it  is,  that  after  the  mastication  of  a  great  quan- 
tity of  coca  the  eye  seems  unable  to  bear  light,  aud 
there  is  a  marked  distension  of  the  pupil.  I  have  also 
observed  this  peculiarity  of  the  eye  in  one  who  had 
drunk  a  strong  extract  of  the  infusion  of  coca  leaves. 
In  the  effects  consequent  on  the  use  of  opium  and  coca 
there  is  this  distinction,  that  coca,  when  taken  even  in 
the  utmost  excess,  never  causes  a  total  alienation  of  the 


«  See  page  269 . 
G  G  2 


452  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

mental  powers  or  induces  sleep  ;  but,  like  opium  it 
excites  the  sensibility  of  the  brain,  and  the  repeated 
excitement,  occasioned  by  its  intemperate  use  after  a 
series  of  years,  wears  out  mental  vigour  and  activity. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact,  confirmed  by  long  observation 
and  experience,  that  the  Indians  who  regularly  mas- 
ticate coca  require  but  little  food,  and,  nevertheless,  go 
through  excessive  labour  with  apparent  ease.  They, 
therefore,  ascribe  the  most  extraordinary  qualities  to  the 
coca,  and  even  believe  that  it  might  be  made  entirely 
a  substitute  for  food.  Setting  aside  all  extravagant  and 
visionary  notions  on  the  subject,  I  am  clearly  of  opinion 
that  the  moderate  use  of  coca  is  not  merely  innoxious, 
but  that  it  may  even  be  very  conducive  to  health.  In 
support  of  this  conclusion,  I  may  refer  to  the  numerous 
examples  of  longevity  among  Indians  who,  almost  from 
the  age  of  boyhood,  have  been  in  the  habit  of  masti- 
cating coca  three  times  a  day,  and  who  in  the  course 
of  their  lives  have  consumed  no  less  than  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  pounds,  yet,  nevertheless,  enjoy  perfect 
health.  *  The  food  of  the  Indians  consists  almost  exclu- 
sively of  vegetable  substances,  especially  roasted  maize 
and  barley  converted  into  flour  by  crushing,  which  they 
eat  without  the  admixture  of  any  other  substance.  The 
continued  use  of  this  farinaceous  food  occasions  severe 
obstructions  which  the  well-known  aperient  qualities  of 

*  I  allude  here  to  individuals,  (and  such  cases  are  by  no  means  singular)  who 
have  attained  the  great  age  of  130.  Supposing  these  Indians  to  have  begun  to 
masticate  coca  at  ten  years  old,  and  calculate  their  daily  consumption  as  a  mini- 
mum at  one  ounce,  the  result  is  the  consumption  of  twenty-seven  hundred  weight, 
iu  120  years. 


NUTRITIVE    PROPERTIES    OF    COCA.  453 

the  coca  counteract,  and  many  serious  diseases  are 
thereby  prevented.  That  the  coca  is  in  the  highest 
degree  nutritious,  is  a  fact  beyond  dispute.  The  incre- 
dible fatigues  endured  by  the  Peruvian  infantry,  with 
very  spare  diet,  but  with  the  regular  use  of  coca ;  tho 
laborious  toil  of  the  Indian  miner,  kept  up,  under 
similar  circumstances,  throughout  a  long  series  of  years ; 
certainly  afford  sufficient  ground  for  attributing  to  the 
coca  leaves,  not  a  quality  of  mere  temporary  stimulus, 
but  a  powerful  nutritive  principle.  Of  the  great  power  of 
the  Indians  in  enduring  fatigue  with  no  other  sustenance 
than  coca,  I  may  here  mention  an  example.  A  Cholo 
of  Huari,  named  Hatun  Huamang,  was  employed  by  me 
in  very  laborious  digging.  During  the  whole  time  he 
was  in  my  service,  viz.,  five  days  and  nights,  he  never 
tasted  any  food,  and  took  only  two  hours'  sleep  nightly. 
But  at  intervals  of  two  and  a  half  or  three  hours,  he  re- 
gularly masticated  about  half  an  ounce  of  coca  leaves, 
and  he  kept  an  acullico  continually  in  his  mouth.  I 
was  constantly  beside  him,  and  therefore  I  had  the 
opportunity  of  closely  observing  him.  The  work  for 
which  I  engaged  him  being  finished,  he  accompanied  me 
on  a  two  days'  journey  of  twenty-three  leagues  across  the 
level  heights.  Though  on  foot,  he  kept  up  with  the 
pace  of  my  mule,  and  halted  only  for  the  chacchar.  On 
leaving  me,  he  declared  that  he  would  willingly  engage 
himself  again  for  the  same  amount  of  work,  and  that  he 
would  go  through  it  without  food  if  I  would  but  allow 
him  a  sufficient  supply  of  coca.  The  village  priest 
assured  me  that  this  man  was  sixty-two  years  of 


454  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

age,  and  that  he  had   never  known  him   to  be  ill  in 
his  life. 

The  Indians  maintain  that  coca  is  the  best  preventive 
of  that  difficulty  of  respiration  felt  in  the  rapid  ascents 
of  the  Cordillera  and  the  Puna.  Of  this  fact  I  was  fully 
convinced  by  my  own  personal  experience.  I  speak 
here,  not  of  the  mastication  of  the  leaves,  but  of  their 
decoction  taken  as  a  beverage.  When  I  was  in  the 
Puna,  at  the  height  of  14,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  I  drank,  always  before  going  out  to  hunt,  a  strong 
infusion  of  coca  leaves.  I  could  then  during  the  whole 
day  climb  the  heights  and  follow  the  swift-footed  wild 
animals  without  experiencing  any  greater  difficulty  of 
breathing  than  I  should  have  felt  in  similar  rapid  move- 
ment on  the  coast.  Moreover,  I  did  not  suffer  from  the 
symptoms  of  cerebral  excitement  or  uneasiness  which 
other  travellers  have  observed.  The  reason  perhaps  is, 
that  I  only  drank  this  decoction  in  the  cold  Puna,  where 
the  nervous  system  is  far  less  susceptible  than  in  the 
climate  of  the  forests.  However,  I  always  felt  a  sense 
of  great  satiety  after  taking  the  coca  infusion,  and  I 
did  not  feel  a  desire  for  my  next  meal  until  after  the 
time  at  which  I  usually  took  it. 

By  the  Peruvian  Indians  the  coca  plant  is  regarded 
as  something  sacred  and  mysterious,  and  it  sustained  an 
important  part  in  the  religion  of  the  Incas.  In  all  cere- 
monies, whether  religious  or  warlike,  it  was  introduced, 
for  producing  smoke  at  the  great  offerings,  or  as  the  sacri- 
fice itself.  During  divine  worship  the  priests  chewed  coca 
leaves,  and  unless  they  were  supplied  with  them,  it  was 


MYSTERIOUS    POWER   ASSIGNED   TO   COCA.  455 

* 

believed  that  the  favour  of  the  gods  could  not  be  propi- 
tiated. It  was  also  deemed  necessary  that  the  suppli- 
cator  for  divine  grace  should  approach  the  priests  with 
an  Acullico  in  his  mouth.  It  was  believed  that  any 
business  undertaken  without  the  benediction  of  coca 
leaves  could  not  prosper  ;  and  to  the  shrub  itself  worship 
was  rendered.  During  an  interval  of  more  than  300 
years  Christianity  has  not  been  able  to  subdue  the 
deep-rooted  idolatry ;  for  everywhere  we  find  traces  of 
belief  in  the  mysterious  power  of  this  plant.  The  exca- 
vators in  the  mines  of  Cerro  de  Pasco  throw  masticated 
coca  on  hard  veins  of  metal,  in  the  belief  that  it  softens 
the  ore,  and  renders  it  more  easy  to  work.  The  origin 
of  this  custom  is  easily  explained,  when  it  is  recollected 
that  in  the  time  of  the  Incas  it  was  believed  that  the 
Coyas,  or  the  deities  of  metals,  rendered  the  mountains 
impenetrable,  if  they  were  not  propitiated  by  the  odour 
of  coca.  The  Indians,  even  at  the  present  time,  put 
coca  leaves  into  the  mouths  of  dead  persons,  to  secure 
to  them  a  favourable  reception  on  their  entrance  into 
another  world,  and  when  a  Peruvian  Indian  on  a  journey 
falls  in  with  a  mummy,  he,  with  timid  reverence,  pre- 
sents to  it  some  coca  leaves  as  his  pious  offering. 

Soon  after  the  conquest  of  Peru,  when  the  Spaniards 
treated  the  Indians  and  all  their  customs  with  contempt, 
coca  became  an  object  of  aversion  to  the  whites.  The 
reverence  rendered  by  the  natives  to  the  coca  plant 
induced  the  Spaniards  to  believe  that  it  possessed  some 
demoniacal  influence.  The  officers  of  the  government 
and  the  clergy,  therefore,  endeavoured,  by  all  possible 


456  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

* 

means,  to  extirpate  its  use,  and  this  is  one  cause,  hitherto 
overlooked,  of  the  hatred  with  which  the  Indians 
regarded  the  Spaniards.  In  the  second  council  held  at 
Lima,  in  1567,  coca  was  described  "  as  a  worthless 
object,  fitted  for  the  misuse  and  superstition  of  the 
Indians  ;"  and  a  royal  decree  of  October  18,  1569, 
expressly  declares  that  the  notions  entertained  by  the 
natives  that  coca  gives  them  strength,  is  an  "  illusion  of 
the  devil,"  (una  elusion  del  Demonio).  The  Peruvian 
mine  owners  were  the  first  to  discover  the  importance 
of  the  chacchar  in  assisting  the  Indians  to  go  through 
their  excessive  labour,  and  they,  together  with  the  plan- 
tation owners,  became  the  most  earnest  defenders  of 
coca.  The  consequence  was,  that,  in  defiance  of  royal 
and  ecclesiastical  ordinances,  its  use  increased  rather 
than  diminished.  One  of  the  warmest  advocates  of  the 
plant  was  the  Jesuit  Don  Antonio  Julian,  who,  in  a  work 
entitled,  "  Perla  de  America,"  laments  that  coca  is  not 
introduced  into  Europe  instead  of  tea  and  coffee.  "  It 
is,"  he  observes,  "  melancholy  to  reflect  that  the  poor  of 
Europe  cannot  obtain  this  preservative  against  hunger 
and  thirst ;  that  our  working  people  are  not  supported 
by  this  strengthening*  plant  in  their  long  continued 
labours.""'"  In  the  year  1793,  Dr.  Don  Pedro  Nolasco 
Crespo  pointed  out  in  a  treatise  the  important  ad- 
vantages that  would  be  derived  frdm  the  use  of  the 
coca  plant,  if  introduced  into  the  European  navies,  and  he 

*  The  worthy  Padre  forgets  the  high  price  that  would  be  charged  for  coca  in 
Europe.  In  Tarma  and  Huanuco  the  aroba  (twenty-five  pounds)  costs  at  an 
average  six  Spanish  dollars  ;  add  to  this  the  carriage  to  Lima,  the  freight  to 
Europe,  custom-house  duties,  &c.,  and  this  price  would  be  nearly  doubled. 


COCA    IN   THE   MONTANA   DE  VITOC.  457 

expresses  a  wish  that  experiments  of  its  utility  in  that  way 
could  be  tried.  Though  it  is  not  probable  that  Dr. 
Crespo's  wish  will  ever  be  realised,  yet  there  is  little 
doubt  that  the  use  of  coca  as  a  beverage  on  board  ship 
would  be  attended  with  very  beneficial  results.  It  would 
afford  a  nutritious  refreshment  to  seamen  in  the  exercise 
of  their  laborious  duties,  and  would  greatly  assist  in 
counteracting  the  unwholesome  effects  of  salt  provisions. 
As  a  stimulant  it  would  be  far  less  injurious  than  ardent 
spirits,  for  which  it  might  be  substituted  without  fear  of 
any  of  the  evil  consequences  experienced  by  the  coqueros. 
After  a  long  and  attentive  observation  of  the  effects  of 
coca,  I  am  fully  convinced  that  its  use,  in  moderation,  is 
no  way  detrimental  to  health ;  and  that  without  it  the 
Peruvian  Indian,  with  his  spare  diet,  would  be  incapable 
of  going  through  the  labour  which  he  now  performs. 
The  coca  plant  must  be  considered  as  a  great  blessing  to 
Peru.  It  is  an  essential  means  of  preserving  the  na- 
tionality of  the  Indians,  and  in  some  measure  mitigating 
the  melancholy  fate  of  that  once  great  race  which  disease 
and  excessive  labour  now  threaten  to  destroy. 

In  former  times  the  cultivation  of  coca  in  the  Mon- 
tana de  Vitoc  was  very  considerable.  Upwards  of  4000 
arobas  used  to  be  annually  forwarded  to  the  market  of 
Tarma.  Now  only  fifty  arobas  are  sent.  Vitoc  pro- 
duces no  fodder  for  horses  or  mules ;  those  animals, 
therefore,  are  very  lean  and  feeble  in  this  district,  and 
are  usually  unfit  for  work  after  two  years.  Indeed, 
they  suffer  so  much  from  the  attacks  of  the  blood-sucking 
bat  and  the  gad-fly  (tabano),  that  after  being  only  a  few 


458  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

weeks  in  the  Montafia  de  Vitoc,  their  strength  is  ex- 
hausted, and  they  are  scarcely  able  to  reach  the  Puna. 
Black  cattle,  on  the  contrary,  thrive  excellently ;  but  it 
is  not  possible  to  keep  up  herds,  for  the  young  calves 
are  all  devoured  by  the  numerous  animals  of  prey.  The 
llamas,  which  the  Cholos  bring  from  Tapo  to  Vitoc,  are 
so  unfeebled  and  overcome  by  the  journey,  that  on  the 
second  day  after  their  arrival  it  is  often  found  necessary 
to  send  them  to  a  colder  district. 

