PERU AND MEXICO
VOL. I.LONDON
PHI NT E D BY SPOTTISWOODE AN’S CO.
JTEW'STBEET SQUABSTEAYELS
in-
PERU AND MEXICO
BY S. S. HILL
AUTHOR OF * TRAVELS IN SIBERIA’ ETC.
All nations have interknowledge of one another, by voyages into foreign parts, or strangers that come to them.—Bacon
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOL. I.
LONDON
LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS
1860PREFACE.
*
£ The two volumes which I now publish, conclude a narrative of journeys and voyages performed £ and places visited during a tour round the
i world, the earlier portions of which have been already published.
.!
.W
In addition to the accounts of the countries mentioned in the title-page, some remarks will be found upon the capitals of Chili, Jamaica and Cuba, which I visited during this portion of my tour.
My chief aim in the present as in the preceding volumes has been, to carry the reader through the countries in which I have travelled, and exhibit such phases of character as have fallenVI
PREFACE,
under my observation among people living under various forms of government and in different stages of civilisation.
The title of these volumes may possibly raise expectations which I fear will hardly be realised; but whatever may be their defects, I trust that the reader, from the variety of incidents presented, will at least not find them wearisome.CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAPTER I.
VALPARAISO.
Awaking in the Port of Valparaiso. —Account of an Earthquake that had happened during the Night. — The Owners of the Ship come on Board. — Their Account of the Earthquake on Shore. — View of Valparaiso. — Landing. — The excitement on account of the Earthquake. — A French Gentleman on his way to California. — The Streets. — Public Buildings. — The Cathedral. — The moving Population.— Moveable Prisons. — Character of the Population.— English Merchants and their Families. — Advantages attending Classification
Page 1
CHAPTER II.
JOURNEY TO SANTIAGO.
Departure from Valparaiso. — Character of thè Country.— An Inn kept by an English Family. — Manner of conducting the Valuchi. — Fine "Weather. —Stop the Night at Cudacavi. — Renew the Journey.— Improvement in the Ways. — Ascent of a Range of Hills. — Concealment of Santiago. — The Cold.—Arrival at Santiago	17
CHAPTER III.
CHILI. •
Position of Chili. — The Cordilleras. — Heat and Cold. — Valleys and Ravines.—Rivers. — Climate. — Fertile Lands. — Mineral Riches. ~ Organic Remains. —Volcanoes. — Matters of History. — Inventionsyin
CONTENTS OF
of the Spaniards. — The Araucanians. — Commencement of the Revolution in Chili. — Commerce of the Republic. — Exports. — Internal Traffic. — The Population of Chili. — Costume of the Inhabitants.— Condition of the Araucanians. — Abolition of Slavery
Page 24
CHAPTER IY.
SANTIAGO.
Inspection of striking Objects.—The Plaza.—The Cathedral. — Streets. — The Cañada. — The Market-place.—The Condor. — The Museum. —The Library.—Politeness of the Librarian.—Remarkable Books.— The Chilian Language compared with the Castilian. — Indian Language. — Enter the Lecture-room. — Lecture on Geology. — Studies of the Young Men. — Professor Domeyco.— Museum of Santiago.—American Lions.—Llamas and Vicuñas, Specimens of.— Ornithology. — Indian Weapons. — Musical Instruments. — Tusk of an Elephant or Mammoth ....	...	33
CHAPTER Y. santiago — continued.
Call on the President of the Republic. — The Palace. — Position of the Palace. — Introduction to the President. — Discourse. — Chamber of Representatives.— Chilian Constitution.—The Speeches made sitting.
—	Changes in the Constitution. — The Pantheon. — Monuments.— Treatment of the poorer Classes. — Pits for Children.—Second Visit to the Pantheon.— Suspicions about the Deaths of Children.— School of Arts. — Señor Camille Demeautier.—Ancient Convent of Capilla Ejercinos. — Doctor of the Convent. — Curious Pictures. — State of Religious Feeling in Chili. — Two Bishopricks in Chili. — Many Monastic Establishments gone to Decay. — The Chilian Ladies. — Standard of Morals. — Tyranny of the Aristocracy and Clergy.— The Professor’s Account of the Inhabitants.— Commerce of Santiago.
—	Country around the Capital. — Division of Lands. — Agricultural
Pursuits. — Vegetables and Fruits of Chili .	.	.	.	49
CHAPTER VI.
VOYAGE TO ISLAY, AND JOURNEY TOWARDS AREQUIPA.
Agreeableness of the Weather. — Arrive at Herredura. — Character of the Port. — English Ships. — The Natives along the Coast and theirTHE FIRST VOLUME.
IX,
Canoes—Supply of Fish.—The Bay of Huisco.— Ship loading with Silver Ore. — Port of Capiapo.— Sterile Coast. — Magnificent Views. — Port of Cobija. — Description of Cobija.—Visit to the Prefect.— Account of the late Revolution.— Iquiqui Mines here. — Arica.— Guana Birds. — Palm Trees. — Islay. — Departure for Arequipa. — Difficulties.— Sterility.—Description of Medanas.—Troubles, serious and droll.— Station in the Desert.....................Page 69
CHAPTER VII.
journey to arequipa — continued.
Dispute between the Creole and the Guide. — Causes of their Quarrel.— Loss of one of our Mules. — Conduct of the Creole. — Clearing up of Mystery of Yesterday. — Start for Arequipa. — Desert Country. —No Animal Life. — Caravan of Mules. — Change of Country. — Native Women. — River Chile. — Cross a Bridge. — First View’of Arequipa. — Arrival...............................................86
CHAPTER VIII.
AREQUIPA.
City founded by Pizarro. — Situation of the Town, — Convents. — Population. — Climate. — Commerce. —Walk with Mr. Jack.— Streets. —Public Edifices.—Earthquakes.—Private Houses.— No Vehicles.— Chief Plaza. — Use made of Religion. — Procession of Indians. — Their Occupation. — Use made of San Juan. — The Cathedral.— Convents. — Churches. — Customs of the Women. — Llamas. — Use made of the Llama. —Description of the Llama. — The Alpaca. — The Vicuña.—The Huanacu.—Various Characters of these Beasts.— Manner of taking them. — Former Estimate of these Animals .	93
CHAPTER IX. arequipa — continued.
Fete-day Entertainment. — Gross Superstitions.— Disinterment of Bodies of Protestants. — Pretended Baptism of dying Protestants. — Pantheon. — Expenses of Burial. — Mixed Marriages. — Some tolerant Citizens. — Consul Passmore and Family. — Introduction to the Prefect.—Rebellions.—Gold concealed.—Tupac Amaru. — Repatimiento. — Casimiro Tupac Amaru. — Peace. — Apprehensions of Indian Revolt.— Character of the Rebellions. — Progress of the Indians.— Domestic Manners in Arequipa. — Retail Dealers. — Irrigation 107X	CONTENTS OF
*
CHAPTER X.
BATHS OF YURA.
Set off for Yura. — Companions. — Rugged Path. —Views of the Mountains. —Views of the Pampa towards the Sea. — Remarkable Phenomenon.—Plains with Salt oozing from the Soil.— Arrive at the Gates of the Establishment. —Difficulty about entering. —Want of Room. —The Superintendent.—Droll Accommodation.—Visit to the Baths. — Indians bathing. — Character of the Baths. — Ladies bathing. — Little Mishap. — Our Disappointment. — Remarkable Effects of the Baths. — Cold at Night .	.	. i	Page 122
CHAPTER XI.
JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
Meet a Companion to travel with. — His Character. — Objects of his Travels.'—A gay Dinner Party. — Revelations concerning the Sierra. — Speeches. — Departure from Arequipa; — Overtake a Party of Travellers. — My Fellow-traveller’s Disposition. — Character of the Road. — Mount Misti. —Accommodations at Chequata. — Welcome from a Stranger. — Our Host once a Soldier of the Royal Army. — His matrimonial Alliance. — Earthquakes here. — Philosophy of our Host. — Education of his Children. — My Companion’s Opinions of Protestantism. — Effects of his Communication of them.— Our Host’s religious Opinions. — His Speculations..................133
CHAPTER XII. journey to cuzco — continued.
Distress of our Companions. — Children taken with the Cheroka Sickness. — Effects of the rarefied Atmosphere. — Various Opinions. — Effects of the Atmosphere upon different Animals. — Tambo. — Description of a Tambo___Character of the Country.—Tambo at Quaili-
ala. — Ducks. — Tambera’s Account of the Country. — Renew our Journey. — First Part of the Way agreeable. — Overtaken by Night and Snow. —Loss of the Track. — Danger of the Way. — Reach the Tambo of Geiabivima.— State of the Tambo.— Tambo of Ramuguas. —View of the Country. —Tambo of Renconardo.— Stream of Witch-omo.— Ducks. — Indications of Gold Ore. — Tambo of Witchomo.— Improvement in the Country. — Native Industry. — View of Lake Sungi. — Our Reception at the Village. — Account of the Village. —THE FIRST VOLUME.
XI
Arrival at Tungasuga.—Inhospitality of the People.—A Coffee-house. —A Merchant.— Cold and Snow. — Three more Lakes.— Village of
Yowka. — Town of Quiquikuana. — Indian Bridge---Ruins on the
Way. — Pass through several Villages.— Arrival at Cuzco.— Effects of the Sun upon our Journey.....................Page 159
CHAPTER Xin.
THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
Territory of the Incas. —■ Descriptions of the Country. — Land fertilised by Art.—Roads.— Supposed Origin of Peruvian Civilisation. —Policy of the Incas.—Nobility of the Empire.—Account of the Government.
—	Classification of the People.— Extraordinary Regulations.—Laws.
___Punishments. — Humanity. — Agrarian Law. — Cultivation of the
Lands. — Sources of Revenue. — Universal Control of the Government. — Regulations. —: Erugality. — Neither Poverty nor Riches. — Contentment of the People.—Education. — Abstract Science.— Agriculture.— Methods of Irrigation. — Manufactures-Substitute for
Iron.— Wars. — Weapons. — Gods of subdued Nations.—Language.
—	Remarks on the Government. — Classification of the People 181
CHAPTER XIV.
•	CUZCO.
. Position of Cuzco. — Population. — Visit to the Prefect. — My Friends
the Nadals. — The Remains of the ancient Temple of the Sun._____
Ancient Condition of the Temple. — Other ancient Temples. — Profusion of Gold and Silver.—Number of Priests. — Religious Festivals. —Human Sacrifices rare.— Religious Opinions of the Higher Classes. —Ideas of a Future State. — Good and Evil hereafter. — Remaining Usages of the Ancient Religion.—Burial of the Dead.—Extraordinary Customs. — Condition of the Remains of the Grand Temple. — Character of the Masonry. — Church of San Domingo. — Dominican
Friars. — Prior’s Descriptions of the Ancient and Modern Temple_
Cloisters of the Monastery—Few Remains of Private Edifices.— General Character of the Buildings. — Our Reflections upon what we
had seen__Character of the Peruvian Religion.—Virgins of the Sun.
— Marriages...........................................202Xll
CONTENTS OF
CHAPTER XV.
Cuzco — continued.
Two English Gentlemen at Cuzco. — One English Lady. — Visit from Doctor Bennett. — Remains of the Palace of Manco Ccapae, the first Inca. — Remarkable Wall.— The Figure of a Mermaid.—; Ruins of other Buildings. — View from this Elevation. — Ascent to the Great Fortress. — Exterior Walls. —Art in the Construction of the Walls.
—	Dimensions of the Stones. — Enter the Fortress. — The Walls. — South Side of the Hill. — The Peak of the Hill. — The opposite Hill.
—	Terraces. — Seats for contemplating the Sunrise. — Reflections. —
Ancient Palaces. — Concealed Gold. — Indian Method of gathering Gold. — Impressions concerning concealed Treasure. — Modern Deposits of Treasure. — Doctor Bennett’s Museum .	. Page 224
CHAPTER XVI. cuzco — continued.
The modern Town of Cuzco. — Decline of Population. — Demolition of the ancient Temples. — Convents and Churches. — The Cathedral. — San Francisco. — Convent of the Merced. —- Remarkable Paintings.— Church of the Jesuits—State of Religion.— School of Art and Science. —Cemetery. —Cock-fighting. — Fête of San Francisco. — Procession of the Virgin. — Prospect of the Whites and Indians. —The Prefect’s Improvements. — Museum. — Effects of rarefied Air. — Persons of
great Age at Cuzco__Natives rarely eat Meat.— Epidemic Diseases.
—Ancient Customs still prevail.—Remarkable local Disease. — Agricultural Productions.-—Coca. — Effects of Coca upon the Health.— Superstitions.—A Gang of Thieves. — Arrests by the Prefect. — Misfortune of a Native Painter. — Exposure of one of the Thieves killed.
—	Folly of a Judge. — Domestic Life of the Citizens .	» 243
CHAPTER XVII.
THE VALE OP VILCAMAYU.
Remarkable View of Cuzco. — Traces of Towns. — Ancient Roads. — Bridges.—Weather,—View of the Mountain Peaks. — Character of the Sierra. — The Cordilleras. — Torrents. — Seasons. — Degrees of Heat and Cold. — Productions. — The Villages. — Whites and Mestizos. — Method of Tillage. — Holidays— The Harvests. — Terror of Frost_____Causes of Depopulation. —- Service of the Indians. — Que-THE FIRST VOLUME.
Xlll
brada of Yucay.—Huaillabambo.—Decayed Indian Bridge.—Difficult
Passage.—A rural Plaza.—Padre Puetalas’ Dwelling Meeting with
the Padre. — Hospitality. —Remarkable Trees. — Urubambo. — Salt Mines. — Attantaitambo. — Ruins.................Page 270
CHAPTER XVIII.
JOURNEY TO PUNO.
Departure from Cuzco.—Village of Lucre. — Arrive at the Hacienda of Señor Ramon Nadal.—-Character of the Hacienda.—Paintings in the Corridor. — Gardens. — Baths. — View of an ancient Aqueduct. — Anecdote concerning its Construction. — Celebrity of the District. — Division of Labour. — Manufactories of Cloth. — Droll Manner of making Chicha. — Treatment of two Indian Women.—Departure from Lucre.— Quiquiquana.— Señora Gamendia.—Pleasure Grounds. — Neighbouring Indians. — Exposure of the Bark Gatherers. — Expedition of General Medina. — General abandoned by the Natives. — Expedition sent by Merchants. — Communication with the Wild Indians. — Manner of procuring the Bark. — Little known of the Indians here. — Missionaries.— Indian Opinions of Women. — Indian Occupations.— Polygamy.— Indian Stratagems.— Religion. — Modes of Worship.........................................288
CHAPTER XIX.
journey to puno — continued.
Passage of the River Quiquiquana. — Ruins of an Indian Village. — Hacienda of Accabambo. — Village of Combapata. — Village of Chuchakupa.—Village of Tinta. — Wide Quebrada. — Village of Sequani. — Village of Tombo. — Swampy Plains. — Adventure in passing the Stream. — Adroitness of the Mules. — Village of Santa Rosa.— Incivility of the People—Storm.— Indifference of the Mules. — Sheep grazing. — Village of Lampa. — Further Incivilities. — Hu-liaca.—Two Stone Villages. — Remains of Ancient Stone Villages.— Caracola.— Snow.—Eirst View of Lake Titicaca.—Descent from the Hills —Variable Temperature. — Grasses. — Descent to Puno. — Description of the Tambo................................313TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAPTER I.
VALPARAISO.
Awaking in the Port of Valparaiso. —Account of an Earthquake that had happened during the Night. — The Owners of the Ship come on Board.—-Their Account of the Earthquake on Shore. — Yiew of Valparaiso. — Landing. — The excitement on account of the Earthquake. — A Erench Gentleman on his way to California. — The Streets. — Public Buildings. — Thé Cathedral. — The moving Population.—Moveable Prisons. — Character of the Population.— English Merchants and their Families.—Advantages attending Classification.
My sound slumber was broken on board the vessel in which I had made the voyage from the Society Islands to Valparaiso, at an early hour, on the morning after our arrival, by the voice of my travelling companion Monsieur Hardy, inquiring of the captain, who was entering the cabin, whether the earth had done shaking, and whether the houses on shore appeared to be all standing.
“ The sea, which you no doubt mean,” said the captain, “ for we know not yet what has happened on shore, is perfectly still, and as far as we can see, for thé day is but just breaking, no damage has been done on shore.”
VOL. I.
B2
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Surprised by this curt dialogue, I lifted my head from my pillow, and was about to inquire its meaning, when the captain knocked at the half-open door of my berth, and being answered, desired to know how I had slept during the shaking of the ship in the middle watch; and as I had never slept better, and knew of nothing uncommon having happened, I replied that I had passed the night quite undisturbed.
Upon this, he informed me that, about an hour after midnight, he had been awakened by a shock, which seemed to him to be such as might have been caused by the ship striking against the rocks, and which appeared to be followed by rude scrapings and thumpings, such as would have been made in case she were driving over a bed of rough ground. He thought therefore, he said, before he had time to reach the deck, to which he hastened half dressed, that we were aground, or that, after driving at our anchors, we had struck against some rocks, or some other vessel in the port; but upon finding the ship was riding steadily in the midst of the fleet, he supposed that an earthquake had happened, and that what he had felt was its effects upon the sea.
While I was eagerly listening to this little account of what had happened during the night, our vessel was hailed from a boat that was approaching, her, upon which the captain returned to the deck; and when I mounted; the ladder, a short time after this, I found him in conversation with two gentlemen from the shore, who, it appeared, were our ship’s owners, who had come off to welcome their vessel in the port to which she belonged.VALPARAISO.
3
We tad had one of the shortest passages ever made from the islands from which we came, to Valparaiso, without any mishap, save the springing of the bowsprit, while carrying on ” during a fresh gale; and as the result of the adventure of the merchants, of which the captain had handed them a statement, appeared to satisfy them, their preliminary business was soon despatched, and they now gave us an account of what had occurred during the night on shore.
They informed us that there had been an earthquake, and that the earth had been twice violently agitated, for one or two minutes, and that the alarm among the whole of the inhabitants had been great, but that nothing serious, that they knew of, had happened in the town.
No familiarity with this great natural phenomenon, does, I believe, ever render the people, even of the countries where it is most frequent, indifferent to its effects. It had happened, on this occasion, at an hour when the greater part of the inhabitants were in their beds, from which they were roused in the utmost terror. Our informants were themselves at the Casa Consistorial, or Town Hall, where there happened to be a select party assembled. Some of the guests were dancing, some playing cards, and others giving countenance to the entertainment by their promenades through the hall, when a rumbling noise was heard beneath the earth; at which every one stood amazed, but no one spoke. In a minute, however, this was succeeded by a smart shock, upon which the scene became such as4	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
most of us have heard described as occurring during earthquakes wherever they happen. The glasses jingled, and the furniture danced instead of the company, who, though all seized with the utmost terror, were differently affected. The men were seen, some endeavouring to steady themselves by grasping whatever lay in their way, others aiding the ladies, of whom a great part, losing their consciousness, had fallen to the ground, or into arms almost as powerless as their own; while many ran screaming into the streets, where the alarm was still greater than in the hall.
The first shock, it appeared, had at once aroused the greater part of the population, many of whom were now seen without their houses, some calling upon their patron saints to protect them, some beating their breasts, and others falling upon their knees and hiding their faces with their hands; and this state of distraction continued for nearly an hour after the second shock, which followed a few minutes after the first..
I have spent some time in several countries where this great natural phenomenon is very common; but I have never felt the shock — never been rocked by our mother earth, while conscious of anything, save what may chance to have been passing in the chambers of the sleepless imagination. Whether it be certain, there?-fore, as I have often heard from those who speak from experience, that all hearts, even the stoutest almost as much as the most timid, feel a degree of terror during an earthquake such as scarcely anything else can raise, I am not able to say from any observation of my own; but I may say, that all the accounts we received of whatVALPARAISO.
5
passed during this earthquake confirmed what I had heard on the same subject on other occasions.
“ It is the part of men to fear and tremble When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.’*
The view of Valparaiso, or the Vale of Paradise, from the deck of our vessel, though very agreeable to us after our voyage, was not quite such as to present to our fancies the happy region after which it is named; but this appellation was doubtless given by those who entered the bay after a longer and more perilous voyage than that which we had just accomplished.
A wide prospect was before us, formed by rude and irregular hills of about 1000 or 1500 feet in height, of a brown colour, but slightly relieved by patches of dull green; and at the base of these hills is seated the town.
The bay is open towards the north-west, but is well protected from the north-east to the south-west, at which latter point the swell of the ocean is broken off by the promontory of Coromilla, which unites with the higher lands that protect the port on the south and east. Towards the north there are several rocky islets.
As we looked upon the town from the bay, the houses appeared to be irregularly placed, and, towards the south, to stand generally by steep ways, or on terraces, though a more regular line of building was placed along a narrow strip of ground bordering the bay* while the portion towards the north-east appeared spread out on more even ground. Around us, about a hundred6	TRAVELS IN PERtf AND MEXICO.
merchant-ships of every burden, and several men-of-war and store-ships, were seen riding at anchor on the slightly agitated waters of the bay.
The port is protected by three forts. The strongest of these is the Castilio de San Antonio, which is situated on the southern side of the bay. One of the others is on the east, and the third is on the south-west side of the town.
When my fellow-passenger and myself landed, we found some excitement on shore, from the effects of the earthquake which had been experienced during the night. ~No damage, indeed, had been done; but the streets were full of people of all classes recounting to one another their sensations during the shocks. Some, however, we found, on inquiry, had slept so well that, like myself, they had not been disturbed.
It is the custom here for the serenos or watchmen, who perambulate the streets both on foot and on horseback at night, when they cry their hours, which is done accompanied by the salutation to the Virgin, “Ave Maria purissima,” to give notice of an earthquake as soon as it is perceived, though the shocks are usually severe enough to render this unnecessary.
We took up our quarters at an hotel where everything was arranged in the European continental style, including a tolerable table d'hdte. The house was of two stories and rather spacious, and had balconies before the windows that looked upon the street and into the open court, but everything within and without was extremely dirty. We met here a polite French gentleman, who had been the proprietor of an estate in Gruadaloupe,VALPARAISO.	7
and had been ruined by the manumission of the slaves during the rule of the last French republic. He was now on his way to California, to endeavour, by digging for or dealing in gold, to repair his fortunes; and he welcomed us to the breakfast-table, which made some amends for the bearish character of the greater part of the rest of the company.
Our earliest step after our first meal on shore was to wait upon our respective consuls, which I would advise every traveller, at any place inhabited by people of Spanish descent especially, by no means to neglect, whatever may happen to be his countryman’s reputation for politeness, or for influence with the authorities of the place where he may reside.
My friend Monsieur Hardy, who was chancellier at the French legation at the Sandwich Islands, found his country’s representative as polite as his own official character gave him a right to expect, and I found the English consul quite ready to be of all the service I might have occasion to claim at his hands. After this we occupied the rest of the morning in examining the chief streets and buildings of the town.
Valparaiso is the principal seaport town of Chili, and is too completely commercial, and has too many foreign residents, to present to the stranger those peculiarities which, more or less, almost everywhere constitute the character of the country and people among whom a traveller may chance to sojourn. As we walked through the principal street, which is on the level ground, we saw the evidence of this over many doors. “ Tabac a fumer§	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
et a priser; Smith, Thompson & Co.’s offices, Fabrique de Montres; Spirit Stores, Marchand deDrap,” and the like. And we seemed already to observe, what we afterwards found to be the case, that the greater part of the general merchants and shipowners were English or Anglo-American, while the majority of the ingenious mechanics and shopkeepers were French. You hardly, indeed, meet a well-dressed person in thq streets who is not a foreigner; and even among the numerous ships which are seen riding at anchor in the bay you scarcely perceive the Chilian flag.
The town appears to have been founded by the Spaniards soon after the conquest of the country; but it remained a place of little trade or importance until after the colonies obtained their independence.' It is stated that in 1817 its population did not exceed 17,000, though it is now above double that number. It is situated in the agreeable latitude of 30° 2' south, and in the longitude 71° 45' west of Greenwich, and possesses an extremely mild and healthful climate. The port, however, is so much exposed to northerly and northwest winds, which are frequent and strong during the winter months, that vessels are sometimes driven on shore at that season. To avoid this, the ships of war of the maritime nations, for which it is the proper station in the Pacific Ocean, usually winter at Callao, the chief port in Peru.
Valparaiso was much damaged by an earthquake in 1822, but has been since rebuilt. It now consists of one or two long and narrow streets, skirting the bay, with numerous houses forming streets, with little order,VALPARAISO.
9
towards the west and the east; while cliffs, which support the land side of the thoroughfare between these two divisions, prevent any increase of breadth in that direction. The portion of the town towards the west, which is the most ancient, is composed of narrow, steep and inconvenient ways; while that towards the east, which is on level ground, is more open and agreeable.
The principal street and the buildings generally of Valparaiso are more English than Spanish in appearance. We see, indeed, hardly any approach to the style of construction so prevalent in Spain, where a court entered by a broad gateway, forms the interior of the most considerable houses.
Among the more remarkable of the public buildings of the town, are the Cathedral, the Custom-house, and the Exchange. We found the chief Christian edifice very badly placed, and extremely dark and gloomy within; and several other churches that we entered were also mean and dirty, and had nothing within save a few images of saints, quite unworthy of the smallest attention.
We happened to enter the Cathedral at the time of high mass on some special occasion; and we witnessed abundance of forms and ceremonies with very little devotion. The figure of the Saviour on the cross, more than commonly besmeared with blood, was carried round the 'church, and out at one door and in at another, accompanied by the figures of the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene, dressed in quite the fashionable attire of the present day; and the procession10	TEAYELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
marched to the chant of a company of boys, singing their hymns with remarkably nasal voices. But, from what we observed among the motley groups, the sacred edifice was much less the rendezvous of the devout, than of the secret violators of the laws which distinguish the character and show us the moral progress of every people.
There is, however, a church in Valparaiso where the service is performed according to the English ritual; and there is likewise a Protestant cemetery.
On the same day we were introduced by our consuls to the exchange rooms, which overlook the bay. They seemed to be frequented almost wholly by English and North American merchants and captains of merchant-vessels; though we saw a few naval officers in their uniforms among the rest. They were well provided with newspapers, and with all the instruments for meteorological observations commonly found in places frequented by men devoted to pursuits whose failure or success depends upon the prevalence of particular winds and the variations in the temperature of the atmosphere.
The Custom-house is a fine building, and being placed upon a projecting mole attracts particular attention.
There is nothing, as we have already indicated, that is characteristic of the country to observe in the streets, unless it be the 'poncho, which is properly a part of the dress of the poorer classes, although it has been adopted by many foreigners in the town, and by almost every one when travelling. It is worn in place of a coat in warm weather, and over a coat when theVALPARAISO.
11
temperature renders this more agreeable. It is made of woollen cloth of every texture, and is about six or seven feet in length, and three or four in breadth. In the middle there is a slit about a foot in length, through which the head is passed when it is put on, so that it rests on the shoulders, and hangs down to the elbows on the sides, and to the knees before and behind.
Among the curiosities to which we were introduced by our friends, were the moveable prisons of Valparaiso, which are at least original, and do not seem to be badly suited to the purpose intended. They consist of a number of waggons, each of which is adapted to carry about a dozen convicts, and is furnished with benches upon which they repose, and has a cook-room. Their
chief use is for the repose of the convicts, who draw
»
them from place to place to perform the work assigned. Sometimes this work is in the town, but at other times it is at a distance upon the roads, when much time and expense is saved by the use made of these portable dwellings. Would it not be as well for us to consider whether we might not imitate the Chilians with advantage, by having similar prisons adapted to our climate and to the labour to be performed in some parts of our country ?
Our curiosity upon the whole was not very great concerning anything to be seen without doors at Valparaiso, and we did not stay long enough to mix in any society except such as was to be found in our hotel, which was nearly similar to what may be met with at hotels of an inferior class in the seaport towns on the continent of Europe. We were informed, however, that12	TRAVELS IN EERIJ AND MEXICO.
among the Creoles or natives of the Spanish race, the customs of their European ancestors prevailed, unrestrained by those virtues which are said to give some relief to the darker shades of the Spanish character at home; that, among the French residents, who are chiefly engaged in such avocations as the progress of refinement introduces, national gaiety overcame all the obstacles which Spanish gravity and English reserve threw in its way, though an indifference to the general progress of society, much to be regretted, prevailed among them; that, among the English, such a novel condition of society was predominant as might have much amused an unprejudiced observer familiar with English manners, and much astonished one wholly unacquainted with that marked division into distinct classes which is so remarkable a characteristic of English society. But I must here introduce a little revelation that was made to us concerning my compatriots.
Though Englishmen abound everywhere, they are found residing in greater numbers in the seaports throughout the globe than elsewhere. In most of these they are chiefly merchants, and have become identified with the commerce of the country, through the most legitimate of all channels to that avocation, the sailing command of merchant-ships and the honourable transaction of their affairs. Our merchants at home send their earliest ventures commonly in small vessels commanded by trusty masters, who dispose of their cargoes and purchase the staple produce of the country, with-which they return. The second step of the British merchant is to establish the captain of his tradingVALPARAISO.
13
vessel as his agent, at the port at which he has opened a profitable source of commerce, which is the beginning of the settlement of the English merchants. The next step is a change in the relations between the merchant and his agent, who has now become a merchant on his own account, and imports the goods of his former principal, to whom he returns the produce of the country where he is settled. Such of these new residents as are married men, now usually send for, or fetch, their families. Such as are single, look out for an opportunity to meet suitable English wives; and either because they are less particular about the elegance than the useful acquirements of their wives, or because they &re more limited in their choice, they marry girls who have come out as servants with the wives of their compatriots. In the course of time, as the merchants acquire wealth they require clerks, for whom they send to their own country; and those who come out to them being generally young men of a more refined class than that to which their employers and their wives formerly belonged, there results the most anomalous state of society, which our English tendency to extremes in classification serves to foster. The former servant, now merchant’s wife, with, perhaps, a young family growing up better instructed than herself, disdains the company of mere clerks, and the clerks think they may justly despise the families of their principals. From these feelings arise jealousy and envy, which destroy all agreeable intercourse; and this was generally the state of society among the English residents at the great port of Chili at the time I was there.14
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
I shall merely add, that Valparaiso is greatly increasing in population and wealth, which is attributed to the liberal character of the government and the steadiness of its commercial inhabitants, who comprise too heterogeneous a mixture to form any union, but such as must be for their general benefit and for the solid interests of the country.
As I am not a party man at home, nor in any way connected with political matters, I may make a few remarks in this place, concerning the advantages attending the classification or division of men into distinct grades under the various forms of government of which I have had any opportunity of witnessing the results. Let the reader, for instance, just glance over the political surface, if I may so term it, of the several principal countries of Europe—England, Spain, France, Germany, and Bussia, and the result will be immediately apparent. The countries in which this classification is the most distinct, though very different in its details, no one need be told, are England, Germany, and Russia. Every one of these has, indeed, its own form of gradation, proceeding from the principles from which the government has sprung, and the advances which the people have made in civilisation. Moreover, the security enjoyed against the consequences of violent revolutions has been in these countries quite manifest for ages. In England in particular we have shown to the world that gradations of rank impose no permanent obstruction to the introduction of such new measures and useful changes as the advance of the people renders necessary, to conserve the stability of the established institutions. And what is yetVALPARAISO.
15
more remarkable* we have shown that this gradation may be obtained without any hindrance to the advance of men from the lower grades to the higher* whenever there is sufficient talent shown to admit of this change.
But look upon the remaining two of these European countries* and you will immediately see the different effects produced by the want of this classification of the people. Regard* for instance* la belle France* where the want of a division of the people into distinct grades is the most apparent. What country is there equally subjected to such inconvenient revolutions as take place there, and what country is there equally deprived of the exercise of the natural genius of the citizens* for their particular or for the general benefit ? An uneasiness and sense of want of security of property is so prevalent there* that it seems to threaten the very principles of civilisation which are still maintained. The government* in effect* is under the necessity of keeping up large armies* much less for war with foreign countries than for its own security and to give occupation to the tens of thousands of youths who* were the gradations of rank otherwise* would be occupied in the cultivation of the ground* the maintenance of their families* and the increase of the^ riches of the country. And if we were to add to this* the irritability of the citizens with whom we have any transactions* and the difficulty with which business is conducted* we should only heighten the picture of the evils attendant upon carrying out the rude idea of equality among men in a state of civilised society.16
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
As to Spain, if the reader will only peruse the accounts of travellers in that country, he cannot fail to perceive by how slender a thread all rank is supported, and the consequent degradation of the people, who may be said to be entirely under the government of the mitre and the sword.17
CHAP. II.
JOURNEY TO SANTIAGO.
Departure from Valparaiso.—Character of the Country.—An Inn kept by an English Family.— Manner of conducting the Valuchi. —Fine Weather.—Stop the Night at Cudacavi.— Renew the Journey.— Improvement in the Ways. — Ascent of a Range of Hills. —* Concealment of Santiago. — The Cold.—Arrival at Santiago.
After a few days’ repose at Valparaiso, I proceeded to Santiago, tlie capital of Chili, which is ninety miles from the port, leaving behind me with much regret my good friend Monsieur Hardy, whose business did not admit of his making that journey.
I do not think that the enjoyment some travellers seem to derive from solitary reflections during a journey, can at any time compensate for the want of a companion with whom we may carry on some exchange of thought, My regrets, however, at separating from one with whom I had made two agreeable voyages, were somewhat relieved by my engaging to travel with another French gentleman who was on his way to Santiago on business; and after hiring a valuchi, or vehicle resembling our open cabriolet, we put on our ponchos, mounted our carriage, and left Valparaiso at two o’clock in the afternoon of the 14th of July, on our direct journey to the capital.
VOL. i.
c18
TKAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
My fellow-traveller on this occasion was, like myself, a stranger in the land. Neither of us indeed had ever before been in any country inhabited by people of the Spanish race. We were unacquainted with the mode of travelling, knew nothing of the customs, and no more of the language of the good people with whom we were about to mingle, than what we had learned from books. The postilions, however, who are accustomed to conduct foreigners in most countries are intelligent men, and we did not despair of hearing as much from the man we had engaged, as might relieve the dreariness of the journey, as well as enlighten us concerning anything remarkable we might happen to meet with on our way.
The road which conducts to the interior of Chili, leaves the coast at the north-eastern extremity of the bay of Valparaiso, where the form of the hills that border the shore admits of a more gradual ascent than can be found in the immediate vicinity of the port.
Nothing upon the earlier part of our journey, save a few enclosures for grazing cattle, indicated that the inhabitants of the town from which we were departing, or the number of strangers afloat in the bay, derived any of the necessaries of life from the internal resources of the country.
As we left the sea behind us, we gradually ascended by an indifferent road, passing over a country of the most cheerless sterility, only occasionally relieved by the partial success of nature’s earliest efforts to cover the rocky surface of the ground with wild vegetation, among which the cactus of several species was very remarkable; and we had advanced about four leaguesJOURNEY TO SANTIAGO.
19
before the way afforded us any such views as the traveller through a barren country always hopes to find, to compensate the want of those softer prospects which more fertile and earlier inhabited countries for the most part exhibit. But now hills of varied forms met the eye on all sides, save immediately towards the sea, generally presenting a dark and sterile surface, relieved only at intervals by shades of green in situations favourable for the formation of the earlier species of slender vegetation.
Soon after this, we descried the first houses of any sort that are met with on the road, forming a small hamlet in a vale beneath an eminence we had attained.
Arrived there, we found an inn and post-house kept by an English family, who entertained us with very good cheer, at much more moderate prices, we observed, than we had paid for the same fare at Valparaiso.
We met there two young Englishmen dressed in shooting jackets, and just returned from an unsuccessful search for foxes; but they were so much hurt at our inquiring of them whether they were on their way to California, which idea very naturally occurred to us,' after the numbers of young persons of all ranks whom we had already seen bound to that country, that we did not attempt to converse with them. We heard after"■ wards, however, that they were two midshipmen belonging to one of the ships in the bay.
The manner in which travelling is conducted upon this road is peculiar, and for want of such arrange-? meats as are made in almost all other countries very20
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO,
expensive. All the valuchi and their drivers on the road belong to Santiago; and owing to the indifferent character of the roads* they require ten horses for each vehicle to make the journey. These all set out together, although only two are attached to the valuchi* while the rest follow driven by an additional postilion and a boy, both mounted.
The vehicle* which is light* now goes on at a fair pace* until it approaches a hill* or encounters rougher roads than usual, when two of the additional horses, which are left unbridled, are caught with the lasso and hooked on, one on each side; the horses in harness being as often exchanged, to give every one his fair complement of labour. But when the valuchi arrives at this station* coming from the capital* five of the horses are left here to be taken up again on the return, on account of the extravagant price of their fodder at Valparaiso. Much* however* as our expenses for the journey must have surpassed what under better arrangements would have been sufficient* they amounted only to half a doubloon each* or something less than two pounds of English money.
After leaving this hamlet* with our number of horses now complete* we found the road become rougher and more hilly; but as the day drew towards a close* the gradual appearance of the stars* augmenting in brightness at every moment* gave us assurance of favourable weather, so much to be desired during the night* by travellers in every quarter of the globe.
_Soon after the night had set in* we passed another inn called Casa Blanca (the white house)*JOTJRNEY TO SANTIAGO.
21
which we heard was also kept by a family of the race of Albion.
Between one and two hours after midnight, we stopped at a small village called Cudacavi, which is the half-way station, to pass the remainder of the night. We found tolerable accommodations here and good viands; and as we had brought with us a bottle of Bordeaux, we fared very well. We had the pleasure, too, of meeting a Spanish creole, on his way to Valparaiso, who was well disposed to afford us all the information in his power, so that we passed an hour agreeably before retiring to rest.
The morning after our arrival at Cudacavi, we rose at an early hour and proceeded on our journey.
We had soon now a fair view of the first chain of mountains, which lie eastward of Santiago; the country around presenting the same stern features and rude sterility as on the previous day, very rarely relieved by any natural vegetation. Here and there we observed evidences of the efforts of the husbandman to supply the necessities of such a population as cannot be dispensed with, even in the wildest countries over which the herds of black cattle are suffered to range.
The roads were now, however, better than those over which we had passed on the preceding day, and they hourly improved, until we arrived, after two hours’ journey, at the foot of a chain of hills called the Guesta de Prado, which, as we approached them, obscured from our view the most western Cordilleras of the Andes, which we had for some time seen.
Here we commenced the ascent of a zig-zag path, r	c 322
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which, now and then afforded us fresh views of the country, which was generally productive of wild shrubs; but we saw no animals wild or tame, save one or two foxes which crossed our path, or were seen passing between the covers of shrubs which lay in patches upon the lands on which we looked as we ascended.
Upon attaining the summit of the Cuesta de Prado, the most western chain of the Andes became again visible, stretching out towards the south and the north, till it seemed to sink beneath the nearer inequalities of the earth’s surface. On our front were seen vast
■s
heights of irregular forms, and of shades varying with the distance at which we beheld them, from that which admitted of our marking all their irregularities, to that which exhibited only the outline of their bolder features, with the bright crests of snow which never fails to crown all the loftier summits.
The -height of the hills over which we were now passing, is about three thousand feet above the level of the sea, and their distance from the most western Cordillera is seven leagues* while the intervening country forms a plain about a thousand feet lower than the summit of these hills, in the midst of which is seated the capital of Chili* We were unfortunate in not having an opportunity at this time of beholding the fair city. A dense vapour, covering the whole plain beneath us, only admitted of our perceiving sufficient cultivation to proclaim the existence of civilised man, in the midst of a country which seemed generally condemned to perpetual sterility.
We experienced more cold on these hills than weJourney to Santiago.
23
expected. My thermometer, about nine o’clock in the morning, as we commenced our descent towards the plain, stood even at two degrees below the freezing point. But when the more direct rays of the sun fell upon our path, the air became warmer and warmer at every step; so that by the time we reached “the level land we had 40° of Fahrenheit. Such, indeed, is the variation of the temperature in these latitudes, under the influence of the hour of the day and the height of the position, that long before the sun was on the meridian we had the thermometer at 66°.
Our passage from the foot of these hills to the capital of Chili was the most agreeable part of our journey. The land, we now observed, was generally fertile, and a great deal of it cultivated; and the sight of men working behind their fences, and of vehicles and instruments of agriculture lying about their houses, afforded scenes the most refreshing that could be imagined.
We entered Santiago soon after noon on the second day of our journey.24
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. III.
CHILI.
Position of Chili. — The Cordilleras. —- Heat and Cold. — Valleys and Ravines.—Rivers. — Climate. — Fertile Lands. — Mineral Riches. — Organic Remains. — Volcanoes. — Matters of History.— Inventions of the Spaniards. — The Araucanians. — Commencement of the Revolution in Chili. — Commerce of the Republic. — Exports. — Internal Traffic. — The Population of Chili. — Costume of the Inhabitants.— Condition of the Araucanians. — Abolition of Slavery.
The republic of Chili comprises a mere narrow strip of land lying between the Andes and the South Pacific Ocean, from the latitude of 25° to that of 43° 45', and is the most southern of the five independent states which lie wholly on the western side of South America. It is bounded on the north by Bolivia, and on the south by Patagonia, while the Andes and the Ocean form its eastern and western boundaries. Thus, while its length extends over more than eighteen degrees of latitude, its breadth is not more than from eighty to about two hundred miles.
The several Cordilleras or chains of mountains in the more northern of these latitudes are of great breadth, but they become narrower as they approach the south, where they are generally also of inferior altitude. The highest mountains in Chili are about 17,000 feet abovePAß ÖACiE Oil*1 T», <¿intVDifiirrCHILI.
25
the level of the ocean; and they give occasion for travellers to observe, whatever may be the relative heat felt on the lower lands in high latitudes in the northern and southern hemispheres, that the line of perpetual snow in the temperate climates in the northern is considerably lower than that in the southern. If we go no further, indeed, than the Sandwich Islands, which are within the tropics in the northern hemisphere, we shall find that the summits of the mountains of Owhyee, which rise only to 14,000 feet, are capped with perpetual snow, while those in Chili, which are 3000 feet higher, and about ten degrees further from the equator, and at a much greater distance from the sea, do not remain covered with the frozen element above six or seven months in the year.
Throughout almost the whole of this country are found valleys and ravines, through which numerous streams andf torrents carry the waters,, across the intervening region between the mountains and the ocean. With few exceptions, however, these streams are not large; but they are extremely rapid in ; their descent, until they reach the level country. In the spring especially they swell considerably from the melting of the snow in the mountainsbut the hours of their increase and decrease may be easily calculated by attention to the temperature of the atmosphere and the distance of the mountains from which the streams descend.
In the valleys, especially towards the south, a soil is found which provides for the maintenance of the greater part of the population. But rain falls so rarely in the26	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
northern districts, that it is only by irrigation along the banks of the streams, that the ground can be made serviceable for the purposes of agriculture. At the season, however, when these become swollen by the melting of the snow on the higher lands during the heat of the day, the inhabitants are afforded the means of refreshing great portions of the soil.
There are, however, several larger rivers in Chili, among which the Maule is the most remarkable. It runs towards the south, through a fine country abounding in timber, and evidently calculated to be the future garden of the republic.
At the mouth of the river Maypu, in the latitude of 34° S., there is a safe harbour; but this is within a bar upon which is found only eleven feet of water. This river waters extensive plains acrdss which its stream descends.
The climate of Chili is the finest that is found upon the western coast of South America. During the warmer seasons of the year, the south and south-west winds prevail and temper the heat of the middle latitudes, though they have less force in the northern districts. Early in May, however, these winds usually give place to gales from the north and north-west, frequently accompanied with so much rain as to render it surprising that the soil should retain so much of its original sterility. In the southern districts, the rainy season sometimes continues even for six or seven months, which is sufficient to account for their superior fertility. But notwithstanding this, it has been remarked that there are few countries inhabited by any ofCHILI.
27
the European race where the inhabitants enjoy so near an exemption from infectious and endemic diseases.
The lands about the capital of Chili, and in the valleys between the Cordilleras of the Andes in these latitudes, are much more fertile than those upon the coast, notwithstanding the greater altitude at which they lie; and this seems to arise from the deposits brought down from the mountains and placed upon the soil during the melting of the snows in the spring season.
It does not appear that sufficient study has yet been made of the geological structure of the Cordilleras that form so great a portion of Chili, to estimate fairly their mineral riches. There are, however, mines of silver and copper worked with advantage near the agricultural districts. The central chain is found to be composed of primitive formations mingled with vast rocks of volcanic origin. The declivities on the western side of the mountains abound in porphyritic rocks, and are steeper than those on the eastern side; and there are here narrower ravines and valleys than are met with where the descent is more gradual*
A variety of organic remains is found at the highest altitudes below the volcanic peaks throughout the mountains; and among these there are numerous shells similar to those which abound everywhere near the coast. Even human skeletons have been discovered mixed with shells, and in a good state of preservation.
On these Cordilleras there are many active volcanoes, the greater part of which are situated on the central ridge, and at too great a distance from the settlements to cause inconvenience to the inhabitants. There are*.28
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
however* one or two in the district of Araucania which are nearer the cultivated parts of the country* and are always in a state of activity; and it is said they may be seen at the distance of one hundred and twenty miles.
Very little appears to be known concerning the history of this portion of South America before the invasion of the Spaniards in the year 1535. It has, however* been gathered from the Peruvian annals* which extend to the middle of the previous century, that the country was invaded by Inca Yupanqui* and a considerable portion of it entirely subdued. The most extensive preparations appear to have been made for the prosecution of this enterprise; and a road was constructed between the Cordilleras* a portion of which is to be distinctly traced to this day. But after passing the river Rapel* the invaders appear to have been met by a warlike race called the Promaucians* by whom they were driven back beyond the river* which afterwards formed the boundary of the Peruvian empire.
The invasion first mentioned was by the Spanish and Peruvian armies united ; and although the greater part of the men were lost by exposure to the cold in the mountains^ the remainder were well received in the provinces that had formerly submitted to the Peruvians. But their further progress was arrested by the same warlike people that had formerly defeated the Peruvians* and they were forced to return.
Five years after this* the Spaniards again invaded Chili* and commenced a war which continued for some time to desolate the country. At last* however, after conciliating the Promaucians* and being joined by thisCHILI.
29
tribe* they proceeded towards the south* and in 1550 founded the city of Conception* on the banks of the river Biobia. New troubles* however, here met them. They were now attacked by Araucanians* with whom a war appears to have been carried on* with scarcely any intermission* for ninety years.
Iq. fine* the war with the Araucanians continued* with short intervals of repose* until the year 1773* when a permanent peace was concluded* which admitted the right of the Araucanians to have a resident minister at Santiago.
The subsequent events in the history of this part of America are of too recent a date to render it necessary to do more than remind the reader, that the first movement in the revolution which led to the establishment of the republic which now exists at Chili, broke out in 1810, and that the promulgation of the constitution* which has* however* since that period* undergone some changes* took place in the year 1818.
The republic of Chili has made great advances in its commercial transactions since the independence of the country. While a colony of Spain* the whole commerce was confined to the mother country and her dependencies. Since the revolution* however* the ports of Chili have been open to all nations; and the settlement of many foreign merchants at Valparaiso and Conception has much facilitated commercial intercourse with Europe and North America* and greatly augmented the wealth of the country.
The principal exports of Chili are the precious metals and other minerals, especially silver, copper* and cobalt,30
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which, latter mineral is a hard substance similar to that of the same name found in the mines of Cornwall and Saxony. Wheat and other grains are exported, and also dried fruits, dried meat, tanned leather, and the skins of the guanacos and chinchillas, which are wild animals peculiar to the country.
The articles of agricultural produce are generally exported to Peru and California, the^ copper to the United States, and the silver, the produce of which has been of late years very great, to England and France, whence manufactured articles are imported in return.
The internal traffic, both within Chili, and with the Argentine provinces upon the opposite side of the mountains, is carried on by mules, and the amount of work performed by them, if there be no exaggeration in what we are told, is a sufficient proof of the excellent quality of the animals. They are said to travel, with from six to twelve arrobas*, at the rate of from ten to fifteen leagues a day. They make their journeys in large piaras or herds. Eight beasts are entrusted to each peon or driver, and with each herd travel many spare animals, which gives abundant opportunity for relief.
The amount of the population of the capital of Chili is not exactly known ; but it was at this time supposed by a learned professor, whom I shall have occasion to mention more particularly, to exceed eighty thousand.
About half of the population of the country, including nearly the whole of the independent classes, is composed of creoles of the Spanish blood; and they are
* A weight of 25 lbs.CHILI.
31
generally an intelligent race, well made, and of as fair complexions as the Spaniards of the old country, with dark hair and dark eyes. But it has been remarked, that the inhabitants of the southern provinces are of finer forms and of better complexions generally than those of the northern, which is said to proceed more froni the climate than from a less mixture with the Indians. The other half of the population is composed of Indians and of people of the mixed race.
The costume of the country is generally similar to that which prevails in Spain. But the women of the higher classes, if they ride, put on bonnets, and are dressed quite in English or French fashion; and the men of every class when out of town wear the poncho, of a thickness adapted to the time of the year.
The most remarkable of the Indian tribes within the bounds of Chili are the Araucanians, who struggled so long for their independence. They are as distinct a race as the native Peruvians, though very inferior to that people in the degree of civilisation they have attained. They have now a little mixture of European blood among them, which is derived from the Spaniards that were driven within their territory or settled among them during the revolutionary war. They are generally considered a well-formed race, and have fine open countenances, with black quick eyes. Moreover, they are intelligent and firm in character, and their courage and patriotism have been well proved by their efforts in favour of liberty since the first invasion of their country. They live in fixed habitations, cultivate the soil, and subsist upon the fruits of their labours. Their social32
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
institutions have been considered well adapted to their state of advancement; but their intercourse with the European races has tended much to demoralise them, and to diminish their numbers. They are nevertheless still supposed to have a population amounting to about one hundred thousand.
The rest of the Indians mingled with the Chilians, or bordering on the territory of the republic, are inferior to the Araucanians both in person and the degrees of advancement which they have attained.
There are few countries where the Negro has been held in a state of bondage by the white inhabitants, that have been so long free from the abomination of slavery as the republic of Chili. There were never, indeed, any great number of Negroes in this part of America, either in a state of slavery or freedom; and nearly all that were at any time here, were employed in the domestic service of the inhabitants of the towns, and are said to have been treated with the humanity which is generally shown to slaves in that position. So long ago, however, as 1811, a law was passed, declaring all the children of slaves born after that period absolutely free; and owing to this, and by the liberty allowed to the elder of them to purchase their freedom, the numbers in a few years were so much diminished that the legislature was able in 1825 entirely to abolish this description of servitude throughout the republic, without any risk of. the inconveniences which it cost us so much study to provide against in our West India Colonies.33
CHAP. IV.
SANTIAGO.
Inspection of striking Objects.—The Plaza.—The Cathedral.— Streets. —The Cañada. —The Market-place.—The Condor.—The Museum. —The Library.—Politeness of the Librarian.—Remarkable Books.— The Chilian Language compared with the Castilian. — Indian Language. — Enter the Lecture-room. — Lecture on Geology. — Studies of the Young Men. — Professor Domeyco. — Museum of Santiago.—American Lions.—Llamas and Vicuñas, Specimens of.-— Ornithology. — Indian Weapons. — Musical Instruments. — Tusk of an Elephant or Mammoth.
The day after our arrival at Santiago, my French companion politely volunteered to accompany me to make a little inspection of the more striking objects and principal thoroughfares of the town. We first bent our steps towards an eminence upon which a fort is built, called Santo Lucio, which is one of the chief places of attraction to strangers, on account of the views to be obtained from it.
When we had ascended the mount, we observed the river Mapocho flowing by the walls of the city, and had a noble view of the mountains towards the east, and of the plains around us, which extend to about seventy miles north and south of the capital, and also of the city itself. The mountains are not, however,
von. I.
D34
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
seen here with so much advantage as from the hills which we had crossed on our journey to the city; and the plain, which is only partially fertilised by turning the waters of the Mapocho from their course, presents but a wild and sterile aspect. On the opposite side of the river lie the most important of the suburbs, which are connected with the city by a bridge.
We next passed to the chief plaza or square, which occupies an extensive space near the centre of the city. In the middle of this, there is a fountain with a basin constructed of stone, from which the inhabitants are chiefly supplied with water. On the north-west side stands the ancient palace of the Spanish viceroys, now the residence of the president of the republic, and also the Town Hall and a prison. The palace is a grand edifice in the Spanish, or rather Moorish, style of architecture, but built of bricks and baked mud, and stuccoed. On the south-west side is the cathedral, which is constructed of stone, and the bishop’s palace; and on the remaining sides are shops and a few private houses.
As it happened to be Sunday and the hour of mass, we entered the cathedral; but we found nothing within sufficiently remarkable or characteristic of the people to excite our curiosity. The roof of the nave, which was broad, was supported by columns on either side. The principal altar was decorated by allegorical representations of several incidents in scriptural history; and in the niches along the side aisles appeared abundance of holy men in wood and marble, a few indifferent paintings, and two human skeletons exposedSANTIAGO.
35
under glass frames, but of what saintly personages we did not learn.
We next made a cursory survey of the principal streets of the town. From the chief plaza radiate five regular ways of good breadth, crossed by others at right angles, by which the town is divided into departments called quadras. The streets are generally wide and well paved with round stones, and have sometimes a foot pavement of red porphyry; and they are kept extremely clean by the water of the river being made at stated hours of the day to run down gutters formed in the middle of them.
The houses of the better streets, though only built of bricks, are constructed after the best Spanish mode, and being stuccoed, and whitewashed or painted, render the streets gay and agreeable. They are extremely spacious, though only of one story on account of their exposure to the destructive effects of earthquakes. They have often two and sometimes three patios or quadrangles within their walls; and an archway conducts from the street to the principal of these, around which there are several apartments. The other patios are usually surrounded by the sleeping chambers and the domestic offices, and have frequently beds of flowers and shrubs in their centres, which, being seen from the street, commonly through iron rails, add much to the generally agreeable aspect of the town. The portions of many of the more extensive houses which front on the street are often so far disconnected from the rest as to be let out in shops.36
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We next visited the Cañada* which is a space of ground ornamented with walks formed by several rows of poplars* and having two narrow canals through wrhich a current of water continually flows.
From this we proceeded to the market-place* which we found very well supplied with meat and vegetables; but as it was then mid-winter* there was but very little fruit. My attention* however* was more directed to what was the most curious to a stranger* and I was surprised to see several live condors chained to stakes in the ground* and exhibited for sale. They had been naught in traps; and one of them* from his tameness* seemed to have been some time a prisoner. After a thump or two from his master* he permitted us to spread out his wings* which I measured as accurately as I could across the body* and found to reach to the length of fifteen feet. These animals are rarely kept* and only on the great estates* for they are very expensive on account of the quantity of animal food they require. They will even eat* it is said* as much as eight or ten pounds of solid flesh a day* if it be given them.
There were several other kinds of wild bipeds in the market* one of which formed a remarkable contrast with the giant condor. This was a species of parrot* very small* and of a green colour. There were several of these in separate cages; and I heard one of them say plainly* Salve, Señor, before I saw him; and although he would say no more when he was spoken to* I was in-' formed that the species are easily tamed* and that they learn to imitate articulate sounds* after the manner ofSANTIAGO.
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their species elsewhere, without much difficulty. They are brought here from more northern latitudes.
I visited the museum of Santiago, in the first instance, alone. The building is extensive, with a broad quadrangle; and a young man whom I chanced to meet in the cloisters politely directed me to the library, which I had heard highly praised, and came indeed chiefly to see.
Upon entering this department of the museum, unquestioned by an official whom I observed sitting at a desk near the door, I found a spacious room with ample shelves which appeared to be well filled with the best works in the polished languages of modern Europe and in the dead tongues; and considering the countries from which I had arrived after more than two years’ absence from Europe, the very faintest encounter with so many of the spirits of the departed was inexpressibly refreshing. They seemed like a gathering of shades, awaiting to greet every new arrival in the happy realms where no foreign tongue and no narrow spirits will be found, to confine the intellect within contracted spheres, and no malignant errors to distort the truth and pervert our too easily led understandings. I will not trouble the reader with a particular account of the companions with whom I chose to enjoy my first hours after awaking from the dull slumber of the intellect for so long a period. It will not be supposed that my choice was among those whom we should not miss among the companions of our first hours in Elysium.
After passing several hours wrapt in the enjoyment of pleasing visions which forbade attention to anything38
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that might have been perceived by the external senses* I felt a hand lightly laid upon my shoulder* and on turning round, I observed the official whom I had seen when entering the library.
“ Señor*” said the good man in his own tongue* “ I perceive that you are a stranger. I am the librarian* and shall be very happy to give you any information you may require concerning this department of the museum* which is entirely under my control.” And* upon my thanking him for this proof of Chilian politeness* he led me towards a part of the room where the choicest books were shelved* and took down some well worthy* for their rarity alone, of a place in the museums resorted to by the curious and the learned in older countries than Chili. Among them were two Chinese works* one in the original tongue* of which no one in Santiago was able to comprehend a syllable* and the other a translation into French of a work by Confucius. There was also a dictionary of the ancient Peruvian tongue* called quichua o del oncas* which was the polite language at one time spoken only by the court and the nobles of Peru* with a view* no doubt* of maintaining the dignity and isolation of their order* but subsequently by the people also. Its date was Plaza de los Reyes* Lima* 1608, but by whom it was composed was not known. It is said* however, to figure but indifferently the language of the Indians of the present day. But the book which seemed the most highly prized* or had excited the greatest interest* was in Latin* and was written by the Grerman Jesuit Grretseri* and published in seventeen volumes quarto.SANTIAGO.
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In this library there are no less than 20,000 volumes, and there is another in the convent of the Recoleta Dominica, which is little inferior in the number of books it contains, though greatly so in the variety and supposed value of their contents.
I may mention here that the Chilian written language is purely Castilian, or the proper language of Spain; but the accent with which it is spoken is the Andalupian, which is the softest that is heard in the European peninsula, and the most easy for foreigners to acquire. There are, for instance, in the Castilian, no less than three letters which have a sound similar to that of our th, which is certainly not the most elegant of sounds— the c when it would be in English sounded like an s, the d when it is the final letter, and the 0 at all times. This sound is not heard, I believe, in Andalupia, but it is certainly unknown in Chili, where these letters are pronounced in composition nearly in the same manner as in our own tongue.
But a change has been introduced here in the spelling of the words of the language, though the new arrangement was not at this time certain in its duration. In the proper Castilian language there are several letters which are not always sounded, and these had been omitted in some of the books published in Chili before this time, in all words in which their sound is not heard. The h, for instance, is not sounded in the Castilian, except when it precedes the diphthong ue> and sometimes when it is placed between two vowels. The u is silent in the syllables que, qui, gue, gu% except occasionally, when care is taken to distinguish it by dots. P is40
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silent before n9 s, and t; and g is silent in one or two words. Now, as one of these letters is a vowel, and another the h} which is a letter of frequent occurrence, the appearance of the language in the books thus printed is very peculiar.
I may mention here, that books are printed in the Spanish language both in the old country and in her ancient colonies, with an improvement upon the method of punctuation in use in Europe generally, which might perhaps be imitated by ourselves and others with advantage. This is simply putting the note of interrogation as well before as after any interrogative sentence.
The language which is spoken by the Indians in this part of America is said to be extremely copious, and fit for the display of native eloquence; but it is rarely studied or understood by any person of the Spanish race.
After we had in a cursory manner skimmed over the title-pages of many more works in the several European tongues, the polite librarian informed me that it was the hour at which the professor of geology commenced his lecture in another department of the museum; and upon his directing me to the lecture-room, I gladly embraced the favourable opportunity of attending.
Upon entering the chamber, I found about fifty or sixty students assembled, and the professor in the act of addressing them. His discourse appeared to be alternately practical and earnest, and eloquent and impressive. His theme, indeed, quite apart from its application to the particular interests of the country, was one of the utmost importance in relation to the progress andSANTIAGO.
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refinement of the younger people in a newly-formed society, and afforded the opportunity of applying eloquence to the noblest purposes in which human speech can be employed. Moreover, it is impossible that the standard of morals should not be greatly raised, by leading young men to the study of those branches of science which tend most to defend them against the manifold errors which have lowered the character of the race in Europe from which the greater part of them spring.
From some observations made by the professor, I was disposed to think that doubts were entertained, by a portion at least of his pupils, concerning the truths of the Christian revelation. Nothing could, indeed, exceed the earnestness with which he pointed out such proofs as the science upon which he was lecturing affords, of the agreement of Scriptural history with the truths which physical phenomena reveal; and it was especially agreeable to myself to hear our natural and moral philosophers, particularly Newton and Locke, referred to as being fully in accord with the general impressions of the religious world, concerning what equally interests the whole human race. It seemed to me, that if the gentleness with which the professor, who was of course of the Romish Church, spoke on the subject, were the practice of the priests of all the Christian sects with which the world abounds, the differences between men would become so slight as to do away with every particle of the ill-will which still mingles with our religious feelings, and prevents the attention of many men to the morals which Christianity teaches.42
TEAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
The Cordilleras which bound this country on the east are full of such natural phenomena as we might expect to find in a land which is evidently among those that have been the latest adapted for the habitation of living creatures in our changing world; and the future industry of the people will probably be in a great measure engaged in developing the mineral resources of their country.
When the lecture was over, many of the students crowded round the professor, to ask questions, to solve doubts, and to have the abstruser portions of his discourse more familiarly explained; and as I mingled among them, the professor seeing a stranger, who, it was plain to him was not a Chilian, addressed a few words to me in French, which commenced a conversation that led to his politely showing me an abundance of apparatus which he had at hand for instructing the students as well in chemistry, pneumatics and mechanics, as in the branch of knowledge which was the subject of the day. I was not then aware that the person who was thus rendering me so much his debtor, although I did not indeed take him for a Chilian, was a Polish gentleman of rank, Ignacio Domeyco, whom the unhappy condition of his country had long since driven into exile, and who was now the leading professor of the college of Santiago.
I have often recorded my good fortune in meeting during my travels with friends from whom I have received the most disinterested services in aid of such objects as I have happened to have in view; but I was never more fortunate than on the present occasion. MySANTIAGO.
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letters of introduction were addressed to commercial men, from whom I received as much attention as X had any reason to expect; and I visited one or two places in the town under their guidance. But my visit to the museum procured me a more useful companion as well as an agreeable friend.
As the students retired, my new acquaintance, thus opportunely made, volunteered to show me through the chambers of the institution of general interest, to which we now directed our steps.
The museum of Santiago contains a very respectable collection of stuffed animals, all admirably arranged and classified for aiding the studies especially of the youths of the college, by whom it is chiefly frequented. I need mention but one or two of the stuffed specimens of zoology and ornithology which most characterise the important repository.
"Wild quadrupeds are not numerous in Chili. Among the more remarkable of the stuffed specimens to be seen here, are two lions. They differ, however, so much from the lions of Africa and Asia, as to surprise us at finding the name they have received. Though their height is not greater than that of the wolf, their bodies are longer than even the bodies of the lions of the old continent, and their heads rather resemble those of tigers or lynxes than those of the eastern lions. These specimens were about five feet in length, and of a grey colour with yellow spots. They were not, however, very well stuffed. But the true difference between the beasts of the old and the new world was easy to perceive, as there was a stuffed lion of Africa standing near those of
i44
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South America, with his head tossed, by some means or other, high enough to express such contempt of the inferior species, as we are apt to feel ourselves towards the barbarous tribes of our own species, whom we deem almost beneath our regard.
This somewhat misnamed animal always flies at the sight of man, which at least serves to show that he has no very close relationship with the more courageous creature of the same name in the old world.
These animals live in the deep recesses between the mountains, and are only seen during the winter months, when they are driven by cold and hunger to seek shelter and food in the lower country; and at this time they commit great ravages among the husbandman’s flocks and herds. They kill sheep, goats, calves, young foals, and even full-grown cattle and horses, and are hunted by men with dogs, upon whom they do not turn. When pursued, they climb trees, in which they may be easily shot; but they are sometimes driven into recesses that have no outlet, and are taken alive by the lasso. They are called pumas by the naturalists.
There were specimens also of the llama and the vicuña which are found in great numbers in the valleys between the mountains towards the north, and others of porcupines, lynxes, weasels, and many more of the smaller tribes common in Europe and North America.
There were also two specimens, of which one was a quadruped and the other a bird, both worthy of especial attention, not so much from their being peculiar to the country, as on account of being chosen inSANTIAGO.
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much good taste to grace the shield of the Chilian arms. One of these was the huemul, a beast in form not unlike the roebuck, and about the size of a very large sheep. This is placed in the arms, on the right of the shield. The other is the condor, or well-known large and powerful eagle of the Andes, which has been already mentioned. The breast of this remarkable bird is black, but its beak and its wings are white. Its head is merely covered with a thin down ; but around its neck hangs a collar of short white feathers. Its beak is four or five inches in length, slightly hooked and very sharp and strong. It rarely approaches the dwellings of the settlers, except during the breeding season, when it will carry off the lambs and kids that are left unguarded. There was at any rate better taste shown here in the choice of these characteristic emblems, than that displayed when a fabulous animal, and the noble beast which never honoured our hills with his majestic step, nor made our woods echo with the sound of his voice, were chosen for a similar purpose in our country.
Among the specimens in ornithology, which are extremely numerous, the flamingo was the most remarkable. This bird is nearly as large as the ostrich. The colour of its feathers is white, save a few upon its wings which are yellow. Its feet are webbed, and seem to be made to pass over quicksands or mud. There was also one of that large species of vulture, which performs the office of scavenger in the towns in warm latitudes, for which it is greatly esteemed. The natural food of this bird is said to be reptiles, of46	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which I believe there are none in Chili except a harmless snake about three feet in length. There were also several eagles similar to some we have in Europe, aryd a great number of owls. The owls are found in large flocks in the subterranean recesses of the mountains. There were also several ostriches, which are only found in the more southern districts, and do not much resemble those of Africa. There were likewise parrots, penguins, geese, partridges of several kinds, wild pigeons, and a variety of birds .of the smaller tribes found in the lower country.
Among the insects, the most remarkable of those pointed out to tis was one of the beetle tribe, called the viscina, or, in the vulgar tongue, caballo del diablo (the devil’s horse), but wherefore honoured with such a title we could not learn.
The museum contains many remains of the handiwork of the ancient inhabitants of the country. The majority of these belonged to the destructive arts, and they show us the degrees of refinement which had been attained in warlike pursuits by the most advanced nations of the western continent, before the Christians came to massacre and annihilate them, with weapons as much more formidable as their manners were more ferocious, than those of their opponents.
The most remarkable of the destructive weapons were axes of stone, and stones of three or four pounds’ weight, of oblate spheroidal-form, with holes by which handles appear to have been attached. There were several articles belonging to the peaceful arts, which bore aSANTIAGO.
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great resemblance to some found in Pompeii. One or two, which seemed as if they were for domestic ruses, had figures and designs upon them, little inferior to many found in the old Roman town. The most curious was an instrument of music. This consisted of two earthen vessels in the form of our india-rubber bottles, but somewhat larger, with a flat tube, from four to six inches in length, uniting their necks near the top, and slightly curved upwards with a small hole upon the upper side, one third of the length of the tube from one of the necks.
To produce the sounds of which this instrument was capable, the bottles were filled with water and suspended to the bough of a tree or a beam by a string attached to the middle of the curved tube, and then swung backwards and forwards in such a manner as to cause each end to be alternately the highest and lowest, so that the water might pass backwards and forwards from one bottle to the other through the tube between them. By this means soothing sounds were produced that, it is said, were employed to lull to repose the drowsy chiefs, who usually slept away1;he hottest hours of the day. In the meantime, as the bottles were porous, the water within them diminished by evaporation and the sounds died gradually away.
But of all the curiosities in this museum, that most calculated to attract the interest of the naturalist is the immense tusk of an elephant or mammoth. This, it is said, was found at the bottom of the lake Taqua-taqua, near, I believe, to San Fanada, after the lake48.
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had been drained off. I measured it with great exactness, and found it to he five feet two inches in length, and twenty-two and a half inches in circumference, one third from the root or large end; and from end to end, as a string passes across a bow, it was four feet six inches.49
CHAP. Y.
SANTIAGO — continued.
Call on the President of the Republic. — The Palace. — Position of the Palace, — Introduction to the President. — Discourse. — Chamber of Representatives.— Chilian Constitution.—The Speeches made sitting.
—	Changes in the Constitution.—The Pantheon.—Monuments.— Treatment of the Poorer Classes. — Pits for Children.—Second Visit to the Pantheon.—Suspicions about the Deaths of Children.— School of Arts. — Señor Camille Demeautier.—Ancient Convent of Capilla Ejercinos.— Doctor of the Convent. — Curious Pictures. — State of Religious feeling in Chili. — Two Bishopricks in Chili. — Many-Monastic Establishments gone to Decay. — The Chilian Ladies. — Standard of Morals.—Tyranny of the Aristocracy and Clergy.— The Professor’s Account of the Inhabitants.— Commerce of Santiago
—	Country around the Capital. — Division of Lands. — Agricultural Pursuits. — Vegetables and Emits of Chili.
Professor Domeyco called upon me on the day after my visit to the museum, and politely offered to supply the place which the consul for the nation to which a traveller belongs more properly Tills when there is any special reason for his aid, by introducing me to His Excellency the President of the Eepublic, Señor Don Manuel Bulms, to whose presence my friend’s position gave him free access.
The official residence of the president, and ministers, is in the grand palace called the Moneda (or Mint) which occupies one side of a large square, the opposite side of which is formed by barracks, and the remaining sides by private houses. It is a noble building, and VOL. I.	E50
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the grandest, I believe, in South America; but it is constructed of the same material as the other edifices of the town. Its length is about one hundred and twenty-five yards, and its breadth is nearly the same. It is of two stories, and has fifteen windows in front in each story. It has six interior patios, or open courts, and is entered by a lofty archway, on either side of which a broad staircase leads to the offices of the president and of the several ministers of state.
Upon inquiring of the orderly who was standing by the door on our left hand after entering the archway, we were informed that the aide-de-camp of the president would receive any one inquiring for his excellency. But, upon seeing this gentleman, who was well known to the professor, we learned that the president was engaged with the minister of the interior, and that it would be better that we should come about two hours later; so we retired.
When the time named had expired, we returned; but as my friend, as we crossed the square, observed his excellency near one of the upper windows of the palace, still in conversation with his minister, and as it was getting late, we determined merely^ to leave our cards with the aide-de-camp, and to call again on the following day. But when we came to the entrance, we found that orders had been left during our absence to detain us if we returned; we therefore proceeded again to the chamber of the aide-de-camp, who informed us that he had reported our former call, and that he had been commanded to conduct us to the reception room or hall of audience as soon as we reappeared;SANTIAGO.
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Upon our entering the hall, the president met my friend with a hearty shake of the hand, and upon my being introduced to him, received me in the most polite manner; and Senor Don Joaquim Perce, the minister of the interior, who did not retire, also expressed himself pleased to see an English traveller in their capital.
Nothing indeed could exceed the open and frank manner in which I was received by the chief magistrate of the republic of Chili and his first minister, and the freedom of the conversation that followed; and as both, the president and the minister were familiar with the French language, there was nothing in the way of as free an interchange of thought as any traveller might desire. I am not however, I must premise, about to report anything deriving interest from any other cause than may arise from the novelty of an interview between the chief magistrate of an American republic and a native of an old European state.
The president, after bidding us to be seated, sat down himself, and his minister did the same; and the first part of our conversation was an exchange of such civilities as seemed suitable to the occasion.
His excellency, then addressing me, said: uSenor, you have too recently arrived in Chili to be able to form a judgment upon anything essential in our institutions, I will only therefore ask you whether, since landing, you have met with that sort of treatment, the exercise of which towards a stranger should distinguish men in a civilised from those in a rude state of society, of both of which you have necessarily seen a great deal.”52
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My answer to this question was satisfactory to the president, and included an observation which led to a comparison of the different forms of government, by means of which men are able to live in society, and accumulate wealth, with remarks upon their relative excellencies; and I confess that the observations of the chief magistrate of this republic, of which I shall be able to give but a faint idea, impressed me with the moderation of the men in power, and the ability with which the affairs of government were conducted.
I informed him that I was aware before landing in Chili, of the greater success of the republican form of government in this state than in any other that had proceeded from the Spanish colonies; and I expressed a hope that at least, the advance of the country would not be arrested by such obstructions to every kind of progress as had stayed the hand of improvement in the sister states.
The president in answer to this said “ Señor, you are right in believing that Chili alone of all the ancient Spanish colonies has flourished under the republican system of government. She is, in fact, the only state that has not been positively retrograde from the very epoch of independence. Many reasons have been given for the progress of our country; but that which it is generally agreed has been chiefly instrumental in the good work is our having corrected the two most mischievous errors in the character of the Spanish race, pride and contempt of foreigners. The true Spaniard will be taught by no one, and respects no one of another race. Chili has embraced every opportunity of improv-SANTIAGO.
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ing her institutions* by comparing them with those of other nations* and thus endeavouring to correct their defects. She has received with willingness* and entertained with respect* every foreigner who has landed on her shores* impressed with the assurance that whatever might he his objects or pursuits* they would be either directly or indirectly beneficial to the commonwealth. Our country is admirably situated for the commerce of the Pacific; and mercantile pursuits have here fallen almost entirely into the hands of the Europeans who have settled among us* especially the English and French* who* after acquiring riches and influence* have for their own sakes so disposed of these as to encourage tranquillity and order* which are so necessary to accomplish the great ends of government—security of person and property. Thus many wise laws have been enacted in this republic, which the other states have not been able to imitate* and many improvements have been encouraged* while slavery* that dangerous anomaly in a free state* has been long abolished. Moreover* such respect for the laws of the country has been maintained by the measures adopted by the executive authority* that the greatest danger to a free state* the loss of power in that branch of the government* has not hitherto been the fate of this commonwealth.”
I then observed* that I had often heard it remarked* and that I believed it to be perfectly true* before my arrival in this country* that the only republic which really existed in the world* was that of the United States of North America.
“ Señor*” then said the president* “ you will leave54
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Chili with a very different opinion. The republic, of which I have the honour to be at this time the chief magistrate, has, indeed, a clearer and more hopeful future than the Great Kepublic of the North. The chief error of the North Americans, from the very beginning of their history, has been the federal union, which has mingled elements of inextinguishable discord. Had we formed such an union in South America, success would have been impossible in any one of the states. They would long ago have all fallen again under the government of Spain, or have ceased to be counted among the civilised nations of the earth.”
The president and his minister then asked me many questions concerning the countries I had visited, and the voyages I had made, since leaving Europe; which brought on a conversation upon the different effects on civilisation, of the various forms of government under which so many different people in the great family of mankind live. With what passed, however, on this subject I need not weary the reader; but I may remark, that these high-minded men assured me, that the institutions of my country, in particular, were the chief study of the statesmen, and of the rising generation, in Chili.
The president, before we left, said: “ Senor, everything belonging in any sense to the republic is open to you during your stay in Santiago. You will nowhere require any other introduction than that of the noble gentleman in whose company you have favoured me with this visit.”
Upon this we took our leave.SANTIAGO,
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I was desirous of seeing the forms in use in thé proceedings of the legislative chambers, and I first visited that of the deputies. The apartment which this body of the Chilian representatives occupies, is placed in an obscure building at the distance of half a mile from the great public place. All, of course, is open ; and as I heard that a great number of strangers were sometimes present, I went to the house about half an hour before the time of assembling, which was seven in the evening.
The plan of the interior of the building, which I had plenty of time to examine before any of the members entered, was novel to me. At the upper end, there was a platform, upon which stood a table and four chairs, two of which were under a canopy. The platform extended round the chamber, beneath balustrades and a gallery, except on the side of the entrance, where a vacant space was left in which chairs were placed for the accommodation of strangers.
In the Chilian republic, the executive power is vested in the president, with fewer restraints, than those which are imposed upon the president of the great Anglo-American republic. The legislative power rests with a parliament consisting of a senate composed of twenty members, and a chamber of deputies, to compose which, one member is chosen by every fifteen thousand souls.
At seven o’clock precisely, about five and twenty members entered from behind the seat occupied by the president of the republic, when present, and imme«* diately after these, the* president of the chamber and the vice-president entered and took, their places upou56
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the platform, followed by two clerks, one of whom sat down on either side of the table placed in front of the president.
The proceedings were opened by the clerk on the president’s right hand, .reading whilst sitting, the bill before the house; after which several of the members spoke, also sitting. I was afterwards told that rising to speak here, gave the appearance of menace to the house, and was only done by the boldest in times of great excitement. Sitting, however, it is plain, must be a very bad posture for oratory.
The most remarkable thing that I observed in the proceedings was the manner in which the votes were taken. The clerk on the president’s right, after the discussion, collected the assents and dissents, by regarding singly each member who in his turn nodded assent or said no. On this occasion all the members present, save five or six, gave their assent to the bill.
The next morning I visited the Senate House during the sitting of the members. There was nothing in the proceedings or forms here, that seemed to the eye of a stranger to differ from those of the more popular chamber.
The political constitution of Chili, which was established in 1818, has undergone several important changes, which the altered condition of the people since the revolution has suggested. The Chilians, however, have gone beyond the limits which sound reason can approve during the uninstructed state of the working classes, and the* demoralisation which prevails among them. The introduction of the ballot,SANTIAGO.
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for instance, has been attended with injurious consequences, on account of the incapacity of the people to use justly so important a privilege.
Among the more remarkable places that strangers visit at this capital is the cemetery, which is called the Pantheon. I was conducted to this place of repose of the departed, by a merchant to whom I had brought a letter of introduction. It was about a mile from the town. A mud and brick wall enclosed seven or eight acres of ground formed into two departments ; the price paid for a grave in each, being in proportion to the quality of the persons with whose bones the property of the deceased might admit, or his friends desire, that his own should be mixed in the tomb.
Entering by a gate, which stood open, we came into an enclosure of about an acre in extent, immediately in front of a church. Along the walls, upon either side of the gate, were low buildings, with colonnades before them, inhabited, as we learned, by some of the inferior officials of the church, and the superior officials of the burial ground. On either side of this space was a garden, and behind the church, there was a larger piece of ground with walks tolerably laid out between cypresses and myrtles.
After a short tour round the gardens, we took the way to the right; and after passing through a second narrow gate, came into the midst of the aristocratic department of the Pantheon. There are here monuments both old and new. Some of the latter cover vaults of large dimensions, as we observed by one or two that were open for the burial of members of the58
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families to which they belonged. Several were surmounted by pieces of sculpture, some of which I was surprised to find had been carved in Italy and Paris. One monument that had just arrived from Paris was in the form of an obelisk, and stood with its devices in relief, ready to be placed over a vault that was now open.
From this department we entered that where the bodies of the poorer people are interred. It was but a step from the seat of the highest order of Chilian delicacy in the burial of the dead, to that of the thorough want of the most ordinary decency. In this department, which was large, we found some slight works of art in the midst of the most disgusting scenes that can be imagined. Our attention was first attracted by some skulls and bones which lay strewed about the broken ground. Many of the skulls were covered wholly or in part with hair, and with the putrid remains of the less durable substance which covered them when they formed the dwelling of a human soul. But this was only the prelude to the more shocking scenes which this portion of the burial ground exhibits. Pits had been dug deep and in regular order, and .those having been long enough filled with bodies, which were buried without coffins, to have sunken in, had been reopened in their turn, and the remains deposited in them thrown out with the bones half covered with flesh, to be replaced by the bodies of the poorer classes continually dying.
Four or five of these pits hadlbeen lately opened. In one of them were lying uncovered the bodies, fantas-SANTIAGO.
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tically dressed, of two men and two women which, from the position in which they lay, seemed to have been that morning thrown in from the litter, just as we might throw the bodies of strange dogs. In another were lying seven or eight children fully dressed, most certainly tumbled in in the same manner; and we were told by one of the grave-diggers, that all or the most part of these had been brought to the Pantheon the previous night, and that they would be covered over in the evening according to custom.
After this we quitted the ground, the effluvium from which was almost insupportable. Impulse, however, which I could not control, brought me the following day to the same spot alone, and directed my steps to the grave of the children. The bodies that lay exposed the day before were now covered, but upon the loose mould that had been thrown over them lay the remains of infants that had doubtless died during the past night; and among these there was one that seemed as if it were tranquilly slumbering, so that I could not persuade myself that death had laid his cold hand upon its bosom. It was prettily dressed; and I stood and looked at it until I persuaded myself that it breathed; and as there was a ladder standing against the wall near at hand, I placed it in the pit, and descended to ascertain whether the child was really alive or dead. Dead, however, I found it; though, from its differing in appearance from the rest, I was unable to avoid believing that it met not its death by fair means.
If we look upon such scenes even in the most favourable light, we cannot help asking whether the60
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Chilian priests are unable or unwilling to repress the indeceDcies which this burial place presents.
Among the curiosities which I visited in the good company of one of my volunteer guides in the Chilian capital was the School of Arts* which is under the management of an Italian master, and has its walls adorned with handsome paintings, in which are figures as large as life of the king of Naples, his brother the archduke, and a son of the archduke, all on horseback at a review.
The Italian master had copies of many of the best works of art to be found in the galleries of Europe. He spoke of the students of whom he had charge, as young men generally possessed of a fair share of genius, and from their application giving good hopes of the future.
Señor Camille Demeautier, another Polish gentleman of my acquaintance, who was engaged in mining speculations, obtained permission for me to visit the principal ancient convent in Chili, which is here, and is called the Capilla Ejercinos, with a letter from the leading physician in the town to the doctor then in charge of the establishment, and accompanied me in this visit.
We entered the building by a gate which was open and led to a garden surrounded with colonnades, within which there was an open chamber where we observed some women cooking. Upon applying to them for information so as to pursue our inquiries, we were directed to a door where we found a good woman standing and thumping with all her might, without seeming to be heard within. For the moment, therefore, weSANTIAGO.
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did not attempt to gain entrance any further, but contented ourselves with walking round the garden.
After a short time the woman who had been knocking retired, upon which we commenced making the same noise at the door, which in a few minutes was opened by a person whom from his appearance we took to be the chef de cuisine of the establishment, who did not seem at all pleased at being disturbed. We told him, however, that we hoped that we had not put him to any inconvenience, but that we should be much obliged if he would inform us where we might find El Doctor Manuel Dias Perez, for whom we had a note from El Doctor Rosara Sepulridge. Upon this, after staring at us for a moment, he suddenly changed his manners, and was at once transformed from a chef de cuisine
to an important official. He informed us, indeed, that
\
he himself was the gentleman of whom we were in search.
