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Yet, extraordinary as it may seem, one would never suspect, from the outward appearance of its inhabitants, that the country could be in such a state. All their pastimes go on as usual. Among these, the festivals of the church are most conspicuous; for they yet claim the outward respect of all, both high and low, and constitute the only bond that holds society together. All are subservient to the rites of the church. Even the Chilian general officers dismount and kneel when the procession passes; and all the different guards, with their officers, not only give the military salute, but also drop on their knees.

Lwas much struck with the sight of a mistress and her slave, who had followed her to the cathedral, kneeling on the same piece of cloth, telling their beads, and saying their prayers together. This I was told was quite common. It seemed a tacit acknowledgment that religion reduced all to the same level. From what I could learn, the slaves are treated with great kindness.

During our stay here, we had the misfortune to lose one of the marines, Benjamin Holden, who had been transferred but a few days from the Relief to the Peacock. He was interred at San Lorenzo. One of the servants on board the Peacock, a boy, was discovered to have the small-pox. He was immediately removed to a tent at San Lorenzo, and every thing provided for him, until he could be sent to Lima, Mr. Bartlett, our consul, having procured permission for his removal there.

Every precaution against this disease had been taken, by vaccinating the crews after leaving the United States.

I felt great uneasiness, lest we might carry it with us to the Islands, where it might spread among the natives, and render our visit ever memorable by the introduction of that dreadful scourge. All the clothing, and every thing that had been in any way connected with the sick boy or his nurses, was destroyed, in the hopes of rendering us exempt from the contagion.

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CHAPTER XIII.

CONTENTS.

A PARTY FOR THE INTERIOR-PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY-PASSPORTS-MR.
BIGGS-DEPARTURE-EFFECT OF OFFICIAL PAPERS-FACE OF COUNTRY-RUINS OF
INCA TOWNS-PONCHORUA-CABALLEROS-CONVOY OF SILVER-ACCOMMODATIONS—
EARTHQUAKE-ROUTE UP THE VALLEY OF CAXAVILLO-FACE OF COUNTRY-ST.
ROSA DE QUIVI-YASO-OBRAJILLO-DIFFICULTIES IN PROCURING MULES-BEAUTY
OF SITUATION - LLAMAS RIOTERS-PLUNDERING OF INHABITANTS-CULNAI-LA
VINDA -VEGETATION

-

MULETEERS ENCOUNTERED -REACH THE CREST OF THE
CORDILLERAS-CASA CANCHA-ITS ACCOMMODATIONS-COOKING-RANGE SICKNESS
OF PARTY-SNOW-STORM-ALPAMARCA-COMPANY OF PERUVIANS-THEIR ATTEN-
TIONS-PROCESS OF AMALGAMATION OF ORE-MR. BEVAN-VISIT TO THE MINE
-FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN-ROAD-BAÑOS-HOT SPRING-BEAUTY OF VALLEY—
VEGETATION-THREATENED ATTACK OF A CONDOR-PORTRAIT-INCIDENTS RELA-
TING TO IT— DESCRIPTION OF BAÑOS - ITS HABITATIONS - STATE OF HORSES —
RETURN TO CASA CANCHA-CHILIAN CONVOY FROM PASCO-PASCO-MINES-VEINS
OF ORE-NUMBER OF MINES IN OPERATION-LAWS IN RELATION TO SILVER MINED-
DUTIES HILL OF RACO-NEW SPECULATIONS IN 1840-DIFFICULTIES IN PURCHASING
MINES THE POLITICAL STATE OF THE COUNTRY ADVERSE TO THIS BUSINESS-
TEMPERATURE-BEAUTY OF SITUATION OF CASA CANCHA-THEIR DEPARTURE ON
THEIR RETURN-LINE OF PERPETUAL SNOW-AMMONITE-CHICRINE-TRAVELLING
PARTIES-FRENCHMAN-HIS COMPLIMENTS CULNAI-CULTIVATION
OBRAJILLO ACCOMMODATIONS - WANT OF GALLANTRY-GUIDES-SETTLEMENT -
BRIDAL PARTY-YASO ROBBERY -YANGA - HOSTESS - ANGELITA - CABALLEROS-
RETURN TO LIMA-BOTANICAL REVIEW-GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY
-FLYING-FISH SENT TO PACHACAMAC-LANDING-TEMPLE-TOWN-TOMBS-THEIR
CONTENTS-EMBARKATION-RETURN TO CALLAO.