In  this  Montana  the  large  animals  of  prey  seldom 
approach  human  habitations,  though  sometimes  the 
ounce  pays  them  a  visit,  and  the  Cuguar  descends  from 
the  Ceja.  Other  animals  of  the  feline  genus  are  very 
numerous,  and  their  depredations  render  it  impossible 
to  breed  poultry.  Even  the  fabulous  animal,  called  the 
carbunculo,  is  said  to  have  been  seen  oftener  than  once 
in  Vitoc.  In  almost  every  place  I  visited  on  the  coast, 
in  the  Sierra,  and  in  the  Montafias,  extraordinary  stories 
concerning  this  animal  were  related  ;  and  many  persons 
even  assured  me  they  had  seen  him.  The  carbunculo  is 
represented  to  be  of  the  size  of  a  fox,  with  long  black 
hair,  and  is  only  visible  at  night,  when  it  slinks  slowly 
through  the  thickets.  If  followed  he  opens  a  flap  or 
valve  in  the  forehead,  from  under  which  an  extraor- 
dinary, brilliant  and  dazzling  light  issues.  The  natives 
believe  that  this  light  proceeds  from  a  brilliant  precious 
stone,  and  that  any  fool-hardy  person  who  may  venture 
to  grasp  at  it  rashly  is  blinded  ;  then  the  flap  is  let 
down,  and  the  animal  disappears  in  the  darkness. 
Such  are  the  stories  related  by  the  Indians  ;  and  it 


THE    CARBUNCULO.  459 

appears  that  the  belief  of  the  existence  of  the  carbunculo 
has  prevailed  in  Peru  from  the  earliest  times,  and  cer- 
tainly before  the  conquest,  so  that  its  introduction 
cannot  be  attributed  to  the  Spaniards.  It  is  even  pre- 
valent among  many  of  the  wild  Indian  tribes,  by  whom 
the  early  missionaries  were  told  the  stories  which  they 
in  their  turn  repeated  about  the  animal.  As  yet  nobody 
has  been  fortunate  enough  to  capture  such  an  animal, 
though  the  Spaniards  always  showed  themselves  very 
desirous  to  obtain  possession  of  the  precious  jewel ;  and 
the  viceroys,  in  their  official  instructions  to  the  missiona- 
ries, placed  the  carbunculo  in  the  first  order  of  desiderata. 
What  animal  may  have  served  as  a  foundation  for  those 
fabulous  stories  it  is  certainly  difficult  to  decide ;  pro- 
bably a  different  one  in  each  particular  district.  On 
the  coast  it  may  have  been  the  aiiash  (one  of  the 
mephitic  animals)  which  seeks  for  his  food  only  at  night. 
I  have  often  observed  for  a  moment  a  singularly  bril- 
liant flashing  in  the  eyes  of  that  animal  when  irritated. 

The  worst  enemies  of  the  delightful  Montana  de  Vitoc 
are  the  wild  Indians,  who  are  only  separated  from  the 
Christian  Indians  by  the  two  rivers  Aynamayo  and 
Tullumayo.  They  belong  to  the  ferocious  race  of  the 
Chunchos,  and  in  their  savage  manners  they  somewhat 
resemble  the  Casibos  and  Campas.  They  have  their 
chief  residence  in  Chibatizo,  nine  leagues  from  Pucara. 
Only  three  leagues  from  Pacchapata,  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Chanchamayo  and  Tullumayo,  they  have  a  pretty 
large  village  ;  and  Palmapata,  which  they  tempora- 
rily took  possession  of,  is  situated  still  nearer.  They 


460  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

frequently  extend  their  hunting  excursions  to  the  banks  of 
the  great  rivers,  and  make  inroads  upon  the  territory  of 
Vitoc,  cruelly  murdering  all  the  Cholos  they  meet  with. 
Any  kind  of  friendly  intercourse  with  them  is  impracti- 
cable. I  took  some  pains  to  accomplish  that  object,  but 
without  success.  While  they  were  on  their  hunting  expe- 
ditions I  have  left  in  their  huts  knives,  fish-hooks,  ear-rings, 
and  other  things.  In  return  for  these  presents  they  left  for 
me  some  of  their  edible  roots,  among  which  were  yuccas, 
but  all  were  poisoned,  so  that,  had  we  not  observed  cau- 
tion, I  and  my  venturous  companion,  Klee,  might  have 
fallen  victims  to  the  treachery  of  these  Indians.  The 
Chunchos,  when  on  their  expeditions,  are  almost  in  a 
state  of  nudity.  Sometimes  they  wear  a  short  whitish- 
brown  shirt  without  sleeves.  This  garment,  when  worn 
by  the  chiefs,  is  red.  Most  of  them  dye  their  hair  with 
achote  (Biwa  Orellana,  L.),  a  deep  vermilion,  and  paint 
the  face  and  breast  the  same  colour.  Their  weapons 
consist  of  a  bow  of  chonta  (Guilielma  speciosa),  with 
which  they  use  two  kinds  of  arrows.  One  kind  are  very 
long,  with  round  points  and  barbs  of  chonta  ;  the  others 
are  shorter,  and  have  points  made  of  reed,  which  inflict 
deep  wounds,  very  difficult  to  be  healed.  They  also  use 
the  great  wooden  sword  the  macana.  A  cross  having 
been  put  up  in  the  forest,  they  fastened  to  it  a  few  days 
afterwards  a  macana  and  two  arrows,  as  symbols  of  irre- 
concilable enmity  to  Christians.  Their  warlike  instru- 
ment is  a  reed,  two  feet  long  and  four  inches  broad, 
through  which  their  howlings  resound  in  horrible  discord. 
It  is  a  custom  with  the  inhabitants  of  Vitoc  to  under- 


THE    CHUNCHOS.  461 

take  two  expeditions  every  year  against  the  Chunchos. 
They  are  the  most  laughable  enterprises  imaginable. 
All  the  Cholos  of  the  valley,  with  the  Alcalde  at  their 
head,  or  rather  in  the  midst  of  them,  proceed,  armed 
with  sticks,  axes,  forest  knives  and  two  muskets, *  to 
explore  the  banks  of  both  rivers.  The  front  ranks 
advance  with  drums  beating,  and  a  number  of  Indians 
carry  large  calabashes  filled  with  guarapo,  to  which  they 
pay  their  earnest  devotions  every  half-hour.  When  by 
accident  some  of  the  Chunchos  are  seen,  the  Cholos  fly 
with  all  the  rapidity  that  terror  can  inspire,  and  cannot 
be  got  together  again  till  they  reach  their  village  ;  then 
they  raise  a  tremendous  shout,  and  when  safe  in  their 
dwellings  boast  proudly  of  their  heroic  deeds. 

The  Chunchos  are  in  possession  of  a  very  rich  bed  of 
salt,  some  twelve  or  fourteen  leagues  from  Vitoc,  from 
whence  they  permit  the  neighbouring  tribes  with  whom 
they  are  at  peace,  to  supply  themselves  with  salt. 
Hostile  tribes,  such  as  the  Campas  and  the  Callisecas, 
sometimes  attempt  to  carry  away  salt,  and  then  a  san- 
guinary contest  ensues.  This  stratum  of  salt  comes  from 
the  top  of  a  hill,  called  the  Cerro  de  la  Sal,  and  it  runs 
in  the  direction  from  south-west  to  north-east,  to  the 
length  of  nearly  three  leagues,  covering  a  breadth  of 
about  thirty  ells.  The  salt  is  mixed  with  red  earth. 


*  The  whole  valley  of  Vitoc  can  furnish  only  two  muskets,  and  these  are  in  as 
useless  a  state  as  possible.  As  for  powder,  there  is  a  constant  want  of  it.  During 
my  residence  in  Vitoc  I  usually  gave  the  Alcalde  some  of  my  powder  when  he 
went  out  with  his  Cholos,  or  when  there  was  a  firing  on  festival  days.  The  want 
of  a  suitable  number  of  muskets,  and  sufficient  powder  in  the  dangerous  vicinity 
of  the  Chunchos,  is  characteristic  of  the  improvidence  of  the  inhabitants  of  Vitoc. 


462  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

It  is  probably  a  continuation  of  the  great  salt  bed  of 
Maynas,  stretching  eastward  along  the  left  bank  of  the 
Perene.  It  may  be  presumed  that  it  does  not  extend  as 
far  as  the  immense  Pajonal,  as  the  Campas  go  for  their 
salt  to  the  Cerro  de  la  Sal. 

In  former  times  various  attempts  were  made  to  convert 
the  Chunchos  to  Christianity  ;  and  these  attempts  were 
partially  successful.  The  first  missionary  who  ventured 
among  them  was  the  intrepid  Fray  Geronimo  Ximenes. 
In  1635  he  penetrated  from  Huancabamba  to  the  Cerro 
de  la  Sal,  and  there  preached  the  gospel  in  the  language 
of  the  people.  He  built  a  chapel,  and  then  directed  his 
course  south-west  to  Vitoc,  where  he  founded  the  village 
San  Buenaventura.  Two  years  after  he  embarked  on 
the  Chanchamayo,  with  the  intention  of  extending  his 
mission  to  the  Campas  tribe,  by  whom  he  was  killed, 
together  with  his  companion,  Fray  Christoval  Larios, 
and  twenty-eight  other  Spaniards.  Several  missionaries 
subsequently  proceeded  to  the  Cerro  de  la  Sal,  and  found 
favour  with  the  natives,  so  that  in  1640  they  had  no  less 
than  seven  villages  of  converted  Chunchos,  Amagas,  and 
Campas;  but  only  a  few  years  afterwards  all  the  mis- 
sionaries and  soldiers  were  killed  and  the  chapels  were 
destroyed.  The  Franciscan  monks,  inspired  by  their  inde- 
fatigable zeal,  ventured  in  1671  on  a  new  mission  to  the 
fatal  Cerro  de  la  Sal;  and  they  had  the  good  fortune  to 
found  a  village  in  which  eight  hundred  Neophytes  were 
collected.  A  second  and  smaller  village  was  founded  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  destroyed  San  Buenaventura,  and 
named  Santa  Rosa  de  Quimiri ;  but  the  avarice  of  some 


MISSIONS   AND   CONVERSIONS.  463 

Spaniards  who  fancied  there  were  gold  mines  in  the 
Cerro  de  la  Sal,  induced  them  to  get  the  missions  with- 
drawn from  the  superintendence  of  the  priests,  and  to 
turn  the  whole  into  a  political  system.  Then  com- 
menced the  oppression  of  the  Indians  in  those  parts. 
The  consequence  was  a  great  insurrection  in  1674,  when 
all  the  whites  were  massacred.  Thus  were  the  labours 
of  the  missionaries  a  second  time  annihilated.  Every 
attempt  for  the  conversion  of  Indians  was  for  a  long 
time  fruitless,  and  the  missionaries  who  ventured  to 
approach  them  were  shot.  After  the  lapse  of  about 
thirty  years,  during  which  interval  the  Chunchos  had 
fallen  back  to  their  original  savage  state,  the  founder 
of  the  Convent  of  Ocopa,  Fray  Francisco  de  San  Jose, 
with  four  priests  and  two  lay  brothers,  penetrated  into 
the  valley  of  Vitoc,  and  entered  upon  the  territory  of  the 
Chunchos.  At  this  time  (1709)  Vitoc  was  first  peopled, 
and  in  the  course  of  twenty  years  six  large  villages  were 
built.  In  the  year  1739  these  missions,  again  flourish- 
ing, counted  ten  Christian  villages  and  three  thousand 
baptised  Indians.  Three  years  afterwards  the  Indian 
insurrection,  headed  by  the  apostate  Juan  Santos,  de- 
stroyed all  the  missions  of  Central  Peru. 

Juan  Santos  was  an  Indian  born  at  Huamanga,  and 
he  claimed  descent  from  the  last  of  the  Incas.  This 
claim  was  probably  well  founded,  for  before  the  revolt 
he  was  called  Atahuallpa,  which  was  the  name  of  the 
Inca  put  to  death  by  Pizarro.  Juan  Santos  was  haughty, 
high  spirited,  and  clever.  In  the  year  1741  he  killed, 
in  a  quarrel,  a  Spaniard  of  high  rank,  and  to  elude  the 


464  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

pursuit  of  justice,   he   fled  to  the  forests.     There  he 
brooded  over  plans  for  taking  vengeance  on  the  oppres- 
sors of  his  country.     He  first  addressed  himself  to  the 
tribes  of  the  Campas,  and  having  gained  them  over,  he 
proceeded  to  Quisopongo  in  the  Pajonal.     From  thence, 
in  the  year  1742,  he  made  his  first  attack  on  the  mission 
of  the  Cerro  de  la  Sal.    The  Spaniards  had  already  been 
warned   of  the  intended   rising,   but   they  considered 
it  too  unimportant  to  call  for  serious  measures  of  repres- 
sion ;  and  whilst  lulling  themselves  in  their  imagined 
security,  they  were   surprised  and  massacred  by  the 
Indians.     The  insurrection  spread  with  incredible  rapi- 
dity.    Juan  Santos  himself  led  all  the  principal  attacks. 
In  one  night  he  took  the  fortress  of  Quimiri  with  sixty- 
five  men,  all  of  whom  were  massacred  in  the  most  cruel 
manner.     The  well-defended  fort  of  Paucartambo  was 
next  taken  by  a  small  number  of  Chunchos,  commanded 
by  Juan  Santos.     All  the  Christian  churches  were  des- 
troyed by  the  insurgents.     The  sacred  images  and  the 
priests  were  tied  together,  and  cast  into  the  rivers  ;  the 
villages  were  burned,  and  the  cultivated  fields  laid  waste. 
The  number  of  Spanish  soldiers  killed  in  this  insurrection 
was  245;  the  number  of  priests  26.     In  the  course  of  a 
few  weeks  all  the  missions  of  central  Peru  were  completely 
destroyed,  and  terror  spread  even  to  the  mountains. 
The  Spanish  government  found  it  necessary  to  adopt 
the  most  vigorous  measures,  for  there  was  reason  to 
fear  that  the  mountain  Indians  would  revolt.     Castles 
and  forts  were  built  on  the  frontiers  of  all  the  Montanas 
and  strongly  garrisoned ;  but  the  insurrection  did  not 


FRANCISCAN    AND    DOMINICAN   MONKS.  465 

extend  farther.  The  ultimate  fate  of  Juan  Santos  Ata- 
huallpa  has  never  been  satisfactorily  ascertained.  Some 
assert  that  he  became  a  powerful  ruler,  and  that  as  long 
as  he  lived  the  races  of  the  Chunchos,  Pacanes,  Chichir- 
renes,  Campas,  and  Simirinches,  were  united.  On  an 
old  manuscript  in  the  monastery  of  Ocopa  I  found  a 
marginal  note,  in  which  it  was  said,  "  As  to  the  monster, 
the  apostate  Juan  Santos  Atahuallpa,  after  his  diabo- 
lical destruction  of  our  missions,  the  wrath  of  God  was 
directed  against  him  in  the  most  fearful  manner.  He 
died  the  death  of  Herod,  for  his  living  body  was  devoured 
by  worms." 