“I should, however,” said the good man, “have been better prepared to receive you if El Doctor Rosara Sepulridge had given me notice of your coming. Nevertheless, you have at least the advantage of seeing in myself, the true picture of the convent of Capilla Ejercinos, which you have come to visit in the time of its decay.”
Our position was now not very agreeable, whatever, might have been that of the doctor, fearing that we had not spoken with the civility that might have been expected. However, we presented him with the note, and he introduced us before opening it into his ample quarters, which appeared to be occupied only by him-62	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
self and a child. After a few minutes’ talk lie opened a large closet which seemed to have nothing in it hut an enormous bunch of keys* which were hanging from a' hook by a string; and taking these down he desired that we would allow him to conduct us himself to see all that was worthy of inspection under his charge.
We thanked him for his politeness, and were now led through several gardens, none of which, from neglect and from their confined position, were attractive. They were surrounded by colonnades, beneath which were monks’ empty cells, apparently very comfortable; and, at the entrance of each of these there was an ancient picture of the Crucifixion, of which our guide informed us he was charged to take the utmost care.
In a recess between two cells we were as much amused as surprised to find a picture representing Saturn feeding upon one of our own species, which our guide pointed out to us, and explained without making any comment.
What possible connection can there be between the feelings that arise from such absurdities, and the religion which all the civilised world in one form or other possesses ? There is always, however, some gratification in contemplating the neglected and decaying remains of whatever may have grown out of a wrong understanding of the true spirit of the Christian religion.
After this, we took leave of El Doctor Manual Dias Perez, and left the convent.
I shall take this opportunity to mention that the state of religious feeling in Chili is in some respects more tolerant, and in others even less so, than thatSANTIAGO.
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which is so peculiar to Spain. The established church is the Eoman Catholic; but although toleration does not legally exist* foreigners are less molested here on account of their religion* than they have generally been in the old country; and the British and other foreign merchants residing in Chili have long been permitted to have pro-testant cemeteries both at Santiago and Valparaiso* which* however* is, I believe* the chief religious privilege they enjoy.
There are two bishopricks in the state* one of which is of Santiago* and the other of Conception* and the clergy possess much valuable property* as well territorial as personal. The monastic establishments* which were formerly very numerous* have generally gone* like that which we have just seen* completely to decay* During the war of the revolution* indeed* in some of the provinces* they were almost all destroyed* while in others they were put in connection with the schools and hospitals* or used for other national purposes.
I was not long enough in Chili to become well acquainted with the domestic manners of the people* but in one or two houses where I visited of an evening* I experienced a degree of politeness and hospitality towards strangers* which most travellers in Spain will agree with me* is not common among the race from which the Chilians proceed.
The ladies of Chili have elegant figures and fine features* and are gay and fond of music; but they have generally that shyness which in other countries* whatever it may proceed from here* frequently accompanies good sense without a proportionate education.64	TRAVELS IN PllRU AND MEXICO.
They appear, nevertheless, full of natural kindness; and those who converse with foreigners are apt to speak with regret of the deficiencies which they believe the infant state of their institutions has imposed upon them.
I was one evening conversing with several ladies, probably between the ages of twenty and thirty, when one of them said, “We have very little to talk about in, Chili that can afford any interest to an European. If any of us had been in Madrid, or London, or Paris, I think we should have more subjects to converse upon.’ But when I informed them that all they said of Chili had a peculiar interest with myself, they were extremely pleased.
It must, nevertheless, be confessed, that the standard of morals is very low among all ranks of society in the republic, which is generally attributed by strangers, not to the deficiencies of the religious community to which they belong, but to their exclusive religious system, the persistence in which must be injurious to morals, by restraining the inquiries of the most intelligent and independent, and thus removing from their minds, as happens so often on the continent of Europe, every sense of religion whatsoever.
This, indeed, is especially observable where marriages have been contracted by Englishmen and other Protestants with Chilian ladies, notwithstanding the obligation imposed upon the gentlemen to conform to the outward ceremonies of the Church of Eome. The ladies, if they have not become Protestants, have been thus freed from the dull obligations of their church; and when left to their natural inclinations have becomeSANTIAGO.
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patterns of tire greatest excellence that can adorn the sex. This exclusiveness of the religious system has had the same bad effects upon the patriotism of the inferior classes, through the combined tyranny of the aristocracy and the clergy, which has fostered ignorance, promoted vice, and too much disunited the people to admit of their possessing any influence in state affairs.
Professor Domeyco’s account of the inhabitants of Chili in general was extremely satisfactory. He had travelled much, and always unarmed, and never met anything but kindness and hospitality in all his intercourse with the inhabitants. During eleven years’ residence, he had never had a dispute with any one, but had been often called upon to arrange the differences which had arisen between others, when he had saved many parties from ruinous litigation, by calmly listening to what was said on both sides, and merely telling them his impression after all the circumstances had been laid before him. Almost all their disputes, indeed, he informed me, arose from misunderstandings in the management of their affairs from the beginning, and not from wantonness or ill-temper in the ulterior transactions.
I informed him that I had heard a great deal of the vanity and selfishness of the inhabitants of the capital generally; but this he did not confirm, though he said he avoided a too familiar intercourse with many. He dwelt, however, much upon the necessity of sincere friendships everywhere, and informed me that he had not experienced any want of these among the natives of Chili.
I accidentally made the acquaintance of a third Polish VOL. i.	f66
TKAVELS IN PEETJ AND MEXICO.
gentleman residing here, Señor Lionard Lachowshi, who was superintending some copper mines in the country. This gentleman’s account of the character of the people was the same as that of the professor, and equally differed from the accounts of many who insist that the inferior classes in Chili are not disposed to receive the instruction necessary for the maintenance of their republican institutions.
The commerce of Santiago consists chiefly in the export of the produce of several mines of silver, which are worked in the state, of gold dust, taken from the rivers, and of ponchos, for which there is a considerable manufactory, all being sent to Valparaiso, whence are received the articles of merchandise brought from beyond sea.
The capital of Chili has also some commerce with Mendoza on the opposite side of the Andes, which are traversed by two passes called Cumbre and Tortilloo. Cumbre is 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, and Tortilloo is about 14,000 feet. They are both therefore impassable during the winter months.
From Mendoza the Chilians receive their supplies of mules, dried fruit, and wine, in exchange for European goods imported at Valparaiso.
During one or two rides in the vicinity of the capital, I was much struck with the general sterility and little cultivation of the lands around a city containing a population of about seventy thousand souls; its wealth thus evidently proceeds from the commerce carried on with the interior districts and the states which lie on the opposite side of the Andes.SANTIAGO.
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Nothing can exceed the inconvenience that must arise from the arbitrary division of the lands in Chili. After the conquest, they were divided into three hundred and sixty portions, which were severally granted to officers and others for their services during the war. They have now become greatly subdivided by the Spanish law of descent. On this account, many of the inhabitants possess estates not worth the smallest attention, while others have whole districts of great value.
The low lands and valleys, more especially towards the north, are less in extent than the desert hills, forbidding any great increase of agricultural industry in that part of the country. There are, nevertheless, immense districts admirably adapted for breeding cattle, which profitable branch of industry has been long followed with great success.
After the commencement of the rains, which is usually late in May, or early in June, the fertile portions of the wild country in this vicinity are covered with the richest verdure, affording the sheep and cattle abundance of pasture. But in November the soil begins to be parched, and the cattle are, during the warmer months that follow, fed chiefly upon the produce of the cultivated lands. This inconvenience, however, decreases as you advance towards the southern districts, where more rain falls at all seasons.
It may be truly said of Chili, that although it contains a large proportion of sterile and waste land, the greater part of its tracts which are fit for the purposes of agriculture, are better than any upon the western side of68	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
South America ; and the neglected state of this branch of human industry which prevails, is doubtless owing more to the character of the social institutions of the country than to any deficiency in the quality of the soil. No leases are granted by the proprietors to their tenants, who remain in that state of dependence upon their landlords which destroys their energies and prevents the proper disposal of capital for the improvement of lands of which they are only tenants for a year.
The greater part of the vegetables and fruits of Chili have been introduced by the Spaniards, and are the same as those which are the most common in Europe. They all, however, seem to be of inferior quality, unless we except the water melons, which are very good. The potato is said, indeed, to be in its native land in Southern Chili.
All the animals introduced into this country by Europeans are believed here to have improved, though this is hardly apparent to an English eye. The horses and the mules are well enough, and the asses are better than those of Europe. This animal, however, has strayed to the uninhabited lands, and is roving in his wild state in the valleys and ravines of the mountains in a better condition than in the towns of the republic. The horned cattle, sheep, and goats, are certainly inferior to those in Europe.
After my short sojourn at the capital of Chili, I returned to Valparaiso.69
CHAP. VI.
VOYAGE TO ISLAY, AND JOURNEY TOWARDS AREQUIPA.
Agreeableness of the Weather. — Arrive at Herredura. — Character of the Port. — English Ships. — The Natives along the Coast and their Canoes—Supply of Eish.—The Bay of Huisco. — Ship loading with Silver Ore. — Port of Capiapo.— Sterile Coast. — Magnificent Views. — Port of Cobija. — Description of Cobija.—Visit to the Prefect.— Account of the late Revolution. — Iquiqui Mines here.—Arica.— Guana Birds. — Palm Trees. — Islay. — Departure for Arequipa. — Difficulties.—Sterility.—Description of Medanas. — Troubles, serious and droll.— Station in the Desert.
Two days after my return to Valparaiso, I embarked for Islay by an English steamer which was running between the ports of Chili and Peru.
I found, on again embarking, the same mild atmosphere and gentle breezes from the westward that I had experienced on my voyage from Otaheite: and on the 31st July we reached the Herradura, or Horse-shoe Bay, where we brought up to leave a mail and receive another from Serira, a town on the opposite side of the bay to that where we anchored.
This bay is about five miles in extent, and is surrounded by precipitous hills, upon which there is a very little vegetation; and there is hardly anything to be seen along its shores to indicate the existence of inhabitants. There were, however, no less than five
• F 370
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
vessels, all English, lying at anchor in the hay, and loading with copper ore from the mines in the vicinity.
I had here an opportunity of seeing the canoes of the country, which are remarkable. Several of them came alongside, navigated by Indians, who supplied us with fish. They consist of inflated cellular masses formed of seal skins distended by twigs. Two of them, are lashed together, and the paddlers sit on a frame between them. They have sharp peaks at the prow, and their sterns also are pointed. . They can keep the sea in any swell or surf, in the hands of the Indians, but are slow in their progress through the water on account of their spare length. As they are not however used for making passages this is of little importance.
We got under weigh the same evening, and the next
• T.y>'
day at an early hour reached the bay of Huisco, where we only remained long enough to exchange mails. There were three ships lying here, which we heard were loading -with silver ore, which is brought from Ballana and shipped for Valparaiso.
At five o’clock of the same day we reached the port of Capiapo, from which the town of the same name, is at a distance of thirty or forty miles. And here I observed lying at anchor, my old friend the schooner Lola, in which I had made the voyage from the Society Islands, and an English brig. Finding we had time, several of us landed; but there was nothing to be seen save a few wretched hovels, which, with the desolation around, produced a gloominess among our whole party that was very much at variance with the mood in which we had come on shore.VOYAGE TO ISLAY*
71
The next day we continued our course without putting into any port or bay. The weather was fine, and we had the most magnificent views of the rugged coast, which everywhere presents the same features of rudeness and sterility.
On the 3rd of August we arrived at Cobija at an early hour in the morning. This is the only port in Bolivia; and most of our passengers and myself landed in company with the captain. Three-fourths of the population are Indians, the rest are Creoles and people of mixed blood. The houses are constructed of unburned brick, wood, and tin, and are all of only one story, with a flat roof. The climate at this part of the coast is extremely dry; but the country is subject to earthquakes, sometimes accompanied with such alarming effects as to render the utmost precautions necessary*
We visited the small fort by which the place is guarded, where we found six cannons and two Indian soldiers, and a ragged set of colours flying on a shattered part of the walls.
Our curiosity was excited here, by some accounts that were given us of a little revolution that had lately taken place. The last prefect of the department of which this port is the head, had become unpopular, and Señor Willamel de la Paz, who now ruled the town and district, and was of one of the first families of Bolivia, had been chosen to lead the populace and a portion of the soldiers. A battle took place in which the prefect was killed, upon which the leader of his opponents was installed in his place. Such72
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
is the manner of carrying on political affairs in this and most of the republics of South America.
While we were making our inquiries, I found we had with us a young Frenchman bound to the interior of the country upon some commercial speculation in indigo, which afforded him a good opportunity of calling upon the new prefect; and this he determined to do, and another of our party and myself volunteered to accompany him.
We found no difficulty in obtaining admission on our arrival at the private dwelling of the chief magistrate, who proved to be a well-educated gentleman, rather young; and as he spoke, both French and English there was no obstacle to such familiar intercourse as it might he agreeable to him to admit. Our Frenchman, indeed, as soon as we were introduced, informed the prefect of all that he thought necessary respecting his business in the interior, which he said had induced him to make himself known to the chief magistrate of the district, before his departure; and upon receiving a polite reply, he immediately added, that the two gentlemen who had accompanied him, although they did not intend remaining in Bolivia, had chosen the same opportunity to pay their respects to the prefect; upon which we bowed, and the magistrate did the same, and an agreeable conversation followed.
The prefect, it appeared, had been no less than three years in England, and some time in France, and as he had not the opportunity of seeing any European newspapers, he was almost as curious about what was at this time passing in the old world, as we were about whatVOYAGE TO ISLAY.
73
had so lately occurred here ; and he seemed to be deeply impressed with the necessity of introducing into his own country, commercial laws similar to those of the more civilised portions of the globe.
On the subject of the late events in his own country and this district, our polite host was quite unreserved ; and gave us an account of the circumstances that had attended his elevation. The chief cause of the revolt, he said, was the turbulence of the soldiers. A part of them had raised the population, declared him chief, and attacked under his command those who stood by the late prefect, who fell at the head of his party early in the action, when his followers were driven to the mountains, and the victorious party elected himself in his place.
He informed us also, but in a manner that seemed to indicate doubts concerning the way in which the information would be received, that two of his sergeants, who were leaders of distinct parties in the revolt, had since received from the government at Paz, ample rewards, as a premium for their gallantry in the affair.
On the 4th of thé month we arrived at Iquiqui. Several of us went on shore here, but we found little to attract or interest us. There are some silver mines in this vicinity, but they are not at present worked, on account of the want of capital and the insecurity of the transport. There are copper mines also in this district which are very little worked.
We observed one ship here which was English. She was taking in nitre, and intended, as was the custom,-74
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
to fill up with wool at Islay. We heard also that about five vessels a year did the. same.
This place is chiefly known in South America for its want of wholesome water; and the soil may be said to consist of mere mud mixed with stones. The town, if it may he so termed, is chiefly peopled by Indians. It is a deplorable place, and might literally be called rag-town, for the dwellings of the greater part of its inhabitants are composed of rags fixed upon four or more posts.
There are two distilleries of water here, without which it would be impossible for the few inhabitants to live, unless this article were imported. We saw several donkeys about the dwellings, in a wretched condition, which was attributed to their sufferings from thirst.
On Sunday the 5th we arrived at Arica, where we observed, as we entered the bay in which the town is seated, that the cliffs around were covered with several species of what are commonly called the guano birds, especially pelicans, which were also floating in great numbers upon the waves. We had here the first view of the palm-tree on our passage towards the tropics.
Six or seven of my fellow-passengers and myself again landed to take a hasty survey of the place, while the captain was transacting his business. We found the streets regular, and the houses constructed of unburned brick and mud, of a single story, with flat roofs; and many had gardens and paved courts. We stopped to make some inquiries at several doors, where we were always politely answered; and we entered one or two houses by especial invitation, and held agreeableVOYAGrE TO ISLAY.
75
conversation with their inhabitants. There was a church here, but it was very low, and by no means a credit to the settlement.
We were much amused at meeting several musicians in the street, playing a wTaltz, which we were told was to welcome the strangers. Upon this, some of our party proposed that we should choose partners from among the lasses at the doors and dance to the sound of the instruments that welcomed us ; but while the propriety of this step was under debate, the tune was suddenly changed to some pathetic air that quite put ,aside our desire to dance. In the style of the music there was not much to admire; but we remembered where we were, and if it pleased the good people of the place it was sufficient.
The pelicans were very numerous here, even in the streets ; and the service which they are supposed to render the world by their deposit on the guano islands, had caused a fine of twenty-five dollars to be put upon any person who should kill one of them : and we might really have supposed, from their tameness, that they were well aware of the existence, of this law. After an hour or two we re-embarked and continued our voyage.
During the whole of the passage along the shores of Chili, Bolivia and Peru, we observed the coast to be formed of the same high lands and irregular steps, generally of a light sandy colour and of utter sterility. The country appeared everywhere as uninviting for every kind of industry save mining, as any that I have ever seen.
On the afternoon of the 6th of August we arrived at76
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Islay which is the proper port of Arequipa. There is here, indeed, no harbour ; but the ships anchor in a bay tolerably sheltered, and as the climate is extremely fine and invariable, they lie without any risk, and load without difficulty.
I landed here in the company of a young Grerman who was on his way to Arequipa; and finding something resembling an hotel, we took up our quarters for the night. After making known our intention to proceed on our journey as soon as possible, and giving orders to procure horses, we strolled out to view the settlement and sea-port.
Islay is said to contain about eighteen hundred inhabitants, but the buildings are so irregularly placed that it has not the appearance of having half that number. The more independent of its regular inhabitants are merchants connected with the commercial houses at Arequipa; and there are one or two foreign consuls resident in the town. The rest are creoles and people of the mixed races.
On our return to our hotel, we found a guide already come to offer us horses and every accommodation for an early hour the next day, which we gladly accepted, and retired for the night.
On the following morning we rose very early; and before we had taken our coffee, a lad brought us horses sufficient in number and strength to supply all our wants, but so badly equipped that we were some time detained in making our preparations. Upon inquiring for the guide who had agreed to accompany us, we were informed that he had already left the place, relying onJOURNEY TOWARDS AREQUIPA.	77
our catcliing him, under the conduct of his boy, before any difficulty about the road could possibly occur.
We thought this, indeed, rather strange news; and the questions we put to discover the reasons for the guide setting out before us were not satisfactorily answered. However, we mounted our steeds and set off in company with the boy at a fair pace, in hopes of soon coming up with our proper guide.
From the very shores of the bay, we began gradually to mount hills on which there was not a shrub nor the smallest sign of vegetation; and the tops of the elevated lands we were approaching were so enveloped in mist that we could judge of neither their distances nor their heights.
We continued for about two hours to ascend by Winding slopes, which passed over steep ridges, some times divided by narrow streams; after which we met a party who gave us some intelligence that led us to hope we should catch our guide very soon. They in-r formed us that a gentleman and a young lady were ahead of us, under the conduct of an arriero or muleteer, who we had no doubt was the guide we had engaged.
In a short time we came up with a party consisting of a creole gentleman and his daughter travelling in the same direction as ourselves; but upon saluting them and inquiring of the gentleman whether we were not both under an engagement with the same conductor, he informed us that the man with him was engaged exclusively for himself.
This answer, indeed, was rather rudely returned; but78
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
as we did not recognise onr man, we determined to push on under the idea that he must be still in advance of us.
My companion and myself now left our loaded beasts to follow under charge of the boy, and quickening our pace were soon out of sight of the party, and ascending the defiles of the higher lands by a winding road. We pushed on as much as possible, hoping that by catching our guide we might avoid the necessity of returning to the party behind us, which, as there was no moon during the first horns of the night, might become our only means of finding our way.
At the time we attained the summit of these hills, the mists had completely disappeared in the direction of the east, but towards the west they hung in banks over the lower lands and obscured the view which we might otherwise have had of the sea. The prospect before us from this elevation was over a wild pampa, and in some respects resembled that which first discovers Santiago and the mountains which lie upon the east of the capital of Chili. But there appeared to be no descent between the spot upon which we now stood and the first proper range of the mighty Andes; nor was there to be seen the least vegetation or the slightest sign of the labour of man. For the half-sterile and wild aspect on the one side in Chili, and the evidence of abundance in the vale on the other, there was nothing indeed here but the unproductive wastes of the sterner regions of Peru. The land between these heights and the first proper range of the Andes seemed spread out in a vast waving plain, with sterile ridges of rude and varied forms, which appeared like the base of the moun-JOURNEY TOWARDS AREQUIPA.
79
tains that were seen beyond them, topped with the snow which perpetually crowns their grander summits.
A cross of wood had been erected at this point of the hills, and was as gaudily decorated with garlands of artificial flowers as we see many of the images in the churches; but the sole indication of the way, was a few tracks of mules that seemed to have lately passed by.
We hesitated for a short time, whether we should wait or proceed; for the way appeared to be so obstructed by mounds of sand, that a party might not be very far from us, and yet be unseen and unheard. Our anxiety, however, to catch our guide had its due inr fluence; and after a little reflection, we determined to proceed upon the tracks of the mules which we had perceived. We had not, however, advanced many hundred yards before we found the tracks obstructed by one of those great mounds of sand which abound upon this elevated plain, and which are sufficiently remarkable to claim a particular notice.
These mounds, which are called medanas by the Peruvians, seemed to be spread over the desert, at the distance of fifty or sixty yards from one another. Their height appeared to be from about eight or ten, to twenty or more feet, and they were from twenty to fifty yards in circumference. Their sides to windward were almost perpendicular and nearly semicircular, but to leeward, they declined very gradually from the summit of the mound to the extremity on this side; and on the other two sides, the ridges declined in height from the summit until they reached the ground.
But it is most remarkable that these medanas are80
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
constantly in slow motion by the force of the wind while it blows. The sand from the weather side continually rises like a vapour from the bottom to the top, and after passing the summit, unites with the leeward slope, and advances that side in proportion as the other recedes; and thus the whole pile moves slowly on in the same direction till the wind changes, or until the medana is l6st in some ravine, or against the side of some solid hill that lies in its way.
We were afterwards informed, that when a violent gale happens, which is, however, a rare occurrence on these plains, these medanas, instead of thus slowly advancing on their steady way, sometimes rise in vast columns of sixty, seventy, or more feet in height, and move on with the rapidity of the wind; at which time the passage of the pampa is perilous at all hours of the day.
Those who have been in very cold climates, will recognise the resemblance of these mounds of sand to the little banks of snow, of from one to three feet in height, which are formed upon the bays and broad rivers in high latitudes during a snowstorm. But these do not remove after the storm by which they were formed has ceased to blow.
The track we were following seemed to run into one of these heaps of sand; and as we were not then aware of their motion, we were puzzled to know what had become of the beasts and men, which appeared to have been swallowed up and buried in the midst of the mound. However, upon riding round the heap we found the track again, and, at the same time, perceivedJOURNEY TOWARDS AREQUIPA.
81
the character of the pile of sand to be such as has just been described.
It is very true, that it did not seem likely that the tracks we were following were those alone of our own guide and his party; but it appeared to us, though we were unable to trace them round the mound, that they must be the same which they were following in the same manner as ourselves; we therefore passed rapidly on, in the full hope of overtaking them, when suddenly we were surprised to find that we had, somehow or other, got out of the track, or passed the spot up to which the drifting sand had suffered it to remain, and without very well knowing how much time had passed since we left it. There was nothing however, that seemed to us alarming, and we set about searching for the track, and continued for some time thus occupied, without finding any trace of either mule or man.
After a time we began to reflect, that in case of being overtaken by the night or a thick mist, our position might not be very secure or agreeable. However, before this happened, we perceived a party about a mile ahead of us, though we could not ascertain their numbers, or the direction in which they were travelling, on account of the unevenness of the ground. But we had not long put spurs to our mules, before we rejoined the party we had left, who by a shorter route had contrived to get to this distance ahead of us.
After the ramble we had now had, and the time that had passed, we became, on reflection, almost convinced,
a
VOL. i.82	TRAVELS IN PERIJ AND MEXICO.
that the guide with the Creole was the man we had engaged, and we told him plainly that we had strong suspicions of this, but he flatly denied that he had seen us before or knew anything of us. There was nothing now however to be done, but to remain with this party, at least until our arrival at the station in the desert at which we were to stop, where, if we really had any other guide we must certainly find him, since it wras as necessary for him as for ourselves to rest there for the night.
As we travelled on, we perceived that the mules of the other party were too heavily laden to proceed with the despatch we heard was necessary to enable us to arrive at the station before dark. The whole party indeed, save the loaded mules, might have passed on, if there had been a second capable guide, but circumstanced as we were, this was impossible; we therefore contented ourselves with making our way as fast as the condition of the loaded mules permitted.
At length night overtook us, and there was yet no moon. The stars, indeed, were bright, and the whole heavens were most magnificent to behold; but there was scarce light enough to distinguish the tracks, which were sometimes obstructed by the drifting mound&, and sometimes covered by the loose sand. The guide indeed was the only one among us who could perceive, except at intervals, any signs whatever of travellers having passed the same way; and warned as my companion and myself had been by our late adventure, especially when we were informed by the guide that many travellers had been totally lost on theJOURNEY TOWAEDS ABEQUÏPA.
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road, and that others had been several days without water before they had found their way, we ventured to propose à halt until the moon should rise, which would be between eleven and twelve ; and the party had soon reason to regret that our counsel was not taken.
It is not always, even during the day, easy to discover the road across a desert plain, by the objects that present themselves at a distance, in thé direction in which we are travelling. The very mountains towards which we are advancing, cannot always be directly approached, and as we proceed, they do not constantly exhibit the same aspect; and besides that the different directions in which we see them, frequently alter the forms they present, they are subject to fogs and mists that deceive the vision ; and when night overtakes the traveller, the little aid he may have had from the distant views being lost, a distinct road is the only guide upon which he can rely.
The first notice we had of any serious difficulty was from the guide who had alighted, and who accompanied his intelligence with the exclamation common among people of his class 66Morte de Dios ! we are lost 1 ” Sus-ipecting that he was mistaken in what he had for some time taken for the track, he had dismounted from his mule, and immediately discovered that he had lost the way. Thus we were now in the pampa, with nothing but the stars and our compass to guide us. But neither the lights in the firmament, nor the mariner’s card, are here sufficient to direct travellers, without some track. I confess, however, that I did not see this difficulty at the time,: in the light which it appeared84
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tq have presented itself to the guide; and both my companion and myself were surprised to hear our Creole fellow-traveller utter “ syllables of dolour ” too many and too loud to leave a doubt that the good man’s terror was very great* while his daughter wept as bitterly as she could have done if no hope remained.
So droll indeed appeared the grief of our companions* that it was impossible for those who did not partake of their alarm to refrain from expressing their feelings in a very different manner. Their very mode of showing their terror* convinced us. that what we had heard of the peril of the road was mere exaggeration* and that we really were in little or no danger. We felt at least convinced* that if we acted prudently it was almost impossible that we could be subjected to more inconvenience than that of passing the night on the pampa.
After something like a general consultation about the matter* the guide proposed that one or more of the party should remain stationary* and that the rest should make circuits around, to give notice in case of stumbling upon the track* and this arrangement was agreed upon. Moreover it was thought advisable under the circumstances* that the terrified father and daughter should be the stationary party* and that the rest of us should at once commence making circuits about them on foot* taking care only* not to go beyond the range of the brave Creole’s voice* which, however, as we had already discovered was to be heard at a tolerable distance.
Before we had been an hour engaged in this manner*J0UENEY TOWAEDS AEEQUIPA.	85
the guide gave us notice that he had stumbled upon the track, at which, the Creole, full of joy, informed us that he had felt no fear on his own account but that his anxiety had been entirely on account of his daughter, to whom he feared a night passed on the pampa might have been fatal. Notwithstanding our good fortune, we did not, however, reach the station until after eleven o’clock at night.
On our arrival there, my companion and myself immediately inquired for the guide with whom we had made our engagement at Islay, though in reality we knew very well now, that he was the,man with whom we had travelled. Indeed he came to us himself as soon as he had an opportunity of separating from his master, to explain his conduct, which it appeared was owing to the ill-nature and obstinacy of the Creole, who had previously engaged him, and on finding that he was about to conduct another party, had forbidden his keeping his second engagement.
At this station, we found everything that was absolutely necessary for our comfort, save plenty of water, and after supping upon soup, meat, and eggs we turned into good beds, and enjoyed an agreeable night’s repose.86
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO,
CHAP. VII.
JOURNEY TO AREQUIPA — continued.
Dispute between the Creole and the Guide,—Causes of their Quarrel,— Loss of one of our Mules. — Conduct of the Creole. — Clearing up of Mystery of Yesterday. — Start for Arequipa. — Desert Country. —No Animal Life. — Caravan of Mules. — Change of Country. — Native Women.—River Chile. — Cross a Bridge. — Eirst View of Arequipa. — Arrival.
We were awakened at an early hour on the second day of our journey, by a warm dispute in front of the house, which, upon dressing and opening the door, we found to be between our gallant companion the Creole and the guide. Such, indeed, was the violence of the Creole, who stamped upon the ground and threw his arms about like a madman while his daughter wept aloud—almost screamed—that, being unaccustomed to hear the language uttered with syich force, we were unable to distinguish the precise cause of the squabble, until the guide, appealing in more measured language to the reason of the Creole, put us in possession of all we cared to know.
The Creole, it appeared, had found the guide in the act of aiding our young muleteer in preparing his beasts for the day’s journey, which assured him that the good man had positively engaged to conduct both parties;JOURNEY TO AREQUIPA.	87
and this it seemed had excited all the rage we had witnessed. But upon making this discovery, we thought it better to let them settle their quarrel without out interference; so we returned to our apartment and sat down to take our coffee at our leisure.
Upon coming again into the open air, we found the other party had set off; and preparing to do the same we discovered to our great surprise, that one of our mules and our boy were missing; and, upon inquiring of a domestic of the place, we found that the lad had actually gone off with the Creole upon our missing mule, but for what reason he could not tell. So, after considering the condition in which we were left, we determined to unload one of the mules, already prepared to depart, to supply the place of the one we had lost, and to set off alone, and, after our arrival at Arequipa^ to send for the articles with which the animal had been laden. Before, however, we were ready to renew our journey, we perceived a mule and rider approaching from the side on which our road lay, which we soon found to be our missing mule and boy; and upon our questioning the lad, he informed us that he had been actually ordered by the guide to accompany the party upon one of our mules, and that he dared not refuse.
Thus was cleared up all the mystery that had hung over the affairs of the preceding day, while this transaction gave us an opinion of a gentleman of the country, which we were extremely sorry to entertain; for, that the order to the boy came from the Creole to prevent our receiving any benefit from the company of88	TEAYELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
the guide, there could be no doubt. It appeared, in-: deed, as we learned after our arrival, that while we were over' our breakfast, the Creole had, as the sole condition of the guide’s escaping his vengeance when they arrived, insisted upon the good man taking away his boy and one of the mules for a time, which he doubtless believed to be the best means of depriving us of a proper guide for the rest of our journey.
The matter however did not turn out to be of much importance, for although it was impossible for us to catch our charitable friends, who would no doubt travel faster than we could, on account of the superiority of their beasts, we had a boy with us who was certain that he knew the road we had to travel very well, and we had been assured by others that it was much easier to keep, than that over which we had passed on the preceding day. Under these circumstances we jogged leisurely on, guided only by the varied forms of the mountains we were approaching, as the sun ascended from their snowy tops towards the meridian of his day’s journey.
Having been, upon the whole, rather amused than otherwise at what had occurred, we left the station in the gayest humour imaginable.
The first part of our way was now across a desert of much the same description as that over which we had passed the preceding day. It was cold until the sun had gained an elevation of twelve or fifteen degrees above the line of the mountain tops, when, as the welcome luminary shone full in our faces, y^e began to find the inconvenience of his rays reflected from theJOURNEY TO AREQUIPA.
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sparkling sand; at noon, indeed, this was excessive; and we still often found ourselves in some little difficulty about the way, though we did not lose it. Our pace, however, was by no means slow considering the character of the caravan. The little difficulties, indeed, which we encountered, served even to relieve the solitude of the pampa. The absence of birds and beasts and every living thing — the humming of a bee, or the buzzing of a mosquito, would have been welcome to us — presented to the minds of the travellers, that terrible hour when, depopulated and lying waste, our now fertile earth shall be once more the seat of desolation, whether in a transition state to be again peopled, and by a higher order of beings than those which now inhabit it, or to vanish from among the Creator’s works.
Early in the afternoon, we entered the defiles and inclined vales of a chain of rude high lands which lie between the pampa which we had traversed and the vale of Arequipa. Here we met a caravan of mules and donkeys, by the drivers of which we were fully assured that we were on the right way; and although we could not collect from them a precise account of the distance we were from the place of our destination, yet by comparing the time they had been on their journey with that which remained of the day, we were able to assure ourselves of our arrival at Arequipa before we should be overtaken by the night.
The way was now much changed. Sometimes we were in narrow and sometimes in broad paths, with hills of rock and sand on either side. But as we descended the last step of a second range of these rugged90	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
/
high lands* we suddenly obtained the first glimpse of a fertile vale running along on either side of the river or torrent of Chile* upon which Arequipa stands; and nothing could have been more grateful to our eyes* or more refreshing to our weary spirits* than this first view of the vale of the city to which we were hound.
Before we reached the hanks of the stream* we came across two huts built of stone and brick and covered with reeds and cane leaf; and as our hoy informed us they were inhabited by aborigines, and we saw no one after calling* we alighted and walked into the nearest* determined to have* if possible* some conversation with the good folks within.
We found two or three women here* with some children; and we greeted the party in the most polite manner in our power, but without receiving the smallest return. This we thought proceeded from their ignorance of the Spanish language* in which we addressed them; hut that this was not the case* will more clearly appear to the reader after the perusal of some of the future chapters. We left this hut at any rate no wiser concerning any inquiry we made than we had entered it.
We next passed to the door of the other hut and entered, hut there seemed to he nobody within; we therefore remounted our mules* and as we observed several paths leading in different directions* we rode to the edge of a cliff close at hand for the purpose of ascertaining whether we could sufficiently see our way, to judge whether our youth would take the right path among those that were before us. WhileJOURNEY TO AREQUIPA.	91
we were so engaged, one of the good women came out of the hut which we had first entered, and was kind enough to assure us that he was taking the right way.
We now descended by a circuitous path, till we came to a stone bridge at the bottom of the valley; but it was evident from the little proportion our descent here bore to the ascent we had made on the opposite side of the hills, that this valley was at a much greater elevation than the pampa over which we had passed.
Having crossed the bridge, we again mounted sterile hills of no great altitude, and continued our route over these, with here and there a peep at the green vale which followed the tortuous course of the stream.
About sunset we obtained our first view of the good city of Arequipa from a height which fully exposed the whole town and its suburbs, spotted with white, yellow, and buff coloured dwellings, altogether presenting a scene as novel, as it was refreshing to the eye, after two days’ journey upon a wild pampa and over sterile hills. After passing through one of the suburbs on the banks of the river Chile, we crossed a stone bridge and reached our destination before dark.
As there are no hotels at Arequipa the traveller necessarily lives, during his stay in the town, with some friend to whom he may have been recommended; and as my letters of introduction were to Mr. James Jack, the leading British merchant here, I now parted with my travelling companion, who was recommended to another house, and rode into the court of this gentleman’s dwelling, where I was received with a hearty welcome; and I soon found myself provided with a room, a library,92	TRAVELS IN PERL AND MEXICO.
and every comfort, so that I took up my abode under my friend’s roof, with the intention of remaining until I should become sufficiently accustomed to the air of this elevation, to undertake crossing the higher ranges of mountains, which it was necessary to pass before reaching Cuzco.93
CHAP. VIII.
AREQUIPA.
City founded by Pizarro. — Situation of the Town. — Convents. — Population. — Climate. — Commerce. —Walk with Mr. Jack. — Streets. —Public Edifices.—Earthquakes.—Private Houses.— Ho Vehicles.— Chief Plaza. — Use made of Religion. — Procession of Indians. — Their Occupation. — Use made of San Juan. — The Cathedral.— Convents. —Churches. — Customs of the Women. — Llamas. — Use made of the Llama. — Description of the Llama. — The Alpacca. — The Vicuña. — The Huanacu. — Various Characters of these Beasts. Manner of taking them. — Former Estimate of these Animals.
The city of Arequipa was founded by Francisco Pizarro in the year 1539, and is, of all the towns in Peru, second only to Lima in population and wealth. It is situated in the valley of Quilea, which lies between ranges of high lands, at the very foot of the most western Cordillera of the Andes. It is chiefly built on the left bank of the river Chile, over which there is a stone bridge with seven arches, and its present population is about forty thousand souls.
The town and the department are governed by a prefect or governor, who presides in the courts of law and has under his command a municipal police. The department is a bishop’s see ; and in the town there are four convents, the Dominican, the Franciscan, and two others, all of which are chiefly devoted to the education of the people. There is also a college and an hospital.
The climate of Arequipa, notwithstanding we are here94
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in tlie tropical latitude of about sixteen degrees south, is agreeable, the valley in which it is seated being nearly seven thousand feet above the level of the sea.* When the sun is in the northern latitudes slight frosts occur at night, and during summer it is protected from excessive heat by its elevation. The commerce of the city is considerable, and is chiefly carried on by foreign merchants, the greater part of whom are English. The most considerable of their exports are the wool of the llama and the vicuna, which is of great value, and the cascarilla bark. These articles are shipped at Islay chiefly for England, whence manufactured goods are received in return.
On the morning after my arrival, Mr. Jack kindly walked out with me, to make a first inspection of what might be most interesting to a stranger in the town, and I was rather fortunate in what fell accidentally under our observation. The streets generally cross each other at right angles, and are of a fair breadth and tolerably paved; but the houses do not resemble those commonly seen in European towns. They are substantially built, and, for the most part, of light coloured stone; and, including even the public edifices, save one or two, they are only of one story, on account of the earthquakes which are here very frequent though not commonly severe.
There is an additional provision against the effects of earthquakes at Arequipa. Hot only are the roofs of the houses generally arched, but also the windows and doors, which is the strongest form in which they can be.
* Mr. Pentland’s measurement is 6800 feet.AREQUIPA.
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constructed to resist the shocks. My friend showed me the window in his drawing-room, under the arch of which he was accustomed to place himself the moment he felt the earth begin to tremble. The houses moreover have generally vaults beneath them, which afford a secure retreat to those who choose to make use of them.
The construction of the private houses, in other respects, bears, as we might expect, a resemblance to that in use in most parts of Spain. There is usually an open quadrangle in the centre, in dimensions proportionate to the size of the building, and surrounded by rooms and offices in the same manner as at Santiago; and the uses of these are commonly apparent enough without entering them. In houses of the better class, the quadrangle is commonly filled with shrubs, to which are sometimes added pieces of sculpture, usually representing one or other of the characters in sacred history. In Peru, indeed, this method of construction is more practised than in Chili, on account of the necessary lowness of the houses. In the streets, in which are the shops of the retail traders, the houses usually occupy a large space; of ground, but are.without quadrangles in the interior, and frequently have no windows in the front rooms, into which the doors open from the streets. These doors, however, are very large, and stand wide open during the day, but are carefully closed at sunset; after which time it is usually cold enough for a fire, when the wind is southerly, if care has not been taken to shut out the night air.
The streets of Arequipa 'appear extremely dull96
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to strangers, owing to the absence of wheeled carriages. There was but one in the town at the time of my visit, which was the car by which the bodies of the deceased were carried to the cemetery in the vicinity.
Among the objects of minor interest in the town, which catch the eye of a stranger, are small flags which are placed over many doors to signify that the common beverage of the country, which is called chicha, is to be sold within. We stopped at one of the doors with this sign, just to taste the beverage, and I found it something like weak and very sweet beer. It is extracted from the maize.
When we came to the chief plaza or great square of the town, I observed that it was nearly half filled with immense banks of settled mould, so that although it has a raised colonnade on two of its sides, it was half hidden from our sight wherever we stood. And here I chanced to be eye-witness of a scene which I shall presently more particularly describe. It was one well worthy of a stranger’s notice, and afforded an illustration of the influence of the clergy over a numerous class of the people.
We are apt in England, to look upon the Eomish religion as a very odd system of Christianity and very unsuited to the age in which we live. But some Christian system or other, must exist among all civilised people; and perhaps no considerable reformation of the ancient Church can take place among any people whose civilisation is of Spanish origin, without the concurrence of events over which man has little or no control; weAREQUIPA.
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must therefore look with charity upon the usages of this superstitious people.
The South Americans, who are for the most part descendants of the Spanish settlers, are so devotedly attached to the religion of their country, which is that of the Church of Rome, though in some respects it may differ from that of the Church of the same name in the more advanced countries of Europe, that all their actions are in a certain degree influenced by their religious faith. The result of this is, that the priests who are generally deficient in education, possess great ascendency over the mass of the population, and to some extent, over their rulers also. It is in their power to direct the very thoughts of the mothers whose children they baptize, whether they belong to the peasant class or to that from which the prefects of the departments or the presidents of the republic are selected. Hence arise usages which naturally strike with astonishment, those who are of a different religious faith.
But to return to what introduced these remarks. As we were crossing the plaza, we heard something like martial music approaching by one of the principal streets; and presently a number of priests made their appearance, marching in procession. In front of them was carried the figure of a saint about the size of life, and after them followed above a hundred Indians of the peasant class, all mounted upon donkeys and armed with shovels and spades. The figure which was of painted wood, and partially robed in green drapery, held a cross in one hand and a lamb in the other, from which it was clear that it was intended for Saint John.
VOL. i.
H98	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
As the leading party in the procession reached the plaza* those who bore the figure of the saint* mounted to the top of the highest heap of dirt* and placing their charge on a pedestal covered with crimson cloth* fixed an umbrella upon his arm* in such a manner as to shade his head from the rays of the sun. At this moment the guns of the fortress fired a salute: then the priests retired* and the Indians dismounting* collected their harrows which were at hand* and began to fill them with the dirt* which they wheeled away from the plaza* with a degree of energy well worthy of the holy work in which it was quite clear they believed themselves engaged.
Mr. Jack now explained to me the meaning of what we saw* which was well known to him. It appeared that some years ago* a row of very old buildings occupied one side of the plaza* and that in removing these and digging for a foundation for others* all the mould and rubbish* none of which could be carried away without passing down a long street* was piled in the open space to await some future opportunity of its being removed. It had however* now been for a long time a great inconvenience to the citizens* and complaints had been made by them to the officials; but it was found that the expense of clearing the place of the encumbrance by any ordinary means would be too great to be undertaken. The bishop was therefore applied to, and he took an effectual measure to obtain the desired end. He gave orders that this figure of San Juan should be brought from a populous Indian village in the vicinity* and placed upon the heap every morning* and that ifakeqitipa:
99
should not be replaced on its proper pedestal in the village church until the whole of the rubbish had been removed by the good saint’s accustomed worshippers. Hence the strange scene we had just witnessed.
We next visited the Cathedral* which stands at one of the corners of the plaza. It is not large* but is remarkable on account of its lowness* the reason of which I have already mentioned when speaking of the other buildings. Upon entering the edifice on another occasion* I observed* that what is so constantly seen in the Eoman Catholic churches in most parts of Europe* was not less remarkable here* and it was the same at the other churches in Arequipa as I had often the opportunity of remarking. I allude to the small number of men in proportion to women in attendance during the hours of divine service.
I shall continue in this chapter the account of what fell under my observation* whether alone or with my friend* during my stay in the town.
The Spaniards in Europe do not seem to be an indelicate people. The disgusting practices we see even in many parts of Paris are not seen in any of the streets of Madrid. But in Arequipa the stranger is compelled to exclaim against a want of common delicacy* even in the fair sex. Walk where you' will* you will see some of them seated* as the Arabs would say* on their feet* over the gutters or off the foot pavement* with seeming indifference as to who may be passing by. I never witnessed any thing of the kind in any city in the world before* and I was so much struck when I first saw it* that under some sudden impulse such as distress is apt to100	TEAT ELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
excite, I asked a well-dressed young woman who was thus seated while I was passing by, what was the matter with her, and to my question received the most unaffected and plain answer that it was possible for her to give.
As I walked along the street soon after my arrival I observed a number of animals collected together, which I at first took for young camels, but which turned out to be llamas. These useful creatures which, on account I suppose of their wool are sometimes called the Peruvian sheep, might as well bear the name of the animal for which I mistook them. Though the llama is so inferior in size and strength to the camel, he is a beast of burden in several respects very similar to the awkward animal of the eastern world. His stomach and his habits indeed are more like those of the camel than even his form, so that he requires but little water when on a journey. It is said, indeed, that he will travel for months together without drinking, even when he has not the juicy cactus to feed upon, which to the camel in a great measure makes up for the deficiency of water. His attitudes, his movements, and especially his* manner of carrying his head, all remind the stranger of the eastern animal; and, although of the most gentle and docile disposition, he has the same sense as the camel of any addition to his proper burden. If for instance he is overloaded when lying down, he will not rise or stir himself at either the words, or the blows of his driver whom he is at other times ready to obey, but will fret and complain until a part of the, load is taken off. If he is overloaded while standing,AREQUIPA.
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he will lie down and fret in the same manner till he is relieved.
This useful animal will carry about one hundred and twenty-five pounds, but a hundred-weight is generally considered a full load. He will rarely accomplish more than twelve or thirteen miles during the day; but if that bear no comparison with the performance of the camel, or of our European beasts of burden, it must be remembered that this docile creature requires hardly any care. Moreover, he feeds upon almost every species of herbage found upon the sides of the mountains, and is driven in flocks or herds of several hundreds, which are all obedient to the voice of the driver* He has spongy hoofs and claws, which enable him to pass over beds of ice with ease, and is well protected by his fleece from any cold to which he may be exposed.
The height of the male when full grown, is nearly three feet, but as his neck is long he appears taller. The female is smaller, but her wool is finer than that of the male. Their colour is like that of the camel when young, or light brown with a mixture of darker shades. In some districts however they are said to be nearly white, and in others nearly black, and occasionally speckled. When they are about four years old, the males and females among those that are kept for work are separated, and the males then begin their training for travelling and carrying loads, but the females are generally kept at pasture and not made to work.
When on a journey, the llamas will not feed during the night; but they usually set off late in the morning, after feeding for a time, and stop again during the day102
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if there is any pasture on the way. Their journeys are sometimes long on the higher lands, hut they rarely descend to the lower* where the heat is too great, and the atmosphere too dense, for their delicate constitutions.
While speaking of the llama, which must be considered as domesticated, it will be as well to mention three other useful animals of Peru, which seem to he but variations of the same species;—the alpaca, the vicuna, and the huanacu.
The alpaca is only partially domesticated. It is smaller than the llama, and does not generally stand above two feet and a half in height. Its form indeed approaches nearer to that of the sheep than to that of the camel, although its neck is much longer than that of the llama. Its wool which is sometimes white and sometimes black, and occasionally speckled, is finer than that of the llama, is usually four or five feet in length, and is used by the natives to make their bed-clothes and their ponchos.
This animal is kept in considerable flocks or herds, and when tame is carefully fed and tended. It is fearful of strangers, and is said to have a great aversion to being separated from the herd.
The vicuna is the handsomest of the animals above mentioned, and is the most valued on account of its wool. It is smaller than the llama and larger than the alpaca. It generally stands about two feet nine inches in height, and its neck is more slender and longer than that of any one of its congeners, while its wool is fine, short and curly. The colour of the greater part of its body is a reddish-yellow, but its breast is white. ItAREQUIPÀ.	103
usually inhabits the higher table-lands of the Cordilleras, where however the vegetation which consists chiefly of a kind of grass that the Indians call yehu, is very scanty.' Its habits are said to be peculiar. It is found in flocks consisting of ten or a dozen females and only one male. The male, which is guardian and leader of his party, is said to select an elevated position, and to keep watch while the rest graze, and to make a signal on the appearance of any danger, by stamping his fore-feet upon the ground and uttering a shrill cry. Upon this the whole party draw together, and after stretching out their heads and looking around, scamper off at their full speed, followed by their guard, which stops frequently to observe the character of the danger or the movements of the enemy.
But what is related of the fidelity of the female of these animals is most calculated to excite our interest. It is said that, if the male which has kept guard is mortally wounded, the females forgetting their terror of the enemy will all gather around him, and, uttering the most piercing lamentations, remain to be captured or killed, rather than seek their safety by abandoning their natural protector.
Fire-arms are seldom used by the Indians in hunting the vicuna ; but their method of catching them in great' numbers, is worthy of attention, as it shows something of the character of the animal. They make up a large party of men and women, and traverse the table-lands ot the mountains until they find out the animal’s particular haunts. They then drive stakes into the ground in the form of a circle, connecting them with ropes to which104
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are attached little flags at short intervals, forming a circuit of one or two miles, with an opening of about a hundred paces in breadth. The men then approach the vicuñas, and drive them to the opening of the snare, into which they readily enter, but will not approach the sides to endeavour to leap over or make their escape on account of their terror of the flags. When the number that is found, is thus secured, the hunters approach them armed with slings made of lines with stones attached, not unlike the well-known lasso. These are thrown with great skill at the distance of twenty or five and twenty paces, so as to coil round the legs of the vicuñas, which are then approached and easily killed.
One or two hundred, or more, of these animals are .sometimes killed by a party of Indians within a week. Their skins, which are worth about four dollars each, are the property of the priests, the hunters retaining the carcasses, which when preserved are eaten by them or sold. The flesh is considered to be more tender and better flavoured than that of the llama.
Notwithstanding the constant slaughter of these animals, it is said that they do not diminish in numbers; the wide domain which they frequent, enabling them when they are driven from one of their hiding-places, easily to find another.
The vicuñas are said to be readily tamed when young; but when old, they require more pains, or defy all that are taken, to render them gentle.
The largest species of the family of the' domesticated llama is the huanacu, which has by some naturalists been considered to be the llama itself in its wild state,Areqtjipa.
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its mode of life, and the colder climates which it inhabits being the sole cause of the difference. It stands about three feet six inches in height, and varies but little in form from the domesticated animal. Its face is of a greyish colour, and its breast and back are of a light brown, with usually a line along the back almost white. Its wool is inferior to that of the llama. It lives in small herds, of about ten or twelve, and is too wild I believe to have been successfully tamed or made a beast of burden.
But the most remarkable circumstance connected with the llama and the other animals of the same genus is, the estimation in which they were held by the ancient Peruvians who paid them divine honours. The llama in particular, though used as a beast of burden, was actually worshipped by the very men whom he served. Such are the extraordinary contradictions which have been found in the religions, if they may be so termed, which have been invented for the government of empires, as well in the new as in the old world, and both in ancient and modern times.
And here I will venture to suggest the introduction of one or more of the several species of these animals into the British Isles. If they thrive well at the altitude of Arequipa, they ought certainly to be capable of labour on the high lands in Scotland and other parts of Britain; and they would no doubt become equally useful upon the wild moors of the lower lands, as soon as they were sufficiently accustomed to the warmer and denser atmosphere of these regions. If they are inferior as beasts of burden to the weakest of those we employ, we106
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must remember that this is far more than compensated for by the little attention they require, their capacity for gathering their own food, and their rapid increase, to say nothing of the value of their flesh and wool, the latter of which is already well known in this country.107
CHAP. IX.
AREQUIPA — continued.
Fete-day Entertainment. — Gross Superstitions.*— Disinterment of Bodies of, Protestants. — Pretended Baptism of dying Protestants.—Pantheon. — Expenses of Burial. —■ Mixed Marriages. — Some tolerant Citizens. — Consul Passmore and Family. — Introduction to the Prefect.—Rebellions.—Gold concealed.—Tupac Amaru.— Repatimiento. — Casimiro Tupac Amaru. — Peace.—Apprehensions of Indian Revolt. — Character of the Rebellions. — Progress of the Indians. — Domestic Manners in Arequipa. — Retail Dealers. — irrigation.
The citizens of Arequipa appear to be so fond of noise, that the cracking of a few instruments, without any pretensions to harmony, fills the whole town with joy. On their fête days, indeed, which occur very frequently, they have no other entertainment out of doors than mere noise, unaccompanied by any such rude harmony as even in countries not much advanced in the fine arts, is commonly mingled with the loudest uproars.
The directors of this popular diversion, as well as of the more serious pursuits of the good people of the town, are the priests. I was awakened on the first or second morning after my arrival, by such a strange cracking as I could not remember having ever before heard ; and upon making inquiry at the breakfast-table, I was told, that if I would enter the plaza at noon, I108
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should be let into the mystery of a rather droll source of entertainment very popular here, and which would be the same as that of which I had heard something in the morning.
On coming to the plaza at the hour named, I found a crowd assembled, and about jialf a dozen priests, aided by several attendants, busily occupied in setting out in long lines, little iron barrels, five or six inches in length and three or four in breadth, till they reached as far as I could see down the main street towards the bridge which has been mentioned.
These little instruments, though gunpowder is their aliment, have no dangerous qualities, and the noise made by them gives the pleasure above mentioned to the inhabitants of the city. When loaded and spread out to the distance which is in accordance with the degree of sanctity which the day enjoys, and at about two or. three feet apart, careful lads lay trains of powder between them, so that when a light is applied to the train by one of the priests stationed near the Cathedral, the barrels at hand take fire, and the flame runs along with rapidity, cracking at every barrel like the loud report of a gun, till the fire reaches round the curves, or to the extremity of the line, which is often half a mile from its commencement. On this occasion the entertainment seemed to be as much enjoyed by the people who were in the plaza, and at their doors in the street, as are the more rational amusements of the populace in European towns on more exciting occasions.
The intolerance of the Spanish race generally on allAREQUIPA.
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religions matters is hardly compensated for by the civil behaviour of their men of education to foreigners who visit either the parent country or the free states which have sprung up in America. We know with what difficulties our ambassadors at Madrid have had to contend, almost up to the present day, to obtain so much as a resting-place for the bodies of their countrymen who chanced to die in Spain. But the term republic, which is given to the government of Peru, naturally gives rise to thoughts which lead us far from the idea of public intolerance, and the traveller starts at finding some of the same vulgar brutality here as in old Spain. An instance I must relate which proves but too well that the South Americans have not all freed themselves from the shocking superstitions which their ancestors planted on the land they inhabit.
There is of course no Protestant place of worship allowed at Arequipa; but if the consequences of the intolerance of the people ended here, there might not be much cause of complaint. One or more of the Protestant countries in the north of Europe exercise much the same indulgence towards the Roman Catholics. But it is about the interment of the dead that I have chiefly to speak.
A piece of ground, outside the Pantheon or cemetery, which is without the town, had for some time been set apart for the burial of persons of the several Christian sects not Romanists, who chanced to die at Arequipa. Yery few Protestants, indeed, had died here; but it happened some time before my arrival, that two persons not of the Romish faith, died nearly at the same110	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
time in the town, and that their bodies were buried without the walls of the Pantheon after dark. A short time however, subsequent to the interment, a relative of one of the deceased visited the spot, and to his great surprise, found both the bodies disinterred and placed in a sitting posture against the wall, with cigars in their mouths. I am, however, glad to be able to add, that the proper authorities of the town, upon hearing this, gave orders for their second interment, and I believe that they were not again disturbed.
This piece of infamy seems to have had the following result, which occurred however before my arrival at Arequipa. A plan was devised by the priests for getting the bodies of the Protestants for the future placed within the Pantheon; but it was such as some Protestants might accept, and others reject. It was ar-ranged that, when a Protestant was on the point of death,, a priest should be sent for to pass the dying man through a dull and of course senseless adoption of the Romish faith, so as to entitle him to burial within the walls of the proper cemetery.
If this precious Pantheon of Arequipa does not pre-v sent the same revolting spectacle as the cemetery of Santiago, it is nevertheless found strewed with human bones, skulls, and fragments of funeral clothes which have been thrown aside when the tombs have been opened, either by the' grave-diggers to make room for other bodies, or by thieves, to obtain what valuable articles they might happen to contain.
There was much discontent in the town on account of the great expenses attending the burial of the dead :ABEQUIPA.	Ill
caused not so much by the charges of the undertaker, for which we have perhaps still more reason to complain, as by the perquisites exacted by the priests. The clergy throughout Peru, appear to have no regular stipends. They derive their emoluments chiefly from fees paid for the performance of their ecclesiastical duties, such as masses for the living and the dead, baptisms and marriages, for which certain perquisites are by law or custom established. But it is quite different with respect to the funeral service, for the performance of which the priest expects a sum proportionate to the value of the property left by the deceased. For performing the service, indeed, over the body of the poorest person, the sum of six or eight dollars is extorted from the nearest surviving relatives; but when the deceased belonged to the wealthier classes, the priests contrive to obtain from one to two hundred dollars.
The clergy at Arequipa have' another occasional source of revenue which I may mention, and of which they make the very most they can. Some men who are Protestants, have married the women of the country; but this has been done by obtaining an indulgence, for which large sums of money have been paid to the church. Sometimes, however, after very large sums have been demanded, much smaller have been taken, and the marriage has been celebrated; but this has given rise to scandals that have irritated the bigots, and amused the better instructed people of the town.
It is proper however to remark, that there are men among the educated classes of the Creole citizens of112	TRAVELS IN. PERU AND MEXICO.
Arequipa whose opinions are very different from those of the foolish mass of the population; and I believe I may even add,, that there are priests in the town who have been almost as much scandalised by the behaviour of the populace towards the Christians of other sects, as even the Protestants themselves. But that these better feelings have arisen from the intercourse between the people of Arequipa, and the English and German merchants of the town, and the consuls who have been sometimes stationed here, there can be no doubt.
One of our English consuls, Mr. Passmore, with his wife and family, who were some time at Arequipa, had left very kindly feelings with the inhabitants. This gentleman was said to have been remarkable for his cheerfulness and liberality, as well as for his attention to business in his public capacity; and his amiable wife had gained the highest esteem of all those whose good wishes were worth obtaining. It must be observed, however, that the Creole ladies in the town are not generally so refined as to render it possible for an English lady conveniently to associate with more than a very limited number.
It is desirable in the South American republics to be upon the very best terms with men in authority. Nobody knows how soon, or to what extent, this may be useful. My friend Mr. Jack, therefore, took an early opportunity of introducing me to the prefect of the department, with whom he was upon very friendly terms.
On coming to the palace, we found his excellencyAREQUIPA.
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Señor Groyenechi at home. He received ns very politely, and seemed solicitous to give a stranger a favourable impression of the province under his government. But the topics of our conversation which interested me the most, concerned the people in the province, who are descended from the ancient inhabitants of the country; and I am able to say, that he spoke in the highest terms of the Indians generally, and did not hesitate to declare that, since they were now Christians, nothing but their ignorance of the Spanish language, which however many of them have acquired tolerably, rendered them in any way inferior to, or less highly esteemed by the authorities than, the Creoles, with whom sooner or later they would hold equal rank.
We had also some conversation concerning two remarkable rebellions of the Indians against the Spanish authorities which took place at nearly the same time shortly before the independence of the country, one of which was led by Tuhacumarron who was born at Tongoazuca, and the other by Casiqua. The chief interest in the accounts arose from some of the circumstances which attended the rebellions. Tuhacumarron, it appears, levied a respectable force, took possession of Arequipa and marched on the capital of Peru; but meeting on his way some Spanish soldiers, he was defeated, himself and many of his followers wrere taken prisoners, and he was tried with some of his party for treason and condemned to be shot. But before the sentence was carried into execution, he sent a message to the prefect, informing him, that on condition of his being released, he would introduce him to a cave iu the
VOL. i.
i114	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
mountains where an immense quantity of vessels of gold had lain since the first appearance of the Spaniards in the country. He stated moreover, that the quantity of this gold was sufficient to enrich, not the prefect only, but even the government which he served, to an extent surpassing the imagination of Europeans. No attention however, was paid to this communication, and Tuhacumarron was executed, and nothing further was heard of the gold.
But whatever may be the reality, this at least is certain, that an impression still remains in the minds of the people of the country, that the cave and the gold vessels referred to by the Indian chief have a real existence. But to search thé vast Andes for the treasure, without any particular indication of the district in which it might be likely to lie, would be a somewhat hopeless undertaking, and I do not believe that any time has been wasted, by the public functionaries, in so doing, though it is well known that many private persons have tried by every means in their power to discover the reported treasure.
The rebellion of Casiqua, the other Indian chief, seems to have had much the same success. This chief appears to have been a hero in soul, but was very deficient in his plans, which appear to have been laid with as little foresight as it is possible to conceive. He was defeated and taken prisoner, and condemned to be shot with a number of his comrades in the chief plaza of Arequipa, where the party were brought out and seated on chairs. When the priest came to perform the last offices of religion, to which Casiqua submitted, he accompaniedAREQUIPA.
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his admonitions with an assurance to the condemned man, that his condition was indeed enviable, as he would after receiving the unction be in a few minutes in a state of happiness, of which he did not dream. To this Casiqua replied: “ Señor, that being the case, you need at least envy me no longer, for I shall have much pleasure in exchanging places with you, and resigning all this happiness entirely in your favour.” At this moment the priest drew back, and the fatal volley killed the chief and all his party save one. It will give some idea of the manner of conducting executions in Peru, to mention, that the man who was not shot, whether by accident or design, but who fell to the ground with the rest, was picked up and pardoned.
While speaking of these insurrections I shall mention two other attempts of the Indians to regain their freedom. The first of these was headed by Tupac Amaru, who was an acknowledged descendant of the last of the Incas. The immediate cause of the commotion on this occasion, was the rigour attending an exaction called the repartimiento, upon which I must first make one or two remarks.
It appears that soon after the conquest, an arrangement was made for the distribution among the Indians, of such articles of Spanish manufacture, as were supposed to be the best adapted to aid their progress in refinement; but this by and by became a source of oppression, which was practised by the authorised distributors, who became traders, and after purchasing their goods at a low rate at home, sold them in Peru at exorbitant prices. Even articles that were not of the116
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smallest use to the Indians* were forced upon them* and the payment was exacted with the greatest rigour. At this time, Don Antonio Ariago* the corregidor of Tiuta* made a repartimiento to the amount of more than 300*000 dollars* which was enforced with so much cruelty* that he was seized by the descendant of the . Incas and immediately hanged; and this led to the rising of the Indians throughout the neighbouring country.
Tupac Amaru was now invested by his countrymen with the title of Inca* and maintained an active war with the Spaniards for several months. After the capture of some towns and villages he was preparing to advance on Cuzco* when* himself and his whole family being made prisoners by the Spaniards* he was executed with his wife and two sons* and several of his followers of high rank.
But the calm which succeeded the termination of this revolt was of short duration. The barbarities committed by the Spaniards at the execution of their prisoners* stimulated the Indians with too strong a desire of revenge to be curbed by any terror of the executioner ; and again assembling* they appointed to the command* Casimiro Tupac Amaru* the brother of their late chief.
They now commenced operations by burning several villages and murdering all the white inhabitants* after which they took possession of the town of Sorrata* and put the whole of the white and coloured inhabitants amounting it is supposed to 20*000* to death* with the exception of the priests and monks* who are said to have been between eighty and ninety in number.AREQUIPA.
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After this they inarched towards the western country, defeating several Spanish detachments that were sent to intercept them, and spreading alarm up to the very capital, which they would probably have reached, had not the Spaniards effected their destruction by means often more powerful than arms against irregular bands. They bribed a traitor among their enemies to conduct a detachment of Spanish troops to the secret place of meeting of the Indian chiefs, who were all taken prisoners and executed, upon which the rest of the insurgents withdrew, some to their homes and some to the neighbouring forests.
This seems to have been the last serious revolt of the Indians, in which it is said 100,000 lives were sacrificed; but its chief result, was its tendency to annihilate their nationality. Their music and their games were now prohibited, and even the use of their mother tongue was forbidden. One advantage, however, they derived, and this was the abolition of the repartimientos which had been the entire cause of the revolt.
Peace however was now established in Peru, which continued with little interruption until the breaking out of the War of Independence, when the Indians were in some instances enrolled as conscripts rather than volunteers, and were made serviceable to the cause of the Creoles. But it is certain, that upon the whole so slight a recognition has been conceded to them, of the rights to which they have a just claim in the land of their fathers, that apprehensions are entertained that these children of the soil will, before any long period of time, again struggle for, and even regain, their na-118
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tural inheritance, and establish some modified form of the ancient system of government in Peru. Should this occur, the penalty which the descendants of the Spanish conquerors will assuredly pay, will far exceed any horrors that have been at any time recorded of the wars between different races, from the time of the discovery of America.
There is very little political interest felt among the independent classes with whom foreigners residing in Arequipa associate. A gentleman of the town well acquainted with the character of his countrymen, and who, on account of his abilities, it was much regretted did not seem to take any interest in the politics of the country, said, when I conversed with him on the subject: “ There is nothing Sir so disreputable in Peru, as to be mixed up in any way with the government. One of the drawbacks to our success has been, the hatred of the Spanish race to foreigners, which is a feeling inherited from our European progenitors. Santa Cruz, whose grandfather was an Indian, is perhaps the only political character in South America, who has ever quite risen above this feeling, so hurtful both to our success and to our reputation.”
While mentioning what is to be regretted in the Peruvian government, it will be as well to speak of one virtue for which the present legislators of the country deserve considerable credit. When the Spaniards governed in Peru, the Indians were not allowed to enter the colleges, and they remained without even the elements of knowledge. Since the declaration of independence, however, this has been changed; and, atAKEQUIPA.
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this time facilities are given for their receiving the very best education. One indeed of the members of the legislative assembly;, when I was in Peru, was of the pure blood of the ancient race.
I may now perhaps make a few remarks upon the state of domestic manners at Arequipa without affecting the moralist.
Under so rude a government as that of Peru, it is not remarkable that, although institutions for education exist, their influence upon the morals of the population should not have been great. I confess, however, I was rather struck by the appearance of order on Sundays. The shops are shut as closely as in an English town. There are few promenaders upon the Alameda; but the greater part of the fair sex of the industrious classes, are to be seen at the windows or on the steps of their doors very highly dressed. Yet although everything looks fair, the stranger finds upon inquiry that such of the women as ar,e quite unconnected with Europeans, are sadly deficient in those delicacies of which their sex are the great conservators in every well regulated state of
f	W
society. It is generally, indeed, said that they are prudes before marriage, and great tormentors of their husbands after, and that dress and rich ornaments are the very sum of their ambition. They are generally loaded with bracelets and rings, and are usually half veiled when out of doors. But the darkest phase of their character, as it is related to the stranger, is their conduct during the time most trying to their sex, which leads to a great loss of children that must in120	TBAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
some measure account for tlie decrease of the Creole population.
* The young men of the town are generally dissolute in the extreme ; and those who come out from Europe in the service of the merchants are apt to run into extravagance which would never have entered into their heads at home,, and are often deeply in debt. A young gentleman who came out from Liverpool and was engaged in Mr. Jack’s office, while I was at Arequipa, was shocked at the example before him; and upon his hesitating to purchase and keep a horse, he was regarded as a mean youth, which was quite the reverse of his real character.
The retail dealers in Arequipa are of a very low description. Although the wholesale commerce is almost entirely in the hands of foreigners, the inferior branch is generally carried on by the Mestizos or people of the mixed race, and the Creoles, who are, with some exceptions, a most dishonest set of fellows. It is difficult for the foreign merchants to know how to deal with them. They generally begin by taking goods upon credit, and are wanting continually fresh supplies before paying for what they have previously taken ; and they sometimes procure these with so much art, that they are enabled to get largely indebted to different merchants. This however is not known to their several creditors, until they fail, when very often it is certain they have amassed large sums, though this cannot be proved, as they keep no books, which renders it impossible for any one to ascertain the real state of their affairs. Several of the rogues failed at the very time I was in the town,Akequipa.
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and some of my English friends suffered great losses even without the satisfaction of knowing how.
Although Arequipa is in the desert, the soil around the town, and along the river, is made extremely productive by irrigation. The descent indeed of the river is so steep, that the cultivators are able, by cutting little passages for the water, to distribute it in every direction below the place at which it is made to issue from the river. It is, nevertheless, not until five years after the first irrigation, that the land can be successfully brought into cultivation.
The grains of Europe generally thrive well on this soil, and produce two, and sometimes even three crops during the year; and there is a very productive herb called alfalfa, which is in fact our lucerne. It is chiefly cultivated for the use of the mules and the donkeys.
Without this continuous supply of water, hardly anything would grow in this part of Peru; and as a proof of the excessive dryness of the atmosphere I may mention, that it is even sometimes difficult to write, on account of the rapidity with which the ink dries in the pen.
The trees by the river are generally willows and poplars, but there is a great deal of bushy wood, which is similar to our elder, and is called sauco by the Creoles.122
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CHAP. X.
BATHS OF YURA.
Set off for Yura. — Companions. — Rugged Path. —Views of the Mountains. —Views of the Pampa towards the Sea. — Remarkable Phenomenon.—Plains with Salt oozing from the Soil.—Arrive at the Gates of the Establishment. —Difficulty about entering. —Want of Room. —The Superintendent.—Droll Accommodation.—Visit to the Baths. — Indians Bathing. — Character of the Baths. — Ladies Bathing. — Little Mishap. — Our Disappointment.— Remarkable Effects of the Baths. — Cold' at Night.
I shall in this chapter give some account of a visit which I made with two gentlemen of Arequipa to the mineral baths of Yura.
My curiosity was much excited by the accounts which I heard of the cures performed by the use of them in many dissimilar complaints; and,. as I had still some remains of rheumatism upon the chest, proceeding from the changes of temperature to which I had been exposed during the earlier part of these travels, I thought they might be beneficial to myself, and two of my friends volunteered to accompany me.
On the 18th of August, at an early hour in the day, Mr. McAndrew, Mr. Marden and myself, set off together for the baths. We rode horses, which are better here for the saddle than mules; and as we had heard that the rooms we should occupy were without any sort ofBATHS OF YUKA.
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furniture; and, as Mr. Marden and myself contemplated remaining about a month, we took with us a table, chairs, beds and utensils for cooking, which were all carried by three mules.
The distance we had to travel being about seven leagues, we dispatched the loaded mules, an hour or two before we set off ourselves, hoping by so doing to arrive with all our baggage even before it was dark, notwithstanding the very bad accounts we heard of the road.
On leaving the town, we took a southerly direction nearly parallel with the western Cordillera of the Andes. For the first few leagues our way was over a plain of gravel and sand ; but we soon found ourselves ascending the rugged and irregular steps of one of the lesser chains of mountains, from which we obtained a view of the country from the loftier summits to the valley of Arequipa, in one direction, and across the pampa, from the heights we had ascended to the ocean in the other.
As the lower country came under our view, it first seemed like a sea from which clouds were rising; but it soon presented that remarkable natural phenomenon which is called by the Spaniards, the espijeo, and by the French the mirage, but for which I do not believe we have any proper term. The hills and the plains which lay between the heights upon which we were travelling and the sea, were presented to us, as if we were looking through powerful telescopes, upon objects at a great elevation, while their bases seemed resting on the clouds beneath them. The view indeed was altogether so transporting, that we might have fancied124
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we were looking upon the material substance of some other planet which had approached and almost touched the earth.
As we moved on, the scene several times changed. Sometimes we appeared to see
“ A pendent rock,
A forked mountain, or blue promontory With trees upon’t, that nod unto the world And mock our eyes with air; ”
At other times there seemed to be cities and forests spread over the rude wastes of colourless earth ; and then a sea appeared upon which were seen many islands, and the faint shadows of vast fleets that were sailing between them. The view over a pampa was not new to me, but it was the first time I ever beheld this remarkable phenomenon, which, however, I afterwards heard, was always to be seen here, when no wind interrupted the rising of the thin vapours which issue from the soil of the lower country.
During the afternoon, we passed over a narrow plain between high lands, where we observed the ground was covered with salt, and where there were several small buildings used in the préparation of that article of commerce for the markets of Peru, and for exportation. The precious mineral it appears, here issues everywhere from the ground in small patches, after the falling of the dew in the evening, and is gathered and clarified before it is removed from the place.
Our way became more rugged and precipitous as we proceeded ; and late in the evening, as the light dimi-BATHS OF YURA.	125
nished, we found it difficult to prevent our horses falling. There was no moon, and we found the light of the tropical heavens at night more deceptive than we had expected, so that we did not reach the baths until two hours after dark.
It has already been remarked, that the traveller in South America will often be reminded of the style of building, and of the manners, in the East. The baths of Yura are a remarkable instance of this. The little cluster of houses for the accommodation of the visitors, and the building over the baths-, are all placed irregularly in the valley from which the springs issue, and to which there is but one approach, as the other sides are everywhere precipitous and without a road. At the entrance, we found the bare walls of a small stone church on one side, and the walls of some of the houses on the other. The folding gates which were supported by massy stone columns, were closed.
Our guide, however, alighted, and with a large stone fell to knocking most vigorously, under the apprehension that the inhabitants were all sleeping; and when a voice feebly demanded who was there, and we announced ourselves, I was sensibly reminded of a Syrian convent, where the porter with tremulous voice asks some question to discover what manner of stranger wishes to enter. Several inquiries were made and the answers given, after which the gates were opened, and our cavalcade filed in; and following the guide, we turned under an arched way built very much in the Arab style, and issuing from this, found ourselves at once in the midst of the hamlet where the visitors dwell.126
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Our prospects however for the night were not flattering. The porter who gave us entrance, informed us that there was neither a house nor a room in the whole place vacant, and advised us to proceed to the village of Yura, at the distance of about half a league further, where he assured us we might get fairly accommodated for the time of our stay. But when we considered the difficulties we might encounter on the road at so late an hour, and the distance that we should have to come daily to bathe, we did not feel much disposed to take the good man’s advice; so we presented him with a letter we had brought for the Superintendent Señor José Novérol, an Indian, and requested it might be delivered immediately.
It was not our intention to disturb the official, who we doubted not was sleeping; but we knew that we were very warmly recommended to his care, and expected that orders would be sent, to put us in some place or other within the compass of the establishment. It happened however, that the worthy gentleman came to us as soon as he received the letter, and expressed himself very anxious to serve us.
There are no inhabitants at the baths but the visitors, who obtain permission at Arequipa to occupy such of the dwellings as they may require. Those of which the hamlet was composed were but eight or ten in number, and were fully occupied. But as we were supplied with all that was necessary to our comfort, save a roof to shelter us from the damp of the night, he conducted us across the little vale, which was bounded on one side by a deep ravine and by high cliffs on the other, and intro-BATHS OF YURA«
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duced us to a stone cabin about eight or ten feet square* covered with reeds; and although this was not over inviting* it seemed at least to have room for our three beds. It had* indeed* only half a door* and was evidently the place of resort of several donkeys which though they were now grazing upon the fresh herbs of the valley* probably took shelter here from the rays of the sun during the day. It had two holes in the walls for windows* one of which was formed like the loophole of a fortress* and looked upon the vale* while the other which was on the side of the ravine* seemed as if it had been pierced by a cannon ball from the opposite .side.
The Superintendent had brought* with him a candle which he now stuck against the wall without any danger of its catching anything inflammable; and in one of the corners we found a shovel with which we cleared away the rubbish; and as the night was cold* we made a little fire in the open air* took a humble repast in which the Superintendent joined us* then spread our beds* and after taking leave of the good Indian* laid down for the night.
On the day after our arrival we rose before the sun* that we might be as early as possible in the baths. As we had not before seen the place by day* we were now5 much struck by the scenery around. The little abode where we had been sheltered during the night* stood upon the brink of a deep fissure that was connected with a broad ravine* on the opposite side of which rugged and sterile mountains rose to a great height. Upon the sides of these were ledges which128	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
produced grass and small willow trees similar to some that were growing about the ground around the vale; and a few steps above us on the inner side of our little field were seen the fronts of the greater part of the small houses of the hamlet, some of which had colonnades, and others terraces.
The baths, to which we had no one to direct us, were evidently in a large building at the distance of several hundred yards from the centre of the hamlet, and placed somewhat lower than the spot upon which we had passed the night; so we set off to examine them and perhaps make a first trial of their effects.
We first passed the cluster of houses, where there did not appear to be a soul stirring; so that as we descended towards the baths, we congratulated ourselves, that at that early hour, we should have at least the choice of the best, in case there should be any great difference between them. We soon found, however, that we were mistaken; for upon entering the building, we observed a parcel of decidedly dirty Indians, some standing about the open baths, and others bathing; so that as we had no inclination to mingle with such company, we remained only long enough to make a slight survey of the place.
The building which encloses the baths or bathing pits within its walls, forms a chamber of about a hundred feet in length by sixty in breadth, in which there are six or eight pits which are all filled from the same source, though they differ in the temperature of the water, in proportion to their distance from the spot at which the spring issues.BATHS OF YURA.
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Satisfied for the present with this slight glance at the place, we came out to take an hour’s walk along the side of the hills, in hopes of finding a better chance of bathing on our return.
We were no longer absent than the time we intended ; but upon re-entering the bath-house, we found in one of the pits, which we heard was that to which a preference was always given, a lady who was the wife of a merchant of Islay, and had come thus far for thè express purpose of trying a course of these waters, and a young lady whose acquaintance I had already made at Arequipa ; and there were two Creole ]adies waiting for a party of Indians to get out of another bath, which we heard was the next in estimation.
The pits are about six or seven feet square, and sufficiently deep to allow the bathers to stand upright in them ; and as the ladies are fully robed while bathing, there was'nothing indelicate in our standing for some time chatting with my fair acquaintance and her companion, while we were waiting our turn.
After about half an hour, the ladies informed us that it was near the time for them to come out of their bath, which induced us, from a feeling of delicacy rather unusual in these parts, to retire so as to give them time to pop into one of the little cells within the bath-house, with curtains before them, which were used as dressing-rooms.
We did not remain long outside the bath-house; and upon re-entering, to our surprise, found the bath we had waited for already occupied by two Indians, one of
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each sex, who had jumped in as the ladies came out, and were now as comfortably located as possible. Upon observing this, rather than wait any longer, we determined to try another bath; and after putting off pur clothes behind one of the curtains, and tying round us the partial covering with which the men are provided, we jumped into the first at hand: but upon finding this much less warm than we expected, we came out again, and unceremoniously popped into the bath with the two natives, who took no notice whatever of our intrusion.
We soon ascertained, however, that we were in a bath the temperature of which was only tepid; and as this was very different from what had been represented to us, and from what we required, as well as from the temperature at which upon particular inquiry we found they had at one time been, I at least was so much disappointed as to resolve upon taking no more of them. My friend Mr. Mar den, however, proposed to take them for two or three days, and I determined in the meantime, to try the effects of the waters taken internally. We therefore made our arrangements for that time; and Mr. McAndrew, who had not intended to stay, left us the same day to return to Arequipa.
If I could add to this slight account of my visit to the baths of Yura, anything with certainty respecting the components of their waters, I should be very glad, but I believe they have never been analysed, except too rudely to admit of anything certain being said of them. Several persons who seemed to know something of theBATHS OF YURA.
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matter, gave me different accounts, and I am disposed to believe that all that can be depended upon is, that they have been used with beneficial effects by the natives from a time long previous to the arrival of the Europeans, and that of late years they have been chiefly taken for rheumatism, affections of the chest, and nervous complaints, from which it is probable that they are at least sulphurous and ferruginous.
My friend’s experience during our short stay, was too little to lead to any practical knowledge of their effects ; but I had the pleasure of seeing the lady of Islay again, some time later, when she assured me that she had received great relief from a nervous affection from which she had been suffering a considerable time. The young lady I did not see again. ' The malady from which she had been suffering, or one of its symptoms was excessive thirst, which I heard was at least relieved. Taken internally I may say from my own experience, that the waters are slightly constipating.
A medical gentleman of Arequipa informed me, that patients were frequently sent to these baths after suffering from any of the diseases prevalent in the town, which were, pleurisy, dysentery, the typhus fever, and affections of the lungs.
Our time was spent during our stay, in exploring the barren hills around our abode in the mornings, and in the agreeable society of the ladies in the evenings. The room in which they passed their time was small, and was warm during the day ; but such was the cold at night, for we must now have been between eight and nine thousand feet above the level of the sea, that the132
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door was kept closed and a hole in the roof for the admission of air during the day was carefully stopped at the hour of sunset* £o prevent the night air from entering.
In less than a week we returned to Arequipa.133
CHAP. XL JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
Meet a Companion to travel with. — His Character. — Objects of his Travels.—A gay Dinner Party. — Revelations concerning the Sierra. — Speeches. — Departure from Arequipa, — Overtake a Party of Travellers. — My Fellow-traveller’s Disposition. — Character of the Road. — Mount Misti. —Accommodations at Chequata. — Welcome from a Stranger. — Our Host once a Soldier of the Royal Army. — His matrimonial Alliance. — Earthquakes here. — Philosophy of our Host. — Education of his Children. — My Companion’s Opinions of Protestantism. — Effects of his Communication of them. — Our Host’s religious Opinions. — His Speculations.
After passing a very agreeable month under Mr. Jack’s hospitable roof, I found myself sufficiently accustomed to the air of this altitude to continue my travels; so having obtained as much information as I required for my journey towards Cuzco, which I intended to perform without any companion save a native guide, I began to prepare for my departure. It happened, however, while I was thus engaged, that a Spanish gentleman arrived in the town, who was about to undertake the same expedition as myself; and as it was thought that we should be very good companions in the rough journey before us, our friends introduced us to each other, and the arrangements for setting out in company were forthwith made.
K 3134	TRAVELS IN PERÚ AND MEXICO.
But before commencing the account of our passage of the Sierra, or high lands of the Andes, I must say a few words of my future companion and of his friends, with whom I spent a very agreeable evening before our departure.
It will be remembered that, among the many insurrections and revolutions in old Spain with which the religious world has been entertained, there was one in particular which happily led to the suppression of those abodes of idleness, and sometimes of iniquity, which had so long degraded that fair land. I mean the monasteries. It may also be remembered, that the outbreak which led to that result, took place at Barcelona. My companion for this journey was Señor Rivadeneyro, the foremost leader at that place, who, at the head of the civilians, contributed largely to the delivery of his country from one at least of the plagues that have so long polluted the land. He was at this time associated with those who have long tried in vain to establish a new era in their political and social existence, by the deliverance of their country from the tyranny of those whose object has ever been to depress the people, by encouraging submission to the dictates of the clerical power.
The objects of Señor Rivadeneyro’s travels were different from mine.