HOSPITALITY-

CHAPTER XIII.

PERU CONTINUED.

1839.

On the arrival of the Relief at Callao, Messrs. Pickering, Rich, Agate, and Brackenridge, requested permission to make a jaunt to the Cordilleras of Peru, for the purpose of making botanical collections. I felt much gratified that this object had been effected, although I could not but regret that they were suffered to depart without the necessary instruments for obtaining the altitudes, which had been put on board the Relief at Orange Harbour, for that very purpose.

Mr. Rich spoke the Spanish language well, which afforded the party many facilities for overcoming the difficulties that were thrown in their way.

In Lima the journey was considered as a very serious undertaking, and likely to be attended with much danger, from the banditti who frequent the route they intended to pass over, that to the mines of Pasco. Through the friendly assistance of Mr. Biggs, of the house of Messrs. Bartlett & Co., every thing was made easy. By his advice, they supplied themselves, not only with blankets and horse-furniture, but with all sorts of provisions, and particularly with bread, of which they took as much as they could carry, notwithstanding the country was described as well inhabited. As a preliminary step, it was necessary to provide themselves with passports, for which they lost no time in applying. After the delay of a day, the passports came in the form of a letter of protection and recommendation from Lafuente himself, to the local authorities throughout all Peru, couched in the most liberal terms, and treating the affair with as much importance as if it were a national one. It is a regulation that the names of all who receive passports, shall be published in the official gazette; their intention, therefore, became known to all Lima. From the few who

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are gazetted, it would appear that but a small number travel into the interior, or else that the regulation is not very strictly complied with.

The injunction to render the party assistance in case of need was very strong, and among other things specified to be furnished, was clothing, which was thought to look somewhat ominous in this country of banditti. In spite of the positive terms in which the passport was expressed, it was found of little effect in procuring them mules or horses; and it was not till after much trouble and disappointment on many sides, that horses were at last obtained from the post establish

ment.

On the 16th May they were ready to set out, and were accompanied for some miles by Mr. Biggs, whose friendly advice and assistance they had often, during the jaunt, reason to be thankful for. It saved them much inconvenience, and was the cause of their being provided with many little comforts, without which they would have suffered privation.

Their proposed route was up the valley of the Rio de Caxavillo, the river next to the northward of the Rimac. Leaving Lima, they passed through the suburbs of San Lazaro, at the gate of which, and for the only time during the journey, they were desired to show their passports. Some little difficulty arose, and an intention was expressed to unload the baggage-mule for examination. This, however, was soon removed by the reading of the passport, and the examination ended in many bows, and the repeated exclamation, "Go on, go on! God speed you!" Such was the talismanic effect of an official document, at the period of our visit.

After leaving the city, their route lay along the margin of the extensive plain that borders on the sea, at the foot and over the low hills which skirt it. Many columns of dust and loose particles of sand were seen rising from the heated plain, stirred by the action of the wind, forming vortices of considerable diameter and elevation. Clouds of smoke, too, were visible in the distance, proceeding, according to the information of their guides, from the burning of the cane-brakes. The Peruvian willow, so much resembling the Lombardy poplar in its form, was much admired, and the contrast in the landscape between the barren clay-coloured hills, and the bright green of the irrigated fields, was quite remarkable.

At the distance of three leagues from Lima, they passed through the ruins of an Inca town, situated (as they uniformly found them afterwards) just on the border of the irrigated valley. The walls of the town were very thick, built of mud and unburnt brick, at right angles, very much after the modern manner; the hills, also, were seen

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