Shortly  after  the  tragical  downfal  of  these  missions, 
two  priests,  Fray  Francisco  Otasua  and  Fray  Salvador 
Pando,  visited  the  ruins  of  Quimiri,  and  endeavoured 
to  conciliate  the  rebels ;  but  in  vain.  After  three  months, 
during  which  they  suffered  dreadful  ill  treatment  from 
the  Chunchos,  they  returned  to  the  monastery  of  Ocopa. 

These  missionaries  were  all  monks  of  the  order  of 
San  Francisco.  Their  active  zeal  and  heroic  submission 
to  any  sacrifice  in  furtherance  of  the  cause  in  which 
they  were  embarked  must  excite  at  once  astonishment 
and  admiration.  Undaunted  by  incredible  privations 
and  laborious  exertions  in  the  pathless  forests,  without 
food  or  shelter ;  undismayed  by  the  continual  apprehen- 
sion of  a  violent  and  cruel  death,  they  courageously 
obeyed  the  inward  impulse  which  inspired  them  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  wild  Indians.  When  intelli- 
gence was  received  of  the  violent  death  of  one  of  the 
brotherhood,  others  immediately  offered  to  supply  the 

H  H 


466  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

place  of  the  victim,  and  the  superiors  of  the  order  had 
much  difficulty  in  restraining  the  zealous  monks.  In 
the  central  and  northern  missions  of  Peru,  129  Fran- 
ciscan monks  were  murdered  by  the  wild  Indians. 
Those  who  compose  that  number  are  recorded  by  name, 
but  many  others  disappeared  without  leaving  a  trace  of 
what  had  become  of  them,  and  of  course  they  are  not 
included  in  the  list.  The  number  of  lay  brethren  who 
perished  is  much  greater.  It  is  indeed  melancholy  to 
reflect  how  little  advantage  has  been  obtained  by  the 
sacrifice  of  so  many  valuable  lives.  The  missions  have 
nearly  all  disappeared,  and  the  Indians  have  now  retro- 
graded into  the  savage  state  in  which  they  were  before 
the  conquest  of  Peru. 

The  Franciscan  monks  were  mild  and  patient  teachers. 
They  proceeded  on  the  principle  of  leaving  the  Christian 
religion  to  act  for  itself,  and  they  scorned  to  promote  it 
by  any  kind  of  compulsion.  The  Dominicans,  on  the 
other  hand,  who  came  to  Peru  with  the  conquerors, 
preached  Christianity  with  fire  and  sword.  The  Jesuits, 
who  headed  the  missions  of  Southern  Peru,  adopted  the 
one  way  or  the  other,  as  they  found  most  advantageous 
to  the  object  they  had  in  view.  By  this  means  they 
secured  the  attachment  of  the  neophytes,  and  retained 
most  of  their  conversions.  Many  of  the  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries were  highly  intelligent  and  well-informed  men. 
We  are  indebted  to  them  for  important  geographical 
and  statistical  information,  and  in  particular  for  some 
philological  works  of  great  value,  viz.,  a  grammar  and 
dictionary  of  the  language  of  every  tribe  they  converted. 


NEW    VILLAGE    FOUNDED    IN    VITOC.  467 

The  Dominican  monks,  who  were  mere  ignorant  fana- 
tics, sacrificed  to  their  blind  zeal  for  conversion  all  the 
monuments  of  the  early  civilisation  of  the  Peruvians, 
and  restrained,  rather  than  promoted,  the  intellectual 
development  of  the  people.  The  Franciscans,  animated 
by  pious  inspiration,  earnestly  preached  the  doctrines  of 
Christ  to  the  wild  inhabitants  of  the  distant  forests ;  but 
they  communicated  little  information  to  the  rest  of  the 
world.  A  few  imperfect  maps,  and  some  scanty  notices 
on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Indians,  are  the 
whole  amount  of  their  laical  labours. 

In  the  year  1779  an  attempt  was  again  made  to 
penetrate  to  the  Cerro  de  la  Sal,  and  a  road  was  opened 
leading  from  Palca  to  Chanchamayo,  where  a  fort  was 
built ;  but  at  the  expiration  of  five  years  the  govern- 
ment destroyed  it,  as  continued  irruptions  of  the 
Chunchos  could  not  be  checked.  In  1784,  the  governor 
of  Tarma,  Don  Juan  Maria  de  Galvas,  supported  by  the 
Superior  of  Ocopa,  Fray  Manuel  Sobreviela,  visited  the 
valley  of  Vitoc,  which  had  been  abandoned  since  the 
Indian  insurrection.  The  new  village  of  San  Teodoro 
de  Pucara  was  founded,  and  the  destroyed  fort,  Santa 
Ana  de  Colla,  was  rebuilt.  The  Montana  was  soon 
peopled,  and  in  a  short  time  it  contained  upwards 
of  forty  haciendas  and  large  chacras.  The  village  of 
Sorriano,  scarcely  two  leagues  from  Colla,  was  then 
inhabited  by  Chunchos,  who  showed  a  willingness  to 
maintain  friendly  intercourse  with  the  occupants  of 
Vitoc,  from  whom  they  took  meat,  tools,  and  other 
things,  which  they  repaid  by  agricultural  labour.  Unfor- 

H  H  2 


468  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

tunately,  the  plantation  owners  soon  began  to  take  an 
undue  advantage  of  this  friendly  intercourse,  and  to 
charge  exorbitant  prices  for  the  articles  required  by  the 
Indians.  For  a  pin  or  a  needle  they  demanded  two 
days'  work,  for  a  fishing-hook  four,  and  for  a  wretched 
knife,  eight,  ten,  or  more.  A  rupture  was  the  conse- 
quence. The  Chunchos  burned  their  own  village,  and 
returned  again  to  Chanchamayo.  Still,  however,  they 
continued  on  a  sort  of  amicable  footing  with  the  Cholos, 
until  one  of  the  latter  wantonly  shot  a  Cliuncho  at  a 
festival.  The  tribe  then  mustered  in  thousands  to 
avenge  the  murder.  They  destroyed  the  Christian 
villages,  and  massacred  all  the  inhabitants  who  were 
not  able  to  fly.  Thus  was  Vitoc  once  more  depopu- 
lated :  Cardenas,  the  military  governor  of  Tarma,  made 
a  fresh  endeavour  to  restore  the  cultivation  of  this 
fine  valley.  He  made  the  road  again  passable,  laid 
out  the  large  plantation  Chuntabamba,  built  and  garri- 
soned the  Colla  fort.  The  site  of  the  former  Chuncho 
village,  Sorriano,  was  converted  into  a  cocal  (or  coca 
field),  and  the  Montana  began  once  more  to  assume  a 
flourishing  aspect.  Still,  however,  the  Chunchos  con- 
tinued to  harass  their  neighbours,  particularly  during  the 
time  of  the  coca  harvest,  which  could  not  be  gathered 
without  military  protection.  During  one  of  the  harvests 
a  labourer  was  shot  by  the  wild  Indians,  which  so  terrified 
the  Cholos,  that  they  all  fled  to  Sorriano.  Soon  after, 
Cardenas  died,  and  the  coca  plantation  being  neglected, 
became  a  waste.  A  few  years  afterwards  the  haci- 
enda of  Pacchapata  was  laid  out.  During  the  war 


DESOLATION   OF    VITOC.  469 

of  independence  the  Spaniards  destroyed  Fort  Colla, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Yitoc  were  left  without  any 
means  of  defence  against  their  savage  enemies.  The 
last  attempt  to  reduce  the  Chunchos  to  subjection  and 
order  was  made  by  a  military  expedition  under  the 
command  of  General  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  de  Otero, 
but  owing  to  ill-arranged  plans  it  totally  failed.  No 
more  than  twenty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  the 
valley  of  Vitoc,  with  its  rich  plantations,  was  in  the 
most  flourishing  prosperity.  Now  only  faint  traces  of 
its  past  cultivation  are  discernible. 

The  history  of  the  Montana  of  Vitoc  is  the  history  of 
all  the  Montarias  of  Peru.  In  all,  we  perceive  the  alter- 
nate rise  and  decline  of  cultivation  and  civilisation, 
caused  by  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries,  and  the  incur- 
sions of  the  wild  Indians.  Throughout  all  these  dis- 
tricts the  present  condition  exhibits  a  marked  inferiority 
to  the  past,  a  circumstance  which  may  be  accounted  for 
by  the  long-continued  civil  war,  during  the  contest  for 
independence.  Nevertheless,  the  internal  tranquillity  of 
the  country,  and  the  increasing  population,  suggest 
favourable  prognostics  for  the  future. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

Oppressions  exercised  by  the  Spaniards  upon  the  Peruvian  Indians — The 
Repartimiento  and  the  Mita — Indian  Insurrections — Tupac  Amaru — His 
Capture  ancl  Execution — War  of  Independence — Character  of  the  Peruvian 
Indians — Music — Dress — Superstitions — Longevity — Diminished  Popula- 
tion of  Peru — Languages  spoken  by  the  Aboriginal  Inhabitants — Specimen 
of  Quichua  Poetry — The  Yaravies — The  Quipu — Water  Conduits— Ancient 
Buildings — Fortresses — Idols — Domestic  Utensils — Ancient  Peruvian 
Graves — Mode  of  Burying  the  Dead — Mummies. 

A  GLANCE  at  the  history  of  Peru  serves  to  show  that 
prior  to  the  Spanish  conquest  the  Indians  were  the  sub- 
jects of  a  dynasty,  to  which  they  rendered  willing 
obedience.  We  find,  indeed,  an  uninterrupted  series  of 
revolutions  and  wars,  arising  out  of  the  continued  exten- 
sion of  the  empire,  to  which  nations  differing  one  from 
another  in  language,  religion,  and  manners,  were  gradu- 
ally annexed.  For  some  time  after  their  subjugation  these 
nations  struggled  to  recover  their  independence,  but  the 
wise  and  mild  government  of  the  Incas  gradually 
restored  peace,  and  established  unity.  In  course  of 
time,  the  magnitude  of  the  empire  led  to  its  downfall. 
Huayna  Inca-Capac  divided  his  dominions  between  his 
two  sons.  To  the  elder,  Huascar,  he  gave  the  southern 
portion  of  the  empire,  and  to  the  younger,  Atahuallpa, 
he  gave  the  northern  division.  Between  the  two 


PIZARRO'S    LANDING    IN    PERU.  471 

brothers  there  arose  disputes,  which  led  to  a  sanguinary 
war ;  and  in  that  fatal  interval,  Pizarro,  with  his  invading 
forces,  landed  in  Peru.  With  a  degree  of  speed,  which 
internal  union  among  the  people  would  have  rendered 
impossible,  the  Spaniards  made  themselves  masters  of 
the  country,  massacred  alike  sovereigns  and  subjects, 
destroyed  the  sanctuaries,  and  established  a  new  religion 
and  new  laws.  The  barbarous  cruelties  by  which  that 
religion  and  those  laws  were  upheld  are  too  well  known 
to  require  repetition  here.  Of  the  many  oppressive 
measures  to  which  the  Spaniards  enforced  submission 
from  the  conquered  people,  I  will  briefly  notice  two  : 
the  Repartimiento  and  the  Mita.  The  Repartimiento 
was  the  distribution,  among  the  natives,  of  articles  of 
European  production.  These  distributions  were  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  provincial  authorities,  the 
corregidores,  and  the  sub-delegados.  The  law  was 
doubtless  intended,  in  its  origin,  for  the  advantage  and 
convenience  of  the  native  Indians,  by  supplying  them 
with  necessaries  at  a  reasonable  price.  But,  subse- 
quently, the  Repartimiento  became  a  source  of  oppression 
and  fraud,  in  the  hands  of  the  provincial  authorities. 
All  the  corregidores  and  sub-delegados  became  traders. 
They  purchased  consignments  of  manufactured  goods 
from  Europe,  at  a  cheap  rate,  and  sold  them  to  the 
Indians  at  exorbitant  prices.  To  add  to  the  grievance, 
the  articles  thus  forced  upon  the  natives  were,  in  many 
instances,  not  necessaries,  but  objects  of  luxury  utterly 
useless  to  them.  Even  more  oppressive  and  cruel  than 
the  Repartimiento,  was  the  Mita,  which  consisted  of  the 