This gentleman who was now the principal publisher at Madrid, had undertaken the publication of a work which was to comprise all the Spanish authors from, the earliest times, and he had come out to visit the American republics which had been colonies of Spain,135
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for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions to this work* He had been well furnished with letters from high officials in the old country, to the presidents, governors and prefects in the different states; and, after visiting Chili, was now on his way to Cuzco.
But to return from this digression. Señor Rivadeneyro called upon me, on the day after our introduction to each other, in the company of a Spanish merchant with whom he resided, who had determined upon giving a dinner in honour of his friend before his departure* To this he now invited me, and I had the satisfaction of being present.
I have little to say about this dinner, in regard to the dishes of which it was composed. The courses however were sumptuous, chiefly in the Spanish style, and the wines were of the finest quality. Nor have I much to report of what passed, but record the circumstance and what we heard on the occasion, as slightly illustrative of the character of the South Americans* It was, indeed, in many respects, far more like a British farewell dinner among friends, than any thing of the kind I have since witnessed during travels in Spain.
The number of guests invited to meet my travelling companion, was eighteen, among whom there was no Englishman except myself. The portion of the conversation at the table which most interested the travellers, consisted chiefly of anecdotes connected with accidents in the Sierra, all of which tended to show the necessity of great caution while travelling on the high lands.
One of the guests informed us, that a young English-136	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
man engaged to come out to some commercial house at Paz, the capital of Bolivia, had died on his journey from Islay, before he reached ten thousand feet above the level of the sea. This we were told was not an uncommon occurrence, on the first journey of those who were very young, or very old. But this gentleman was strong and full-grown; and the immediate cause of his death seemed to he his having undertaken the journey too soon after his arrival in the country, and after a little indulgence at dinner the day before, which had unfitted him for the respiration of the lighter air of the mountains.
The particular manner of this young man’s death deserves to he noticed. It appears that he at first merely complained of weakness or fatigue, and alighted from his mule to rest a short time; but that he no sooner did so, than he began to grow weaker without apparently any suffering, and in less than an hour ceased to breathe.
Several other little anecdotes were related, all of which tended to show very plainly the necessity of great caution, especially on the part of delicate and unprepared travellers, to obviate the effects of the rarefied atmosphere at any considerable height, and made us very cautious ourselves, more especially as my companion for the journey was perfectly new in the country, and still suffering from the same difficulty of respiration which, I have mentioned, I felt so severely after my arrival at this town.
As our dinner proceeded, the wine flowed freely, and the party became very gay. There were indeedJOURNEY TO CUZCO.	137
plenty of speeches; but they were not made in a formal manner, or even standing, this latter circumstance arising probably from the same cause as that which gave rise to this manner of speaking in the Chilian assembly, where standing, it has been said, gives the appearance of menace. But one in particular, by the gentleman who was our host, expressed the wishes of the whole party for the safety of the travellers during their weary journey, and for the success of their undertakings ; and this was well responded to by my future companion, wdio, after thanking our host, expressed his regrets at the change of diet we should certainly very soon have to undergo. The dinner then concluded, and we separated without having been introduced to any ladies.
On the 13th of September, six mules came into the spacious quadrangle of Mr. Jack’s house at an early hour, two of which were for the travellers, one for the guide and the remaining three for the baggage, which consisted of beds and cooking materials, besides our portmanteaus. Señor Rivadeneyro made his appearance soon afterwards; and when our beasts of burden were loaded, we bade a warm farewell to my hospitable host, to Mr. McAndrew the leading gentleman in Mr. Jack’s business, and a party assembled to see us off, and commenced our journey.
We had scarcely entered upon the frightful wastes of sterile quebradas which surround Arequipa, when we overtook a party, which had left the town shortly before on their way to Puno, which was for nearly two days of the journey the same as that to Cuzco.138	TRAVELS IN PERL AND MEXICO.
Tlie party who were all mounted, consisted of a father, two daughters who were children and rode in sedans fixed on the backs of their mules, and the guide, with several baggage mules; and the gentleman received us with many regrets that we were not all going further upon the same road.
As we proceeded, I found my saddle, from the manner in which it had been put on, cause me so much inconvenience that I alighted to remedy the defect, which I did not expect would occasion more than a few minutes’ delay. It turned out, however, otherwise, and while I was occupied, the rest of the party disappeared along the winding paths among the cliffs and hills, without observing that they had parted from one of their companions, which when our number is considered was pardonable enough. I found, however, that the arrangement of my saddle was not so easy as I had expected. It was so badly set, indeed, that I could not venture to remount without a change that was difficult to make; so I continued my efforts to put it in order, at the same time expecting the return of the guide to afford me some aid.
After I had been occupied in this manner for about half an hour, the good man arrived, accompanied by my travelling companion, who, to my great astonishment, without asking a question began to heap reproaches upon me for the delay I had occasioned. But it so happened, that at this very moment, and before I had time to reply, while he was spurring his horse, the animal fell and threw him over his head; and we picked him up so much bruised, and one of hisJOURNE? TO CUZCO.
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hands so strained, as to put an end to the dispute, which seemed about to grace our entrance upon the tedious journey.
Although this seems a trifling circumstance to record it was not a matter of indifference to me to find at this time that my companion for so lo,ng and rough a journey was of such an excitable disposition as to be thus easily put out of humour. Travels, and their difficulties,. were not new to me. I have indeed made journeys with men whom I have known to have been friends for many years, and even with near relatives, who have separated in ill humour upon the way. And what is more, I have travelled with young men, who, when we were pilgrims at Jerusalem, quarrelled about the merest trifles, and indulged their humour to such a degree as to render it difficult to prevent the shedding of blood by the very mount, where the Author of their religion gave up His life for the sins of the world. Moreover, I cannot say that I have not, at some time, experienced difficulties in which I could not afterwards excuse the part 1 had myself taken; but I had now long since learned the advantages which attend a calm submission to even real evils that are unavoidable ; so I contented myself on this occasion with addressing to the guide a few significant words upon what had passed, without speaking to the Spaniard who maintained a dead silence, and we rode tranquilly on.
Our road as we proceeded was sometimes precipitous, and generally bordered by cliffs and prominences that shut out the distant prospect; so that it was already late in the day before we had a full view of the famous140
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Mount Misti, which is the most remarkable object seen from Arequipa. Soon after this, our way was over gravelly steeps, and our course more towards the west, winding round thè volcanic cone of the mountain of which we had now indeed a very fair view.
The height of this cone is about twelve thousand feet above the level of the sea. Its summit was at this time covered with snow, save on the eastern side, and the crater was emitting the same thin brown-coloured vapour which we had often seen ascending from the opening while we were at Arequipa. It is, however, disputed, whether this proceeds from the volcano, which may be still active, or whether it be from the effects of the sun upon the snow within the mouth of the crater. Parties, indeed, have been known to ascend the mountain, to have been long absent, and to have certainly encountered great difficulties; but the accounts they have given have not been fully credited, and Mount Misti is still considered a terra incognita.
. When we had travelled about four leagues, we came to the hamlet of Chequata near which there was a tambo or place of refuge for travellers, which we thought we had better leave to our companions, as our guide informed us that there was a family near who he was sure would be glad to receive us. We now therefore took leave of our fellow-travellers for the present, and our guide led us to the dwelling of the chief of the district, which stood in a broad open yard, in which were several out-houses for cattle and fodder.
Though it was now night, we knocked at the door of the house, and being answered by an invitation toJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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enter, lifted the latch and walked in. A faint light was burning, which just enabled us to see a man sitting upright on his bed with his clothes on, and a rather young-looking woman, who appeared to be his wife, sitting on a stool by the side of the bed with an infant in her arms.
We were no sooner seen than the good man rose, and advancing to meet us, gave us a hearty welcome ; and, before asking any questions, offered us the best accommodation he could provide for the night, and shelter and fodder for our beasts.
Our reception indeed was highly gratifying from the evident sincerity with which it was given; and after thanking the worthy mountaineer, we gave orders to the guide to take care, of the mules, and in a few minutes sat down to the best supper that it was in the power of our host to provide.
The welcome we received soon led to conversation by which we learned that we had fallen under the roof of an agreeable Spaniard. To my companion this was particularly satisfactory, and we were soon engaged in listening to an interesting account of our host’s adventures in the country which he had now adopted.
His name he informed us, was Juan Eumero. He had come out to America as a soldier in the royal army during the revolutionary war, and was made prisoner by the patriots; but upon the acknowledgment of the independence of the colonies he had married his present wife, settled on this spot, named his house Cangalla, after his native town in Spain, and had since occupied himself in raising cattle for which there was food in the142
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valleys around Mm, and in aiding the caravans travelling between Arequipa, Cuzco and Puno. His condition, he said, had been sufficiently painful for several years after his settlement; but he added, that he was now doing fairly enough. He had a son of an age to be of great use to him in his business, several other »children, and a baby in arms. His health, however, he thought was giving way; and his face and other parts of his body had become full of blotches.
As the conversation proceeded, we were rather amused by an observation of our host relative to his marriage. It might serve to prove, that men may be cut off from all commerce with the world—be buried in the desert —without ceasing to reason upon subjects on which all our minds have instinctively some fixed ideas.
His wife was exceedingly small, and my fellow-traveller asked me in a language unknown in the Sierra, whether I should like to be wedded to a woman of about the same size. This question, strange to say, partly perhaps from our looks, and partly from the good man’s own conviction that his wife was, on account of her small size remarkable, appeared to be perfectly understood by him; and, before I had even time to reply, he said very good humouredly: “ I chose my wife Señor wholly on account of her diminutive size. She was indeed the smallest woman in the Sierra. The reasons of my choice were these. I was always of opinion that when a woman is small, she attracts more of that kind of affection in man, which a good parent entertains for his child, than when she is otherwise. And if any one of our affections may be said to resemble,JOUENEY TO CUZCO.
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in the smallest degree, those of the Creator for the creature, it must he that which the parent feels for his offspring. Thus, you will observe,” he added : “ I command, and love: my wife loves and obeys; and our children, whom she instructs, will be better than we.”
I need scarcely add, that we expressed our approval
of the good man’s opinion and choice.
*»
“ Equality of two domestic powers Breeds scrupulous faction. ”
After this, he gave us an account of the effects he had witnessed of that frightful phenomenon the terremoto or earthquake, to which the Sierra as well as the lower lands is exposed.
Speaking first of the ordinary shocks, he informed us that these were frequent, but were unaccompanied with noise, and not much regarded. Sometimes, he said, none were felt for several months, but during this time there was always great dread in the minds of the inhabitants. At other times, there were two or three in the course of a month. But when they were severe, which usually happened after a long interval, they were always preceded or accompanied, by a rumbling noise like that of a distant cataract, when the wind carries the sound irregularly, or that which we might suppose would be made by the rush of subterranean waters.
During the remarkable earthquake which happened here about a year since, he said, there was great alarm, and not without reason. His large enclosure was full of mules and llamas and their drivers, besides his own cattle, when the warning of a shock was distinctly144
TEAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
heard beneath the earth. He himself was standing on the step at the door of his dwelling, looking at the crowd, when this was first perceived. The whole of the men immediately quitted their occupations and gathered themselves in the middle of the enclosure, while he himself after calling out his wife and children ran with them towards the same spot. But before they reached this the earth trembled with violence beneath their feet, and they were all thrown to the ground. They were, however, quickly on their feet again, and soon in a place of safety in case the shock should recur; and they had now an opportunity of observing the effects of the earthquake upon their animals. These, he said, all stood motionless with their legs stretched out and their heads bent down almost to the ground, one or two of the cattle moaning though there was no motion whatever in the earth.
A second shock, however, came, but it was very different from the first. During the first they seemed as if they were drawn from side to side; but now they felt for a minute or more, as if some weight were pressing them to the ground, and immediately after this as light as if they were ascending into the air, showing that the shock was in the first case in an. horizontal, and in the second in a perpendicular direction.
We asked him what were his feelings on the occasion; when, he informed us that he experienced terror of a kind which he could not describe, and that he believed it was the same with all present. His first sensations were a dread that the earth was about to open and bury everything within its bosom.JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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“But what I felt after this” he added, “was not like the fear of death which I have experienced in other cases. I have faced the bayonet, and stood before the cannon’s mouth, and I cannot say altogether without fear. But that was the fear of human enemies, who, one might suppose experienced the same unpleasant sensations as oneself. The prospect of death, however, is generally accompanied by hopes of the future; but during an earthquake the reason is subdued, and my predominant feeling was, that we were utterly lost. It seemed as if the Almighty had abandoned His creatures and His works both material and immaterial, and that all Nature was about to expire ; and for an hour or two after the shocks, there was the same appearance of dread among the whole party. Even the beasts stood for some time in the position which they had taken during the shocks, and required patting and reassuring, before they would move from one side of the enclosure to the other.”
These were not however the only subjects upon which we conversed with our host. My companion, observing that he had a very sensible Spaniard to talk with, after asking him whether he had heard of the; abolition of the monasteries in Spain, on which our conversation happened to turn, and finding that he had only heard a faint rumour, which he had not believed, gave him a genuine account of the principal incidents, which had attended that remarkable event. I shall, however, only mention the feelings with which our host seemed to receive this intelligence, and one or two of the observations which he made.
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As my companion told his tale, the eyes of his countryman brightened, and when the short account was finished, as if inspired with feelings similar to those of a soldier on hearing of a battle, he said: “Would I had been in Spain! The Church system by the manner it is carried on has been the. ruin of the country; and it was that which put it into my head to choose the solitude of the desert in preference to returning to Spain after the war. I am freer in the republic than I should have been in Spain, although we have convents while you are without them.”
He then spoke of the doctrines of the Church and the teaching of the clergy, and was most eloquent in condemning both for asserting that the greater part of the human race were to suffer perpetual torments after the termination of their short lives in this world. “ How,” said he, “ can this be consistent with the idea we have of the goodness of the Creator which cannot be false ? He who knows the end of all things which He has made, must have permitted the reign of evil in this world for some good unknown to us, and possibly for the very purpose of fitting us for a state of perpetual enjoyment. He cannot reserve His own creatures for perpetual torment.
“If I could believe,” he continued, “that all I was taught were true, I should not only be deprived of my hopes of the future, but what would be many times worse, I should be unable to believe that the Almighty is a beneficent Being which we all from the beginning seem innately to know.
“Is it possible,” he then said with emphasis, “ that aJOÜKNEY TO CUZCO.
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beneficent Being could have brought into existence so many myriads of creatures whom we might say He had designed finally to come to a condition of misery of which we can scarcely form an idea, and of which we are told there will be no end ?
“ I hope, Señor,” he then added, “that I have trained my children in the proper love of the Supreme Being without fear, and I have the fullest hopes that they will enjoy happiness hereafter. This state of existence is short to us all, and to many very sad; but my hope is, that in the next we shall be more immediate objects of the Creator’s care, and that our enjoyments will be then more intellectual, and unaccompanied by any of the evils we experience here.”
My friend seemed at the time too much surprised at the discourse of his countryman to make any reply, and on our host ceasing to speak, turned the conversation into a different channel, by informing the good man that he had the misfortune, as he pleasantly termed it, to be travelling in company with a Protestant, at which our host’s countenance expressed feelings which it was difficult to understand until he informed us of an occurrence which this revelation brought to his mind.
“ Señors,” said he, “ I was once lodged with several English soldiers, who were wounded with myself at the siege of San Sebastian, and my curiosity was so much excited by the apparent simplicity and sincerity of their worship on the Sabbath day, that I have never ceased to desire to know more of their opinions and their faith.”148
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Upon this, my friend who was a most liberal-minded man, informed him, as nearly as possible in the very words I shall set down, what he believed Protestantism really was; and I take pleasure in reporting what he said, because it will show the impressions of a decidedly thoughtful Spaniard.
“I must tell you,” said he, “that notwithstanding the abolition in Spain of those disgraces to religion, the monasteries, we are still the most unenlightened people in Europe, on all subjects connected with the true spirit of Christianity. During the barbarous ages, as you very well know, the European priests formed the system which we call Catholic, and which may have been suited at the time, for christianising and humanising the masses of the people, who were then sunk in the very depths of ignorance, and were so- unrefined, that nothing but mysteries that were striking and incomprehensible were able to affect them. Into this system, however, vice entered, and became so confounded with the more sacred portion of the whole, that by and by, wealth became the grand object of the clerical body. This led to persecution, carried, even to torture and murder, to the most frightful extent throughout all the countries of Europe. During this state of things, several priests of Germany who had been preceded in the good work by one in Britain, took occasion to preach against the violence of the times ; from hence arose a reform of the abuses in the Church, and the establishment of at system which was supposed to he more in conformity with that adopted soon after the time of the Saviour. In a word they returned to the true religionJOURNEY TO CUZCO*
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of the apostles of Jesus; and this is the Christianity which is called Protestantism, and which now reigns in Britain, and in a great part of Germany; and this has been the cause of a great modification of the tyranny of the corrupt system which still predominates in Spain and Italy, and even in France, though by no means there attended with the same grossness in its practice, as in the other countries.’*
I shall never forget, either the feeling with which this communication was made, or that with which it was received. It seemed to me as if I had got among philosophers upon the top of the Andes. But what would perhaps have been most surprising to any one who had never been on the continent of Europe was, to find that our thoughtful host, who had heard of the Bible, had never been able to procure a copy, and indeed, had never seen the book, in the Spanish tongue. That he should never before have heard any intelligible account, whether correct or not, of the difference between the religion of Spain and the Protestantism of Europe, was much less remarkable.
We had some little discourse after this, upon the ideas entertained by the parties present respecting the future world; but I shall simply mention those conceived by this habitant of the mountains, in relation to the design of the Supreme Being in the creation of the human species. Let his ideas be ever So opposed to those generally entertained, it is right to remember that they are the genuine reflections of a sincere Christian, acquainted only with a system of worship which his150	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
■understanding condemned, and without such means as we possess, of accommodating himself to a system which his reason approved—of one with hardly any knowledge of the life and actions in this world of the Author of Christianity.
“The conceptions which I entertain,” said the good man, “concerning the Supreme Being and all his creatures, I have acquired by no study and by no teaching, but simply by impressions proceeding from what I have seen and experienced. I believe that one immaterial Being exists, who has formed and peopled this and other worlds, in which he has placed myriads of living creatures in a state in which there is both pleasure and pain, and that these are equally designed for the fulfilment of the objects of the creation, which I suppose to be happiness to those who are created.”
After this, he wandered a little beyond what some persons might deem the just limits of reasonable speculation. “I believe,” said he, “that the spirit of man does not now live for the first time, but that it has previously inhabited some inferior form in the lower ranks of created beings, and has by degrees attained the dignity, if it may be so termed, of humanity, which will be its last stage of existence clothed in the perishable materials which it now inhabits. And if this be the origin of the human race, most certainly all the creatures that people this earth will live again. Has not the horse for instance, when tormented from his birth to his death, a claim upon his Creator, which is not the lessJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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real because he is not capable of making it ? and is his ignorance of the design for which he was formed any proof that it has been fulfilled in this life ? There are at least creatures whose sufferings appear to have been greater than their enjoyments, and this seems in itself to prove that their lives here are but the beginning of an existence which is to be prolonged in a future and better world.
“ But returning to our own species/’ he continued, “I believe, that what we call death, is no more than the return of the body to the substances from which it came, while the spirit revives and remains on earth occupied in carrying on those operations which are commonly called the works of Nature, and which are generally supposed to be performed by the direct hand of the Supreme Being. Such I mean, as the growth of trees, and the construction of the bodies of living animals, in which nothing may be perfect until purified from the corruption it has acquired in this imperfect world.”
The good man here paused for a minute or two, as if he wished to have our opinions upon the subject of his speculations; upon which, my friend made some objections to his impressions respecting the spiritual world, and the reply to these struck me very forcibly, when I considered the position of the person from whom it came.
“The difference,” he said, “between your opinions, Sehor, and those which I entertain on this subject arises from the difference of our engagements in the world,152
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and not from any variation in the construction of our minds. Your mind is doubtless constantly distracted by active occupations* while mine is so rarely engaged* that in order to preserve even my own consciousness* I am continually driven to employ my thoughts with reflections which frequently turn to what concerns the unseen world.
“ And now I will just ask you a very simple question. Suppose for instance* that no creatures but ourselves existed on the earth* or that you had lived up to manhood without hearing of* or seeing any other, and that while you were writing a letter a little fly were to settle on the paper before you. What would be your feelings at the sight of this winged creature floating through the thin element which you breathe* and by means which you could not comprehend ? 99
No answer being made to this question* which seemed to astonish my friend* the old soldier continued his lecture.
“But how much greater would have been your astonishment* if* instead of seeing a fly upon your paper while you were writing* you had during a tranquil promenade upon these hills* met a bull ?
“And now let me ask: If you were at any time to meet a spiritual being* the form of whom you did not recognise but whose superiority over ourselves was apparent by his appearing and disappearing at pleasure* what difference would there be in the sensations which you would in this case entertain* and those which you would have felt when you first saw one of the creatures which are now as familiar to us as we are to one another ?J0UBNEY TO CUZCO.
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Why then should there be a greater difference in form and intellect between ourselves and the spiritual beings who may people this earth* than between man and the inferior creatures which I have named. We are so far, it is plain, from being able to conceive any form superior to our own, that men when they would represent the only one they have imagined, have merely made an attempt to improve the human form, which, instead of being successful has actually disfigured it. This I need hardly say has been done by putting wings upon the angels, whom they suppose to have the forms of men, and these moreover so small in proportion to the body, that in our atmosphere at least, they would not support a swan. This error however is somewhat compensated for by drawing the Supreme Being himself, however foolish or wicked the practice may be, without these deformities. Of the creatures beneath us we are permitted to know something, but of those, who may be of many ranks, above us, we know nothing—that is, of their material natures, concerning which no revelation has enlightened us.
“ It seems to me,” he now said, “ that you are at a loss to understand how such speculations come to enter into the mind of a mountaineer—into the mind of an inhabitant of the sierra of the Andes.”
“ We are more pleased than astonished,” said my friend, “ to hear you speak with so much freedom.”
“May I say a word or two more,” then said the mountaineer, “ in the same open manner ? ”
“We shall be happy to hear anything that it is agreeable to you to communicate,” answered my friend.154
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“ Though we are not republicans, our thoughts are as free as your own.”
“ I must tell you then,” continued the mountaineer, “how these thoughts came into my head. My leisure is often very great; and I wander over the desert and the rude hills around, far from the dwelling of any human creature; and, free from any engagements which concern the present, my thoughts are bent upon the past and the future. Sometimes in my wanderings I reach a spot near which you have this morning passed, where I obtain a view of all that vast tract of country between this cordillera and the ocean, and I thence perceive the little city of Arequipa like a bird’s nest in one of the valleys amidst the vast undulations of the lower country. There I know that men and women are occupied with the busy affairs by which they exist, and I feel as if I were looking down from some greater elevation than any we can attain, upon the poor inhabitants of this planet, coming constantly into existence, playing their little parts, and passing away; and, from this I am led to reflect upon the character or nature, if I may so speak, of the Being occupied in bringing them into existence, supporting them through the trials they encounter and then removing them to some other abode; and after this I endeavour to comprehend the objects for which such creatures as ourselves have been brought into being, in other words, to discover their ultimate end.
“ But perhaps,” he then said, “ I may have already revealed enough of my particular thoughts, and if I should continue, you may think that I believe myselfJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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capable of instructing those who are better informed than myself.”
“You are much mistaken,” replied my friend after looking at me. “ We should wish to hear what conclusions you have finally arrived at respecting the subjects upon which you have thought so much.”
“ I will tell you then,” said the mountaineer, “ with as much brevity as possible. First you must observe,
I endeavoured to comprehend something concerning the Creator Himself, which I believed I might arrive at by ascending from the works we observe on the earth, to what we are able to perceive of those in the heavens ; but here I was always met by some barrier which I could not pass. Two things only indeed seemed apparent to me. The first of these was, that His power must be what we call infinite, or beyond our conception, and the second, that He must be beneficent. But even hère appeared a contradiction which caused me some pains to overcome. If, said I, the power of the Creator is unlimited, and He is beneficent, wherefore should He bring creatures into existence who have sufferings as well as enjoyments. Why should He create anything so imperfect as we find everything in this planet. But after much reflection, I arrived at the conclusion I have before stated, that both good and evil were equally necessary to fit us for the great end of our being. If we had not both these we should have neither. There is a state of being indeed so nearly free from either pleasure or pain, that it is enjoyed by those who have suffered much, and is painful to those whose condition has been happier ; from which it seems156
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probable that both the one and the other are to a certain extent dependent upon our own wise or foolish regulation of our minds in the times of enjoyment and of suffering. It seems to me, indeed* that unless we experience real evils we are insensible to good. Besides, if we had nothing but enjoyment* we might begin to think ourselves independent beings* and yet, did we not experience good as well as evil, we might be without hopes of the future, of which, apart from what the Church teaches, we have no assurance, but from the conviction of the beneficence of the Creator* who could have formed nothing for evil, and the worship of whom should proceedÆom gratitude and not fear.
“ Moreover,” he added, “ I Consider that the spêüce between us and the highest beings in the creation may be so great, that instead of our coming from the direct hand of the Almighty, we may be the work of created beings* who have failed in their attempt to make exactly the creatures they intended to form, and that this has been permitted to take place by the Supreme Being* who has caused us to be left as we were made* for the purpose of more especially showing us what is evil, and therefore teaching us to avoid this in the works we may be ourselves designed to perform hereafter.”
“ You believe then,” said my friend, “ that all will be finally good ? ”
“ I most certainly do,” said the mountaineer ; “ and, you must understand me when I say, that I believe that evil is in reality but a means of obtaining enjoyment* the great object of the creation. But to return to where we set out. The power of the Deity* as I have said, IJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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believe to be without bounds; and that all He may have done by second causes as well as by first, is for good; consequently after this life, and perhaps other stages of being which may not be free from evil, we may expect to enjoy the very state of being for which we were designed, when we shall doubtless see wherefore we have had evil as well as good to deal with here, and when we may hope that all the ill passions which we have often indeed occasionally found so strong in the human species as to deprive men of the faculties most necessary for the preservation of their existence, will be utterly subdued.
“ But as to the kind of existence we< are finally to enjoy, and what is to be our occupation in any intermediate states, I confess I have not been able to form any conception. But when we see above a dozen worlds revolving round the same sun as ourselves, all subject to great variations, and moreover about a million of suns with doubtless every one his attendant worlds, we may be tolerably well assured that there is room for us, and occupation for us, beyond anything we can form any clear idea of in this world.
“I think often,” he then added, “that I hear my parents who died when I was a child, whispering to me, when I am on the heath alone: 6 Bring up your children to esteem and practise virtue, and prepare to join us where we are released from the base substance it pleased heaven we should inhabit during our human life.’ But sometimes when these visions are less frequent I begin to think the departed have left this world for one more advanced and better adapted for enjoyment.”158
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Such were the thoughts of this worthy Spaniard, which I afterwards put down as nearly as I could with the assistance of my travelling companion.
After this, the little wife came to remind us that it was time to repose, and we laid ourselves down in the same apartment as our host and hostess, and slept very well until the morning.JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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CHAP. XII.
JOURNEY TO CUZCO — continued.
Distress of our Companions. — Children taken with the Cheroka Sickness. — Effects of the rarefied Atmosphere. — Various Opinions-
Effects of the Atmosphere upon different Animals. — Tambo. — Description of a Tambo—Character of the Country.—Tambo at Quaili-ala. — Ducks. — Tambera’s Account of the Country. — Renew our Journey. — Eirst Part of the Way agreeable. — Overtaken by Night and Snow. —Loss of the Track. — Danger of the Way. — Reach the Tambo of Geiabivima.— State of the Tambo.— Tambo of Ramuguas. —View of the Country—Tambo of Renconardo.— Stream of Witch-omo.— Ducks. — Indications of Gold Ore.—Tambo of Witchomo.— Improvement in the Country. —Native Industry.—View of Lake Sungi. — Our Reception at the Village. — Account of the Village. — Arrival at Tungasuga.—Inhospitality of the People.—A Coffee-house. —A Merchant.— Cold and Snow. — Three more Lakes.— Village of Yowka. — Town of Quiquikuana. — Indian Bridge. — Ruins on the Way.— Pass through several Villages.— Arrival at Cuzco.— Effects of the Sun upon our Journey.
On the morning after our first night’s repose in the sierra, we rose and breakfasted at an early hour, and after taking a warm leave of our agreeable host and hostess, recommenced our journey.
We had not proceeded far, before we were joined by the party we had travelled with on the previous day, when we were surprised to find the two children in close masks. I have not yet mentioned the necessity which the traveller is under in the Andes of coverings the160
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greater part of the face during the day, which would otherwise suffer so much from the reflection of the sun’s rays from the ground, as to cause very great inconvenience if not permanent injury. Our method was to tie a scarf round the lower part of the face, which was at least sufficient to prevent any serious mischief; but the father of these two children wore a veil himself, and had his children’s faces protected by complete masks.
All the party seemed in very good spirits, until we came to the highest part of the next cordillera, after about four horns’ march, when suddenly one of the children was taken with what is here called sorrochi, which is involuntary vomiting, the consequences of which are frequently fatal in the sierra. The father was much alarmed, and we stopped and descended from our mules, to aid him in anything that could be done. But while we were considering the best means of relieving the sufferings of this child, who was lying in her parent’s arms, the other fell into the same distressing state; and they both continued retching for about half an hour. They were, however, healthy strong girls,, and the confidence their father had had in them seemed to be well founded; for they now quite revived, and expressing their wishes to proceed on their journey, the caravan again moved on.
I shall take this opportunity to make a few more remarks, which will accord with what I afterwards learned concerning the effects of the rarefied atmosphere upon persons who for the first time respire on elevated regions. They are not always indeed precisely the same; but there can be no doubt of their arising in every case fromJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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the same cause—the diminished pressure of the atmosphere — and that the various forms they assume proceed wholly from the difference in the state of the health, and in the character of the constitutions, of the parties attacked. The inconvenience suffered by my companion and myself during our travels was that most commonly experienced, and was merely weariness and difficult respiration, with a sense of pressure upon the chest, especially during the night, sometimes accompanied by starting and broken sleep.
It is seldom, indeed, that anything more severe than that which has been mentioned is experienced at a lower elevation than about 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, which we had probably at this time hardly attained. The malady, however, in its severe form, is accompanied by symptoms of the most distressing kind, and is generally fatal.	'
If the traveller happen to be of a plethoric habit of body, the disease is likely to be most severe. It is then commonly attended with vertigo, dimness of sight, difficulty of hearing, and often a flow of blood from the eyes and the nose, and sometimes even from the lips, and violent pains in the head, and vomiting. But with travellers of a spare habit of body and not very strong, it is more likely to cause fainting fits accompanied with spitting of blood. With persons however in good health, the symptoms are rarely more than vomiting; and more frequently they are confined to weariness and difficult respiration such as I have mentioned both my companion and myself experienced.
As it has been observed that the disease is more prer VOL. I.
M162
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valent in the districts where the metals most abound, there is an impression among the inhabitants, that it arises from, or is greatly exaggerated by the metallic exhalations which are supposed to fill the atmosphere of these regions. This has doubtless, however, arisen from the disease prevailing most among those who come in search of metals, which may be accounted for; by the fact that they are generally persons unaccustomed to the atmosphere of the mountains, and the most exposed of any to fatigue. There can be little doubt, indeed, of its proceeding in every form in which it appears, entirely from the diminished pressure of the atmosphere, the effects of which every one experiences in one way or another upon attaining any considerable elevation.
These effects of the rarefied atmosphere are not confined to the human species. They are, indeed equally, rand in some instances even more felt by the lower animals of the creation than by ourselves. The horses and mules of the plains cannot for some time travel the same distances in the mountains in a given time, as they can in the plains, nor bear the same burdens in the sierra which they are accustomed to bear in their own climes. When, however, they are brought from the lower country to the higher, and have great care taken of them, they generally, after a few months, become tolerably acclimatised, and perform nearly the same labour as those bred in the elevated regions.
If it should cause surprise that these effects of the rarefied air are so much more remarkable here than any experienced in Europe, it must be remembered that during the journey which I am about to narrate,JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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we have to pass over heights, four or five thousand feet above the peak of Mont Blanc, and that too in the torrid zone. One indeed of the cities we shall by and by visit, is situated at about the same height, as the summit of that mountain,.
Our way now became more interesting. Distant views occasionally appeared, which supplied the want of relief caused by the absence of all evidences of human industry. Early in the afternoon we unwillingly took leave of our agreeable friends, whose road lay more towards the east, in which direction Puno lies; and we never heard afterwards, .whether they all reached their destination or not.
Early on the same morning, we arrived at the tambo of Apo, at the distance of eight leagues from Cheguala. But it is necessary more particularly to explain the meaning of the term tambo} an Indian word properly signifying house of refuge or inn, which has been adopted by the Spaniards, and is especially applied to the houses of refuge in the sierra.
The mountains, indeed, in which we are travelling are often for great distances as sterile and as void of human habitations as the deserts of Arabia, and since the occupation of the Spaniards the necessity for travelling has induced the people, after the manner of the ancient Indians, to maintain these places of shelter for man and mules on their weary journeys. In general they are committed to the charge of Indian families who happen to be living in the vicinity, or to others who take up their residence near the house of refuge, for the express purpose of keeping it habitable. It must be confessed,164
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however, that the indulgence of the authorities has not exceeded the limits of the most absolute necessity, for the tambos are generally constructed of mud and stones, have no furniture and frequently no door, and have only occasionally benches of dried mud for the travellers to sit or lie upon.
We had eaten nothing but a few biscuits since leaving Cheguala; but we now made a fire in the open air, and with some dried meat and potatoes prepared a fair supper, while our guide laid out our beds on the ground, in the dreary place of refuge in which we were to lie. We were neither of us, however, strangers to the inconveniences of travelling in high and little frequented lands; and as we were rather fatigued with our day’s journey we lay comfortably down and enjoyed a most agreeable night’s repose.
The morning after our first night passed in a tambo of the Andes we rose at an early hour, and after making a fire, and again cooking some potatoes and dried mutton, breakfasted hastily, and then renewed our journey.
Our road became now less dreary than it had been on the previous day. The land was better watered, and slight vegetation, consisting chiefly of short grass and the cactus plant, was to be seen growing in the vales and by the streams. At times during this day’s journey, we saw for the first time, the wild llamas feeding upon the sides of the mountains; and in some of the valleys, we saw many of the same animals that had been already subjected to the use of the inhabitants.
As early as one hour after noon, we arrived at theJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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tambo of Quailiala, at the distance of six leagues from tbe place at which we had passed the previous night; and as the snow was just commencing, with every prospect of its lasting for the rest of the day, we determined to remain here until the following morning.
We rose the next morning at an early hour, and soon after leaving our tambo came to a brook, on one
j
side of which were steep cliffs. Here were many ducks, swimming in the stream; but they were too wild to admit of our shooting any of them, without the sacrifice of more time than we could afford.
When we had accomplished about five leagues, we perceived the ruins of many mud and stone houses, which had the appearance of being the remains of a small town; and we learned from our guide, that there had been a settlement of Indians here within the recollection of men still living. There were now however no human inhabitants, though we saw sometimes llamas, and at other times alpacas or vicuñas, in abundance, feeding, or galloping over the sides of the mountains at our appearance when we turned round any of the headlands or promontories that were along our route.
Our journey during the earlier part of the day, was easier than usual, and after travelling eight leagues, we came to a tambo ; but as it happened to be worse than any we had before . seen, and full of snow which had fallen the previous night, and as the next station was only four leagues further, we were very unwilling to stay the night here. However we deemed it prudent to weigh the chances to which we might become exposed ; so having alighted, unloaded our beasts, and166	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
kindled a fire, we sat down to talk over the matter whilst we rested ourselves.
After some consideration, our guide being very doubtful as to the policy of our proceediug any further before morning, on account of the probability of snow falling, we consulted the tambero, or .keeper of the tambo, from whom we received a very bad account of the country before us, and no encouragement to continue our journey before the next day. He informed us, that the snow fell here every evening at this season from between four and five o’clock until after midnight, which was indeed much the same as we had already experienced. In spite of this warning, however, as the distance was only four leagues, and the sun was still shining, after we had rested ourselves we remounted our beasts and renewed our journey.
The first part of our way was agreeable. The sun shone brilliantly; and although there were patches of snow to be seen in places sheltered from his rays, and thè tops of the higher lands at no great distance in front of us were covered with snow, the tracks were all plain, and there seemed every prospect of our arriving at the next tambo at a very reasonable hour.
We had not proceeded very far, however, before we found that we had trusted the elements much beyond the point that our better reason ought to have fixed ; and, when we were overtaken by the night, we became involved in difficulties which threatened our total loss. The snow which began to fall at the usual hour, was at first light, and afforded no obstruction to our path ; but the sun had not long disappeared, when the wind beganJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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to blow in violent gusts, the drift of the snow completely concealed our path, and it became perfectly dark.
Our regret at having continued our journey was now very great. We had left a place of perfect safety, and had lost the tracks which were our only guide, without any prospect of finding them before the sun melted the snow again, as it usually did at a late hour on the morning after it had fallen. There was no moon, the cold was excessive, and both our mules and ourselves were fatigued.
We continued however to move on for some time, in the hope that we were in the right course; for once out of our track, even the return of day would bring no relief to us, as there was not a chance of our discovering where we were, perhaps for many days, if at all, either by the bearings of the mountains or by the compass. There was indeed one faint hope to which we clung. Our guide knew we were in the vicinity of a cataract, near which the tambo where we ought to lodge was placed, and trusted that we might find the stream into which the water fell; so with this expectation we continued to move slowly on, although we could not see the distance of ten yards around us.
The wind as wre proceeded became more and more violent^; but the worst of our sufferings arose from the drift of snow, which swept over the rocky and gravelly soil with tempestuous force.
After this state of the elements however had endured for several hours, suddenly a little after midnight the guide, who was leading the party, cried out that he168
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heard water falling. Upon this news we all stopped, and plainly hearing the sound at intervals, shaped our course in the direction from which it appeared to come, and within half an hour had the satisfaction of seeing a light at about a dozen yards directly before us, which turned out to be in the very tambo of Greiabivina, of which we were in search.
Our joy at this time may be easily conceived. But it must be confessed, that the good house of refuge required something more than ordinary to give the most weary traveller the satisfaction which we certainly felt. The light that we had seen was a fire made upon one of the benches in the tambo upon which we found two miserably poor Indians sitting. The ground around them was covered with water for several inches deep, without the appearance of having been otherwise for some time; and the smoke was so dense, that it was impossible for us to remain within while the fire was alight. It was therefore put out; and after giving some coverings to the tamberoes to make up for their loss of the fire, we unloaded our mules, placed our beds upon the clay benches, and, in spite of the wretchedness of our abode, slept very comfortably until the morning.
----“ Weariness
Can snore upon a flint, when restive sloth
Finds the down pillow hard.”
We were on our mules again at an early hour the next day, and before noon reached the tambo of Kamuguas, at the distance of five leagues. As we heard here that there was another of these places of refugeJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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at a distance of seven leagues from this, and that the way was good, as it was still early, we determined to remain only a short time to refresh ourselves and our beasts, and then renew our journey.
This tambo was well situated to give travellers a fine view of the country before them. There was indeed a more pleasing prospect than any we had before seen in the sierra. A valley into which we had next to descend lay immediately before us, and beyond this the snow-covered mountain peaks rose one above another in magnificent disorder, while on the lower lands appeared more vegetation than we had hitherto seen.
Our descent was now extremely rapid, but while we were picking our way, the sky became overcast, and it began to snow. There was however, no difficulty about the way, which was rendered plain by the character of the ground; and the clouds dispersing rapidly, our next resting-place became visible while it was at some distance beneath us.
Before the sun set we crossed a brook in which there were many ducks; and after this we passed over a narrow swampy plain which brought us to the tambo of Benconarda which we reached before dark.
The next morning when we arose, we found the ground more deeply covered with snow than usual, and the road very uncertain. However, taking with us one of the young Indians who had been in charge of the tambo in which we had slept, we continued still to descend until we came to the village of Coruro, which we had seen from the higher lands. Here, however, we found but a cluster of filthy Indian hovels, the wretch-170
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edness of which was much, increased by the melting of the snow that had fallen during the previous night.
In the afternoon, we several times crossed a stream called the Witchomo, where we observed ducks in great plenty. One of these we shot and also a besacha, which is the rabbit of the Andes.
At the distance of about a mile from the next place at which we stopped, we passed over a bridge across a narrow stream, the high banks of which on one side had every appearance of containing a rich deposit of gold ore. We traced them up a little way, and found the same indications. So convinced was I, indeed, from observations I had before made in gold districts, that the ground here contained more or less of the precious metal, that we should have returned to make further observations the following day, had it not been for the certainty we felt, that the discovery would be useless both to ourselves and the country while the present wretched government endured. We therefore contented ourselves with making a few memorandums which I afterwards gave to my friend Mr. Marden of Arequipa.
We saw during the day great numbers of vicuñas and alpacas, and arrived before dark at the tambo of the Witchomos, at the distance of seven leagues from the last. Here we found two Indians in a pitiable condition of wretchedness and poverty. They informed us they were, nearly starving; and as we had no reason to doubt what they said, we gave them as much as we could spare of our own stock of provisions.
The next morning, as we knew we had a long day’s journey to perform, we left the tambo at an earlier hou/JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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than usual. Though our way was long, it was agreeable. During the first part of the day, we observed several Indian huts distributed over undulating arable land, which seemed prepared for planting potatoes; and what little snow was to be seen, was lying between the ridges of tilled land. We seemed now indeed to feel that we were approaching a happier region. All that appeared wanting to make the country equal to that in the high latitudes, was the green forests of those fertile regions.
Before noon, we passed over a mountain of no great height, where the scenery was in the highest degree picturesque. In several places it very much resembled that of some of the elevated vales in Switzerland. After this we ascended inclined plains and crossed narrow vales; and late in the afternoon, passed over a high ridge which was covered with snow and seemed to be near the region of perpetual frost and snow.
During the whole of this day, the weather was extremely fine, and the signs of industry which we perceived were highly gratifying. Indian women with their flocks of sheep and llamas were moving about in various directions, many of them carrying and working the bucca or spindle with which they prepare their wool for its useful purposes.
As we descended the second ridge of hills which we passed over during this day, we had a fine view of the lake Lungi, and of a village of the same name, which is the place of residence of the prefect or governor of the district, to whom my friend had a letter of introduction, and at whose house we had no doubt we should pass the night.172
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We reached the village about an hour before dark, and as we could easily perceive which was the residence of the prefect, we rode immediately up to the entrance, at which we found his excellency standing amidst several of his people to receive us. He had seen us descending the hills, and without so much as knowing who we were, had come out of his abode to welcome our arrival. We found indeed before my friend had even the opportunity of presenting his letter, that we had fallen into the very best hands; so that while seated upon a bench covered with a thick carpet, at a large t^ble, partaking of good viands and the best beverages to be obtained, and in the most cheerful company, we soon forgot all the inconveniences and sufferings, which we had endured at the cold tambos in which we had so long eaten and slept.
In the morning before we mounted our beasts the hospitable prefect made a little tour with us among the houses around, of which he was very proud. It was the capital of his little sovereignty, and seemed to be the object of all his cares.
The village is situated by the lake above named, and contains two hundred souls; and, there are no less than two thousand inhabitants within the district, who are nearly all Indians, and are employed in the cultivation of the land, and in such of the simpler arts as the remote district they occupy requires. In the village was a church, with a steeple, two bell towers, and a cross in front, all of which had been much damaged by the lightning.
There is also a kind of plaza here, formed by a fewJOUKNEY TO CUZCO.
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of the houses* and some mud walls with arched holes in them. These walls give a portion of the place the appearance of a fortress* for which it was probably intended.
The lake is an agreeable object in so wild a region. It is four leagues in length* and about twenty-five fathoms in depth.
We had hoped when we saw this lake and the village from the higher lands on the previous days* that when we reached them we should breathe more freely than we had done for some time; but* whether from the rarity of the air* or from the fatigue we had undergone* we were more disturbed than usual during the night we passed here* and felt very weak in the morning, even after we had partaken of a good breakfast and were ready to depart.
We did not leave the village of Lungi very early. We found ourselves in truth* in such agreeable company* that we delayed our departure,until a much later hour than that at which we were accustomed to commence our day’s march.
Upon renewing our journey* we passed several ranges of hills* after which we began the descent of an inclined plain upon which we found our respiration becoming hourly easier.
At six o’clock in the evening we arrived at Tungasuga* which is eight leagues from Lungi. We had a letter to the governor of this place also* who was not however then in the district; and as such of his attendants as we saw* appeared to us to be about as thorough savages as we had ever met with* we did not condescend to ask174
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any favour of them, but took up our quarters at a rude kind of café which we found in the place, where we had at least an opportunity of observing something of the character of the people.
There were no customers in the café when we entered; but ten or a dozen men followed our steps and sat down, some upon the ground and others upon logs of wood and mud benches, apparently disposed to converse. They asked us several questions which we answered; but when we made inquiries of them in return, we were not able to obtain any information upon which we thought we could depend.
We had however some music, if it might be so termed, which was played by a party sitting on the ground, who appeared to belong to the house. Their instruments were tambourines and pipes; and if they did not charm us with harmonious sounds, they made at least sufficient noise to content less fastidious ears.
Some supper was brought us, about the quality of which we were too hungry to be particular. While we were occupied with our frugal meal, a rather well-dressed person came in, who we heard was a merchant; and he was good enough to answer some of our questions respecting the place in which he lived. But the only matter about which he seemed to know anything worth hearing was, that 60,000 dollars worth of property was bought and sold here annually.
There was one other person indeed among the party present, who pretended to give us information, more particularly respecting the road before us; but it was plain from his exaggerated accounts, that he was a sim*-JOURNEY TO CUZCO.
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pleton who took us to be very easy dupes. Fearing therefore that he might think we believed him, we gave him in return, some accounts of our adventures upon the mountains over which we had passed, sufficiently exaggerated for their meaning to be very well understood.
The guests at the cafe, retiring at an early hour, as soon as they departed, we’ spread our beds on the ground, and although our respiration was here more difficult than usual, we passed a tolerable night.
On the morning after our arrival at Tungasuga, having, after a great deal of trouble, succeeded in getting some breakfast, we left the wretched cafe as soon as it was in our power.
The morning was bitterly cold, but there was no snow, and the air was dry and pleasant.
The first part of our day’s journey was now across a fertile plain of five or six miles in extent, which brought us to the northern extremity of the lake Lungi, where there was a small village, which however we passed through without seeing a single person or living thing.
After this we descended an inclined path, which brought us to the eastern shores of another lake a few hundred feet lower than that of Lungi. The size of this lake was not so great as that of the last, and the water seemed very dark in colour, but we were not able to learn whether this proceeded from its great depth or from some other cause. It was covered with wild fowl of several species, and we found a small village placed at its northern extremity.
We next descended a deep declivity which brought us to a third lake, about one league and a half in176
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circumference, which appeared to have been once much larger and to have had a great portion of its waters drained off or dried up. There were here also a few ducks, and there was a village seated at the northern end.
After passing by the third lake, we crossed an isthmus that brought us to a fourth, which appeared to be about &s large as that of Lungi. Here also there was a wretched collection of huts af the northern end.
We now found much improvement in the face of the country, and more land under tillage; and although there were many stones, the soil was generally a fine rich loam. The entire absence of trees, however, detracted much from the beauty of the scenery and must be a great drawback from the comforts of the inhabitants.
Our way now lay along the side of a range of mountains, following the course of a torrent which we learned passed by Cuzco.
The rivers in this country as in many others, frequently take their names from the places which they pass in their course, and we afterwards found that from a village by which it flowed the name of Vilcabamba had been given to a portion of this torrent, the proper name of which is Quillabanba, which in the Quichua or native tongue signifies the moon.
Along the banks of this river we found much labour had been expended in constructing some kind of road; but the portion formed was very incomplete.
In the afternoon we arrived at an Indian village called Yowka, whence we descended to a river which we had seen for some time below us; and weJOURNEY TO CUZCO.
177
now passed several more of the same description of villages as that of Yawka, amidst the most agreeable scenery; and before dark we arrived at the little town of Quiquikuana, which is ten leagues distant from Tun-gasuga.
‘At £his town we experienced great inconvenience.^ There was no place whatever to enter, but a wretched tambo, in which we took up our quarters for the night; and we could not obtain any addition to our spare travelling store of provisions.
'There is here one of the remarkable old Indian bridges, formed entirely of twigs twisted into lines of different thicknesses. Three stout cables thus made, stretch across the broad stream, and twigs, not an inch in diameter, are worked across these to form the footing, while two more perfect cables are slung for rails, which are united to the bottom by other lines of twigs. The whole was here however so worn, that it was dangerous to cross when there was any wind, and impossible during very bad weather. But a stone bridge was now commenced formed of the materials of some Indian ruins in the vicinity.
When we commenced our journey the next morning, we had the satisfaction of knowing that we were within five leagues of the city of our destination.
During the early part of this day the scenery was similar to that of the previous day. After passing one or two small lakes, we crossed over the valley of Muina, in which there is a lake that is nearly dried to a swamp, and some cultivated lands. In several places
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we observed the remains of edifices that had the appearance of having been forts; and we saw the ruins of many small houses which, if they were of the same date as the larger buildings, proclaim the condition of the peasants of that time to have been similar to what we find it at the present day.
Between the mountains which form the western and south-western entrance of the valley, there appears to have been a wall formed of loose stones, and two gates; though it is very difficult now to judge for what purpose the wall was built, unless to mark the boundary of some, province or district. The columns which support the gates on the side towards the mountains are composed of cut stones joined with great art without cement; but the buttresses which support them seem to have been of uncut stones which have much crumbled away. There were also two towers of considerable height, which appear to have been of pyramidal form, and we may conjecture, once supported some important monuments of art.
After leaving the valley of Muina, we crossed several narrow dales which were rich in pasture land. Some of these had their higher portions tilled, and were in a state of preparation for the spring seeds. We passed also five or six more Indian villages; and after these, San Greromino, a large village which was only two leagues from Cuzco, and lastly, another called San Sabastian.
Finally, after twelve hours’ march, on the ninth day after quitting the city of Arequipa, we had the satisfaction of entering Cuzco.' JOUENET TO CUZCO.
179
Our gratification upon completing our journey was great; but I did not ’ myself accomplish it without some little inconvenience, not from the rarity, but from the sharpness of the atmosphere, and the reflection of the rays of the sun from the snow and the ground, which I am unwilling to omit mentioning, as a warning to others who may make similar journeys, of the precaution necessary to provide against more serious attacks, which, if they do not endanger life, are some times very painful to endure.
As we began to descend from the higher summits of the Cordilleras, my under lip, which had been much swollen and very painful for several days, now broke, and became so sore that it was difficult for me to speak; and on our arrival, it was worse. A week or ten days, however, sufficed for the cure.
But the reflection of the sun, and the cold winds, sometimes produce much worse complaints. Our precautions were chiefly on account of our eyes, against the attacks upon which we were, particularly warned, and for which we wore goggles, which thoroughly protected them. Some travellers, however, less cautious, suffer from inflammation and irritation to such a degree as to cause pain hardly supportable, and even delirium followed by chronic inflammation and dimness of sight, which endures for a considerable time and sometimes ends with total blindness.
It was about an hour after dark when we arrived, and as this was too late to present any of our letters of introduction, we took up our quarters at the tambo,180	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which was an apartment in a deserted mansion in the main street of the town; and after a good supper, for which our guide procured some acceptable additions to our travelling stock, we chose our corners of the room, spread our beds, and, in sea phrase, turned in.THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
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CHAP. XIII.
THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
Territory of the Incas. — Descriptions of the Country. — Land fertilised by Art.—Roads.— Supposed Origin of Peruvian Civilisation. —Policy of the Incas.—Nobility of the Empire.—Account of the Government.
—	Classification of the People.— Extraordinary Regulations.—Laws.
—	Punishments. — Humanity. — Agrarian Law. — Cultivation of the Lands. — Sources of Revenue. — Universal Control of the Government. — Regulations. — Frugality. — Neither Poverty nor Riches. — Contentment of the People.—Education. — Abstract Science.^—Agriculture. — Methods of Irrigation. — Manufactures. Substitute for Iron. — Wars. — Weapons. — Gods of subdued Nations.—Language.
—	Remarks on the Government. — Classification of the People. -
It is not possible to travel in Peru without having the mind constantly occupied with the consideration of what more concerns the ancient inhabitants than the present possessors of the country; and as we have now reached the city which occupies the site of the former seat of government of that partially civilised people whom the Spaniards found in possession of so large a portion of this continent, and shall have the opportunity Qf visiting the remains of their principal temples, forts, and palaces, it will be as well, in a very brief sketch, to remind the reader of all that is known of their history, from the earliest times up to the date of the principal conquests of the invaders.
N 3182
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The Peruvian Empire, when the Spaniards first landed on this part of the continent, comprehended the whole country west of the Andes, from the second degree of north, up to about the thirty-seventh of south latitude, with all the valleys and table lands lying between the different chains of mountains, besides certain tracts of the country lying east of the Andes, as far as the territories of the savage tribes which still inhabit those regions—in a word, the whole of that territory which now comprises the five republics of New Granada, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chili.
The country lying between the base of the Andes and the coasts of the great ocean, rarely exceeds twenty leagues in breadth, and is frequently in the highest degree rude and sterile. More fertile tracts are however found in the plains and valleys between the Cordilleras, where the aspect of the country is everywhere most remarkable. Bold mountain summits, precipitous cliffs, deep ravines, broad and fertile valleys, desert plains and rapid torrents, meet the eye of the traveller in every direction in which he may turn. Yet, in spite of these disadvantages, we find that the country, for several centuries before the invasion of the Europeans, was inhabited by a race of men who had made such progress in civilisation, that they lived under a settled form of government, built cities, and accomplished works, the magnificence of whose remains we contemplate with
T •	•	S
admiration at the present day.
A very large portion of this great country is equally unfavourable for the purposes of agriculture and for internal commerce. Throughout the more northernTEE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
183
districts rain very rarely falls, and near the coast the land is watered only by small streams, which without the application of art, would not be of any considerable benefit. Yet all these obstructions to human progress appear to have been surmounted by the ancient inhabitants, though at what cost of time and lives, there are no records to enable us to ascertain. It is certain, however, that the most sterile districts, up to the very shores of the ocean, which now lie waste, were once partially irrigated and refreshed by canals and subterranean aqueducts, by which means a great portion of the desert was made to produce the necessaries of life to the inhabitants. Along the sides too of the Cordilleras, terraces were formed in the same manner as in Syria at a remote period, and the soil was there laid and cultivated; while the llamas roved wild, or wandered under the care of shepherds over the sierras above the limits of possible cultivation.
A great part of these high lands, indeed, appears to have been inhabited by an industrious population; while towns and villages flourished amidst orchards and
gardens, far above the ordinary elevation of' the clouds.
/
Communication moreover was opened between the ancient capital and every portion of the empire, by means of roads formed by incalculable labour, across the most rude and mountainous regions.
The accounts, however, given by the Peruvians concerning the origin and progress of the civilisation they had attained before the arrival of the Spaniards, have been justly considered by the author of the “ History of the Conquest of Peru,” as mere fable, partly because184
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
they cover a period too long to have been occupied by the reign of only thirteen Incas, which is the number mentioned in their history, and also on account of the discovery of the ruins of great edifices on the shores of the lake Titicaca* which are acknowledged by the Peruvian historians, to have been erected before the reign of the first Inca. It appears indeed certain, that a race of men considerably advanced in civilisation must have existed in Peru, before the time of the Incas ; and in conformity with almost every tradition among the inhabitants, we may trace the origin of the civilisation that had been attained, to the people who dwelt near the lake Titicaca whence the first Inca at Cuzco probably came. Upon the whole* there appear to be no accounts that can be fully relied upon, of anything that occurred before about a century previous to the arrival of the Spaniards.
The advance of the subjects of the Incas towards that state of civilisation in which they were found by the Europeans, seems to have been extremely slow. The several barbarous tribes in the vicinity of the capital of the empire, appear to have been won over and placed under the rule of the Incas solely by kind treatment, which impressed them with a conviction of the advantages attending a well-regulated government. But the policy which accomplished this, seems only to have been exercised at the commencement of the empire; for as soon as the Incas had grown sufficiently strong* by this humane policy, which proclaimed peace and civilisation, they fell upon, and conquered, the barbarous nations both in the south and the north.THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.	185
The most remarkable of the Peruvian conquerors, was Topa Inca Yupanqui, the grandfather of the sovereign who sat upon the throne at the time of the first invasion of the Spaniards. He, it appears, in the middle of the fifteenth century, led his armies across the frightful deserts of Alacana, and subjected the whole country to his rule as far as the river Maule; and soon after this his son, who inherited the military genius of his father, conquered and added to his empire the powerful kingdom of Quito.
While these enterprises were being carried on, the city of Cuzco advancing in population and wealth, became the seat of government of a powerful empire, ruled by a despotism administered by the Inca, who claimed a divine origin. Thus, as the representative of their sovereign deity, the sun, he framed and altered the laws, made war and peace, commanded the armies, and presided over the religious festivals; and, that his enjoyments might be in proportion to his power, he had palaces in many parts of the empire as well as in the capital, in which he alternately resided*
The nobility were divided into two classes, those who descended from, or were of the blood of, the Incas, and those who were the governors of the communities in the conquered provinces. The former comprehended only the descendants of the male line; but as these included all whose ancestors had at any time reigned, they were very numerous, and contributed to the real strength of the monarchy.
Proud of their common descent, which was not inferior to that of their sovereign, and made them nearly equals.186
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this class of the nobility entertained sympathies among themselves to which the rest of the people were strangers. Thus they held all the offices of trust without any jealousy of one another, and the administration of the laws of the empire was safely entrusted to their care.
The nobility of the other class seem to have administered the laws in their respective provinces under the authority of the nobles of the blood royal, and to have been under restraints which plainly indicated thëir inferior rank.
The government, under which the Peruvians lived, was indeed so remarkable in the character of its several departments, as to furnish a strong contrast to the political institutions of the Old World, during the earlier periods of civilisation. We may even look upon it as one of the distinct proofs which the various countries differing in religions afford, of how little is to be seen of the divine hand, in the construction of the forms of government and codes of laws, which have almost every where, in one age or another, been attributed to the direct councils of the Deity worshipped by every people under some form or other.
The government of this great empire, the Indian name of which was Tavcmtinsuyu, which signifies the four quarters of the globe, was, in conformity with its name, divided into four departments, to each of which a road conducted, diverging from the capital. The capital itself also was divided into four quarters, each inhabited by a different race of men, who resided on the side of the city nearest to the province fromTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.	187
which they derived their origin, every race, to a certain extent, retaining the manners and customs of their ancestors.
Each of the four grand provinces of the empire, seems to have been placed under a governor, who was assisted by councils which regulated the affairs of the departments under his government. The governors themselves appear to have all resided for a portion of their time in the capital, where they formed a council of state for the Incas.
The whole nation was also in a remarkable manner divided into communities, beginning with so small a number as ten governed by one of themselves, who was required to take care that all enjoyed the immunities to which they were entitled, that they all had liberty to solicit aid of the government when this was required, and that all offences against the law were duly punished. But, in case of any neglect of duty on the part of one of these officials, in not securing the rights and privileges of his fellow-subjects or failing to discover and, punish offenders, he was liable himself to punishment, and in the latter case to suffer the penalty due to the offending party,—a responsibility similar to that of the Sheiks or magistrates of Northern Africa and some parts of Asia at the present day.
Besides these, there were bodies of fifty, and others of one hundred, five hundred and a thousand, each body having a superior officer who was supervisor of all beneath him.
In each of the towns there were regular tribunals composed of magistrates who had authority to punish188
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
petty offences, while those of a graver kind were submitted to the governors of the districts.
All offices of honour or. authority were received directly from the Inca, who removed every one in power at his pleasure. A special council traversed the whole kingdom at certain times, to investigate the character and conduct of the magistrates, severely punishing every neglect of duty.
The inferior courts were obliged to make monthly returns to the higher, and these again to make similar returns to the governors of the departments, by whom they were transmitted to the Incas who, from the centre of their dominions were thus enabled to take cognisance of and rectify every abuse in the administration of the law throughout their dominions.
The defined laws of the empire were few, and were chiefly for the suppression of the highest crimes. Murder, adultery, theft, blasphemy against the sun and rebellion, were all punished by death. But it is noticed as a circumstance strongly indicating a certain degree of humanity, that the graver charges were always submitted to a more minute investigation, whereby sometimes the lives of the accused were saved. It must also be remembered, that these offences were all deemed to be sacrilege, as the laws of the empire were supposed to have proceeded alike from the representative of the supreme object of their worship, and were therefore accounted divine.
It is worthy also of remark, that although the same error existed among the Peruvians, as is found in the early history of most nations, of deducing all authorityTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.	189
directly from the divinity they worshipped, the laws, however severe, were not accompanied with any of those tortures which have prevailed among almost every other people in a corresponding stage of society.
An agrarian law seems to have existed, which has been highly extolled by the early Spanish historians. In the first place there were large tracts of land set apart to provide for the ceremonies attending the worship of the sun, which were performed with great magnificence. There were others assigned for the use of the Inca, which served to support the royal state, the members of the household, the kindred of the sovereign, and the various exigencies of the government; and there were others appropriated for the support of the numerous priesthood, and those who for various reasons were unable to perform labour.
After this, the lands were divided among the people in proportion to the size of their families. Every Peruvian was obliged to marry at a proper age, when he received from the community to which he belonged, land sufficient to maintain himself and his wife, to which was afterwards added a portion for every child that was, born, a son’s portion being double that of a daughter.
Thus, the whole territory was cultivated under regulations which appear to have been admirably adapted to the circumstances under which the people lived. The lands assigned to their principal deity, the sun, engaged their first attention. But the cultivation of the lands for the Incas, which were distributed throughout the empire, was attended with peculiar ceremonies. The whole population in the several districts was sum-190	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
moned, and the men, women, and children came dressed in their finest apparel, and laboured with great spirit, while chaunting the popular ballads which commemorated the heroic deeds of their sovereigns.
They assembled also under convenient regulations to cultivate the lands set apart for the priesthood, and for the maintenance of the aged, the widow and the orphan, and all whose bodily infirmities in any way prevented them from engaging in the labours of the field, and the families of all soldiers on actual service.
There were other sources of revenue for the Incas, and for the religious ceremonies.. Among these was the exclusive right to the llamas, which were extremely numerous. Though abounding throughout the sierra they were yet more numerous in the elevated regions, where many grazed under the care of shepherds or guards, who led them to different altitudes, according to the changes of the seasons. Great numbers were sent to the capital for the use of the sovereign and his household, and for the sacrifices offered during the religious festivals. These were all males, no females being allowed to he at any time killed.
The wool produced by these animals, was kept in the public stores, and dealt out to each family, and spun and woven by the women, to make such clothing as suited the different climates of the country. Great quantities of cotton were also produced in the less elevated regions, from which clothes were made better adapted to the wants of the inhabitants of the lower provinces.
The mines throughout the empire, belonged also to the Inca. They were worked by the inhabitants of theTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
191
districts where they were situated, whence their produce was transported to the capital.
It is worthy of especial remark, that all the arrangements for the regulation of every description of labour, were under. the immediate control of the government, and that idleness was deemed a crime and punished, while industry was stimulated by rewards. In order to carry out these regulations for the best advantage to the state, a register was everywhere kept of all the births, returns of which, being regularly forwarded to the government every year, put the authorities in possession of sufficient information to enable them to regulate the whole labour throughout the empire. Thus the working of the mines, the labour in the mechanical arts, and the cultivation of the land, were all determined, by the character of the soil, the wants of the court and the towns, and the condition of the mining districts; and these arrangements caused every department to become peopled with miners, artizans or agriculturists, according to the adaptation of the soil, the amount of mineral riches, and the wants of the towns.
But the number of the people who were instructed in the mechanical arts was small in proportion to those who were taught the most approved methods of cultivating the soil. These, indeed, composed the great mass of the people, and their labour was performed with extraordinary order.
The most remarkable instance of the wisdom and frugality of the government, was given in the regulation made for the conservation and just distribution of the produce of the land. After a part of this had been192	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
transported to Cnzco for the use of the Inca and his court, and a sufficient quantity for the year distributed among the people, that which remained was laid up in storehouses in every district throughout the empire, to provide against a scarcity, which sometimes occurred.
Such were the most remarkable of the Peruvian institutions for the distribution of property and the regulation of labour throughout the state. But if the people were by these laws and regulations saved from the distress which has at times visited so many countries of the globe, they were nevertheless subject to heavy impositions, and the mass of them were placed in a position which debarred them from obtaining riches, or rising above the rank in which they were born. Moreover the exemption of the nobles, the public functionaries, and the numerous body of the priesthood from taxation, tended to put further burdens upon the labouring portion of the population.
It will be seen by the consideration of these arrangements, that the state was at any rate free from the extremes, both of poverty and riches. There being no money, no such speculations could take place as would throw the wealth of the country into particular hands. Even the Incas had no motive to retain more than was actually expended for their especial benefit. Thus the excess of those passions which predominate in even the most civilised nations of Europe, did not exist among the Peruvians. The son followed the same avocation as his father, contented with the freedom from want which he enjoyed, and imbued with the spirit of obedience to the established order of things; and this seems to have soTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.	193
well suited the genius of the people, that they were contented and attached to the government under which they lived.
Education had made considerable advances in Peru under the care of the Incas, perhaps as much as was possible in so early a stage of human society. Seminaries were built for the instruction of the young nobility, and were entrusted to the care of a class of men called amantas who acted as teachers ; and the Incas are said to have generally taken great interest in these institutions. The subjects of education were a knowledge of the laws, and of their administration, the peculiar rights of their religion, the manner of speaking their language with purity, and the mysteries of the quipus, an instrument which supplied them not only with the means of communicating their ideas to one another, when they were apart, but gave them also the power of transmitting them to posterity.
The quipus consisted of a cord about two feet in length, made of different coloured threads, from which a quantity of smaller threads were suspended; their different colours denoting both material objects and abstract ideas. Arithmetical calculations were also made by means of this instrument with facility and rapidity ; and the quipucamayus who were the keepers of them, ^besides furnishing the government with every kind of information they required from all parts of the empire, handed down records of what passed to succeeding generations.
Although the advancement of the Peruvians in refinement was so remarkable, they had made equal
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progress in the branches of knowledge connected with the abstract sciences, which were so eagerly pursued during the earlier stages of society by the European nations. They had evidently some ideas of geography ; for they had maps which denoted the position of remarkable places, and defined the limits of their extensive empire; and even of astronomy, for they divided the year into lunar months, commencing as near as they were able to calculate, at the winter solstice, correcting the loss of time which was occasioned, by erecting cylindrical columns at Cuzco, the measuring of the shadows of which, at least enabled them to ascertain the just time, both of the solstices and of the equinoxes.
If no great advance in the sciences had been made in Peru, there can be no doubt of the superior attainments of the people in the art of agriculture ; and although they had no foreign commerce, their various climates gave rise to great internal traffic.
In the sterile districts, the labour of the population was chiefly directed to manufacturing industry ; but on the fertile lands, the art of agriculture was encouraged by the example of the Inca himself, who, at a stated time, once a year, with great ceremony, turned up the earth with a golden instrument, thus teaching the people to regard husbandry as a pursuit not unworthy of the greatest among them.
We find numerous proofs of the vigour with which this art was pursued, in the remains of galleries, tunnels and aqueducts, which were formed amidst incalculable difficulties, for the irrigation of the sterile lands, and inTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
195
the terraces which were formed upon the sides of the mountains to admit of cultivation, in some places, even upon rocks that required soil to he placed upon them before their surfaces could be made available for the purposes intended.
In their domestic manufactures the Peruvians are said to have possessed an advantage over the other nations of America. Cotton grew spontaneously on the lower lands; the maguey plant, or aloes, furnished them with a thread from which they wove a kind of linen; and, from the llama and other animals of the same genus, they obtained a plentiful supply of admirable wool, of which they made clothing adapted for the colder regions of their country. But the wool that was most esteemed by them was that of the vicuna. Of this they made articles of dress for the Inca and his household, and carpets and hangings for his palace and for the temples.
That the Peruvians should have excelléd in their manufactures, and in other works much more difficult, without the use of iron, is most remarkable. They not only, it must be observed, sculptured substances, such as porphyry and granite, but they were able to cut the emeralds and other precious stones, with a facility it is supposed scarcely known to the European workmen of the present day. Yet it is believed, although their tools were chiefly composed of stone and copper, that they must have had others with which they performed the most difficult works; and these it is thought were formed of copper combined with a very small quantity of tin, which it is said will form a mixed metal almost196	TEAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
equal in hardness to steel. Or if this were not the case, for it seems that the skill of the European mechanic is unable to produce from these metals, any such tools as the Indians certainly used, they must have possessed some metals, simple or compound, with the properties of which we are not acquainted.
Notwithstanding the mild government which the Peruvians under their Incas enjoyed, and the progress in refinement which they were making, they were, after the earlier periods of their history, continually engaged in war with the nations which lay upon their borders. The conquest of so vast a territory had been made at different epochs, sometimes during wars which had originated in the aggression of their neighbours, and at other times from the desire of conquest in their chiefs. But it is asserted, that their wars were never undertaken for the augmentation of their territory, until every art had been used, to win over the barbarous tribes; and that when these failed, religion was made the pretext for war, as has often been the case with the nations of the Old World.
Their weapons appear to have been similar to those employed by the nations of the old continent before the invention of gunpowder. Their offensive arms were lances, bows and arrows, battle axes, slings and short swords; and their defensive armour consisted of a shield and a tunic of thick quilted cotton; while the heads of the higher classes were ornamented by a sort of turban and plume of feathers. Their standard was a device representing the rainbow, which signified that they were the children of the skies.THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.	197
The first measure taken by the Incas after their conquests, was the introduction of the religion of the empire into their new territories. Temples were immediately built, and priests were appointed, who taught without reserve, all the elements of their religion, and introduced ceremonies that were sufficiently striking to accomplish every object for which they were intended.
But here we are struck by the resemblance which their treatment of the gods of the subdued nations bears to the practice of the great European nation of antiquity. Instead of the destruction of the images* they removed them to Cuzco, and placed them in a temple where they were respected as belonging to the inferior class of deities which were subject to their supreme deity the sun. Thus, they became a kind of hostage for the fidelity of the vanquished, who were not likely to rebel, while their very gods were in the hands of the people with whom they would have to contend.
It seems remarkable, that such extensive dominions as were comprehended within the bounds of the Peruvian Empire should ever have been firmly united under one head; but the most satisfactory accounts are given by the historians, of the manner in which this was accomplished. As soon as any territory was subdued by the armies of the Inca, the most tolerant laws were introduced, that were consistent with the maintenance of the sovereign authority. , The chief towns in strong positions were immediately fortified, and the whole of the Caracas, which composed the nobility of the land, were removed to Cuzco, where they remained in a state198
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of honourable imprisonment* until they became acquainted with the language of their conquerors* and experienced the advantage of a higher degree of civilisation than that which they had enjoyed at home. But* at the end of a certain term* they were put again into possession of their estates* while their eldest sons* or some portions of their families* were still retained as hostages for the fidelity of the parents.
Further efforts seem to have been made to replace the numerous languages and dialects throughout the empire* by the more refined language of the court, and with remarkable success. This language* which was properly that only of Cuzco and the country imme^ diately surrounding the capital* was then* as at present* called the quichua. Teachers were sent everywhere* and offices of trust or dignity in the state* were bestowed only on those who became familiar with the quichua tongue* which arrangement contributed greatly to the refinement of the people throughout all the conquered provinces.
It is especially worthy of remark, that there seems to have been constant peace and tranquillity at the centre of the empire* while war raged upon the borders both on the north and south. But by the wise measures of the Incas* the vast country they came to possess fell gradually under their entire government; so that long before the arrival of the Europeans* their whole territory was united as one nation* and the people were everywhere animated by the same loyalty towards the Inca* and the same devotion to their common religion.THE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
199
The points most worthy of notice in the government of this people were—the unlimited power of the sovereign ; the patience with which this was borne by every class of the community; and the establishment and conservation of the Inca’s authority among the conquered tribes, without the exercise of those severities by which governments have often been maintained in the countries of the Old World. That all this was mainly owing to the character of the religion under which they lived, seems to be most probable. The sovereign was not considered merely the earthly representative of the divine power, but was supposed, on account of the believed descent of one of his ancestors from the sun, to be himself divine ; and his lawxs were regarded in the same manner by his conscientious subjects, that the divine law of heaven is regarded by ourselves, with this difference — that every breach thereof among the subjects of the Incas, was visited by immediate punishment, instead of remaining, like some of the worst we commit, unavenged until our appearance in a future world.
Though a belief in the divinity of the Inca may have been the chief cause of his power, yet this was much strengthened by the existence of an order of nobility
i
who, though at an immense distance beneath the sovereign, were also supposed to be of divine origin, and received an education that placed them far above the inferior classes of the community. They alone were employed in all the branches of the government; and by the respect which the people paid them, they were able to perform the duties of their offices without the exercise200
TRAVELS IN PERU ÁND MEXICO.
of the severities so often practised in the countries of the Old World.
An Englishman cannot fail to be struck by the resemblance between the ancient Peruvians and his own fellow subjects in their respect for the laws, and their marked distinction of classes, I need hardly say that I am not so extravagant as to assert that there is any similitude between our constitution and government, and that of the Peruvian people; but if we compare the superiority of the Peruvians over the rest of the Americans in social order, with that of the English over the continental nations of Europe, we can hardly help ascribing the result, in some degree, to that marked separation of classes which is observable in each system of government.
If there must be rich and poor in all countries, it is desirable that the poor should have respect for the rich, though among a civilised people, not to the extent of depriving men of the inferior classes of the power of raising themselves by legitimate means to a higher rank.
The Peruvian people were all equally the children of the Inca, and the laws for their preservation against famine by the storing of provisions, and against the want of profitable labour, by employment in the great works which were always being carried on, provided against the two grand causes of disaffection found in the communities in every stage of society in the Old World.
: In a word, if we consider the character of the European systems of government at about the same periodTHE ANCIENT PERUVIANS.
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of their history, as that of the Peruvians in the time of the Incas, few instances will present themselves to our observation, where the Europeans have attained the same degree of refinement as the nations of these regions, without experiencing more disorders than we are able to trace in any accounts given of this remarkable nation.202
TEAYELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. XIY.
CUZCO.
Position of Cuzco. — Population. — Visit to the Prefect. — My Friends the Nadals. — The Remains of the ancient Temple of the Sun. — ■ Ancient Condition of the Temple. — Other ancient Temples. — Profusion of Gold and Silver.— Number of Priests. — Religious Festivals. ■—Human Sacrifices rare.— Religious Opinions of the Higher Classes. —Ideas of a Future State. — Good and Evil hereafter. — Remaining Usages of the Ancient Religion.—Burial of the Dead.—Extraordinary Customs. — Condition of the Remains of the Grand Temple. — Character of the Masonry. — Church of San Domingo. — Dominican Friars. — Prior’s Descriptions of the Ancient and Modern Temple. — Cloisters of the Monastery. — Few Remains of Private Edifices. — General Character of the Buildings. — Our Reflections upon what we had seen—Character of the Peruvian Religion.—Virgins of the Sun. — Marriages.
The city of Cuzco, which, is stiil the capital of the mountainous regions of Peru, though the seat of government of the republic is 'at Lima, is situated in the latitude of 13° 30' south, and in the longitude of about 73° 42' west, of Greenwich, and is by actual observation 4097 varas, or a little more than 11,300 feet, above the level of the sea, but is generally considered by the Europeans in Peru to be at the height of 12,000 feet.
The population of the town, does not now exceed 20,000 souls, the greater part of whom are Mestizos, which are the people of the mixed blood of the Spaniardscuzco.
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and the Indians.* The gentry, and officials civil and clerical, however, are commonly Spanish creoles; but among the citizens of the poorer classes there are many Indians.
The morning after our arrival, my friend and myself left our tambo to wait upon General Don Miguel Medina, who was the prefect of the department, and to whom my friend was furnished with letters of introduction from members of the Spanish government, which he had already forwarded. We found his Excellency residing in a spacious government-house erected on the ruins of one of the palaces of the ancient people, and situated in one of the plazas of the town. We were received by him with great kindness, and invited to return to dinner the same day.
I next called alone upon Señor José Manuel Nadal, to whom I had a letter from my friend Mr., Jack of Arequipa. I found the gentleman at home, and living in a large house of the Spanish times, of two stories, with a spacious quadrangle and galleries projecting from the upper story. I received from him a very hearty welcome, and was introduced to a most agreeable party consisting of Señor Francisco Nadal, brother to the gentleman to whom I was particularly addressed, Miss Nadal their sister, a young lady in the very prime of beauty, a near relative of the Nadals who had had a harrow escape of
* The term Mestizos, properly means the children of a white father and Indian mother, but in the sense in which it is generally used, comprehends the children of these also, and all the varieties in which the blood of the two races appears in the interior of the country, without any mixture of a third.204
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his life during a revolution in Buenos Ayres, whence he had fled to the mountains and afterwards taken refuge with his friends at Cuzco, and also Señor Francisco Grarmendia, the deputy prefect who administered the government in the absence of General Medina. Before I departed, I received an invitation to leave the tambo and take up my quarters in the mansion of the Nadals, which, after a day or two, I was prevailed upon to do.
While speaking of these my good friends at Cuzco, I must also mention two other gentlemen whom I met at their mansion, Señor Manuel Belandia who was blind, and Señor Manuel Santa Carrasco who spoke English well, from both of whom I also received many kindnesses.
On my return from this visit, my travelling companion and myself set off together to view the principal remains of the edifices of the ancient Peruvians. We first directed our steps towards those of the famous Temple of the Sun, upon the most remarkable portion of which is raised the church of the convent of San Domingo; and after passing through one or two narrow lanes we came upon the plazuela de Santa, one side of which is formed by the front of the Christian edifice.
But it will be as well to refer very briefly, in the first place, to the accounts given by historians of the great centre of worship of the Peruvians, and of the other temples in this vicinity, and afterwards to note the condition of the remains of the great temple in particular, in connection with the Christian church with which they are found.cuzco.
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The grand temple of the ancient people is said to have been comprised in one magnificent edifice, which was dedicated to their supreme deity the sun; but there were several inferior temples designed for the worship of other deities, and the remains of some of these, are still found on the different sides of the same plazuela^ where, in the time of their glory, they covered a considerable space of ground; and there were others in the same enclosure as the grand temple.
The inferior temples were severally dedicated to the moon, the stars, the thunder and lightning, and the rainbow, which was worshipped as an immediate emanation from the supreme deity.
The walls of these temples were composed of hewn stones of the finest workmanship; but the interior of that which was dedicated to the great orb of light was decorated in a manner to excite the highest admiration. At the western end of this temple, there was a splendid representation of the chief object of Peruvian worship, in the form of the human countenance, composed of solid gold and further ornamented with emeralds and other precious stones.
This special object of worship was moreover so placed that, at the brightest season of the year, the rays of the sun fell upon it at his rising, and being thence transferred to the inferior golden ornaments which covered the surrounding walls, completely illuminated the entire temple.
The profusion of gold within this edifice may be imagined, since it is stated by a Spanish historian*.
* Sarniento Relación.206	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
that an entire belt of the precious metal encompassed the exterior of the building.
As the moon was reverenced as the spouse of the sun and the mother of the Incas, the temple consecrated to her honour was decorated in the same manner as that of the sun, but in an inferior degree. The image of this orb, which was of enormous dimensions, was composed of silver, as more suitable to represent her inferior light; and all the decorations of the edifice were of the same metal.
Besides these and other temples of worship, there were several edifices within the walls of the great temple, for the accommodation of the priests who performed the services in the temples.
The accounts given of the riches which these edifices contained, almost exceed belief. It is stated by a Spanish historian who visited that of the sun, before or immediately after it was despoiled, that all the ornaments and all the utensils appropriated to the performance of the religious rites were of gold and silver. Even the pipes that conveyed the water through subterranean passages to the interior of the temple for performing the sacrifices, were, we are told, composed of the precious metals. And in the gardens there were imitations of flowers in gold and in silver, and also figures of animals, particularly the llama which was so much venerated by the Peruvians.*
It is even said that, besides the temples already named,
* The reader may see all the authorities for what has been here stated and for much more, quoted by Mr. Prescott in his “ History of the Conquest of Peru.”cuzco.
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there were within the town no less than three or four hundred lesser temples and religious houses, in some of which were placed many of the inferior deities, while in others were the images of gods that had been at different times taken from the people who had been vanquished by the armies of the Incas.
There were also numerous other temples in different districts of the Empire, several of which seem to have almost equalled that of the sun in the capital.
The priests and inferior functionaries employed in the grand temple alone, are said to have been in number between three and four hundred, at the head of whom, and second only to the Inca in dignity, was the great high priest, or villa vmu, who was always nearly related, and sometimes brother, to the reigning sovereign, by whom he was appointed for life.
The religious festivals seem to have been numerous; but the principal of these was at the summer solstice, on which occasion the capital was thronged by the nobles who came from all parts of the country to assist in the appointed ceremonies. This festival was preceded by a fast of three days, and on the day which succeeded these, the Inca, his court, and the whole population of the city, assembled in the public square, to greet the sacred orb at his rising, vying with one another in the gaiety of their apparel, the number of their attendants, and the splendour of the canopies under which they were carried.
After the rising of the sun, the whole party crowded to the great temple, where there was usually a sacrifice offered, generally of a llama and also of grain and208	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
flowers; then music and dancing closed the entertainments of the day.
Human sacrifices seem to have been rare among the Peruvians; and as these sacrifices, and even cannibalism, were common among the surrounding nations, the conquests of the Peruvians on this account alone, may be considered as a blessing to the nations whom they subdued. Such sacrifices were however offered on the occasion of a coronation or the birth of an heir to the sovereignty, when a child or a beautiful virgin, was usually chosen for the occasion.
There seems to be a general opinion entertained, by those who have studied the characters of the various Indian races in America, that almost every where throughout the two continents, the higher classes of men have been impressed with a consciousness of the existence of one presiding Great Spirit who is immaterial in his nature, present every where, and always incomprehensible to the understandings of men. The disposition however of the human race is inconsistent, and especially with those who are so much engaged in their worldly affairs that they do not take sufficient time for the full exercise of their reason upon subjects that do not bear upon their material interests, and with those whose wealth and power depends upon the will of the masses. The former of these appear to have sometimes been glad to ease their minds of the burden of thought, and submit to systems which have been established, while men of the other class have submitted in a similar manner, lest they should lose their position in the state. Thus the worship of men under such obstaclescuzco.