472  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

forced  labour  of  the  Indians  in  the  mines  and  planta- 
tions. Every  Spaniard  who  wished  to  work  a  mine, 
obtained  from  the  corregidor  a  certain  number  of 
Indians,  to  each  of  whom  he  gave  daily  four  reals  as 
wages,  with  the  agreement  of  paying  to  the  government 
a  yearly  tax  of  eight  dollars.  The  condition  of  the  Indians 
who  were  distributed  to  the  plantation  owners  was  even 
worse  than  that  of  the  mine  labourers  ;  they  received 
only  two  reals  per  day,  and  were  required  to  work  in  the 
fields  from  three  in  the  morning  until  after  sunset.  The 
Indians  employed  in  this  compulsory  labour,  whether  in 
the  mines  or  the  plantations,  were  called  Mitas.  But 
there  was  another  sort  of  forced  labour,  for  which  no 
wages  were  paid.  It  was  indeed  less  toilsome  than 
working  in  the  mines  and  plantations,  yet  the  Indians 
employed  in  it  were  frequently  subject  to  much  ill-treat- 
ment. I  allude  to  domestic  service  in  the  houses  of  the 
corregidores,  sub-delegados,  and  priests.  The  Indians 
thus  employed  were  called  Pongos,  and  they  were 
required  to  continue  in  their  places  for  the  space  of  a 
year,  after  which  time  they  were  discharged.  A  corre- 
gidor frequently  had  half  a  dozen  of  these  pongos,  whom 
he  provided  with  miserable  food  and  wretched  clothing/"" 
In  the  mines  and  plantations  countless  numbers  of 
Indians  were  annually  swept  away  by  the  excessive 
labour  consequent  on  the  mita.  Some  writers  estimate 
at  nine  millions  the  number  of  Indians  sacrificed  in  the 

*  Even  to  this  day  the  custom  of  forced  domestic  service  is  kept  up  in  some 
parts  of  the  Sierra,  where  the  priest  is  allowed  the  services  of  a  female  cook^ 
who  is  called  a  Mita,  and  a  man  servant,  for  whom  the  name  of  Pongo  is  reserved. 
These  servants  are  kept  for  the  space  of  a  week. 


COKKUPT    LEGISLATION    IN    PERU.  473 

mines  in  the  course  of  three  centuries.  This  estimate 
is  certainly  too  high  ;  but  three  millions  more  may  be 
added  for  the  number  of  victims  of  the  mita  in  the 
plantations. 

That  the  government  in  Spain  should  have  tolerated 
this  barbarous  system,  so  obviously  calculated  to  bring 
ruin  on  the  nation,  may  naturally  be  matter  of  surprise. 
But  a  glance  at  the  Indian  laws  (Leyes  de  Indias)  suf- 
fices to  show  the  distinction  between  the  intentions  of 
the  Spanish  government  and  the  corrupt  legislation  of 
the  country.  The  laws  are,  with  some  few  exceptions, 
conceived  in  a  mild  spirit,  and  show  that  their  framers 
had  in  view  the  well-being  of  the  colonies.  The  execu- 
tion of  these  laws  was  consigned  to  the  superintendence 
of  what  was  termed  the  Indian  council  (Consejo  de  Indias). 
This  council  consisted  of  a  certain  number  of  men  who 
resided  in  Spain,  and  who  either  were  only  in  part 
acquainted  with  the  real  state  of  things  in  South 
America,  or  were  bribed  by  Indian  gold  to  wink  at  the 
abuses  committed  there.  From  this  council  were  chosen 
the  viceroys  and  high  authorities  of  the  colonies, 
who,  whilst  in  the  exercise  of  their  official  functions, 
amassed  enormous  wealth  by  unjust  exactions  from  the 
Indians.  One  of  the  latest  viceroys  of  Peru  was  a  man 
who  arrived  in  Lima  in  a  state  of  utter  poverty,  and 
who,  in  the  short  space  of  three  years,  amassed  the  im- 
mense sum  of  five  millions  of  dollars. 

Could  it  be  matter  of  surprise  if  at  length  the  Indians 
rose  against  their  oppressors,  and  made  an  effort  to 
shake  off  the  heavy  yoke  of  their  tyrants  ?  For  two 


474  TKAYELS    IN    PERU. 

hundred  years  they  had  borne  it  silently,  without  a 
single  attempt  to  emancipate  themselves.  Juan  Santos 
Atahuallpa  was  the  first  who  stirred  up  revolt  against 
the  Spaniards.  The  insurrection  which  he  had  headed, 
though  deemed  too  insignificant  to  fix  the  attention  of  the 
short-sighted  government  of  Lima,  nevertheless,  convinced 
the  Indians  that  they  were  strong  enough  to  make  a  stand 
against  their  oppressors.  Several  partial  risings  in 
Southern  Peru  were  speedily  put  down  ;  a  leader  was 
wanting  to  organise  the  disconnected  plans  and  move- 
ments of  the  insurgents.  This  want  was  at  length  sup- 
plied in  the  person  of  the  ill-fated  Tupac  Amaru,  cacique 
of  Tungasuca,  a  descendant  of  the  last  Inca. 

The  event  which  caused  Tupac  Amaru  to  attempt  a 
movement  against  the  Spaniards  occurred  in  1780.  In 
that  year,  the  corregidor  of  Tinta,  Don  Antonio  Ariaga, 
made  repartimientos  to  the  amount  of  340,000  dollars, 
and  with  the  most  cruel  rigour  enforced  payment  of  the 
useless  articles  distributed.  The  cacique  of  Tungasuca 
assembled  the  irritated  Indians,  who  seized  the  corre- 
gidor and  hanged  him.  This  was  the  signal  for  a  general 
rising  in  all  the  neighbouring  districts.  The  forces  of 
Tupac  Amaru  augmented  daily.  He  was  invested  with 
the  title  of  Inca,  and  treated  with  the  honours  due  to 
sovereignty.  For  several  months  an  active  war  was 
maintained  in  the  Puna,  where  several  towns  and  villages 
were  taken  by  the  insurgents.  Tupac  Amaru  had  made 
himself  master  of  the  village  of  Chucuito,  and  was  pre- 
paring to  advance  upon  Cuzco,  when,  about  the  end  of 
April,  1781,  he,  with  all  his  family,  were  made  prisoners 


INDIAN    INSURRECTIONS.  475 

by  the  Spaniards.  He  was  tried  and  condemned  to 
death,  together  with  his  wife,  two  sons,  his  brother-in- 
law,  and  several  other  individuals  of  note  among  the 
Indians. 

But  the  execution  of  Tupac  Amaru,  which  was 
marked  by  circumstances  of  monstrous  barbarity,  far 
from  stemming  the  tide  of  revolution,  served  only  to 
stimulate  the  vengeance  of  the  insurgents.  They  once 
more  mustered  their  warlike  bands,  under  the  command 
of  Casimiro  Tupac  Amaru,  the  brother  of  the  late 
cacique,  his  son  Andres,  and  an  intrepid  Indian  chief, 
named  Nicacatari.  The  latter,  assisted  by  Andres, 
burned  several  villages  of  Upper  Peru,  and  murdered 
all  the  whites.  They  next  advanced  upon  the  strongly 
fortified  town  of  Sorrata,  whither  the  Spaniards  of  the 
surrounding  districts  had  fled  for  protection.  The  town 
was  taken  by  the  insurgents,  and  the  inhabitants,  22,000 
in  number,  inhumanly  put  to  death,  with  the  exception 
of  eighty-seven  priests  and  monks.  The  Indians  then 
advanced  westwards,  defeating  several  Spanish  corps, 
and  spreading  terror  and  dismay  through  the  country. 
But,  that  which  neither  the  arms  nor  the  executions  of 
the  Spaniards  could  accomplish,  was  effected  by  their 
gold.  A  treacherous  Indian,  bribed  by  the  promise  of  a 
large  reward,  conducted  a  division  of  Spanish  soldiers  to 
the  spot  where  the  chiefs  were  accustomed  to  meet,  unat- 
tended by  any  guard,  to  hold  their  council.  They  were 
surprised,  captured,  and  condemned  to  death.  Once 
more  deprived  of  leaders,  the  Indians  disbanded  and 
withdrew,  some  to  their  homes,  and  others  into  the 


476  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

forests.  Numberless  victims  paid  the  debt  of  retribu- 
tion to  the  Spanish  government,  which  now  adopted 
every  measure  that  could  tend  to  annihilate  the  nation- 
ality of  the  native  Indians.  Their  dances,  their  music, 
their  dress— all  that  could  revive  the  remembrance  of 
their  progenitors,  was  condemned  to  rigorous  prohibi- 
tion ;  they  were  even  forbidden  the  use  of  their  mother 
tongue,  the  Quichua  language.  The  only  beneficial 
result  of  these  wars,  in  which  upwards  of  a  hundred 
thousand  lives  were  sacrificed,  was  the  abolition  of 
the  Repartimientos,  which  had  been  the  cause  of  the 
insurrections. 

Peace  was  now,  at  least  to  appearance,  restored  ;  and 
if,  occasionally,  symptoms  of  disturbance  arose,  they 
were  immediately  repressed.  This  state  of  things  con- 
tinued until  the  Creoles  themselves  gave  the  signal  of 
revolt,  and  the  War  of  Independence  broke  out  in  all  the 
Spanish  colonies  of  South  America.  In  this  enterprise 
the  Indians  readily  took  part.  But  it  is  a  great  mistake 
to  suppose  that  the  Indian  natives  made  common  cause 
with  the  Creoles  against  the  Spaniards,  for  the  purpose 
of  bringing  about  the  present  form  of  government. 
They  wished  to  emancipate  themselves  in  order  to  esta- 
blish their  *own  dynasty  and  a  government  modelled 
after  that  of  their  forefathers.  They  wanted  not  a 
republic,  but  a  monarchy,  and  a  sovereign  chosen  from  the 
sacred  race  of  the  Incas.  Having  no  clear  comprehen- 
sion of  the  real  object  of  the  War  of  Independence,  the 
Indians,  when  they  saw  whites  fighting  against  whites, 
directed  their  hostility  against  all  Pucacuncas  (pale 


WAR    OF    INDEPENDENCE.  477 

faces)  without  distinction,  killing  loyalists  or  patriots, 
just  as  they  happened  to  fall  in  their  way.  This  hatred 
was  so  bitterly  manifested,  that  in  some  provinces  all  the 
whites  and  mestizos  were  obliged  to  fly,  even  though 
they  were  the  most  decided  enemies  of  the  Spanish 
loyalists.  In  Jauja  the  Indians  vowed  not  to  leave  even 
a  white  dog  or  a  white  fowl  alive,  and  they  even  scraped 
the  whitewash  from  the  walls  of  the  houses. 

The  provisional  government  ordered  levies  of  troops 
to  be  made  in  the  provinces  which  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  patriots  ;  and  then,  for  the  first  time, 
Indians  were  enrolled  in  the  army  as  regular  troops. 
But  it  was  only  in  a  very  few  districts  that  they  volun- 
tarily took  part  in  the  conflict  for  independence  :  they 
performed  the  forced  service  of  conscripts,  and  whenever 
an  opportunity  enabled  them  to  retire  from  it,  they  did 
so.  The  Spanish  dominion  being  overthrown,  the  war 
terminated,  and  a  republican  constitution  was  established. 
The  Indians  then  clearly  perceived  that  they  had  been 
made  the  tools  of  the  leaders  of  the  revolution.  Upon 
the  whole,  their  condition  was  but  little  improved  ;  for  if 
they  were  relieved  from  some  oppressive  laws,  other 
hardships  weighed  heavily  on  them,  and  they  found 
that  they  still  were  slaves  in  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
The  Creoles,  like  the  Spaniards,  will  draw  the  string  of 
despotism  till  it  snaps.  Then  will  arise  another  Indian 
insurrection  like  that  headed  by  Tupac  Amaru,  but  with 
a  more  successful  result.  After  a  fearful  struggle,  they 
may  reconquer  their  fatherland,  and  re-establish  their 
ancient  constitution  ;  and  can  it  be  matter  of  surprise 


478  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

if  they  wreak  cruel  vengeance  on  the  enemies  of  their 
race  1 

Since  the  War  of  Independence,  the  Indians  have  made 
immense  progress.  During  the  civil  war,  which  was 
kept  up  uninterruptedly  for  the  space  of  twenty  years, 
they  were  taught  military  manoeuvres  and  the  use  of 
fire-arms.  After  every  lost  battle  the  retreating  Indians 
carried  with  them  in  their  flight  their  muskets,  which 
they  still  keep  carefully  concealed.  They  are  also  ac- 
quainted with  the  manufacture  of  gun  powder,  of  which 
in  all  their  festivals  they  use  great  quantities  for  squibs 
and  rockets.  The  materials  for  the  preparation  of  gun- 
powder are  found  in  abundance  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Sierra. 

In  the  year  1841,  when  I  was  passing  through  a  miser- 
able village  on  the  confines  of  one  of  the  Montafias  of  Cen- 
tral Peru,  I  took  up  my  abode  for  some  days  in  the  hut  of 
an  Indian,  and  whilst  there  I  accidentally  saw  eighteen 
muskets  which  were  deposited  in  a  place  of  concealment. 
I,  quite  unsuspectingly,  inquired  of  the  Indian,  why  he 
thought  it  requisite  to  keep  so  many  weapons  of  defence  ? 
He  replied,  with  a  sinister  frown,  that  the  time  would 
come  when  he  should  find  them  useful.  I  could  easily 
perceive  that  my  accidental  discovery  was  by  no  means 
agreeable  to  him ;  and  from  the  very  marked  change 
which  I  observed  in  his  manner,  I  deemed  it  prudent  to 
withdraw  from  the  village  and  its  vicinity.  Whilst  my 
horse  was  being  saddled,  I  noticed  my  host  and  some  of 
his  confidential  friends  engaged  in  very  earnest  con- 
versation, and  I  could  easily  perceive  that  I  was  the 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    PERUVIAN    INDIANS.  479 

subject  of  it.  On  my  departure  the  Indian  asked  me, 
with  apparent  friendliness  of  manner,  which  way  I  was 
going  ?  When  I  was  beyond  the  sphere  of  his  observa- 
tion, I  deemed  it  prudent  to  proceed  quite  in  an  oppo- 
site direction  from  the  route  which  I  told  him  I  intended 
to  take. 

The  character  of  the  Peruvian  Indian  is  essentially 
gloomy.  It  was  not  always  so,  if  we  may  give  credit  to 
the  animated  pictures  drawn  by  early  travellers  in  Peru ; 
but  three  hundred  years  of  oppression  and  suffering 
have  impressed  their  melancholy  stamp  on  the  feelings 
and  manners  of  the  people.  This  gloominess  is  strik- 
ingly manifested  in  their  songs,  their  dances,  their  dress, 
and  their  whole  domestic  economy.  The  favourite 
musical  instruments  of  the  Indians  are  those  called  the 
Pututo  and  the  Jaina,  The  former  is  a  large  conch, 
on  which  they  perform  mournful  music,  as  the  ac- 
companiment of  their  funeral  dances.  In  early  times 
this  conch  was  employed  in  the  solemnities  of  royal 
interments  ;  now  its  use  is  exclusively  reserved  for  the 
anniversaries  held  in  commemoration  of  certain  events 
connected  with  the  fallen  Inca  dynasty.  The  Jaina 
appears  to  be  of  more  modern  origin  ;  it  is  a  rude  kind 
of  clarionet,  made  from  a  reed.  Its  tone  is  indescrib- 
ably melancholy,  and  it  produces  an  extraordinary  im- 
pression on  the  natives.  If  a  group  of  Indians  are  riot- 
ing and  drinking,  or  engaged  in  furious  conflict  with 
each  other,  and  the  sound  of  the  Jaina  is  suddenly 
heard,  the  tumult  ceases,  as  if  by  a  stroke  of  magic.  A 
dead  stillness  prevails,  and  all  listen  devoutly  to  the 


480  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

magical  tones  of  the  simple  reed ;  tones  which  fre- 
quently draw  tears  from  the  eyes  of  the  apathetic 
Indian. 

Their  garments  are  all  of  dark  and  sombre  hues. 
Dark  blue  is  a  favourite  colour,  and  appears  to  be  gene- 
rally adopted  for  mourning  ;  for  whenever  the  Indians 
follow  a  corpse  to  the  grave,  they  always  wear  dark  blue 
ponchos.  The  dress  of  the  men  usually  consists  of  short 
trowsers,  of  coarse  brown  cloth,  fastened  round  the  waist 
by  a  girdle,  and  a  woollen  or  cotton  shirt.  They  seldom 
wear  a  jacket,  the  ponchos  of  Alpaca  wool  being  always 
the  outer  garment.  On  their  feet  they  wear  sandals  of 
untanned  leather,  which  merely  cover  the  toes,  and  are 
fastened  round  the  ancle. 

The  dress  of  the  women  consists  of  a  loose  under- 
garment, without  sleeves,  and  made  of  coarse  blue 
woollen  cloth.  It  is  confined  round  the  waist  by  a 
broad  girdle,  called  the  huccau.  Over  the  arms  are 
drawn  black  sleeves,  reaching  from  the  wrist  to  about 
the  middle  of  the  upper  arm.  A  sort  of  robe  or  tunic, 
called  the  anacu,  descends  from  the  shoulders  to  the 
knees.  It  is  fastened,  not  in  front,  but  on  one  side. 
This  garment  is  made  of  a  thin  sort  of  woollen  stuff. 
It  is  always  black,  being  worn  in  token  of  mourning  for 
the  Incas.  On  the  occasion  of  certain  festivals,  the 
Indian  women  wear  a  particoloured  dress,  called  a 
faldillin.  This  garment  frequently  exhibits  the  most 
glaring  contrasts  of  colour,  one  half  being  bright  red, 
and  the  other  yellow,  in  addition  to  which  it  is  some- 
times adorned  with  flowers  of  brilliant  hues,  and  taste- 


DOMESTIC    RELATIONS   OF   THE    INDIANS.  481 

less,  gold  embroidery.  A  mantilla,  consisting  of  a  narrow 
piece  of  woollen  cloth,  is  passed  over  the  shoulders,  and 
fastened  under  the  chin,  either  with  a  long  silver  pin,  or 
a  cactus-thorn,  completes  the  costume.  In  this  mantilla, 
or  in  a  poncho,  mothers  are  accustomed  to  wrap  their 
infants,  and  fastening  them  to  their  backs,  they  carry 
them  about  in  this  manner  for  a  whole  day,  whilst 
engaged  in  their  work. 

In  their  domestic  relations,  the  Indians  are  unsocial 
and  gloomy.  Husband,  wife,  and  children  live  together 
with  but  little  appearance  of  affection.  The  children 
seem  to  approach  their  parents  timidly,  and  whole  days 
sometimes  elapse  without  the  interchange  of  a  word 
of  kindness  between  them.  When  the  Indian  is  not 
engaged  in  out-door  work,  he  sits  gloomily  in  his  hut, 
chewing  coca,  and  brooding  silently  over  his  own 
thoughts.  To  his  friend  he  is  more  communicative 
than  to  his  wife.  With  the  former,  he  will  often  dis- 
course, apparently  on  some  secret  topic,  for  the  space 
of  half-a-night ;  nevertheless,  he  cannot  be  accused  of 
treating  his  wife  with  any  degree  of  cruelty,  or  of 
regarding  her  merely  in  the  light  of  his  slave,  as  is 
customary  among  many  uncivilised  races  of  people. 

Besides  the  official  authorities,  to  which  the  Govern- 
ment exacts  obedience,  the  Peruvian  Indian  acknow- 
ledges other  authorities,  whose  functions  and  power  are 
similar  to  those  which  existed  under  the  Inca  dynasty. 
In  like  manner,  though  they  have  embraced  the  Christian 
faith,  yet  they  obstinately  adhere  to  certain  religious 
ceremonies,  which  have  been  transmitted  to  them  by 

i  i 


482  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

their  idolatrous  progenitors.  Thus  their  religion  is  a  sin- 
gular combination  of  Christian  principles  and  heathenish 
forms.  Hitherto  the  most  patient  and  intelligent  of 
their  religious  instructors  have  failed  to  outroot  this 
attachment  to  old  forms.  The  Christian  religion  has 
been  spread  among  the  Indians  by  force ;  and  for  cen- 
turies past,  they  have  regarded  the  priests  only  in  the 
light  of  tyrants,  who  make  religion  a  cloak  for  the  most 
scandalous  pecuniary  extortions,  and  whose  conduct  is 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  doctrines  they  profess.  If 
they  render  to  them  unconditional  obedience,  accom- 
panied by  a  sort  of  timid  reverence,  it  is  to  be  attributed 
less  to  the  operation  of  the  Christian  principle,  than  to 
a  lingering  attachment  to  the  theocratic  government  of 
the  Incas,  which  has  impressed  the  Peruvians  with  a 
sacred  awe  of  religion. 

The  superstition  with  which  the  Indians  are  so  deeply 
imbued  is  adverse  to  the  inculcation  of  pure  religious 
faith  ;  it  is  the  more  difficult  to  be  eradicated,  inasmuch 
as  it  has  its  origin  in  early  tradition,  and  has  in  later 
times  been  singularly  blended  with  the  Catholic  form  of 
worship.  Of  this  superstition  I  may  here  adduce  some 
examples.  As  soon  as  a  dying  person  draws  his  last 
breath,  the  relatives,  or  persons  in  attendance,  put  coca 
leaves  into  the  mouth  of  the  corpse,  and  light  a  wax 
candle.  They  then  collect  together  the  household  goods 
and  clothes  of  the  deceased  and  wash  them  in  the 
nearest  river.  They  put  on  the  dead  clothes,  which  are 
made  after  the  pattern  of  a  monk's  habit,  and  they 
hang  round  the  neck  of  the  corpse  a  little  bag,  con- 


SUPERSTITIOUS    CUSTOMS.  483 

taining  seeds^of  coca,  maize,  barley,  quinua,  &c.,  for  his 
plantations  in  the  next  world.  In  the  evening  ashes 
are  strewed  on  the  floor  of  the  room,  and  the  door  is 
securely  fastened.  Next  morning  the  ashes  are  care- 
fully examined  to  ascertain  whether  they  show  any  im- 
pression of  footsteps ;  and  imagination  readily  traces 
marks,  which  are  alleged  to  have  been  produced  by  the 
feet  of  birds,  dogs,  cats,  oxen,  or  llamas.  The  destiny 
of  the  dead  person  is  construed  by  the  foot-marks  which 
are  supposed  to  be  discernible.  The  worst  marks  are 
those  of  hens'  claws,  which  are  believed  to  denote  that 
the  soul  of  the  deceased  is  doomed  to  irrevocable  perdi- 
tion. The  marks  of  the  hoofs  of  llamas  are  considered 
favourable,  and  are  believed  to  indicate  that  the  soul, 
after  a  short  purgatory,  will  be  transferred  to  the  joys 
of  paradise.  The  funeral  is  conducted  according  to 
Christian  forms,  and  under  the  superintendence  of  a 
priest.  But  as  soon  as  the  priest  takes  his  departure 
food  is  put  into  the  grave  along  with  the  dead  body, 
which  is  interred  without  a  coffin.  I  have  sometimes 
seen  one  of  the  nearest  relatives  leap  into  the  grave  and 
strike  the  body  with  his  foot,  but  the  meaning  of  this 
strange  proceeding  I  never  could  clearly  understand. 
Some  curious  ceremonies  are  observed  on  All  Souls'- 
day.  In  every  house  in  which  a  member  of  the  family 
has  died  in  the  course  of  the  year,  a  table  is  laid  out 
with  brandy,  coca,  tobacco,  together  with  some  of  the 
favourite  dishes  of  the  deceased  person,  and  the  chamber 
is  kept  closed  the  whole  day.  The  family  firmly  believe 
that  the  spirit  of  their  departed  relative  on  that  day 

i  I  2 


484  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

revisits  his  earthly  abode,  and  partakes  of  the  repast 
that  is  spread  out  on  the  table.  A  widow  usually  wears 
mourning  for  the  space  of  twelve  months.  In  some 
provinces,  on  the  anniversary  of  her  husband's  death, 
the  widow  puts  on  a  bridal  dress,  and  over  it  her  ordi- 
nary garments.  All  her  relatives  visit  her  in  her  dwell- 
ing, where,  to  the  accompaniment  of  doleful  music,  she 
takes  the  lead  in  a  funeral  dance.  As  the  hour  ap- 
proaches at  which  the  husband  died  in  the  previous 
year,  the  dancing  and  the  music  become  more  and  more 
mournful ;  but  whenever  the  hour  is  past  one  of  the 
female  friends  approaches  the  widow  and  removes  her 
black  mantilla.  The  other  females  then  strip  off  the 
rest  of  her  mourning  garments  and  adorn  her  head 
with  flowers.  At  length  she  appears  in  a  complete 
bridal  dress.  The  musicians  strike  up  a  lively  strain,  to 
which  the  whole  party  dance,  and  the  evening  is  passed 
in  drinking  and  merry-making. 

Among  the  Peruvian  Indians  there  are  marked  varie- 
ties of  form  and  complexion.  These  differences  are 
most  distinctly  observable  between  the  inhabitants  of 
the  coast  and  those  of  the  mountain  and  forest  regions. 
In  general,  the  Peruvian  Indian  is  of  middle  height, 
rather  slender,  and  not  very  robust.  The  coast  Indians 
are  more  plump  than  the  inhabitants  of  other  districts, 
because  they  lead  a  less  laborious  life,  and  are  less 
exposed  to  privations.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  trace 
any  particular  national  physiognomy  among  the  Indians. 
In  each  province  a  distinct  character  is  observable  in 
the  features  of  the  inhabitants.  The  varieties  of  feature 


VAKIOUS   TINTS   OF    INDIAN    COMPLEXION.  485 

are  less  distinctly  marked  than  the  differences  of  com- 
plexion. The  peculiar  tints  of  the  skin  are  decidedly 
denned,  and  indicate  respectively  the  inhabitants  of  the 
three  principal  regions.  The  colder  the  climate,  the 
fairer  is  the  skin.  For  example,  the  colour  of  the  Puna 
Indian  is  a  dark  red-brown ;  that  of  the  native  of  the 
Sierra  is  considerably  lighter  ;  it  is  a  rusty  red,  but  still 
darker  than  that  of  the  coast  Indians  ;  and  the  natives 
of  the  forests  are  yellow,  nearly  approaching  to  maize 
colour.  These  differences  are  singularly  striking,  when 
one  has  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  inhabitants  of  the 
different  regions  in  juxtaposition.  It  is  curious  that  the 
Cholos  of  the  Puna,  when  they  settle  in  the  forests, 
become  only  a  very  little  clearer ;  and  that  on  the  other 
hand,  the  yellow  Indians  of  the  Montana,  after  being 
several  years  in  the  Puna,  still  retain  their  characteristic 
tint.  The  women  are,  on  the  whole,  extremely  ugly,  with 
round  inexpressive  faces.  Their  hands  and  feet  are 
very  small. 