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to the just exercise of the highest faculty with which the Creator has endowed us, has been sometimes fixed upon the grander objects of the material creation, at other times upon animals that excite dread, and yet more often, upon idols that have life and feeling in the imagination only of the most ignorant of the people. But the first of these, the worship of the grandest object in nature, the' glorious orb of light, was the professed religion of the Peruvians.
It is necessary to remark here, that there is sufficient reason to believe, that among those classes of the ancient people whose time was not too much occupied with their worldly affairs to admit of the full exercise of the highest faculty given to human creatures, in the study of the Creator and his works, this great object of common adoration was only regarded as the representative of the superior Deity. And when we consider the dependence of our globe and its inhabitants upon the light and heat that we receive from the sun, and that no creatures could exist without his animating ray, we must be strongly impressed with the reasonableness of the belief entertained concerning the sun, by men deprived of any direct revelation from the Supreme Being.
But what is most calculated to engage our interest in respect to the religion of this people is, the ideas they entertained concerning a future state. Some among us believe, that no people have ever existed without impressions more or less distinct, of a resurrection. At any rate it is certain, that none have made any consider-
P
VOL. i.210
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able advances in civilisation without obtaining some definite ideas of futurity; and the Peruvians were among those who entertained the most rational opinions concerning the future world. They firmly believed in the existence of the soul hereafter, and in the resurrection of the body to which it would be again united, and that there would be different abodes for those whose lives had been in conformity with the precepts of their religion, and for those who had practised the sins which these condemned. The former were to pass into a state where they would be engaged in occupations similar to such as they had followed on earth, but where they would enjoy perpetual tranquillity, which seems to be the idea of happiness conceived by every semi-civilised people; and the latter were to expiate their crimes by hard labour. They also believed in the existence of an evil spirit, who seems, however to have had so little influence over their minds, as to have been rather regarded as a personification of sin than as a distinct being.
But with their firm belief in the resurrection, and their definite impressions as to the condition of the human race hereafter, they mingled superstitions, and were addicted to practices, that are less worthy of our respect. Thus we find them taking every care to preserve the bodies of the dead, and burying with them their apparel, their utensils and frequently a part of their treasure, a custom similar to that of the Egyptians and other ancient nations in the old world. The preservation of the bodies was effected, by exposing them before their burial, to the rarefied air of the mountains, for whichcuzco.
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purpose they were placed for a time in open caves and in excavations in the rocks.
If any one should wish to be assured of the deep impression upon the minds of the ancient Peruvians respecting the genuineness of their religious system, they would do well to regard the character of the Christian worship among their descendants at the present day, in which they will observe several of the ancient superstitions still remaining, with so powerful a hold upon the minds of the people as to defy every means taken to eradicate them.
The Christian religion was enforced by the sword; and it is certain that the priests have in general been rather feared than respected. Yet in the villages and settlements where they have behaved with moderation, much attachment has been shown them ; though this it is supposed , has in a great measure arisen from the resemblance of their power to the theocratic portion of the system of government of the Incas.
Among the practices which come the most under the eyes of Europeans, as peculiar to the Indians, and in any way connected with religion, are the ceremonies relating to the dead, which are too strongly maintained to be put down either by the priest or by the sword; but as they have never seemed to the government to be fraught with any danger to the dominion of white men, they have been treated rather with indifference by the authorities, than as dangerous to the tranquillity of the state.
These ceremonies commence immediately after the212	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
death of the Indian. The sick man is attended by his nearest relations, and his body is no sooner a corpse, than coca is put into the mouth, and a light is placed by its side. The clothes of the deceased are then collected, washed ahd laid aside, and the corpse is dressed in a robe resembling a monk’s habit, and round the neck is hung a small bag containing the seeds of coca, maize and several other plants, for the commencement of the good man’s husbandry in the new world which he is about to enter.
But the most curious part of their ceremonies is strangely connected with the desire of the living to know the condition of the deceased in the future world. On the evening which succeeds the day of the Indian’s death, ashes are strewed upon the floor of the room in which the body lies, and this is securely closed for the night. On the following morning the door is opened, and the ashes are closely examined to ascertain whether there is any sign of footsteps; and these are often alleged to be found, and are said to be generally, those of quadrupeds or birds; and by them the condition of the departed it is supposed can be perfectly read. Some of the marks they believe denote with perfect clearness, that the soul of the departed has been removed to a place of repose and perpetual enjoyment, while others indicate that the deceased has been carried to a world where labour and sorrow will be his portion for ever.
The funeral, wherever a priest can be present, is conducted according to the Christian forms. But the body is interred without a coffin; and upon the depar-cuzco*	213
ture of the priest, who retires as soon as the service of the church is concluded, food, and utensils for cooking are put into the grave, and the body is then covered*
There is yet another superstitious ceremony, of mixed character, connected with the dead after their burial. On the first All Saints’-day, after the death of any one, a table in the room in which the decease took place, is spread out and covered with coca, and Ghicha, which is a beverage of the country, and any dishes which the deceased was fond of when living, and the room is kept closed the whole day. But although it is not very likely that any of this provision should disappear without the aid of the living, every one is persuaded that the dead now return to their homes and partake of a solitary meal in remembrance of their sojourn in this lower world.
There are yet other ceremonies practised in some parts of the country, especially where the inhabitants have retained the most of their ancient customs. Among these are the adornments which the women put on at every anniversary of the death of their husbands, and the funeral dance. These ceremonies are said to be attended with more indulgence in the pleasures of the table Than those before mentioned.
I shall'now speak of what remains of the grand temple which has given rise to these remarks, and the Church of the worthy San Domingo, which now occupies their site.
The most perfect of the remains of the ‘ ancient temple, are to be seen at the eastern and western ends of the modern edifice. At the west end, there is a part of the wall which has never been disturbed,214	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
of about twenty feet or more in height, and thirty in breadth at the base, and of a curved form; and on the east, almost the whole of that side of the edifice remains, measuring about seventy feet in length and twenty-five in height. While examining these walls we had the first opportunity of observing the excellent character of the masonry of the ancient people. The stones are generally about two feet in length, and of a uniform breadth of about sixteen inches. They are of a grey colour and are placed in perfect lines, and are so ingeniously united, that although no traces of mortar have been discovered, not so much as the blade of a penknife can be any where even at this day inserted between them; and the work is relieved from the monotony it might otherwise present, by a slight projection of the surfaces of the stones, caused by their not touching one another within an inch or two of the line of the exterior.
Everything, indeed, seems to indicate, as already mentioned, that the Peruvian workmen must have had instruments of greater power than is generally supposed. Were it otherwise, no conception could be formed of the space of time that must have been occupied in the preparation of these stones for the works they compose. It is even reasonable to believe, that we have not the metal, simple or compound, by which these laborious works were performed.
The stone of which this, and many other of the Indian temples are composed, is called trachyte by the geologists. Some of the ancient buildings however are of granite which does not seem to abound any where in theCUZCO.
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Andes, and others are of porphyry, of a kind not precisely similar to that of Europe. Other public works are formed of schiste which is evidently of a late formation.
The exterior generally of the modern temple has little worthy of observation, though there is a tower so decorated with carved stone columns as to have excited the admiration of Europeans. Upon a close examination, however, it is easy to perceive that the entire edifice is built of the stones of the ancient temple of the sun.
As we entered the church, we observed two or three Dominican Friars, of whom there are thirty-eight in the convent. They were moving about as busily as if they had really something serious to perform. We were joined by the Prior Vicenta Soban, who conducted us round the interior of the building. We found, however, little that was worthy of our attention, save those portions of the walls, that, within as well as without, show the elaborate workmanship employed in the erection of the temple of the sun.
That portion of the church which now contains the altar, the Prior informed us was formerly occupied by an elaborate work in the form of an egg, upon which was placed the golden image of the sun before mentioned, called Pachacamac by the ancient people.
The walls of the church haye no angles, the corners being rounded off; but this is more visible from without than from within.
The Prior pointed out to us a trap door, which he216	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
informed ns led to a passage that formerly conducted from the ancient temple to the Rodadero, or fortress which will he presently mentioned. He was particular also in directing our attention to a statue of San Domingo in the attitude of prayer, which was sculptured by an Indian of the name of Huaman,
After this we were led through the cloisters of the monastery at the back of the church, in which are still to be seen some few remains of the ancient temple with which our thoughts were chiefly occupied, but nothing that was characteristic or remarkable.
About twenty paces from the walls of the ancient temple, on the outer side, there is a stream running from the rocks above, the source of which is said to be unknown, but about which we heard several tales, though nothing worthy of repetition.
On the south side of the Christian church, there is an edifice, evidently built of some of the finely cut stones which once formed the temple of the sun, but these are very loosely put together.
Of the several temples above mentioned, which occupied the precincts of the grand edifice, at the opposite side of the jplazuella, there are now only some dark walls to be seen, which serve but to add to the sadness with which we cannot fail to regard everything that recalls the past glory of that intelligent people who once worshipped the Creator in these halls, according to the best knowledge they were able to acquire in their unenlightened condition, of his benevolent care for the creatures whom he had formed.
In the immediate vicinity of the chief Christiancuzco.
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church, are observed many modern walls and bouses formed of the Indian stones, all of which were doubtless taken from ancient buildings.
In the same vicinity there are also the remains of the walls of the temple of the vestal virgins of the sun, stretching out on one side to the distance of 220 paces, and on the other to 170 paces, the stones being as nicely put together as in the temples before mentioned : and not far from this there is a street or lane formed by walls built of the same kind of stones.
The progress of the Peruvians in civilisation, like that of many nations of antiquity in the old world, is chiefly to be seen in the structure and general character of their public buildings ; but too little remains of their private edifices to enlighten us in anything essential concerning their manner of life. The number of these probably bore at one time the same ratio to that of the public edifices that our private houses now bear to our public buildings. If the inhabitants of these islands had three centuries ago been driven from their homes, their institutions being utterly destroyed, and their towns occupied by the army of a people of a different character, what would now remain of the streets that had been inhabited by such a numerous population?
Something however may yet be gathered from the examination of what little still remains of the private dwellings of this ancient people. There are several long and firm walls in Cuzco, composed of porphyry and granite, some of which are formed of ^stones regularly cut and nicely adjusted, and others of stones which have.218	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
often seven or eight angles* all exactly fitted into one another.
Within some of these walls* rooms are still found* formed of stone and about fourteen feet in height. These were probably the dwellings of the nobility; but there are others* which were evidently built of a kind of brick formed in blocks of about eighteen inches or two feet square* and composed 6f mud and grass* but of such excessive hardness as to be scarcely distinguishable from stone* and possibly as insensible to the changes of the weather.
Upon the whole, however* the private houses of Cuzco seem to have been of a rather mean description when compared with those of modern Europe. They appear to have consisted generally of but one apartment which opened by a door into a court. There are no traces anywhere of windows or apertures to admit the light* which doubtless only entered by the doors, in the same manner as we have seen in the smaller houses of the Creoles of Arequipa. Their doors* indeed* like those of the houses at Arequipa* appear to have been large* and formed in the same manner as were some in the towns in the east, before the discovery of the advantages of the arch* being a little narrower at the top than at the bottom.
There are few traces to be found any where of roofs to the houses. I saw none in the capital; though in some other places* there are certain remains of roofs formed of earth and pebble stones. The greater part were doubtless made of such perishable materials as the historians inform us covered, the public edifices* which were chiefly wood and straw.CUZCO.
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Upon the whole, the buildings generally in Cuzco, and in the other ancient towns in Peru, may be said to have been simple in their construction, free from external ornament, and commonly without openings upon the public thoroughfares, yet well adapted to the state of the country, and the condition of society in which the people lived.	,
The chief excellence that we can now distinguish in the construction of the public buildings, seems to have been the admirable adjustment of the stones of which they were composed. Some in the lesser buildings were rough on the outside, although exactly fitting to one another.
That no arches, as we read, were found in Peru, seems almost contradicted by what has been said of the roofs of some of the private houses; but it must be remembered, that these supported no weight, and therefore bore no resemblance to the arch which has been of such essential service to the Europeans in almost every kind of construction. But it is most remarkable, that there should have been, as is quite evident, buildings glowing with ornaments of the precious metals and yet without a single window. Perhaps, however, the chief virtue of every sort of ancient building of which we now see the remains in Peru, was its adaptation to resist the effects of the earthquakes and volcanoes to which the country has been ever subject. At any rate, many remains of their more substantial buildings exist, where those of their very conquerors have totally disappeared, notwithstanding the number of the former that have been pulled to pieces by the searchers for gold, atPdifferent epochs since the conquest.220	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
After our examination of these most remarkable remains of the once flourishing capital of the most interesting people that formerly inhabited any portion of the new world, I returned to the tambo full of depressing reflections upon the sad use which has so often been made of the Christian religion, which I was pleased to find, my. Spanish companion felt as sensibly as myself. We had visited the spot where the professors of the religion which teaches peace and good will to one another, among all the sons of men, had desecrated the temples of the purest worship of the Supreme Being that was perhaps ever conceived by unaided man, and, had for mere gold destroyed or enslaved the harmless population whom they might have supported, until the time arrived for their conversion to their own faith.
Were we to judge of the greater events with which the history of our species makes us acquainted, as we judge of the lesser, we might almost attribute the decline of that once powerful empire which conquered the two enlightened nations of America, to the acts of injustice and barbarity which accompanied these conquests. Were the haughty tyrants of the past age, thus judged, the condition to which their descendants are now reduced, would be an example to nations who, in the time of their pride, might be about to play similar parts in the great drama of human affairs. It might teach them to act as would become .those impressed with the conviction that the whole human race are the equally valued children of the great Parent of all, and equally entitled to the respect which it is proper for all men to show to one another.cuzco.	221
The very streets of the modern town of Cuzco are already desolate. The population has diminished one half during the last thirty years, and the spacious dwellings which the Spanish nobility once occupied, with their quadrangles and galleries, are now inhabited, in a great part, by the poorer classes of the people, who have been reduced, mainly by supporting the monasteries, to almost the lowest condition in which our species are any where found.
Of all the religions that have arisen from the reflection or caprice of men in the earlier stages of society, perhaps there is none more rational and intelligible, than that which inculcates the worship of the Sun, as the deity by whom the world and its inhabitants were formed, and whom all Nature obeys. It might be said indeed, that' no other so strongly impresses men with a sense of the power and beneficence which all acknowledge to be the chief attributes of the deity whom they worship. As the bright orb rises and the sullen darkness is exchanged for the cheerful light of day, these great attributes are impressed upon men’s minds; and as he approaches the latitudes we inhabit, the gloom of winter passes away, the plants begin to spring from the ground, and the myriads of organic beings which rejoice in his invigorating ray, find means of subsistence and propagate their kind.
But perhaps that which was most calculated in this religion to impress men with reverence and awe was, the daily presence of the supreme deity whom every eye could behold, and who they might be sure could equally look on his children wherever it was day.222
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It is easy to conceive the strength of the impressions made upon men by the visible presence of the supreme deity in whom they believe. From this may have arisen that mildness in the religion of the ancient Peruvians, which pre-eminently distinguished it from that of any other people in the same degree of civilisation. Whatever may have been the real impression of the Incas, and the men of the higher classes of the nobility in Peru, there can be no doubt of the effects of their religion upon all the classes of the people whose interest might suffer from the overthrow of the order that reigned.
Many ceremonies in the worship of the Peruvians have been supposed by the Roman Catholic priests to have been learned from the Christians, through means which are, however, too extravagant to be worthy of the least attention. There was nevertheless one institution which bore a certain resemblance to the convents of the Romish Church, which was that of the virgins of the sun. One of these in the capital is said to have contained usually about fifteen hundred inmates, who it is strangely asserted were all of royal blood.
These fair inhabitants of the secluded edifice appear to have been in some respects treated with a rigour unknown in the convents of Europe. If a virgin was detected in an intrigue, she was buried alive and her lover was strangled, the town or village to which he belonged being razed to the ground.
These damsels were all brides of the Inca* and when of a marriageable age, the most beautiful were selected and transferred to the royal harem, which contained sometimes thousands of young women, some of whomCUZCO.
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were permitted after a time, to return to their homes, where they were held in the greatest reverence for having been the Inca’s brides.
There" were other religious houses of the same kind throughout the country, which were in general filled with the children of the curacas, or nobility; but in some instances a virgin was selected and confined in them on account of her excessive beauty, even though she had sprung from the lowest class in the state.
The marriage customs of the Peruvians, exhibit a remarkable feature in the domestic history of the country. The nobles were allowed a plurality of wives, but the rest of the people were permitted to have only one. A certain day in the year was appointed in the capital, and in every town and village throughout the empire, for the general celebration of the marriages of those who were so disposed and were of a proper age, which was fixed at twenty-four for the men, and eighteen or twenty for the women. These were called together in the principal public places in the towns and villages to which they belonged, the assembly being presided over by the Inca himself in the capital, and by the highest nobles in other parts of the empire. The ceremony was performed, by the Inca or presiding noble uniting the hands, and declaring the parties to be man and wife. But there was this remarkable defect in the Peruvian marriages, that every man was obliged to take his wife from the particular community to which he belonged, which was usually composed of his own kindred. The day of these great ceremonies, was followed by festivities which made a jubilee throughout the country.224
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CHAP. XV.
CUZCO — continued.
Two English Gentlemen at Cuzco. — One English Lady. — Visit from Doctor Bennett. — Remains of the Palace of Manco Ccapae, the first Inca. — Remarkable Wall. — The Figure of a Mermaid. — Ruins of other Buildings. — View from,this Elevation. — Ascent to the Great Fortress^— Exterior Walls.— Art in the Construction of the Walls.
—	Dimensions of the Stones. — Enter the Fortress. — The Walls. — South Side of the Hill. — The Peak of the Hill. — The opposite Hill.
—	Terraces. — Seats for contemplating the Sunrise. — Reflections. -— Ancient Palaces. — Concealed Gold. — Indian Method of gathering Gold. — Impressions concerning concealed Treasure. — Modern Deposits of Treasure. — Doctor Bennett’s Museum.
There were two English, gentlemen and one English lady living at Cuzco at the time I was there, Doctor Bennett who was of middle age, and had for many years practised his profession in the city and its vicinity, Mrs. Bennett, and Mr. Backhouse, who was in the prime of life, and full of that vigour and enterprise, which is generally found in our countrymen in whatever they may happen to be engaged.
The day after our examination of the spare remains of the once grand temple of the Sun, Doctor Bennett called at our rude quarters, and after a little conversation, volunteered to accompany us in a visit to the remains of the remarkable fortress by which the ancientcuzco.
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city of the Incas was defended, which is called the Sanahuaman in the Quichua tongue; and we set off immediately for that purpose.
After mounting a steep and winding pathway on the western side of the city, we first came to a terrace, upon which are the remains of the palace of the first Inca, Manco Ccapac, or such as are so called, for the truth of the prevailing opinion has been doubted by several Spanish historians, which has led, indeed, to curious conjectures concerning the origin of Peruvian civilisation. Be this, however, as it may, it seems certain, after due investigation, that the commencement of regular government and the refinement of the ancient people were coeval with the arrival of a foreigner from some country unknown, who became their sovereign about the time that Manco Ccapac certainly began to reign. Leaving others to discuss these matters, I shall only describe the present condition of what remains of this Inca’s supposed dwelling.
This remarkable relic of a former age, is situated immediately below the heights upon which are found the remains of the great fortress we were about to visit. It consists chiefly of a wall of about twelve feet in height, which stands upon a firm terrace paved with smooth stones of irregular forms and sizes, but fitted to one another in the same manner as those in the walls of the buildings of the ancient town.
What was most worthy of our notice in the wall upon the terrace was, a number of frames of false doors, of which there are no less than seven, formed in the same manner as that which may be entered. They are all
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constructed with great regularity, and have their sides inclined to each other towards the top, which is surmounted by a lintel of ample length.
In the front of the wall of the terrace, near the centre, there is a flat stone, about two feet and a half in height and two feet in breadth, upon which is carved in relief, a figure we should call a mermaid, which, from its dissimilarity to everything around, strikes the traveller with surprise.
After entering the open doorway upon the terrace, we mounted some stone steps which brought us to a cultivated field on a level with the front wall. On the inner side of this are found massive ruins of
i
ancient edifices. Amongst them are the remains of a wall of about thirty feet in length, and eight or ten feet in height, the stones in which are placed with the same exactness as in the temples below.
Other remains of buildings were also strewed about on the same side of the hill we were ascending, which, although they do not seem to have any connection with one another, are all supposed to have belonged to the establishment of the first Inca.
The view from this elevation commands a fine prospect of the town of Cuzco embosomed between hills, of the two villages of San Sebastian and San Greronimo, through which we passed before we entered the ancient capital, one being in the middle and the other at the extremity of the quebrada, and of the snowy peaks of the higher ranges of the distant mountains. From this point also is seen the little stream which washes the town beneath the hill, winding its way towards theCUZCO.
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Orapaga, which unites with the Quillabambo or river of the moon, the higher portions of which we followed in our descent from the summits of the mountains. The Quillabambo after uniting with the Apurimock forms the Ucayali which falls into the Amazon in the latitude of four degrees south.
The great fortress of which we are about to note the remarkable remains, is said to have been commenced at least two centuries before the first invasion of the Europeans; but it was doubtless many years before the design was fully accomplished.
About a thousand feet above the site of the palace of which we had inspected the remains, we found ourselves between the peaks of two hills, upon the lowest of which on our left hand and overhanging Cuzco, are the remains of the grand fortress.
We commenced our observations by a walk beneath the exterior walls, the character and dimensions of which fill the stranger with equal surprise and delight. They so far surpass, in their dimensions and in the art employed in their construction, everything that we could expect to find, as to impress all who behold them, with the truth of what is related by historians concerning the people by whom they were raised.
The walls form angles similar to those observed in our modern fortifications, and there were three narrow entrances on this side. But I must here give the dimensions of some of the stones of which they are composed, which I afterwards took in company with Mr. Backhouse, and describe the manner in which the colossal materials are put together.
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The height of the first of the stones which we measured was sixteen and a half feet, which was equal to that of the wall, and its breadth was twelve feet. The second, placed at an angular projection of the walls and nicely rounded off, was sixteen feet and three quarters in height, and sixteen feet in breadth at the base, on each of the two sides exposed, but a little less at the top. Another in the solid wall was sixteen feet and a half in height, and thirteen in breadth at the base, but something less at the top; and near these we observed several of twelve and thirteen feet in height placed upon stones of smaller dimensions.
The greater part, however, of the walls were composed of stones inferior in size to those mentioned. But in calculating the exact height of the larger stones, it must be remembered that we measured from the ground, without knowing how far they extended beneath the surface of the soil. But what strikes the European as most remarkable is the niceness with which these immense blocks have been made to fit one another in spite of their irregularities and their dimensions.
I believe there are no stones of such enormous size found in any buildings ancient or modern in Europe or Asia, except those in the fortress at Balbec, which were placed there in a comparatively scientific age.
It may seem strange that it is not certain, whence these large masses of rock were obtained. The material however of which they are composed is the same as that of the stones used in building the temples generally in Cuzco, which is of volcanic formation, and as they are found upon the summits of mountains and hills whichCUZCO.
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are for the most part of volcanic origin, it is not very probable, as some have supposed, that these masses of rock were brought from any great distance, although the precise spot from which they were taken is not known.
Through one of the narrow entrances we took our way to the interior of the fortress. Here we found a second wall and a third, both similar to the first, and placed above one another. The second was about three feet and the third about five feet less in height than the outer wall; and the paths between the walls were about ten or twelve feet in breadth.
After passing the upper wall, we directed our steps towards the south side of the hill, where we found the fortress defended by a steep ravine where no defensive works were erected. Through this ravine runs the torrent of Quatinay, which flows by the city.
Thence we passed to the north side, where we found a similar ravine through which flows the stream of Eodadero; and we observed here some remains of defensive works.
Therfe were also three well-formed terraces overhanging the remains of the palace which we had inspected. The front of the lower of these, which extended from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty paces round the hill, was from twelve to fourteen feet in height. The second was about twelve feet in height and extended to a hundred paces, and the third was about fen feet and extended to something more than eighty paces.
Above these, at the very summit of this hill, it is230
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said, there were formerly three towers which formed the citadel, but of these we could not trace any remains. Three wooden crosses, however, now crown the heights. From this elevation we had a fine view of the town towards the east.
Descending from the summit, we crossed over the narrow plain from which we had entered the fortress, which led us, to the base of the opposite peak, which is two or three hundred yards from its companion height. This mount we found almost encircled with masses of rock, which it was evident were not of the same composition as the stones of the fortress we had examined. Their form, however, perhaps as much as the material of which they are composed seems to prove their volcanic origin. They have many grooves or hollow channels, no doubt formed by volcanic action at a remote period, which has given occasion to the citizens, of sliding down the hill ; and this has been a favourite amusement of the young folks of Cuzco, probably ever since the building of the ancient city; so that it is even difficult to distinguish the forms left upon the rock after the great natural events that have at some time occurred, from those made by the sporting people of the town.
Upon mounting to the summit of this peak, we found we were much higher than the citadel of the fortress, which we overlooked with the whole country around. The fortress, indeed, from this elevation, if we can divest ourselves of the melancholy reflections it gives rise to, forms a most pleasing object. The massive walls and the ground within them, are in many partscuzco.
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covered with wild herbage, upon which the llama is seen feeding wherever the heights are not too precipitous for his steps.
Here we found two or three short terraces hewn in the rock, and two perfect seats upon which it is said the Incas used to sit, sometimes to hail the glad orb of light, the great father of their race, when he rose above the eastern hills, and at other times, to superintend the games of their subjects on the plain beneath, which, from the accounts given by the Spanish historians of the period, seem to have been not very unlike those of Greece, when no horses were used.
If any one were to travel for the purpose of discovering the places on our globe the most suitable for the indulgence of such reflections as we might suppose a being of a higher order while seated upon the clouds might entertain upon reviewing the effects of the virtues and vices of the rulers among mankind, upon the thoughtless millions of our species who follow no other pursuits than those that are necessary for their preservation from want, I do not know a place better adapted for this purpose than the hill upon which we now stood. Here he might occupy the seat of the sovereigns of an ancient empire, of whose greatness every element has perished. Here he might perceive the mournful evidence of the triumph of barbarism, in the name of religion, over a nation in many respects, the most refined in the world at the period of its conquest. Here once sat those amiable sovereigns, to whose love of their peop] e the old world has scarcely anything to compare in a parallel age. From this232
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point they looked over their capital city, where about two hundred thousand souls dwelt in peace, and in the enjoyment of plenty beneath their rule. Here they worshipped the rising orb, without whose invigorating ray the earth would be barren, and the temperature of the atmosphere too low for the maintenance of organic life. Here, while they were regarded as the distinguished children of the great deity who brought the world and its inhabitants into being, they probably conceived those laws which gave abundant evidence of their desire to imitate the benevolence of the author of all they beheld.
But how sad is the change. We now look down upon the effects of the vices of the rulers of mankind. We see the remains of the magnificent palaces, temples and streets of a former age, which have been destroyed by the servants of a less humane sovereign than perhaps any that ever ruled here.
What* should be our thoughts wThen we look upon the scenes now beneath these hills, and remember that the people who once dwelt in this city were destroyed, or robbed and reduced to slavery by men professing to be of the religion which teaches peace and the good will of all men towards one another.
The day after our examination of the Sanahuanan and the Rodadero, we inspected the remains of several of the palaces and temples of the ancient people which we had not before seen, but of which there remains much less than the description given of their number and former magnificence would lead us to expect. Their number indeed according to the reports of the SpanishCUZCO.
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historians was very great. It is said that there were several hundred temples and religious houses dedicated to the various deities which were worshipped within the town of Cuzco, and that a new palace was erected by every Inca that reigned.
We particularly inspected the interior wall of the palace which is said to have been built and inhabited by Inca Racca, the sixth sovereign of Peru, who must have commenced his reign, near the end of the twelfth century after the Christian era. It is situated in a narrow lane near the grand plaza, and now forms the exterior wall of some modern building. It is a most remarkable instance of the extraordinary skill and unequalled patience of the workmen of the Inca, in the preparation of the building materials. The stones are here rougher than they are usually found upon the external surface of the buildings, but fit each other with such perfect exactness, that I could not force my penknife between any of them; and, on one stone, not above two feet square we counted no less than fourteen angles.
I may here mention that a strong impression generally prevails even at the present day, in this part especially of Peru, that an immense mass of gold still remains concealed in some obscure quebrada of the Andes ; and if the accounts of the events that occurred at the time of the captivity of the last of the Incas, and the character generally given of the Indians be worthy of credit, we may reasonably believe that more gold was concealed at that time than has been discovered by the modern Peruvians, some persons of every race of whom,234
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are known to have diligently searched through many of the most rude quebradas between the mountains.
We may particularly refer to two occasions on which it is stated that gold to a large amount was somewhere concealed* at the time of Atahuallpa’s captivity. The first of these was at Pachamamac, during the expedition of Hermando Pizarro, who was sent to that town* which is on the coast at about a hundred leagues from Caxa-marca, with about twenty horse and a small body of infan try, while the commander-in-chief remained at the last mentioned place, with the main body of his forces and his chief prisoner the Inca.
Pachamamac appears to have been the seat of a great deity of the same name as the town, who was deemed by the Peruvians to be the creator of the world, and whose temples were known to have been decorated with a profusion of gold, which it is believed the priests upon hearing of the approach of the Europeans carried away and concealed. Some part of this was afterwards found buried in the ground, though apparently bearing but a slight proportion to what was known to have adorned the temple of the Deity.
The other instance, if the accounts be well founded, was of much more importance. It does not however appear to rest upon equal authority, and is not even mentioned by the author of the Conquest of Peru. I will first state what is said to be related by all other historians, and afterwards what is most certainly believed in the country.
It is related that Atahuallpa while in the hands of his conqueror at Caxamarca, offered for his ransom, toCUZCO.
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cause gold to be brought in such quantities as to fill the apartment in which he was confined, which it is said was twenty-two feet in length and seventeen in breadth, to the height to which he could reach, which was about eight feet from the ground. His offer being accepted, he sent messengers to the different ¡oarts of the empire, to order the gold to be transported to Caxamarca. But in the meantime, reports arriving that a large army of Peruvians was assembled and was ready to fall on the Spaniards, gave rise to discontent among the soldiers, and caused Pizarro to yield rather hastily to their cries, and order the execution of the captured monarch.
It is further related, that Atahuallpa only escaped the flames by permitting some sort of show of baptism, at the hands of the priest who was one of the chief advisers of his execution, and that he was garrotted or strangled, after the manner of executing malefactors in Spain.
But it is stated by some historians and believed in Peru at this time, that eleven thousand llamas were on their way from Cuzco to Caxamarca, each loaded with four arrobas, or about a hundred pounds weight of vessels of gold, and that while in the mountains, the Indians who conducted the convoy receiving the accounts of the death of their Inca, buried or concealed the whole of the treasure and dispersed.
However incredible it may appear that such a mass of treasure should be any where hidden, and remain concealed, when the place wThere it was deposited must have been known to so many of the people, it must be236
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remembered that the whole was composed of sacred vessels of gold, which it would have been a sort of sacrilege to have made any venal use of On this account it might very well remain concealed during the lives of all those who were concerned in the transaction ; and it is not probable that the place of concealment should have been communicated to any of the succeeding generation. Moreover, to the traveller who has seen the immensity of the quebradas, and the vastness of the desert country which affords ample opportunity for the choice of a secret place wherein to deposit treasure, it may be conceived that a place was found so secure as to remain undiscovered up to the present day.
A good Indian to whom I was introduced by Doctor Bennett, gave me some information concerning the treasure above mentioned, taking care to protest that it was not a mere supposition, but well known to him as a fact. The reader will at least see the agreement of this report with what has been related in one of the chapters on Arequipa. He informed me that at some spot known to him upon the banks of this stream there were three chambers in which was gold hidden by the Incas, at the time of the conquest of their country, to an inconceivable amount. In one of them he said, there were many figures of animals composed of pure gold, in another were the forms of trees plants and fruits, all in the precious metal, and in a third, a large quantity of gold ore in its state after being washed at the mines.
The Doctor was indeed assured that this information was given to the Indian by one of his family who re-cuzco.
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ceived it from Tuhacumarron, the descendant of the Inca who was shot for rebellion, but who had communicated it before he was taken, accompanying his communication with a protest that the knowledge of what he stated had come down to him through a channel which would render the possession of the secret of more value than any quantity of gold that could be obtained by its discovery.
There have been yet other deposits of treasure, in the form of money, in Cuzco, though it is not likely that this hoard of wealth should be very abundant. It is well known that the Creoles, at all times, were in the habit, when under the Spanish rule, and this habit has in some cases been persisted in to this day, of burying their money to escape the plunder of the government officers, who are said to have always come to the colony very poor, and to have left very rich. It is well known, at all events, that many persons who have never had any apparent means of livelihood, have never wanted money, and yet have appeared to leave nothing at their decease; and it is equally well known, that others, even in the quietest times, have been found in possession of sums of money of modern coinage, of the mode of acquiring which they have given no account.
I may here mention another of the little secrets of Cuzco, of which my good friends the Nadals, to whom alone it seemed to be known, made somewhat better use than the representative of the Incas had made of any he might have possessed.
The chief business of these gentlemen, both of whom238
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were in the prime of life, was to superintend the cultivation and the preparation of the coca, of which I shall have to speak again presently, and to conduct its sale, on behalf of the government. This occupation it appeared, however, was not very profitable to my friends, who were great speculators, especially in houses, by which they sometimes made heavy losses, so that they occasionally wanted more money than the regular course of their occupation brought them. Whenever this occurred, they both disappeared, usually for about a month, returning with as much nicely washed gold ore as it was possible to carry without the aid of beasts, which they never had.
The means by which this treasure was obtained, was a subject which had caused many conjectures in the town. I shall, however, only mention that which seemed to be the least at variance with the method known to be practised by the Indians for obtaining the precious metal.
My informant stated, that it was very well known that the young men descended the stream of the Huat-anay for some distance, then crossed a range of mountains, beyond which there were other streams of greater volume of water. Here it was supposed that they met Indians who obtained gold in the way in which it was formerly procured for the Incas, when this was required of them, without having any idea of its value or much knowledge of the use of the goods for which it might be disposed of at Cuzco: moreover, that they engaged them to procure what they wanted for some trumpery articles which they carried with them, and, itcuzco.
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may be, authoritatively forbade their procuring any more.
There was a difficulty however in this solution of the mystery, arising from the certainty that the Indians whom the young men would first meet with in the direction which it was supposed they took, were of the Seremiris tribe, who were at about forty leagues distance from Cuzco, and were known to be too hostile towards white men, to admit of any one safely venturing among them whether armed or unarmed. There were other directions however in which they might travel, and other Indians with whom they might deal, whose characters were known to be more peaceable.
The manner in which the Indians formerly procured the gold is well known to have been as follows. They came to the streams generally at the most variable season; and, after making their encampments on the banks, chose an opportunity when the water was low, to dig temporary pits at convenient places, below, which they formed bars of stones, running from twenty to thirty feet or more from the shore. They then waited for the rising again of the flood, the time of which always depends upon the quantity of rain falling in the mountains from which the streams descend. When this happened, it will be easily seen, that a whirlpool would be formed within the bar, into which everything descending on one side of the torrent would find its way. And now, in order that not only that which was brought down by the current, but that the whole gravelly or sandy bottom of one side of the stream should be carried down by it, they raked for some distance above240
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#ie bars, and so put everything, moveable into motion. By this means the particles of gold, which were small, were driven down with the rest, and falling into the eddy, sunk as soon as their onward course was arrested, while the greater part of the stones and all the lighter substances were pushed on till they met some other obstacle to their movement.
When this raking had been performed, sometimes for only five or six hours and at other times for a whole day, the water would again fall, when the next step was to gather up all the rubbish deposited in the pit above the bar; and, from this when washed, the gold ore was easily procured.
Contradictions to this theory as to the mode in which the young men obtained gold seem to be furnished by their short absence from home, which was rarely more than two months, and the apparent improbability that any persons should possess such an easy means of becoming very rich, without making all the efforts in their power to increase their fortunes. But before we come to this conclusion, we must remember where we are, and rightly estimate the character of the people of whom we are speaking. We are not considering what might be the acts of two young Englishmen, who have had their eyes ever open to the power or position in society to be obtained by the accumulation of wealth. We are speaking of descendants of Spaniards, born, educated and raised in Cuzco, with very little idea of the value of wealth, beyond its power to relieve them from immediate embarrassment—of men, who have probably felt more pain in a month or two’s ramble such as thatCUZCO.
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above mentioned, tban would be compensated for by the pleasure they would derive from any amount of riches they could by any means obtain.
While at Cuzco I paid an interesting visit to a little museum belonging to Doctor Bennett containing chiefly articles of manufacture left by the ancient people. There were here earthen vases of all sizes, that might contain from two to ten gallons of water each, and apparently formed to stand in holes in the ground; and many vessels like our bottles and water ewers; and the Doctor informed me that he had seen others which resembled our teapots and water-plates. There were also some idols, which were certainly of a very early age. They consisted of ugly figures of mixed metals sometimes of two or three kinds, forming parts of the figures distinct from each other. There were likewise innumerable weapons of war, some of which, were deadly enough to have been worthy of the most civilised age. One of them consisted of a piece of metal with prominent nobs around it, and a hole in the middle which seemed designed for the handle. The Doctor had examined many skulls of embalmed bodies which seemed to have been broken by this instrument, and were actually repaired with calabash. He had seen also fine sheets of pure gold, which one might have supposed had been rolled out at the present day, and bandages of gold five or. six yards in length, which would roll up like ribands.
Among the curiosities was one of the quipus which have been before mentioned as so useful to the ancient Peruvians in making their calculations, communicating vol. i.	n242	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
with one another between distant places, and handing down records to succeeding generations. This was found in one of the ancient tombs. It was formed of a piece of solid cord of about one foot and a half in length, of moderate thickness, and smaller strings of different lengths and colours with many knots, all hanging from the thicker cord.
This somewhat curious instrument is said to be still used by the shepherds in some parts of Peru, in calculating the produce of their stock; but those that have been recovered from the tombs, though they are supposed to be in part at least understood by some of the Indians, remain still quite inexplicable to the Creoles.24â
CHAP. XVI.
CUZCO — continued.
The modern Town of Cuzco- — Decline of Population. — Demolition of the ancient Temples. — Convents and Churches. — The Cathedral. —
San Francisco. — Convent of the Merced. — Remarkable Paintings____
Church of the Jesuits_State of Religion.— School of Art and Science.
—Cemetery. —Cock-fighting. — Pete of San Francisco. — Procession of the Virgin. — Prospect of the Whites and Indians. —The Prefect’s Improvements. — Museum. — Effects of rarefied Air. — Persons of great Age at Cuzco____Natives rarely eat Meat.—Epidemic Diseases.
—	Ancient Customs still prevail. — Remarkable local Disease. -— Agricultural Productions.— Coca. — Effects of Coca upon the Health.— Superstitions.—A Grang of Thieves. — Arrests by the Prefect. — Misfortune of a Native Painter. — Exposure of one of the Thieves killed.
—	Folly of a Judge. — Domestic Life of the Citizens.
Haying taken as minute a review as the plan of these travels would permit, of the institutions of the former inhabitants of Peru, and described thé remains of the temples and palaces with which their capital was formerly adorned, we may now glance for a moment at the town and its inhabitants, which has occupied the site of the ancient capital since the frightful destruction which accompanied the conquest.
The population of the modern city which is said to> have amounted at one time to about 40,000 souls, among whom were mingled many of the high aristocratic families of Spain, has for many years gradually declined ;
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;
and since the declaration of independence has fallen to about 20,000, the greater portion of whom consist of people of the mixed blood, and the pure Indians.
Among the first acts of the Spaniards, after the destruction of the capital and the dispersion of the ancient inhabitants, were the demolition of their temples and the conversion of their palaces into residences for their own nobles who came out to share the profits of the conquest. But now time, not less certain in her operation upon the works of our species, than the hand of war and rapine, has left few remains of the ancient buildings save those durable portions which we have seen. Thus the town at the present day consists of Spanish houses of eVery class, generally of two stories, of streets at right angles to each other and of public squares.
But notwithstanding the changes that have taken place at Cuzco, several of the institutions of old Spain still survive, and there are yet four convents, the San Domingo, the San Francisco, the Merced and the Beco-leta, with their respective churches, the more striking of which I shall mention.
Having already spoken of the convent and church of the Dominicans, which we visited during our inspection of the remains of the temple of the sun, I may now mention the cathedral and several other churches.
On approaching the front of the cathedral, we were struck by its position, which is in the centre of one of the sides of the plaza mayor, or principal square. It has a well decorated façade, and two towers which are in proportion to the rest of the edifice, and a handsomeCUZCO.
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flight of steps* which conduct to the platform from which you enter the building.
Upon entering we were much struck by the harmony and splendour of the decorations* and were told* that the silver ornaments with which the altar is covered wrere of the value of 45*000 dollars. Pictures of the Saviour and the virgin, are placed over its centre* and the forms of many saints appear upon the walls around.
If indeed there be anything to lessen the admiration which the gorgeous spectacle within the walls of this temple excite, it could only be the regret which the votaries of a simpler form of worship of the Being who regards our moral acts rather than dhe sumptuousness of our temples* might feel at the waste of labour which, the building and its decorations present.
We next entered the church of San Francisco which is also gaudily decorated* but is chiefly remarkable for its choir* which is constructed of cedar wood* very finely wrought. There were here the representations* generally in painting* of saints and bishops without number; and there were two very old organs with the keys excessively worn.
All the churches indeed in Cuzco are highly decorated; and at the first view after entering* they seem to present a mass of gold and silver amid gaudily dressed angels and saints. In like manner the cloisters of the convents* to which the principal churches into which we were admitted belong* are decorated with paintings illustrative generally of the history of their patron saint; and in this respect that of San Francisco is one of the most successfully executed. In the paintings around246
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the walls of its cloisters are figured with remarkable exactness, the acts of the saint from his birth to his ascent into heaven, which is at least in agreeable accordance with the character of the church.
The recoletos, or monks of this particular convent have a high character for discipline and mortification, and are said to flog themselves or one another often and severely.
But the most remarkable paintings are to be seen in the cloisters of the convent of the Merced. What title to give these to indicate their class or character, is far beyond an Englishman’s imagination of whatever Christian sect he might happen to be. The two most extraordinary among them were especially pointed out to us by a worthy member of the Church of Borne while we were in the company of a priest, without any remark from himself or the priest indicative of their opinion as to their merits.
I am not indeed sure whether the subjects of these paintings can be mentioned in such a manner as to be received by an English reader without experiencing such a feeling of disgust as it is as disagreeable to give as to entertain.
Were the paintings mere daubs, we might pass them by unnoticed, with the hope that we had not well comprehended what we saw. But so far from this, they are the elaborate work of some skilful artist; and their subjects are of such a character as not to afford even the most charitably disposed person grounds for think“ ing that they were merely the effects of a sportive imagination, and not intended as the serious representa-cuzco.
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tions of real events. They cannot possibly indeed be
7
anything less than the representation of scenes related in some of those numerous volumes called the writings of the fathers of the church which have driven so many thousands of excellent men absolutely mad.
I will endeavour to give the reader a just idea of those which are the most notorious, without passing the bounds of common decency, over which the artist has most assuredly stepped.
In the first which I shall mention, which has perhaps more in it of grossness and absurdity than of indelicacy, we have the mother of Jesus, giving nourishment from her bosom to two widely different sucklings at the same time—on one side the holy child represented in a perfectly natural manner, and on the other the great head of the Church of Eome, Saint Peter, in the form of a rather old man.
Where could the painter, said my Spanish friend, addressing himself to a Creole gentleman that was with us, and to the priest, find grounds for recording on the walls of this sacred edifice, a circumstance so extraordinary? No answer was made, and we walked on. While, however, my friend and myself were indulging in somewhat severe remarks upon this painting, in a tongue not known to our clerical friend, we were shown another of these extraordinary productions.
The reader may be inclined to doubt whether the traveller walked round these walls quite in his right senses; and, the traveller might perhaps mistrust his own memory, if he had not been more than once round the cloisters of the same convent, and had not found
B 4248
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Creoles who, then and long before, bad looked at this painting with feelings akin to bis own, and talked of the bad taste it exhibited. No one among the laity of the town bad the least idea from what history it was taken, though they believed it to be from some genuine account of the event in one of the supposed inspired volumes of the Church.
Now let any rational Christian bring together the Saviour, Saint Peter and the Devil, and after reviewing the several acts of each as related in the sacred writings, conceive any occupation in which they might, by any possibility, be engaged together, and then observe whether what is seen here can have any foundation in fact, and whether it is not a gross violation, not only of good taste but even of the commonest decency.
Of the three parties in this painting, the Prince of darkness is the most prominent. His Satanic majesty has a countenance filled with rage, mingled with contempt for the two holy personages in whose company he is found; and stands with his back turned towards them, and his body a little bent, in the act of knocking down the Saint, by means perfectly visible in the painting, but impossible more exactly to describe with delicacy, whilst the Saviour is seen raising the fallen Saint from the ground.
I can only add, that though I asked more than one of my Cuzco friends, where the legend was to found which must have given occasion for this painting, I was always answered that no one knew.
There was another remarkable picture, which I prefer mentioning after that just described; for, if it be notcuzco.
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calculated to instruct it may at all events be seen without giving rise to the feelings which the two I have described must excite, viz. a feeling of horror in the minds of even members of the Church of Kome, and of horror mingled with disgust in the minds of persons of a different religion. We have here represented a grand battle between the Spaniards and the Indians, in which the saint we have just seen in such a pitiable condition is playing a more honourable part. He is drolly enough, however, here represented, leading into action an army of invalids ; and a number of Indian arrows that have been lanced against his forces, are observed returning to the ranks of those who drew their bows in the service of their country.
Another of the churches I shall mention is, that of the Jesuits, which is built on the site of the palace Huayna Ccapac, the twelfth Inca, throughout whose reign the people are said to have enjoyed the highest degree of prosperity and refinement which they at any time attained.
This edifice has a handsome façade, and two regular towers which are high enough to cause alarm during earthquakes, though these are not so severe here, nor so frequent, as at Arequipa ; and it is the most splendidly adorned of all the Christian temples in Cuzco; I shall mention only one of the paintings within its walls, which is worthy of notice, not so much from its perfect accordance with the character of the religion of the people, as for its evident appeal to the 'sense of mankind, instead of threatening the vengeance of heaven, against all the promoters of a different system of Christianity.250
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
It represents the head of the Romish Church holding a hook open in his hand, entitled Exercicia Spiritualia, while at his feet are fallen confounded and disconsolate, Wickliff, Melancthon, Hero, Luthero, Calvino and Eso-lampadio, whose names are all thus written on the bands of their caps.
There is also in this grand square, the church of Santa Maria of the Descent, which is placed by the side of the Cathedral, and is remarkable from a legend with which it is connected. It is said that when some Spaniards were besieged by the Indians upon this spot, and their provisions were expended and they were reduced to the last extremity, the virgin descended, and while over their heads, caused it to rain bread by which they were saved. The event indeed is represented in a picture within the church, which is not however of much merit.
After these remarks upon the convents and churches it will be as well to mention what appeared to the traveller to be the state of religion generally among the good people of Cuzco.
We are all tolerably well acquainted with the indifference upon religious matters, of the educated classes in the Roman Catholic countries of Europe, with the opposition of a portion of the inferior classes to the whole system, for which they consider they pay unreasonably, and also with the fanaticism of the rest of the people in favour of the Church. In Cuzco, the same indifference prevails among the instructed classes, though these are not numerous, as upon the continent of Europe, but the whole of the inferior classes aTeCUZCO*
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quite as much in the hands of the most ignorant among the clergy as they seem to be in any part of Spain. The only religious book, if it may be so termed, that is read by the people of these classes,, is entitled, “ A History of the Saints,” and it is said to be full of such “ impossible passages of grossness,” as the fertile imaginations of our village ranters could not possibly surpass, but which might amuse the better informed, were it not for its sad effects upon the understandings of the rising generations of the infant state.
There is a school of arts and sciences in Cuzco which is managed much in the same manner as our grammar schools in Europe of the most antiquated kind. The cost of the education and board of boys from the country, of which there were about sixty in the college at this time, is eighty dollars a year; but the youths of the town of which there were now one hundred and fifty receive their education free.
We visited the pantheon or cemetery of Cuzco which is of a gloomy description, but sufficiently original. It has several courts surrounded with walls, in which the bodies are placed in cavities adapted to all ages aud sizes, and carefully closed; and in the midst of each of the courts there is a pit in which are deposited the bones taken from time to time from the cavities as they are cleared of their ancient tenants to make room for fresh ones. A few shrubs are planted in the ground at intervals which only serve, however, by their rarity to increase the gloom of this receptacle of the dead.
One of the amusements of the good people of Cuzco is in the calisco de gallas, or circus for cock-fighting.252
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I accompanied one of my friends to see the Peruvian manner of conducting these combats. The circus was enclosed and had an arena, surrounded by benches rising one above another, I had always been prejudiced against the sport, and therefore hardly went willingly to witness it; but I was not long among the sportsmen before I perceived the true key to its attraction, which is the gambling by which it is accompanied. Apart from this vice, however, if I was not highly amused, I was less disgusted than I had expected by the character of the combats. One of every couple that fought was so quickly killed, that chopping off the heads, as we do with fowls intended for the table, can scarcely cause less suffering.
Before the combat commences the natural spur on the right leg of the cock is cut off and a little steel blade in the form of a scythe is nicely laced in its place. As soon as the combatants are seen, the bets are made. The cocks opposed are then put down by their owners within the arena, when one fierce spring very often decides the battle by one of them drawing his weapon down the breast of the other, upon which the wounded cock sits quietly down till his head falls, and he dies, without receiving any further assault from his enemy, who turning aside from his victim proceeds to peck the ground.
It does not always happen, however, that the vanquished animal is killed. Sometimes the battle is lost by one of the cocks running away, which causes a shout of exultation throughout the circus in favour of the victor; and this seems to be acknowledged by thecuzco.
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fortunate cock, by flapping bis wings and crowing loudly. It happened, on one occasion this evening, that the cock that was killed was the victor; for after being wounded he fought until his adversary turned, when he sat down and dropped his head and Hied. His posthumous glory however was proclaimed with great eclat throughout the calisco de gall as.
The fourth of October, which is the fete of San
Francisco, was quite a gala day at Cuzco ; and several of
my good friends accompanied me to the plaza in which
is the- government-house to see the religious ceremony
that was to take place there. We all know pretty well
what an ordinary Roman Catholic procession is, and I
dare say few persons who have been but a short time in
almost any continental town except Paris, have not been
often wTearied by the length, and sometimes perhaps a
little shocked by the grossness of the spectacle. There
was however a novelty on this occasion, which was so
pleasing to the good people of the town, that it seemed
as if the whole of the inhabitants were gathered to
witness it. Two distinct lines of procession of great
¥
length and in gay apparel, came each upon the square from opposite directions. One of them was from the church of San Domingo and the other from the church of San Francisco ; and near the centre of each line under a gaudy canopy was carried the patron saint, taken from his place in the church and raised high above the heads of the people.
As the leaders of the procession came near the centre of the square they filed off in the rear,, until the two saints approached each other, when their bearers254
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
set down their charge without much lowering the height to which the saints were raised, and the people stood in anxious expectation, to witness the scene which was to follow.
Not having been told of what would occur, I was surprised to see the two exalted personages approach still nearer to each other; and not the less so, to perceive at the same moment, a deep sensation among the people, like that we have all observed, when some effective tragic scene has “ harrowed up our souls.”
Presently, the figures bowed, bent, and touched each
/
other, and kissed and embraced so earnestly, that one might almost have thought they breathed and felt the joy they communicated to others.
The whole assembly was moved; and I now saw women wiping their eyes, flowing with tears of joy, to see two such holy personages cement their union by such well understood means. The bearers of the holy men also approached one another and embraced, after which the processions again formed and marched in opposite directions on their return to their respective churches.
I cannot remember any where seeing any religious spectacle apparently more successful than this. One thing indeed which I heard after we left the ground, somewhat disconcerted me. I was told by my friends, that, so ill understood was all that passed, by a great part of the population, that they even thought that the saints, instead of embracing, actually fought.
There was another religious procession during my stay at Cuzco, which had certainly one thing in it verg-cuzco.
255
ing on the whimsical or the droll. The heroine on this occasion was the virgin, who was carried about over the heads of the mob, with the child Jesus in her arms, on whose head was a veritable cocked hat, precisely similar in shape to, and set upon the head in the same manner as, that worn by the late Emperor Napoleon. I was so astonished when I saw this, that I thought the hat had been placed on the head of the child by some wag, and had not been perceived by the priests; but I found afterwards that the infant wore the same at all times even in the church, though wherefore I did not learn. A friend with me, though a good Eoman Catholic, knew as little of the matter as myself, and he asked one of the sacerdotal brethren in the procession, wherefore the child was so strangely dressed, upon which the worthy official, who seemed very intent upon his duties, after staring for a moment, turned his back and made no reply.
f
“ Nothing,” said my friend, can surpass the simplicity of these people. They are always occupied, but they never think. The moral effect of our admirable religion is weakened by these absurdities. What honour can be done to the virgin, by promenading her image about the streets, and with a child so dressed in her arms.”
If we cannot approve of such shows as these, we must nevertheless remember that, in mixing with the white inhabitants of Peru, we really go back to a state of society long extinct in Europe, and, that when we mix with the coloured men, we are associating with a race living under a form of government quite unsuited256
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
to their character, without a hope of change. Among the white race in Peru as it certainly was in most parts of Europe at a period not very remote, and is in Spain, it may even be said at the present day, knowledge is commonly despised and considered necessary only for those who have to labour in some way or other for their bread. Thus every spark of genius in those very youths upon whom the hopes of the country ought to rest is extinguished.
It has long indeed been the opinion of well informed people in Peru, that the day is not distant, when the races that now inhabit the country, will change places, in the relations which they bear to each other, and that the Indians will finally rule and give even a better tone to the manners of the masses of the people.
In considering the probabilities of such a change, it should be remembered, that though we call the descendants of the ancient inhabitants of Peru, by the usual term of Indians, they must not be confounded with the hunting tribes which are still found inhabiting so large a portion of both South and North America. The former indeed are a people whose ancestors for ages lived in a state of subjection to established laws, cultivated the land, and pursued the arts of manufacture, with the same ardour as do the Europeans of the present day. And this very people, now populate the many quebradas and fertile districts of Peru, where their number is increasing, while that of the Creoles sensibly diminishes.
English travellers who have been much in the colonies of their own country at an early age, which hasCUZCO.
257
happened to be the case with myself, are more apt I believe than others, to see with the greatest pleasure, whatever openly exhibits progress, whether physical or intellectual; and I visited several of the lately formed institutions, and witnessed the fruits of the enterprise, of General Medina at Cuzco, with more pleasure than any description I could give of them,would afford the reader. They seemed indeed to contradict the opinions just expressed respecting the probable decline of the white race in Peru, and to indicate the commencement of a new era in the history of the town, in which the measures of the prefect must show their effects in the improvement of the people. It was not however generally believed, that the good done by him would endure much after the termination of his government, which might be within a short space of time.
Cuzco, nevertheless, in the midst of her decay has become indebted to the public spirit of her governor for a good Pantheon or cemetery, a library, a museum, an improved arrangement of police, and an amendment of the streets and public squares of the town, but above all for encouragement given to education. There is now in the town a college of sciences and arts, a preparatory school for boys, a school for girls, and several small schools for the poorer children. There are also two hospitals, one of which is for men, containing one hundred beds, and the other for women, containing a hundred and ten beds. I cannot therefore help thinking, that had the appointment of so able and energetic a governor immediately followed the Declaration of Independence, it would have been impossible that the VOL. i.	s258
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town could have lost, as it has done, nearly half its population in so short a period.
In the museum here, which must he long before it attains the celebrity of that of Santiago, there is a mastodon or mammoth, which is called the megatherium; but the size of this creature must have been very inferior to that which the animal seems to have attained, of which a portion remains in the museum at the capital of Chili.
It is probable that Cuzco is not very healthy for persons with delicate chests, and born in low countries. If the mountain air is pure, it is also highly rarified, and enough has already been said of the necessity of powerful lungs to consume enough for the ordinary purposes of'life. Doctor Bennett informed me, that he had examined the lungs of Indians« of the Sierra after decease, and had found them of considerably greater volume than those of the people of the lower country. All the living creatures of the inferior species it is also well known are furnished with larger and more powerful pulmonary organs in the mountains than in the plains.
Whatever may be the effects of the rarified atmosphere upon the constitutions of the inhabitants of the town who were born in the lower regions, it is certain that life is not shorter among the natives of Cuzco than among the inhabitants upon the coast. The Indians indeed of this vicinity are considered to be more healthy, as well as more active than those of the lower country. Many of them shorten their lives by the intemperate use of the chicha; but Doctor Bennett informed me thatcuzco.
259
there were several instances here of Indians attaining the age of a hundred and twenty years, and that it was by no means uncommon for them to pass a hundred.
There were indeed several men and women of great age in the town while I was there, and there was one woman living in Don Francisco’s house, who was born in the mountains, and was known to have been in Cuzco for a hundred and ten years, though her precise age could not be ascertained.
This longevity in the sierra, is so different from what we might expect, when we find that the natives rarely eat meat more than once a week, and that on the other days their food is commonly confined to mere maize and barley, that we are naturally led to inquire its cause. The chief difference in their appearance to a stranger, when put in comparison with that of the men who inhabit the countries of a lower elevation is, the regularity and beauty of their teeth, which, after I heard of their longevity I was induced to examine, for I had observed the same thing among the North American Indians which I had always attributed to a habit they have of chewing gum, which keeps the teeth clean and free from disease, and must naturally tend much to preserve the digestion. I did not find, however, that any use was made of this substance by these Indians; it is therefore probable that their teeth are cleaned and preserved by the coca which they continually chew. It is remarkable also that they not only retain their teeth but likewise their hair which preserves its glossy black, up to the greatest age they attain.
While I was at Cuzco, there was a disease raging260	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
among the population of a peculiar kind; but it was chiefly among the younger persons. Doctor Bennett himself had no less than five deaths at his. own hacienda which was a few miles out of the town. He informed me that he could not give the disease a name, but that it bore some resemblance to the cholera and was accompanied by cramps, followed by exhaustion from which death ensued. Bleeding he said had been tried as a remedy but had proved ineffectual.,
A custom prevails among the Indians, with regard to their dead, which reminds us of our Irish wakes. The practice of these Americans, however, is not quite so rude as that of the Europeans, for it is not attended by either drinking or howling. Those who watch, only whisper in the ears of the deceased, the most affectionate messages to their other departed friends, to whom they send word how their worldly affairs prosper, and that they wait only their turn to join them in that happy state of repose into which they believe they have entered.
If there be any thing in this custom, which is not in accordance with our ideas of the relation between the inhabitants of the present and of the future world, we must acknowledge, since it is not from Christianity that they derive it, that it is one of those remarkable proofs that are found everywhere, that the human race in all stages of society entertain essentially the same expectation of a future, and the same hopes of a happier, world.
There is rather a curious circumstance related here concerning a disease, if it may be so termed, which is confined to a quebrada about forty leagues south-east ofCFZCCh
261
Cuzco. It is said that the moment people arrive in this district, their legs swell to a considerable size without causing any pain and remain in this state the whole time of their stay. The Indians however are said to be more affected than the Creoles ; and in a few instances it has been known to affect the whole body. The dampness of the soil has generally been supposed to be the cause; but it is certain that the malady leaves the person affected, immediately, or within a few hours after quitting the quebrada.
The most important productions of this district, for the use of the inhabitants are, the lucerne and the maize; but the most valuable for internal commerce and the revenue it yields, is the before mentioned plant called coca, the leaves of which are used by the Indians for some of the purposes for which the rest of the world use tobacco.
The coca, however, is in reality very different from tobacco, and requires a particular notice. It is sai^. to have been originally used in its wild state; but it was well cultivated, long before the conquest of the country; and at this time flourishes upon improved soils, under government superintendance, in several parts of Peru. Yet strangely enough, it is not I believe even known in the neighbouring state of Chili. Its growth is here a government monopoly, and it is cultivated and prepared on large estates, the most remarkable of which in this part of Peru are at Poqualamboo. It is sold by the agents of the government at Cuzco and elsewhere in large quantities at the high price of twenty-five dollars the arroba of twenty-five pounds. Its sale at26,2
TKAVELS IN PEEIJ AND MEXICO.
Cuzco and the vicinity is said to be one hundred thousand arrobas in the year.
The plant is cultivated and prepared for use with all the attention its importance demands. Seeds are first sown in well-dressed beds* and when the shoots are one or two feet high they are removed to open fields* where they are planted at the distance of about two or three feet from each other. But during the first one or two years* maize is sown between the plants to screen them from the sun’s rays.
When the plant is full grown* it is five or six feet in height* bears bright green leaves* and has white flowers from which proceed the small red berries that are used for seed. When the leaves become brittle the coca is considered to be ripe; and the plant is then stripped* usually by women, with great care: but it is generally covered again with new leaves, soon enough to admit, sometimes even three gatherings* but always two* during the year. When the leaves are gathered* they are spread out upon coarse cloths and dried in the sun. This operation demands much care* for if they are not perfectly dried before they are packed, they become of a dark colour* instead of the pale green which they should retain* and are much depreciated in value. The leaves are indeed so delicate* that if they imbibe the least moisture* even after being closely packed in sacks* they will totally spoil.	i;
This coca* it has been said* is made by the Indians to serve some of the purposes to which tobacco is applied elsewhere* but it cannot be used in so many different ways as tobacco. It is I believe* at present at least*CUZCO.
263
only masticated. Almost every Indian carries a small leathern bag which contains the coca leaves after they have been pressed together and are ready for use; and every one is said to consume between one and two ounces on every ordinary day, and about three ounces on the days on which he does not work.
After tasting the coca several times, it seemed to me to have but little flavour. It is nevertheless slightly bitter, and might be compared, but certainly not with advantage, to certain kinds of teas that are brought from China, into Russia, packed and pressed in the same close and hard manner. But when used by the Indians, it is generally masticated with some small quantity of the ashes of other plants or pulverized lime, which causes the dried juice to flow more freely; but in this manner I did not take the opportunity of tasting it.
The worst that can be said of the coca is, its effects upon the health of such of the Indians as use it in excess. It then affects the breath, pales the lips and gums, and leaves a black mark on either side of the mouth. Moreover, after some time, the nerves of the consumer become affected, and a general languor is said to give plain evidence of the sad consequences of excess.
The use of the coca is not wholly confined to the Indians. Some Creoles, and even Europeans, have contracted the habit of masticating it, which is very inconvenient to them, since it cannot be indulged .with decency among white people who are not addicted to the practice. By these consumers, however, who I do not believe are very numerous, sugar is put in the place of the lime or ashes used by the Indians.264	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
i
Notwithstanding the effects of excess, the coca is generally considered to he wholesome when used in moderation. It is said even to have aperient qualities which tend very much to destroy many serious disorders. Its juice is even held by some to he nutritious. At any rate it is certain, that the Indians in the service of the government when supplied with coca, consume less food than when they are without it. It is believed also to have a tendency to relieve the very difficult respiration which is experienced by novices in high situations.
To these remarks it may be added, that the plant was formerly regarded by the Indians with superstitious feelings, which in many parts of Peru are not yet wholly subdued. In their great religious ceremonies, it was burned by the Incas by way of sacrifice, during the performance of which, the priests masticated it in great-quantities ; and it is even said, that the plant itself was actually worshipped. Indeed at the present day, so far are the superstitions connected with the plant still unsubdued, that the purpose for which the leaves are put into the mouths of the dead which has been before mentioned is, to assure them a favourable reception on their entrance into the future world. It is said, that the aversion which these superstitions gave the Spaniards to the very plant itself, and the endeavours to suppress the practices to which they gave rise, did more than anything, else after the conquest to keep up the ill-feelings of the Indians towards the white race.
The insecurity of life and property while I was at Cuzco was remarkable. I may mention as a proof of this what occurred during my stay, the special circum-cuzco.
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stances of which were well known to every one in the town. For several weeks the streets had been infested by an armed gang, which by night broke into the houses of the rich and committed the most atrocious robberies. A special watch had been set, and soldiers had been placed at different stations; but the robbers whether by corrupting or adroitly deceiving the guard continued their depredations from time to time.
One night however they broke into the convent of San Francisco, but the plunder they obtained, owing to a fortunate circumstance, was not great. They got into an inner chamber, and obtained possession of the iron chest in which there were 16,000 dollars; but they could not open it, nor on account of its weight carry it away. But they carried off another chest, though this fortunately happened to have nothing in it. The sacrilege however so shocked the town, that the prefect was induced to think of new measures, for the discovery of the rogues; and it happened that while he was secretly occupied in forming his plans, a young woman who had been treated with great brutality by the rascals, called at the palace and divulged to him the placfe and the hour at which the whole gang might be taken. His Excellency then determined upon heading a party for this purpose himself: and after he had selected several officers and soldiers to accompany him, Mr. Backhouse, the English gentleman before mentioned, hearing of his intention, volunteered to make one of the party.
About midnight, the governor left the palace alone well armed, and after joining all his aids in the ad-266
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
venture at a spot appointed, proceeded in the darkness of the night to the place indicated by the young woman, which was an obscure chamber in a small house near the outskirts of the town. Upon reaching the place, a gentle tap was first given, and after this a louder, when, no answer being returned, the door was burst open and the whole party was discovered, consisting of no less than twenty-three robbers, with whom were some women, all seated round a table covered with viands and vessels of wine.
A rush being now made by the rogues to pass their enemies and reach the door, one of them was shot in the breast with a pistol ball and fell dead; but the captain, and the greater part of the gang, several of whom were wounded, reached the street pursued by the governor and his party.
But here an incident happened that was the most serious part of the affair. There was living at this time in Cuzco, a native of pure Indian blood, who had been all his life occupied as an artist, and was chiefly engaged in painting the portraits, from the best authorities known, of the sovereigns who governed the country before the invasion of the Spaniard This good man, who I may mention had been engaged to prepare a copy of one or more of these paintings for myself, happened to be passing up the street, and hearing the uproar, attempted to arrest the first armed man he met, who chanced to be the captain of the robbers, who, with a stroke of his sword, nearly cut off the painter’s right hand, leaving the favourite of the whole of the civilised portion of the populationcuzco.
267
of the town thus disabled for the rest of his life. The scoundrel* however* was still pursued* and was wounded and taken* as well as eleven of the gang without any serious injury being done to any of the party who arrested them.
On the morning after this combat, the particulars were related to me by Mr. Backhouse* whom I accompanied to view the body of the robber who had been killed* which was laid at the foot of the steps of the cathedral in the chief public place. He had evidently been a youth hardly above twenty. The body was still in its clothes* the front part of which was covered with the blood which had issued from the wound in his breast. His colour being dark* his face* of which the features were regular* did not present the slightest sign of death. In the evening he was buried without any religious ceremony in a plot of ground where unconfessed criminals were usually interred.
The captain of the gang who was of the mixed
blood* had* it appeared commanded a company in the
honourable service of his country; but the young man
killed was a Chula* which is a half-caste between the
%
Indian ajnd the savages who inhabit some of the neighbourly mountains.
It is worthy of notice that two other robbers were taken by the soldiers the same evening in the act of robbing another convent.
I must mention a little incident connected with this occurrence* which took place a few days after these men were arrested* which throws some light upon the course of justice in Peru. The judge of the depart-268
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
ment, by what circumstance influenced was not well known* sent word to the prefect to inform him* that after a full examination of the matter he saw no grounds whatever for the detention of the prisoners* and that they must be immediately released. The prefect’s answer however was* that he would give up his own life before he would set one of the robbers at liberty. And this was all that occurred relating to this affair while I was at Cuzco;
While mentioning this worthy judge’s interference with the course of justice at Cuzco* I may, remark that nothing is so uncertain as the law throughout Peru. As a general rule* it is estimated that when a suit is brought* the richest party is almost sure to gain. This is not however effected by the direct presentation of bribes* though that is said to be not unfrequently done* but by the prolongation of the suit by the court until one of the parties is quite unable to pay any further expenses* and as a matter of course has a verdict against him.
After these remarks* it will hardly be expected that travellers should have anything to say in favour of the morality of the people of Cuzco in general. ^Wherever the Komish clergy are under so little restraint® we generally find them to be among a people who live under a representative government* it cannot be expected that they should maintain much moral influence over the people. The domestic life of the citizens is far below the standard of that generally maintained in Europe. The very priests are said to give the example of irregular domestic habits* by the greater part of themcuzco.
269
keeping an ama or housekeeper, which has given occasion for the avowed mistresses of others being admitted into what is generally considered tolerably good society.
Before my departure from Cuzco, I was presented by Mr. Backhouse with an exact copy of an important manuscript which was found in the hands of an old Indian. It is dated so far back as the time of the government of Francisco Pizarro with whose conquests we are so familiar from our earliest years, and I shall place a translation of the interesting document in the Appendix.270
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. XVII.
THE YALE OE YILCAMAYU.
.Remarkable View of Cuzco. — Traces of Towns. — Ancient Roads. —■ Bridges.—Weather,—Yiew of the Mountain Peaks. — Character of the Sierra. — The Cordilleras. — Torrents. — Seasons. — Degrees of Heat and Cold, -r- Productions. — The Villages. — Whites and Mestizos. — Method of Tillage. — Holidays— The Harvests. — Terror of Prost___Causes of Depopulation. — Service of the Indians. — Que-
brada of Yucay.—Huaillabambo.—Decayed Indian Bridge.— Difficult Passage.—A rural Plaza.—Padre Puetalas* Dwelling.—Meeting with the Padre. — Hospitality. —Remarkable Trees. — Urubambo. — Salt Mines. — Attantaitambo. — Ruins.
Aeter obtaining sufficient information as to the most remarkable places for a stranger to visit in the vicinity of Cuzco, I engaged a guide and horses, and on the 6th of October, at an early hour, set off for the valley of Vilcamayu, which was one of the favourite places of residence of the Incas.
After leaving the town we took a northerly direction, gradually mounting a range of hil]s, which soon afforded us the finest view that is to be obtained of the city which occupies the site of the ancient capital. Stone buildings were observed almost covering the vale, and from among these rose many spires and towers, all bearing witness to the reign of a different religion fromTHE TALE OF VILCAMAYU.
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that which was held sacred in the time of the former inhabitants, every vestige of whose civil and religious institutions, save the ruins of their palaces and temples, which abound everywhere, and a few firmly established customs connected with their, ancient superstitions, has so long perished.
"Whatever doubts might be entertained by the traveller who has only passed over the lower countries in South America, concerning the accuracy of the statements of historians, as to the general condition of the ancient Peruvian people, they will disappear after his visit to Cuzco, or after his passage through any of the considerable valleys, or over any of the plains, which lie between the Cordilleras of the Andes, where he will be continually presented with the dismal remains of a past empire. The ruins of towns, villages, temples, fortresses and aqueducts, will meet his eye in every direction in which he may turn. Sometimes he will find the rocks cut through for leagues, and ravines filled up with solid masses of rock; and when he reflects that the whole labour throughout the empire was performed by a people who knew not the use of iron, he will be confirmed in the opinion he must have already entertained, that we are not acquainted with the metals, or the composition of metals, with which these great works were performed.
Traces of roads are found not only connecting the villages and towns about Cuzco, but passing in almost every direction throughout the ancient empire. Two great ways have been discovered, connecting the most northern with the most southern provinces. One of272
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these passed between the Cordilleras, and over the table lands of the Andes, and crossed the rivers and ravines by suspension bridges formed of the fibrous twigs of the maguey or the osier of the country, while the lakes, or broad and tranquil portions of rivers that obstructed the way, were passed over on balsas, a kind of raft still in use, navigated both by sails and oars.
As we proceeded, we found the ground generally sterile, but there were patches of verdure everywhere visible; and we saw a few llamas and many sheep grazing in the narrow valleys and upon the sides of the hills.
The weather was fine, and after an hour and a half’s march, we obtained a grand view of one of the Cordilleras which we were approaching, the peaks of which were covered with snow, upon which the sun shone brilliantly in the clear atmosphere, producing all the diversities of colour and shade which it was possible for any natural objects to present.
Before noon we passed two small hamlets, and about an hour after noon we reached Chdincheroa, an Indian village at the distance of five leagues from Cuzco, containing about three hundred inhabitants.
During a short stay which we made here, we observed that there were three distinct masses of ruins, besides the. wreck of many other ancient buildings distributed about the place. Those which most engaged our attention, consisted of a well-constructed wall connected with steps and seats cut in the solid rock. The wall which was sixty paces in length, about ten feetTHE YALE OF YILCAMAYU.
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in height, and composed of stone with the same irregular angles so common in the ruins at Cuzco, stood beneath a terrace upon which there had probably been once a palace.
The greater part of the rest of the ruins seemed to be the remains of buildings among which we could not perceive any connection. There is now a modern church here, constructed of baked mud.
But before we reach the valley of Vilcamayu, I must add a few observations to what has been already said concerning the sierra of the Andes, by which is properly meant only the valleys and the habitable portions of the mountains in all parts of the interior of the country, though the term is commonly used in Peru to signify the whole of the higher lands over which the traveller passes.
The more western chains of mountains in Peru, commence generally about fifty miles from the coast, after which succeed higher chains, which run generally through the country in the direction of about south-east and north-west, which is the course of the coast. The breadth, however, of the country occupied by these mountains is from one hundred to probably about two hundred miles. Throughout the whole of this tract, save such high summits as those which we passed over on our way to Cuzco, there are long and deep valleys, through which usually flow torrents and rapid streams. Upon the banks of these are found narrow tracts of fertile land, many of which seem to have been formerly greatly extended by irrigation, which the form
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of the land and the inclination of the beds of the streams render extremely easy.
Throughout the sierra, in the sense in which the term is here employed, comprehending all the habitable portion between the mountains, there are in these latitudes properly only two seasons, which are commonly distinguished by the terms dry and wet. But the degrees of heat and cold which are experienced, depend chiefly upon the elevation of the valleys, though frequently to some extent also upon the distance of the snow-capped mountains which are nearest to them.
It must not, however, be supposed that by the wet season is meant any long term of rainy weather, to which no part of the country seems to be subject. Such rains, however, as do fall in this part of Peru, commence usually about the middle of the month of October. The rain then falls in most of the valleys; and in some of them that lie between the higher Cordilleras, snow falls, and sometimes for two or three days in succession, whilst storms of thunder and lightning are frequent until about a month after the sun has entered the southern latitudes. From this time, stormy clouds often hang about the summits of the mountains, but little or no rain falls in the valleys, which are warm and bright during the day, but cold at night. The atmosphere, however, is more at rest here than in the lower land towards the coast. In the elevated valleys, indeed, the thermometer during the night is frequently even in the warmer season some six or eight degrees of Fahrenheit below the freezing point; but it is always during the mid hours of the day, at from fifty-five toTHE YALE OF VILCAMAYU.
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sixty degrees of heat. In the valleys which are not more elevated than that in which we are now rambling, though it is cold at night, the heat during the day at the brighter season is generally for months together between sixty and eighty degrees, according to the hour of the day.
In a climate so different from that of any region where any portion of the human race has made considerable progress in the art of agriculture, we might hardly expect to find the inhabitants much advanced in the cultivation of the luxuries bestowed on men who inhabit the more fruitful countries of either the old or new world. Nevertheless the Indians had made considerable progress in the sierra of the Andes before the arrival of the Europeans, in the cultivation of such articles of food as were well known to them. The only productions of the ground, however, which were certainly cultivated to any extent were, the maize, the potatoe and one or two tuberous roots which are now scarcely known. But since the conquest of the country, lucerne, and even barley where the land is not greatly elevated, and many of our ordinary vegetables, have been also cultivated with success.
The lower valleys are known to have been from the earliest periods inhabited by the most advanced of the Peruvian people; and it has been remarked by intelligent white men who have visited the interior of the country of late years, that the Indian population has most increased wherever they inhabit districts cut off from easy communication with the mixed population. The valleys between the Cordilleras, indeed, are generally276
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surrounded by high and rugged mountains, which are crossed by difficult and sometimes dangerous pathways, winding along the sides of narrow ravines which render commercial intercourse between them almost impossible. In many of these valleys the inhabitants are wholly Indians; but in the towns and villages with which there is more communication, there are many Mestizos, and generally a few whites who are commonly old soldiers of the Spanish army, who after the revolutionary war, settled in the sierra. Some of these have become possessed of considerable property, and have received from the government such civil appointments as have inspired them with a degree of pride which the rest of the population support with pain. They carry on nearly the whole of the commerce of the interior, both with Lima and Arequipa.
Many of the Mestizos possess also portions of land upon which are grown maize, potatoes, and other vegetables, which are disposed of in the towns of the sierra, or at the villages in the vicinity of the mines. The people of this grade are peculiar in their habits, and more remarkable for their indolence than the men of either of the races from which they spring. They look down, however, with some contempt upon the Indians, but they entertain respect for the whites whether Creoles or Spaniards or of any other European race; and, whatever their colour, they will always endeavour to pass themselves off with strangers for white men. They rarely carry on any commercial transactions; but in the towns they may be seen at all times at the cock-pits and other places of amusement.THE YALE OF VILCAMAYU.
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The cultivation of the soil, is indeed almost entirely performed by the Indians, Some of them have pieces’ of land of their own, which they cultivate with care, but generally in the populous districts, they till the land of the whites and the Mestizos, for very low daily or monthly wages.
The methods of tillage throughout the sierra are extremely rude; but the facility which is found of irrigating the land, seems to make up in a great degree for the deficiency of skill on the part of the agriculturists.
The seasons for sowing the grain, and for reaping, the spring and the autumn, are celebrated among the Indians by holidays and amusements, in accordance with customs derived from their progenitors, amongst whom these two periods corresponded with the two grand divisions of the year. Companies of musicians are formed, and the trumpet and the violin give time to the dancers in the open air, the proprietors placing chicha at their unrestrained disposal, which leads to excesses that are much to be regretted, r
The harvests occasionally fail in the sierra. Sometimes, after the land has been lately irrigated, or after the rains have fallen very heavily, a sharp frost destroys the seed or young plants, when the crops so totally fail as to produce a complete famine. These, occasions however are rare; though when they happen, they are considered by the inhabitants to be judgments from heaven upon the people, for the neglect of their Christian duties, or for some special crimes which they have committed.
With this view of the matter, whenever the cold gives278
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them warning of the danger of frost, they endeavour to make atonement for their sins. They then form processions and parade the streets of the villages and towns imploring the forgiveness of Heaven, and the restoration of warm weather. Sometimes, indeed, the approach of this danger is, perceived during the night, and then the church bells are rung violently, and the whole of the population is roused, when after hastening to the church, a procession is formed, which marches through the streets, calling upon Heaven to avert the threatened calamity. At other times the Indians are to be seen in the streets on these occasions, scourging themselves and offering up their petitions* Even the whole night is occasionally thus occupied, out of doors, thé people not returning to their homes until the sun is visible, and all danger of famine seems to have passed away.
The depopulation of this portion of the ancient empire of Peru, is one of the most extraordinary circumstances connected with the history of the country. It is not impossible that this calamity, as it must be deemed when viewed in connection with the circumstances by which it was attended after the conquest, commenced even before the invasion of the Spaniards. At the time of their landing, a civil war, we are informed by the historians was raging throughout Peru. Huayna Inca Gcapac, who had died some time before, had divided the empire between two of his sons, who were now engaged in a contest, to which has been attributed the rapid success of Pizarro. But as our thoughts are naturally more turned to the events which followed theTHE YALE OF YILCAMAYU.
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conquest, we are led to examine the first and subsequent acts of the conquerors and their effects upon the population.
We are all well acquainted with the accounts of the barbarous massacres that were committed; and, even more are supposed to have been perpetrated by the fanatical soldiers, for the promulgation of what they were pleased to term the Christian religion, than are recorded in any account that has come down to our time. But the grand cause of the depopulation, was without doubt, the forced labour imposed upon the people, more especially in working the mines, all which was arranged in the most methodical manner.
When a white man commenced operations in the mines, he applied to the corregidor, or chief magistrate of the district, by whom he was furnished with any number of Indians he required. These were called mitas, and served him as slaves, while he had to pay the government eight dollars for each man.
But it is even said, that the condition of the labourers in the fields was worse than that of the slaves in the mines, as they were obliged to work from the first dawn of day until it was perfectly dark at night, a period which in these latitudes could never be less than thirteen or fourteen hours.
There was yet another department of labour in which they were employed and treated it is said, with great severity, though certainly not with such melancholy results at in the former cases. This was the domestic service which they were compelled to perform in the houses of the European magistrates, officers and priests,280
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which, is said to have been repaid with so little food as to be hardly sufficient for their maintenance.
How such a state of things could have arisen in a country under the government of an European power, and have endured, as we are told for about two hundred years, seems inexplicable until we mark the distinction between the government in Spain and that established in her colonies. There is reason indeed to believe, that the intentions of the Spanish government towards the ancient inhabitants of the colonies were just. But all the affairs of these great countries were placed in the hands of a special Council in Spain, the members of which it is supposed were bribed by the governors and other officers who had received high appointments, the whole of whom had been previously members of this council, and whilst they held their appointments amassed immense wealth by the practices above mentioned.
After leaving the village of Chdincheroa, we a little varied our course, advancing now more towards the east; and after about a league, we began to descend towards the beautiful valley of Vilcamayu when a view presented itself in which were to be seen, the steep chain of the snow-covered mountains which bound the valley towards the east, the quebrada of Yucay, and the village of Huaillabamba, with a flowing stream, winding its course through the rich pasture land and cultivated grounds, in the midst of which the village stands — the whole forming together the most agreeable prospect which it was my good fortune to behold in this romantic land.
At about half-past four o’clock, we reached the banks of the stream on the opposite side of which the villageTHE YALE OF YILCAMAYU.