The  Indians  are,  on  the  average,  remarkable  for  lon- 
gevity, though  they  frequently  shorten  their  lives  by  the 
intemperate  use  of  strong  drinks.  Instances  are  not  rare 
of  Indians  living  to  be  120  or  130  years  of  age,  and 
retaining  fall  possession  of  their  bodily  and  mental 
powers.  Stevenson  mentions  that  on  examining  the 
church  registers  of  Barranca,  he  found  that  within  an 
interval  of  seven  years,  eleven  Indians  had  been  interred, 
whose  united  ages  amounted  to  1207,  being  an  average 
of  109  years  to  each.  In  the  year  1839  there  was 
living  in  the  valley  of  Jauja  an  Indian  who,  according 


486  TKAVELS    IN    PERU. 

to  the  baptismal  register  shown  to  me  by  the  priest, 
was  born  in  the  year  1697.  He  himself  declared  that 
he  had  not  for  the  space  of  ninety  years  tasted  a  drop 
of  water,  having  drunk  nothing  but  chicha.  Since  he 
was  eleven  years  of  age,  he  alleged  that  he  had  masti- 
cated coca,  at  least  three  times  every  day,  and  that  he 
had  eaten  animal  food  only  on  Sundays  ;  on  all  the  other 
days  of  the  week  he  had  lived  on  maize,  quinua,  and 
barley.  The  Indians  retain  their  teeth  and  hair  in 
extreme  old  age  ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  their  hair 
never  becomes  white,  and  very  seldom  even  grey.  Those 
individuals  whose  advanced  ages  have  been  mentioned 
above,  had  all  fine  black  hair. 

Since  the  Spanish  conquest,  the  population  of  Peru 
has  diminished  in  an  almost  incredible  degree.  When 
we  read  the  accounts  given  by  the  old  historiographers 
of  the  vast  armies  which  the  Incas  had  at  their  com- 
mand ;  when  we  behold  the  ruins  of  the  gigantic 
buildings,  and  of  the  numerous  towns  and  villages  scat- 
tered over  Peru,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  land 
could  have  been  so  depopulated  in  the  lapse  of  three 
centuries.  At  the  time  of  the  conquest  it  was  easy,  in 
a  short  space  of  time,  to  raise  an  army  of  300,000  men, 
and,  moreover,  to  form  an  important  reserved  force  ; 
whilst  now,  the  Government,  even  with  the  utmost 
efforts,  can  scarcely  assemble  10,000  or  12,000  men. 
According  to  the  census  drawn  up  in  1836,  Peru  did 
not  contain  more  than  1,400,000  men,  being  not  quite 
so  many  as  were  contained  at  an  earlier  period  in  the 
department  of  Cuzco  alone.  Unfortunately  there  is  no 


DIMINISHED    POPULATION    OF    PERU.  487 

possibility  of  obtaining  anything  approaching  to  accurate 
estimates  of  the  population  of  early  periods ;  and  even 
if  such  documents  existed,  it  would  be  difficult  to  deduce 
from  them  a  comparison  between  Peru  as  it  now  is, 
and  Peru  at  the  period  when  Bolivia,  a  part  of  Buenos 
Ayres,  and  Columbia,  belonged  to  the  mighty  empire. 
I  will  here  quote  only  one  example  of  the  immense  dimi- 
nution of  the  population.  Father  Melendez  mentions 
that  shortly  after  the  conquest,  the  parish  of  Ancallama, 
in  the  province  of  Chancay,  contained  30,000  Indians  fit 
for  service  (that  is  to  say,  between  the  ages  of  eighteen 
and  fifty)  ;  now,  the  same  parish  contains  at  most  140 
individuals,  of  whom  one-third  are  Mestizos.  The  whole 
coast  of  Peru,  now  almost  totally  depopulated,  was  once 
so  thickly  inhabited,  that  to  subdue  King  Chimu,  in 
North  Peru  alone,  an  army  of  80,000  men  was  requisite. 
The  causes  of  the  diminished  Indian  population  of  Peru 
have  been  so  frequently  and  fully  detailed  by  previous 
writers,  that  I  need  not  here  do  more  than  briefly  advert 
to  them.  They  are  found  in  the  extensive  and  reckless 
massacres  committed  by  the  Spaniards  during  the 
struggle  of  the  conquest ;  in  the  suicides  and  volun- 
tary deaths  resorted  to  by  the  natives  to  escape  from 
the  power  of  their  oppressors ;  in  the  mita,  the  small- 
pox, the  scarlet  fever,  and  the  introduction  of  brandy. 
The  mita  alone,  especially  the  labour  in  the  mines,  has 
swept  away  four  times  as  many  Indians  as  all  the  other 
causes  combined.  Since  the  abolition  of  the  mita, 
the  Indian  population  has  been  on  the  increase,  though 
there  has  not  yet  been  time  for  any  marked  result 


488  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

to  become  manifest ;  the  more  especially,  considering 
the  numbers  of  lives  sacrificed  during  the  frequent 
civil  wars.  Nevertheless,  it  is  easy  to  foresee  that  a 
decided  augmentation  of  the  Indian  inhabitants  of  the 
western  parts  of  South  America  will,  ere  long,  be 
apparent. 

Among  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Peru  a  variety 
of  languages  are  in  use.  In  the  southern  parts  of  the 
country,  particularly  about  Cuzco,  the  Quichua  is  spoken. 
It  was  the  dialect  of  the  court,  and  that  which  was  most 
generally  diffused,  and  the  Spaniards  therefore  called  it 
la  lengua  general.  In  the  highlands  of  Central  Peru, 
the  Chinchaysuyo  language  prevailed.  The  Indians  of 
the  coast,  who  belonged  to  the  race  of  the  Chunchos, 
spoke  the  Yunga.  The  Kauqui  was  the  language  of 
that  part  of  Central  Peru  which  corresponds  with  the 
present  province  of  Yauyos.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
north-eastern  parts  of  Peru,  as  far  as  the  Huallaga, 
spoke  the  Lama  language,*  and  the  natives  of  the 
highland  regions  of  Quito  spoke  the  Quitena.^  These 
different  languages,  which,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Lama,  proceed  all  from  one  source,  differ  so  consider- 
ably, that  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  districts  were 

*  Adelung,  in  his  t(  Review  of  all  Languages,"  considers  the  Calchaqui  (still 
spoken  in  Tucuman)  to  be  a  dialect  of  the  Quichua.  It  is,  however,  a  dialect  of 
the  Aymara.  Adelung  makes  another  mistake  when  he  observes,  that  the  Lama 
language  is  spoken  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Truxillo. 

f  Of  the  Quichua,  Quitena,  and  Lama  languages  several  grammars  and  dic- 
tionaries exist.  Of  the  Kauqui  only  single  words  have  been  preserved.  There 
is  a  very  imperfect  dictionary  of  the  Cliinckaysuyo  by  Figueredo.  Of  the  Yunga 
there  is  a  grammar  with  a  Confesionario  and  Prayers  by  Fernando  de  Carrera 
— a  very  scarce  work. 


INDIAN    DIALECTS.  489 

reciprocally  incapable  of  understanding  each  other,  and 
the  Incas  found  it  necessary  to  introduce  the  Quichua 
among  all  the  nations  they  subdued.  The  other  dialects 
were  thereby  much  corrupted,  and  at  the  time  of  the 
Spanish  invasion,  they  were  seldom  correctly  spoken. 
This  corruption  was  naturally  increased  more  and  more 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards,  by  the  introduction  of 
a  new  language.  Only  for  a  few  of  the  new  articles 
brought  by  the  Spaniards  to  Peru  did  the  Indians  form 
new  names,  taking  the  roots  of  the  words  from  their 
own  language  :  for  most  things  they  adopted  the  Spanish 
names.  By  this  means,  but  still  more  by  the  future 
intercourse  of  the  people  with  the  invaders,  the  purity 
of  the  natural  language  rapidly  disappeared  in  proportion 
to  the  influence  which  the  Spaniards  obtained  by  their 
increase  in  numbers  and  moral  superiority.  At  present 
the  Quichua  is  a  compound  of  all  the  dialects  and  the 
Spanish ;  it  is  spoken  in  the  greatest  purity  in  the 
southern  provinces,  though  even  there  it  is  much  inter- 
mixed with  Aymara  words.  In  Central  Peru  the 
Chinchaysuyo  prevails,  and  on  the  coast  the  Spanish 
and  the  Yunga.  The  present  Indians  and  people  of 
mixed  blood,  who  of  necessity  must  speak  the  ever- 
changing  Quichua,  and  also  the  Spanish,  speak  both  in  so 
corrupt  a  manner,  that  it  is  frequently  almost  impos- 
sible to  understand  them. 

The  family  of  the  Incas  had  a  secret  language  of 
their  own,  which  was  not  learned  by  subjects.  This 
language  is  now  almost  totally  lost,  not  more  than  two 
dozen  words  of  it  being  preserved.  In  early  times,  the 


490  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

Quichua  language  was  much  cultivated.  It  was  used 
officially  in  public  speaking,  and  professors  were  sent  by 
the  Inca  family  into  the  provinces  to  teach  it  correctly. 
For  poetry,  the  Quichua  language  was  not  very  well 
adapted,  owing  to  the  difficult  conjugation  of  the  verbs, 
and  the  awkward  blending  of  pronouns  with  substan- 
tives. Nevertheless,  the  poetic  art  was  zealously  culti- 
vated under  the  Incas.  They  paid  certain  poets  (called 
the  Haravicus),  for  writing  festival  dramas  in  verse,  and 
also  for  composing  love-songs  and  heroic  poems.  Few 
of  these  heroic  poems  have  been  preserved,  a  circum- 
stance the  more  to  be  regretted,  as  many  of  them  would 
doubtless  have  been  important  historical  documents ; 
but  for  that  very  reason,  the  Spaniards  spared  no  pains 
to  obliterate  every  trace  of  them.  Some  of  the  love- 
songs  have,  however,  been  preserved.  In  Quichua 
poetry,  the  lines  are  short,  and  seldom  thoroughly 
rhythmical.  Rhymes  were  only  exceptional,  and  were 
never  sought  for.  The  poetry  was,  therefore,  merely  a 
sort  of  broken  prose. 

A  specimen  of  one  of  the  best  of  the  Quichua  love- 
songs  is  given  by  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega,  in  his  "  Com- 
mentaries and  Poems."  It  is  copied  from  papers  left 
by  a  monk,  named  Bias  Valera ;  and  some  lines  of  it  are 
here  subjoined.  The  subject  is  an  old  Peruvian  tradi- 
tion:— A  maiden  of  royal  blood  (nustd)  is  appointed 
by  the  Creator  of  the  world  (Pacchacamac)  in  heaven, 
to  pour  water  and  snow  on  the  earth  out  of  a  pitcher; 
her  brother  breaks  the  pitcher,  whereupon  thunder  and 
lightning  arise. 


QUICHUA    POETRY.  491 

Cumac  nusta  Beautiful  Princess, 

Turallayquim  Thy  Pitcher 

Puynuyquita  Thy  brother  hath  broken 

Paquicayan  Here  in  Pieces  ; 

Hina  mantara  For  that  blow 

Cunununun  It  thunders ;  and  lightning 

Yllapantac  Flashes  all  around. 

There  were,  however,  instances  of  versification  which 
may  properly  be  called  poetry.  Of  this  the  Yaravies, 
or  elegies,  afford  some  fair  examples.  These  poems 
have  for  their  subjects  unfortunate  love,  or  sorrow  for 
the  dead.  They  were  recited  or  sung  by  one  or  more 
voices,  with  an  accompaniment  of  melancholy  music,  and 
made  a  great  impression  on  the  hearers.  A  foreigner, 
who  for  the  first  time  hears  one  of  these  Yaravies  sung, 
even  though  he  may  not  understand  the  Quichua  words, 
is  nevertheless  deeply  moved  by  the  melody.  The 
strain  is  sad  and  sweet.  No  other  music  is  at  once  so 
dismal  and  so  tender.  What  the  donina  is  as  an  instru- 
ment, the  yaravie  is  in  singing ;  both  convey  the 
expression  of  a  deeply  troubled  heart.  The  yaravie 
has  been  imitated  by  the  Spaniards  in  their  own  lan- 
guage, and  some  of  the  imitations  are  very  beautiful; 
but  they  have  not  been  able  to  reach  the  deep  melan- 
choly of  the  Quichua  elegy.  The  modern  poetry  of  the 
Indians  is  inferior  to  the  old;  the  words  are  a  mixture 
of  Quichua  and  Spanish,  and  are  scarcely  intelligible. 
The  Spanish  words  have  often  Quichua  terminations 
affixed  to  them  ;  on  the  other  hand,  sometimes  the 
Quichua  words  are  inflected  after  the  Spanish  manner, 
making  altogether  a  barbarous  compound. 

The  ancient  Peruvians  had  no  manuscript  characters 


492  TRAVELS   IN    PERU. 

for  single  sounds;  but  they  had  a  method  by  which 
they  composed  words  and  incorporated  ideas.  This 
method  consisted  in  the  dexterous  intertwining  of 
knots  on  strings,  so  as  to  render  them  auxiliaries  to 
the  memory.  The  instrument  consisting  of  these  strings 
and  knots  was  called  the  QUIPU.  It  was  composed  of 
one  thick  head  or  top  string,  to  which,  at  certain  dis- 
tances, thinner  ones  were  fastened.  The  top  string 
was  much  thicker  than  these  pendant  strings,  and  con- 
sisted of  two  doubly  twisted  threads,  over  which  two 
single  threads  were  wound.  The  branches,  if  I  may 
apply  the  term  to  these  pendant  strings,  were  fastened 
to  the  top  ones  by  a  simple  loop ;  the  knots  were 
made  in  the  pendant  strings,  and  were  either  single  or 
manifold.  The  lengths  of  the  strings  used  in  making 
the  quipu  were  various.  The  transverse  or  top  string 
often  measures  several  yards,  and  sometimes  only  a  foot 
long;  the  branches  are  seldom  more  than  two  feet  long, 
and  in  general  they  are  much  shorter. 

The  strings  were  often  of  different  colours ;  each 
having  its  own  particular  signification.  The  colour  for 
soldiers  was  red  ;  for  gold,  yellow ;  for  silver,  white  ; 
for  corn,  green,  &c.  This  writing  by  knots  was 
especially  employed  for  numerical  and  statistical  tables  ; 
each  single  knot  represented  ten ;  each  double  knot 
stood  for  one  hundred  ;  each  triple  knot  for  one  thou- 
sand, &c. ;  two  single  knots  standing  together  made 
twenty  ;  and  two  double  knots,  two  hundred. 

This  method  of  calculation  is  still  practised  by  the 
shepherds  of  the  Puna.  They  explained  it  to  me,  and 


THE    QUIPU.  493 

I  could,  with  very  little  trouble,  construe  their  quipus. 
On  the  first  branch  or  string  they  usually  placed  the 
numbers  of  the  bulls  ;  on  the  second,  that  of  the  cows  ; 
the  latter  being  classed  into  those  which  were  milked,  and 
those  which  were  not  milked;  on  the  next  string  were 
numbered  the  calves,  according  to  their  ages  and  sizes. 
Then  came  the  sheep,  in  several  subdivisions.  Next  fol- 
lowed the  number  of  foxes  killed,  the  quantity  of  salt 
consumed,  and  finally,  the  cattle  that  had  been  slaugh- 
tered. Other  quipus  showed  the  produce  of  the  herds  in 
milk,  cheese,  wool,  &c.  Each  list  was  distinguished  by  a 
particular  colour,  or  by  some  peculiarity  in  the  twisting 
of  the  string. 

In  this  manner  the  ancient  Peruvians  kept  the  accounts 
of  their  army.  On  one  string  were  numbered  the  sol- 
diers armed  with  slings  ;  on  another,  the  spearmen  ;  on 
a  third,  those  who  carried  clubs,  &c.  In  the  same 
manner  the  military  reports  were  prepared.  In  every 
town  some  expert  men  were  appointed  to  tie  the  knots 
of  the  quipu,  and  to  explain  them.  These  men  were 
called  quipucamayocuna  (literally,  officers  of  the  knots). 
Imperfect  as  was  this  method,  yet  in  the  flourishing 
period  of  the  Inca  government  the  appointed  officers 
had  acquired  great  dexterity  in  unriddling  the  meaning 
of  the  knots.  It,  however,  seldom  happened  that  they 
had  to  read  a  quipu  without  some  verbal  commentary. 
Something  was  always  required  to  be  added  if  the  quipu 
came  from  a  distant  province,  to  explain  whether  it 
related  to  the  numbering  of  the  population,  to  tributes, 
or  to  war,  &c.  Through  long-continued  practice,  the 


494  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

officers  who  had  charge  of  the  quipus  became  so  perfect 
in  their  duties,  that  they  could  with  facility  communicate 
the  laws  and  ordinances,  and  all  the  most  important 
events  of  the  kingdom,  by  their  knots. 

All  attempts  made  in  modern  times  to  decipher 
Peruvian  quipus  have  been  unsatisfactory  in  their 
results.  The  principal  obstacle  to  deciphering  those 
found  in  graves,  consists  in  the  want  of  the  oral  commu- 
nication requisite  for  pointing  out  the  subjects  to  which 
they  refer.  Such  communication  was  necessary,  even  in 
former  times,  to  the  most  learned  quipucamayacuna. 
Most  of  the  quipus  here  alluded  to  seem  to  be  accounts 
of  the  population  of  particular  towns  or  provinces,  tax- 
lists,  and  information  relating  to  the  property  of  the 
deceased.  Some  Indians  in  the  southern  provinces  of  Peru 
are  understood  to  possess  a  perfect  knowledge  of  some 
of  the  ancient  quipus,  from  information  transmitted  to 
them  from  their  ancestors.  But  they  keep  that  knowledge 
profoundly  secret,  particularly  from  the  whites.  The 
ancient  Peruvians  also  used  a  certain  kind  of  hierogly- 
phics, which  they  engraved  in  stone,  and  preserved  in 
their  temples.  Notices  of  these  hieroglyphics  are  given 
by  some  of  the  early  writers.  There  appears  to  be  a 
great  similarity  between  these  Peruvian  hieroglyphics 
and  those  found  in  Mexico  and  Brazil. 

I  have  already  mentioned  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
wonderful  works  of  Peruvian  antiquity,  namely,  the 
great  military  road  which  passes  through  the  whole 
empire  leading  from  Cuzco  to  Quitu,  and  which  has 
many  highly-important  lateral  branches.  The  mag- 


AQUEDUCTS   AND    RESERVOIRS.  495 

nificent  water-conduits,  by  which  barren  sand  wastes 
and  sterile*  hills  were  converted  into  fruitful  plantations, 
are  monuments  of  equivalent  greatness.  Traces  of  these 
water-conduits  are  to  be  seen  throughout  the  whole  of 
Peru,  and  even  where  the  canals  themselves  no  longer 
exist,  the  divisional  boundaries  of  the  fields  they  watered 
are  still  discernible.  In  many  districts  where  the  valleys 
of  the  Sierra  run  into  the  Puna — (I  allude  here  only  to 
the  declivities  above  Tarmatambo,  on  the  road  towards 
Jauja) — there  may  be  seen  many  square  fields  of  uni- 
form size,  each  of  which  is  surrounded  by  a  low  stonewall ; 
these  fields  are  at  present  overgrown  with  Puna  grass, 
and  are  not  fit  for  cultivation.  They  are  what  were 
called  Tapu  lands,  which  were  distributed  to  every  sub- 
ject of  the  Inca  empire,  so  that  each  family  enjoyed  the 
produce  arising  from  the  cultivation  of  a  certain  portion 
of  ground.  These  Tapu  lands  were  watered  by  skil- 
fully constructed  aqueducts,  whereby  they  were  rendered 
suitable  for  agriculture.  The  Spaniards  having  destroyed 
the  conduits,  the  reservoirs  dried  up,  and  the  soil  became 
barren.  Many  of  these  conduits  were  subterraneous, 
and  it  is  now  no  longer  possible  to  find  them  ;  in  some 
parts  they  were  constructed  with  pipes  of  gold,  which 
the  Spaniards  eagerly  seized  as  valuable  booty. 

There  still  exist  vast  remains  of  well-constructed 
colossal  buildings,  as  palaces,  fortresses,  and  temples. 
The  walls  of  these  edifices  were  built  of  square  stones, 
so  finely  cut,  and  joined  so  closely  together,  that  between 
any  two  there  is  not  space  sufficient  to  insert  the  edge 
of  the  thinnest  paper.  In  the  royal  palace  of  Cuzco, 


496  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

and  in  the  Temple  of  the  Sun,  a  fusion  of  gold  or  silver 
was  used  for  cement  between  the  stones.  ^This  was, 
however,  only  employed  as  a  luxury ;  for  in  other  great 
edifices,  for  example,  in  the  baths  of  Huamalies  in  the 
province  of  Jauja,  stones  are  kept  together  by  their  own 
weight  and  the  precision  of  the  workmanship.  These 
stones  are  of  very  considerable  magnitude  ;  some  being 
from  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  long,  from  eight  to  ten  feet 
high,  and  equally  broad.  They  are  not  all  square  ;  some 
are  polygonal,  and  some  spherical,  but  they  were  all 
joined  one  to  another  with  the  same  exactness  :  of  this 
a  remarkable  example  is  presented  in  the  highly  inte- 
resting ruins  of  the  palace  of  Limatambo.  A  question 
which  naturally  suggests  itself  is, — how  did  the  ancient 
Peruvians,  without  iron  tools,  hew  these  vast  stones,  and 
afterwards  work  the  different  fragments  so  skilfully  ? 
The  first  point  is  to  me  quite  inexplicable ;  the  second 
may  possibly  be  accounted  for  by  friction ;  the  softest  of 
two  stones  which  was  to  be  brought  into  a  particular 
shape  being  rubbed  by  a  harder,  and  afterwards  polished 
by  pyritous  plants.  The  removal  of  the  block  from  the 
quarry  where  it  was  excavated  to  the  place  of  its  desti- 
nation, and  the  raising  of  fragments  of  stone  to  con- 
siderable heights,  could  only  have  been  effected  by  the 
co-operation  of  thousands  of  men,  for  no  kind  of  ele- 
vating machinery  or  lever  was  then  known. 

The  fortresses  give  a  high  idea  of  the  progress  made 
by  the  ancient  Peruvians  in  architectural  art.  These 
structures  were  surrounded  by  ramparts  and  trenches. 
The  larger  ones  were  protected  by  the  solidity  of  the 


FORTRESSES  AND  SUBTERRANEOUS  PASSAGES.   497 

walls,  and  the  smaller  ones  by  difficulty  of  access.  The 
approaches  to  them  were  chiefly  subterraneous  ;  and 
thereby,  they  were  enabled  to  maintain  secret  communi- 
cation with  the  palaces  and  temples  in  their  neighbour- 
hood. The  subterraneous  communications  were  carefully 
constructed  ;  they  were  of  the  height  of  a  man,  and  in 
general  from  three  to  four  feet  broad.  In  some  parts 
they  contract  suddenly  in  width,  and  the  walls  on 
each  side  are  built  with  sharp  pointed  stones,  so  that 
there  is  no  getting  between  them,  except  by  a  lateral 
movement.  In  other  parts  they  occasionally  become  so 
low,  that  it  is  impossible  to  advance,  except  by  creeping 
on  all  fours.  Every  circumstance  had  been  made  a  sub- 
ject of  strict  calculation  ;  it  had  been  well  considered 
how  treasures  might  be  removed  from  the  palaces  and 
temples  to  the  fortresses,  and  placed  securely  beyond 
the  reach  of  an  enemy,  for  in  the  rear  of  every  narrow 
pass  there  were  ample  spaces  for  soldiers,  who  might 
dispute  the  advance  of  a  whole  army.  Besides  the 
remains  of  the  fortress  of  Cuzco,  which,  are  gradually 
disappearing  every  year,  the  most  important  are  those 
of  Calcahilares  and  Huillcahuaman.  Less  interesting, 
though  still  very  curious,  are  the  ruins  of  Chimu-canchu 
in  Mansiche,  near  Truxillo,  which  are  not  of  stone  but  of 
brick.  The  architecture  of  the  small  fortress  of  Huichay, 
two  leagues  from  Tarma,  which  defended  the  entrance 
to  that  valley,  is  very  remarkable.  The  front  is  built  of 
small  but  firmly-united  stones,  and  covers  a  large  cavity, 
in  which  there  are  numerous  divisions,  intended  for 
the  preservation  of  warlike  stores,  and  for  quartering 

K  K 


498  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

soldiers.  On  the  steep  declivity  of  the  hill  there  had 
been  a  deep  trench,  between  which  there  was  a  wall  four- 
teen feet  higher,  flanked  by  three  bastions.  Around  this 
fortress  nitre  is  found  in  great  abundance.  It  is  now 
collected  by  the  Huancas  (the  inhabitants  of  the  valley 
of  Jauja),  for  making  gunpowder.  The  diggings  for 
nitre  have  almost  obliterated  the  entrance  to  the  cavity, 
and  the  fortress  is  already  so  much  injured  that  possibly 
in  another  century  scarcely  a  trace  of  the  edifice  will 
remain.  Notwithstanding  a  search  of  several  days,  I 
did  not  succeed  in  discovering  the  mouth  of  the  cavity, 
though  an  old  Indian,  who,  years  ago,  had  often  visited 
it,  pointed  out  to  me  what  he  supposed  to  be  its  precise 
situation.  The  walls  of  perpendicular  rock  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Huichay,  are  often  from  60  to  80  feet  high, 
and  the  clefts  or  fissures  in  them  are  filled  up  with 
small  stones.  It  would  be  incomprehensible  how  the 
Indians  ascended  to  perform  this  labour,  were  it  not 
perceived  that  they  have  hollowed  passages  in  the 
mountain.  It,  would  appear  they  must  have  had  dwell- 
ings, or  stores  for  provisions,  on  the  higher  part  of  the 
hill,  for  small  windows  are  often  perceptible  in  walls 
of  masonry. 

The  old  Indian  villages  of  the  Sierra  are  for  the  most 
part  situated  on  heights,  or  sharp  ridges,  which  are  now 
completely  barren,  as  they  no  longer  receive  the  artificial 
watering  with  which  they  were  formerly  supplied.  All 
lie  open  to  the  east,  so  that  the  inhabitants  could  behold 
their  Deity  the  moment  he  appeared  on  the  horizon. 
All  large  towns  had  a  square  in  their  centre,  where  the 


ANCIENT    PERUVIAN    DWELLINGS.  499 

religious  dances  were  performed.  From  the  square  a  cer- 
tain number  of  regular  roads  or  streets  always  ran  in  the 
direction  of  the  four  quarters  of  the  firmament.  There 
are  great  varieties  in  the  construction  of  the  houses. 
Small  insignificant  huts  often  stand  close  to  a  palace 
having  twenty  or  twenty-five  windows  in  one  front. 
Private  dwellings  in  the  mountainous  parts  are  built  of 
unhewn  stone,  cemented  with  a  very  strong  calcareous 
mortar.  On  the  coast  the  walls  are  of  brick.  In  the 
departments  of  Junin  and  Ayacucho,  I  met  with  the 
ruins  of  great  villages,  consisting  of  dwellings  of  a 
peculiar  construction,  in  the  form  of  a  tower.  Each 
house  is  quadrangular,  with  a  diameter  of  about  six  feet, 
and  seventeen  or  eighteen  feet  high.  The  walls  are 
from  one  to  one  and  a  half  feet  thick.  The  doors, 
which  open  to  the  east  or  the  south,  are  only  a  foot  and 
a  half  high,  and  two  feet  wide.  After  creeping  in 
(which  is  a  work  of  some  difficulty)  the  explorer  finds 
himself  in  an  apartment  about  five  and  a  half  feet  in 
height,  and  of  equal  breadth,  without  any  windows.  In 
the  walls  there  are  closets  or  cupboards,  which  served  to 
contain  domestic  utensils,  food,  &c.  Earthen  pots  with 
maize,  coca,  and  other  things,  are  still  often  found  in 
these  closets.  The  ceiling  of  the  rooms  is  overlaid  with 
flat  plates  of  stone,  and  in  the  centre  an  aperture,  two 
feet  wide,  is  left,  forming  a  communication  with  the 
second  floor,  which  is  precisely  like  the  first,  but  has  two 
small  windows.  The  roof  of  this  apartment  has  also  an 
aperture,  affording  access  to  the  third  floor,  the  ceiling 
of  which  forms  the  roof  of  the  house,  and  consists  of 

K  K  2 


500  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

rather  thick  plates  of  stone.  The  upper  room  is  usually 
less  lofty  than  the  two  rooms  below  it,  and  seems  to 
have  been  used  as  a  provision  store-room.  I  found  in 
one  of  these  upper  rooms  the  mummy  of  a  child  very 
well  embalmed.  The  family  appear  to  have  lived  chiefly 
on  the  ground-floors.  The  place  for  cooking  is  often 
plainly  perceptible.  The  second  floor  was  probably  the 
sleeping  apartment.  In  the  course  of  my  travels,  when 
overtaken  by  storms,  I  often  retreated  for  shelter  into 
one  of  these  ruined  dwellings. 