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is seated. Here we were a short time detained, by a difficulty we had not anticipated. I have before mentioned one of the Indian bridges which we met with at Quiquiguana. Here we found another of the same description across a much wider stream; and upon examining it, the guide was of opinion, that it would not be possible for the mules to pass over. The bottom was so torn in holes, and the strings and braces were so worn, that we had only to look at it, to be convinced of the risk we should run of losing our mules; we therefore determined to look out for some hut on this side where we might pass the night*
But while we were talking the matter over, two Indians appeared, and immediately offered to lead the animals across and carry over the baggage, all of which they declared they could do very well with our aid; and they spoke with so much confidence that we determined to trust them; accordingly the mules were immediately unloaded and handed to them to make the experiment.
The Indians now took the ropes by which the baggage had been secured, which they passed in a loop under the body of one of the beasts; and, after taking one end of this themselves and giving us the other, with which we followed, they led the mule by a string of a few feet in length; and the intelligent creature seemed quite
aware of the difficulty of the passage, and chose his
\
way most admirably.
Suffice it to say that by this means, all the mules were led safely over. Several times however during our passages, a foot of one of the animals passed282
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through the bottom of the bridge, breaking a new hole; and, in one instance one of them got his two hind legs through, and seemed about to fall into the river, but after a tug of our ropes was soon again upon his feet. Thus we safely reached the opposite side, and had our baggage all passed over about an hour before it was dark: we then remounted and passed over a narrow plain on which was spread out the upper end of the village of Huaillabamba, which is two leagues and a half distant from Chdincheroa.
We had a pleasant passage across this rural plaza, the appearance of which was most novel to us. It was covered with fine rich grass, upon which mules and tame llamas were feeding, and there were about eight or ten trees of the most magnificent description, which I shall have presently more particularly to describe. On either side, the mountains were diversified by glens and peaks, and occasional patches of vegetation, while they protected the valley from the worst effects of the violent tempests which at certain seasons break over the whole land, and expose the most sheltered vale to torrents of rain.
I had brought with me a letter from one of the Sehors Nadal to the priest of this district, Padre Puertalas, at whose place of residence we soon arrived. We found here a quadrangle, into which, as there was no gate, we rode without any ceremony. The good man however was not within; but his domestic introduced us into his chief apartment, a large room occupying one side of the quadrangle, and forming it must be confessed, a rather curious saloonTHE YALE OF YILCAMAYU.
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for a padre who had the clerical government of the whole district. It was however large, probably forty feet by thirty. The walls were of baked mud, the ceiling or roof of rough logs, the floor partly of rude ill-laid stone and partly of the bare ground. There was but one, rather small, lattice window without glass, and the furniture consisted of a good-sized rude table of solid wood, two chairs, one of which had arms, and two benches, while in one of the corners there was a cupboard.
I had heard that the gentleman was extremely rich, and that he was a kind of patriarch in the district, I could not therefore until I had asked some special questions of the domestic, believe that this was his principal apartment. But in less than half an hour, while I was still conversing with the domestic the master arrived, who could not be mistaken as he marched in: at his own door, on account of his style and dress.
The good padre was probably between sixty and seventy years of age. He was excessively thin in the face, and very slovenly in his attire, while he wore the hat of the Spanish priests reaching nearly a foot beyond his forehead and as much over his back. He looked at me as he came in, in a manner which was far from being satisfactory; but this was probably from surprise, for in less than a minute he removed his hat and bowed very graciously, while the domestic at his command handed me one of the chairs. Upon this I pulled out of my pocket my letter of introduction and presented it to him; and in three minutes, I was per-284
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fectly at my ease in the apartment as was quite evident of an amiable and polite priest; for with an apology for the rudeness of his abode, and the entertainment he was able to offer, he promised me all that was in his power to bestow.
In fine, while we conversed about matters of course, the table was spread with palatable dishes and fruits, and after a good supper and an hour’s chat my bed was spread upon the table, when my polite host retired, and I lay down for the night.
On my descent to this valley I had felt much refreshed by the change to a denser atmosphere than that of Cuzco, so after turning in upon the table, I slept very comfortably until day-light.
I was no sooner up on the day after my arrival at Huaillabamba, than the good padre made his appearance, when the table was again spread, and we sat down to a sumptuous breakfast, with no want of anything the valley afforded. This repast over, we walked out upon the green to take a healthful promenade.
There is little in the valley of Yucay to attract the attention of those curious about the ancient inhabitants of the country, save the inconsiderable remains of one of the Incas’ palaces; nor is there anything remarkable in the village of Huaillabamba. The houses here are mean, but are so distributed as to enable those who possess them, to have their little vegetable gardens near to, or by the side of, the stream which waters the valley.
The greatest attraction, was, the fine show of trees before mentioned. The circumference of the trunkTHE YALE OF YILCAMAYU.
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of one of these, and several others seemed to be nearly equal to this in girth, was as nearly as possible, twenty-four feet; and they were all, both lofty and full of spreading boughs, from which a flower in the shape of the crescent moon was falling. The padre called the trees Pysonoys, but my guide and others called them Pishnoys.
The ruins which it was the chief object of my expedition to inspect, were at Ottantaitambo, less than half a day’s journey further; so I took leave of my kind host and set out for that place before noon.
At the distance of about half a league we passed through the scattered village of Urubambo pleasantly situated in the same fruitful vale. Rows of tall willow trees were here growing near the stream,-so placed as to appear designed to form an Alameda; and the land around was teaming with the richest wild vegetation which the climate affords.
Soon after leaving Urubambo, we passed by a small hamlet, and about a league further observed indications of salt mines, and were informed that, at the distance of two leagues from this, the precious mineral was lying in immense beds between two high hills.
We still continued to follow the course of the stream for some distance, after which we passed a high ridge of hills, and descended again to the river, where the increased rapidity of the stream, the vegetation and the heat of the sun, were sufficient to reveal to us that we were here at a lower altitude than at Huaillabamba. Among many of the plants of the warm climates, the pine-apple was growing in the greatest abundance.
The country after this became more rude and barren286
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and it was quite sterile around Ottantaitambo, where we arrived late in the day.
Of the ruins of this town, it is not necessary to say much, after the description given of those of Cuzco, the inferior kind of which they resemble, while they afford the same evidence of the number, and degree of refinement of the inhabitants of the country before the arrival of the Spaniards. Those which now strike the traveller as the most remarkable, are dwellings cut in the solid rock at the height of six or seven hundred feet. There are also numerous terraces extremely like those which most people, though they may not have seen, have read accounts of, as so common in Syria. They were here formed of irregular stones, which doubtless once supported a productive soil where now all is as barren and desolate as the terraces in the old world.
Innumerable ruins of stone buildings were distributed every where in the most thorough confusion; and in other quarters of the ancient town, we found long walls formed of stones of irregular angles, indicating streets, with openings at intervals, in the form of those in the walls of the ruins of the palace of Manco Ccapac at Cuzco, which doubtless once led to houses or chambers within them. The whole of the ruins were strewed about in as much confusion as if an earthquake had distributed them. Neither the bounds of the particular dwellings, nor the form or size of any one of them could be distinguished.
Beyond the town, where we rode to make a little survey of the country around, at the distance of half aTHE YALE OF VILCAMAYU.
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mile from tlie principal ruins* we found lying near the wayside two large well-cut stones of fine granite of a dingy colour. These had no doubt.been worked when Ottantaitambo was in its flourishing state. The largest stone measured about ten feet by eight.
After making these few observations we returned to take up our quarters again with the hospitable padre with whom we had passed the previous night.
The next morning after I had taken leave of our worthy host* wTe set out on our return to Cuzco by a different route from that by which we came, thus avoiding the dangerous bridge of Huaillabamba.
After descending the river for about a mile we passed over a stone bridge* which brought us to the base of a range of hills over which we passed without inconvenience. And here we were gratified by a view even superior to that which we had obtained as we approached Huaillabamba. Besides the rich vale and its winding stream beneath us* and the prospect of the opposite hills* we could now perceive the snowy peaks of a more distant chain of the Andes, which the bright rays of the sun confounded with the floating clouds that were hanging at different altitudes along the sides of all the mountains within our view.
The rest of our way was very easy; and after repassing Chdincheroa we reached Cuzco early the same afternoon.288
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CHAP. XVIII.
JOURNEY TO PUNO.
Departure from Cuzco. — Village of Lucre_Arrive at the Hacienda of
Señor Ramon Nadal.— Character of the Hacienda.—Paintings in the Corridor. — Gardens. — Baths. — View of an ancient Aqueduct. — Anecdote concerning its Construction. — Celebrity of the District. — Division of Labour. — Manufactories of Cloth. — Droll Manner of making Chicha. — Treatment of two Indian Women.—Departure from Lucre.— Quiquiquana.— Señora Gamendia.—Pleasure Grounds. — Neighbouring Indians. — Exposure of the Bark Gatherers. — Expedition of General Medina. — General abandoned by the Natives. — Expedition sent by Merchants. — Communication with the Wild Indians. — Manner of procuring the Bark. — Little known of the Indians here. — Missionaries.— Indian Opinions of Women.— Indian Occupations.— Polygamy.— Indian Stratagems.— Religion. — Modes of Worship.
My next journey in the Andes was to Puno, a city of considerable importance lying near the banks of the lake Titicaca.
I left Cuzco on the 15th of October, accompanied by my friend Señor Alessandro Nadal, whose intention was to make but a day’s journey, chiefly for the purpose of introducing me to his relatives living near Lucre, at the distance of seven leagues from the capital. An arriero, or muleteer, accompanied us, who was afterwards to proceed with myself in the capacit}7 of guide, and we had one additional mule, for the spare baggage.289
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Our journey was towards the south, by a route little intercepted with difficulties. After passing the scattered village of Lucre, we arrived at the hacienda of Señor Eamon Nadal at an early hour in the afternoon. Upon reaching the enclosure before the house, we found the gates standing open, and entered a wide quadrangle, where we were received by Señor and Señora Nadal and their daughter, who had heard of our approach, and had all come out to welcome us before we dismounted from our mules.
As soon as we alighted we were led by this kind family to the opposite side of their mansion, which looked over a fine garden, immediately beneath a shaded and broad corridor, which commanded a view of a noble chain of mountains, and an extensive and partially fertile tract of country, on which were to be seen several pretty Indian settlements.
It seemed as if nothing could be more pleasant than the house and grounds of the Nadals of Lucre. The corridor, which was decorated with tapestry and framed paintings, afforded a retreat for the family, where they might pass much of their time in the open air; and the kind of furniture which it contained, was sufficient evidence that they did not neglect the occasion of enjoying the fresh air, and the prospect of the splendid scenery around.
This agreeable retreat was divided into two parts. In one of these the family dined, and in the other took their coffee, and passed the greater part of the day. But, as it is always cold at this elevation after sunset, they retired towards evening into the closed rooms.
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On the walls in one of the compartments of the corridor was a painting representing the passage of Napoleon over the Alps; and there were one or two others, the subjects of which were particular incidents of that extraordinary man’s life; and on the opposite side, those which were the most worthy of note represented the death of Captain Cook, and several views taken from the Sandwich Islands.
After our dinner we passed the evening in conversation. The ladies made many inquiries about our manner of life in England, and I endeavoured to gratify their curiosity by some account of such of our customs, as seemed the most to contrast with those of the inhabitants of this airy region. We all retired at an early hour, and although we were still about the same height as at Cuzco, I had by this time become so much accustomed to the rarity of the air, that I never slept better than on this night at Lucre.
At a moderately early hour, on the morning after our arrival at this agreeable abode, we breakfasted in the corridor, well shaded from the same blazing sun from- which we had been glad to shelter ourselves in the afternoon of the previous day, and afterwards descended with our kind hosts to view their garden.
Nothing could be more like a home than the whole of the hacienda of the Nadals. The plan of that portion of the garden which was the most highly cultivated, and was nearest the house, resembled the plantations of the Moors from which it was doubtless copied. Close-clipped, low hedges, divided the bedsJOTJENEY TO PUNO.
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of fruit and flowers, and bordered the circuitous walks; but other parts of the grounds were ornamented with lofty trees of a good old age, among which there were some of the cedars common in this part of America. Under the shade of the trees, were some specimens of sculpture and a pleasant bath-house, which, though it was neither modern nor ornamental, appeared to possess every requisite.
The bath-house indeed, which we were informed was built by an ancestor of our host a century ago, had been allowed to fall almost into ruin, during the revolutionary war. At that time the Nadals were all faithful subjects of the King of Spain, and several of them served in the army of his majesty, on account of which all their families long after the conclusion of the contest were kept out of the possession of their hereditary estates.
While we were walking in the grounds we found the wind cold in the shade, though the sun was scorching.
Upon returning to the corridor, I observed a long line of works at some distance, which comprise the remains of an ancient aqueduct still winding its way from the neighbouring mountains towards Cuzco. Here I may relate a little tale which this gave me occasion to hear, strikingly illustrative of the mode in which affairs were managed by the ancient sovereigns of the country.
The manners of men, and their ways of thinking and acting, are doubtless much the same throughout the world at the corresponding periods of their social progress ; and we need not be surprised that a short292
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story is connected with the construction of this most useful work. The acts attributed to the reigning Inca, though not exactly such as we should be pleased to find Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort imitating, are similar to many we have heard of our ancestors at that period of our history which may be supposed the most closely to resemble in refinement, that of the Peruvians at the time of which we are speaking.
It is said that Huasca, the Inca of Peru who reigned at the beginning of the sixteenth century, and who was remarkable for his love of the arts, especially those connected with the improvement of his capital, proclaimed, that whosoever would find means of conveying water with facility to his palace and to Cuzco, should receive in marriage his youngest daughter, then a beautiful girl in the first bloom of womanhood. This offer was no sooner made than a young man appeared called Hassan, who declared himself capable of performing the great work. He was immediately furnished with as many men, and all the materials, which he thought proper to demand, and the work was commenced.
While the work, however, was in progress, an incident occurred, which damped the ardour of the youth for the accomplishment of what he had undertaken, and seemed to overthrow all expectations of its ever being completed. Among the numerous attendants upon the workmen for the preparation of their food, and the care of the camp in which they dwelt, there appeared a girl of great beauty, who, while attending upon her father, was observed by the youthful engineer, who became so violentlyJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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enamoured that his attention was distracted and turned aside from the object upon which his mind had been hitherto bent. - He saw that the accomplishment of the work he had undertaken would result in his marriage with the daughter of the Inca, and this though accompanied by all the honours the sovereign could bestow would deprive him of that which he valued more than life, and tie him to a bride whom he had never seen and had now ceased to desire to know.
Owing to this state of Hassan’s mind, neglect, languor and disorder, reigned in the encampment of the workmen, which at first seemed to every one to arise from a conviction on the part of the engineer, that the accomplishment of the work being beyond his power, all idea of carrying it to a completion was consequently abandoned. Some time passed without any change, during Which Hassan had frequent opportunities of meeting the young attendant to whom he had become attached. This however was by and by remarked by the people in such a manner as to induce the young girl to retire and return no more to the camp, distracting still more the mind of the engineer, who was unable to obtain any further information concerning her.
The confusion into which everything was now thrown became known to the Inca, who soon learned also the real cause of the engineer’s default, and determined to take his, revenge in a manner which we should think at this day among ourselves rather severe, viz., by putting294
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to death the subject that had so grossly and so openly insulted his sovereign. The character, however, of the offence was such, that Hassan was sent for before his execution, and appeared guarded in the presence of the Inca, who sat upon his throne surrounded by his nobles. Huasca, happening to be a man of moderate passions, asked the culprit in the presence of his nobles, whether he had anything to say before his execution in extenuation of the crime he had committed by treating his sovereign with contempt.
To this the young man replied, that he had only to thank his sovereign for all the favours he had received, and more especially for that which he was about to receive, which would place him beyond the reach of such suffering as he had endured since he had become acquainted with the innocent cause of his misfortune.
At the moment that the Inca was about to commit him to the tender mercies of the executioners, the girl we have mentioned suddenly appeared among the crowd of nobles, dressed as she had been in the camp of the workmen, and rushing into the centre of the hall exclaimed:
“ Stay, Inca! Arrest the hand of justice for a moment, while I put one question to the unfortunate culprit. It shall be such as the Inca will not disapprove.”
From the moment of this strange apparition, until the demand of the girl, there was not a sound heard. The whole of the nobles present, remained motionless and silent. But had no embarrassment, overwhelmed them, the presence of their sovereign would have re-JOURNEY TO PUNO.
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strained equally their words and their acts. Huasca, wTho seemed alone unmoved, nodded assent to the demand of the girl, who now marched up to the youth, and laying her right hand upon his left shoulder, and standing a little on one side, that, his countenance might he well seen by the Inca, %aid : “ Young man of the hills where the Inca is ever known! Subject of Huasca! Hast thou chosen the child of the vales in preference to the daughter of thy Sovereign?” To which the youth after steadfastly regarding the Inca replied:
“ The will of the great source of light be done. The sentence of the Inca is just.” Then turning to the girl he added, “ I go now with joy to dwell where I shall await thy coming, to possess thee for ever.”
“But wherefore could’st thou not,” then said the girl, “ accomplish the work which thou hast undertaken ? ”
“ It had been done,” said the youth, “ had the labour been accompanied with the hope of possessing thee.”
At this reply, the young girl, suddenly throwing off her upper garments which had hidden those which would have betrayed her true character, and taking the entranced youth by the hand, advanced up to the foot of the throne of the Inca, and exclaimed:
“ Great father of the children of the sun, dost thou not recognise thy child ? I whom thou lovest as thyself demand the remission of the sentence against the youth, now bowed down before thee, until it be known whether the great work which he has undertaken can be accomplished or not.”296
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Inca Huasca whose affection for his daughter was above all other feelings, electrified by the occurrence signified his assent to the proposal, A few months after this, the great aqueduct was completed, and the engineer and the Princess became man and wife.
This is one of the districts in Peru remarkable for the handicrafts practised by the Indians, who do not seem to have been ever wanting in disposition and capacity to improve their acquaintance with mechanical operations. It is said that there were formerly here, men well skilled in the finest manufacture of golden vessels, many specimens of which are at this day to be seen in the museums of Europe.
But what is most worthy of our notice is, the practice which appears still to survive among the native races, of dividing their labour in the same manner as when it was directed by men well worthy, as we have seen, of the title of legislators. At the present day, in some of the districts the mechanics are almost exclusively occupied in working instruments of iron, whilst in others, all articles of leather are manufactured. But in this locality, they seem to be chiefly occupied with the manufacture of woollen cloths, which are produced in a degree of perfection that is very remarkable, considering the simplicity of the machinery employed. Even figures and inscriptions are sometimes worked on the cloth, in a manner, and with a rapidity, which command the highest praise.
I visited a remarkable cloth manufactory within a walk of our host’s hacienda. It was indeed like everything in the country, gradually declining, and the build-JOURNEY TO PUNO.
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ings, which were of adobes, were in a ruinous condition. It had formerly given occupation to eight hundred Indians, and there were even now five hundred employed, and its produce was valued at twenty thousand dollars a year. The abundance of water, and the facility with which the wool of the llama, the alpaca, the vicuña, and the sheep was procurable here, seemed to have given rise to the establishment of this manufactory at an early period after the conquest ; and the market, independent of the government contracts which were frequently obtained, was still large.
There was also a flour mill upon the stream here, which seemed to be worked much in the same manner as those in England. Two reals were taken for grinding a fanaque of ten arrobas of twenty-five pounds.
Besides the decrease of the population, there is another cause of decline in the manufacturing industry of the country, arising from the increase of the bad habit of taking spirits in excess which prevails among the industrious classes and especially the Indians, to which there has been no check since the independence of the country. The several classes in the towns throughout the sierra indulge in this destructive vice, whatever may be their peculiar habits of life; but the pure Indians are said to be the most addicted to the dangerous practice. Wherever any number of these are settled, they meet together to enjoy their favourite amusements of dancing, singing, and indulging in the use of spirits in excess. The quantity, indeed, that is said to be drunk in the sierra, almost éxceeds belief. Nevertheless, there is very little of that thoroughly brutal298
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drunkenness, so common in some of the countries in Europe.
I shall here describe the manner in which the Indians make their favourite spirit the chicha, in such parts of the sierra as are somewhat removed from the beneficial influence of the faint ray of refinement which still shines upon the native inhabitants in the towns, and even in the villages not entirely cut off from commercial intercourse with others. In the districts to which I allude, the maize from which the spirit is made, is first dried in the sun, then chewed and broken up in the mouth, and afterwards boiled in water and left to ferment. The precise manner in which this process is performed is as follows: —
A number of men and women seat themselves in a circle round a caldron, and the maize being strewn on the ground by their sides, they commence chewing it, and throwing it from their mouths into the caldron, and continue to do so until they have the quantity desired; water is then added, and the mess is boiled and left to ferment.
The reported merits of the spirit thus made, rather exceed what we should expect; it being said to be superior, not only in strength but also in flavour, to that which is made by the somewhat more refined natives who crush the maize between ,-stones.
There is a moral, however, connected with this manner of producing the precious chicha, which, if it has not been the cause of the retention of the ancient means of obtaining it, is at least calculated to modify our objection to the somewhat remarkable process. ItJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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is well known indeed that the spirit thus formed is prized to such a degree as to he made the bond of alliance between families, sometimes even of different villages which are far apart or are separated by the mountains. For this purpose, when marriages take place between respected parties of the same or different villages, a chewing bout takes place amongst the families and relatives of the happy couple, and a small cask or jar of the chicha thus made is buried in the ground, where it remains until the birth of the first child. When the cask or jar is produced, the same parties who performed the chewing operation in its making, meet again and sit down and drink away until they all enjoy the highest degree of pleasure to be obtained by this or any similar means. One of my young friends indeed informed me that he had been present on several of these joyous occasions during his travels, and had tasted the spirit produced by the means described, which he said he might have thought very good, if he had not known the process by which it was made.
We spent the next day in the company of the amiable Señora Ramon Nadal, sometimes in the corridor and sometimes beneath the trees in the gardens of the estate, well shaded from the rays of the sun during his brightest hours, ajff engaged in the contemplation of the surrounding prospects, which, beyond the fertile tract upon which the estate is situated, presented on all sides the most superb scenery that it was possible to behold.
Early on the following day, we walked to a grove300
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near at hand* where there was another cloth manufactory, containing a machine with two large wooden hammers that were employed in beating the cloth, and which were pointed out as worthy of the notice of a stranger.
*
Near this building, I was also shown an enormous mass of rock, which had rolled down the mountains on this side of the estate during an earthquake; and such were its dimensions, that had its course been a few hundred feet more on one side, it would have swept all the buildings of the manufactory entirely away.
While we were here, we witnessed a sight, which very plainly revealed to a stranger the character of the relations which still subsist between the Creoles and the aborigines of the country. A rude dependant started from beside us, and attacked and drove away two poor Indian women, who had entered the premises and were gathering some sticks which were fit only to burn.
Early the next morning, after taking leave of this excellent family, with whose kindness I was deeply impressed, and also of my good friend Señor Alessandro Nadal, I renewed my journey with my mounted guide and our baggage mule, furnished with a letter from Señora Eamon Nadal to her sisterjjgenor Grarmendia, who resided at Quiquiguana, a vmage five leagues distant from Lucre.
The morning was fresh and fair, and during our ride round the grand quebrada of Lucre we passed in several places the ruins of the famous aqueduct alreadyJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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mentioned, and reached Quiquiguana before midday.
My letter of introduction was to the principal lady and proprietor of land here; but as it had only been given me a few minutes before I left Lucre, there had been no time to speak of the future, so that I was uncertain as to the kind of entertainment I was likely to receive. I was however no sooner known, at the hacienda of the Señora Grarmendia, than I was received with the same hospitality which I had met with at Lucre. The kind lady was living entirely alone, and occupied a large house with ample apartments, and pleasant grounds enclosed within walls. Her attendants were chiefly Indians, by whom I was immediately served with refreshments, after which I accompanied the lady into her garden.
The grounds of the Señora Grarmendia were laid out in much the same costly style as those of the hacienda at Lucre; and they commanded a noble view of the steep rise of the nearest Cordillera. After a short promenade, we took chocolate, in an arbour at the end of the garden, where I had mjich agreeable conversation with the lady, who had never before been in company with an Englishman.
We were here at the foot of that range of mountains which separates this portion of the Spanish conquests from the country^occupied by the race of Indians called the Chunchos, who were never subjected by the Incas, and have not at any time been brought under the dominion of the Europeans. It is surprising how little is known of this people who inhabit the country border-302	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
ing on that which is possessed by the Creoles. ■ Such information as has been obtained concerning this tribe comes chiefly through the Spanish and native Peruvians who are employed in procuring the cascarilla or Peruvian bark, which is found chiefly in the Makapata mountains. The native Peruvians of this part of the country have a superstitious dread of their wild neighbours, which they cannot overcome, and which has been supposed to be of a religious character. This does not however extend to the Creoles.
Until very lately, no kind of intelligible intercourse existed between the Peruvians of any race and the Chunchos, who cannot but be supposed to be living in an utterly wild state, as no clothes of any kind are worn by either sex; unless, indeed, this circumstance be owing to some strange superstition prevalent among them.
The bark gatherers were long exposed to the attacks of this people, who from their places of concealment, shot their victims with poisoned arrows whenever the opportunity occurred. Such were the difficulties with which the Peruvians had to contend in their search for bark, and so completely did the Chunchos succeed in hiding themselves that none of them were at any time made prisoners.
But it was wisely determined by the government, with the aid of the merchants, for whom the bark was obtained, to win over their wild enemies by presents; but the first distribution of these was not accomplished without the following adventures.
The plan for attempting to open the friendly inter-JOUENEY TO PUNO.
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course, was first left by the government to General Miguel Medina, tbe prefect who it will be remembered was still at Cuzco when I was there. He determined to enter the country of the Chunchos himself, with what might be considered a respectable force for such an expedition. He engaged twelve Peruvian Indians, and twelve Creoles, and after furnishing them with all kinds of necessaries that it was possible to carry, set out for the passage of the Cordillera. Difficulties soon commenced which increased as the party proceeded, chiefly by reason of the obstruction to their progress caused by the deep-set shrubs that were found in the valleys, but also from the ruggedness of the ground at the higher elevations. Before they reached the summit of the Cordillera, the prefect and his white men were abandoned in the night time by the Indian half of their party, who, it appeared, were not able to overcome the superstitious terrors which they entertained of their enemies the Chunchos.
The governor and the Creoles, however, continued to advance; but in some of the valleys or sheltered positions, they found the vegetation so compact, that they could not pass without clearing the way with their axes; whilst the ruggedness of the rocky districts, and the depth of the snow, over which they had to make their way, so much contributed to their detention that several weeks were passed before they reached the lower country of the Chunchos on the opposite side of the mountains. When there, they wandered again for weeks, subsisting chiefly upon wild fruits and the produce of the chase, without meeting friend304
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or foe; and they finally returned, after three months’ absence without accomplishing the object of the expedition.
After the vain attempt of the prefect and his party to open a safe intercourse with the Chunchos, the merchants and others equally interested in the enterprise, fitted out an expedition which was more fortunate in its results. They selected twelve Creoles of known sagacity and courage, who penetrated the country in the same manner that the prefect had done. They wore always loose armour adapted to defend them from any chance shots of Indian arrows, and were otherwise so fantastically dressed, as to excite the surprise and curiosity of any wild men they might happen to meet.
The progress of the Creoles was slow; but some time after entering the dangerous region, they encountered a party of their ancient enemies, who were evidently so much struck by their novel appearance as to suspend hostilities until they had effected some sort of communication with the strangers.
The ground upon which the parties first came in contact, being almost without trees, they discovered each other while they were at the distance of about a mile apart. The Indians, who appeared to have some sort of encampment* and were evidently but a small party, disappeared very soon after they were discovered, upon which, the white men marched slowly towards the spot where they had seen them, crying out at the same time, with loud voices, in such a manner as seemed to be adapted to excite the curiosityJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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or interest of the savages. When they arrived within bowshot of the place where they had seen their ancient enemies, they stopped and uttered yet louder cries, and placed themselves in such attitudes as were supposed best adapted with their strange dresses to excite curiosity; upon which the Indians, whether impressed by the cries or the novel appearance of the strangers, came from behind some eminences of rock, advanced towards them with their bows in their hands, and with cries or whines which it was plain were not warlike notes.
The moment was now one of great interest. The white men had arms as well as the Indians, and defensive armour, which the Indians had not. But war was not the purpose for which the white men came; and while the Indians stood and gazed at them with feelings which it was not easy to, understand, the strangers held up pieces of bright coloured cloth, and endeavoured by their gestures to signify that they had brought them as presents.
Upon this, several of the Indians approached, and were each presented with a piece of coloured cloth and some trinkets, which were accepted by them with unmistakable signs of joy. Then followed others of their party, to the number of eighteen men, who all received presents of some sort, a proper distinction being made between the ordinary men, and those who appeared to be the chiefs among them.
The white men, having thus distributed their presents, now by signs, demanded permission to fell trees and gather bark, which, though not the immediate purpose
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of their present expedition* was its final object* and in this they were successful. In fine by their mere gestures they succeeded in making known their wants* and even made the Indians understand that whenever white men wanted hark* they would come provided with some means of paying for what they should take. The Indians* indeed* seemed to understand so perfectly* and to he so well satisfied with all that occurred* that they even accompanied the white men to spots which they knew to be the most productive of the trees* which it was plain* by the bark their new friends exhibited* were required* and even helped when the trees were felled to gather the bark.
In a word* this expedition* though the full cause of the impression made upon the wild men is not probably even now well known* produced such an understanding between them and the Creoles* who always carry presents* that the expeditionary parties have since been rarely attacked any where* and have lost but very few lives.
Although presents are always carried by the Creoles* the Indians are not always seen. There was* indeed* while I was in this settlement* a party of white men* who had just returned from gathering bark* after several months’ absence, without having met any of the Chunchos; and from some of them with whom I had an opportunity of conversing the above information was chiefly obtained.
It may be as well here to mention a few particulars relating to the manner of procuring the cascarilla or Peruvian bark* which has been so long known inJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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Europe, and winch was at one time of so great importance to the country in which it is found. The men, who engage in expeditions for this purpose, are occupied in procuring the hark between the months of April and October. They assemble, during the early part of May, and having provided themselves with food and the necessary tools, set off for the passage of the Cordilleras which lie eastward of this district. Having accomplished this, they find themselves in an equally mountainous hut lower country, where the eastern sides of the hills are generally covered with dense forests, amidst which the cascarilla tree is found distributed sometimes singly, but more frequently in small groups, which are in neither case discovered without great difficulty and fatigue.
The task of discovering the tree is entrusted to those of the party who have the best sight. They first seek for the tallest trees of the forest, or for eminences of rock, which they ascend, and thence are able to distinguish the tree for which they are in search, by the colour of its foliage, which even at the season when it is most distinct from that of other trees, differs so slightly as to require excellent sight and much practice to discover it. When, however, the searcher has fixed his eye upon some tree or group of trees of the kind for which he is looking, he marks well its direction, and descending from his elevation, sets off with the rest of the party through the forest, which is sometimes so dense that it is only by the use of the axe that they can make their way.
As soon as the trees are found, a wigwam is erected308
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as a temporary abode for the party and a store for the bark. The trees are then felled* and the bark is cut in strips along the body of the trees* which are left for several days on the ground, when the bark becoming loose* is stripped off and spread out in the sun and so dried. Or if the party* as sometimes happens* be at no great distance from one of their own villages* the bark is packed while green and sent there to be dried. The Indians themselves are well acquainted with the virtues of the cascarilla bark* and take an infusion of it while it is green* for the same fevers for which the quinine which is made from it is now taken in Europe; and this is said by the medical men in Peru* to be much the best manner of taking it.
A very little is really known respecting any of the Indians who inhabit the eastern districts of these latitudes* though many tales are circulated concerning them. It is known* however* that they are very numerous in the lower lands on the opposite side of the mountains* where the descent is more gradual than on the western side; and it is probable that they occupy a large extent of country within the boundaries of the Brazilian Empire. It is also certain that they are composed of many tribes* which are supposed to be formed by the association of those whose languages* modes of life* and religions are similar. But if the impression generally entertained concerning them be correct* they are certainly not so advanced as the greater part at least* of the Indians of the northern continent; and if there be the smallest truth in what is reported* they certainly much less excite our interestJOUKNEY TO PUNO.
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and onr sympathies than any of the Indians of the northern tribes.
The missionaries who at some time or other have penetrated into certain portions of the country of which we have been speaking, inform us that three of the tribes with whom they have held some intercourse are more thoroughly savage than the rest. These are the Antes, the Chunchos and the Cascibas, all of which are said to be cannibals, who make war upon one another merely for the purpose of obtaining victims wherewith to glut their appetites.
Among the usages of these savages, there is one which tends to excite our interest, as being a very worthy exception to the, code of barbarism existing among them; this is a reserve made at their feasts in favour of the fair sex, who, whether prisoners or otherwise are never eaten. But lest this should excite too much sympathy in the mind of any fair reader of this volume, it is proper to add, that this seeming trait of respect, does not spring from the feeling which induces men to estimate so highly, and give place to, the fair sex among ourselves, but from the opinion which these good people entertain that women are impure beings, created rather for the torment than the comfort of men, and that their flesh is in the highest degree poisonous.
Among some of the tribes, the women wear a covering from the waist downwards, and the men wear some sort of rag, while among others, no clothing whatever is worn by either sex, but they bedaub the whole of their bodies with paint.310
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They are said to lire generally without any kind of government* and to be subject to no authority save such as that of the parent over his family. In some of the tribes however one of the old men who has distinguished himself by his skill in the art of war, is frequently looked upon as a chief, but this chieftainship is never hereditary.
The manner of living among the different tribes is supposed to be nearly the same. The occupations of the men are war and the chase, and those of the women, the cultivation of such kinds of grain as they sow, and the care of domestic affairs. The women are said not to be deficient in taste for personal ornaments, which is usually shown by wearing rings in their ears, or through their noses or their lips, to which they add paint over a portion or the whole of their bodies.
In some of the tribes polygamy is practised; but in others it is said to be forbidden, though this is somewhat difficult to reconcile with the account given of the universal want of established laws, and the almost entire absence of submission to any governing authority.
The dispositions of these races seem to be generally much in accordance with their general depravity; and their gloominess and reserve we are told, are never broken, save before and after their hunting or warlike expeditions, when they meet together and pass the day and night in feasting and drinking intoxicating spirits, which are prepared by them from several of the fruits of the country.
Their wars are carried on with great stratagem and their prisoners, whether eaten or not, are generally putJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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to death. Their weapons are hows, poisoned arrows, and clubs, and it is said, that they possess a poison so virulent that if it only touch a part of the body where the skin is broken, the wounded man dies within two or three minutes.
The most interesting feature in the characters of wild men are certainly their religious impressions, more especially when these are in the least connected with any rational ideas concerning the future. Little can be learnt of the creeds of these men, even from the missionaries who have entered their country; yet it is evident from what is known that all the tribes have impressions in common with the rest of the human race, that this life is no more than an introduction to some future state, depending in its character in a great measure upon the conduct of men on this side the grave; and while contemplating this universal impression, it is impossible to avoid placing the feelings which it inspires among the proofs which all men possess, apart from the revelations which form the religion of civilized man, of the existence of the soul in some form or other hereafter.
The evidence that we have of the prevalence of these impressions, seems to be in a great measure derived from the habit among the Indians, of burying with the deceased all their hunting and useful instruments, which must be done under the conviction of their usefulness in another life.
It is also said, that all these tribes believe in the existence of beings superior to ourselves, some of whom are beneficent and dispense all the blessings we receive,312
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while others are malicious, and are worshipped out of fear, and for the purpose of appeasing their malignant dispositions. But as happens in all cases when men have not arrived at any sense of one Superior governor of the whole universe, they recognize numerous objects of worship, and observe in the natural phenomena which are apparent to their senses, many signs of evil and good. The sun, indeed, the worship of which seems to be an especial characteristic of the whole of the American people, excites their particular veneration, while the moon is regarded with suspicions and fears. Thunder and lightning, earthquakes, volcanoes and unwholesome winds, are also regarded as acts of malignant spirits.
It is nevertheless said, that with these and many other conflicting impressions, a few are found among these people, as happens in every association of human beings, who believe in the existence of some power which is too far above the conceptions of human creatures even to reason upon.
After these few remarks upon the wild tribes of these regions I may close the account of my visit to this hacienda, by adding to what has already been said of my reception, that in the evening, my kind hostess provided an excellent supper, among the delicacies of which were included the choicest fruits of the climate, after which we retired for the night.313
CHAP. XIX.
JOURNEY TO PUNO — continued.
Passage of the River Quiqui guana. — Ruins of an Indian Village. — Hacienda of Accabambo. — Village of Combapata. — Village of Chuchakupa.—Village of Tinta.—Wide Quebrada. — Village of
Sequani--Village of Tombo. — Swampy Plains. — Adventure in
passing the Stream. — Adroitness of the Mules. — Village of Santa Rosa. — Incivility of the People.—Storm.—Indifference of the Mules. — Sheep grazing. — Village of Lampa. — Further Incivilities. — Hu-liaca.—Two Stone Villages. — Remains of Ancient Stone Villages.— Caracola.— Snow.—First View of Lake Titicaca. — Descent from the Hills —Variable Temperature. — Grasses. — Descent to Puno. — Description of the Tambo.
About noon, on the day after onr arrival at the hacienda of the Señora Grarmendia, I took leave of the amiable lady and renewed my journey.
After an hour or two’s ride, we forded the same rapid stream, on a higher part of which is seated the town of Quiquiguana, over which is the Indian bridge already mentioned in the account of the journey from Arequipa to Cuzco.
About a league further, we passed the ruins of an Indian village, the whole of which appeared to have been built of unhewn stones, which were now scattered over a large space of ground. Maize was growing within the larger rooms of some of the buildings, the walls314	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
of which, served for fences. We did not here meet with a single living creature.
In the evening, we reached an old hacienda called Accabambo, beyond which we could perceive a broad and sterile plain; and as we were still two and a half leagues from the next village in which there was a tambo, and our mules were fatigued, we determined if it were possible to repose here. Accordingly, we rode in at the open gates, and were met at the entrance of the mansion by a man who had the appearance of being the steward of the establishment. He informed us however that there was no one but himself residing there in a manner which did not give us much hope of succeeding in obtaining quarters for the night. But we spoke very earnestly of our necessities, upon which we obtained our object; and the mules as soon as unloaded were tolerably housed.
Yet the good man to whom we were indebted for these favours, was not so polite as we could have wished; so I did not attempt to converse with him, but as soon as the guide had put up the poor beasts, and fed them with some oats which we carried, we sat down together in the hall and supped upon our own resources. My worthy companion then laid out my bed upon the floor of an unfurnished chamber, where I passed the night undisturbed.
As there was nothing to detain us at this hacienda, we recommenced our journey at six o’clock the next morning, which was the 19th of the month.
After the passage of the plain which we had seen on the previous evening, we arrived at eight o’clock in theJOURNEY TO PUNO.
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morning at the village of Combapata, where we breakfasted upon our own stock, and obtained a little barley for our much jaded animals.
Soon after this, we passed the ruins of an Indian settlement, the stones of which the houses had been built lying scattered about in the same manner as at the last mentioned deserted village. We next arrived at the village of Chuchakupa upon another branch of the river Quiquiguana, where also there was an Indian bridge; but as this was impassable and the water was low, we crossed the stream again by fording it.
About noon, we passed by the large village of Tinta, which lay on our right hand about half a mile from our road; and we observed that the people there were at the time discharging the same kind of rackety popguns which so frequently awaken the good folks of Arequipa.
We next crossed over a wide quebrada, some parts of which were covered with natural vegetation while other parts were perfectly sterile. There was here also a considerable quantity of swampy ground, over which there was a causeway for about two and a half leagues.
Throughout this part of the country, we observed hamlets of Indian huts, and also haciendas widely distributed.
At four o’clock in the afternoon we reached Sequani, which is at the distance of twelve leagues from the hacienda where we had passed the last night; and here we found tolerable quarters among a rather agreeable people.
Among other things which they gave us for our316
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supper were some paltas. Tlie palta is a fruit of the shape of a pear, and of a green colour, containing a stone. The portion which is eaten is of the consistence of Devonshire cream, and when taken with a little salt is excellent.
We left the village of Sequani at a very early hour on the morning of the 20th. The first part of our way, was now through defiles between the mountains, and as the snow was lying on the ground it was very cold.
At the distance of six leagues, we passed the village of Tombo, after which we had the same country for one or two leagues, which brought us to a plain of morasses and shallow swamps, during the passage of which a little accident caused us an hour or two’s detention. There were here, narrow pools of water in abundance, and our progress was occasionally interrupted by little streams; and as the ground had a light covering of snow and the water a thin coating of ice, we could not always distinguish the surface of the streams from the land. The streams, it appeared had been once all bridged; but the greater part of the bridges were now either carried away, or in such a ruinous condition, that we generally preferred putting aside the little covering of ice, and making our way through the waters in the"' best manner we could.
We went on in this way without encountering any difficulty until we met with a stream which was clear of ice but broader and apparently deeper than any we had yet crossed, while a bridge that had been here was entirely carried away, so that it seemed doubtful whetherJOURNEY TO PUNO.
317
we could pass over at this place. We traced the stream, indeed, both up and down for some time; but not succeeding in finding a more favourable place for crossing, and being unwilling to go far out of our way, I determined, against the guide’s opinion, to attempt the passage with my mule, being tolerably sure, that if the animal and myself did not succeed in passing together, we could manage to find our way apart. As I advanced, it became apparent that the bed of the stream was covered with a deep layer of mud or clay, and the mule which had at first advanced with tolerable ease, at length stuck fast in the middle of the stream with his body half beneath the waters, and even when beaten remained as motionless as if he were nailed to the ground.
My position was now anything but agreeable. I had already taken off my boots and burnoose and was prepared for a swim. But as there appeared to be as much mud as water beneath us, I was unwilling to risk leaving my mule’s back until I could ascertain how this really was. I was puzzled, however, how to do so, for we had no stick with us, and it was impossible to procure one; and if I dismounted it was doubtful whether I could get on my mule again. My worthy guide who endeavoured to reach me, sunk up to his middle in the water and mud without being able to get more than three or four yards from the bank; and he unfortunately found, that there was more mud than water, and that it would be by no means safe for me to attempt to walk or swim for a distance that could not be less than twenty yards.318
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Upon finding this I requested him to unload the baggage mule, and with the tackling to make as long a rope as he could, which he might be able to throw to me if not while I was on my mule, at least before I might reach the shore, which it was absolutely necessary by some means to attempt. This having been done, it was found that the rope was too short to reach the mule by some twenty feet or more. However after a little further consideration, I contrived to stand upright on the mule’s back, and throwing myself flat on the water struck out until I reached the rope that was again thrown. With the aid of this I now gained the shore; and I must add to the very great joy of the guide, who had been not a little alarmed, but whose duty had been faithfully performed.
Now came the question of how we could recover the mule, and whether we should endeavour to make it return or proceed. But our anxiety on this account was soon appeased by seeing the animal, after much jumping and splashing, in a few minutes reach the opposite side of the stream, which was probably more than a hundred feet in breadth.
Another embarrassment then presented itself. How could we catch the beast, even if it were possible to cross the stream? Without him, we could hardly proceed on our journey. The guide however knew the animal very well, and declared there was no need for uneasiness on that account; so when I had mounted his mule, we set off to trace the course of the stream, in search of a better place to pass over; and I had soon the satisfaction of seeing our stray animal followingJOUKNEY TO PITNO.
319
us on the opposite bank, just as if he thought us of as much importance to himself, as we knew he was to us.
In fine after tracing the course of the stream for some little distance, we found a favourable place; and the guide now mounting the baggage mule, we passed over without any inconvenience beyond the thorough wetting we had both already received. On reaching the opposite hank, my poor mule seemed as delighted to meet us, as we were to recover him.
We now jogged on merrily enough, without meeting any further obstruction, and reached the village of Santa Eosa just as it was dark, making a distance of thirteen leagues from Sequani.
We did the best we could at the tambo of this village to put ourselves again in something like condition for travelling; and there being nothing to detain us, we renewed our journey at an early hour on the following morning.
The way was now more agreeable, and the scenery more varied. At the distance of nine leagues we came to the village of Lyaneri, the appearance of which gave us expectations of good entertainment. There was a large church well situated, and the houses were less scattered than we had generally seen them; and there were here certainly more of the mixed race of Creoles and Indians than we had been accustomed to see; but we soon found to our surprise that we had fallen among a worse set of people than any we had before met with.
As we rode on, we met two or three men who seemed from their appearance, as it was Sunday, to have just320
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
come from the church. We inquired of them in a very civil manner where we should find the tambo* but received a iqost insolent answer* so we rode on.
We next met a party of men and women* very near the church* and on asking the same question of them, received the most coarse abuse possible from the men* accompanied by a peal of laughter. A little further on* we observed two men standing by the way* and whilst considering whether we should address them or not* one of them asked us* by what right we appeared in their village* with such an air of insolence that I was induced to draw one of my horse-pistols and cock it* upon which they both walked away.
We continued to ride about in search of the tambo until we met some children* from whom we obtained the required information; and" we finally arrived at the desired asylum about three hours after mid-day. But even here* we met with such a brutal reception* accompanied by a refusal from the tambero to aid us in preparing a fire to cook* that we determined* as soon as we had rested our mules* to proceed to the next village* which was at a distance of eight leagues.
At about four o’clock* we remounted our mules and proceeded on our journey. Our way was now across a broad quebrada; and as the sky was clear and the track plain* we had no doubt of arriving at the station about one or two hours after dark.
We had not* however* been more than an hour on our journey* before the sky became overcast* and it was evident that we were about to be exposed to one of those tempests which are prevalent in the vales of theJOURNEY TO PUNO.	321
Andes at all seasons of the year. The- wind rose* accompanied by a thick mist and whistled by us in furious gusts in the direction of the valley from which we were ascending. The day too, seemed to close earlier than usual, and the atmosphere became so dense that we could scarcely distinguish the beaten track we were following; and it soon began to lighten and thunder in a manner I had never before experienced. It was quite evident that we were in the midst of the clouds, from which issued the quick flashes of fire which afforded the only light we had to distinguish our path, accompanied by deafening peals of thunder. The forked lightning, indeed, ran along the ground on all sides, and the thunder seemed often to burst upon the very spot over which we were ^passing.
These flashes of lightning, and peals of thunder continued almost without intermission for between five and six hours; during the whole of which time we seemed as if we were in the midst of a vast caldron of burning elements.
“ Since I was man Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder,
Such groans of roaring wind and rain, I never Remember to have heard.”
What surprised me most was, the apparent indifference of the mules, till the guide informed me that they were accustomed to such storms. That upon which I rode started once, and jumped a little on one side, as a flash of lightning seemed to pass beneath him; and the guide declared that the electric fluid must at that moment have struck his legs, and he was surprised that the animal did not fall.
VOL. i.
Y322
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
About the fifth hour after the tempest commenced, we seemed to be leaving the place where we had been exposed to its greatest violence, and in another hour we had the sky once more clear above our heads, while we obtained a full view of the continued raging of the elements beneath the heights which we had happily reached. Clouds seemed to roll over clouds in vast masses beneath us, while the lightning flashed, and the peals of thunder continued to resound from hill to hill across the vale. We could perceive the lightning, until we began to descend towards the valley on the opposite side of the mountains, and the sound of the tempest reached our ears until about an hour before day, when we arrived at the village of Poukara, which is at a distance of fifteen leagues from Santa Kosa.
The only inconvenience which we experienced from the storm to which we had been so long exposed, was a thorough wetting; for though we were both well clothed, the very linen next to our skins was soaking wet when we arrived here.
The next day our path lay across wide quebradas and narrow plains sometimes less than a league in breadth, and generally between two and three in length. We also passed by some swamps, and in several places observed large tracts of land covered with grass in a state of decay.
In the middle of the day, we crossed a narrow Cordillera; after which we observed large flocks of sheep feeding upon the wild grass of the plain, under the charge of young Indian women, who were all spinning as they watched. We approached one or twoJOURNEY TO PUNO.
323
of them; but they turned their backs and walked off without making any reply to some words we addressed to them. _
The inhabitants of these quebradas subsist chiefly by keeping sheep and llamas. The greater part of the wool of these animals is sent to Arequipa, whence it is shipped for Europe. The most important article of their food is mutton, which they dry in the same manner as the people in Northern Asia.
i
In the evening we reached Lampa, where we perceived a large stone church, and houses enough to give us hopes of good entertainment; and as soon as we had alighted at the tambo, I set off to inspect the church, leaving the guide to procure what he could for our supper.
I found the interior of the building very rudely finished, and its walls decorated with the same vulgar objects of terror which are so often displayed among a semi-civilised people. Some, indeed, were too disgusting to look upon with patience; and they were all of such a character, as seemed to be the least calculated to impress the people with a just idea of the beneficence of the Supreme Being. If our adorations are excited by fear, instead of gratitude and affection, what proof do they give of our conception of the duties of the creature to the creator ?
As I returned from the church, I could not help reflecting upon what might- be the character of the people whose Christianity even admitted such barbarisms ; and on my arrival at the tambo I was not much surprised to hear from the guide that ,we had fallen324
TRAYELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
among just such a set of scoundrels as we had met with at Syaneri. He was sure,, he said, that there was no want of what we required among the people, hut they refused to sell him anything, although he had offered the highest price. However, as we had both bread and dried mutton, we managed pretty well; and, after making our beds, we lay down for the night.
In the morning when we arose, I accompanied the guide to attempt to get some butter, eggs, or fresh meat; but this was impossible. With the money in our hands we were everywhere rudely denied what we required. So, after we had made the best meal we could from our own stock of provisions, we left the place at an early hour.
We had now before us a pampa of eight or ten leagues in breadth which afforded the most gratifying spectacle. The Cordillera to which we were advancing, with its tops covered with snow, seemed like a barrier to our progress, while the peaks of the mountains at greater distances, presented the appearance of islands rising from the bosom of the ocean or a vast lake.
Early in the afternoon we .arrived at Huliaca, where we were more fortunate in supplying our wants than at Lampa; and as soon as we had tolerably dined we remounted our mules, and continued our journey.
After quitting Huliaca we passed by two villages consisting of houses built, of stone, each of which had a small church. There were also huts distributed in the vicinity at great distances apart.
In one part of the plain we observed the remains of two ancient stone villages; and, near some cliffs notJOURNEY TO PUNO.
325
far from these* there were two low towers of cut stone with their doors turned towards the rising sun* which we were informed were the remains of burial-places of the ancient inhabitants.
About one fifth of this plain was in a state of cultivation* and we observed maize growing in great abundance. In some places the ground was covered with decayed grass* the blades of which had been from eight to ten inches in height. . Above this there was now young grass springing* upon which several flocks of sheep were feeding.
We found the pampa* as we advanced* contract in breadth; and before four o’clock* we arrived at Caracola* which is three leagues from Huliaca.
We were now only eight leagues from the place of our destination* and should certainly have continued our journey had it not been for the jaded condition of our mules. We had soon* however* good reason to congratulate ourselves that we did not proceed* as it rained in torrents during all the rest of the afternoon.
When we awoke on the morning of the 24th* we found our tambo full of snow* which entirely covered our beds; and* on rising we observed that it must have fallen during the greater part of the night* as it was piled up in heaps in all directions around the tambo. As the ground was now quite hard* we set off as early as possible* being less likely to be obstructed on our road by the snow* than by the state of the ground after the commencement of a thaw* which we very well knew would soon take place.326
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
We now proceeded on very well for an hour or two, when the snow began to melt and the ground to give way beneath the mules’ feet, so that our advance became extremely difficult.
At the distance of five leagues, which we did not accomplish before my mule had twice fallen, being the second time unable to rise without aid, we passed by the small village of Pancacolla, whence we had our first glimpse of the great lake Titicaca, near the banks of which the town of Puno is seated.
We now descended to a narrow plain, which seemed to us to have been formerly the bed of an ancient arm of the lake. After crossing this, we ascended again to the summit of a range of hills, where the land still bore traces of having been well cultivated at some remote period. There were many fields surrounded by the remains of stone walls, some small portions of which were still standing. We obtained here a fine view of the broad compass of the mighty lake, which seemed like an onen sea, on the bosom of which we could distinguish several distant islands, while beneath us appeared the town of Puno.
As the traveller, after this journey, descends these hills within sight of his resting-place, he will look back with some interest upon the thinly inhabited portions of the sierra, or table-land, over which he has passed. Our course since we left Cuzco, had lain along elevated plains, without descending to the valleys between the Cordilleras, or passing over such high ranges as I had met with on my former journey. Except on those parts of the way that were nearJOUHNEY TO PUNO.
327
Cuzco we had generally seen too little vegetation to encourage the settlement of an industrious population.
These high tracts of land extend between the grand Cordilleras, not only through the whole of Peru, but to the northern and southern extremities of the continent of South America, and are at nearly the same distance from the coast throughout. Thus it is not until after you have passed the most eastern ranges in these latitudes, that you enter the warm climates where so many tribes of our species still exist in that original state of barbarism mentioned in the preceding chapter.
The temperature of the atmosphere in the regions we traversed is extremely variable. During our journey, the sun was in the northern latitudes, when the sierra is of course colder than when the great source pf heat shines perpendicularly upon the country. This season is called the summer by the inhabitants, on account of the weather being more favourable than when the sun is in the southern latitudes. During the warmer months the winds blow almost continually from the west, and are accompanied with snow and thunder and lightning almost nightly;" but the snow is said to melt always during the day, much in the same manner that has been mentioned as occurring during the journey to Cuzco.
My thermometer during these latter travels was generally about 22 or 24 degrees of Fahrenheit when we rose in the morning, and frequently as high as from 50 to 55 degrees at the warmest hours of the day. Sometimes however the temperature would vary about 12 or 15 degrees within half an hour; and when the328
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO-
wind came from the higher Cordilleras which were commonly west of us, we had at all times the greatest cold.
In so rigorous a climate it is not difficult to perceive, that the general aspect of the plains must he monotonous and dreary in the extreme. Now and then, however, the traveller’s weariness is relieved by the appearance of a stunted grove of trees of a very singular appearance, stretching along the side of the rising ground which is open towards the east, and shaded from the piercing winds which come from the Cordilleras upon the west. The trees stand far apart, exhibit little foliage, and consist generally of three or four large branches, springing from near the root, and bending towards the ground.
Grasses, however, are more commonly seen, sometimes covering extensive plains; but they are usually coarse; and we rarely observed them enlivened by fresh verdure springing up to take the place of the decaying herb. Thus it will be seen, that the traveller in the Andes who is dissatisfied with such dishes as I have mentioned we occasionally met with among the inhabitants of these regions, must be justly considered unreasonable.
On approaching the town of Puno, before descending the last declivity of the hills, we passed by the cemetery, which was enclosed and comprised many tombs formed by apertures in the walls which were generally the sides of cliffs; and as this place of rest for the bones of the dead was at the termination of the Alameda, it was well supplied with benches .forPUNO.
329
the use of the citizens who frequent the public pro-men ade, which was not however a pleasant place of resort.
After passing through the Alameda, we entered the main street of the town, where the houses were in general neat, though small, and the pavement clean. There were few persons walking; but before we reached the principal plaza to which the street led, I observed a young lady standing at one of the doors, who seeming to know I was a stranger, called to another of her sex within, who came immediately; and while they with timid curiosity regarded the passers by, it was plain to me from their faces and manners that they were of English extraction — but I shall presently have to speak of them again.
After reaching the plaza, a boy of whom we inquired, directed us to the tambo; and of this place of repose for travellers I must say a few words, while the reader will be good enough to remember, that this town is the fourth in importance and population in Peru. I was not indeed surprised to find, that Puno, like its rivals Arequipa and Cuzco, had no hotel; and as I was here without any letter of introduction, owing to a deviation from the original plan of my travels, I had no friend to apply to, and was therefore glad to find any kind of covered asylum.
Descending from the street we entered into a broad caravansary in which there were some ten or a dozen mules, feeding on straw, and several arrieros variously occupied amidst the confusion and litter usually met with in similar places. Around the enclosure there330	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
were one or two sheds for mules; and, at the entrance from the street were several small cells having for a floor the bare ground, without furniture of any kind, and with doors so battered that they could neither keep out the noise nor the cold. One of these however I selected, and when the beasts were unloaded, my bed was spread, and I established myself here for the period of my stay in the town of Puno.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME#
LONDON
PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. NEW-STREET SQUARETRAVELS
IN
PERU
AND MEXICO
BY S. S. HILL
AUTHOR OP ‘TRAVELS IN SIBERIA’ ETC.
All nations have interknowledge of one another, by voyages into foreign parts, or strangers that come to them.— Bacon
IN TWO VOLUMES
YOL. IT.
LONDON
LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS
1860CONTENTS
OP
THE SECOND VOLUME.
CHAPTER XX.
PTTNO.
Position of Puno. —Wool Manufactories.— Cafe.— Quinoa Grain. — Promenade. —Discover an Englishman.—Mr. Morris, of La Paz.— The Lake Titicaca. — Islands. — Effects of the Dryness of the Atmosphere. — Superstitions. — Mr. Morris’s Family. — Fine Young Ladies. —'Call on the Prefect. — Veneration for Santa Cruz. — Strange Impressions among the People. — The Market of Puno. — The Indian Women. — Their peculiar Character.—Causes of their Gloominess.— Dresses. — Domestic Manners. — Personal Appearance of Men and Women. — Complexion and Features. — Wild Indians Christians. — Account of an Animal perhaps fabulous. Potatoes chief Object of culture .	.	.	.	......................Page 1
CHAPTER XXL
JOURNEY PROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.
Village of Wilkey. — Hacienda of Señor José Rios de Garces. — Two Ladies. — Reception. — An agreeable Evening. — Departure the next Day. — Stony Hills.— Comhorta.— Companions.— Scarcity of Fodder. — Steep Hills. — Two Lakes. — Solitude of the Cordillera. — Tambo of Apo. — Stony Mountains. — Grand Views. — Meet a Courier. —
False Reports_Sad Condition of the Mules. •— Tambo of Pati. —
Pass Mount Misti. — View of Arequipa. — Politeness of our Travelling Companions.....................................17
A3VI
CONTENTS OE
CHAPTER XXII.
AREQUIPA TO LIMA.
Departure for Islay. — Change of Route.— Sterile Country.— Arrive at Islay. — Present from Mr. Morris. — Santa Cruz’s Present to Queen Victoria. Departure for Callao.;—Pisco.— Guano Islands. —Birds. —Pelicans.—Habits of the Birds.State of the Weather.—Climate.
—	Callao. — Rendezvous of Men-of-War. -— Seals. — Sea-Eowl. —r Portresses. — Diligence to Lima. — Condition of the Road. — Arrive at Lima .......... Page 27
CHAPTER XXIII.
LIMA.
Position of Lima.— The Town.—Plaza Mayor.— Cathedral.—Character of Pizarro, — Murder of Pizarro. — Streets. — Private Houses.—Convent of San Erancisco____Miracle.— Superstition of the Monks. —
Convent of the Jesuits. — Expulsion of the Jesuits. — Relaxation of Monastic Regulations. — Monks of the best Order. — Saints. — Religious Processions.— Impressive Ceremony.—Institutions for Education. — Cemetery. — Ancient Palace of the Jesuits. — University.— Rational Library. — Museum. — Remarkable Bridge. — The Mint.
—	Portresses........................................36
CHAPTER XXIV.
lima — continued.
Diminution of Population.— Causes.—Climate of Lima.—Consequences of bad Morals. — Dread of Earthquakes. — Account of past Earthquakes.—Volcanoes and Earthquakes not connected.—Prospects of thelndians.—Conspiracies.—Expectations of theEuture.—The Variety of Races remarkable. — Their Agreement among one another. — Sterility around Lima.— Sugar-Cane. —Maize. — Sweet Potatoes.— Lucerne. — Cotton. — Pruits of Southern Europe. — Use made of the Guano. — Policy of the Robbers.— Meeting with Robbers. — Respect shown for the Robbers. — Deficiency of the Government.—Use made of the Robbers.	.	. ..............................54THE SECOND VOLUME.
Vll
CHAPTER XXV. lima — continued.
Lives of the Citizens. — Degeneracy of the Creoles. — Effects of the System of Government.— Occupations of the Independent Classes.— Gambling. — Creole Ladies.—Personal Appearance of the Ladies.— Dress. — Intrigues.-—Manners of the Married Men.—Amusements of the Ladies. — Strange Customs. —"Cleverness of the Ladies. — Introduction to a Eamily. — First Impressions. — Colloquy between the Ladies and their Visitors; — Attractions of the Ladies. — Their Impressions concerning English Ladies. — My Second Visit . Page 69
CHAPTER XXVI. lima — continued.
The Manner of Life generally in Lima. — Marriages.—Character of the Gentlemen. —■ Retaliation of the Ladies. — Dress of the Ladies. — Character of their Intrigues. — Position of the Ladies of Lima compared with European and other Ladies.—Indians of Lima.—Negroes. —- Treatment of Slaves. — Mixed Races. — Mestizos. — Mulattos. — Education. — Mulatto Women________Character of the Mixed Classes generally. — The Pure Spaniards. — Foreigners in Lima .	.	83
CHAPTER XXVII. lima — continued.
Attachment to Ancient Usages. — A Bull-fight. — Building of the Exhibition.— Toreros.— Picadors. — Matadors. — Obeisance of the Matador_____Mishap. — A Moment’s Pause. — Entrance of the first Bull.
— Commencement of the Fight. — Torture of the Animal. — Fire Works. — Fresh Toreros enter. — Picador wounded. —- Death of the
Bull___Second Obeisance of the Matador. — Eight Bulls and Five
Horses killed. — Raptures of the Assembly. — Creole Ladies, — Our Disgust. — Report in the Morning...........................93
CHAPTER XXVIII. lima — continued.
Remarkable Family at Lima. — Differently regarded by the Population. —Origin of the Family.—The Heroine of the Tale.—Secretly courted by two Lovers. — Discovered by the Mother. — Power of Riches. —Vili
CONTENTS OF
I
Confinement in a Convent*. — Rules of the Convent. — Taking the Veil. — A new Lover—Plan of Escape. — Success of the Plan.— Affairs of Affections. — Terror in the Convent. — Departure of the Lovers from Arequipa. — Conduct of the Priests. — The Pope’s part Remission of the Yows.—Character of the family at Lima.—Remarks on the Future of Peru..............................Page 102
CHAPTER XXIX.
VOYAGE TO PANAMA. — PANAMA. — THE ISTHMUS.
Impositions upon Travellers. — Touch at Payta. — Character of the Country. — Guayaquil. — Island said to abound in Gold. — Proceedings of the Gold-hunters.—Arrival at Panama. —Town of Panama.— North American Church Service.—A picturesque Scene.— Untoward Accident — Preparations for Departure. — The Isthmus of Panama.
—Climate. — Fertility of the Soil.—Productions--Departure. —My
Companions.—Badness of the Road. — Distress of the Ladies.— Road getting worse. — Meeting with Travellers. — Arrival at the JRancho. — Our Accommodations. — Ladies change their Mode of Travelling. — A Native Shed inhabited. — Our Reception by the Natives. —Meet Travellers. — An English Party. —Difficulty of the Way. — Increasing Cares about the Mules. —Arrival at Cruses. — Scarcity of Provisions. — Sup on Mule’s Flesh .	-.	.	.114
CHAPTER. XXX.
PASSAGE DOWN THE RIVER CHAGRES. — CARTAGENA. — VOYAGE TO
JAMAICA.
Engage a Passage to Chagres. — Inspection of Cruses. — American Travellers.—Embarkation on the River.— Contrary Wind. — Current in our Favour. — Beauty of the Scenery. — Geological Remarks.— The Alligator. — Parrots. — Other wild Animals. — Settlement of Gorgona. — Disputes with the Boatmen. — Moor for the Night.— Wild Honey. — Arrival at Chagres. — Embark for Cartagena. — Cross the Bay of Darien. — Cartagena. — Manner of Dressing the young Folks. — Sail for Jamaica. — Church Service on board.—First Sight of Jamaica. — Port Royal.........................135
CHAPTER XXXI.
JAMAICA. — KINGSTON.
Discovery of Jamaica. — Disastrous Earthquakes.—Natural Scenery.— Population. — Climate. — Temperature. — Hurricanes. — Variety of
\THE SECOND VOLUME.
IX
natural Vegetation. — The Sugar-cane. — Coffee. — Native Animals. —Kingston.—Landing.— Street Scenes.—-Negroes. —Coolies.—The Houses.— The Parade.—Jamaica Boarding-house. — Native Family. —Their Characters.—Coloured Dandies.—A young Lady.— Students of French and Italian Authors. — Opinions of Shakspeare. — Discourse of the young Men. — Removal to Spanish Town. — Railway managed by coloured Men.........................Page 147
CHAPTER XXXII.
SPANISH TOWN.
Character of the British Colonial Governments. — Government of Jamaica.—Laws.—Courts.—Position of Spanish Town.—Population.— Character of the Inhabitants. — Boarding-House. — Character of Servants and Inmates. — Condition of the Proprietors. — Their true
Characters. — Causes of their Losses. —Streets. — Private Houses_
Call at the Government-House. —- Reception by the Governor. — Dinner at the Government-House.—Table-talk.'—Guests.—Drawingroom.— Sleeping Guest. — Hospitality of the Governor .	.163
CHAPTER. XXXIII.
Spanish town — continued.
House of Assembly. — Cathedral. — Monuments. — Visit two Sugar Estates.—A Newfoundland Captain. — Information from a Manager Fifty Years in the Island.—Classes of Labourers. — Use made of the Cocoa-nut Trees. —Bread-fruit Trees.—Evening Party at Mr. Nairn’s. —A Dissenting Clergyman.—Return to Kingston.—Visit to Mr. and Mrs. Turnbull. — Beauty of the Country.—;The Bishop’s Lady.— Mr. Turnbull’s House.—Visit to Santa Anna. —Our Discourse.— The General’s Hopes of his Country. — Suspicions of the North Americans.............................................173
CHAPTER XXXIV.
/	HAVANNAH.
Departure from Jamaica.—Appearance of the Coast.—Making Cuba.— Arrival at Havannah.—Views.—Landing. —Company on the Plaza. —The Merchants to whom I was addressed.—Business at Havannah. —Promenade with Mr. Palm. — The Carriages. — A Black Beau. — Change in the Condition of the Town.—Security of Person and Pro-perty.—Recall of the best Governor.—Jealousy of the Intendente.—X
CONTENTS OF
Visit to the Opera. — Question of Slavery, and the Slave Trade* — Classification of the Slaves. — Gravity of the Question of Slavery.— The present Traffic in Slaves. — Suffering of the Slaves imported.— The Slave Vessels. — Different Treatment of domestic and other Slaves........................................................Page 184
CHAPTER XXXV.
VOYAGE TO VERA CRUZ, AND JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.
Embark by the Carisima.—-Lady Fellow-Passengers.—Coast of Yucatan. —Show of Mutiny. — A Calm.—Eish.—Light Winds. — Making the Land off Vera Cruz. — The Norte.—Landing. — Town of Vera Cruz. — A Norte on Shore. — Condition of the Town.—Attachment of the Inhabitants to Vera Cruz. — Preparations to depart. —Difficulties in our Way. —Commencement of the journey.—View of the Mountain of Arizabo. — The temperate Region. — Badness of the Road. — Peculiar Construction of the Carriages.—Driver’s Account of Robberies.— System of the Robbers. — Gallant Conduct of an English Officer.—Villages.—Fertility of the Country. — Arrival at Jalapa.— The Town of Jalapa, — Convent of San Francisco. — Manner of selling Dulce...........................................200
CHAPTER XXXVI.
JOURNEY towards Mexico — continued.
Departure from Jalapa.:—Fir-Trees. — Cultivation. — Maguey. —Aloes. —Pulque.—Character of the Pulque.—Process of making the Pulque. — The Organas Plant.—Arrival at Perote. — Height of the Town.— Fertile aud Cultivated Country.—Breakfast at Nopolvica.—Puebla.— The Plaza. — Cathedral.— Industry of the Inhabitants.—Churches.— Reported Miracle.—Leave Puebla.—Farm of Rio Frio,—Escape from Robbers. — Caravan guarded.—A tricksy Animal. — Mineral Baths.—-First View of the City of Mexico.—Arrival .	.217
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CITY OF MEXICO.
Tour in the City,—The Grand Plaza. —The Cathedral.—Ancient City
of the Astecs__The noche triste.— Operations of the Spaniards.—
Attack of the Astecs.—Frightful Struggle.—Uncertainty of the Losses. —The Senate-House. —Chamber of Deputies.—Academy of SanTHE SECOND VOLUME.
XI
Carlos. — Alameda. — The Mineria. — View of Mexico. — View of the Mountains. — The Museum.—-Relics of the Ast,ecs—Comparison of the Ancient Inhabitants of Mexico and Peru. — Lord Mark Kerr. — Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley.— The Upper Rooms.—Mathematical Instruments.—Ancient Map of the City.—Weapons of War. —Rag Figures. — Colossal Statues. — Cabinet of Natural History. — The Theatre.........................................Page 229
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
VICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
Village of Guadalupe. — Traditions concerning a Miracle. — The remarkable Picture of the Virgin.—Unfortunate Fanaticism of a Bishop. —A pleasant Repast.—Interview with agreeable Natives. — Good-humour of the Women.—Russian Opinions respecting the Relations of Christian Communities.—Gardens of Montazuma at Chapaltepec.
—	Castle of the Spanish Viceroys. — Extent of the Ancient Gardens.
—	Remarkable Trees.—A small Lake. — View from the Hill . 245
CHAPTER XXXIX.
\
THE SILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.
Level Road.—Cultivated Country. — Arrival at Puchaca. — Road to Real del Monte.—Arrival at the Director’s. — Curious Reception.—
Mrs. Buchan___Meeting Mr. Buchan. — Inspection of the Offices of
the Chief-Engineer. —Ride to the Outworks of the Mining Establishment.—Reducing the Silver from the Ore. — Patio Process.—Wet Crushing Mills—Process of the German Barrels.—Regia. — Natural Objects of Curiosity. — San Migel. — Romantic Country.—Descent into the principal Mine at Real del Monte. — Account of the Interior. — The principal Veins worked.—Departure ....	255
CHAPTER XL.
RETURN TO VERA CRUZ.
Departure from the City of Mexico.—My Companion.—Our Escort. — Difficulty of obtaining a Relief.—Visit to the Government-House at Puebla.—Our Reception there.—The Company.—Consultation about
the Strangers_Our Disappointment. —■ Relief in the Morning. —
Arrive at Vera Cruz.—Remarks concerning Mexico. — Youths educated in the United States.—Effects of their Education .	.269Xll
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND YOLUME.
CHAPTER XLI.
RETURN TO HAYANNAH AND VOYAGE TO EUROPE.
Departure from Vera Cruz.—My Fellow-Passengers. — Sunset in the Gulf of Mexico, — Anchor off Tampico.—Dangerous Bar.—Anxiety about our Boat. — Receive Treasure on Board.—Arrival at Mobile.—■ Departure. — Arrival at Havannah. — Sail for Europe. — View of the Island of Santa Maria. — Arrival at Cadiz. — Travel in Spain and Portugal.—A few Remarks on taking Leave of the Reader .	277
APPENDICES.
Appendix I.............................................289
Appendix II............................................299
Appendix III...........................................306
Appendix IV............................................308
Appendix V. .	.	.	«.........................,311TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAPTEE XX.
PUNO.
Position of Pnno. —Wool Manufactories. — Café.— Quinoa Grain. — Promenade. — Discover an Englishman. —-Mr. Morris, of La Paz.— The Lake Titicaca. — Islands. — Effects of the Dryness of the Atmosphere.— Superstitions.—Mr. Morris’s Family.—Eine Young Ladies. — Call on the Prefect. — Veneration for Santa Cruz. — Strange Impressions ■ among the People. — The Market of Puno. — The Indian Women. — Their peculiar Character.—Causes of their Gloominess.— Dresses. — Domestic Manners, —■ Personal Appearance of Men and Women. — Complexion and Features. — Wild Indians Christians. — Account of an Animal perhaps fabulous. — Potatoes chief Object of culture.
The city of Puno, lies nearly south-east of Cuzco and east of Arequipa, and is situated upon the western shores of the great lake Titicaca, at an elevation of 14,000 feet above the level of the sea. It was formerly the centre of a mining district, and had a population of 15,000 souls; but the silver mines along the mountains by the side of the lake, which formerly gave employment to a great portion of its inhabitants, have been abandoned on account of the deficiency of wood and the difficulty of transport, and the population since the loss of this
VOL. II.
B2
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branch of industry* bas become reduced to about 8*000. There are still some wool manufactories; and the markets for their produce are the adjacent villages* in which there are said to be 30*000 inhabitants* and Arequipa,
On the morning after our arrival* I rose at an early hour* much refreshed by my repose in the narrow, dirty* cold cell in which my bed had been laid* and upon inquiry* found there was a kind of coffee-house attached to the tambo* to which I immediately repaired; and had the good fortune to procure a tolerable breakfast.
With passably good coffee* I was given some cakes which were made of a small grain called by the Spaniards quinoa* which I had before tasted in the form of porridge. It is much cultivated by the Indians* and is said to have been one of the chief articles of their food before the arrival of the Spaniards. The cakes made from it are light and palatable* but its cultivation is chiefly or wholly confined to these higher regions.
After breakfast I went out to take a stroll through the town alone. I had not walked many steps* before I came to the chief plaza* and seeing a watchmaker’s shop open, I walked in to get some trifling repair done to the watch I had with me. Upon saluting the gentleman whom I found seated* with the familiar phrase* “Buenos dias de Dios d vuestro* Senor*” I was surprised to receive in reply* our familiar salute* Good morning* Sir,” in the purest English accent. This gentleman turned out to be the father of the two young ladies, whose style and countenances had indicated to me their origin on the previous evening.PUNO.
3
The worthy Englishman whose acquaintance I thus accidentally made, was Mr. Morris. He had been many years a citizen of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, and his children had been born there, but he was now exiled in consequence of having taken the side, which proved to be unsuccessful, in one of the late revolutions in the Bolivian capital.
I thought myself very fortunate in having thus stumbled upon one of my countrymen ; but he informed me he was quite aware of the arrival of an Englishman, and that he should have called upon me in the course of the morning, if I had not thus happened to visit him.
As I was anxious to make some slight inspection of the famous lake Titicaca, which is the great natural feature of this district of the Andes, I hired fresh mules and set off with my guide for that purpose.
After a short ride of half an hour, we came' to the banks of the lake where we found some Indian huts, and several fishermen, who supplied the town with fish from the lake. Some of the men were busy with their lines, and seemed much surprised when we told them we had come to take a nearer view of the waters which they navigated, than we could have at Puno, and that we wished to row out in one of their craft. These indeed did not seem very well adapted for a pleasure excursion. They were constructed with great ingenuity of twisted rushes but had a wooden rudder. The fishermen pushed off one of moderate size, and in this frail craft we embarked with two of their party, and rowed out from the shore to see what prospect the lake afforded.4
TRAVELS m PERU A1SID MEXICO.
This great sheet of water taken at its full extent, is about a hundred and thirty or forty miles in length, and about thirty in breadth at its widest part; and is without doubt, the largest lake in the world at the elevation at which it is placed. It is, however, divided into four great basins communicating with one another. Two of these form the north-western and south-eastern arms of the grand department, while the fourth, near the bank .of which Puno is seated, is on the south-western side.
It is said to have been sounded in some parts, and to be from one hundred to one hundred and fifty fathoms in depth, but it is probably in many places still deeper, as it is reported here to be fathomless at some distance from the shore.
To those who float upon its surface it is like the ocean. • Although the weather was now calm, there was a rolling swell which seemed to indicate wind at a distance. Towards the west, we had a fine view of the high and snow-crowned peaks of distant mountains, while towards the east, appeared the line of the horizon only broken by the peaks of one or two rocky isles.
This great lake is situated between two of the grand Cordilleras, and is nearly surrounded by the peaks of the higher mountains, from which many small rivers fall into its bed. Those which descend from the country lying towards the north, are said to be the most numerous; but the finest, we were told, was that of the Lagunillas which descends from a chain of small lakes of a greater altitude on the western side.
The same evaporation takes place here which isPUNO.
5
noticed in the Dead Sea in Syria. Into the Dead Sea, the Jordan and many smaller streams pour their waters without augmenting its depth, although there is no outlet around its shores; and into the lake Titicaca many streams fall, while others flow from it of too inconsiderable size to carry off any great portion of what it receives. Whatever may be the cause of the anomaly, it is here, as in Syria, and no doubt very justly, ascribed to the excessive evaporation to which the waters of the lake are exposed in consequence of the dryness of the atmosphere.
The principal stream which leaves the lake, runs from its south-western extremity, and is called the Desaquadero.
This lake,' like many similar sheets of water in the world, has been once regarded with much veneration by the inhabitants of the towns and villages upon its coasts. Among other things, it was formerly believed that Manco Ccapac, the first Inca here held communication with the Great Spirit, and received his commission to civilize the people under his government. That its coasts were at one time well inhabited may be seen by the ruins of towns and villages which still remain. But at the present day there are but few settlers upon its borders, and these generally dwell in huts made of the same sort of rushes as those of which they construct their boats.	t
After my return from the lake, Mr. Morris called upon me at the tambo, and invited me to spend the evening at his house, to which he conducted me; and6	TEAYELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
on entering I was introduced to the two young ladies before mentioned.
Those Englishmen only who have been early in life deprived of the society of their countrywomen, can fully appreciate the pleasure of seeing fair English faces abroad, and meeting ladies with whom they may converse without the restraints prevalent in so many countries; and I was satisfied to find the daughters of my good friend possessed of the most amiable dispositions in addition to considerable beauty. They were very particular in their inquiries about their countrywomen at home, which was the manner in which they spoke although born and bred in Peru; and the questions they asked seemed to show they were not deficient in any kind of knowledge that it was possible to acquire in the country.
The next day, Mr. Morris walked with me to call on Señor Deustua, the prefect of the department, to whom I wished to pay my respects. The gentleman was at home, and received us very politely, but we had no conversation with him of much interest. I observed however, from the little that was said on politics, that he was full of hope, of the final success of the political experiment then undergoing its trial in so many parts of North and South America.
The people of Puno in general seemed to have a great veneration for Santa Cruz, whose policy while he was in power, indicated a partiality for monarchy which he was well known to entertain. During his protectorate, he abolished the municipalities, and made public meetings and petitions illegal; but appointed officersPUNO.
7
whom the state still retains, whose duties remind us of those of the tribunes of the Eoman Eepublic. They are chosen by election, hold their offices only two years, and are called Síndicos Procuradores.
In every large town, and every parish in its suburbs, there are two of these officers, whose duty is to guard the rights, or more properly, to represent the wrongs suffered by the people within their jurisdiction, to the legislature when assembled.
The capability of the people to reap all the benefits which a refinement of this kind is intended to procure, may be gathered from an impression existing among them while I was there, that the town was falling to decay and its importance declining for want of the aid of a bishop, which it had the misfortune to be without.
We visited the market which is held in the chief plaza of the town. Its appearance was far from unlike what we are accustomed to see in many European country towns. The vendors were nearly all women. Some of them sat under rude canopies and others under large umbrellas, which shaded themselves and their merchandize from the rays of the sun.
Our principal object here, was to give my friend the opportunity of showing me the peculiar character of the Indian women, Puno being almost the only place where it is possible for Europeans to communicate with them* I had always observed them to be serious and reserved* which I attributed to their dislike to converse with any one not acquainted with their proper language; but I had now an opportunity of seeing a degree of reserve8
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which far surpassed my expectations; and it was the more striking to me, on account of my having not very long since visited islands in the Pacific Ocean where the open character and even merriment of the women are remarkable.
My friend first asked one of them in her native tongue, the price of some articles she had to sell, to which she replied, by stating the price, without a word more. After passing by one or two other stalls, we came to a large one where there were no less than three women sitting, the eldest of whom did not appear to be above thirty years of age.
“ Now,” said Mr. Morris, “ you shall see something of the characters of the ladies among these people.” These three damsels were rather well dressed and were good-looking. After saluting them, my friend asked them whether they were disposed to converse a little through his aid, with a stranger who had lately come to Puno, and was much interested in seeing them; and, when he told me what he had said, I was surprised, that they neither laughed nor smiled nor made any reply whatever, but seemed to maintain a seriousness, almost amounting to contempt.
But now,” said my friend, “ I will try another means of extracting, if it be possible a smile. I think I am tolerably well acquainted with what would be considered humour among them, and I will endeavour to joke in a manner, that if they have such a thing as a smile in their constitutions they may perhaps exhibit it.”
He now told them, interpreting to me as he went on,c that his friend having heard a great deal of the beautyPUNO.
9
of the fair Indian women of Puno, had come to the town expressly to see whether he could find any one among them whom he might win, marry, and after acquiring their language, travel with through the country; hut when they took no notice of this, he said to the one that appeared to be the eldest:	Can you recommend him
what he should do to find such a lady ? ” To this the Indian woman replied in her own tongue, and with the most perfect composure: “ No Sir.”
We afterwards addressed other women of different ages; but quitted the market without my having the pleasure of seeing one of them smile.
How different must be the constitution of the minds of these women, from that of their sex in the Pacific Islands, where all is gaiety, good-humour and indifference about the future!
Here it may be remarked, that the women of the Andes, are as different from those of the Islands in chastity and in intellect, as in that part of their character of which we have been speaking. The women of the Islands are without a particle of that attribute of their sex which is so essential to the refinement of the human species, and are as little gifted with intelligence as it is possible to conceive. The women of the Andes, on the contrary have been known at all times to be as chaste as the most refined of their sex in Europe; and the reserve of which we have been speaking, when considered in connection with the other features of their character seems a decided proof of their extreme intelligence.
The reader may perceive from these few remarks, the10
TEAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
truth of some observations before made, concerning the reserved and gloomy disposition peculiar to the whole Indian race. This however it must be remembered, is a feature in their character, so opposed to that given by the best Spanish authorities of the earlier times, that we are compelled ‘to attribute it to the sufferings which the race have for three centuries endured, rather than to their natural temperament or disposition. It is said by those who are most competent to judge of these matters, that even their music and their songs when enjoyed quite apart from the Europeans have a cast of melancholy in them, which it is impossible to suppose existed in the days of their proper nationality.
The very dresses of both men and women seem to be in accordance with the gloominess of their characters. The men usually wear a coarse cotton shirt, brown trowsers, which cover only half the calf of the leg, sandals of untanned leather, no stockings, and a dark-coloured poncho of the llama wool; and the women have generally loose gowns of a dark colour without sleeves, girded at the waist, and hardly reaching below the calf of the leg. Their arms are nevertheless usually covered by a sort of sleeve apart from the gown, reaching from the wrist to one or two inches above the elbow, as well as by drapery hanging from the neck; and both men and women wear extremely broad-rimmed hats of fine or coarse grass.'