The  ancient  Peruvians  frequently  buried  their  dead 
in  their  own  houses  and  then  removed  from  them. 
This  custom  appears  to  have  been  very  general  about 
the  time  of  the  Spanish  conquest,  when  a  great  number  of 
Indians  committed  suicide  in  despair.  Household  uten- 
sils were  placed  in  the  graves,  when  the  dead  were  buried 
in  the  houses,  as  well  as  when  they  were  interred  in 
other  places.  In  many  houses  in  which  I  made  diggings 
I  regularly  found  the  following  arrangement.  Under  a 
stratum  of  earth  two  feet  deep  lay  the  body,  in  a  state 
of  good  preservation,  and  generally,  but  not  always,  in  a 
sitting  posture.  On  clearing  away  another  stratum  of 
earth  equally  deep  there  is  found  a  variety  of  household 
vessels  for  cooking,  together  with  water-pots  of  clay, 
gourds,  hunting  and  fishing  implements,  &c.  There  is 
frequently  a  third  layer  of  earth,  beneath  which  the 
gold  and  silver  vessels  and  the  household  deities  are 
deposited.  The  idols  are  of  clay,  stone,  and  copper,  or 
of  the  precious  metals.  Those  of  clay  are  hollow,  flat, 
compressed,  and  in  most  instances  the  faces  are  painted. 


IDOLS    AND    UTENSILS.  501 

Those  of  stone  are  of  granite,  porphyry,  or  sand-stone. 
These  stone  images  are  solid,  and  often  several  feet 
high.  The  golden  idols  are  always  hollow ;  but  they 
exhibit  no  distinct  trace  of  the  soldering.  They  are  of 
various  sizes  ;  some  of  them  weigh  three  quarters  of  a 
pound.  Those  of  silver  are  always  solid.  All  these 
images  of  deities  have  the  same  physiognomy,  and  a 
disproportionately  large  head.  In  most  instances  the 
head  is  covered  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  cap. 

The  vessels  used  for  holding  water  or  other  liquids 
are  very  various  in  colour  and  form.  Most  of  them 
exhibit  ludicrous  caricatures  of  human  figures ;  others 
are  unrecognisable  representations  of  animals  or  fancy 
figures.  These  vessels  have  in  general  two  apertures, 
one  by  which  they  were  filled,  and  the  other  by  which  the 
liquid  was  poured  out.  On  filling  them  a  feeble  flute- 
like  sound  is  heard.  It  is  occasioned  by  the  air  escaping 
through  the  other  aperture.  Most  of  these  vessels  are 
made  of  red,  or  black  clay,  well  glazed.  Those  for 
holding  chicha  were  very  capacious.  Some  of  them 
which  have  been  found,  hermetically  closed,  have  con- 
tained chicha  upwards  of  three  hundred  years  old,  and 
remarkable  for  a  very  smoky  flavour.  On  the  vessels 
made  of  gourds  fanciful  figures  are  generally  carved. 
Gold  drinking  cups  have  been  found,  adorned  with  well- 
executed  embossed  ornaments,  and  like  the  images,  show- 
ing no  trace  of  soldering.  Among  the  warlike  weapons, 
the  stone  battle-axes  are  very  remarkable  ;  they  have 
at  both  ends  a  tube,  in  which  the  handle  was  fixed  by 
ligatures.  Articles  for  personal  adornment,  such  as  nose 


502  TRAVELS   IN   PERU. 

and  lip  rings,  neck  chains,  pins,  bracelets,  and  ancle 
bands,  are  usually  of  gold,  and  set  with  small  coloured 
shells.  The  sceptres  of  the  Incas  are  of  gold,  and  exqui- 
sitely wrought ;  those  of  the  Curacas  of  silver ;  and 
those  of  the  Caciques  of  copper,  sometimes  gilt. 

Idols  and  utensils  made  of  wood  are  very  rarely 
found.  It  would  appear  that  the  ancient  Peruvians 
found  more  difficulty  in  the  working  of  wood  than  in 
that  of  metal  and  stone.  The  Peruvians  give  to  all 
objects  dug  up  from  the  old  graves,  the  name  of  Hua- 
queros,  from  Huaca,  the  word  for  grave  in  the  Quichua 
language. 

The  huacas  or  graves  vary  in  form  and  magnitude. 
When  destined  for  single  individuals  they  were  made 
small  ;  but  when  for  families,  they  were  of  considerable 
extent.  On  the  sandy  soil  of  the  coast,  no  elevation 
marks  the  spots  where  bodies  are  interred  ;  but  further 
inland,  (though  still  in  the  coast  region)  the  graves  are 
for  the  most  part  elevated  and  arched,  and  are  built  of 
bricks.  In  the  Sierra  the  tombs  are  of  stone,  quad- 
rangular, oval,  or  of  an  obelisk  form. 

In  the  huacas,  the  bodies  are  found  in  a  sitting 
position,  and  supported  by  stones  or  reeds  :  the  face 
turned  towards  the  east.  In  front  of  the  body  it  was 
customary  to  place  two  rows  of  pots  containing  quinua, 
maize,  potatoes,  dried  llama  flesh,  and  other  kinds  of 
provisions,  and  these  pots  were  all  covered  with  small 
lids.  On  each  side  of  the  body  were  ranged  cooking 
utensils,  and  vessels  containing  water  and  chicha.  The 
body  and  all  the  objects  deposited  in  the  grave  were 


MODE  OF  BURYING  THE  DEAD.         503 

covered  with  a  layer  of  sand,  above  which  were  spread 
various  articles  of  clothing.  Over  these  was  placed 
another  layer  of  sand,  and  then  the  tomb  was  built 
above  the  whole. 

The  bodies  are  found  wrapped  in  several  coverings ; 
and  when  first  taken  out  of  the  graves,  they  have  the 
appearance  of  unfinished  statues  ;  the  position  of  the 
head,  knees,  and  feet  being  alone  recognisable.  A 
strong  net-work  composed  of  twisted  straw  or  bast 
incloses  a  thick  rush  mat,  in  which  the  body  is  wrapped. 
These  coverings  being  removed,  there  is  found  a  broad 
woollen  bandage,  passing  round  the  body,  and  fastening 
the  rushes  or  sticks  which  support  it  in  a  sitting  posi- 
tion. Under  this  bandage  is  a  red  or  party-coloured 
covering  which  goes  over  the  whole  body  ;  and  beneath 
this  are  one  or  two  yellowish-white  coverings,  strongly 
sewed  up.  On  removing  these  coverings,  there  are 
found  some  pots  or  drinking  cups,  a  few  ornaments,  the 
Huallqui  with  coca,  and  in  most  instances  a  silver  or 
gold  idol  suspended  from  the  neck  of  the  body.  The 
undermost  wrapper  consists  of  a  cloth  of  rather  fine 
texture.  Probably  it  was  originally  white,  but  time  has 
changed  it  to  a  reddish-yellow.  This  covering  being 
unsewed,  the  naked  corpse  appears ;  the  head  alone 
being  encircled  with  two  or  three  bandages,  called 
Huinchas.  The  body  is  always  in  a  sitting  posture ; 
the  knees  being  drawn  up  towards  the  face,  and  the 
arms  crossed  over  the  breast,  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
chin  rests  between  the  two  clenched  hands.  The  wrists 
are  tied  together,  and  the  ligature  with  which  they  are 


504  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

fastened  is  passed  round  the  neck.  This,  which  was 
evidently  done  only  to  keep  the  hands  fixed  in  the 
required  position,  has  led  some  commentators  on  Peru- 
vian antiquities  to  suppose  that  bodies  found  with 
strings  round  the  necks  were  those  of  hanged  persons. 
In  the  mouth  there  is  a  thin  piece  of  gold,  silver  or 
copper ;  most  of  the  bodies  are  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  though  the  features  are  not  discernible. 
The  hair  is  always  found  perfectly  free  from  decay  ; 
and  that  of  the  females  is  beautifully  plaited. 

The  question  has  arisen,  whether  these  bodies  were 
embalmed,  or  whether  their  preservation  is  merely  the 
result  of  the  mummifying  nature  of  the  climate.  Both 
conjectures  have  found  zealous  supporters.  Don  Fran- 
cisco Barrero,  keeper  of  the  Museum  of  Natural  History 
in  Lima,  mentions,  in  the  Memorial  de  Ciencias  Na- 
turales*  that  among  the  ancient  Peruvians  certain  men 
were  appointed  as  embalmers,  and  he  describes  the  pro- 
cess they  adopted  as  follows  : — They  first  extracted  the 
brain  through  the  nose,  then  took  out  the  eyes,  and 
stopped  up  the  sockets  with  cotton.  The  bowels,  lungs, 
and  even  the  tongue,  were  removed,  after  which  the 
body  and  skull  were  filled  with  a  kind  of  powder,  which 
immediately  after  it  is  taken  out  of  the  mummies,  dif- 
fuses a  slight  odour  of  turpentine  ;  this  odour,  however, 
it  soon  loses  on  being  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  air. 
The  face,  hands,  and  feet,  were  rubbed  over  with  an 
oily  substance,  after  which  the  body  was  incased  in  the 
envelopes  above  described.  I  am  disposed  to  believe 

*  Vol.  II.  p.  106. 


MUMMIES    AND    EMBALMING.  505 

that  this  process  never  had  any  existence,  save  in  the 
imagination  of  Barrera :  it  indeed  resembles  the  manner 
in  which  the  Egyptians  prepared  their  mummies ;  but 
no  such  method  was  practised  among  the  Indians.  The 
mummies  collected  in  the  museum  of  Lima  present  not 
the  slightest  trace  of  this  powder,  or  indeed  of  any  kind 
of  preservative  material — a  fact  which  is  mentioned  by 
the  director  of  that  establishment,  Don  E.  Mariano  de 
Bivero,  in  his  Anticjuedades  Peruanas* 

On  those  parts  of  the  coast  where  it  never  rains,  the 
combined  heat  of  the  sun  and  the  sand  has  dried  up  the 
bodies ;  in  the  mountain  districts,  the  pure  atmosphere 
and  the  peculiarly  drying  nature  of  the  wind  have  pro- 
duced the  same  effect.  Similar  appearances  may  be 
traced  to  different  circumstances.  Of  this  fact  the  burial 
ground  of  Huacho,  and  the  mummified  animals  seen 
on  the  level  heights,  furnish  the  most  convincing  proofs. 
In  districts  exposed  to  frequent  rain,  mummies  are 
found  in  very  bad  preservation,  most  of  them  being 
mere  skeletons.  All  are  in  sitting  postures.  In  those 
parts  of  the  Sierra  where  the  soil  is  impregnated  with 
nitre,  bodies,  which  must  have  lain  in  the  ground  for 
several  centuries,  are  found  in  a  very  fresh  condition, 
notwithstanding  the  humidity. 

Garcilaso  de  la  Vega  and  the  Padre  Acosta  state 
that  the  ancient  Peruvians  were  acquainted  with  the  art 
of  embalming,  but  that  they  employed  it  only  for  the 
bodies  of  their  kings.  In  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  at 
Cuzco,  there  were  found  excellently  preserved  mummies 

*  Published  in  1841. 
L  L 


506  TRAVELS    IN    PERU. 

of  the  Incas,  each  seated  on  a  throne.  Several  years 
after  the  Spanish  conquest,  these  mummies  were  con- 
veyed to  Lima,  and  were  buried  in  the  court  of  the 
hospital  of  San  Andres.  It  is  deeply  to  be  deplored 
that  the  fanaticism  of  the  Spanish  conquerors  should 
have  destroyed  these  interesting  remains  of  the  ancient 
sovereigns  of  Peru. 

The  facts  adduced  in  the  course  of  this  volume,  rela- 
tive to  the  barbarous  colonization  system  of  the  Spaniards, 
must  sufficiently  prove  how  adverse  was  Spanish  domi- 
nion to  the  improveme]  of  the  natives,  and  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  country.  For  Peru,  Nature's  bounteously 
favoured  land,  let  us  hope  that  there  is  reserved  a  future, 
happier  than  either  the  past  or  the  present ! 


THE    END. 


LONDON 
BRADBURY    AND    EVANS,    PRINTERS,     WHITEFRIARS. 


VI NDf  MQ  tl 


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