But there is a bad phase in the Indian character, in which the disposition of the men is said to be seen in a stronger light than has been hitherto mentioned, and., which it is difficult to attribute to precisely the samePUNO.
11
causes which have been supposed to produce their general gloominess and reserve. They are known to be very unsocial in their domestic relations; and in spite of the modesty of their women, are said to entertain no such respect for their wives as appears to us to be due to them; while the parents and children have but little affection for one another; so that, if we were to judge of the character of the race from these traits alone, we should certainly not place them above the middle position between the savage and the civilized man, and our sympathies would much diminish.
The Indians of these regions, are generally rather a handsome than fine race. Their features are commonly regular, and their complexions though dark, are clear and agreeable. The women are almost universally delicately formed, have brilliant eyes, and often a degree of beauty that is striking even to Europeans. One that we saw in the market who was probably between five and twenty and thirty years of age, so much struck me, that I requested Mr. Morris to tell her, that I should be much gratified if I had a wife possessing half her beauty; but she treated what my friend said, with the same indifference that the others , had shown when spoken with, and did not change the expression of a single feature.
Though there is some difference between the complexion of the Indians of this vicinity, and that of their brethren of Cuzco and its neighbourhood, it is not so great as that existing between the natives of the Sierra and those of the coasts, who differ also much in form12
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
and in feature from one another. All that I perceived here was, that the complexion of the people was a degree fairer than that of their brethren of the ancient capital; but the forms and features of the race in the two districts are equally pleasant. The Indians of the plains near the coast are much darker than those found any where in the Sierra and they are generally more slightly formed and always less industrious and less capable of enduring fatigue.
The people of Puno have some intercourse with one of the tribes of half-wild Indians who inhabit a portion of the lower valleys lying east of the Andes, but whom we must not confound with those of the more northern interior. Some of this tribe were at Puno while I was there, and much excited my curiosity. Their business was to dispose of certain fragrant balsams and gums and various medicines, all of which they obtain from plants found in different valleys between the Cordilleras in remote parts of Peru. The balsams and gums are chiefly used for incense in the churches in the more populous towns, while to their medicines is attributed great power in the cure of particular maladies. That there were no women among them, it was said was not on account of the jealousy of the men, but in consideration of their incapacity to perform such long and difficult journeys as the men accomplish. The fair sex of this tribe are said to be delicate, and generally very superior to the women of the wilder tribes. It is believed moreover that they are treated with much more attention and respect by the men, than is usually shown among the uncultivated races.PUNO.
13
The dress of the men we saw, was simply a tunic with sleeves made of the cotton of their country, and girded tight round the waist, and moccasins, or shoes made of the threads of certain creeping plants; but they are said to wear nothing in the warmer regions they inhabit, but a piece of the same kind of cloth, hanging from the waist nearly to the knees. Their women wear the tunic with sleeves. The bodies of those we saw were painted, or rather bedaubed with coloured balsams, chiefly for the purpose of protecting them against the mosquitoes which abound in their country.
While I was with Mr. Morris, we made several attempts, to carry on a little intelligible intercourse with these people; but the wTant of a language equally known to both parties, and we could obtain no aid in this particular, prevented any thing like a conversation. We were able to learn from them, however, not onlv that they were themselves Christians, but that the whole tribe to which they belonged had been long since converted to the Christian faith by the Spanish missionaries.
What struck me most concerning them was, their lively and open dispositions, which shows to advantage, put in comparison with the reserve of the natives of this part of Peru. They have for a long time carried on their intercourse with the more civilised inhabitants of the country. Some knowledge has therefore been gained through them respecting the condition of the tribes which have no intercourse with white men, and of whom I have already had occasion to make a few remarks.14
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
I found the land round Puno, rather more cultivated than the condition of the country over which I had passed gave me reason to expect; and the domestic animals, such as the llama, horses, sheep, mules and alpacas, were in abundance on the lower lands, where the pasturage seemed tolerable.
The chief object of culture here is the potato. Rye, oats and barley are sown, but are cut green for forage for the cattle; so that there is no great variety in the appearance of the fields. As the town was founded through its connection with the mines it is still in a great measure supported by the aid it is able to give to the mining operations.
The mountain districts in this vicinity have been pronounced by competent geologists to be composed of porphyric rocks resting on sandstone.
I have mentioned in an earlier chapter, such of the animals of Peru as are made most use of by the inhabitants of the country; but I have not spoken of the numerous other creatures which inhabit the quebradas and the forests, as I had but few opportunities of meeting with, and examining any of them. There is however an animal believed to inhabit the woody districts of the country, which, although the reality of its existence is contested, is so much talked of at Puno, that it would be wrong to omit taking notice of the impressions the Peruvian people generally entertain concerning it.
We have in the countries bordering upon the Atlantic our traditions concerning the sea serpent, and I can myself say that though I have not actually beheldPUNO.
15
that monster, which is so rarely if ever seen, I have at least seen a fish of the form of a serpent about twenty’ feet in length. This creature was swimming about eight or ten feet below the surface of the water, for an hour together in company with our ship, which was sailing at the rate of about four knots an hour. We attempted though unsuccessfully to catch him by a bait, for he never came near enough to the surface of the water to be attacked with a harpoon. We have had on this side the Atlantic, our unicorns, no clear evidence of the existence of which has . I believe come down to our time. In Peru, it is commonly believed, that there exists an animal in the forests, of one of the mammillary species which no one for centuries has been able to capture.
According do the accounts given by the Indians of this animal, it seems to have been known in the country long before the arrival of the Europeans, and had, at some remote time, been taken and examined. Whether these accounts, however, are the sole source of the impression concerning it is not very well known.
It is said however in Puno that there are several men in the town who have actually seen this animal, and are able to bear witness to what has been said concerning it, notwithstanding the conviction of others, that the accounts given of it far surpass the bounds of credibility. It is said, by those who give the most clear and consistent account, that it is about the size of the fox, that it only prowls by night, and that as it is generally supposed to be venomous no one is16
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
induced to take much pains to capture it. Moreover it is said that it has a brilliant light on its forehead which it is able to show or conceal at pleasure* and thus those who have followed it have been bewildered* and lost all trace of their prey as soon as they entered the wood into which it retreats. But the impression which seems to have taken the deepest root in the minds of the people is* that the light which the animal is said to show proceeds from some precious jewel; and it is even related that the early Spanish settlers had so much faith in the existence and character of this animal*
“Which like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet this precious jewel in his head,”
that the earlier viceroys were accustomed to instruct the missionaries who settled among the Indians to take every means in their power to procure one* if possible alive.17
CHAP. XXL
JOURNEY EROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.
Village of Wilkey. — Hacienda of Señor José Rios de Garces. — Two Ladies. — Reception. —An agreeable Evening. — Departure the next Day.— Stony Hills.— Comhorta.—Companions.— Scarcity of Eodder. — Steep Hills. — Two Lakes. — Solitude of the Cordillera. — Tambo of Apo. — Stony Mountains. — Grand Views. — Meet a Courier. — False Reports— Sad Condition of the Mules. — Tambo of Pati. — Pass Mount Misti. — View of Arequipa. — Politeness of our Travelling Companions.
After four days spent in this elevated town, I set off On my return to Arequipa.
We first mounted the hill which we had descended before entering the town, and afterwards took a path which inclined towards the west. The country during the earlier part of our journey, was far more agreeable than any over which we had passed since the first two days after quitting Cuzco; and in some parts it ,was tolerably cultivated.
At the distance of six leagues from Puno we passed through the small village of Wilkey, where a fair is held annually. Soon afterwards we observed a church, which, from its style, seemed to indicate the presence of a respectable population in the vicinity; and at the distance of nine leagues, we came to the hacienda of Señor José Eios de Garces, which is called Tiracoma.
VOL. II.
C18
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
I had been kindly furnished by Mr. Morris, with a letter to this gentleman, and as we rode up to the front of the house, I was glad to see two ladies standing at the door. I immediately addressed them with the ordinary salutation of the country, but to my great surprise received no reply, and on asking whether the Señor was at home I was answered by the monosyllable “No.” This strange conduct on the part of the good ladies, so unlike what I expected, was followed up by their turning their backs and entering their house; so I proposed to the guide, that we should search for a tambo in the vicinity, or proceed towards the next village. He was however better acquainted with the manners of his countrywomen than myself, and assured me that if I had mentioned that I had brought a letter for the Señor, we should have met with a different reception; and, as one of the ladies reappeared at this moment, I dismounted and presented her with the letter, which I informed her was from Mr. Morris, and might be given to the Señor on his return. I then said, that I hoped we had caused no derangement, and that having no further business here we would proceed on our journey.
The presentation of the letter however, as the guide had anticipated changed our position completely; and the Señora, now in very kind words begged I would immediately enter, for she said she was sure Señor José would not let any one with a letter from his friend whom I mentioned pass by unnoticed. So the mules were soon unloaded, and I was once more domiciled in an American hacienda for the night.JOURNEY FROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.
19
It would be difficult to give a just account of the agreeable evening that I spent at the hacienda of Sen or José Rios de Garces, which was chiefly passed in conversation with the ladies. The Señor was a member of the congress of Peru, and had been for several months occupied with his legislative duties at the city of Lima, and the ladies who favoured me with their company were, the Señora José Rios de Garces, her sister and a friend who was living in the vicinity. They had a piece of information to give me, which, if it was not of the same interest to a stranger, as it might seem to them to be, was very agreeable to hear from the manner in which it was communicated. The Señora informed me, that she had a baby to present to her husband on his return from Lima, which he had not yet had the happiness of seeing; and when I asked to see the child, they brought it from its bed into the room. It was a beautiful infant, and they appeared pleased with my remarks respecting it, which were made in perfect sincerity, and requested that I would carry an exact account of it to Lima, to which city I informed them I was now on my direct way.
After this pleasant evening, I retired for the night, without taking a last leave of the ladies, who declared that it was their habit to rise early, and that they would be sure to see me in the morning.
I rose the next dav at a later hour than usual, and on entering the apartment where I had passed the evening, I found one of my kind friends already there, who informed me that breakfast was ready, and invited me to take a seat until the rest appeared; and in Ave20
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
minutes’ time we all sat down together to a noble repast. Besides chocolate and coffee, there were sweetmeats in great variety, and several oh the fruits of the lower country; thus every thing recalled to my mind the few days I had spent so pleasantly at the hacienda of Señora Ramon Nadal.
After breakfast I took a warm leave of my kind friends and renewed my journey.
' We were all this day ascending and descending tedious stony hills, unrelieved either by fair prospects or smoother ways. Our beasts too were frequently exposed to dangers which great practice in overcoming difficulties seemed to have enabled them to regard with indifference.
On arriving at the station of Comhorta, which was seven leagues from the hacienda of Tiracoma, they were as much fatigued as they had ever before been, after making fifteen leagues.
We were better off here than we had frequently been, in respect to the tambo, which was large, on account of the country being more frequented by travellers than any through which we had before passed.
We met here, a merchant and his wife who resided at Arequipa, and were now on their return from a fair held at Congusucal. We had, indeed, all to stow ourselves away in the same cell; but this was no great hardship, and our new friends proved very agreeable companions, for they had been fortunate in their sales, and were in great spirits at the success of their expedition
Our worst inconvenience, was the scarcity of fodder for our beasts. ’ None was to be obtained at the tambo,JOURNEY FROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.	21
and the good fortune that my guide and myself had so frequently met with in this respect had made us neglect to carry any. As our friends were not very well off, we could not borrow of them. So our poor animals had nothing more during the night than some bread which we were able to give them from our own stock,,but which, they ate with abundance of appetite.
We were very early upon our mules the next morning; and the day’s journey was rendered more agreeable, by the pleasant company of the merchant and his wife, who agreed to travel with us all the way to Arequipa.
Our new friends were Creoles. The lady was without a particle of Spanish reserve, and full of pleasant wit and good-humour, and her husband was as ready to enjoy anything that fell in his way, as is the case with most men during the first days of freedom from such labours as usually attend successful business. Our only trouble now arose from the fatigue of our mules, and their painful sufferings from want of fodder. Our way, however, was extremely rough, and we were almost all this day ascending steep hills, with nothing but the perpetual variation of the scenery to compensate us for our anxiety about our mules, and the fatigues of our journey.
We passed in the afternoon between two lakes, each of which appeared to be about a league and a half in length, and a league in breadth.
The solitude of this cordillera was remarkable. The water of the lakes was without a ripple. There was no fowl to be seen upon its surface, and the very ground22
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
seemed shorn of every trace of vegetation; while several bold islands rose from the bosom of the still water, and relieved the solitude around, by adding much to the attractiveness of the scene.
I found during this day, more than my usual difficulty in breathing, which induced me to believe we were at least a thousand feet above Puno, or about fifteen thousand feet above the level of. the sea. We arrived at the tambo of Apo, seven leagues from the station of Comho rta before dark, and made our arrangements for the night.
During the first part of the following day’s journey, we were still ascending stony mountains, the sterility that reigned everywhere around being without' the smallest relief.
When we appeared to have gained the summit of this cordillera, we came upon an undulated pampa, where the cold was excessive, but there was neither damp nor snow. The ground was covered with loose sand, which as we proceeded became violently agitated by the wind, and drifted with great force, in circles similar to those caused by a whirlwind ; so that we had some difficulty in keeping together, and without the use of our pocket compasses could not have found our way.
But if the first part of our passage of these heights was painful, our sufferings were well compensated for before we descended to the lower country, by the change of weather, and the brilliant spectacle which presented itself to our view. The gusts of wind ceased, and the breeze died gradually away, until perfect stillness invited us to arrest our steps, to con-JOURNEY FROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.
23
template at leisure, tlie vast ranges of mountains that were within our view.
As we looked towards the south-west, a grand cordillera was before us, where a burning mountain was throwing up a vast column of dense smoke, while innumerable peaks capped with snow, were seen here and there mingling with the light clouds they had attracted, and as often catching the rays of the declining sun. This scene was such as to leave the traveller in doubt whether he were really looking upon any portion of the world we inhabit, or whether he might reach the country beyond the mountains before him, without surmounting the fearful obstacles they seemed to present to his advance towards the sea.
/
Some time after we renewed our journey, we obtained a view upon our right hand, of a nearer chain of mountains, the most prominent feature of which was the famous Mount Misti by which I had passed on my way to Cuzco. It was still emitting the same thin vapour, which, as before mentioned, has been attributed to other causes than those which would appear most probable.
While we were upon these heights we met a man well equipped, riding alone and apparently engaged on some important business. He stopped for a minute or two to converse, and informed us that an insurrection had broken out at Arequipa which, he said, there was no doubt wquld lead to a general revolution throughout the whole state; and, moreover, that he was the bearer of a despatch which was to displace the prefect of Puno. On our arrival however at Arequipa
c 424
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
we found that not one word of what he had told ns was true.
We had scarcely commenced onr descent from the elevated country over which we had passed* when it began to snow; and* although the weather was still calm and mild* the varied ranges of mountains that we had seen around us were soon lost to our view.
All our care now was to reach the next tambo* which became of the utmost importance* as the weak condition to which several of our mules were reduced was every hour more apparent. We were yet* indeed* more than twenty leagues from Arequipa* and it was very doubtful whether the strength of the poor animals would enable them to overcome the difficulties still before us* although we should be almost continually descending.
After coming according to our computation to about a thousand feet below the place at which the snow had commenced* we reached the tambo of Pati* where we gladly took up our quarters for the night* quite satisfied with having travelled only seven leagues.
Notwithstanding the condition of our mules* we were now so near the place of our destination that we determined to do all in our power to hasten our arrival* which we believed might be effected by four o’clock on the following afternoon.
The first part of the next day’s journey was similar to that of the previous afternoon. After this* we crossed several vales; and accomplished fifteen leagues* when on reaching the tambo* which is only five leagues from Arequipa* we found ourselves obliged to take up our quarters for the night.JOURNEY FROM PUNO TO AREQUIPA.
25
On the last day of our journey, which was the 1st of November, we set off at four o’clock in the morning, and attained the ridge of Mount Misti at an early hour.
The views which from time to time opened before us, as we descended to the far lower country, presented scenes, very unlike those we had so long contemplated, and impressed us with feelings very different from what we had experienced when we looked upon the mountain heights by which we had been so long on all sides surrounded. As the sun rose behind us, his earliest rays fell with great brilliancy upon the most distant portion of the vast country under our view in the direction of the west, while the lands which were more immediately beneath us, received the shadow of the range of mountains over which we were passing, and were still too obscurely seen to discover to us the place of our destination, though we knew it to be far within the range of our view.
But as the bright orb ascended, the nearer districts were enlightened by his direct rays, and the city of Arequipa became visible, amid a vast scene of gloomy desolation, like a land of promise in the midst of a hardly habitable world. It seemed as if we were looking upon the efforts of men to cultivate the first narrow space of country in which they could fix their earliest dwellings. We soon entered the defiles by which the traveller gradually descends these mountains, and after passing through rude paths, where we rarely caught a glimpse of the country around, we arrived at a village a little more than a league from Arequipa, and here dismounted to refresh our jaded animals.26
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Without the aid however of our travelling companion Señor Togasaka, my guide and myself must have been a day or two longer upon our journey, for my mule having several times fallen since we left Puno, and being no longer able to carry his rider, the spare mules of our trading friend were kindly placed at our disposal.
After a short repose, we remounted, and soon entered the city of Arequipa from which I had now been absent about two months and a half, and I had once more the pleasure of meeting my excellent friend Mr. Jack, and the rest of my kind friends in the town.27
CHAP. XXII.
AREQUIPA TO LIMA.
Departure for Islay.— Change of Route.— Sterile Country.— Arrive at Islay. — Present from Mr. Morris. — Santa Cruz’s Present to Queen Victoria. — Departure for Callao. — Pisco.— Guano Islands. —Birds. —Pelicans.—Habits of the Birds. — State of the Weather. — Climate. — Callao. — Rendezvous of Men-of-War. — Seals. — Sea-Eowl. — Portresses. — Diligence to Lima. — Condition of the Road. — Arrive at Lima.
After three days’ repose amid the pleasant society of my friends at Arequipa, I left the town again for Islay on my way to the capital of Peru. My equipage was as usual, and the guide I now took chose a different route from that which I had before travelled.
We passed over the river Chile by fording it much higher up the stream than the town; and after taking a westerly route, passed through a defile, in a chain of mountains which lie between the river and the sea. The road then improved a little; and before noon we reached a tambo where we breakfasted on chocolate bread and eggs, and, as might be expected from the sterility of the country, an extravagant price was charged for our repast.
Our road after this, was across a more level country; and towards evening we reached a tambo formed of an open boarded house, in a situation commanding a28	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
fine view of tlie pampa which stretches from the mountains over which we had passed, to the brink of the last place of descent, within about an hour’s ride from the sea, and here we remained for the night.
The next day we passed over the tract of country which is covered with those mounds of drifting sand called medanas, which have been particularly described in a former chapter; and after descending the steeps on our approach to the sea, arrived at Islay and engaged quarters at the tambo at an early hour in the afternoon of the second day after leaving Arequipa.
As soon as I alighted, I called upon the English merchant of the port to whom I was addressed by Mr. Jack, and found a letter from my friend Mr. Morris of Puno, with a packet containing an acceptable present. This was a piece of marble of a very precious kind called the Yerenguela stone. It is only found in the Andes, and in a very small quantity, and my friend justly supposed it would interest one of his countrymen for the following reasons.
It appears, that during Santa Cruz’s protectorship, a solitary block of this marble, of five or six cubical feet in dimensions, was found in the neighbouring mountains, and being declared by experienced lapidaries to be of great value, as much on account of its purity as of its rarity, the Protector had a table constructed of it and sent as a present to Queen Victoria. And if the piece which was thus employed be equal to the sample I brought with me, which I believe is the second piece that , has reached England, the table must be exceedingly beautiful.29
AREQUIPA TO LIMA.
The packet called at Islay the day I arrived, and I sailed by her the next morning for Callao, which is the port of Lima, and the chief port in Pern.
The day after leaving Islay we touched at Pisco, where the passengers landed to take a short stroll while the captain transacted his business. We found nothing however interesting on shore, unless it were the novel appearance of a little town constructed entirely of bambo stuccoed.
We were now in the neighbourhood of some of the more remarkable of those islands on the western coast of South America, where such large deposits are found of a substance now so well known in Europe and North America, and called guano, which the reader is aware is formed of the excrements of the birds which swarm upon this coast. This precious substance, is found indeed upon all the uninhabited islands upon these shores within the tropics, and upon several that lie south of that limit, and also upon some of the wild and mountainous promontories which so much abound along the coast.
At the distance of about two leagues from Pisco there is a group of islands, the largest of which is called Sangallan, which are especially noted for the quantity of guano which has been exported from them; and travellers who have visited them, give the most curious particulars respecting the beds of the material of which they seem to be almost entirely composed.
On some of these islands, the strata of the deposits comprise layers of between thirty and forty feet in thickness. The upper layer is generally of a light30
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
green or brown colour, but those immediately below this, are a deeper brown, and the lowest is generally a dusky red; while, from the surface downwards, the lower you descend, the harder you find the substance, no doubt owing to pressure, and to the evaporation of the fluids with which the material was mixed when deposited.
The birds by which these deposits have been made, are extremely numerous upon the whole coast, and are of many species, among which, the pelicans were the most numerous of those which came within our observation. The water is sometimes covered for miles with these birds, engaged in catching the fish upon which they live. When disturbed by the passage of a ship, they rise up in flights that darken the sky, and make a noise in rising like the prolonged sounds of distant thunder.
However surprising these immense deposits of guano which cover so many isles may appear to those who have not navigated this coast, any one who has observed the flight of but a single flock of these birds, will cease to wonder at the amount of their deposits which is found, though this may not perhaps be more than a fourth of what has been left in the sea.
The voracity of these birds is remarkable, and the quantity of fish provided for them in these seas, is without limit, thus the depositing of the guano has doubtless been going on for many thousands of years.
It has been observed in Peru, that the guano birds never settle on the shores along the coast, except at great elevations, and their white deposits which are theABEQTJIPA TO LIMA.
31
most recent, are said to be only found on the islands which have not been frequented by the procurers of the guano; for as soon as the ships appear, and the beds are opened, the island is abandoned by the birds.
Some natural philosophers have made calculations as to the age of the North-American Continent, or more properly the number of years that the upper country has been above the surface of the sea, by observations made at the falls of Niagara. They have measured the ground through which the stream appears to have cut its way, from the banks over which it evidently first flowed, to where it now flows, and also the quantity of the solid earth cut through since the first observations were made, by which it has been ascertained, and probably with tolerable accuracy, that the stream has been running for about thirty thousand years. The account given of the strata of guano suggests the idea, that similar observations might be made on these islands, by a close examination of the deposits of the past and present age. They might at least furnish data of equal authority with those that have been arrived at by imperfect observations that have been made, with respect to the rising of much of the coast of the continent for some feet.
We sailed again in the evening, and at an early hour the next day we made the port of Callao.
As we approached the harbour we all agreed that we had never made a passage of equal length with such favourable weather. From the time indeed that I had left Chili,on my former voyage I had never experienced so much as a squall along the coast but had had con-32
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
tinual breezes from the south-east and south-west* generally so gentle as to aid the vessel’s progress without raising sea enough to give much motion to the ship. It is said* that the atmosphere along the whole of this coast within the tropics* is almost perpetually in a state of repose; so that if the earth is here frequently agitated by earthquakes of which so little is yet known* the calmness of the air and the tranquil state of the sea* so rarely experienced elsewhere* make some amends to the inhabitants of these regions for the rocking of the earth which they so frequently experience.
It is said* indeed* never even to lighten or thunder in these latitudes on this coast* and that rain never falls in such deluges as to cause any inconvenience to the citizens or husbandmen of the countrv. So that when all these matters are taken into consideration we may excuse the first European navigators of this sea for having given to the great ocean upon which they were launched* a name which seems at first sight too flattering.
Seals are said to abound on this coast* notwithstanding the heat of the climate; but they are doubtless very different from those of the higher latitudes* which furnish us with oil and skins.
The greater part of the bays abounded with sea-fowl of many species* almost the whole of which no doubt contribute to the production of the guano. That which seemed most to frequent the shore* was a species called the turkey vulture; and there is another species much on shore, of the size of the turkey-cock. This is a heavy bird that flies but little and is extremely tame.AREQUIPA TO LIMA.
33
These two species especially share the honour of being the scavengers of the towns on the coast; for they feed on every kind of animal substance and filth that is thrown from the houses* and for this the citizens are perhaps more indebted to them than for the guano they deposit.
As we entered the bay of Callao* we observed several men-of-war and twenty or thirty merchant ships lying at anchor* and we had a noble view of the country around. In the distance we could plainly perceive the domes and towers of Lima, with the sun shining brilliantly upon them* at the foot of the first Cordillera of the Andes* beyond which the higher mountains were seen blending with the floating clouds* from which they could not be distinguished during the brighter hours of the day.
Callao has of late years become the rendezvous of the foreign men-of-war in the South Pacific Ocean during the winter season* and all travellers necessarily land here whether from the south or the north* on their way to Lima. The bay* is one of the finest on the coast. It is protected on the south-west side by the island of San Lorenzo* which is formed of crested rocks rising in some places to twelve or thirteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. The climate is extremely equable* and gales of wind are scarcely known. There is probably indeed hardly any where a calmer region.
The first town of Callao which was built by the Spaniards* was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1630* and the second by another earthquake in 1746*
VOL. II.
D34	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
when it was completely buried beneath the waters of the bay.
The present town does not contain above 5,000 in-* habitants. The chief part of its better houses face the bay. It is damp, and often dirty during the months of July and August, which may be termed the winter season, on account of the rain that then falls, but it is dusty during the other months. The houses are generally built of adobes which are unbaked bricks, or of reeds plastered over with clay, and are flat-roofed and slight. But within the last few years, some more substantial edifices have been erected, for which the inhabitants are indebted to the establishment of a line of British steamers between Panama and Chili, which call here, and to the presence of the men-of-war, during the winter.
The port is defended by a low fortress, with two castles and two towers, and a ditch which may be at any time filled by the sea.
One or two of my fellow-passengers and myself remained only a part of the day after that on which we had landed at Callao, where we found the people with whom we were brought in contact in the way of business, so uncivil that it was difficult to carry away any pleasurable reminiscences of the place.
Our route to Lima was over a country for two leagues covered with loose sand upon which large stones were scattered, the surrounding plain being almost as sterile as the deserts in the interior. The road too, was so badly constructed as to impress us with a very poor35
AREQUIPA TO LIMA.
opinion of the wealth of the capital we were on the point of visiting.
Soon after the commencement of our journey we passed the ruins of an Indian village, and near the half-way house, we observed an old convent which we were informed was that of the Virgin of Carmen, which had formerly been of some celebrity, but was now abandoned.
We arrived at Lima after a tedious journey of four hours, and took up our quarters at an hotel in the grand plaza of the city.36	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. XXIII.
LIMA.
Position of Lima.— The Town.—Plaza Mayor.— Cathedral.—Character of Pizarro. — Murder of Pizarro. — Streets. — Private Houses. —• Convent of San Francisco. — Miracle.— Superstition of the Monks. — Convent of the Jesuits. — Expulsion of the Jesuits, — Relaxation of Monastic Regulations. — Monks of the best Order. — Saints. — Religious Processions.— Impressive Ceremony.— Institutions for Education. — Cemetery. — Ancient Palace of the Jesuits. — University.— National Library. — Museum. — Remarkable Bridge. — The Mint. —Fortresses.
To descend from tlie mountainous regions in the interior of Peru, to the lower country upon the coast — from Cuzco to Lima—from the ancient capital, to that founded by the conqueror, is like turning over the pages of history from those simpler periods in the world’s progress, when men first began to feel the benefit of living under established laws, to that degraded age when the dread hand of tyranny overwhelmed the fair opening of intelligence, and war and barbarism hid from the inhabitants of the earth, every vestige of humanity and civilization.
The traveller does not however intend dwelling upon that fearful page of history which the very name of this little capital will recall to the mind of the reader; but will set down such an account of the town asa e tíLIMA.
it may seem to demand after our visit to the more interesting cities in the interior of the country.
Lima is seated on the river Kimac, upon the left bank of which are its principal streets. In my first walk through its thoroughfares, I was accompanied by some of my fellow-travellers. Descending from bur hotel we entered the plaza mayor or great square which is the centre of traffic in Lima. It is regularly built and is about 150 yards square, while from its corners run handsome streets. ^	^ '
Immediately opposite our hotel, on the eastern side of this plaza* stand the cathedral and the archbishop’s palace. The former of these was founded and had its first stone laid by Francisco Bizarro 'in the year 1534, and was named the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, It Was not however completed until the year 1625, when it was consecrated with such pomp as is still spoken of with enthusiasm by the inhabitants. In the interior there is a monument to its founder who was interred here. - >
The north side^ of the plaza 'is Occupied by the governmenb-housé which was built for, and was formerly the residence of the viceroys. » The building is square and somewhat regular, but is disfigured by a range of shops beneath it. A large gate opens into a considerable quadrangle within, but its principal entrance is in one of the streets. :	—
On the south side, private houses now occupy the site upon which a palace was built by Pizarro for his own residence ; and the west side is likewise occupied by private houses.38	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
In the centre of tlie square there is a bronze fountain which has three basins and is surmounted by the figure of Fame and four lions, the former emitting water from her trumpet, and the latter throwing out the same plentiful element from their mouths.
We entered the cathedral which is a magnificent edifice, and more highly decorated within than any other church in Lima. The altar is surmounted by a silver crown and supported by silvery columns; and the tabernacle which appears as if it were composed of finely wrought gold, is decorated with a profusion of diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones. It is said, indeed, that on festival days, the splendour of this cathedral with its decorations is equal to the finest in the Eoman Catholic cities in Europe.
Within these walls lie the bones of the conqueror of Peru—the ashes of that extraordinary man, whose highest crimes have been palliated by many historians, in consideration of their accordance with the spirit of the age in which he flourished, and his want of the commonest education that was given in Europe even at that time, and also by many priests, who have considered his whole conduct to have been under the government of a just desire for the propagation of the Christian religion.
“ The evil that men do, lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.”
But in whatever light we may regard Pizarro, his acts strike us in this age with a degree of horror, which is at least a proof of the advance that has been made inLIMA.
39
civilization in Europe during the last three centuries, and in. the better comprehension of the spirit of the religion we profess.
It may be as well to mention, without fatiguing the reader with details which are familiar to every one, that Pizarro was murdered with several of his associates in his palace here in the year 1541, by a party of conspirators headed by Cavalier Juan de Herada.
This conspiracy with its success, seems to be one of the most remarkable enterprises of the kind related in the history of any country. It appears that a clearer warning was given to the viceroy to take precautionary measures against the attack, than was given to the first Caesar under the same circumstances; for, one of the conspirators, struck by the enormity of the crime in which he had engaged to take a part, revealed the whole matter to his father confessor who reported what he heard to a second person by whom it was carried immediately to the palace. Pizarro, however, seems like Caesar to have doubted the truth of what he was informed* and is said to have attributed the whole affair to a stratagem of the confessor for the purpose of obtaining a mitre. But it is most strange that although he thought proper to abstain from going to mass, on the day and at the hour chosen for the execution of the great purpose of the conspiracy, he received his friends, who called after the church service to enquire about his health, and invited several of them to stay and dine without even taking the precaution of having the gates or any of the doors of his palace guarded or closed. It is plain indeed* that although the number of the con-40
TRAVELS IN PERL AND MEXICO.
spirators was about eighteen the simplest precautions would have frustrated the attempt, by affording time for the arrival of the soldiers.
The conspirators had assembled on a Sunday morning to await the hour of mass, and on hearing of the general’s absence from the service, were impressed with an opinion that the conspiracy was discovered. Some were for disbanding as the only chance of escape; but excited by one of the more energetic among them, who declared that their only safety lay in the immediate execution of their purpose, they rushed out of their retreat, and marched boldly to the palace, proclaiming their design as they proceeded.
On arriving there, they found the gates, and the doors which led to the viceroy’s apartment open. The domestics fled at the sight of the armed men, who continued their battle cry until they reached the dining apartments in which were assembled about fifteen or twenty of the viceroy’s friends, some only of whom were armed. A contest now commenced, and several on both sides were slain, before Pizarro, who had been endeavouring to put on his armour, joined in the combat, when after killing two of his enemies he was himself mortally wounded.
There is one circumstance in the death of this extraordinary man, which is particularly worthy of remark, and which seems almost to confirm the statements made by the clerical apologists for his worst acts, and this was the certainty of his having died in the Christian faith. While stretched on the floor after being pierced by several swords, and in the agonies of death, he isLIMA.
41
said to Lave traced with his fingers a cross upon the blood-stained floor, and was in the act of kissing this, when a stroke from one of the conspirators put an end to his eventful existence.
After our inspection of the cathedral, we walked through several of the streets which are generally well laid out at right angles to each other and are of a tolerable breadth with foot-paths, but have not always pavement for carriages.
The houses are commonly of only one story, though there are many with two. The better sort have two doors which open into the street. One of these is for the use of the occupants, and by the other you may enter the coach-house, which is not always separated from the front sitting-room.
In the best houses, a gateway leads to a patio or interior court, in the same manner as we have seen in Cuzco and Arequipa, and around these are arranged the chambers common to all family houses. But there is often a second court beyond the first called the trajpatio, which has usually a shrubbery in the centre and paintings in fresco upon the walls when these happen to be beneath colonnades.
But what is most remarked by a stranger about the houses is, the apparent want of comfort which is given by all the windows and doors standing almost constantly wide open for the admission of air, which the heat of the climate renders necessary. Thus, in those houses which have but one story, all the movements in the front rooms may be seen by the curious who pass by.42
TEAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
There are said to be more than fifty churches in the capital of Peru, and there are five or six convents. I shall mention one or two of the principal churches which we visited after the cathedral.
In the vicinity of the plaza mayor is the church and convent of San Francisco which comprise the largest of the monastic establishments in the city. Its chief interest to a stranger arises from the originality of thé superstitions connected with it, which might vie with those of the grosser kind common in several countries in Europe, and which, while they strike some with reverence shock or amuse others.
The tale which the monks who show the churchy relate with the most gravity records a miraculous event which is supposed to have occurred here during the earthquake of 1630. This was no less than the visible intercession on behalf of the city, of the figure of the Virgin which is placed over the door of one of the chapels. This figure, we were told when the earthquake commenced, turned its face towards the grand altar of the church, cast its eyes upon the box in which the host rests, and holding up its hands implored the divine mercy, which was granted, by the cessation of the shocks and the salvation of the city* The town was, however, nearly destroyed by another of these natural events in 1746, at which time, it is said the Virgin did not repeat her kind intercession.
That the poor monk whose business it is to give an account of this remarkable event was quitê in earnest, and a firm believer in the truth of the story he related, we could not entertain the smallest doubt ; and thoseLIMA.
43
who are acquainted with the nature of the monastic education, and the character of those who enter the convents, can have no difficulty in comprehending the true cause of a monk’s belief in any thing whatever connected with ecclesiastical history.
When will the foolishness, to give it no worse name, which has been introduced into the Christian religion, and maintains its ground in so many nations of the world, give way to the plain unvarnished truth which Protestants are able to contemplate without the deceptive disguise in which it so often appears!
I shall only mention one more of the churches and convents of the city, which is that of the Jesuits, called San Pedro, and which is the more interesting on account of the expulsion of their order from the city of Lima. There is little now to be observed within the walls of the church or gardens of the Jesuits ; but these
form a lasting memorial of a passage in the history of
\
the order to which they belonged.
This convent was the chief of the colleges of the Jesuits in Peru, and was known to contain an enormous treasure not acquired by mendicancy, but arising from a revenue derived from real property consisting for the most part of valuable houses in the city and the richest plantations in its vicinity. The treasure that had been amassed appears to have been too tempting to be disregarded; and in 1773, the court of Spain, thought proper to send an order to the viceroy at Lima, and the same to the governors of the other provinces to arrest all the Jesuits on the same night, to confiscate and seize their property and send every member of the44
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
fraternity to Spain by the same ship that carried the order.
This mandate was put into effect, here at least, with the utmost secrecy, but without attaining the • desired end. The convent was opened at the first summons in the dead of night, and the keys of the treasury were handed without hesitation to the officers, who arrested the brethren, all of whom, to their surprise were found with their simple effects packed, and quite ready for their voyage to Spain, while in their treasury a few dollars only were found, of all the wealth they were well known to possess. They were escorted to Callao and embarked for Spain, without any discovery being made of the place where their treasure had been concealed. But it is yet more strange that we aré told even at this day, that an incalculable treasure is known still to rest within the walls of the convent, for the discovery of which no efforts have been at any time made.
If the capital of Peru thus happily got rid of those dangerous devotees, it is still sufficiently overrun with monks of one sort and another, whose idle habits are a pest to the good order of the town.
It is proper to remark here, that the monastic regulations generally have somewhat relaxed in their rigour, since the establishment of the republican system of government in Peru. The monks of all orders except that of the Descaradas, or bare-footed monks, are now permitted to leave their convents whenever they think proper; and they are to be seen lounging about in the treats and in the shops at all hours of the day, a sadLIMA.
45
example of idleness to the not very industrious citizens of Lima. They are sometimes even seen sitting at the doors of the coffee-houses and restaurants, occupied in playing draughts; and at other times they are met with at places of public entertainment. They even frequent the theatres; but on these occasions they put on plain clothes, though they do not mind being there recognised by their friends. The most free in their habits are said to be the Dominicans.
But there is an exception to this manner of life, among the religious orders who leave their convents, which is worthy of notice. Monks are occasionally seen in black gowns with a red cross in the front, and a high-crowned conical hat, hurrying along the streets accompanied by their ordinary attendants to visit the sick, and these are the monks of Buena MueMe.
If indeed all that is said of the monks of this order
be true, they form an exception which even those belonging to the Christian sects who have abolished the usages of the dark ages must approve. It is said that they are continually on the watch for occasions to visit the sick, and that when they hear of any one being ill, whether among the rich or the poor, they hasten without a summons to their bedsides, where: they remain, administering the consolations of religion,-, till the recovery or death of the parties, with as much devotion as the Jesuits have ever shown, and with a much less mixture in their teaching, of what we deem error. We must indeed regard the sincere devotion of these men with respect, and look as favourably on them, as on those who belong to the several charitable46
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
institutions in France which stand out in bright contrast to the darker shades of the popish religion.
But if the city of Lima have its idle priests, it is not without its peculiar saints. The patron of the city was one of its own citizens, the lady Santa Rosa, whose festival is kept by a grand procession of her image through the public streets, richly adorned with costly ornaments.
Religious processions, indeed, are quite one of the amusements of the citizens. I was not fortunate enough to see any of equal interest with those which I had the opportunity of witnessing in the interior, though there was more than one during my stay in the town, and they seemed to be well attended. It could not however be said that there was much solemnity in those I happened tollfee.
One that passed through the plaza mayor, a few days after my arrival, was headed by an image of the Virgin, splendidly attired, carried upon a platform over the heads of the bearers, and was chiefly composed of the fair sex, who seemed to enjoy themselves as much as if the procession itself were designed expressly for diversion. The streets were full of men, who seemed also agreeably entertained, and were more occupied in admiring the graceful figures of the ladies in the procession, whose faces were concealed, than in attending to their devotions.
The most impressive to a stranger of the religious exercises of the good people of Lima, takes place twice a day throughout the city—at the moment of the raising of the host during the performance of high massLIMA.
47
in the' cathedral at the morning service, and at the commencement of the oraciones in the evening, both of which times are announced by the sound of the cathedral bell.
The first time I witnessed this was on the evening of the day after my arrival. I was walking in the plaza mayor with another stranger, when the cathedral bell suddenly tolled, and nothing could be more striking than the impression it seemed to make upon all the Limeños that were around us. The men and women stopped, the men taking off their hats, and all fell down on their knees and uttered an inaudible prayer. Two or three or more carriages, and several other vehicles that were passing, suddenly stopped also, and the drivers lifted their hats and fell on their knees upon the step beneath their feet. Every moveiiént whether of the feet, the hands or the lips was arrested, and a dead silence for several minutes prevailed, during which, a thrilling second stroke of the bell was heard, and presently a third, upon which every one rose; we then observed several of the parties near us salute one another with the familiar words, buenos noches (good night), after which they resumed their promenade, and the noisy vehicles continued their way.
Besides the ordinary convents in Lima, there are about a dozen nunneries, some of which are said scarcely to deserve the title of religious houses on account of the laxity of their discipline, while others are conducted with considerable rigour.
Within the walls of the San Pedro convent, there is now a small hospital especially for the admission of the48
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
poorer classes of priests. There are other hospitals in the town; but they are said to be generally ill-managed, more especially in regard to medical attendance.
There are however institutions in Lima which tend more than the monasteries to show a disposition towards refinement. There are many public schools adapted to the different classes of the people, where an elementary system of instruction is established. The greater part of these are for boys, of whom there are said to be always about a thousand or twelve hundred who receive an elementary education.
Besides these there are private schools, where greater attention is paid, both to rudimentary instruction, and to more advanced education. The chief of these is the Colegio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, which was founded some short time since by some merchants of the old country: and is said to afford the best education of any of the schools in the town, either public or private.
The college of San Carlos was founded in 1770, and became afterwards united with several others, the very names of which I believe are now dropped. It contains usually about seventy or eighty students who receive instruction in English and French, in addition to all the ordinary branches of knowledge.
There is also a college which was established in 1810 for the study of medicine. The students in this institution, are not many, and the professors themselves, are said to have received but a very indifferent education. Anatomy, it is considered, cannot be well studied in Lima, on account of the heat of the climate, whichLIMA.
49
is supposed to render it necessary to inter bodies within twenty-four hours after death. This excuse however for the deficiency of the surgeons in practical knowledge, it will occur to every one is unreasonable, since it is plain that if the bodies were placed in chambers only a few feet beneath the surface of the ground they might be just as easily kept here as in much cooler climates. Degrees are given in the university of San Marcos, precisely in the same manner as in the universities in the old country.
We visited the cemetery, which is on the east side of the city upon the road to the Sierra. It is enclosed within high walls, and planted with two distinct gardens in which we did not observe the same horrible sights mentioned in the account given of the cemetery at Santiago. Along the walls there were niches for burial arranged in classes, some of which might be purchased according to their allotted value, while others were reserved for the interment of those who die in the convents. The bodies of the poor are buried with nothing but a winding sheet, but those of the rich are interred in coffins.
The most remarkable public place in the town, after the Plaza Mayor is, the Plazuella de la Independencia, which was formerly the Plazuella de la Inquisición. It still contains the ancient palace of the Inquisition, but it is now the market-place of the town. The notorious palace, indeed, hardly survived the happy termination of the frightful acts for which it was formerly used. The unfortunate transgressors of the laws of the church, were brought here from all
VOL. II.	E50
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parts of South America. Some suffered immediate death by fire, and many passed through tortures that chill the very blood of a Christian of a purer creed to hear related. But the mother country, however far she may be from having attained the same degree of refinement as the other great nations of the Christian world, happily during her rule in America, abolished the fearful tribunal; and the people, long in advance of their institutions, as soon as the decree of the Cortes was published, entered the palace, and in the violence of their just rage, destroyed almost every memorial of the sufferings of the victims of the diabolical tribunal.
On the same plazuella stands the University which bears the name of the Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Mareos, and the hospital La Garidad.
The University during the reign of the Spaniards was an institution of much more importance than it is at the present day, and was resorted to by young men from all ,parts of South America. It was established by a decree of the Emperor Charles the Fifth which was confirmed by a papal bull, through which it received the same privileges that were conferred on the Spanish university of Salamanca.
The building is entered by a door leading into a quadrangular court, around which are corridors supported by pillars, and ornamented by fresco paintings representing the different branches of Science, which are more exactly indicated by quotations from classic authors, placed beneath them.
Around these corridors, there are doors which leadLIMA.
51
to the different lecture rooms. The principal of these has rather a classic aspect, and when we looked around and heard from our guide, the particulars above stated respecting the establishment of the University, and its former reputation, we could hardly reconcile what we saw and heard, with the degraded character of modern Lima.
Against the wall on the right at the entrance, stands the rector’s chair, which is placed within a shallow niche beneath a broad canopy; and on each side of this, there are chairs for the accommodation of the professors of the different sciences and arts. Against the wall on the opposite side, there is a chair slightly elevated, which is occupied by the President of the University when honours are conferred or prizes distributed; and on each side of this are two or three rows of benches for the accommodation of the professors and members of the different faculties, on these occasions.
On the side of the hall where we had entered, was a gallery into which we were told strangers were admitted during the distribution of prizes, when it was chiefly occupied by the ladies of Lima.
In the vicinity of the Plaza Mayor, stands the national library, which has been founded since the independence of the country. It has been chiefly formed from the libraries of the convents, and by bequests of private individuals. It is said to have 20,000 volumes, chiefly as may be supposed, of a religious character and of ancient date, with a very few modern works.
The Museum which was not established until the52
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
year 1826, is in the same building as the library. It contains but few articles of interest, except the portraits of some of the more celebrated characters who have figured in South American history, beginning of course with that of Francisco Pizarro.
There is another apartment in the same building, appropriated to the instruction of the youthful artists of Lima, and which, we were informed was attended by about a hundred youths, whose progress in the fine art was considered to be equal to that of students generally in Europe. We were not however fair judges of the merits of what we saw.
One of the more interesting places which we visited, was the bridge which crosses the river to the suburb of San Lazaro. It appears to have been built as early as the year 1640. It has six arches and is 550 feet in length. Its foundation is of stone, and its piers are of brick. It is pointed out to the traveller as worthy of note from having survived the shocks of earthquakes which have shattered the whole town of Lima and destroyed some of its principal buildings. It however did receive some damage in the earthquake of 1746, which spared nothing, but this was slight, and was quickly repaired.
The Mint, from which so many millions of dollars have issued during the last three centuries, is perhaps more calculated than any thing' in Lima to attract the curiosity of the European traveller. It is situated near the Plaza de la Independencia. We obtained an entrance with but little difficulty, and were shown through the principal chambers. It appears to haveLIMA.
53
been founded towards the end of the sixteenth century, and to have been for nearly a century managed by private speculators. The present building was not erected until the middle of the eighteenth century, when the government took the management of the whole concern into their own hands.
The machine used for the coinage, appears to have * been worked by mules until the independence of the country; but since that event water power has been introduced by English mechanics with great benefit to the state. Between two millions and two millions and a half of dollars are said to be coined annually in this mint.
The city of Lima is about ten miles in circumference, and is surrounded by a wall which has never been of great strength, and is now gradually falling to decay.
The chief use made of this wall is, to secure the payment of the city dues which are collected at six gates. The only respectable-looking fortress is, the^ castle of Santa Catalina which is situated on the eastern side of the town about two or three hundred yards from the walls.54	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. XXIV.
LIMA — continued.
Diminution of Population.— Causes.—Climate of Lima.—Consequences of bad Morals. — Dread of Earthquakes. — Account of past Earthquakes.—Volcanoes and Earthquakes not connected. — Prospects of the Indians.—Conspiracies.—Expectations of the Future.—The Variety of Races remarkable. — Their Agreement among one another. — Sterility around Lima.— Sugar-Cane. —Maize. — Sweet Potatoes.— Lucerne..— Cotton. —Fruits of Southern Europe. — Use made of the Guano. — Policy of the Robbers.— Meeting with Robbers. — Respect
shown for the Robbers. — Deficiency of the Government_Use made
of the Robbers.
The population of the modern capital of Peru has continually decreased since the earliest times, when it was principally maintained by emigration from Spain. It is said to have been once no less than ninety thousand, but this is probably an exaggeration, for it does not appear that any accurate census was ever taken. It is now less than fifty thousand. But that a great diminution has taken place'within a short time, may be seen by the number of houses that are found in several parts of the town deserted and gradually falling to decay. These are not so numerous here however as at Cuzco.
Many causes have been assigned for this decrease of population. Numbers of the citizens have been at different times buried under the ruins of their housesLIMA.
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during earthquakes; and the loss of life in the last years of the revolutionary war was very great; to which may be added the effects of epidemic diseases which have been often prevalent. But the principal cause seems to a stranger to be the insecurity of property under so arbitrary and uncertain a government as that which bears the name among the citizens of a republic.
The climate too of Lima, is far from being favourable to the natural increase or maintenance of the population. During what the Peruvians call their winter months between May and October, a damp mist pervades the city and its vicinity. Whilst this state of the atmosphere continues several diseases prevail, especially fevers and dysentery. The fevers, which are more commonly intermittent, leave the patients in a very debilitated state for a long time; and it is said that, not above one third of the adult population are free from the effects of this disease.
Another cause of the decrease of the population in this capital is the immorality of the people, which is especially seen in the neglect of children, owing to the number of illegitimate births, which is always greater than that of the legitimate. But to speak of the want of care, is to mention the mildest cause assigned’for the deaths of the children, for it is generally said, and there is much reason to believe with truth, that a great proportion of those born among the coloured people are destroyed by their parents. It is known at 1 feast, that the deaths now far exceed, and it is even said, double, the births in any given period of time.56	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
To these drawbacks, to which the population has been subjected, may be added the abandonment of the city by many persons, on account of the dread entertained of earthquakes, by which it has been several times desolated. On an average, between forty and fifty, attended with no remarkable consequences occur during the year; but others of more frightful character, have been experienced since the coming of the Spaniards about twice in every century, at intervals of between twenty-five and sixty years: and as the last of these took place in 1806, there are now just grounds to expect another of the same kind within a short time.
The most terrible of the earthquakes recorded, happened in the year 1630. But one better known, and which was the last but one, took place in the year 1746. It happened at an hour when the greater part of the population were in their beds, and was accompanied with loud noises, and such terrible shocks that in less than a minute. the three thousand houses which formed the town of Lima, were with the exception of twenty-one reduced to piles of ruins. The number of lives that were lost in the town has never, I believe, been recorded, if even ascertained.
But this was not the only disaster suffered in Peru on this memorable occasion. The whole coast for some distance towards the south and the north was fearfully agitated. The sea rushed in at Callao, which stood then upon nearly the same spot as that now occupied by the town we have lately visited, and the whole of the buildings were buried beneath the waters, and fiveLIMA.
57
thousand persons* or its entire population* were drowned. A Spanish man-of-war and three merchant vessels fully laden were drifted over the walls of the foitress upon the land* and about twenty other ships riding at anchor in the bay* were sunk and their crews drowned.
Investigations have been made by scientific persons with the view to ascertain whether there is any connexion between the earthquakes and the volcanic eruptions which have occurred in Peru; but I do not believe that any just grounds have been found for connecting these phenomena. The earthquakes indeed* are of rare occurrence in the mountain districts where the volcanoes are always found* and are never there attended with such disastrous shocks as have been experienced in the lower lands near the coast in Peru.
After these and other observations which have been made respecting the diminution of population in Lima and in the towns in Peru generally, I am tempted to make a remark as to the probable future of this country. It will at least be entirely in accordance with the opinions of many sensible Peruvians with whom I conversed* and many resident Europeans* and is this—■ that every thing in the country is now gradually tending towards the re-establishment of the ancient Peruvians in the territorial rights which they enjoyed before the invasion of the Spaniards* though the time is not yet ripe for so great a change,
To show that there is some foundation for this impression* it is only necessary to observe* that since the independence of the former colonies* not only the increase58	TRAVELS IN PERL AND MEXICO.
of population but every intellectual and material progress has been arrested among tbe white race, while the Indians who were only subdued by the superiority of the European arms and discipline, are gradually recovering from the state of stupefaction into which they were thrown, and have so long remained. Thus there is every probability of their sooner or later becoming as much superior to the white Creoles in ability for war as they are well-known to be in whatever depends upon deep and serious reflection. It is quite certain, from the efforts made by the government at different times since the revolution, to prevent the accumulation of arms among the Indians, that the men in power have been well aware of the probable consequences of the discipline acquired by the natives during the civil war, which was carried on for twenty years. It is well-known, that after every defeat of the party on whose side they fought, they retired to their homes taking their weapons with them, which they are supposed still to possess too well concealed to render discovery possible, whilst the minerals for the composition of gunpowder lie every where around them.
Many of the attempts of the Indians to regain their native land before the revolution were badly planned and met with the failure which they justly merited.
. One of the more remarkable of the conspiracies against the government and the white population occurred during the insurrection in the year 1741. A number of Indians were to be stationed at different districts in the towrn, prepared to set fire to the houses, while another party were to dam up the river below theLIMA.
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town which would be thus laid under water ; and, the main body of the conspirators was to march through the streets during the confusion that would ensue, and fall upon and massacre all the whites without distinction of sex or age.
The plan of this conspiracy seem to have been laid with considerable foresight, and all the operations were to have been carried into effect at the sound of the midnight bell of the cathedral. But the plot was discovered, and nothing resulted but increased caution on the part of the whites, and the introduction of some stringent measures which increased the hatred that the motley population has always borne to the whole of thé white race.
Another yet more villanous attempt was made to destroy the whites and the mixed population by poison. It appears that an Indian of some property applied to a Creole apothecary for a large quantity of corrosive sub-imate, and the apothecary suspecting some bad design, yet being unwilling to lose the profits which the sale would afford him, agreed to supply the mineral, but substituted alum in its place ; and the next morning all the water in Lima, which comes from one or more springs three or four miles from the city, and not from the river, was found impregnated with this mineral. No harm however occurred, and the principals in this conspiracy do not appear to have been ever discovered or at least publicly exposed or punished.
The only argument that I heard while I was in Peru* against the probability of a turn of events in favour60
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of the Indian population rested upon the number of the mixed races, and more particularly the Mestizos who it will he remembered are the progeny of white fathers and Indian mothers, all of whom it was thought would be more likely to unite with the white than the Indian race.
I may here remark, that the difference in the proportion of the races in Lima is very different from that which prevails in the interior of the country. In the cities we have visited, the white Creole, the Indian and the Mestizo form the entire population; but in Lima the negro has added a new element of a pure stock, which has caused great varieties of colour and character. The population in Lima in 1836 was stated to be as follows: — white Creoles almost all of Spanish blood, 20,000, pure Indians 5,500, negro slaves 5,000, people of the mixed races. 24,000, besides about 800 ecclesiastics of all sorts.
The mixed races consist of the following shades though the number which belong to each is uncertain. Next to the Mestizo comes the Mulatto, which is the progeny of a white father and a1 negro mother ; then the Chino, the offspring of an Indian father and negro mother, then the Quateron, from a white father and Mulatto mother. Now it will be easily seen, without naming more than these, that half a dozen other grades at least must exist, springing from the three primary stocks, so that if the Spanish race are ever overwhelmed in Peru the revolution is not likely to be commenced where such a variety as this prevails.
It is possible, that there is no capital city in theLIMA.
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world, where the mixed races, from the fair Creole of European parents to the tawny Indian, and from the Indian to the jet black African, are so numerous, and so various in colour, feature and character, as at Lima; and it seems evident that no system of government can he successfully carried on among so heterogeneous a mass of human beings, that does not distinctly recognise one superior race to whom the rest should how, if not from inward conviction of their superiority, at least from some irresistible restraint.
It is far from my intention, to express an opinion, that the want of this has been the cause of the disgraceful insurrections and revolutions that have occurred at Lima, since the independence of the country, as these have been entirely the work of the white population ; hut it does seem to me, that the elements from which these revolutions have arisen, and the course which they have taken, have in a great measure proceeded from the difficulty, if not impossibility of carrying on any just system of popular government among so heterogeneous a mass.
I wish not to be understood as saying, that I ever heard any where that there was an innate prejudice, or bad feeling among the different classes towards one another. They appear, indeed, and are generally said, to live in harmony together. The white Creoles, among whom there are few that are not of Spanish blood, are, as might be supposed, the most wealthy, and they almost entirely carry on the government throughout all its higher departments. Next to these come the Indians of pure blood, of whom, as has been above stated, there are about five thousand in the town, many of whom are62
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in a respectable way of life and keep shops; and at the time I was at Lima there was even one of this class in the legislative assembly. But after these, there is no distinct order of pure blood except that of the negro, who can scarcely be said to have any political influence in the state.
During two or three rides which I made in the vicinity of the town, accompanied by one of my hotel acquaintances, I observed that the country around Lima has almost the same stern aspect as that in the vicinity of Arequipa. But the fertility of the soil along the banks of the Bimac, where irrigation is practised in the same manner as around Arequipa, is greater than around the latter city; and, wherever it is possible, the soil is cultivated with some care.
The most luxuriant of the crops upon the banks of the Bimac and along the coast is the sugar-cane, which does not grow in the higher countries; the kind which is found to flourish best here is the Otaheitan, the produce of which is said to be even one fourth greater than that of the best West Indian cane. The manufacture of the sugar, is conducted in Peru in a very inferior manner to that practised in our West India colonies. It is therefore too expensive an article to be exported beyond the countries of the Pacific Ocean which lie north and south of Peru.
Maize is also grown in the utmost perfection in this part of the country, both in the valleys between the Cordilleras and upon the poor soils along the shores. It forms the chief article of food for the slaves on the estates, whether made into bread, or cooked green ; andLIMA.
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its consumption is so greats that it is even imported from Chili in exchange for the Peruvian sugar.
Sweet potatoes are likewise cultivated here, hut such as came under my observation were very inferior to those produced in our West India colonies. They are also found here growing wild, but of very inferior quality.
Lucerne, which has been mentioned as abounding in the interior, flourishes still more luxuriantly in this part of Peru. It is in its highest perfection during what is properly the winter season, and may be mown generally four times, and where the soil is in the least degree humid, even five times, during the year.
Cotton is also grown in Peru, in favourable situations ; and in some of the oases are found many of the fruits of southern Europe, particularly figs, olives, oranges, pomegranates, and lemons. The banana is likewise grown here, and that most delicious of fruits, the chirimoya, which has been described in a former volume of these travels as abounding in the Society Islands. It is not here however equal to that of the Islands.
I may now make a few remarks respecting the use which the agriculturists of this part of Peru make of the guano, the more remarkable deposits of which have been mentioned in a preceding chapter. It seems to have been employed upon this coast in very ancient times; and it is probable, that the progress of the empire of the Incas, and the increase of the population, were in a considerable degree indebted to the use made of this valuable material. The exact manner in which64
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it was formerly used, is not I believe well known; but at tbe present time it is in a simple manner, employed in the cultivation chiefly of the maize, the yams, and the potatoes. The seeds of these plants are put into the ground, and after the leaves have been a short time above the ground, a little indentation of the earth is made around every plant, filled with the guano and covered up. Then the plantation is irrigated by the artificial means before mentioned, and left in this condition for about half a day, when the rapid growth of the plant is soon apparent.
This course of manuring is indeed sometimes repeated with the same crop, and the produce of the plants thus manured, and of the grain sown broad-cast on the same land the following year, is said to be double that produced on the richest soils by manuring after the ordinary manner. The material, as it is now exported in considerable quantities both to Europe and North America, is too dear here to be thrown on the land in the same manner as we toss our coarser manures, the price being generally for the darker and ordinary sort, one dollar and a half, and for the lighter-coloured and better sort, even as much as three dollars, the bushel.
The rides beyond the walls of Lima, are not performed without risk of encounters with robbers who infest the vicinity of the capital. They are generally runaway slaves and coloured men, but rarely Indians. The accounts of the murders and robberies they have committed, accompanied sometimes with great cruelty almost exceed belief. They sometimes go in largeLIMA.
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gangs* and sometimes in small; but they rarely attack any of the influential people of Lima. This has given rise to the belief that these worthy personages are favoured on account of the little pains they take in the suppression of crime. It is even said* that there is a perfect understanding between the robbers and the officials* that only strangers and the less considerable personages of the town shall be attacked. Several of the rogues had been taken and publicly shot on the plaza just before I arrived* and the roads were now therefore considered rather safer than usual. I was however strongly advised not to go beyond the walls of the town without a very strong party well armed* or a guide chosen from among the suspected inhabitants of the town; and as some guide of other. was necessary* one or two strangers and myself thought proper to engage one of these worthies to accompany us.
On one occasion* while we were riding within two miles of the gates of the town* four black fellows mounted* but as far as we were able to perceive unarmed* approached us from behind a thicket by the roadside* and our guide said “Senors prepare your arms for I cannot tell who these rogues may be.” Upon this we cocked our fire-arms and prepared ourselves for what might happen. They came very near us* and after asking some questions began to be abusive* upon which the guide who had now ascertained their character* said* speaking to ourselves.
“ Should one of these fellows approach within ten feet of one of our horses, the rider must immediately shoot him dead*” which we like himself prepared accordingly
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to do. But whether from hearing these words or being warned by our preparation, they turned away soon after the guide had spoken, and we saw no more of them. When we related in the town what had happened, the only thing that surprised our friends was, that the rogues were not joined by others while they were near us; but it was supposed that our guide was either known to one of them, or was recognised by other robbers that were of the same gang and doubtless not far off.
It does not appear to be the custom in Peru, for travellers to arm against these scoundrels, who are said to fight even with the troops and the police with as much desperation as regular soldiers engaged in a just war. Travellers, indeed, generally carry money with them, to prevent the ill-treatment they are sure to meet with if they are without it. Sometimes, however, they are murdered whether they have money or not; but often when they have no money, they are maimed and scarred in a most frightful manner.
The means by which these robbers are taken is, generally, by pursuing them with a strong force, but sometimes by surrounding and setting fire to a thicket into which a party has retreated or in which it is known to be concealed. When captured, they undergo a form of trial; and after being condemned to be shot, have the privilege of choosing the place of execution, which is usually in one of the plazas.
All this part of Peru, more especially in the vicinity of the cities where any kind of traffic, connected either with the mines or with any more regular commerce isLIMA.
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carried on, is infested with these lawless vagabonds. It surprised me after what I had seen of the Indians in the interior, to hear that, although they were rarely found associated with the professional robbers which compose the majority of the gangs, yet when they were among them, they were more cruel towards their victims than any of the scoundrels in the country.
If the accounts given of the character and arrangements of these robbers be worthy of the smallest consideration, they must show in a very strong light the dreadful deficiency of the republican system of government with such a mixed and disorganized population. It is said that there is an organized body of robbers commanded by expert leaders, who maintain spies in the villages and towns, from whom they receive regular reports of the movements of travellers, as well as of any measures that are taken for their capture.
. But the strongest proof of the state of disorganization in Peru, and the consequent insecurity of property, is afforded by the extent to which this marauding is carried on without any successful steps being taken to suppress it effectually. Even the slaves on some of the estates, on Sundays and on other days after their work is over, mount the horses which they drive in their lawful occupations, and waylay the hapless travellers whom they know to be on their journeys. These latter however, are not connected with the organized bands; and it was rather against such as these that our guide and ourselves were so well prepared.
With such an insufficient government as that of Pern,68
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it is not surprising that some use is made of these bands of desperadoes in time of war. There has been sometimes a regiment of a thousand strong composed entirely of robbers, and others who for various offences were under sentence of death, and received pardon upon entering into the service of the government. They form a very irregular band, and have never been habited in uniform, but wear their ponchos and broad brimmed hats. They are said to be at all times good skirmishers. They are usually in advance of the regular troops, and sometimes attack the enemy in front and sometimes in the rear. But when the war is over they are disbanded, and the greater part of them return to their former occupation of highway69
CHAP. XXV.
LIMA — continued.
Lives of the Citizens.—Degeneracy of the Creoles. — Effects of the System of Government. — Occupations of the Independent Classes.— Gambling.— Creole Ladies. — Personal Appearance of the Ladies.— Dress. — Intrigues. — Manners of the Married Men. — Amusements of the Ladies. -— Strange Customs. — Cleverness of the Ladies. — Introduction to a Family. — First Impressions. — Colloquy between the Ladies and their Visitors. — Attractions of the Ladies. — Their Impressions concerning English Ladies. — My Second Visit.
v
If the religious and moral institutions, and the manner of life, of a people, bore the same relation which they ought to bear to each other, we might after what has been said in a previous chapter, suppose we had conveyed a tolerable idea of the state of advancement of the population of Lima in those refinements which mark a civilised and Christian people. It may however be far otherwise ; and if it be proper for a traveller who would set down his thoughts upon what he may see around him without prejudice or reserve, to speak of the institutions he has the opportunity of observing, it is not less so to review the manner of life of the people among whom these exist. I shall therefore in this chapter give a slight account of the general mode of life of the citizens of the capital of Peru.
If it. be true, as has been often said by travellers and
F 370
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others, with whom I have found myself agree after observations made in the earlier stages of these travels, that men in the less advanced conditions of society, when they come in contact with the more refined or more powerful, adopt the vices of their superiors and reject their virtues, the ruder inhabitants of Lima have an example before them that is more likely to degrade than to improve their natural characters.
The stranger will dwell but a short time in Lima before he has many reasons for suspecting the inferiority of the Creoles to the race from which they spring; and as he becomes acquainted with the few Spaniards that are here, who are not mixed up with the Creoles, he will be fully convinced of the truth of his impression. Nevertheless, the republic has produced, and still has in its cities, very able, active men, devoted to the abstract sciences and the arts; but such has been the character of the struggle for influence in the political world, that these have for the most part, remained occupied with their own affairs, and have taken but little part in the political government of the country. I have heard many men of abilities and of moderate politics, declare that, happen what might, they would never disgrace themselves by any interference with, or by taking any part in, political affairs.
Now when we consider who must under these circumstances necessarily govern, and set an example of manners to the population, it will be easily seen, that this duty devolves upon the more wealthy of , the citizens, who live in a manner far from being worthy of the imitation of the inferior classes.LIMA.
71
The people of this class, who frequently have plantations in the vicinity of the town, pass their whole days lounging about the streets and in the shops, smoking cigars and gossiping with one another. They are extremely effeminate in their manners, and decidedly inferior to the Chilians both in intellect and in physical organization.
To the stranger, indeed, the two most serious occupations of the citizens of Lima, appear to be cock fighting and gaming. The frequenters of the theatres for these almost equally disgusting amusements, are nevertheless said to be extremely temperate in the pleasures of the table; and this, whatever be its cause, we must allow to be a virtue well worthy of being placed against any catalogue of faults.
The vice of gambling is authorized, and carried on in a manner that might have done credit to ourselves about half a century ago. The government farm out two lotteries to private citizens for large sums. The principal of these is drawn every three months, and the price of a ticket is four reals or dollars, the highest prize being four thousand reals. The other lottery is drawn weekly, and the tickets are sold for one real each, the highest of the prizes being one thousand reals.
Whatever may be the effects of ill example upon the majority of the population of Peru, it is clear that all the mixed races value themselves and despise others in proportion as they approach in colour to the white. The grounds, therefore, for expecting a change in favour of the ancient races of the country can72
TKAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
only be tbe gradual increase of the Indians. 1 Were Spain a land that like our England had a continually increasing surplus population, the remedy for the greatest anticipated evils in Peru would be easily found in the emigration and settlement of the Spaniards in their ancient colony. But should there be a happier day in reserve for Peru, the traveller is unable to perceive the sources from which it will proceed.
There is a feature in the society here, which is much noticed by foreigners who have visited this part of Peru, and for which the traveller is sure to be prepared before his arrival. This is the peculiar manner of life of the Creole ladies, which is certainly not that which prevails in Spain at the present day.
Englishmen, who live in such close intimacy with ladies, even though they may not have the good fortune to have wives and daughters, are often surprised during their travels on the continent of Europe, by the contrast which the intercourse between the sexes there presents. This difference in manners from our own, which must have struck every one who has seen any thing of foreign society, though varying in degree, is not peculiar to any nation, nor to any rank, but is in the larger towns especially almost as remarkable among the lower as among the higher classes of society. But there is no part of Europe where the ladies have so distinct an individuality as may be observed among those of Lima, as the few observations I am about to make will tend to show.
I shall first mention, that the personal appearance generally of the Creole ladies is much in their favour..LIMA,
73
They are rather small; and have elegant feet and ankles, which are not concealed with the same care as are those of European ladies of the present day. When seen out of doors, whether on the promenades, or attending religious processions, which is evidently one of their favourite amusements, they appear in a costume quite peculiar to Lima. They have generally a dark coloured silk petticoat, made to spread out towards the feet, in the same manner, but by no means so extravagantly, as by the crinoline at present in fashion in Europe. Above this, they wear a black silk mantle, which is fastened at the waist behind, and drawn over the shoulders and the head, in such a manner as to conceal the whole of the face save one eye, which is seen peeping beneath the folds, but too obscurely to be recognized even by persons to whom the lady’s face is familiar. Over this they put a shawl which conceals the rest of the person above the waist; and, in one hand they usually carry a bouquet, while with the other they hold the front folds of the mantle which serves for a veil.
This manner of dressing by the ladies of Lima, has favoured a system of intrigues, which are said to be practised here to a degree very uncommon among the same class of the fair sex in any other country in the Christian world. Nevertheless, it is agreed by most of the foreigners in the town, that the gentlemen of Lima owe the want of fidelity they experience on the part of their wives, to their own neglect of the attention so natural for the fair sex to expect.
The domestic life indeed of the better classes of74
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Lima^ is very different from that which we lead in Europe. The occupations of the gentlemen* and their wives and other ladies of the family* are so different* that there may almost be said to be two establishments. When the family have estates* or are otherwise independent* and even when their affairs are purely commercial* the gentlemen pass the greater part of the day in lounging about at the coffee-houses* or in gambling* to which they are much addicted, and their evenings in various places of amusement* and in intriguing.
The ^occupations of the ladies in their houses* are said to exhibit negligence and all its consequences in the highest degree. They have numerous servants* some of whom are slaves ; and every lady has
and carries a carpet for her to kneel upon when she goes to Mass. During the heat of the day* they recline on their couches* and smoke cigars* and towards evening make their visits to one another* promenade on the plazas or enter the theatres. They are fond of music* and many of them play upon the guitar and some upon the pianoforte. But whatever may be their character in their prime they much change as they advance in years. When their attractions begin to fade* and they no longer receive the attentions of the opposite sex* they grow weary of existence* and seek for excitement in attending church daily* sometimes even several times during the same day* usually confessing once a month or oftener. This change* however* we need not inform those who are acquainted with the state of manners in countries fully under the influence of the
negro boy who attends her when she walksLIMA.
75
Romish system of Christianity is not peculiar to the ladies of Lima.
But if you inquire of the foreign gentlemen residing in the town, what are the most remarkable features in the character of the ladies of Lima, you will be sure to hear, that two things above all others distinguish them from the ladies of most other countries — the extravagant manner in which they dress, and the extraordinary pains they take from their earlier years to preserve the smallness of their feet. To the love of dress and jewellery, they are said to sacrifice every other consideration, and, to preserve the smallness of their feet, they wear shoes so tight, that they put themselves to torment perhaps never endured by others for so slight an object in any country except China.
It is but just, however, to remark, that amidst these feminine qualities, which more engage our interest than excite our censure, there is said to lurk an understanding which must claim our highest respect. They are reported indeed to be decidedly clever, and to exceed the rest of the South Americans in their intellectual acquirements. I cannot introduce the reader to any of those who maintain this character; but I will make a few remarks upon what passed on the first occasion of my entering one of the family houses of Lima.
A foreign gentleman to whom I was introduced, believing that it would be interesting to me to visit one of the families of the citizens with whom he was acquainted, called upon me shortly after my arrival, to offer me an introduction to the ladies of a good family, and we set off together for their, house.76
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
As we passed along, my friend observed: that tbe ladies of Lima, notwithstanding the peculiarities for which they were distinguished, were generally good mothers, and he had no doubt good wives when married to inen by whom they were treated with the deference to which they believed themselves to be entitled; but that such were the morals of the men generally of Lima, that it was not surprising that this led to a natural species of revenge which many of the fair sex of the capital were known to take. I am not however added my friend, about to introduce you to a family, among whom I have the smallest suspicion of any irregularities having occurred.
We came first to an archway, where there were folding gates which were closed. We knocked, and a small door on one side was immediately opened by a black porter, who on hearing that we wished to see the family, admitted us, and passed us over to two or three negro women already on the watch, one of whom bid us follow her to the sala of the ladies, who, she said, were quite ready for the reception of visitors.
Having passed the archway, we came into a patio in the middle of which there was a fountain surrounded with shrubs and flowers. There were doors on every side, leading to the various apartments of the house, and a passage opposite the gate at which we had entered, conducting to a trapatio or second quadrangle, with a railed iron gate painted light green. We were now led to one of the doors on our right hand, upon passing which we entered an airy apartment where we found no less than four ladies all reclining on luxurious sofas.LIMA.	77
Two or more of them were smoking the eigaretta, and three or four black women, evidently slaves, were sitting on the ground near their mistresses.
The scene was to me as agreeable as it was novel. The slaves had risen as we entered, and one of the ladies recognising her friend my companion, bid us welcome to their apartment, in the French tongue, which much pleased me for I was not sufficiently familiar with the Spanish to converse with, ease. My friend also preferred French, which he always spoke with the ladies.
The attendants now brought us chairs, upon which we were requested to sit down ; and after placing ourselves in front of our fair friends, the following little colloquy was commenced.
“ Sen ors,” said the lady who had first spoken: “We are happy to see such agreeable guests in our poor apartment.”
“ Señora,” said my friend, “ if your apartment were one of the poorest in Lima, instead of being, as we see it, one of the richest, its agreeable inhabitants would make it the most pleasing to enter of any in the capital of Peru. But my visit to you to-day, is not to admire either the apartment, or what is always more worthy of admiration within it, but to introduce this gentleman my friend to you, who is an Englishman that has lately descended from the sierra, after visiting the city of Cuzco concerning which I knew you have great curiosity.”
Upon this, the ladies all turned their eyes upon the traveller; then the one that appeared to be the eldest said, addressing herself to my companion: “ Mon Lieu,78
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Señor* your friend is trebly welcome in our abode* into wbicb we hope be will often enter* and take many opportunities of giving us accounts of the ruins of the ancient capital.”
“ Señora*” I then said* “ my stay in Lima will be short* but I am sure I shall pass no hours so agreeably as those with which your invitation will honour me.”
But in order to show the reader that what I said was reasonable and true* I must mention yet more exactly the scene before our eyes.
Upon two elegant couches reclined four ladies* the
eldest of whom was probably not thirty years of age* all
%
prettily dressed and elegantly adorned* especially by the mode of dressing the hair and the tasteful arrangement of a few jewels and flowers. But the persons of the fair damsels were rendered yet more attractive, by the gifts with which nature had endowed them* than by the ornaments which art had supplied. Their figures were rather delicate than slender, their waists small* and their features which were regular were rendered highly animated by their sparkling black eyes* and their ringlets of black hair flowed gracefully over their shoulders and across their bosoms. To these charms were added the prettiest mouths with as fine rows of teeth as I ever saw. Moreover* their feet and ankles which were not hidden were the smallest in proportion to their whole frame that I remember at any time seeing. My impression, indeed, the whole time we were in the apartment was* that we had somehow or other got into the harem of some great Pacha in the eastern world* but in which itLIMA.
79
is not very likely there are many scenes equal to that which we now beheld.
In answer to what I had said after the invitation had been given me, the lady replied smiling: —
“ Señor, you pay us an agreeable compliment, but your sex are very apt to look upon ours with more indulgence than we merit.”
“ I believe rather,” I replied, “ that men frequently see with indifference, what should be more uncommon to be justly appreciated. It is always agreeable for the rougher portion of the human race, to associate with the more delicate. We not only feel the pleasure which your society naturally affords us, but we imbibe your refinement, which tends to make us more just towards one another.”
“Señor,” said the lady, “I have always desired to know one of your countrymen, but I have never conversed with an Englishman before, and I am bound to say that I do not remember having at any time received a more agreeable compliment than you have addressed to us. If our countrymen had the same opinion of our sex that you have so kindly expressed, I am sure we should want no portion of the happiness that your countrywomen must enjoy. We have indeed heard, that you live in England more with your wives than do the gentlemen of all other nations, but we did not know that you entertained such high opinions of our sex as you have expressed.”
“ I believe Señora ” said I, “ that what is commonly called domestic life, is more successfully followed in England than on the continent of Europe generally;80
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
but as I bave not yet been in tbe country from which you derive your origin* I do not know how these matters are carried on there.”
While I was making this speech* I observed something in the countenance of my friend very much like uneasiness* the reasons for which were explained* when he cut short our dialogue by saying in English.
“You are getting out of the track of the discourse usually carried on between the ladies and gentlemen of Lima. Look at the foot on the stool before you. The lady will think we are talking of that* and will be rather pleased than otherwise that I have spoken as she will believe in admiration of this in a> language unknown to them.”
I looked at the foot as I was desired* and my friend then said in French* in a tone rather low : “ Did you ever see anything like that among your ladies.” To which I, replied : “ I am sure I never saw a foot so small.”
I must confess, indeed, that I thought it a little too , small ; for artificial means as before mentioned are used to cramp the feet of the ladies in Lima, which the ladies in Europe do not practise.
The conversation, by the manœuvre of my friend* was turned into a channel which seemed very agreeable to the ladies.
I had observed from the time we entered the apartment* a grace and style about the whole party which I thought well worthy of admiration ; but after what had now been said* their countenances became doubly animated, and their beauty showed to advantage which it was not easy to look upon without seeming to seeLIMA.
81
kindness and amiability sufficient to complete the sum-of feminine perfection.
“You seem quite captivated by the scene before you,” said my friend, addressing himself to me in an under tone, upon which I replied:
“ The ladies veil in the streets, or at least cover all their beauties but one eye.”
“ And you now see the cause of this,” said my friend. “ They are so captivating, that it would be a torment for men to behold those whom they could not address.”
“ Oh Señor,” said one of the ladies, “ I am sure your friend has met with too much beauty in the countries in which he has travelled to have any place left for admiration of the ladies of Lima, of whom indeed we are very bad specimens.”
“ That is far from being the case Señora,” I replied. But before I had time to say more, my friend exclaimed, “Pray Señoras have you seen any English ladies ? ”
“ Oh yes,” said one of the party, “ and we often talk of them. They are the largest women we have ever seen.”
“ And the most lovely ? ” said my friend, in an interrogatory tone of voice.
“Oh no,” exclaimed two of the ladies at the same time.
Then said the elder: “We know not what Englishmen may admire; but we find their waists too broad and their feet too large.”
Here I thought proper to say: “I will not boast of any particular beauty in my countrywomen, but I must vol. ii.	a82	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
tell you what you may not have heard before* that the greater part or perhaps the whole of the Englishwomen that you have seen are not of the refined classes — not mistresses* but servants* in their own country.”
Upon my saying this the ladies all looked as if they had heard something that required confirmation. I therefore gave them an explanation in accordance with that given in the chapter on Valparaiso ; upon which one of the elder ladies said to the rest: “No doubt this accounts for the daughters of Señora Wilson being so superior to their mother.”
We conversed for an hour at least* all the time entertained in the most agreeable manner ; and I am bound to say that* when we consider the unintellectual* or almost frivolous occupations which the ladies here constantly follow, and that the theatre is their chief means of instruction* they appeared* in spite of their evident passion for dress and ornament* to have as much knowledge of what was beyond the little sphere of Limean society as it was reasonable to expect.
On parting with our fair friends, we received an invitation to repeat our visit very soon ; but as my stay in the town was short* I was only able to call once more with my friend to bid them adieu. Two of them only were at home on this occasion* and their last words to me were : “ When you visit Lima again* you must bring an English wife to introduce to us* selected from the élite of your countrywomen.” This I promised I would endeavour to do, and we took leave.83
GHAP. XXVI.
LIMA — continued.
The Manner of Life generally in Lima.— Marriages.—Character of the Gentlemen. — Retaliation of the Ladies. — Dress of the Ladies. — Character of their Intrigues. —- Position of the Ladies of Lima compared with European and other Ladies.-—Indians of Lima.— Negroes. — Treatment of Slaves. —• Mixed Races. — Mestizos. — Mulattos, -p-Education. — Mulatto Women. — Character of the Mixed Classes generally. — The Pure Spaniards. — Foreigners in Lima.
I shall in this chapter set down what I heard generally of the manner of life among the people of the better classes in the Peruvian capital, from the errors of which, the family already mentioned, is an exception, though I fear, a rare one.
It is' probable, that in attention to friends and strangers within their salas, they are generally equal. The younger portion of the fair sex have commonly a good share of personal charms, and the elder have at least, sufficient prudence to disguise every tendency towards such acts as we consider the whole world has the right to condemn.
Marriages take place in Lima in the same manner as on the continent of Europe, the contracting parties having but a very slight knowledge of each other; it cannot therefore be expected that the immediate joy
G 284
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which attends their unions, would be of very long duration. When they are tolerably well off in the world, a house is taken and an establishment formed, with a number of free servants and slaves. In the respectable houses, there is generally a cook, five or six maidens at least, and several men, the whole or the greater part being commonly slaves.
The gentlemen usually rise at a reasonable hour, but the ladies rise late and do not dress in a manner fit to receive visitors before the middle of the day. Whatever may be the avocations of the gentlemen, whether those of the proprietor of an estate or of an employe of the government, the husband and wife meet rarely during the day.' His business is out of doors and hers within. A great portion of his time is usually spent at the coffee-houses and gambling tables, while his wife entertains visitors or practises music and singing in which few of the ladies of Lima are said to excel.
The ladies are in general well dressed, though not without sacrificing much time to their toilettes ; and are always so highly perfumed, that when a stranger passes them in the streets, he is reminded of the perfume of a bed of rich flowers in a summer parterre. But notwithstanding these showy habits, they are far from being good housekeepers. Their servants who are generally much more numerous than is necessary, are frequently as indolent as their mistresses ; so that there is nothing like order to be seen any where beyond the sala in which visitors are received.
The chief business of the ladies during the day is, visiting one another ; but towards evening, they walkLIMA.
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on the plazas* and usually after this* take their seats at the theatre.
Our mode of life is so different among all classes* from that of which we are speaking* that it is difficult for an Englishman* to credit all that he hears of what passes in such a town as Lima* until the evidence is pretty plainly pointed out to him.
I must now say a few words concerning the habits of the gentlemen* or even the little I may be justified in further revealing of those of the ladies would surpass belief.
From what has been already said of the manner in
which marriages are contracted here* between persons
who have scarcely any acquaintance with each other* it
may be easily conceived, that they are rarely more than
*
convenient unions to conform to the fashion of the day or gratify the feelings of the hour. But when children begin to appear* the parents become alarmed at the prospect of a large family* and the men fall into the excesses of the Mussulmans* while the religion they profess renders it necessary that their manner of life should be practised in secret. This does not* however* remain concealed from their wives* who take their revenge by practising a system of intrigues which is quite peculiar to Lima* and which the fashion of their dress much aids their success in carrying out.
Furnished with this security, which the married men of Lima have made some unsuccessful attempts to do away with* the intrigues of the neglected wives* for we must remember the source from which this vice proceeds* are carried on with remarkable success; for the
G 386	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
husband does not even know his wife when he passes her in the streets: and, to attempt to discover her by removing the mantle from the brow of a suspected damsel, womld be considered an offence so grave that it is never done. The ladies, are said to be such adepts in the art which they so securely practise, that they find means to conceal everything belonging to their persons that might betray them. They are even said to disguise their walk in such a manner as to render detection impossible.
I shall here make a few remarks, derived from observations made by myself during my travels and sojourn in the different countries I have chanced to visit, upon the conduct generally of the different sexes towards each other and the manner in which this is commonly regulated.
In our own country, men and women are allowed to associate freely, and the women however young they may happen to be, when first courted by the men, have their own judgment and feelings to consult respecting the indissoluble alliance which is proper for them to form; and the fruits of this liberty are seen in the raising of large families to such an extent as to excite the wonder of all foreigners.
But if we pass over the narrow sea to the country of our nearest neighbours, the land which Providence has more favoured in soil and climate than any other in Europe, what a difference we observe in the conjugal relations and mode of life. Where is there the family hearth ? Where are the pet children, whose play is so delightful to witness in this country, and whose futureLIMA.
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welfare is the stimulant which incites the father to the due exercise of his daily avocations ? These things exist indeed in France, hut in a circle so much narrower than in England, that they are comparatively imperceptible.
Pass into Italy; and there you will find the relations between the sexes, even less intimate, and the union less sound than in France. There you will find proofs of what you have seen no trait in France—that not only the unmarried women as in France, are kept from the society of the men but that even the married women rarely associate with men that are not very nearly allied to them; and in some instances, in the country towns especially, they are actually confined to particular chambers of their own houses^
But go still further, and cross the Mediterranean, and observe the same relations in the Mussulman countries. What is there the condition of the women, and what is their conduct towards their husbands ? Observe the marriages. The bride is generally a child, and not even seen by the man she espouses until they are left together, and he unveils her, in his private apartment. And now observe the effect of this. Whether he have other wives or not, she is again veiled, and for ever, from the eyes of other men, whom she never sees, or at least never converses with. What, under these circumstances can we suppose would be her disposition, whenever she may have the means of following her inclinations? What is the character of the alliance* and the character of the affection between the parties, and what the produce of. their alliance ? Will it not,88
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
when these questions are answered be at least seen, that her conduct would be exactly opposite to that of the married women in the country possessing the greatest social freedom of any in the world ?
Now we shall probably not err much if we place the ladies of Lima in respect to their marriages and their conduct generally towards their husbands where the law and customs of their country have placed them -—about half way between the Italian and the Egyptian, with less checks upon the exercise of their free will, than even the Italian.
The next class of the inhabitants of Lima, in originality of character and respectability is composed of the Indians. Their number as stated in a previous chapter is, between five and six thousand and their avocations are various. The highest among them are respectable shopkeepers, but the greater number are labourers and servants. Those who are independent, are said to bear the highest character possible, both in their domestic lives and their commercial dealings; but the inferior orders are indolent, vain and timid, live with little regard to cleanliness, and stand in great awe of the white population.
Of the remaining pure race which is the Negro, there are seven or eight thousand, of whom about four thousand are slaves. The character of this class of our fellow-creatures is well known. They are becoming by the law, gradually free in Lima, but those who are slaves are generally the favoured servants in the establishments to which they belong, and are treated with the mildness we find shown to slaves in almost all largeLIMA.
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towns in other parts of the world. They are commonly permitted to work for themselves for several hours during the day; so that those who are industrious often save enough money to purchase their freedom, the amount, if the parties do not agree, being fixed by judges appointed by the law. The greater number, however, of those who are in respectable families, are too comfortably provided for to desire to exchange the character of their relations to the white population.
The most numerous part of the population of Lima, is composed of the coloured people proceeding from the mixture of the three original races, the White, the Indian and the Negro.
Some pains have been taken by persons, of whose competency the traveller is not able to judge, to distinguish the exact mental and physical differences between the various castes that have arisen from the mixture of the several races from which they spring. These are reported to be about twenty, but into the niceties which distinguish them from one another we need not stay to enquire. It will be sufficient for our purpose to speak of the two or three most remarkable among them.
The most respectable in their lives, and the foremost in abilities, are the Mestizos whom we have seen abounding in the interior, who it will be remembered are the children of white fathers and Indian mothers. This mixture indeed seems to be the best that has been made between the European and any native Americans. The men are considered to be talented, and mild in their dispositions, and the women,Ô0	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
are good mothers, and wives, and are of the most gentle and amiable dispositions.
The inclination of this caste is strongly towards the whites from whom they differ but little in colour, and they are always flattered at being taken for them. Their eyes are black, and their hair long but not fine. The men are well-formed and strong, and have a very slight beard. The women are delicately made, dress neatly, and often wear their hair in long plaits reaching below the waist. They are sometimes exceedingly handsome. The men usually are occupied in the mechanical arts, or in the inferior grades of commerce, but some an^ong them, by their industry, amass considerable wealth.
The Mulattos, proceeding from a white father and negro mother, dô not seem to spring from so happy a union. They are neither mentally, nor physically equal to the Mestizos. Nevertheless they are of a gayer disposition and follow cheerfully the mechanical occupations in which they are usually engaged. They have not however the same steadiness and regard for the future as their more serious compatriots.
Notwithstanding these traits in the character of this race, since the establishment of the Eepublic some of them have received their education in the colleges from
which they were before excluded, and have afterwards
\
even followed the profession of medicine, though it is believed by Europeans with very indifferent success.
The women of this race are remarkable for their delicacy, and often for their beauty at a vèry early age ; £>ut as they advance in years, there is usually a. darkLIMA.
Öl
colour around the eyes, and every feature partakes more of the black than the white traits. They are fond of music and dancing, and usually play the guitar, and sing tolerably.
Every one of the rest of the numerous mixed races, is said to have its peculiar character, while one feeling is certainly common to the whole, and this is, a 'marked deference and respect for the whites, who it is clear will always command the support of the whole of the mixed population, which is indeed the best security they have for their continuance in the government of the country.
There are others among the citizens whom I must not forget to mention although they are not numerous. These consist of pure Spaniards who emigrated before the revolution, and of whom it will be remembered we have seen some families in the department of Cuzco. They are usually proprietors of land, but sometimes merchants, and at present may be considered the highest class in the state; but they will soon be confounded with the rest of the inhabitants of the same blood.
There are some foreigners settled in Lima, consisting of English, North Americans, French, Germans and even Italians.
The English and the North Americans are the principal merchants, and the greatest speculators in the mines in the interior, in which fortunes have been both made and sacrificed.
The French are less numerous, and are chiefly of the classes which engage in the retail trade, and in the ordinary arts of civilized life.92
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
The Italians are said to be all Genoese* and they also are for the most part occupied with retail commerce.
The Germans are generally young men engaged as assistants chiefly in the houses of the English merchants.93
CHAP. XXVII.
LIMA — continued<
Attachment to Ancient Usages. — A Bull-fight. — Building of the Exhibition.—Toreros.— Picadors. — Matadors. — Obeisance of the Matador. — Mishap.— A Moment’s Pause. —Entrance of the first Bull. <— Commencement of the Eight. — Torture of the Animal. — Eirô
i
Works. — Fresh Toreros enter. — Picador wounded. — Death of the Bull— Second Obeisance of the Matador. — Eight Bulls and Five Horses killed. — Raptures of the Assembly. —- Creole Ladies. — Our Disgust. — Report in the Morning.
Although tlie Spanish Creoles of the Peruvian capital have much changed in character since the emigration of their forefathers, and though they dwell among so many people of different races, there are, besides the preservation of the laws of slavery, other particulars in which they still cling to the ancient usages of their race, which have been abolished in the 'rest of thé independent states of the same people. The most remarkable of these is their bull-fights, as we commonly call their toreros, or combats between bulls and men. This place of public diversion I visited in company with another European who was then at Lima.
The theatre in which the exhibition takes place, is a circular building with an upper and lower gallery, each of which has eight or ten rows of seats, and the lower is separated from the patio, or ground of the contests,94	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO
by two partitions, one of which is similar to that in °an English equestrian circus, and the other is at the foot of the lower gallery; while opposite the doors through which the bulls enter, there is in the second gallery, a box where the president of the republic and his family and friends sit when present, after the manner of the royal family in the old country.
The building was more than half full when we took our seats, and the numbers augmented rapidly, till it was said that there were between four and five thousand persons present. When all were seated and every one was in full expectation of the enjoyment in prospect, the doors opened, and in marched six or eight of the tordros, or bull-fighters on foot, armed with pointed staffs, three picadors or equestrians armed with spears, and two teams of mules gaily or fantastically caparisoned. All seemed now to arrange themselves in something like order, when the matador, or man on foot whose part is finally to kill the bull, entered also gaily dressed, and coming to the front of the box of the president made his obeisance upon one knee to its occupants, as is the custom in Spain when the sovereign or his or her representative is present. As he rose a lady among several who were in the box, threw him a large bouquet, in which was the key of the chamber where the bulls that were to take part in the combat were confined.
In the performance of this part of the ceremony, a little mishap occurred. The heroic matador missed catching the bouquet, which did not seem to be a matter of indifference to the multitude assembled; forLIMA.
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as it fell to tlie ground* a violent peal of laughter broke out* that appeared sufficient to deaden the hero’s courage for the approaching battle. The gallant matador, however* caught up the bouquet* and after performing a second obeisance before the same ladies* walked with a quick step towards the chamber of the bulls* which was within that from which the whole party had issued. In the meantime the equestrians placed themselves on the right hand of the entrance* and the combatants on foot distributed themselves around the circus* whilst the mules were withdrawn.
There was now a moment’s pause; and the dead silence which prevailed throughout the crowded theatre was sufficient evidence of 'the effects of anticipation upon the numerous audience. We ourselves indeed felt something like the same sensations which attend the exciting moments of expectation in the tragic drama. But we were not long held in suspense. An inner door was thrown open* apd out came a bull* which rushing into the patio with his tail raised furiously regarded the strange scene around him. Then one of the toreros* .after placing himself at some distance in front of the animal displayed a red scarf at which the bull ran with his head down* and seemed about to toss the torero when the man let the scarf fall and retreated* upon which the disappointed animal was attracted by another scarf displayed by another torero whom he pursued in the same manner until he was again deceived.
After this dodge had continued for some little time* while the animal was constantly pierced by the toreros with their pointed staffs* as if he were not yet quite96
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furious enough to please the company present, one of his opponents threw across his back some lines to which were hanging irritating fireworks which cracked and whizzed about him till his fury was raised to the highest pitch. At this time one of the picadors displayed a red flag at which the bull rushed; and as it was put out of his sight, he endeavoured to toss or gore the horse, but was met by the spear of the picador, while several of the toreros again attracted his attention by displaying their flags on either side. Upon this the wretched animal still worried by the fireworks thrown across his back now ran at the men who confronted him, without noticing the flags which they threw down in their retreat. From this attack they saved themselves by slipping behind a little advanced paling in front of the first partition which separated the company from the patio, and of which there were several in different parts of the circus.
The picadors were now the most exposed to the animal’s fury, and we were much surprised at the indifference displayed both by the horses and their riders. The bull always spent his strength against the stomach of the horses, the rider generally only removing his leg out of the way, and making a dash at the bull with his spear, which rarely seemed to do much execution. But several of the horses soon became so gored by the horns of the bull, that their bowels hung out, in some cases even trailing along the ground, of which, strangely enough, they did not seem to be conscious.
After the unequal battle had continued in this fashion for perhaps nearly half an hour, amidst a mightyLIMA.
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uproar made by the shouting of the company present, and one of the horses had fallen dead from his wounds, a new scene opened. A trumpet sounded, and two or three more toreros entered, armed with short spears, with which they continued to worry the poor bull, which chased them one by one behind the defences. The picadors and their horses now retired behind similar defences to those within which the toreros fled for safety; upon which the matador who had retired after letting the bull loose, reappeared, and after confronting the bull several times with a small flag and jumping dexterously aside as the animal tossed this, at length seized an opportunity to run the straight sword with which he was armed into a spot above the shoulder of the infuriated creature, which fell instantly and expired, amidst the loud shouts of the whole assembly.
After this the heroic matador again made his obeisance before the box of the lady patronesses of the exhibition; and the first act of the piece was closed by one of the teams of mules re-entering and dragging off the dead body of the slain bull at full gallop.
It will perhaps best suffice to give some idea of the character of this amusement, to state in a few words what followed the slaughter of the first bull, and entertained the company for several hours.
The shouts of exultation among the multitude at this animal’s death had hardly ceased, when a second was let loose, and a new combat commenced; the same thing being repeated, until eight bulls and five horses
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had fallen, and one of the picadors whose horse was killed was wounded in the manner I shall mention.
Three of the horses had been already overthrown by the same bull, and the picadors had easily alighted as their animals fell, when a fourth was tossed with such force that he fell flat upon his side, and the picador having his left leg under the animal was unable to extricate. himself. In the meantime the bull continued to gore the horse and the horse to kick until several of the toreros managed to attract the attention of the bull with their flags, and rescue the picador; for as the furious creature hesitated whom he should attack, the horse rose and the picador was relieved. This horse’s bridle however had caught in the horns of the bull, so that the horse and the bull ran together, the horse with his bowels dragging on the ground, and the bull in pursuit, first of one and then of another of the toreros, who confronted him and then saved themselves at his approach by retreating behind the advanced defences before mentioned. Nevertheless, this same horse even in the condition to which he was reduced, was with a fresh rider still opposed to two other bulls, one after the other, amidst the deafening shouts of applause, till he fell and died.
. One of the horses after this, was tossed and fell to the ground but rose and was remounted by his rider three times though bleeding so profusely, that the toreros, to save themselves from falling as they stepped in the gore swept the dust of the ground over his blood.
, One of the bulls leaped twice, and another three times over the partition which surrounded the .patio, inLIMA.
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chase of the toreros who had chosen that way to save themselves for want of time to gain the ordinary defences; and the furious creatures followed them between the partitions, until the toreros closed a door behind them, while they quickly opened another by which the bull re-entered the patio.
I may here make a few remarks upon the impression made by this exhibition upon two Europeans not-of Spanish blood, though the description may have affected the reader differently.
The idea, I believe, generally entertained concerning bull-fights is, that we have here the opportunity of seeing a great display of courage in the men against the powerful animal to which they are opposed. It may indeed be, that this courage is really displayed; but the exhibition to our minds was exactly the reverse. The bull is attracted by red scarves and flags, and pursues the men who retreat at his approach, until they are behind defences which he cannot pass; and the chief exception to this is on the part of the matador who faces the bull, though he saves himself from being tossed by slipping to one side of his flag; and this part of the contest it must be remembered is performed after the bull is thoroughly exhausted. Thus the spectators, at least it was so with ourselves, witness nothing but cruelty and cowardice on the part of the men, who no sooner infuriate the animal to which they are opposed than they fly and secure themselves from his just vengeance.
If the shouts of the people be any proof of a different
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feeling on their part, we could only regret that they had not some more refined source of entertainment in the place of these combats. But what shall we say to the enjoyments of the ladies who attend the circus. Next to me sat a child, a girl of about seven or eight years of age, and beside her a lady who was probably her grandmother for she could not have been under seventy years of age; and their exultation and enjoyment appeared to me to exceed almost anything of the kind I had ever before witnessed. The child screamed with delight, and the old lady showed her feelings in an almost similar manner.
Our feelings may be best described by saying, that we experienced the utmost disgust at all we saw, mingled with pity for the noble animals especially that were killed by the bulls. Their indifference generally to the goring of their opponents seemed to us remarkable, until we were told that this was owing to their being aged and worn-out beasts, that would have been otherwise killed if they had not been brought to the amphitheatre. Such, however, was the miserable end of the faithful creatures to whom we owe so great a portion of our enjoyments, and to whom the useful and the fine arts, and even our civilization, are so much indebted.
I must mention, that on the morning after this bullfight, it was reported in the town that the manager of the exhibition was so much disgusted with the conduct of some of the combatants of the previous day, that he declared that at the next contest he would introduce a bull that would be sur§ to kill one of theLIMA.
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men before be was himself killed. Another contest took place before I left the city, which it was said was indeed much more cruel than that we saw, but no man, to the great disappointment of the spectators, was killed.102
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CHAP. XXVIII.
LIMA— continued,
Remarkable Family at Lima. — Differently regarded by the Population. —Origin of the Eamily—The Heroine of the Tale.— Secretly courted by two Lovers. — Discovered by the Mother. — Power of Riches. — Confinement in a Convent. -7- Rules of the Convent. — Taking the Veil. — A new Lover. — Plan of Escape. — Success of the Plan. — Affairs of Affections. — Terror in the Convent. — Departure of the Lovers from Arequipa. — Conduct of the Priests. — The Pope’s part. Remission of the Vows.—Character of the Eamily at Lima.—Remarks on the Future of Peru.
I shall close these chapters on Peru, by some account of the parents of a family residing in Lima, whose history has excited great interest throughout the country, by reason of the curious adventures of the lady, who has been differently regarded by those to whom the follow ing circumstances are known. The rigid portion of the religious population look upon the fair Creole with an eye of severity which is very difficult to comprehend, and the moderate Eoman Catholics regard her with curiosity mingled with pity; while the few Protestants who visit the city and learn her history, consider her adventures as a successful triumph over the wretched superstitions of the Peruvian people.
For my own part, as a stranger quite unconnected with any of the institutions of the land, I have no feeling to gratify save such as may proceed from the loveLIMA.
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of truth ; and I shall set down just what was related to me, and omit only the names of the parties, which it might not he quite delicate to mention. But in the Appendix, I shall insert an extract from a letter which I received on the subject from Arequipa, in which the heads of the lady’s adventures, which I afterwards heard more fully detailed, are given by a gentleman of the highest character, blit whether of the Bomish or Protestant Church I am not able to say.
I must first mention, that a Spanish merchant settled in Peru, and carried on his business while the state was still a dependency of his native country; and after successfully trading under the protection of the prohibitory system which the Spaniards maintained in their colonies, he married the daughter of another Spaniard by whom he had several children, one of whom was the lady whose adventures I am about to relate.
The merchant brought up his family at Arequipa, and his daughter of whom we are speaking, being possessed of beauty far above that of the young ladies generally of the country, to which were added several other attractions peculiar to her sex, had every appearance of becoming the chief ornament of the town. Her father dying while she wras too young to be affianced, she was left with the rest of the family to the care of her mother whose management of her charge, seems to have been of very doubtful policy.
When the young lady had attained her fifteenth year, at which time she would be considered a woman in Peru, two gentlemen became strongly attached to her, without for some time exciting any suspicions on the104	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
part of the mother* or even of one another. One was a rich merchant of middle age* and the other a young man with a very small estate* without any business* or any particular expectations. Looks* were the only kind of intercourse that could be carried on between any of the parties* and these being unnoticed by the mother, the partiality of the girl remained for a time concealed.
The predominant passion of our nature* however, cannot disguise itself at all times with equal success* and circumstances ere long led to the discovery by the mother* both of the attachment of the gentlemen and the girl’s partiality for the younger and least fortunate in worldly estate of her two admirers. The circumstances which led to this discovery are related as follows.
Neither of the gentlemen it appears* had been able to obtain any opportunity of declaring himself to the young lady personally. It was well known to them to be the determination of the mother that her daughter should not marry. This obliged them to seek a means of communicating with the duenna with whom she was occasionally seen in the streets; and it may be easily conceived that the richer of the two lovers was the most successful through this means of intercourse. He indeed obtained a certain* while the other had only a very uncertain* means of carrying on his suit; for the very trustworthy duenna* after discovering the decided partiality of the girl for the younger lover* invented or aided in carrying into effect a scheme in favour of the elder suitor* that wanted only a moreLIMA.
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honourable purpose to be worthy of great credit. She carried on the intercourse between this gentleman and the young lady entirely in the name of the younger gentleman and her charge, and made arrangements to enable the lover she favoured to carry off the girl, whom she believed would be no sooner made acquainted with her shame, than she would consent to marry the man with whom she had fled.
It so happened, however, that what was really passing, did not long remain a secret to the younger of the lovers. Some circumstance, or other led him to suspect the intrigues that were being carried on by his rival, while several messages which he received through the duenna did not seem to him to express the mind of the young lady, and in a moment of excitement, he communicated to the mother all that he knew or suspected was passing between her daughter and his rival, which led to the lady’s discovery of the whole matter, and to her taking immediate steps to force her child to enter one of the convents of the city.
It has been before mentioned, that there are no less than three convents in Arequipa, which are under dif-* ferent management and different degrees of severity. The convents of Saint Catherine and Saint Eosa, are comparatively mild in their discipline; but that of Santa Thereso which may admit 21 nuns, and had 19 within its walls when I was at Arequipa, is managed with much more rigour. The nuns in this convent are only allowed to see their relatives once a fortnight through two wooden lattices, and that only if no particular devotion intervene, in which case they may106	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
be prevented seeing any of their friends for a month or six weeks together. Even while they are conversing with their friends through the lattices, an aged sister is always stationed close at hand, to report to the abbess whatever passes. Moreover, whenever a nun even wishes to converse with one of her sister nuns, she must previously obtain permission from the abbess; and the nun with whom she wishes to communicate, is obliged to obtain the like permission before they can carry on any intercourse. Such was the convent into which the poor girl was forced by her mother to enter.
The rules of this convent, for the term of the novitiate or period in which the rudiments of the discipline to be afterwards practised are learned, were the same here as it is generally in Europe ; and this was passed by the young lady, without seeming to have any effect different from that felt by most novices wherever the convents exist.
Here, however, I must remark, that after hearing much upon tolerably good authority on the subject of convents, I am convinced that the remaining in them after the novitiate, and the vows finally made, more commonly proceed from the shame that is attached to a return to the world after this trial than from any conviction of the virtue of the institution itself.
Whatever were the reasons for the conduct of the girl, which has generally been attributed to the fear of her mother, at the end of her novitiate she took the veil and performed the part assigned to her; and her impassioned lovers deprived of all hope of herLIMA.
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return to the world, married and settled themselves in the town.
Up to this time there appears to have been nothing in the history of the young lady, differing in the slightest degree from that of the rest of her sex, whose want of confidence in themselves has subjected them to the influence of cruel parents, or to the misused zeal of the Eomish priests. Some time however after taking the veil a change came over the mind of the nun, which, if not an uncommon circumstance among the sisterhood, was followed by such acts as have -rarely occurred elsewhere, and which have served to render herself and the convent of Santa Thereso remarkable throughout Peru.
The young lady had, before her entrance into the convent, been well known to a medical gentleman who was then married, and who attended the nuns of this convent when seriously indisposed; but it does not appear that he entertained any passion for the lady in question at that time. But it seems, that this gentleman’s wife died after the young lady had taken the veil, and that while he continued his professional visits, the sister in question was taken ill and he attended her as he had been accustomed to attend all that were invalids. It happened, however, that he conceived a passion for his patient which he found means of communicating to the young nun, and this led to the exposure of the bad effects of institutions which induce the most virtuous among oiur species to pass their lives in inaction, depriving the world of the: advantages that might have been derived from the instructions they108	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
might have given, and the example their lives would have afforded, to the rising generation.
The intercourse between the parties now the principals in the tale, appears to have been for some time too slight, and under circumstances too delicate, to admit of their making known their feelings to each other. The eye, however, which is trusted on such occasions, was not wholly inactive on either side; and the physician had scarcely his look returned, before his passion became too violent to be restrained by any obstacle in the way of possessing the girl who had excited it; and it was not long before it was sufficiently understood by the nun, who, to the great joy of her lover seemed to entertain a similar feeling. They now contrived to carry on sufficient intercourse to form a plan for her escape from the distasteful asylum in which she dragged out the weary hours of her existence.
In fine the nun feigned illness of so alarming a character as to oblige the abbess to admit the physician to the seeming invalid’s cell, where, though he could not enter alone, he was able after some little time, to form with the lady a plan of escape from the convent, which was accomplished in the following manner.
The young nun had an aunt among the sisters who was very fond of her, and did not entertain the slightest suspicion of her niece’s discontent. As it was the custom for the elder sisters to keep the keys of the convent, and it occasionally came to the turn of the aunt to act as portress of which her niece was able to take advantage, not by letting herself out like a school girl escaping from her mistress, which would have beenLIMA.
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immediately followed by her arrest* but in carrying out a means of escape of a very different character* the incidents of which are related as follows.
About an hour after midnight on a day appointed* the physician in woman’s attire* bearing on his back a large clothes basket in which the corpse of a young Woman was concealed* knocked lightly at the gates of the convent which were immediately opened by the young nun* who had taken the keys from her aunt’s bedside. There being no one else awake* the lover accompanied the nun* deposited his charge in her cell* and then retired* while she remained to finish the work that had been thus far so well managed.
After opening the basket* she removed the corpse* and dressing it in her own night garments laid it upon her wooden bedstead. Then after placing some combustible materials* she set fire to the bed* left the cell* walked out of the convent* and rejoined her disguised lover* who led her to an uninhabited house near at hand* where he left her and retired for the present to his own house.
Such a sorrowful picture indeed is given of the weeping and ecstacies of grief within the convent on the morning after the event as to bear witness to the sincerity of the sisters in the practice of their lives. One among them happening'soon after it was day* to pass beneath the colonnade in front of the cells discovered the fire* by observing smoke issuing from beneath the cell-door of the fugitive sister. Upon seeing this she screamed with fright* thus bringing other nuns to the spot* who* upon opening the door were enveloped in110	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
smoke. This, however, soon cleared away sufficiently to enable them to enter the cell, where they found the bed of their sister nearly consumed, and the body as they believed of its occupant lying much burned among such of the furniture as still remained unconsumed.
Nothing could exceed the terror which was now spread through the convent. The sisters gathered in and around the cell of the supposed victim of the flames, and made their orisons, and sung their hymns to the virgin Madré de Dios, to whom they prayed for the soul of the departed, and for protection against the repetition of so dreadful a calamity. The rest of the day was employed in making preparations for the funeral of the supposed body of the departed sister.
The following day, when the terror and confusion had somewhat subsided the bishop and several priests entered the convent, to perform the last offices for the deceased, while the late nun in her place of concealment listened with her lover to the sounds of the funeral bell which accompanied the interment.
As soon after this as the affairs of the physician permitted, the lovers left Arequipa for Lima where they were married, it being supposed that in case of the discovery of the nun, no harsh measures were likely to be there put into execution against her.
The sway indeed of the priests generally in Peru, has perhaps been even more severe than that of their brethren in Spain since the abolition of the monasteries ; but there is a check felt in the freer institutions of the country sufficient to stop any violent essays of deliberateLIMA.
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cruelty. This indeed enabled the parties, after all the circumstances became known, to live free from any other persecution than that of the wearying persuasion of the priests, that the lady should enter some other convent, or leave her spouse, and her children of which she had now several, and live for the rest of her life secluded from the world.
This interference of the priests, however, has not been attended with any success, and the lady has answered all their arguments by declaring that she would submit to nothing that would deprive her of the entire liberty she enjoyed under the roof of her husband.
Application having been made to the Pope at Rome for a remission of the vows of the lady, it was procured to a certain extent for a considerable sum of money; and if the children with which Providence has blessed the pair are not regarded as legitimate, this is not from any vice in their parents, but from error in the institutions under which they live.
The manner in which the family was living at Lima, was reported to be as gay as the circumstances above related were likely to admit. The chief amusement of the lady was the theatre, where she was frequently seen accompanied by her children. But it was most agreeable to hear, that since her escape from the convent, she had always been remarkable in Lima, as an unblemished wife and excellent mother.
Before quitting Peru, I may make a few such remarks as the time, and what we have seen of the country naturally suggest. .
Those who feel an interest concerning the future of112
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this once well peopled and flourishing country now depopulated to an almost incredible degree, may by a review of what has passed up to the present time, satisfy themselves of the probability of the Indians regaining possession of the territory of which their ancestors were so rudely deprived. What the population of the country we have seen, which was the most flourishing portion of the ancient empire, really was, does not appear to be well known. After visiting however many of the towns and villages in the country, and the ruins of many splendid palaces and fortresses which it once possessed, and consulting the historians of the time of the conquest, before which we are informed it was not difficult for the Incas to raise in a very short time an army of 300,000 men, besides a numerous reserve, and considering that it is now difficult to obtain 10,000 soldiers, we may form some idea of the difference between the population at the era of the conquest and at the present time; but it is difficult for us to conceive how the immense depopulation of which we have the proofs, could have taken place within the three centuries which have transpired.
We must however bear in mind, one or two of the known sources of this calamity. First the massacres wantonly committed by the conquerors, after this the voluntary deaths of numbers to escape the labour to which they were condemned, and next, the diseases which always break out where one nation in advance of another, either mingles with, or conquers, an inferior race. To these must be added the forced labour of the Indians in the mines, which, if there be any truth in theLIMA.
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reports of historians* must have destroyed three or four times the number of those who have perished from all the other causes together.
There is however a period to the duration of every evil. The Indians are no longer massacred; and it is quite certain that they have ceased to be more subject than the Europeans to the influence of the diseases introduced among them. They no longer commit suicide* and no forced labour is now required of them. Thus their numbers at this time* are certainly* though slowly* on the increase. The whole population of Peru* does not now indeed exceed a million and a half; nevertheless it is quite clear that the Indian portion is more on the increase* than that of the whites* and from their known capacity* it seems quite natural to expect that they will one day be again the dominant people in Peru.
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CHAP. XXIX.
VOYAGE TO PANAMA. — PANAMA. — THÉ ISTHMUS.
Impositions upon Travellers. — Touch at Payta. — Character of the Country. — Guayaquil. — Island said to abound in Gold. — Proceedings of the Gold-hunters.—Arrival at Panama.—-Town of Panama.— North American Church Service.—A picturesque Scene.—Untoward Accident —Preparations for Departure. — The Isthmus of Panama. — Climate. — Eertility of the Soil. —Productions. — Departure. — My Companions. — Badness of the Road. — Distress of the Ladies. — Road getting worse. — Meeting with Travellers. — Arrival at the Rancho. — Our Accommodations. — Ladies change their Mode of Travelling. — A Native Shed inhabited. — Our Reception by the Natives.—Meet Travellers.— An English Party.—Difficulty of the Way.—Increasing Cares about the Mules.—-Arrival at Cruses.— Scarcity of Provisions. — Sup on Mule’s Flesh.
On the 20th of November I returned to Callao* where I embarked for Panama* after paying fifteen dollars for my permit to depart* an exaction which the reader will no doubt agree with myself in considering as not very creditable to the government of the Eepublic.
The mention of this reminds me of an occurrence which took place here while I was at Lima. I did not indeed hear all the particulars* but I shall report what reached my ears.
A ship from the United States bound to California with many passengers on board* putting into this port to purchase refreshments* the greater part of theYOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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passengers landed to view the town, without a question being asked them, and quite ignorant of there being any necessity for a permit to re-embark. On their return however to the beach, they found they were not allowed to go on board without this permit, for which they were told, every one would have to pay the sum I was obliged to pay.
The surprise of the whole party at this glaring imposition may be easily imagined when we remember the voyage upon which they were bound. It could not even reasonably be supposed that they all had such a sum of money with them. This communication therefore was no sooner made, than they came to the resolution of fighting their way on board in the best manner they could; so arming themselves with sticks and stones, they seized, two of the boats that were at the beach, and in the face of the armed guard who did not attack them, rowed off to the ship; and as it happened that the captain was on board, he got under weigh immediately, and before notice reached the fort, the ship was out of reach of the guns on shore.
On the 21st of the month we touched at Payta, where we had no opportunity of landing, but we heard that the little town was like that of Pisco. We were only able to observe that the country behind the buildings of the town was composed of rocky barren heights, similar to those we had been so long accustomed to look upon.
Two days after this, we entered the gulf of Guayaquil, where the scenery was so much changed as to be agreeable. Instead of the almost constant sterile mountains, and narrow sandy plains of the coasts of Peru, we had116
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now before us, broad lowlands with abundance. of green trees. .
After threading the narrow channels of a wide river, we anchored at about the distance of a mile off the town of Guayaquil. We were, however, only the bearers of some passengers and a mail, and none of those who were to proceed had^the opportunity of landing. From our deck we observed a row of tolerably good houses fronting the long quay. But after the desert scenes upon which we had so long gazed, our eyes were most refreshed by the sight of the country around, which indicated fertility, such as I had not until, now seen on the continent of South America.
Early on the morning of the 24th we passed the island of Gornona, which is said to abound in gold. There were many stories told by some of our passengers, of rather a novel character concerning the adventures of people who had visited this island in search of the precious metal. Among others it was related, that some Frenchmen had been very successful in their undertaking. On the return of some of the party they were stated to have obtained gold to the value of two hundred thousand francs. But it was said that they were finally driven* away, by the reptiles with which the island abounds, and were all lost with their treasure on their passage to the mainland.
We heard also, some tales of the pearl fishery on the coast of this island, , which is said to be the best of any yet known.
Whatever might be the value of the island for its mineral riches, it was certainly a beautiful object. It■■ tiíjkWavj]!» ¿n uhm* a
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was entirely covered with forest trees from its highest elevations, which are not great, down to its shores, where the picturesque palm flourished at the very water’s edge.
On the morning of the 25th, we rounded an island and anchored off Panama. On the following morning all the passengers landed, and I took up my quarters for the short period of my stay here in a tolerably spacious building called the “ American and French Hotel.”
The little town of Panama does not give occasion for many remarks. When the Spanish adventurers first crossed the isthmus in the year 1515, there seems to have been an Indian village about three miles east of the present town, and called by the same name, which in the Indian tongue signifies, 66 much fish,” and fish abound along the whole of this coast. The natives were driven from their homes by the invaders, who occupied this site until the year 1670, when the place was attacked and completely destroyed by the famous corsair Morgan. After this, the town was erected where it now stands, and received the name which the Indian village had borne. The site of the present town being on a peninsula is more healthy than the former, as it admits of the free passage of the winds through the streets. Its harbour moreover is more convenient, from its being under the lee of' several islands which afford shelter at all seasons of the year.
The European visitor at Panama, is struck with the same appearance of decay which marks the towns in all parts of South America except Chili, and which con-118
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trasts so remarkably with the condition of those in North America. Its population is said to have once exceeded 15,000 souls, but is now only 10,000.
The little town was at this time full of North Americans, on their way to, or returning from, California, and presented such a business appearance as was quite novel to those arriving from the countries from which we came.
The day after we landed was Sunday, and an advertisement being posted up, to give notice that there would be divine service performed in one of the apartments in our hotel, an English gentleman on his way from Australia to England whose acquaintance I had made on the voyage from Peru and myself prepared to attend.
Upon mounting to the first story, we observed a door standing open which led to a large long room in which the service was being performed; and on entering, a scene presented itself which would perhaps have as much surprised North Americans from the more refined parts of the Union, as it did ourselves. A long table reached nearly from one end of the room to the other, and chairs had been placed by the sides of this, by the walls, and by several windows which led to a balcony. Others stood behind and on either side of the clergyman who was at the head of the table, and about half the number were occupied by Americans doubtless from the back settlements in the States. There was, however, no crowding to any. particular part, and every man except one or two in the balconies could be seen by every one else. But we were struck with astonishment to see the119
VOYAGE TO PANAMA.
strange manner in which the good people had seated themselves to attend divine service.
We had placed ourselves on entering by the door near the end of the room opposite to that at which the clergyman stood, where we had the whole scene before our eyes. On either side of the table there were probably ten or twelve chairs filled, and about one half of the men in these were thrown back into a sort of rocking position,, some with their feet, and others with their legs as far as their knees, on the table, some crossed and some otherwise; their arms being generally folded before them. Others were sitting with their backs to the table, and their faces towards the backs of the chairs upon which their arms were folded; their legs hanging down on either side. The rest had their legs over the backs of the chairs which were in an inclined position, leaning with their elbows on the table behind them. Those who were near the walls, leaned their backs against them, their legs being placed on either side of the backs of the chairs before them* The drollery of the scene was completed by a portion of the congregation on either side of the clergyman, who were balancing themselves and sitting in almost every position save that for which the chairs were designed.
My first impression was wonder that the clergyman could perform the service before so strange an assembly; but after a few minutes, when it was quite apparent from the perfect stillness among the congregation that every one was serious, and that there was no disposition to act any pleasantry, the whole seemed as natural as120
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if every one were seated as he would have been in one of the churches of a populous town.
We had probably been in the room about a quarter of an hour, during the whole of which time the clergyman was preaching, when suddenly one of the congregation who had had his legs on the table and seemed sleeping, fell down to the ground. Upon this, my friend and myself, after looking at each other, could remain serious no longer, and being near the door, we retired and were quite unable to return.
But lest this account of our visit to the temporary place of worship of these backwoodsmen of North America, should give a wrong impression of the character of a valuable class of men who inhabit so large a portion of the interior of the United States, I must add, that we saw much more of them during our stay at Panama, and they asked so many sensible questions concerning the countries from which we came, and gave us so much information for our route to Chagres, that we easily perceived, that beneath the apparent rudeness we had witnessed, there was much good sense and natural kindness, which are assuredly essential elements of the highest degree of refinement which men can attain. We had the opportunity of wishing many of them success in their undertakings before our departure, and many of them wished us a happy return to our own isle.
After four or five days spent at Panama, occupied chiefly in procuring mules, which were very difficult to obtain, on account of the number of North AmericansVOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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travelling to and from California by this route, we were able to set off on our way across the isthmus.
The isthmus of Panama, or of Darien, as it is sometimes called, lies nearly east and west, between the latitudes of seven and a half and nine degrees north, and stretches from the longitude of 77° to that of 83° west; beyond which, the land at the extremities turns towards the north and the south and unites the two great continents of the western world.
The narrowest part of the isthmus near which Panama is seated is about twenty-eight miles from one ocean to the other. It is partly crossed by an indirect path which, after twenty-one miles, leaves the traveller at Cruses a town about twenty-four miles from the Atlantic Ocean, upon the river Chagres, which falls into the Caribbean Sea in the longitude of eighty west, and the latitude of nine north.
The isthmus abounds in rivers during the rainy season, several of which flow throughout the year. The principal of these upon the north side is the Chagres, into which the Trinidad falls at a short distance above Cruses. The largest among several upon the south side is, the Rio Grande, which falls into the Pacific Ocean only two or three miles west of Panama.
The climate of the isthmus generally is rather healthy than otherwise. Its seasons are considered to be but two, and are commonly designated by the appropriate terms of the wet and the dry, though the wet months are sometimes called the winter, and the dry the summer. The dry season commences usually with122
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the month of January, and lasts until the middle of April, during which period rain is hardly ever known to fall. After this, the rains commence, and are very heavy at intervals for seven or eight months, during which time the thunder and lightning are frequent, and the lightning is said to he in the highest degree magnificent.
The town of Panama, on account of its situation is at all times cooler than the greater part of the isthmus. The thermometer during the rainy season, rarely rises above 86° during the day and 80° during the night, while the winds are variable and usually fresh; and there can scarcely be said to be any endemic diseases either in the town or its vicinity. During the dry season, however, the thermometer rises to, from 90 to 95 degrees, and at this time great mortality sometimes prevails, but is not owing to any special diseases. It is attributed, and probably very justly, to the excesses in which the Creoles indulge in their manner of living, more especially to their slothfulness, their misuse of spirits and their abuse of the more luxurious articles of diet.
It is hardly probable that a, more fertile soil exists in any part of the new world, than that which is found throughout a great portion of this isthmus, where the vegetable productions ate in the highest degree luxuriant.' The grains chiefly cultivated are, Indian corn and rice ; but coffee, cocoa, and some sugar, are raised for the use of the inhabitants.
We prepared for our departure for Cruses at a very early hour, and at the moment of leaving our hotel we were joined by two French ladies and their guide.VOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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One of the ladies was of a certain age, and the other, her daughter was a young married woman. They had been at Valparaiso with the husband of the younger lady for several years, and had, it seemed acquired money enough to live comfortably at home; but the husband had returned to France some time before by the Cape route. They particularly requested that they' might accompany us, and as this was equally agreeable to my companion and myself, we all set off on our journey together.
A hundred yards or so after leaving Panama, we entered the natural forest, where the road soon became extremely difficult, being filled with wide ponds of water and mud, through which we were obliged to pass. We sometimes left the path and tried the woods by our side; but the ground was there worse, and our way was arrested by the brambles and underwood which abounded.
We had not proceeded more than two or three miles when the condition of the ladies became alarming. The cries of the elder wereMon Dieu! Mon Dieu! ” but the distress of her daughter, which was more poignant, soon produced screams, and profuse tears, till her mule stuck fast in the middle of one of the broad pools. Here, indeed, her terror was so great, that we all collected about her to give our aid; and as she would not suffer the natives that were with us to touch her, and was quite helpless, my friend and myself carried her from her mule to a dry spot, when the cause of her great distress became apparent, for it was certain , she was “ as women wish to be who love their lords.”124
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Upon discovering this, we consulted with the guides concerning the condition of the road before us, and the accounts they gave, made us endeavour to persuade our fair fellow-travellers to return and get some of the natives (which was quite in accordance with the customs of the country) to carry them across the isthmus in cradles formed like hammocks. But nothing we could say would induce them to return; and after we had replaced the young married lady upon her mule we continued our journey.
The road, however, became worse and worse as we proceeded, and the sad condition of our mules which had probably arrived at Cruses just before we took them, began to be more and more apparent at every mile; but our guides informed us we should have a choice of others, on reaching a station.
When we were about three miles from Panama, we began to meet parties of travellers on foot, all of whom were white men on their way to California. This however instead of adding to the comfort of our fair fellow-travellers, increased their troubles, for the greater part of the men we met were perfectly naked, and were carrying their clothes over their shoulders or on their arms. They generally however put their clothes before them as they came near us and stopped to inquire with great anxiety, how far we reckoned ourselves to be from Panama, and what was the condition of the rest of the road.
It was not indeed our intention to make more than half the journey this day, as there was a rancho, or station, half way across the isthmus, at which we couldVOYAGrE TO PANAMA.
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repose for the night; hut from some of the accounts we heard as we proceeded, and considering the sad condition of the ladies, it was even doubtful whether we could reach this before night. We proceeded on however, as fast as all the circumstances permitted. The road getting worse and worse and the terror of the ladies augmenting at every mile, while we continued to meet naked travellers, as well as some decently dressed.
Our only relief was from the woods being occasionally a little more open, which we took advantage of by making a round to avoid some of the worst of the ponds. However, after a whole day’s journey, we made our ten miles and reached the rancho, with the ladies in a somewhat better condition than we might have expected after the distresses they had suffered from the commencement of the journey.
It was just getting dark, when the joyous note of our having got so far, struck upon our ears; and we presently observed an ample bamboo latticed shed, upon a narrow clearance on our right hand, several fires in the woods opposite to this, and crowds of men all busily occupied, some preparing their food, and others attending to their mules, of which however there were very few in proportion to the number of men.
Our first care after dismounting was to see our fair companions placed comfortably in a shed appropriated for their sex, and our next, to get our effects put into the best corner we could find unoccupied in that appointed for the men. This done, we asked to be shown the fresh mules which our guide during the height of our trouble, had promised us we should find126
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here to continue our journey, there being scarcely a hope that the poor animals we had ridden to-day would be able to travel to-morrow. The distance was eleven miles further, and the road by every account we now heard, was even worse than that over which we had passed. All we could hear however was that the mules we were to have had were not yet arrived, from which it was tolerably certain that there was little chance of our obtaining any such relief. Our fair companions, indeed, there could now be no doubt would be carried by the natives for the rest of the journey, which would leave us their mules, but as these were as jaded as our own, we did not anticipate that they would be of much use to us.
We now set our guide to work to prepare us some supper, from the spare stock of provisions we had brought with us. This was soon accomplished, and every scrap we possessed was very soon eaten, save a few biscuits which we put aside for our breakfast the next morning. After this we stretched ourselves upon the, ground in our latticed habitation, and in spite of a good deal of noise, slept comfortably until daylight the next morning.
Upon coming out of our airy dwelling on the second day of our journey, we found that our suspicions respecting the mules were confirmed, and that we had only those of the previous day with which we could proceed. We heard however that we should find some natives settled on the road, and that in case of our needing provisions and accommodation for further repose, we might possibly be able to procure both. Happily, indeed, natives were to be found here to carry the ladies; asVOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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soon therefore as we had eaten our biscuits* and taken some coffee which we obtained at the rancho* we saw our fair companions stretched on hammocks* and each taken on the shoulders of two stout Indians* upon which we mounted our mules and all set off together* determined* if it were possible to get to the end of our journey before night.
The forest was here extremely fine* and the great variety of trees which we observed* seemed to confirm the reports of the naturalists who have visited the country—that upon the isthmus are found about a hundred different kinds of full grown trees which are quite unknown in Europe.
We had not long however left the rancho* when we met the same difficulties from the badness of the roads as on the previous day; but as our mules seemed to have gained strength by their rest* we thought our condition changed for the better* and were pretty well satisfied.
After proceeding about three miles* in the same number of hours, without meeting any one* we heard men’s voices* and presently perceived some kind of native dwelling in the woods; and as our fair companions were still full of uneasiness* we rode up to it* in hopes of finding the means of enabling them to take a little repose.
The only ground here cleared of trees* was the spot upon which stood an open shed* and a small space where the trees seemed to have been cut down to provide fire for. cooking. The shed itself was new and rather large* and composed merely of a thatched roof supported by poles* and a floor formed of timber128
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logs raised about two feet above the ground. There were within it, one or two men and women of the purely aboriginal race, a young girl and several children, and also two or three North Americans, who seemed to have just risen from their night’s repose, and were sitting on a log eating provisions which they had evidently carried in their knapsacks.
Our attention was chiefly attracted by the young girl, who could not have been less a subject of the most curious interest to all the white people present. She appeared to us to be as well grown as most English girls of about fifteen or sixteen years of age, and she was standing upon the opposite side of a narrow board supported like a table, without any clothes on whatever, with her hair hanging in natural curls upon her shoulders, and was occupied in kneading cakes for the travellers. Had her colour, and the form of her features been those of a negress, there might perhaps have been nothing very remarkable in her appearance; but she was of a deep reddish brown complexion, with dark eyes, and all her features were European in form, and highly expressive ; and when she was addressed they were lighted with the most artless smile, while, as far as her form was seen she seemed to us to present the most perfect human figure that could be conceived. Had she indeed been plain, or of only moderate beauty, there could be no doubt that the lads that were about would have been amusing themselves with joking at her appearance ; but there was nothing about her to excite anything but unmingled admiration. We asked her several questions in Spanish all of which she answered smiling; and in aVOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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few minutes she came from behind the board, and walked across the shed to offer some cakes just brought from a fire upon the ground behind her, to our ladies who were sitting on a log for repose : and when we now saw her walk about before persons of both sexes without appearing in the slightest degree ashamed,-1 confess it struck me that the human form could never be represented perfect by the chisel, unless it were taken from a figure that had never worn clothes. , Even the Venus de Medicis looks as if she were surprised and ashamed of the beautiful form that has been given to her.
After a refreshing half-hour passed under the roof of these semi-savages, we remounted our mules and renewed our journey. The ladies were now becoming accustomed to their new method of travelling, and seemed tolerably satisfied ; but the road was at every step worse and worse, and the prospect of our mules being able to complete their journey became more and more uncertain.
Soon after we left the Indian shed, we began again to meet parties of North-Americans on foot, all of whom inquired with the greatest anxiety concerning the condition of the road over which we had passed, and their distance from the rancho and from Panama.
There was one party, consisting of about a dozen young men and two or three men of middle age, sitting at some distance from a fire, and eating, it might be their breakfast or their dinner; and after they had asked us the same questions as the rest concerning the road, and received the same answers, they begged us to alight, and share what they had. We were indeed
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hungry enough; though we did not think it proper to confess this, or to partake of their fare; but as they were all dressed and the ladies wished to stop again for a short time, we alighted, and began to converse with the party, in whose welfare we felt much interest. They, seemed to be generally of a class whose former life could have little adapted them for the toilsome labour before them. One of them, perhaps about forty years of age, said, “We shall never be able to accomplish this horrible journey. As to myself, the misery I have suffered since I left home can never be repaid by any sum of gold I may obtain. What a madman I was to quit my tranquil farm, and undergo all this suffering, for the chance of getting what I could have done very well without.”
“But you forget,” said one of his friends, “that nothing is to be had in this world without trouble:”
(C I wish all those,” said the elder, “who write accounts of the ease with which a journey may be made to California, and of the great fortunes made there, were compelled to come as far as this. I would sooner eat a dry crust of bread at my farm at home, than obtain, with this suffering, all the gold in California.”
We gave our friends the best encouragement we could concerning the road before them ; and, after telling them all we had heard of the country to which they were going, and of our having met with several rich men on their return, we took our leave; and, when the ladies were again in their hammocks, we remounted our mules, and continued our journey. NotVOYAGE TO PANAMA.
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long after this* we met an European gentleman and two ladies all on mules ; and we were afterwards told* that the gentleman was an English Consul* the ladies his wife and daughter* and that they were on their way to one of the ports of the Pacific. They were very anxious in their inquiries about the road* and the elder of the ladies was weeping sorely* not on account of her suffering from fatigue* but from being obliged, as was evident from what she said* to pass the white men* who were generally without any clothes on. We had* however, very little communication with our country-folks* and passed on.
The road became now a little more hilly than it had previously been* although there was no high hill throughout the journey. It was bordered by rocks through which it seemed to have been cut at some distant period, and was often so narrow* that you could touch the cliffs on both sides at the same time. But the
j
worst was the state of the ground* which was full of holes in which there was water. Scarcely anything indeed could be more surprising than the manner in which the poor mules made their way. They were nói doubt well accustomed to every step* but the proverbial sure-footedness of these useful animals was certainly never more thoroughly shown. Not a false step was made* and the only inconvenience we experienced arose from the occasional jamming of our legs against the rocks and some scratching from the thorny plants growing on the way-sides.
But although our path was so much worse than on the previous day* we felt great relief from the better132	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
i)
condition in which the ladies were placed* from whom we now heard no complaints save occasionally from the elder* her constant expression of u Mon Lieu* mon Lieu!99
The same anxiety on account of our males* continued until late in the afternoon* when we issued from the forest and obtained the first sight of Cruses at a short distance.
At the sight of this village of wooden huts' and sheds* our poor animals exhibited a freshness we were not prepared to expect* and we reached the place about an hour before dark* and took up our quarters at a hut that had been recommended to us before we left Panama. The distance we had travelled during nearly two entire days was only twenty-one miles* having been upon the backs of our mules precisely the same number of hours.
If we were not quite so tired as our wretched mules when we arrived* we were probably quite as hungry; we therefore made immediate inquiries as to the possibility of obtaining a dinner* and being favourably answered* seated ourselves upon some benches to await the welcome repast. We waited* however* till it was nearly dark* and with some satisfaction* from the assurance which we felt* that the longer our patience was tried* the better dressed would be our viands. We now began however to be tired of the delay though we were somewhat assured by observing pots boiling over a good fire at the back of the hut. Still the time passed* and nothing came. Our inquiries were* however* always favourably answered* and we( contented ourselves with,VOYAGÉ TO PANAMA.
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asking for a little bread to satisfy our immediate wants, when we had the disappointment to find that that luxury, at all events, was not to be obtained. But what was worse, we now discovered that the very meat we supposed had been for some time cooking for us, had not yet arrived.
“ Meat is very scarce just now,” said the landlord, “ but I have sent to the extremity of the village and we shall soon have more than we require.”
After this consolation, we waited probably another half-hour, when finding nothing arrive, we sallied forth to see if we could get anything ourselves. But we were unsuccessful, and had scarcely the satisfaction of receiving civil answers where we inquired. However, wThen we returned, we received the welcome news that our dinner was now actually cooking.
Soon after this, a large bowl of stewed' meat was brought, and wooden plates and spoons were spread on the ground, so that, after placing the ladies, we began to serve the fine stew, without a word of inquiry respecting the meat of which it was composed, whether mutton, beef, or pork, or something more dainty still. The ladies began to eat, but were so shocked by the strange taste, that they could take but very little, while the smell so disgusted my friend, that he could do no more than just taste the mess. Both the taste and smell however were more familiar to myself, and I trust hunger will be an excuse for my making a hearty meal upon what we afterwards found was mule’s flesh.
We learned, indeed, in the morning, after being assured by our landlord that he had given us beef for- our134
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supper, that such was the scarcity of wholesome provisions, that parties lay about near the commencement of the road we had travelled, prepared to divide the carcass of every mule that fell from exhaustion after the journey from Panama; We had therefore the satisfaction of being assured that the animal of which we had eaten did not die of any disease.
After our supper we laid ourselves down upon some dried grass which our landlord had provided, and slept very well during the night.135
CHAP. XXX.
PASSAGE DOWN THE RIVER CHAGRES—CARTAGENA.
VOYAGE TO JAMAICA.
Engage a Passage to Chagres.—Inspection of Cruses. — American Travellers.—Embarkation on the River.—Contrary Wind. — Current in our Favour. — Beauty of the Scenery. — Geological Remarks.— The Alligator. — Parrots. — Other wild Animals. — Settlement of Gorgona. — Disputes with the Boatmen. — Moor for the Night.— Wild Honey. — Arrival at Chagres. — Embark for Cartagena. — Cross the Bay of Darien. — Cartagena. — Manner of Dressing the young Folks. — Sail for Jamaica.—Church Service on board.—First Sight of Jamaica. — Port Royal.
On the morning after our arrival at Cruses* my friend and myself rose at an early hour and proceeded to the place of embarkation on the river Chagres* to ascertain what prospect we had of getting a passage to the port* where we were certain of sooner or later finding a steamer bound to Jamaica.
On arriving at the river side* finding no want of boats* we engaged one to carry the two ladies and ourselves* and to sail in two or three hours. Pleased with this good fortune* we returned to our hut; and after giving the ladies notice to prepare for the voyage* set out again to make a little survey of the wooden village* and if possible* purchase some provisions for our voyage.
K 4136
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The North Americans of the present day have never been excelled in laying out the plans for future towns. The towns generally in the Northern States, and some under the British rule in Canada, shame the memory of the governments under whose direction the greater part of the cities of Europe and Asia were founded. The Spaniards, in their new settlements in America, and the Russians in theirs in Europe and Asia, have often been tolerably exact in the laying out of towns; but it is plain that a North American hand has been here. Thus this little embryo town, where we scarcely saw two houses within forty or fifty paces of each other, is laid out in broad streets and squares, such as its future occupiers will rejoice in, when the forest around is converted into the fruitful plantations for which it is doubtless destined.
As we made our way among the huts, amidst the travellers that were preparing to depart for the stations from which we came, we observed that the greater part of them were North Americans. There were however some English, and a few French, but we did not perceive any Spaniards. One or two small parties had mules, but the greater part were on foot. Those who were provided with beasts were nearly all going to Peru or Chili, but the greater part were on their direct way to California.
The North Americans were the most particular in their inquiries concerning the road to Panama, and some of them appeared much disappointed at the best accounts it was in our power to give them. They were generally well equipped, and provided with necessariesPASSAGE DOWN THE CHAGRES.
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for the journey which they had brought from the United States. Some had portions of salted beef nicely packed, others had chiefly dried fish, and one or two we observed had potted provisions and biscuits. They appeared generally to be a hearty set of young fellows with their minds bent upon the future, and if somewhat disappointed at our accounts of the way immediately before them, rather glorying in the difficulties they had not yet experienced than disposed to shun the hardships they had to endure.
We entered two or three of the huts, all the doors of which stood open, and walked about among the busy people hardly perceived. The huts generally resembled our own, though the greater part were more dirty, and contained many more travellers. We fortunately succeeded in purchasing some biscuits for our voyage down the river.
Soon after our return to our own hut, we received notice of the boat being ready, and after getting our scanty baggage carried on board, we were before the middle of the day once more afloat, and upon an Atlantic stream.
Our boat was of a fair size, and a portion towards the stern was covered with a fixed awning. After placing our fair companions beneath this, my friend and myself took our seats between them and the rowers, where we could survey the banks of the river as we descended.
As soon as we left our moorings, we found that there was a little wind against us, and a slow current in our favour; the boatmen therefore put out their oars, and138
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we began to glide smoothly down the stream, with very little hindrance from the wind.
The current, as we learned from our boatmen, seldom runs in this river at the rate of more than three miles and a half an hour, even during the rainy season, and it was much less rapid now. It diminished also so much as we advanced, that in the broader waters, when we approached the mouth of the river, it was scarcely perceptible.
I have spent much time upon rivers in several other parts of the globe, but I was never more impressed with the natural beauty of the banks of any that I have seen than on the present occasion. There were hills and promontories on both sides, and turns in the river that sometimes seemed to leave us in a lake; whilst the varied American forest appeared everywhere from the tops of the hills, which seemed rarely to be above a thousand feet in height, down to the banks, and often to the very edge of the water.
The chain of the Andes, though visible from some parts of the isthmus, is certainly not seen from the river; for we did not during our voyage observe a barren height, nor probably any elevation greater than that above mentioned.
The hills upon the banks of this river are said by geologists to be composed for the most part of hornblende, jasper, hornstone, and rock porphyry; and there is said to be found basalt, jasper, and quartz. But the greatest variations from the excess of luxuriant vegetation which fell under our observation were, occasional abrupt masses of limestone rock, which, by theirPASSAGE DOWN THE CHAGRES.
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fantastic and bold forms, wherever they were seen, rather improved than diminished the beauty of the view.
Amidst these natural beauties of the country, which were the more agreeable to us on account of their contrast with the rude scenery of the countries from which we came, two only of all the animated creatures which the woods and waters contain were to be seen. These were, the alligator and the parrot.
Wherever any piece of the shore was dry and clear of brambles
“ The creature of amphibious nature,
On land a beast, a fish in water,”
was seen lying beneath the bank, basking in the sun, his mouth stretched wide open, and his head turned upwards, which is said to be the manner in which he catches the insects upon which he feeds. This creature, indeed, is so like in colour to the ground, and the debris of vegetation about the banks, that it is always by his red tongue and throat that he is first perceived.
We probably saw during the afternoon, about a dozen of these voracious creatures; but they went into the water before we were within gun-shot of them, and the time did not admit of our taking measures to approach them cautiously upon the banks, in which manner they are occasionally killed by the natives. They are objects of great curiosity to strangers who navigate the river.
The parrots, which are very numerous, much amused us by the noise they made while flying. They frequently passed over our heads on their passage across140	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
the stream, in flocks of from fifty to one or two hundred, with frightful cries, which echoed and re-echoed from side to side of the river, loud enough to be heard at a great distance. These little novelties, and our constant admiration of the natural beauties of the surrounding scenery kept us sufficiently amused during the first day of our voyage.
The banks of the Chagres and the isthmus generally are said to swarm with wild animals which prey upon one another. Among these the, more remarkable seem to be the American lions, which have been before mentioned, and tiger cats, but neither of these attack the human species.
There is a kind of wild dog here which herds in large numbers, and is more dangerous, as it will when hungry or irritated attack men. There are also abundance of deer, monkeys of various species, turkeys, ducks, pigeons, and several other kinds of game which are highly prized. Several voracious reptiles are also numerous here. Among these the poisonous serpents are the most dreaded by the natives, who wear charms around their necks to protect them from their attacks.
Before night we brought up for a few minutes at the little settlement of Grorgona, for our men to purchase some provisions for themselves, and if possible some milk for their passengers; but they only succeeded in satisfying their own wants, for no milk was to be obtained.
Night brought with it such a brilliant sky, that it seemed as if we should have as much to engage our attention during the hours of darkness as during thePASSAGE DOWN THE CHAGRES.
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day. One thing however troubled ns. We had met only one boat ascending since we left, from which we received the welcome intelligence of the arrival of an English steamer at the mouth of the river, which was to sail early the next day, and our men were extremely obstinate and indisposed to exert themselves to hasten our arrival. They declared that they were tired, and insisted upon discontinuing their labours and bringing up for some hours, which we had full reason to believe would deprive us of the fair chance we had of catching the steamer. We had. a great deal of disputing with them, but no threats would induce them to continue their labours after two o’clock in the morning, when we brought up amidst several other boats and some canoes which were bound upwards with the passengers from the steamer, who were all asleep.
We should ourselves indeed have continued the rowing, but were incapable after our previous fatigues of making any way against the wind which had increased; so submitting to necessity, we laid ourselves down and fell into a comfortable sleep.
At the break of day we were awakened by the frightful cries of a large flock of parrots crossing the river above our heads. Few evils, it is said, are without some counterbalancing good.
“ There is some soul of goodness in things evil, x Would men observingly distil it out
and these noisy creatures which had quite annoyed us the previous day by their dissonant shrieks now certainly made amends in breaking our slumbers at so early an hour.	>142
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Our boatmen were still sleeping, and not a soul was stirring in any of the other boats. Upon our awaking the men, they renewed their labours and we had now great hopes of reaching the port before the middle of the day.
An hour or two after we renewed our voyage we landed for a moment at a settlement called Hermonas, where we were able to obtain some coffee for our breakfast.
There was here a fair tract of land cultivated with maize and rice, which are the chief articles of farinaceous food in the country. The people of this settlement are said to collect great quantities of wild honey, made by a species of bees which do not sting, and so admit of the robbery of their hives without any danger of retaliation.
Finally, at an early hour in the afternoon, we reached the mouth of the river, where we observed a brig lying stranded. After landing at a. jetty on which there were sheds and a steam-boat office, we secured our places; and as the steamer’s boat was here, waiting for some officers who were on shore, after a few minutes’ delay we embarked in her. Having crossed the bar, which I may mention has twelve feet of water upon it at low tide, we were soon on board the English ship Avon, bound to Cartagena and Jamaica.
We continued lying at anchor during the rest of the afternoon, waiting for some treasure to be taken on freight; and as this came off in the evening, we got under weigh at sunset, and directed our course along the coast towards Cartagena.CARTAGENA.
143
Such of the land as we now saw chiefly by the light of the moon was not high, but was pleasant to the eye, on account of its being covered with natural vegetation.
The next day we crossed the bay of Darien, during the passage of which we saw little of the land; but on the third day, which was the first of December, we entered the port of Cartagena at an early hour.
There were formerly two entrances to this port, one of which was filled up by the Spaniards during the revolutionary war, and remains closed. That through which we steamed was narrow, and had a fort on either hand, the one on the right being low and apparently very strong. After passing these we obtained a view of the town at the distance of twelve miles across a fine bay.
There was here no elevated land in sight, nor did we observe anything to excite interest until we approached the town, which is extremely picturesque, when seen from the bay at the distance of a mile or two, exhibiting ruined forts and massive buildings, besides several churches; and when we landed, although the town is not large, I observed that it was cleaner and more agreeable than any of those of the ports I had previously visited in South America.
Cartagena is an old Spanish town, and was formerly the place of residence of the viceroys of Columbia, whose palace we visited, but found nothing worthy our attention. The town is tolerably laid out, the streets are in general broad and uniform, and the houses are commonly of two stories and built of stone. But144	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
everything here wears the same appearance of decay which is so often seen in the more southern countries. It had been lately visited too, by the cholera, and had lost several thousands of its inhabitants.
During our walk through the town, we were greatly struck by the apparent want of attention among the inhabitants to the delicacies inseparable from civilisation. The children and young folks of the mixed races, up to, as it seemed to us, about ten or twelve years of age of both sexes, not only in the streets, but even in the shops where poverty could not be the cause, were as completely unclothed as the Indian girl of the isthmus more particularly mentioned.
Cartagena was frequently the centre of contests in the earlier times of the Spanish settlements, and also during the revolutionary war. Its present population is about twenty thousand, of which at least one half are Indians and people of the mixed races.
The country around, as seen from the town, presents an agreeable view formed of hills of no great elevation, covered with the richest forests composed of trees which maintain perpetual verdure.
On the afternoon of the second of the month, we left Cartagena for Jamaica. Our voyage to the British island was attended by no.remarkable incident; but I shall mention the manner in which the Sunday we were at sea was kept, which was alike honourable to the company to whom the ship belonged and to the officers on board.
At ten o’clock in the morning the seamen were mustered upon the quarter deck, dressed as neatly asVOYAGE TO JAMAICA.
145
they would have been on board a man-of-war; and after they had been inspected by the captain and the officers of the watch they descended into the main cabin where the passengers were assembled, and the Church of England service was performed by the captain.
I may also,mention, that I was very much struck by the attendance of all the North Americans we had on board, and their attention to the whole of the service. Several of them indeed afterwards expressed much regret, that so little attention was given among themselves to the formation of religious habits on board their vessels of a similar class.
Our passage was rather rough ; but on the morning of the fourth of the month before the sun rose, We obtained the first sight of the island of Jamaica at the distance of about sixty miles. The sky above our heads was clear, but its colour near the horizon was so like that of land when seen at a great distance, that it was only by the aid of the telescope we could distinguish the ridge of mountains stretching out in a faint and broken line from the north-east to the north-west.
As we approached the shore, the sides of the mountains began to exhibit the shades of different distances and great variations in form; and the luxuriant vegetation of the island contrasted to advantage, with the desert and sterile aspect of the mountains on the Pacific shores, to all on board who had crossed the isthmus, and had the coast of the southern continent fresh in their memories.
As we neared the land, the face of the country disappointed those who had not been before in the island,
VOL. II.	L146
TKAVELS IN PEEU AND MEXICO.
by the absence of all appearance of cultivation upon the lower lands. It was not, indeed, until we were within four or five miles of Port Royal, which is situated at the entrance of the harbour in which Kingston stands, that anything was to be seen that indicated the existence of inhabitants. The town of Kingston now however appeared upon gently rising ground, but so mingled with the tall trees of the tropical climes, that some scattered white edifices at various distances from one another comprised all that was visible upon the whole space which the city covers.
We ceased steaming without coming to an anchor off Port Royal, which consists of a mere cluster of dwelling houses chiefly occupied by officials. There is here a large hospital. Though the land is low, it is said to be healthy on account of its exposure to the sea breezes. Its aspect to a stranger is of the most pleasing description, formed by palm trees waving over the tops of the houses or rising in clusters from the gardens.
There were no merchant ships here; but a two-decked steamer of,war was lying at anchor at the mouth of the port, which we were informed was a present from Abbas Pasha to Queen Victoria.
After landing our mails, without having any other communication with the shore, we proceeded towards Kingston, which is seven miles from the entrance of the port, where we arrived and were moored at the wharf at an early hour in the afternoon.147
CHAP. XXXI.
JAMAICA. — KINGSTON.
Discovery of Jamaica. — Disastrous Earthquakes. — Natural Scenery.— Population. — Climate. — Temperature. — Hurricanes. — Variety of natural Vegetation. — The Sugar-cane. — Coffee. — Native Animals. —Kingston.—Landing.— Street Scenes.—-Negroes.—Coolies.—The Houses.— The Parade. — Jamaica Boarding-house. — Native Family. —Their Characters.—Coloured Dandies.—A young Lady.— Students of French and Italian Authors. — Opinions of Shakspeare. — Discourse of the young Men. — Removal to Spanish Town. — Railway managed by coloured Men.
\
Jamaica being a British possession, offers less opportunity for researches such as those with which I have been chiefly occupied during the course of these travels, than those countries, the institutions and manners of whose inhabitants, have engaged the preceding, and will occupy the greater part of the following pages. I shall not indeed attempt to make more than a few general remarks upon the colony, followed by a short account of what I observed during my stay there.
This remarkable island, which comprises the most valuable portion of the British possessions in the West Indies, lies between the latitudes of 17° 35', and 18° 30' north, and the longitudes of 76° and 78° 40' west. It is about one hundred and sixty miles in length, and in some parts forty in breadth, and lies ninety miles west
L 2148
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of Hispaniola and nearly the same distance south of Cuba. It was discovered by Columbus during the second of his memorable voyages, while coasting along the southern shores of Cuba, when it appears to have been densely peopled with a race of men who endeavoured to resist the landing of the Spaniards. It was nevertheless then taken formal possession of in the name of the Sovereign of Spain, though the first European Settlement was not formed until 1503.
In the year 1655, the island was taken by the British, after being in possession of the Spaniards for about a hundred and fifty years. The first legislative assembly was established in the year 1664, after which the country seems to have rapidly advanced by means of slave labour. It was by and by however checked in its progress by revolts of the negroes, and the loss of many of the slaves, who fled to the mountains and after forming some convenient union, so greatly harassed the planters, that it was not until they were treated with as an independent people, and a peace was formally made with them, that there was any security for property in the country.
In the year 1692, a disastrous earthquake occurred, which proved a great calamity to the island. The town and fort of Port Royal were submerged, a great proportion of the population were drowned, and their bodies after floating about, were cast on shore and remained so long unburied, that an epidemic ensued which is said to have swept off about 30,000 of the inhabitants.
The natural scenery in Jamaica is more diversified than that generally met with in the islands of the WestJAMAICA.
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Indies. A mountain chain, known by the name of the Blue Mountains* runs along the interior for almost the entire length of the island* and rises in some places in peaks to the height of near 8000 feet above the level of the sea. This is again broken by other ranges of high lands* stretching north and south, forming hills and vales at the several altitudes* all covered "with forests that flourish at their particular elevations. On the northern side* the higher ranges of mountains do not approach so near the coast as on the southern* so that the country is here less rugged, and the elevations are more remarkable for their beauty than for their grandeur* while the vales and savannahs are covered with luxuriant pastures* and the sides of the hills generally with all the picturesque verdure of the clime.
Jamaica has this very great advantage. From its mountains on all sides descend streams of water which fall into the sea* and which are said to be not less in number than 200. These serve to turn the mills worked in the preparation of the sugar* and are sometimes used to effect irrigation in the same manner as in South America; but the soil is here much deeper and finer than any watered by the continental streams.
Only one of these streams is navigable* which is tha.t of the Black River into which ships may enter and ascend the current for about thirty miles. The island has also about a dozen harbours* besides many open roads in which vessels may load and take in their cargoes in good anchorage.
The population of the island at this time* appears to be between 400*000 and 500*000* only 35*000 of whom150
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are whites. The negroes are said to amount to about 300,000. The remainder consist of the coloured people or people of mixed blood.
The climate of Jamaica is probably better than has generally been believed in Europe. It cannot be supposed that a country abundantly supplied with the necessaries and luxuries of animal life, with mountain and valley, and a soil far better than that of the peopled portions of the world in general, can become subjected to pestilential endemics from any other cause than the negligence of the inhabitants. That this has been the cause of the frightful maladies which have often raged in this island, may be inferred from the improvement in the health of the Creoles which has taken place since a reform has been made in their manner of living. The generation now passing away even amongst us at home inherited habitual inebriety from their fathers, and this vice has always broken out, with fresh force amongst the colonists not engaged in commerce or the cultivation of the ground, and is yet far from being wholly subdued.
I shall not attempt to give any statistics in proof of this remark, but observe only, that notwithstanding the greatest of the Jamaica pests, the yellow fever, has been considered to have totally disappeared in the island since the improved mode of life adopted by the Creoles, one only of the stipendiary magistrates sent from England at the time of the emancipation of the slaves was after a short time alive. This ought at least to be a lesson to our authorities at home in their choice of men for colonial duties. For my part, I believe there is no British colony in which the young men of the countryJAMAICA.
151
are not better fitted for public service in their own land than any that can be sent out from England.
It must nevertheless be admitted, that the climate of this island, like that of most parts of the world is conformable to its latitude, to the physical formation of the country, and to the variation of the seasons which may be said to be here divided into the wet and the dry. In certain districts, the vicinity of the mountains, and the direction in which they lie from the site inhabited, have much to do with the regulation of the climate, and these circumstances are well worthy the consideration of those who become inhabitants of the country.
I shall just mention in proof of this remark, that the medium heat of Kingston throughout the year is 80°, of Fahrenheit, and that at a distance of only twelve or thirteen miles in the interior, without attaining a greater elevation than four or five thousand feet, the maximum of heat is about 60° and the minimum as low as 45°. Again it must be remarked, that during the prevalence of the greatest heat, the sea breeze is felt during the warmest hours of the day, and the sun is at the same time often shaded by the succession of light clouds which passing over his disc, mitigate the force of his rays.
The hurricanes to which the island is subject may be considered among the ills of the country, which cannot be wholly guarded against; but as the season at which they occur is always the same, provision may be made against their worst effects.
Jamaica is said to produce a far greater variety of trees and plants than are commonly found in the continental countries in the same parallel of latitude; but152	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
the staple plant of the island, as is well known, is the sugar cane, of the excellence of which we have daily proof in England.
There are several varieties of the cane in the island. The “ bourbon,” which I believe is the best, appears to have been brought from the island of that name, but is said to be a native of the Society Islands. The next to this is the “ transparent” cane, and there are two or three other kinds, which I believe are chiefly used for fodder and fencing, rather than for making sugar. The export of this article from the island to Great Britain alone is about a million and a half hundred-weight a year.
The next staple produce of Jamaic^ js coffee, which was not introduced into the isl^aad|,vb®rc the beginning of the last century. The qua^i^o^gis article exported to Great Britain, where we appeared see so little of it, is about twenty millions of pounds & year.
In such a climate as^that of Jamaica, we might naturally expect to find numerous indigenous animals, in the highest degree of perfection in their kinds; but this is not observed with any of the species. Those of the winged tribes, indeed, are not even considered equal to the same species found on the continent. There are however several of beautiful plumage, but few with any note worthy of remark.
The races of domestic animals may,be said to be generally rather inferior. The horses which are of the middle size, are active when used with the saddle, and do not seem ill adapted to draw light vehicles, though they are not sufficiently hardy for the cultivationKINGSTON.
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of the ground. They are, indeed, scarcely ever used with the plough or the heavier description of agricultural implements. The mule, however, as in other countries is much hardier and is more freely worked.
The black cattle are smaller here than in the temperate climes ; but they are sufficiently hardy and are made very useful in the plough, and in the teams generally throughout the island.
The sheep have but little wool, but in other respects are not inferior to those commonly met with on the continent of Europe.
The goats are remarkably fine, and require very little care. Their milk, moreover is considered better than that of the cows of the island.
The commercial capital of this most important of our West Indian possessions, is built upon a gradual slope, and contains abhpt 30,000 inhabitants. The town might disappointing' one coming directly from any gay and flourishing place; but with those among us who had been lately in the Republican settlements of South America, it excited very different feelings. As we stepped on shore everything appeared to exhibit activity as well as novelty. White men were seen directing the blacks who were scampering in all directions, some to land the freight of the steamer, and others to coal the vessel afresh to prosecute her voyage towards England, to which she was bound. To myself, the novelty of hearing my native accent, albeit not in its native purity, from the negroes of the working classes, was so agreeable that I felt as if I had arrived at a home long looked for, and at length attained. Thus, the phrases, “ Massa154.
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Buckra, want coach ? Me good man, fetch any thing. That man d—d rogue.” “You black thief,” from one of the blackest of the party to another negro, “Massa speak me firstand many other such elegant, phrases were like sounds of sweetest melody to an ear accustomed to the tongues of the scoundrels that press about the traveller at the ports of South America. Our black friends were however rather troublesome, until we found out that a stick had only to be raised to rid us of all we had no employment for.
There is but one tolerable hotel at Kingston, where my friend, whose intention was to proceed to England by the Avon engaged an, apartment. There are however several boarding-houses, if the few persons who frequent them may entitle them to that appellation; and as I had determined to take up my quarters at one of these, my fellow traveller accompanied me in search of that to which I had been the most strongly recommended. ;	'
The street scenes and internal aspect of a foreign town, are generally among the objects which make the most lasting impression upon a stranger; and Kingston in these particulars is scarcely less remarkable to the English visitor, than many towns on the continent of Europe, where our accent is not heard, and the effects of our institutions are unknown.
In the first street through which we passed, we found unpaved dusty ways, and wooden houses generally with colonnades under which were open doors leading to wholesale stores full of bales of goods. Negroes were here driving carts and cars and drawing trucks, and numbersKINGSTON.
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of black men and women were lounging about the pillars of the colonnades, or seated upon the edge of the kerbstones beneath them.
The next street we entered had a more cheerful appearance from its containing shops in which were exhibited indiscriminately all kinds of articles in retail, —fine and coarse clothing, stationary, cutlery, grocery, and other goods. The scene was pleasing to us, on account of the neatness of the houses and their cheerful aspect, in spite of the presence of an increased number of idle negroes of both sexes and of all ages.
A few steps further, and we came to the principal street in the tipper part of which was the house that had been recommended to me.' Here a few cars and trucks were driving up and down amidst the same numbers of idlers; and beneath the colonnades which fronted the houses sat many negro women and children, and several whole families of Coolies, whom it will be remembered have been allowed to be brought from the East Indies since thé emancipation of the negroes. Several of the men among the latter were smoking, and one or two begged of us without rising, as we passed them by.
Everything at this part of the leading thoroughfare wore the appearance of neglect and decay ; but further from the seat of business, the houses stood apart, were approached by a flight of steps, and had a light and pleasant air from the numbers of windows with Venetian blinds in front, and the use of green and white paint.
The greater part of the houses are here also built of wood, and that which we entered'was as pleasant within, as it was ornamental to the street without. A very fat156	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
landlady met us at the door of a wide hall, and conducted us to a spacious middle room on the first floor, in the gallery leading to which were the doors of several chambers. It was sufficient for me that all appeared to have been constructed so as to give free passage to the air, and I soon made arrangements for apartments; after which we proceeded to complete our first survey of the town.
A little above the boarding house we came to a large open square, called the parade. On the upper side of this, there is an English church. On the west side stands a barrack which was then occupied by black troops all of whom were Africans, and on the east side there was a Baptist chapel. A great portion of the other buildings in the square appeared to be in a neglected condition.
We continued our promenade, shaded from the sun by our umbrellas, until we had passed through all the better parts of the town. Everything we saw was light and gay in construction; and yet the view in many parts presented a gloomy aspect, from the signs of the decrease of wealth and the decline of business among the people.
This was nearly all I saw of the town of Kingston, owing to my confinement within doors with swollen legs, caused by mosquito bites, and scratches from the bushes in crossing the Isthmus of Panama. I shall however endeavour to give a short account of the other inmates of the boarding-house in which I was staying, who were all of one family.
When my travelling companion quitted the island forKINGSTON.
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his voyage to England, I was left to absolute solitude in large rooms apparently without a second tenant. But this did not continue long. Two or three ladies, all of whom save one, who did not appear to be above sixteen or seventeen years of age, were evidently of colour, had occasionally glided through the large apartment in which I was sitting, passing to and from the bed-rooms which they appeared to occupy. Now and then too, a gentleman of colour accompanied them; and as I sat alone upon the sofa, I amused myself with conjectures concerning the party. I wished to speak to them, but they generally passed so quickly by, that there was some difficulty in finding an opportunity for so doing. However, on the second or third evening of my solitude, I was taking my tea, with my feet upon the sofa, as one of the elder of the ladies came from her room with a light, when I put down my cup, and turned about as if I wished to speak to her; but before I had time to say a word, she addressed me very politely by apologising for the music in an apartment below, which she said she was afraid had disturbed me. I soon however satisfied her upon this point by declaring that on the contrary I only wished it was a little nearer. Upon this she immediately invited me to descend and pass the evening in their company, and I gladly embraced the opportunity of thus making their acquaintance.
When I entered their apartment, the young lady above mentioned was playing a duet with a young man of colour and there were two other coloured youths and one other young lady. The duet being finished, there was a ceremonious rising, and I was introduced to the158
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greater part of some ten or twelve coloured persons present; and as this ceremony concluded, a gentleman whom I had frequently seen, entered, and I was introduced to him also, by the lady who had invited me, as her husband Mr. Nairn.
A general conversation commenced, and it was soon evident, in spite of the difference of complexion, that Mr. Nairn was a very near relation of the young lady who had been playing on the piano-forte, and who indeed upon being desired by him to play again, answered, “ Yes, Papa.”
She now played one of the fine German pieces of music, and, upon being asked my opinion I said that I had no doubt whatever of its excellence, but that to my ear long unaccustomed to such music it seemed scarcely harmonious. This drew from the young lady an expression of astonishment which did not surprise me. Those who are strongly impressed with the popular music of the present day, are not those who have been long estranged from European society.
After this, the company became more sociable with one another; and I was naturally anxious to converse with the young lady who had been entertaining us, who, besides being of great personal attractions, appeared to me to be of distinguished manners, and to have a cultivated mind. I took my seat therefore near her, and was surprised to find she had lately returned from a boarding school in Paris where she had finished an education commenced in England, in which had been included the classics, as they are taught to boys in our public schools.KINGSTON.
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The question* which* on my part brought out this information* naturally gave a turn to the conversation which soon laid open the mental treasures of the whole company.
I inquired of the young lady whether* since her arrival in this luxurious climate, she had continued her studies in the several branches of knowledge in which she had evidently made much progress in Europe. She replied that she continued to read with daily increasing zeal* but that her father had forbidden her the perusal of many English books she wished to read* among which were Scott’s novels. She was then* reading “Alison’s History of Europethough she gave the preference to romance.
She had read very little English poetry* but had studied Eacine very attentively* and preferred that author to every English author with whose works she was acquainted. I ventured to express my belief that we had a greater dratnatic writer than the excellent Frenchman that had so much delighted her* and assured her* that I believed she would receive more instruction and entertainment from the works of the English poets generally* than from the French* if she might be permitted to read them.
Here* I was unexpectedly and somewhat abruptly interrupted by one of the young men above mentioned* who did not want the confidence of riper years.
ifif,Pray Sir*” said the beau* putting the top of his cane under,his chin* “have you read Shakspeare?” to which I replied* that he mentioned an author whom all Englishmen were accustomed to read from their boyhood.160
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“ Well then Sir/’ said he, “ I have read all his writings and I don’t think anything of them. They comprise a mass of confused matter with very little meaning. There is nothing natural, or spiritual, in them. I have just read Lallah Eookh which I think equal to all the plays of that poet put together.”
I cannot be supposed to have made any serious reply to these remarks, or to have said anything in allusion to them that is worth repeating. I closed however, the few observations which I did make, by saying that men of different ages appreciated many things very differently, and that I had never been insensible to the merits of the poem which had so much delighted him.
The conversation was now happily taken up by others, and it was more agreeable to me to listen to what passed between the good folks present than to converse myself.
A youth who had not before joined in the conversation, now asked the admirer of Lallah Eookh whether he had read Milton. “ Oh yes,” was the reply, “ and I don’t think much of him either.”
Here it appeared that an English poet was mentioned that the young lady had not been proscribed from perusing ; and I confess I was rather surprised when I considered the education she had received, to hear her give the preference to “ Paradise Eegained ” over the greater work of our epic poet.
The conversation was then carried on by the Jamaica youths, who were quite unrestrained in their remarks upon the whole world of English and French literature, and it seemed very strange to me to hear the works we learn to venerate so early that they become a com-KINGSTON*
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ponent part of the spirit of an Englishman, quite put aside, to give place to French and even Italian authors, among whom, indeed, whoever may have guided their judgment, the critics had well chosen for their favourite poets Tasso and Eacine.
During my tedious confinement within doors, I spent several evenings, listening alternately to music that I did not very well appreciate, probably from its near approach to the highest standard, and to criticism, which it was at least a sign of merit in the youths of Jamaica that they preferred making the subject of discourse oftener than matters less calculated to improve and refine them.
Of the white society of the commercial capital of the island, once so luxurious, I saw nothing. But at the end of a fortnight after my arrival I was happily able to remove to Spanish Town, the political capital, and also to see two of the sugar estates in the colony.
After so much difficult travelling in the countries I had lately visited, it was agreeable to me to find that the little journey between the seats of politics and commerce in Jamaica might be performed by railway, of which I took advantage.
The distance is about fourteen miles, along a road so slightly inclined that the journey is easily performed in half an hour. Throughout the way there was nothing to be seen around, but waste land, entirely covered with brushwood; but the old road, as frequently happens in the new world, is, as we shall by and by see, more picturesque than the country through which the railway passes.
VOL. II.	M162	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
The Jamaica railway is managed by coloured men, who are said to be very careful. It is certain at least that at this time, only one fatal accident had happened since its opening, for which the company paid heavily in damages awarded to several passengers who had been injured.
I arrived at Spanish Town upon the 12th of December.163
CHAP. XXXII.
SPANISH TOWN.
Character of the British Colonial Governments.— Government of Jamaica.—Laws____Courts.—Position of Spanish Town.—Population.—
Character of the Inhabitants.—Boarding-House.—Character of Servants and Inmates. — Condition of the Proprietors. — Their true Characters.— Causes of their Losses.— Streets.—Private Houses.— Call at the Government House.—Reception by the Governor.— Dinner at the Government House.—Table-talk.— Guests.—Drawingroom.— Sleeping Guest.—Hospitality of the Governor.
As we have now arrived at tlie seat of government in Jamaica, J shall preface the little I may have to say of the town and its vicinity, by a few remarks upon the government of the colony. I must first however observe, that the governments established in the British colonies generally, seem to approach as nearly to perfection as any systems ever founded for security, order and progress, since men began to live in a state of society. There is not much difference between them, notwithstanding the variety of climates and the different races of which the majority of their populations are composed ; and, whatever changes they may undergo, they will always present a remarkable feature in the history of the mother country.
Jamaica is governed by a representative of the British sovereign, appointed by Her Majesty and sent
to 2164
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out from home, a council of twelve members appointed by the governor, each being confirmed in his office by a warrant from the sovereign, and a popular assembly, the members of which are elected in the same manner as are those of the House of Commons.
The governor bears the title of Excellency, and is invested with both civil and military authority. The members of the council are styled 66 honourable,” and act both in an executive and legislative capacity. When they assume their executive functions they are the ministers and advisers of the governor, and may be said to represent the privy council or the cabinet at home; but in their legislative capacity, they precisely represent the House of Lords.
The House of Assembly consists of forty-five members who represent the parishes in the island, the capital town, Kingston, and Port Eoyal. Its functions are similar to those of the House of Commons at home.
The forms observed in assembling the colonial parliament, and in adjourning and proroguing it, are nearly the same as those in England. The debates are carried on and the laws made, as in the British Parliament; but the assent of the sovereign is necessary to the passing of such laws as touch the vital interests of the colony and the mother country.
The common law of England is in force in Jamaica, but only such part of the statute law1 as has been reenacted by the legislature of the colony.
The supreme court of judicature of the island sits at Spanish Town. The chief justice presides in this court, and has associated with him several puisne judges. TheSPANISH TOWN.	165
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jurisdiction of the court is coextensive with that of the Queen’s Bench, the Common Pleas and the Exchequer in England. But there are several inferior courts where all causes are tried in which the claims are not above the value of twenty pounds, excepting only those which relate to freehold property.
There is also a Court of Chancery in which the governor sits as chancellor, and in which the . proceedings are the same as those of the Court of Chancery in England.
The capital of Jamaica is seated near the northern extremity of a plain which extends far towards the south-east, and the west, while on the north and the north-west it is approached by a chain of the Blue Mountains which circumscribes its breadth.
The city, though the seat of government, does not contain above 5000 souls; and although like Kingston, it is in a state of decay, it has a more pleasing aspect than its rival, owing to the regular arrangement of its public edifices. Near the centre of the town there is a handsome square, around which stand the more remarkable buildings overlooking an enclosed garden and shrubbery. The most important of these is the Queen’s House, which is the residence of the governor of the island and of the officers of the executive government, and next to this, the House of Assembly. The formed has a noble portico, is a finely finished building exteriorly, and occupies a whole side of the square, while the latter fills the opposite side and has a colonnade which extends the entire length of the building.
The two other sides of the square are occupied by166
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well-constructed buildings, consisting of an arsenal, courts, law offices, and other official chambers. These, and the barracks at another part of the town, are all the public edifices in Jamaica which are worthy of mention.
The private houses of Spanish Town are seen at disadvantage, owing to the narrowness of the principal streets. They resemble those of Kingston, but have generally better gardens, are detached, and are often almost buried in the tropical vegetation which surrounds them.
The town appears to be chiefly inhabited by the government officers and country proprietors, with some gentlemen of the legal and medical professions.
I took up my residence at a kind of boarding-house or hotel, where if I had not the same agreeable company as at Kingston, I found myself thrown into society which it is always desirable for a stranger to meet.
The breakfast-bell at ten o’clock on the morning after my arrival, summoned, to the table about eight or ten proprietors of estates and members of the legislature at this time in session. The meeting with so many of the residents, was to me extremely pleasing, and it so much reminded me of colonial scenes, which were familiar to’ me at a very early age, but to which I had been long a stranger, that I felt as if I were entering a new state of existence, resembling one through which I had already passed.
The two principal matters which occupied the attention of the House of Assembly at this time, were the revenue, and measures proposed for the instruction andSPANISH TOWN.
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general improvement of the negroes. Another matter had lately been the cause of stormy debates. This was the governor’s salary; but it had just been disposed of by a compromise between the parties, the opponents to the grant giving way, upon condition of its being made for one year only.
Although I thought this meeting with several of the members of the Jamaica assembly fortunate, it was not on account of any information as to political matters, properly speaking, which I received, but from what I heard of the condition of the proprietors, and of the peculiar and most original light in which they viewed their present position, and the relations of the colony to the parent state. Their whole discourse indeed, until I became a little better acquainted with the details, seemed a confused mixture of loyalty, patriotism, and want of confidence in the measures of the British
t
government. The chief cry was, Let us know the worst that is to be enacted against us, that our confidence may return. The most conflicting feelings seemed to possess every one alike, and sometimes gave rise to such discourse as “ madmen tongue and brain not.” Yet there was method in their madness; and amidst the most violent ebullitions, it was clear that the predominant feeling of the party was, how they might arrest the impending ruin of the colony.
That everything indeed seemed at this time tending to ruin in Jamaica, was evident enough. Large estates formerly of great value had lately been sold by auction at 8d. an acre, even in the vicinity of the capital. One large landed proprietor of an hereditary estate, was168
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living in such a state of poverty in this hotel, that he could not so much as get the servants, who were all black, to attend upon him decently. Another former proprietor who had ten children, was employed by the police and received only two shillings a day. But these were only some among the numbers that I actually knew driven to want and despair.
It is here however proper to mention, that this state of things in the island was not attributed to the emancipation of the negroes, but to the later measures of the British legislature, chiefly in the regulation of the duties upon foreign sugar. Notwithstanding the laziness of the negroes, and the change of habits in those among them upon whom pieces of land were bestowed, .the estates appear to have been just recovering from the effects of the emancipation, when the new blow came—the admission of slave-grown sugar.
Among the stormy debates of my friends, I could not help perceiving sometimes a mixture of merriment with their liveliest grief. One proprietor said, “ Twice already have I been ruined, and I defy any one to be better prepared in mind than myself for a third reverse.”
But I ought here to mention, that my good friends seemed by no means to undervalue the importance of proper measures for education as a means of implanting in the emancipated negroes more industrious. habits; but the wisest measure that had been proposed for this purpose, viz. to place the matter chiefly in the hands of the clergy of the established church, had been defeated by the opposition of the dissenting ministers.SPANISH TOWN.
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Upon the same morning that I acquired my first somewhat confused knowledge of the state of public affairs, and of the fortunes of the resident proprietors in Jamaica, I called at the Queen’s House to pay my respects to his Excellency the Governor, Sir Charles E. Grey.
After mounting the broad steps that led to the portico above mentioned, in front of the palace, I passed a guard, and entered an enormous hall, having private apartments at one end, the council-chamber at the other, and long galleries above, which connect the several upper apartments.
I found an orderly waiting in the hall, who after carrying my card to the governor, in his office above stairs, returned with a request that I would ascend; and Captain Grey who was acting as the governor’s military secretary, happening to meet me at the foot of the stairs, conducted me into the presence of the representative of the British Sovereign.
My reception was of the most polite and kind description, and was the more gratifying as my visit to the island being quite accidental, I was of course without any letters of introduction. Sir Charles put aside his papers, and asked many questions concerning the countries I had lately visited during my tour, more particularly those which I had long since quitted. After conversing for some time, I moved to retire, when his excellency invited me to return at the dinner-hour, which was of course a command, and I for the present took my leave.
I returned to the government house at the hour170
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appointed, and I think I may venture to make a few remarks upon the entertainment, without taking any very great liberty with the noble host or his guests at a private dinner.
The governor appeared to be a single man, and Captain Grey sat at the bottom of the table. The guests included a lady and her husband, both of whom were English, upon a visit to the island, on, I believe, commercial business, and staying at the palace, a gentleman of the name of Stanley, a magistrate from the country, and one or two more.
The governor was extremely polite to his guests, and the conversation became general. It was soon, however, evident, that the party were far from being well suited to one another. The lady sat at the host’s right hand, and Mr. Stanley at his left, the magistrate next to the lady, and myself opposite. The parties next to the governor seemed to be of exactly opposite dispositions. The gentleman maintained a most significant silence, while the lady talked so much, that, in a short time we learned that her home was at Finchley, near London, that she and her husband had been unable to take up their quarters at the hotel, on account of the inconveniences of the house, and the bad table there, and that they had therefore accepted the governor’s polite invitation to stay at the palace. She told us some stories of London, chiefly tending to show the extraordinary ingenuity of postmen, cabmen, and others of similar avocations in the metropolis, which reminded me of a circumstance that I was tempted to relate in confirmation of her statements. I mentioned that havingSPANISH TOWN.
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once given an order to a tradesman and quitted the town before the article I had ordered was sent to me, I wrote to the maker without knowing either his name, the name of the street in which he lived, or the number of his house, and that I received a reply by return of post. This anecdote excited the lady’s risibility beyond its merit, and gave rise to such wit as is more common among a class at home with whom our ladies are rarely brought in contact. This, however, the governor put a stop to, by saying he supposed the' letter was sent through the Emperor of Kussia, who never allowed a difficulty to obstruct any undertaking.
The magistrate then told some anecdotes regarding his adventures upon his arrival in the island, while the lady’s husband and the gentleman on my right maintained perfect silence.
The dinner was excellent, and the conversation upon the whole instructive to a stranger. After remaining the usual time we retired to the drawing-room, where the party generally became quite sociable.
One thing however much surprised me. The governor had placed me at one end of the sofa and taken the middle seat himself, while the other end was occupied by Mr. Stanley, who fell into a sound sleep. What astonished me was, that no one present seemed to take any notice of this, however nearly related to the governor the gentleman might happen to be, but I found the next morning that the drowsy guest at the palace was the well-known son of the Earl of Derby.
I continued during my stay at Spanish Town to enjoy the hospitality. of the respected governor, and I had172
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therefore the opportunity of seeing the better classes of society in the colony, and was particularly fortunate in making the acquaintance of Mr. Turnbull, late British consul at Havanah, but at this time commissionary judge in the island, and whom I shall have again to mention.173
CHAP. XXXIII.
SPANISH TOWN — continued.
House of Assembly.—Cathedral.—Monuments.—Visit two Sugar 'Estates. —A Newfoundland Captain. — Information from a Manager Eifty Years in the Island.— Classes of Labourers.—Use made of the Cocoa-nut Trees.—Bread-fruit Trees.—Evening Party at Mr. Nairn’s. ■—A Dissenting Clergyman.—Return to Kingston.—Visit to Mr. and Mrs. Turnbull. — Beauty of the Country. — The Bishop’s Lady. — Mr. Turnbull’s House.—Visit to Santa Anna.—Our Discourse.—The General’s Hopes of his Country.—Suspicions of the North Americans.
I frequently visited the House of Assembly at Spanish Town during the debates, which surpassed anything I ever before witnessed in violence and confusion. They were sometimes indeed conducted with so much coarseness as to exceed the belief of any one not well acquainted with the effects of despair upon men’s manners and actions.
I inspected the cathedral also during my stay. It had been in a very bad state, and was undergoing repairs. The chief monuments which I observed were, that of Lady Elgin, which is a full figure in the attitude of prayer, erected by the legislature to commemorate her virtues; Anne, wife of William Adam, who died at the age of 94; and Gregory, and Lucretia his wife.
The limited time which I had to remain in Jamaica, prevented my seeing any number of the estates. I saw174
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however two, both of which were near the capital of the island. I visited these under the escort of Mr. Nairn, the father of the amiable family I had met at Kingston, who was inspector of the police of the island and had now returned to his family residence at Spanish Town.
Mr. Nairn first drove me in his gig, to the estate of Mr. Hewson of London. The road was remarkably good, and the drive was chiefly through open groves which afforded a sufficient shelter for the cattle grazing during the heat of the day. When we came upon the estate, which consists of about two hundred acres, we found it nearly covered with waving green cane; but, all was as quiet as if men feared to disturb the silence amidst which the crop was drawing the succulent matter from the ground.
On entering the portion of the estate upon which stand the manager’s house, the mill for crushing the cane, and the boiling houses, about which is to be seen so much life at all seasons when the negroes are attached to the estates, there was not a voice to be heard, nor a creature to be seen in motion. But to one to whom a sugar estate was not new, though remembered only in times of slavery, there was rather solemnity than solitude about the perfect stillness that reigned.
The house of the manager appeared light, airy, and cheerful. It was well raised from the ground, and admirably shaded, being almost enveloped in trees of the deepest green and of the thickest foliage. As no one yet met us, we walked up the steps to the open door and entered ; but instead of the manager of the estate* we found a kind of human exotic in the fairSPANISH TOWN.
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clime, in the person of a hardy Newfoundland shipmaster, of whom I cannot refrain from making particular mention, on account of his peculiar feelings with respect to the West Indies and the land from which he came.
I must confess, that when in a luxurious climate I am ever in a kind of dream of Elysium. What I chiefly admire are, the airy dwellings under the shade of the groves, and amidst the quiet gardens that usually sur^ round them. The whole country indeed, when compared with lands of higher latitudes, inspired me with such feelings as naturally arise from the contemplation of some of the finer works of Nature, after dwelling upon the rude undertakings of human architects. Very different however were the feelings of this hardy captain from the northern climes. He complained bitterly of the absence of the fogs of the Newfoundland shores, to cool and render the air endurable, and declared he would not give a field of cabbages and potatoes of the Bay of Bulls in his island for all the fruits in Jamaica. “ Gro where you will here,” said the sailor, “ and you tread upon reptiles, and it is well if you are not bitten. Mosquitoes torment you by day and night, lizards run across the walls of your rooms, scorpions conceal themselves in your bed, and the limbs of the white man are paralysed by the excessive heat. A day in Newfoundland is worth a year in Jamaica! ”
Such is habit; and thus Nature accommodates her sons, and adapts them to the inconveniences of the climes in which they have severally to perform their appointed parts.
Finding the manager of this estate unwell, we made176
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a short tour of the plantations, and then proceeded to that of Colonel Penn of Dorking, which was under the management of Mr. Willet, a friend of Mr. Nairn; and here we were more fortunate. We met the worthy manager at the door of his dwelling, and were entertained with great hospitality. Mr. Willet was expecting to commence cutting his crop in about a month, and although it was not an advantageous season to see the estate, he walked the round with us, and gave us a good deal of interesting information.
The cry among the people of the town generally, and especially among those whom I have mentioned at the hotel, was the threatened want of labourers to save the crop now in the ground. We were informed, however, by Mr. Willet, who had been long on the island, that in this particular, at all events, there was no probability of any difficulty. There were three classes of labourers who could easily be obtained ; the negroes born in the island, the Africans who had been chiefly taken from foreign slavers, and the Coolies before mentioned. Every class had its advantages and the contrary. The native negroes were probably the best upon the whole. But, so many of these had saved a little money, and were purchasing small pieces of land, that fewer of them than of the others were to be hired at the most pressing season. The Coolies were, however, more steady than these, especially under their own overseers, but on account of their slothfulness, difficult to employ with the same advantage as the negroes. The most favourable signs which Mr. Willet had observed in the lives of these people were their determination not- toSPANISH TOWN.
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return to their country, their intermarriages with the Negro families, and the fact of many of them embracing our religion without exciting the censure of the rest. The proper Africans, however, he informed us, got through far the most work, but were such notorious thieves, that they frequently stole the value of their labour, and so dexterously that they were rarely discovered.
We observed during our tour, that the sugar plantations appeared in fine order. There were also many flourishing cocoa-nut trees almost everywhere, the produce of which is considered to be worth from two to three pounds each a year; but little is gathered from them by the manager, the labourers having no scruples about appropriating this fruit, which they consider, and generally use, as common property. There were also some bread-fruit trees, which are considered the bane of every district in which they abound, their produce being so abundant, that if a negro only gets possession of one or two, he will labour no more either for himself or for others. On this account it had been proposed to petition the legislature to pass an act to enforce the destruction of all the bread-fruit trees in the island.
Mr. Willis was a hardy Scot. He had been in the island since the eighth year of his age, and was about to have a jubilee in a few days to celebrate the completion of the fiftieth year since his arrival.
On our return to Spanish town, I spent the evening with Mr. Nairn, and his amiable family, of whom I had seen so much at Kingston during my confinement within doors. Our conversation fell chiefly upon a
VOL. II.	N178
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party which had been lately given by the Chief Justice of the island. There had been several coloured persons of both sexes present who, though treated with great respect by the ladies of the house, had been neglected by the white guests generally, many of whom declared they would never enter the house of the j udge again.
All our party this evening were of the coloured race except a minister of one of the dissenting chapels, and myself. The minister descanted as fully upon the equality of all colours, and of the respect he entertained even for the blacks, as if he had been sure there were others present of opposite opinions; and he then alluded to something he had written to “ show up 99 the church party for attempting to introduce their own measures for the education of the negroes. The family were I believe all dissenters except the young lady who had been brought up when in England in the established church, of which she continued to be a member.
On the 20th of the month, I returned to Kingston, to prepare for my voyage to Mexico. On the following morning, I was called upon at an early hour by Mr. Turnbull, whom I had met at the government-house while at Spanish town, for the purpose of introducing me to the remarkable General Santa Anna, who was at this time a refugee in Jamaica and residing in a villa near Kingston. A Portuguese gentleman however whom we met, informed us that the general’s habits were rather eccentric, that he slept nearly all the day, and was all the night engaged in writing memoirs, chiefly upon the incidents of his eventful'life«SPANISH TOWN.
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On this account^ we postponed our visit until an early-hour the next day, and Mr Turnbull drove me out to his own villa about eight miles towards the mountains; where I remained until the morning.
Nothing could exceed the beauty of the country around; and the liveliness of the road to my friend’s place of residence. The land gently rose as we proceeded; and we had often the finest views of the mountain ranges which run through the interior of the island. A profusion of natural vegetation, and patches of the blooming cane, near which were negro huts, abounded everywhere; while numbers of men and women, all in good humour, going to and from market, formed such a contrast with the gloomy Indian races of South America, that the scene was to me of the most agreeable description.
The commissionary judge’s house was pleasantly situated amidst a rich variety of the finest trees of the island. It had been built by himself, and was constructed so admirably for the admission of the air, that it appeared to me to be a fit model for the construction of all good dwelling-houses in warm climates. We passed through the garden, and drove up to the front of the house where we alighted; and after mounting a high flight of steps, entered by a wide open door into a broad hall furnished with couches and all the accustomed appurtenances of English breakfast-rooms or boudoirs. We then entered the drawing-room, where Thad the pleasure of receiving a very friendly welcome from the amiable mistress of the beautiful villa, and180
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another English lady who was staying with Mrs. Turnbull.
During the morning Mrs. Spencer, the wife. of the Eev. Aubery Gr. Spencer, the Bishop of Jamaica, called on Mrs. Turnbull, and we had much conversation about the climate, and the weather in the island at this season, when it is rarely too hot for Europeans who are not exposed to the sun. Mrs. Spencer was living upon the side of one of the mountains in the vicinity, at such an elevation as to oblige their party to sleep under two blankets on each of their beds, so cool a temperature being of course considered a great luxury in the island.
The Rev. Wm. Edward Pope, Archdeacon of Jamaica, also called during the morning, and kindly welcomed me to the island.
After dinner, I walked with Mr. and Mrs. Turnbull round the grounds attached to their house, where the cool breezes, which came down from the high lands were very refreshing.
After spending a delightful day at this villa, I returned the next morning to Kingston accompanied by Mr. Turnbull, to seek an« interview with the Ex-President of Mexico.
We took care to catch the general before his hour for repose, and we found him engaged with his secretary over files of papers^ just such as public men like, or are at least wont, to accumulate about them at their business quarters. His Excellency rose to receive us, and after my introduction, shook us both heartily by the hand, and we sat down and conversed without ceremony.
The personal appearance and address of Santa AnnaSPANISH TOWN.
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are greatly in his favour. He was above the middle height, had still a fine head of hair slightly grey, and pleasant and somewhat regular features, dark eyes and a clear complexion; and as he crossed the room to receive us, his limping gait announced the artificial leg which replaces one that he lost on the field of battle.
To commence our discourse I merely informed the general, that having heard of his being in the colony, and being on my way to visit the capital of his country, my inclination led me to pay my respects to him, and that Mr. Turnbull had done me the favour to accompany me. In reply he expressed his great satisfaction at meeting an English traveller, and asked me from what part of the world I then came; and upon being told from South America, he put several pertinent questions, and then expressed his regret, that so little was known abroad of the true condition of the several South American States. It was his wish, he said, to see me after I had visited Mexico, that he might hear what kind of comparison I should be able to draw between his country and those states.
Some of the questions which he asked concerning the Southern States much surprised me, as they seemed to show a want of information on the part of a late chief magistrate and commander-in-chief of the army in one country respecting the condition of other countries peopled by his own race, and living under the same forms of government. This, the general evidently perceived, and he reminded me that there was no free press in either country, and informed me also that there was no commerce of the least importance carried on182
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between Mexico and the Southern States. Our conversation then turned on his own distracted land.
“Your country, General,” I observed, “has been much disturbed and divided since its independence, and as I shall have but a short time to stay in Mexico, I doubt very much whether I shall be able to form, any exact idea of its progress or decline in wealth and refinement, in comparison with the Southern States.”
“ Its degradation will be most apparent to you,” said the general. “ Yet my hope is, that a people so numerous and occupying so fine a country* will find a means of rising superior to the political depressions that have hitherto distracted the land.”
Upon my expressing in answer to this, my hope also for the establishment of order and its usual consequences, prosperity, he conversed with as little reserve concerning his country as if he were talking with a colleague in a projected adventure for its advantage. It is proper, however, that I should only repeat what the general said respecting such of the foreign relations of the country as I might consider myself, as an Englishman, concerned in.
He asked whether I thought the British Government was well aware of the real motives of the Anglo-American invasion of Mexico, to which I could but reply in general terms: that I believed it had always able men in its service everywhere who gave the fullest and most accurate information upon all subjects of general interest.
“ If your government,” then said the general, “ is as well informed as you suppose, they must know that theSPANISH TOWN.
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invasion of Mexico was no more than a scene of the projected drama, the intended denouement of which is the subjugation of the whole of the North American continent.”
He then made some observations upon the effects of the Anglo-American conquests upon the interests of Great Britain. What he said, might not excite much interest were it repeated. But we may agree with him concerning the tendency of the Anglo-American policy and its effects upon Mexican interests, without the necessity of supposing that our government are unaware of the probable result, and of its true bearing upon British interests.
There was another subject, however, upon which the general dwelt with great emphasis. He informed us that the American troops when in Mexico^ had seized a portion of his stock, which was his private property, to the extent of 40,000 head of oxen.
When we moved to depart, the general again expressed his wish that, should I touch at Jamaica on my return from Mexico, I would pay him another visit, which I promised to do and we took our leave.184
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CHAP. XXXIV.
HAVANNAH.
Departure from Jamaica.—Appearance of the Coast.—Making Cuba.— Arrival at Havannah.—Views.— Landing.— Company on the Plaza. — The Merchants to whom I was addressed. — Business at Havannah. —-Promenade with Mr. Palm.—The Carriages.—A Black Beau.— Change in the Condition of the Town.— Security of Person and Property.—Recall of the best Governor.— Jealousy of the Intendente.— Visit to the Opera. — Question of Slavery, and the Slave Trade. — Classification of the Slaves. — Gravity of the Question of Slavery. — The present Traffic in Slaves. — Suffering of the Slaves imported. — The Slave Vessels. — Different Treatment of domestic and other Slaves.
Early on the morning of the 23rd December* I left the harbour of Kingston by a British steamer bound to Havannah.
The coast of Jamaica from Port Eoyal to the western extremity of the island* generally exhibits the same wild scenery that we had observed on making the land off Kingston; while the same irregular line of mountain tops appears in the interior* many of which were now partially hidden from our view by long streaks of clouds that were floating beneath their summits. In some places* the eminences near the sea* were covered with dense forests* often crossed by ravines* the cliffs of which on either side seemed difficult of access; while here and there we perceived a dale covered by the bright greenHAVANNAH.
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of the cane, with a cluster of white houses, surrounded by, or standing near, a thick grove of trees.
On the 25th, at an early hour in the day, we made the island of Cuba, and towards evening doubled the most western cape, where a lighthouse was being erected, which was seen rising above the wild and luxuriant forest.
Having passed the cape, we shaped our course along the northern shores of the island, proceeding towards the east. On the 26th we had a fine view of some large sugar estates with their clusters of buildings; and early on the afternoon of the same day we obtained our first sight of the fortress of Morro castle, which is placed upon high rocks commanding the harbour of Havannah.
Upon entering the port, we had the elevated fortress on our left hand, and the lower fortresses of Punto on the opposite side of a somewhat narrow passage, while we could see the shipping within the bay, and the town stretching out on the right hand, with fine undulating cleared and cultivated land in the background, forming altogether one of the most agreeable and picturesque scenes I have ever contemplated at one view.
Having passed the forts, we steamed through a fleet of merchant ships at anchor off a long line of quay, crowded with shipping thickly moored stern on, till we entered a broad bay, and had a fine view of the whole panorama around.
Numbers of ships of every burthen from all parts of the commercial world were now seen riding at anchor off the town. Many boats were passing to and fro, and the town itself was seen, with its numerous spires186	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
rising above the buildings, which were at intervals intermingled with lofty trees of the luxuriant foliage peculiar to the clime; while on the opposite side appeared highly cultivated estates, covering a gently undulating tract of land.
We were detained an hour or two after coming to an anchor, before we were permitted to go on shore, which we found—the reader will remember that we are now in a country where slavery still exists in its full force— was to give time for the officials who visited us, to ascertain that we had no coloured men on board, they being prohibited from landing by the laws of the country. When this visit was over we were allowed to go on shore.
Few towns of so striking an appearance from ^without as the capital of Cuba, do not disappoint visitors when they for the first time thread the streets, and walk upon the promenades within. Havannah is however less disappointing than many cities which present a similar appearance when first seen from the sea.
Having passed the disagreeable ordeal of the customhouse and settled myself in my hotel, which I found very dirty, I proceeded in company with one or two travelling companions to the Plaza de Armas, to which we were informed the music of the military band every evening attracted the beauty and fashion of the town.
The plaza is a noble square, two sides of which are formed by the government-house and public offices, which have colonnades in front, the remaining sides^ being occupied by uniform buildings with shops and a few wholesale warehouses. In the centre of the plazaHAVANNAH.
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stands a marble statue of Ferdinand the Seventh surrounded by four enclosures planted with shrubs, while the rest of the space is laid out in railed walks with stone benches. Every walk was crowded with the belles and beaux of the town, dressed precisely as at a ball, the ladies in general in low white dresses and satin shoes, and the gentlemen wearing white kid gloves.
The band occupied the ground beneath the statue, and the music was of the highest order. It was the first time since I quitted the old world, that I felt the pleasurable sensation that large and gay congregations of people, with music, inspire in Europe. Everything, indeed, from the time we obtained our first view of Havannah, presented a remarkable contrast to all I had witnessed in Jamaica and was calculated to awaken very painful reflections in an Englishman’s mind. We had just left an ancient colony of our own civilised and powerful country in the day of her prosperity, where all was discontent and decay; and we now saw flourishing commerce, riches and elegance, in the last remaining American colony of an European power in its state of decay.
About nine o’clock the music ceased, and the gay company dispersed. The moon was, however, so bright that the night was nearly as light as the day. After half an hour’s lounge, we entered a cafe, as gay as almost any to be met with in Paris. On leaving this I retired to pass my first night at Havannah, full of thoughts of Europe, which the evening scenes had brought into my mind.
On the following morning, I called upon the mer^188
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chants to whom I was addressed, and had the satisfaction of finding in Herr Emile Palm, the resident partner of the firm of Zangoni & Co., a gentleman ready to render a stranger every possible assistance in seeing the town and the citizens to the best advantage.
This commercial firm is the house with which the government at home carry on their trading transactions which have been at all times large in the countries under their rule; and this city, which is said to possess two thirds of the trade of the island, seems to be the most considerable place of commerce in this part of America. Its principal exports are sugar, coffee and tobacco, with the excellence of the last of which articles, the smokers in Europe, and in all parts of America, are fully acquainted. Its imports comprise every article adapted to refined life in a tropical climate, where there are no manufactories. These are stated to be of the annual value of about twenty millions of dollars, which is met by a much less amount of exports, leaving great profits to the exporters of the island produce.
The town of Havannah by day, has a business-like and stirring air. Carts and horses and volantis are seen everywhere in active employment; but there is scarcely a woman of any age or class to be met with on foot or in a carriage until near sunset. About that time, there is a general rush of persons on foot to the plaza, and of vehicles full of fashionable parties, towards the gate of the city which leads to a delightful alameda, and to the principal country drive.
I had spent a great part of the day with Mr. Palm, and I now accompanied him in his open carriage to joinHAVANNAH.
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the gay folks in their afternoon drive ; and I was far more gratified with the appearance of the suburbs and the élite of he citizens at this hour, than with the plaza and its company on the previous evening. The carriages were numerous, and the ladies of whom there were three to one of the other sex, were dressed in the same ball attire as those I had seen on the previous evening.
The carriages are light, and in all respects admirably adapted for convenience and comfort. We might call them open cabriolets on two high wheels ; but they are lighter than any we drive, and having longer shafts, possess an elasticity that aids the springs. They are always driven by a postilion. Some have one horse and others have two. When there are two, the second horse is merely hooked on by the side of the one in the shafts which carries the postilion. The interior of the vehicle is so contrived as to afford the comfort of resting quite in a reclining position with the feet upon a bar fixed expressly for the purpose.
Mr. Palm amused me as we drove along, with some account of the postilions of these vehicles. In most countries the jockey race are a peculiar tribe. But neither London nor Paris, nor any other town or country that I know anything of, can produce greater beaux among this class of men than the jockey slaves of Havannah. The smiling black who sat before us, had driven his master only a few days ago to a funeral. An hour or two before starting, a doubt arising in his mind, whether he was well enough equipped for the occasion, he represented to his master that he should be190
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
ashamed to join the procession without silver spurs which he had not. He would be the butt he said, of every calesero, driving a volanti in the procession. And it may also exhibit a little trait in the character of the masters of the domestic slaves in Havannah to add, that before the hour of the funeral arrived, he was presented with a pair of silver spurs of the value of sixty dollars.
Perhaps the condition of the vicinity of a walled town, is the best guide to inform us of the increase or decline of wealth within. While wealth is on the increase, there must be a fresh and new quarter rising somewhere, the elegance and style of which will generally partake of the character of the industry whence the increasing riches proceed. The vicinity of Havannah is the most agreeable that can be imagined, contrasting strongly with the decaying suburbs seen in so many of the ancient colonies of Spain. The drives, the alameda, the gardens near which is the opera, and the cafes, attract every one to the open and pleasant grounds; and the company, seeking relaxation and amusement, wears the most cheerful air imaginable.
Up to within a short time since, the increase of wealth and the progress of the town of Havannah had been for a long while impeded by the insecurity of life and property. The streets were not safe for persons though armed to walk or ride in after dark. Eobbery and murder stalked nightly through the thoroughfares of the city; and whole families were often murdered in their dwellings, and their houses stripped of everything valuable within them.
These outrages I was informed, had existed ¿0 long,HAVANNAH.
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that they seemed to the people quite a natural state of things in a large town, and no hope of relief was entertained, when a great reformer with full powers happened to arrive, in the person of Governor Señor Tacón, who, in the course of a year, by his vigorous measures^ entirely changed the whole state of society in Ha-vannah. An admirable police was established, the streets which had hitherto been dark at night, save when the moon shone, were lighted, and such a guard was kept, that in about two months, above three hundred murderers and thieves were taken and garotted; and before the year had expired, life and property were as secure here as in any of the well governed towns in Europe.
But more marked results than these attended the new governor’s measures, which were soon perceived in the increase of industry among all classes, and the reform of many of the worst of men from idleness to industrious habits. Thus a new order of things has arisen within the town, and quite a new town has been erected without the walls which is ornamented according to the governor’s own plans, for laying out and planting a most agreeable alameda and the erection of an opera house. Nothing therefore now seemed wanting to the good inhabitants of Havannah, to the enjoyment of all the elegances of life which are to be met with in our populous towns in Europe.
The secure, and by no means meanly lighted streets of the town, late in the evening present the most original scenes. As we walk in them, we seem to be living in the best society, although there may not be a192
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
house into which we can enter* and none of the ladies are abroad; for as soon as the music* and the promenades in the p]aza de armas and on the alameda, are over* the gay folks retire to their houses* and to their drawing-rooms on the ground floors* which are now lighted up* and may almost be said to be in the streets. The windows* wrhich are generally down to the ground are without glass* and have open iron bars in front of them; and the belles and beaux sifc on either side* forming from the window an alley up the room* in length proportionate to the number in family and the guests present.
Many of the rooms thus seen are elegantly furnished and have among other articles the famous rocking chair which may be said to have' failed in its introduction into England. What is most singular* very often the volanti* which few respectable families are without* is seen standing among the elegances of the Havannah drawing-room. The room however it should be explained* commonly takes up the whole front of the lower floor of the house* in which there are two windows* and a large door opening into the street* through which the vehicle is drawn when not in use.
After what has been said of the reforms* and of the present flourishing condition of Havannah* almost wholly owing to the patriotism and ability of one man* it is painful to add that, this excellent governor* by the very good he did* excited the jealousy of the Intendente or second officer of the crown, who by his intrigues obtained his recall before he had governed the five years for which it is the custom of the Spanish . govern-IIAVANNAH.
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ment to appoint their colonial officers. The Creoles, however, who had with the inconsistency of their character, united with the Intendente against their governor, were no sooner aware of his fall, than they repented of their folly, and at any rate showed him every possible respect upon his departure, even to manning all the craft they could engage and accompanying him out of the port. The day on which he quitted his government is described as one of the most remarkable ever known in the island; and, no one ever mentions Tacon, without adding some words of eulogy to his name. It is said to have cost the Intendente between two and three hundred thousand dollars to effect his evil purpose.
A few days after my arriyal, I accompanied my friend Mr. Palm to the opera. As to the performance, it is enough to say that the Spanish Creoles, by whom the theatre is chiefly frequented, are not very difficult to please. But the house and its decorations, animate and inanimate, were worthy of the stranger’s inspection. It was well lighted, and everything was seen to advantage. The ladies do not enter the pit; but, as they appear in full dress in the several tiers of boxes, and always in pure white, this portion of the house presents a beautifully chaste scene. I was more pleased I confess than I expected with the beauty generally, and the air of elegance displayed among the fair sex. There was little indeed but the white dresses, to remind you that you were out of Europe, though a few coloured faces appeared in the slips, the only part of the house which coloured people are allowed to enter.
VOL. II.
o194
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I cannot dismiss even this cursory account of Havannah, without a few brief remarks upon the condition of the slaves in the island, and upon the grave question of the slave trade.
The slaves in Cuba, exclusive of those in the domestic service of the families in Havannah whom I shall afterwards mention, may he fairly divided into three distinct classes — those horn in the country, those long ago landed, and those only recently brought from Africa. Those horn in the country, are under as severe discipline as the rest, hut they are at the same time often in a happier condition than the negroes still in Africa. This however is no argument in favour of the continuance of slavery, since it is to say no more than, that the white man, for his own interest, has treated them better than they would have been treated by their masters in Africa.
The second class, or those who have been long in the country, are generally living in a degree of contentment, arising from a comparison between their present and former condition. For the first year or two the steady work they are compelled to perform is a burden to them, and they regret their country; but those who have been about seven or eight years in Cuba, would not willingly return to Africa; and, they say when asked the reason, that they should be afraid of being a second time taken and sold, and subjected to all the miseries that attended their passage here; and moreover, that their condition is now better than any they could have attained in their own country. They usually indeed value themselves and one another inII AVAN NAIL
195
proportion to the time they have been subject to white men, and are affronted when called Africans.
The third class, composed of the Africans recently imported, are generally, owing to the sufferings they have undergone, in such a degraded condition, that although they may experience a change for the better, they would willingly return to Africa. They are despised on account of their birth, by the slaves born in the country, and also for their want of cleanly habits by the slaves of a longer standing than themselves.
The frightful traffic in negroes, has existed for so many years, and so lately among the most civilised nations, and is at this time carried on with such tenacity under several flags, that it is a most difficult question to decide, not whether it ought to cease, but how it can be put an end to, without measures calculated to do more evil than good. I am not, however, about to enter upon any speculations involving propositions for its suppression, but only to add what little is in my power to the general fund of information possessed by the public on a subject upon which rests the well-being of so many millions of our fellow-creatures in their own country, still in a state of nature, or to speak more correctly, in a state of degradation far worse than anything we know of the earliest human habitants of the earth.
The question of the slave trade, is not like that of slavery, which has even been defended by the arguments of honest men, and has been so long interwoven with the institutions of many countries, that its abolition even by nations under free institutions has been found difficult196
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or impossible, without such a revolution as would involve far more evil than good. The southern states of North America, for instance, are neither colonies nor dependencies of any other powers, hut for all internal purposes independent states, with an immense majority of their population in a state of slavery, which is, in fact, one of the chief elements of their social condition, that can only he abolished by themselves, and by measures such as other states are not capable of enforcing.
Far different, however, is the question of the slave trade, which is sometimes carried on under the protecting flag of a power which has affected to abolish it. But it is of its existence at Cuba that I have chiefly to speak.
The trade is still carried on with this island, to nearly the same extent as formerly. The ships by which the slaves are brought, do not come to Havannah, but enter the different ports on the opposite side of ttie island, and land the wretched victims of their traffic, in a condition sometimes almost surpassing anything one can imagine. Some of the men are crippled by the chains they have borne, some have become blind by the bad air in which they have lived, and others are so reduced by the want of food as to be mere skeletons, unable to stand. The women, who are not so numerous as the men, are not kept chained on board, are frequently admitted on deck, and, consequently, are always landed in a much better condition than the men, and the same is the case with the children.
But all that is suffered by the slaves in their transport, is doubtless owing to the laws of civilised nations againstHAVANNAH.
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the. trade, and the watch kept by our cruisers upon the ships engaged, and is the strongest argument that can be used for more active diplomatic measures, or the employment of a much greater number of cruisers.
The slavers consist of two kinds of vessels, very fast sailing ships, and steamers, and as the merchants who carry on the trade generally reckon upon losing one in three, while it is calculated that they can lose two, and still be gainers, it may easily be seen how closely the slaves' must be stowed on board, to admit of such a traffic being carried on. But besides the want of air, occasioned by keeping the men crowded below, the vessels are often so badly supplied with the simplest articles of food, that the slaves are for weeks together, allowed only a few table-spoonfuls of porridge a day for each person. To this must be added, the evil effects of their anxiety of mind concerning the life they are to lead, or, as some believe, the death to which they are condemned.
Many of course die on the passage; but the strongest proof of ,■ the sufferings they endure, is found in the moral as well as physical condition in which they land, which is so terrible, that some of them commit suicide by hanging themselves as soon as they can get the means of effecting this purpose after landing.
The treatment of the slaves on the estates in Cuba is sometimes tolerable, but more commonly as bad as can be conceived. On some estates there are above 300 men without any women, which the proprietors excuse, by alleging the difficulty of transporting women from Africa.198	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
It is remarkable, that there is great difficulty after their landing, in keeping sufficient order among them even to transact the necessary business of their sale and settlement. Being often of different tribes which have been perpetually at war, they will fight against one another with a tenacity which seems inconsistent with their submission to the white man.
But there is scarcely anything in the island of Cuba more remarkable, than the management, and the difference in the character, of the domestic slaves in Havannah and the slaves on the estates. Those on the estates, are perhaps under more severe treatment than any slaves in America, while the condition of those in the service of the Spanish and Creole families, and the foreign merchants in the town, is quite the opposite. Those who belong to the merchants are the most perfect black dandies imaginable, an instance of which has been already given in speaking of Mr. Palm’s postilion. There is nevertheless among these also, the same selfesteem according to the time they have been in the island, and the same classification on account of the tribe to which they belonged ; so that it is necessary to have separate houses for them to resort to on Sundays, when they generally have their evenings free, and attend dances and various other amusements.
Whatever success may have attended the abolition of slavery in Chili and Mexico, it is extremely doubtful whether the attempt could be made to accomplish the same great end in Cuba without causing a revolution of the most frightful character, on account of the great disproportion between-the numbers of the white menHAVANNAH.
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and the negroes throughout the island* and the condition of brutality to which the slaves have been re-
i
duced by the inequality between the numbers of the males and females in every part of the island except Havannah.
I am quite unable to give any exact account of the numbers either of the whites or the blacks in Cuba, the latter of which I believe is not even, known, in the colony; but I was informed that in the entire island* there could not be less than a million of slaves.200
TEAYELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
CHAP. XXXV.
VOYAGE TO VERA CRUZ, AND JOURNEY TOWARDS
MEXICO.
Embark by the Carisima.—Lady Fellow-Passengers.—Coast of Yucatan. s —Show of Mutiny. — A Calm. — Fish.—Light Winds —Making the Land off Vera Cruz. — The Norte. — Landing.— Town of Vera Cruz. — A Norte on Shore. — Condition of the Town. — Attachment of the Inhabitants to Vera Cruz. — Preparations to depart. —Difficulties in our Way. — Commencement of the Journey.—View of the Mountain of Arizabo. — The temperate Region. — Badness of the Road. — Peculiar Construction of the Carriages. — Driver's Account of Robberies. — System of the Robbers. — Gallant Conduct of an English Officer.—Villages.—Fertility of the Country.—Arrival at Jalapa.— The Town of Jalapa. — Convent of San Francisco. — Manner of selling Dulce*
On the 4th of January, I sailed from Havannah by the Spanish schooner Carisima bound to Vera Cruz, the great seaport of Mexico, in company with Gaspadin Loback, a Russian gentleman, the object of whose travels was to ascertain if there were any opening for the prosecution of successful commerce between St. Petersburg and the Spanish American cities on this side the continent.
We had both engaged berths by a steamer that was expected to arrive from England on her way to Vera Cruz; but as she was long after her time, we chose this means of reaching the port of our destination.
But here I ought to mention, that the honourableYOYAGKE TO VEEA CKIJZ.
201
company to whom the steamer belonged, upon the first application of our friends in London, returned the 'money we had paid for our passages.
As we issued from the narrow pass at the mouth of the harbour, we had the trade wind in our favour, and with flowing sheets, now parted the scarcely agitated waters, as we advanced up the Gulf of Mexico in a westerly direction.
We found our captain and his officers agreeable companions ; but were subjected to some inconvenience by the presence of two ladies in the cabin for whom we did not feel the respect which we were bound to show. One of them was Spanish, and had with her a black child which she had purchased at Havannah. The child was no doubt everything that could be desired, but the fondness of the white woman for the black infant was shown in a manner that was anything but pleasing. The other lady appeared to be half English and half French, which mixture »does not perhaps form the best hybrid to be found. By her own account she had been in the domestic service of the Queen of Spain. She told us a number of famous anecdotes; some of which appeared to be hardly worthy of credit.	0
What chiefly disconcerted us was, that our fair companions talked, almost without intermission, night and day. ’ After two days and nights, however, we found a means of controlling their clack by engaging them to sing; and we had this costless entertainment for hours together during the rest of the voyage.
On the morning of the 7th5 the wind having been hitherto very unsteady, we made the coast of Yucatan202
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which lies low, and which we continued to keep in view during the whole of this day, still advancing steadily upon our course which was a little south of west.
The next morning, we passed the port of Sisal, where two brigs and a schooner were lying at anchor in the roads off the harbour.
We took leave of this coast, on the same afternoon, and shaped a course to pass between the dangerous shoals that lie near the outer edge of the grand bank that bounds the whole of these shores.
In the evening, we had a little show of mutiny on board, occasioned as it was pretended by the badness of the provisions served out to the seamen; but it was soon suppressed by the energy of the captain who did not in the smallest degree yield to the attempt of the men to disturb the harmony on board. As soon as the first intimation of the uproar reached his ear, he called upon the crew to assemble on the quarter-deck; and at the head of his officers, all being well armed, demanded a statement of the claims of the crew. This was followed by a denial on their part of having intended to make any serious complaint, or of having any intention to mutiny, upon which they were ordered to return to their several duties, and nothing further occurred.
The day after this, being becalmed during the morning, we caught such abundance of fish of several kinds, that if the want of fresh provisions were really the cause of what had occurred, there could no longer be just reason for complaint.
We were not well satisfied with the calm, as ourVOYAGE TO VERA CRUZ.
203
captain pronounced it to be the forerunner of a storm which is of frequent occurrence in this gulf and commonly called, from the quarter from which it blows, the norte, or norther.
On the evening of the 12th, the wind which for two days had been light became strong. At an early hour on the morning of the 13th we made the land to which we were bound, and had a line view of the mountain of Arizabo, the peak of which was covered with snow. On the same afternoon we passed the famed fortress of San Juan on our left hand, and after entering the port of Vera Cruz, cast anchor in a strong gale from the north.
We were not yet however able to land, on account of the sea then breaking upon the jetty and the shore with great violence. It was in fact the norte which our captain had supposed to be at hand.
The wind however moderated during the night we were at anchor; and about the middle of the day after our arrival we were able to go on shore.
Upon landing at this ancient city, we were much struck by the contrast which everything presented when compared with the aspect of the gay capital we had so lately left. But to myself, who had visited so many towns that once flourished under the Spanish flag, but are now in a condition of decline, the sight of this decaying city was less painful than to my Bussian companion, familiar only with cities of increasing population and wealth.
The town of Vera Cruz appears to have been founded about the end of the seventeenth century. It is a place204
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
of some interest on account of its site being the spot where Cortes landed upon his adventurous expedition about a century earlier.
Yery soon after stepping on shore, we entered a square which is near the centre of the town, and took up our quarters at the principal hotel which is situated at its upper side ; and, after dining tolerably, we made a short promenade through the principal streets of the town.
The city of Yera. Cruz, which may once have been one of the most pleasant of the Spanish towns in America, is regularly laid out and built of stone; but its decline is most striking to the stranger in whatever direction he may turn. The streets are nevertheless still well paved, and tolerably lighted, and the houses in general are well constructed after the Spanish fashion, but there are only two inns. Even the walls of the town, which seem never to have been remarkable for strength are gradually falling to decay. Grass was growing in the square which was once doubtless the centre of commerce, and many houses in all parts of the town were uninhabited and falling to ruin.
As we were some days in the town, we had frequent opportunities of seeing the inhabitants engaged in their various occupations, and they appeared to us to be a dull people, and generally of a mixed race, but they are commonly better looking than the greater part of the hybrids in Peru.
The town did not appear to be kept so clean as the towns in general of the southern states, notwithstanding the aid of many scavengers in the form of large dark-coloured birds of the vulture tribe called sopilotas>VOYAGE TO VEBA CBUZ.
205
which sit in numbers upon the roofs of the houses, till attracted by the refuse thrown into the street, when they descend and devour whatever is too filthy for our use.
The water at Yera Cruz is not good; and a habit is very prevalent here as in Spain of making such use of the corners behind the gates of the quadrangles around which the interior chambers of the houses are formed, as must tend much to encourage, if not to originate, the black vomit, which often prevails here, is always virulent and frequently followed by the yellow fever,
We had the opportunity of witnessing an unavoidable torment to the inhabitants of Yera Cruz, which must have been equally obnoxious during the rule of the Spaniards, A day or two after our arrival, I was awakened early in the morning by a servant with a lighted candle entering my bedroom to. close the window-shutters, on account, as he said, of a norte, that was blowing, and which would fill with dust and sand every house in the town that was not carefully shut up. Upon this, I dressed myself, and came down to the breakfast apartment, where I found the windows closed, and the candles lighted. After a few minutes my travelling companion made his appearance, and when we had taken our coffee, we left the house together, to observe the aspect of the town during the prevalence of this enemy to the comfort of the inhabitants.
The door of the hotel opened into the square, which, as we came out was filled with a dense mass of drifting sand and dirt too thick to admit of our seeing the opposite side. Determined, however, to witness the206
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effects of the norte thoroughly, we turned up one of the cross streets which led to the bastions ; and > after mounting these, we were able to observe the wild scene beyond the town.
We had before observed that the town was surrounded by an undulating and unproductive plain, beyond which appeared patches of stunted vegetation ; but now nothing was to be seen but clouds of sand, sweeping over the country with great violence, sometimes whirling about in circles, but always rushing towards the south.
I had previously witnessed a drift of sand during a tempest in the deserts near Mount Sinai, when we had nothing but frail tents to cover us; but being then encamped under the lee of precipitous banks, all the inconvenience we experienced was that of finding our tents, when the tempest abated, nearly half buried in the sand. But while we stood on these bastions, the impression conveyed to our minds by the scene was, that all around must be destroyed. The very houses, that were not above a hundred feet from us, were only occasionally visible, and beyond the walls there appeared to be a deep gulf into which the town seemed to be sinking.
“ What a frightful country,” said my companion,
for civilised man to inhabit. The snow drifts of the Russian capital, are not half so fearful as this. Had' Cortes experienced such a tempest when he landed, he would have believed nothing of what he had heard of the interior, and would have packed up and re-embarked.”JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.
207
Satisfied witli what we had seen, we returned to our hotels without having met a living creature during our walk. Towards evening, the wind abated, the sun appeared, and everything resumed the aspect of the previous day.
The day after the tempest, which was fine, we heard a great deal at table respecting the attachment of the inhabitants of Yera Cruz to the town in which they dwelt, which was at least confirmatory of the prevalence of some universal feeling in the breasts of men, in favour of the spot upon which they are born and raised. It is, indeed, said of them, as it is said of the Maltese, that they regard their place of birth, as more favoured in everything, that contributes to human happiness, than any spot on earth.
When we were ready to depart on our journey to the city of Mexico, a little difficulty arose about the mannei in which we should travel, which was sufficiently illustrative of the state of society in the country to justify particular notice. The Anglo-Americans, it appeared, had established a communication between Yera Cruz and the capital, which was carried on by a kind of omnibus which left the seaport on irregular days and at various hours, and was now the only public conveyance. There was a North American gentleman in the house with us, who had been waiting for companions to make the same journey, and he gladly engaged to accompany ps. As we knew the road to be infested by robbers, we determined to purchase such arms as we thought might be a useful addition to those we already possessed, and to take our places by one of the omnibuses about to set208	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
off. But it happened that while we were occupied in purchasing our new arms, we fell in with the Prussian consul who was about to travel by the same carriage. Upon hearing however that we intended to be armed, he informed us, that none of the party engaged to go by the same conveyance would proceed if we were armed ; and after this the driver came himself to inform us that it was not in his power to take any one unless entirely unarmed. We were much surprised at this; but he informed us that his vehicle carried nine inside and one out, that the places were all engaged, and that not one of the rest who were all Mexicans except the Prussian consul would go, unless we disarmed. The reason of this he said was, that the omnibus was frequently attacked while not under an armed guard, which would often be our condition, and when the travellers were prepared, a fight of course took place, which the Mexicans that were to be with us, wished to avoid. Moreover, he informed us that the custom was for every passenger to take with him twenty dollars above his fare and the necessary expenses of the journey, which, in case of attack was immediately given up, when the carriage was permitted to pass on with all the baggage untouched. And he added, that if any one had less than twenty dollars, his baggage and perhaps that of the rest of the passengers would be taken.
Our dissatisfaction at this information may be easily imagined;' but after a great deal of discussion, we found that we must either conform to this arrangement or stay where we were, for no private carriage of any kind was to be obtained.JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.
209
This matter* however* being settled* we left Yera Cruz on a moonlight night* on the 24th of January* at halfpast ten* with a guard of five soldiers mounted.
After passing the gates* we first drove a short distance along the beach* then crossed a sandy plain of about three miles in extent* when we entered a country with a poor soil* producing chiefly the same species of willow so common in Peru* but growing in this part of Mexico in a more stunted form.
This first night of our journey was most brilliant* and the moon being now very near the full* shone so brightly as to render the midnight hours almost as light as day; so that those among us who had wished to be armed* quite forgot their want of weapons of defence* for with the brilliancy of the night* and the guard about us* we seemed as secure as if we were travelling in the safest country in the world.
For my own part I had a tolerable night’s repose; but as the day began to break* all the party* the greater part of whom had been sleeping* were awake* and we were much gratified by the views we had the opportunity of contemplating* as the first rays of the sun fell upon the elevated lands upon our left hand and in our front.
The first distant object that we distinctly saw was* the snow-capped peak of the mountain of Arizabo which we had seen from the sea* and from which we were still distant about sixty miles.
It was for some time difficult to say whether our vision was most aided by the moon* or by the rays of the yet invisible luminary that was so soon fully to
VOL. II.	R210
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
enlighten the whole land. It was not long however after the first streaks of light had plainly tinged the eastern sky, before the full rays of the welcome orb, after lighting up the peaks of the mountains around, fell upon the plain over which we were travelling, and gave us the promise of a tropical day.
We had already reached the tierra t&m/plada, or temperate region; and the whole country within our view was now most picturesque. Mountains of great altitude, and of various forms, were to be seen everywhere around, and the lower lands as we proceeded were covered either with forests or with luxuriant crops of maize. Where the forest prevailed, the ground was generally luxuriant with wild vegetation, from amidst which rose lofty trees, the stumps and branches of which were covered with the creeping plants of the clime, which bore flowers that filled the air with a delicious fragrance. It was indeed the moment when a traveller from the Pacific coast of South America would be most sensibly impressed with the varying bounties of Providence, by comparing that region with this portion of the northern continent.. More verdure indeed was already to be seen, and more cultivation, than it had fallen to my lot to observe during the whole of my travels in Ghili and Peru.
The road had however now become so bad, that we were often obliged to alight and walk, even on the plains, to be secure against the consequences of an upset, which very often happens, sometimes twice, and not unfrequently even three times, on the same journey.
The carriages however, it must be confessed, are con-JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.
211
structed in such a manner as to admit of the passengers escaping the worst effects of an upset, and upon a plan that might suit some other countries as well as Mexico. The hody is quite independent of the wheels and axles, and is so placed that when the vehicle turns over the upper part immediately separates itself from the lower, so that the mules may run which way they please, having nothing to drag after them but the portion of the carriage which contains neither passengers nor baggage.
Our coachman joined us whenever we walked to ease the mules,' and, being an intelligent fellow, entertained us with an account of the many attacks upon the passengers which he had witnessed. He informed us that sometimes the robberies were frequent, but that at other times there was a cessation for a long or short time, depending upon the character of the government of the day. When the government was weak, or not firmly established, the robberies were constant; but when it became strengthened by political changes, many of the rogues were captured by the soldiers, and several of them being hanged by the way side, a temporary stop was put to the depredations. At this time, however, he informed us, scarce a carriage passed without being stopped; and as the Mexicans would never prepare to receive the enemy, they were always obliged to pay the sums before mentioned which indeed he said they generally did with the greatest cheerfulness.
He described to us the manner in which the robberies were performed. The robbers, he said, were generally in parties of twelve or fourteen in number all veiled.212
TRAVELS IN EEKIJ AND MEXICO.
They usually galloped up to the vehicle from a wood or from behind a hill or promontory, when two of their party first presented their carbines at the side windows of the carriages desiring the passengers to put their heads down almost to their knees, and while in that position to hand out their money and their watches. This he informed us was immediately done by all the passengers, the money was then counted by the thieves, and if it was found to be less than at the rate of twenty dollars for each passenger, the baggage was ransacked, and the most valuable articles taken away; but if the amount was what the thieves expected, the carriage was permitted to pass quietly on. The whole of the business he informed us, even when the baggage was robbed was usually transacted within the short space of eight or ten minutes.
I must confess that when We heard the account of the tame manner in which we were expected to submit to an attack, those among us who had intended to travel well armed, were not a little annoyed at the prospect before us, thinking we had too hastily conformed to the custom, and doubting whether we should be able quietly to submit.
I may here mention how an English officer before the Establishment of the omnibus, made his way in a cabriolet driven by himself, with his wife and I believe some other members of his family from Vera Cruz to the capital.
Our countryman, whose name and business I do not remember to have heard, encountered during the day time, one of the parties of robbers, about six in numberJOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.
213
who came galloping up behind him all veiled. He was however quite ready to receive them, with a double-barrelled gun and horse-pistols. Pulling up the horse and giving the reins to his wife, he jumped out of the carriage while the horsemen were about thirty yards from him, and, levelling his piece, shot the first man dead on the spot, then firing again, struck another who fell from his horse. Upon this, two of the party dismounted and took up the wounded man, when they all turned and retreated at full speed, without firing a single shot. The officer then remounted his carriage, drove on, and arrived at Mexico without further molestation.
During the day, we passed several villages which were not remarkable. Although the country was now extremely fertile and improved in cultivation, the road was still very bad.
We passed our second night on the road, without alighting, and after a second day’s j ourney over a country sometimes fairly cultivated chiefly with large plantations of aloes, and at other times partly covered with the natural forest, having always the same view of the mountains around, we arrived at four o’clock in the afternoon at the little town of Jalapa, where it was intended we should remain until the next morning.
As soon as we had refreshed ourselves with a tolerable dinner, the whole party set out together, to make a little survey of the town; and after our dreary journey, we were much refreshed by our promenade among a people, who seemed to be surrounded with evidences of industry struggling against the obstructions to advance-214
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
ment arising from the want of a steady government and from the insecurity of property.
The town of Jalapa stands about 7500 feet above the level of the sea, and is so healthy that the invalids of Yera Cruz, especially those who have suffered from the black vomit, are sent there to regain their health and strength. It contains about 3000 inhabitants, and has an alameda which is rarely wanting in a Spanish town, and tolerable streets. Its chief establishments for works of industry, comprise two manufactpries of goods for clothing with mills turned by a stream which passes through the town ; but these are in the hands of foreigners. The natives, however, have several manufactories of shoes and other articles formed of leather, which are sent to Mexico and Yera Cruz, as well as through the country around.
Jalapa is less regularly built, and more like an European town, than the greater part of the towns in America. It has a cathedral and several convents for women. That of San Francisco is remarkable for its lofty situation; while another is prized for the dulce or sweetmeats which are made by the nuns within its walls, and sold to the inhabitants, and to travellers passing between Yera Cruz and the capital.
We visited this last mentioned convent, expressly to obtain some of the dulce for which it is celebrated. On coming to the building, which stands in an open and agreeable part of the town, but has nothing remarkable in its exterior, we found a door which had neither knocker nor bell, but required only to be pushed to be opened. Through this we entered a sort of vestibule about four-JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.	215
teen or fifteen feet square* where we observed on the inner wall a kind of machine which consisted of shelved compartments that seemed to turn upon an upright spindle. It was not possible however* to see anything beyond it* and there was not the slightest sound to be heard where we stood.
After waiting and whispering to one another for a minute or two* we knocked gently against the wall* and were immediately answered by a female voice* inquiring what, kind of dulce we required* to which we answered — “ whatever the good nuns especially recommend.”
Upon this* the machine was turned round* and on its shelves which now faced us* appeared five or six pots of dulce of different kinds* with the names and the prices written upon labels attached to them; but before making a selection* we attempted to exchange a word or two with the (doubtless very beautiful) damsel who had sent them to us. She only replied however to some questions we put respecting the convent* by asking what other kind of dulce we required. We then chose such of the pots as pleased our fancies* and put the money upon the shelf* which* on our giving notice* was turned and we heard no more.
Nothing can be more surprising than the effect upon men* of the mere voices of women we are forbidden to see. Several of us* indeed* came out of this convent in such bad humour with the system that had shut up forms which our imaginations painted as more worthy to be seen than any in Mexico* that we wished we had216
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
the power which we should have gladly used, of levelling its walls with the ground.
We ascended before sunset to the top of one of the buildings in the town, to take a view of the surrounding country, which we observed to be undulating and partially cultivated. We had not here however a good prospect of the mountains which were almost wholly concealed from our view by the nearer hills around.
The medicine of which the name of this town reminds us is prepared here in considerable quantities, and exported from Vera Cruz.217
CHAP. XXXVI.
JOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO — continued.
Departure from Jalap a. — Fir-Trees.— Cultivation.— Maguey.—Aloes. -—Pulque.—Character of the Pulque.—Process of making the Pulque. — The Organas Plant. — Arrival at Perote. — Height of the Town.— Pertile and cultivated Country. —Breakfast at Nopolvica.—Puebla.— The Plaza.—Cathedral. — Industry of the Inhabitants.—Churches. Reported Miracle. — Leave Puebla. — Farm of Rio Frio. — Escape from Robbers. — Caravan guarded. — A tricksy Animal. — Mineral Baths. — First View of the City of Mexico. — Arrival.
After breakfast the next morning we took our departure from Jalapa.
On our journey as far as Miguel de Soldaso we passed over a country extremely picturesque, where we had often a fine view of the mountains, especially of Arizabo; while immediately around us, we observed more cultivated land than we had before seen.
We were informed that the maize will grow here at all seasons, and that many of the farmers take three crops off different parts of the land during the same year, and some even four, while it is not uncommon for them to take two off the same fields.
At twelve o’clock this day, as we were still on the ascent, we observed the first fir-trees, and after passing Vigus we crossed over a volcanic tract of country where the lava was lying just in the same manner as in many218	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
of the islands in the Pacific Ocean, broken into cakes of from ten to fifteen feet square, and thrown into vast heaps where very little vegetation appears.
The country after this was well cultivated with fields of wheat, and maguey or aloes. I do not indeed remember anywhere seeing aloes growing so luxuriantly.
This plant is very serviceable to the inhabitants and is one of the most valuable productions of the country. It grows to an immense size; and we were shown fields of great extent where each plant was valued at four dollars. From the filaments of the broad leaves are made cords of various sizes; and from the stem olr part that may be termed the heart of the plant as it supplies the flowers, is drawn a quantity of juice from which is produced a favourite liquor called pulque which we often tasted, and which deserves to be particularly mentioned.
This pulque is considered a very delicate beverage; but we were told that it could not be transported quite sound even to Yera Cruz. All the foreigners of our party, except myself, disliked it extremely. The taste is rather sharp, and the colour is such as milk would take with a small quantity of anything green put into it* It is drunk by the people in such quantities that although it appears weaker than our table-beer, one man informed us that he frequently contrived to drink enough to inebriate himself. Those, however, who do experience this advantage from the beverage must certainly drink a great deal or have very weak stomachs or brains;. for, upon one occasion when very thirsty, IJourney towards Mexico*
219
¡drank four tumblers of it within a short space of time without feeling the smallest inebriating effects.
In order to obtain the juice of the plant* the stem is blown into the form of a gourd, after which the juice is extracted* from which not only the pulque is composed but also a spirit called mescal which is made as strong as brandy.
The plant appears to have been much used by the ancient Mexicans by whom it was called octhli. It is sown in long rows in the fields* requires but little manure and very little care* yet attains great perfection on poor soils. When the juice is nicely drawn* it tastes very much like the sap of the maple* and is rather sweet though insipid* but has no smell.
The process of making the pulque is very simple. The juice of the plant is fermented by mixing it with a small portion of some already in a state of fermentation ; and, we were told that the beverage is in perfection as early even as twenty-four hours after the juice is drawn from the plant*
The consumption of the pulque is very great in this region* and from the fibres of the plant from which it is drawn is made a very useful sort of brown thread; and it is said that cloth might be manufactured from the same fibres.
Besides the maguey there are several other species of luxuriant vegetation which attract the eye of the traveller very frequently in these regions* and are novel to the European. That which appeared to us the most abundant was* the organas* which receives its name from the resemblance of its stalks to the pipes of the220
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
organo or organ. It is a species of cactus* and being covered with prickles is usually cultivated for fences where these are required.
About sunset we arrived at Perote; and finding we were to set off again at two o’clock the next morning* went as soon as possible to bed.
When we were called at half-past one on the morning of the 27th we found the thermometer near the freezing point; but as the height given to the town by Humboldt is 10*000 feet* this did not surprise us. At about two o’clock we re-entered our vehicle and resumed our journey.
We now came upon a plain of fifty miles in breadth ; and as the day broke we observed the country to be fertile* generally cultivated* and producing maize* corn and maguey ; while the distant scenery around was extremely picturesque.
Had it not been for the peaks of the mountains being everywhere visible* the country through which we now passed might have been said to resemble many parts of Europe. There was no appearance of divisions between the fields save such as was caused by their varying aspect when covered with different crops* and the trees were planted as sparely as in most parts of Spain.
We breakfasted at Nopolvica* and after travelling ten leagues* the country being of the same description* reached the city of Puebla* where we remained until the next day.
Puebla is a handsome well built city and contains about 75*000 inhabitants* the greater portion of whomJOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO.	221
are of the mixed and coloured races. We were much struck by the appearance of the streets as we entered ; and, as soon as we had taken some refreshment, all Bet off together to visit the places most worthy of a stranger’s inspection.
We first came upon the grand square, on one side of which stands the cathedral which is of mixed architecture. It is a fine edifice within and without, and perhaps unequalled by any in old Spain save that at Seville. The other sides are formed by fairly built houses which appear to be exclusively inhabited by families of the commercial classes.
All the town appeared to be well paved except some few streets where the houses were generally in a state of decay ; and we observed more appearance of cleanliness in the town than is commonly seen in European towns of equal size, while the streets at night were tolerably lighted.
Those who are well acquainted with Puebla give the inhabitants the very best character for their mechanical industry which is much favoured by the extraordinary fertility of the surrounding country, for the produce of which the town is the best market. The cotton manu-* factories, are said to be the. most valuable, their produce being sent to all parts of the country.
This city is the seat of a bishopric and is said to have some of the most wealthy of the clergy of Mexico resident within its walls. Among its numerous churches those of San Domingo, San Francisco and the Jesuits, are the most remarkable. The paintings within222
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
them are said to belong to a high class; but the interior of the edifices are so dark that they can hardly be seen.
While we were examining the church of San Domingo, we were joined by a Mexican apparently of unmixed Spanish blood, who seemed desirous of giving us every information in his power concerning the edifice of which he was very proud. What interested us the most was, his account of the 'building of the church, which he informed us was chiefly executed by angels who descended from heaven during the night for that purpose. The reason he said for this voluntary aid, was tfie deficiency of the funds at the disposal of the government. He described the phenomena which were perceived while the celestial workmen performed their acceptable labours. As soon, it appeared, as the workmen retired after their day’s labour the gates of the enclosure were closed, but during the whole of the night were heard faint humming sounds more like the chanting of hymns than the noise of the axe and the chisel, and every morning, when the gates were opened, the men found that more work had been performed in the night, than during the whole of the preceding day.
There was such an air of earnestness and unaffected piety in the account which this worthy citizen gave us of this series of miracles that it was impossible we could fail to feel respect.
** In religion,
What childish error, but some sober brow,
Will bless it, and approve it with belief.
We therefore avoided any attempt to controvert suchJOUENEY TOWABDS MEXICO.
223
singular impressions, and thanked him for communicating to us so remarkable a circumstance.
There are two theatres, two toros or theatres for the exhibition of bull-fights, and two alamedas in Puebla; and at a short distance from the town there are sulphurous springs.
At four o’clock on the morning after our arrival in this city, we resumed our journey. Our road now lay across the well cultivated vallev of San Martino, in the
«/	.s
midst of which there is a small village of the same name; and we observed several haciendas and cultivated estates on the road on either side, soon after leaving the town.
Early in the day, we passed over a long bridge or causeway which crosses the ravine of Puento de Teomeloes, and soon reached the pass of the range of mountains which separates the two great plains of Peubla and Mexico. On the crest of this range, apparently not very far from the snowy summits of the volcanoes of Possocasepest and Jetoez we alighted and breakfasted at the farm of Eio Frio.
After this we ascended to a woody country which is especially notorious for the robberies and murders that have been there committed. We had sometimes had a guard of soldiers during our journey and we had been often without them. But we cared little whether we engaged them or not, as they generally demanded their pay soon after joining us, refusing to proceed before they received it, and often left us a very short time after being paid.
At this stage of our journey, our guard of eight men224	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
had long since been paid, and we had seen nothing of them for an hour, when, as we were passing through a wood, the trees of which were at some little distance from the road on either side, a stranger on horseback and in plain clothes met us. We were at the time mounting a hill very slowly, and the man turned his horse to converse with our driver, and asked several questions which confirmed the suspicions we already entertained of his character; for it was evident that he wished to ascertain whether the passengers in the vehicle were armed or not. There was now indeed no doubt upon our minds that he belonged to a party of robbers not far off.
The fellow continued conversing with the driver until suddenly a body of horsemen was seen rising above the top of the hill from the opposite side to that we were ascending, within about two miles of us, upon seeing which our new acquaintance took a civil leave, turned his horse again and rode on.
The party now approaching was of course supposed by the driver to be the banditti with whom our unveiled acquaintance would not be seen to associate; but he had hardly time to inform us of their appearance before it was quite clear from their number that they were soldiers of the republic.
A short half hour after this we met the horsemen, who proved to be the advanced guard to a caravan of twenty-eight loads of silver each of which was drawn by eight or ten mules; the whole being guarded by four companies of foot soldiers besides the horsemen in ad-
vance.JOUENEY TOWAEDS MEXICO.
The commander of the advanced party stopped tc converse with us, and we learned from him that no one had passed them that day, which was a sufficient proof of the justness of our suspicions respecting the fellow we had just met; so that we felt sure that we owed the safety of our money, and what was much more, the preservation of our honour from the trial it seemed about to undergo, to the fortunate accident of meeting the caravan. Their appearance had doubtless disconcerted the party, which were probably waiting in the wood at hand, to receive the report of their scout concerning us, especially whether we were armed or not, and the amount of dollars we were likely from our number to carry.
It is proper to mention, however, that' the robbers upon this road do not usually have a scout of the description of the man we met; and we may therefore conclude that the company to which this fellow belonged was too weak to venture to attack us until they had ascertained from a close inspection by one of their party that we had no arms. If this supposition be correct there can be no doubt that had we carried arms and taken care to show them, we should have passed unmolested even without the accidental encounter with the troops of the republic.
I must add, that the captain of the guard on hearing our account of the fellow whom we had met, was 'so obliging as to send six of his men to conduct us beyond the place where there was any probability of an attack. I may also mention, that on our arrival at Mexico we found that the two carriages which had immediately
Q
YOL.-II.226	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
preceded us had been stopped and robbed by six horsemen near this very spot.
We had been at first rather surprised at the strength of the captain’s party, but we afterwards heard that a hundred men had lately prepared to attack a caravan near Vera Cruz, and that had it not been for some anonymous notice sent to the government which enabled the President to make arrangements for well arming the caravan, the whole of the treasure would have been lost. Since that time, therefore, only very large caravans have been sent and always well guarded.
Later in the day we had an opportunity of observing the party-coloured cunning animal called the lobo which appears to resemble in its habits ’ both the wolf and the fox. It was endeavouring to get among a flock of sheep guarded by a shepherd who did not seem properly armed for their defence. As we mounted the circuitous rise of a steep hill, the flock was beneath us, and the shepherd who had only his long crook in his hand, was walking backwards and forwards between the enemy and the sheep under his charge, which all seemed by the manner they crowded together and kept close to their guard, to be well aware of the danger.
Why the shepherd was without fire-arms we could not tell; but the slow turns and marches of the enemy, which could not have been forty yards from the flock, was as much a proof of the ease with which he might have been shot as of his wily intentions; and we were much amused to observe the steady guard of the shepherd.
Near the last stage of our journey we passed someJOURNEY TOWARDS MEXICO,
227
hot mineral baths called the Perote, which had been cut in the rock by the Indians long before the invasion of the Spaniards.
At the village of Cordora we obtained the first view of the great plain in the midst of which is seated the celebrated city of Mexico ; and, as wTe came in full view of the wide country beneath us, which is itself 7500 feet above the level of the sea, we drew up and all alighted, to contemplate the ravishing spectacle at our leisure. Here if anywhere the traveller may justly exult in the prospect of the magnificent scene before him, as it comprises one of the most' perfect mixtures of the grand and beautiful that is perhaps to be met with in the world.
At great distances on all sides around the plain were to be seen a perfect bulwark of high mountains of irregular forms, many of the summits of which were crowned with snowy peaks which could be seen rising above long streaks of watery clouds. But in the midst of the plain, which is of oval form and sixty-seven leagues in circumference, we could distinguish with some difficulty the city now occupying the ground upon which that of the Montazumas once flourished.
We all stood for some time contemplating this scene with breathless rapture, and without exchanging a word, until one of the Mexicans' with us said — u Senors! this must have been the spot where Cortes first descried the city of Montazuma, the account of the splendour of which had induced him to fight his way thus far into the country.” Upon this we all awoke228	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
from our agreeable rapture, and mounting our vehicle proceeded on our journey.
The road which had been so often hardly passable was now better, and we reached the city of Mexico soon after dark, on the evening of our fourth day’s journey from Vera Cruz..QHT.A.J&X AIP »SOI©®«229
CHAP. XXXVII.
CITr OF MEXICO.
Tour in the City.— The Grand Plaza.— The Cathedral. —Ancient City of the Astecs. — The noche trisle. -— Operations of the Spaniards. — Attack of the Astecs.—Frightful Struggle—Uncertainty of the Losses. — The Senate-House. — Chamber' of Deputies. — Academy of San Carlos. —Alameda. —The Mineria. — View of Mexico,— View of the Mountains. — The Museum. — Relics of the Astecs. — Comparison of the Ancient Inhabitants of Mexico and Peru. — Lord Mark Kerr. — Lady Emilina Stewart Wortley.—The Upper Rooms.— Mathematical Instruments.. — Ancient Map of the City. —Weapons of War. — Rag Figures. — Colossal Statues. — Cabinet of Natural History. — The Theatre.
On the morning after our arrival at the city of Mexico, my Russian friend and myself took a guide and set off upon a tour of, inspection.
We first entered the grand plaza, which is the most agreeable part of the, city. It is not ornamented by either fountains or statues, but one side is formed by the
*	it
houses of the legislature, another by the cathedral which is a noble edifice of Gothic architecture with two lofty towers, while on the remaining two sides there are good buildings, and many shops in front of which runs a fine colonnade.	• ‘
Having crossed the plaza> we entered the cathedral, the interior of which is highly ornamented with a profusion of gold, silver and jewels. The chancel resembles
Q 3230
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
that of Westminster Abbey, but there is not light enough admitted to allow of a stranger accurately observing what it contains.
On one of the altars, more exposed to the light than the rest of the building, there were two admirably wrought figures in marble, representing angels adoring the host, and placed in such impressive attitudes, that we were both more touched while we contemplated them, than we could remember having before been by almost anything of the kind we had seen.
The greater part of the people engaged in worship, were distributed about before the lesser altars in the' same manner we see them in the Eoman Catholic countries in Europe; but there were some belonging to the poorer classes kneeling about singly in the grand choir and the open body of the church. There were also about a dozen young men and women kneeling at some distance before the grand altar with long lighted candles in their hands, and we saw the same thing afterwards in several other churches. We were informed, that young persons, the character of whose offences it was not difficult to divine, knelt here sometimes day after day for a certain number of hours at a time, until the candle or candles with which each of them was furnished were burnt out.
On the outside of the cathedral we were shown a round stone covered with hieroglyphics and attached to the edifice, which is said to have been the calendar of the ancient Mexicans; and here our attention was drawn to what is known of the town which flourished before the invasion of the Europeans.CITY OF MEXICO.
231
The ancient city of the Astecs, called Tenochtitlan by its inhabitants, occupied the same ground upon which the modern capital now stands. The cathedral, indeed, is built upon the very spot on which stood formerly the temple of the war-deity of the ancient people. Their city was divided into four districts which are still distinctly known and called by the! Indian population by their ancient names; and the former streets are said to have run in precisely the same direction as those which have succeeded them: but the greater portion of the ancient city having been built of perishable materials, and the public buildings, which were generally of stone, having been pulled to pieces and destroyed during the protracted siege, there is at this time scarcely a vestige of any of the ancient edifices remaining.
The very lake which was called Tozcuco, in the midst of which the ancient city stood, has now disappeared, partly it is said by evaporation, but also by artificial means taken to exhaust it.
The description given of Tenochtitlan, reminds us of Yenice as that remarkable city still stands. Besides being surrounded by water its great thoroughfares were canals; and the houses seem to have been generally built upon piles placed so high that canoes could pass under them.
From ,the city to the surrounding land there were three great causeways, in each of which were three or more breaks spanned by bridges which had only to be removed to render the entire city secure from the invasion of any foe; and, by one of the^e called the232	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Tlascala took place the memorable struggle on the 1st of July, 1520, which was the most trying to the Spaniards of all they endured during the war, and which has given the name of noche triste to the spot upon which it occurred.
Cortes appears to have entered the city by consent of the sovereign Montazuma with about twelve hundred and fifty Spaniards, and about eight thousand of his allies the Tlascalans; but after getting possession of the person of the sovereign and remaining in tranquillity for several months, he was attacked by the Astec-s with overpowering forces. The battles which now followed terminated in favour of the Astecs, Montazuma was wounded and died, and Cortes was obliged to determine upon making his retreat.
The difficulties of leaving the city were great. The bridges over the breaks in the causeways connecting the city with the mainland were all removed by the Astecs, who supposed that the men with their horses and their artillery would be incapable of making the passage across the open water.
Cortes it appears was for some time undetermined whether to make the attempt by night or by day, when an astrologer appeared who advised the general to retreat by night; and, whether from the concurrence of this advice with his own opinion, or from his desire to favour superstitious, impressions he determined to make the attempt by night, and the following arrangements were made.
The van which consisted of about 200 Spanish foot soldiers was ordered to be led by Sandoval, a warrior whoCITY OF MEXICO.
233
had followed the fortunes of Cortes throughout the war. The qommand of the rearguard, with the main body of the infantry was entrusted to Alvarado and Velasquez de Leon, two generals only second to Sandoval in reputation. Cortes himself took charge of the centre; and several cavaliers formed a corps which might act as occasion required; while the Tlascalans were distributed among the three divisions. A portable bridge was also constructed to place across the breaks in the causeways, and put under the charge of forty soldiers, who were all pledged to defend the passage to the utmost extremity, and when the army had passed over the first breach, to remove the bridge to the second and afterwards to the third.
At about midnight all the arrangements were completed, and the army was ready for the sally which it seemed evident must save them, or cause their total destruction. Mass having been said by the priest Olmedo, who had been with the army since Cortes landed at Vera Cruz, they left the fortress, that had been for many days only retained by a fearful amount of suffering, and by courage wrought to the highest degree by the frightful prospect of being taken alive and sacrificed to the Astec war-god.
The night they had chosen, was favourable for their purpose. The sky was obscured, and a drizzling rain rendered it almost dark. The army made its way along the main street, without attracting any attention, their passage being only obstructed by the heaps of the slain lying in their path. . At length the van of the army reached the open causeway. But234
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
while they were making their preparations for placing the portable bridge across the breach for which it was intended, several Indian sentinels took the alarm and fled, and gave notice of the approach of their enemies. The Astec priests who were keeping watch upon the summit of their great temple, hearing the cries of alarm, sounded their shells and beat the rude drum in the temple of the war-god, sending forth such tones as were never heard but on occasions of the greatest calamity.
The bridge was safely placed across the first breach, and the general commanding the van was the first to try its strength by riding across. After landing on the opposite bank, he was followed by his little body of horsemen, his infantry and his Tlascalan allies.
Next came the commander-in-chief with his party, and the baggage, ammunition, waggons and artillery. But before he had time to cross, the yells of myriads of Astec warriors were heard upon the water and the land, and arrows, stones, and other missiles were poured upon the retreating party from every direction, without their being able to perceive distinctly whence they came.
The Europeans and their allies, however, pursued their way, refusing all combat save such as their immediate safety demanded. Many of the Astecs, however, who climbed up the banks of the causeway in great numbers, were driven into the lake wounded, or trampled under the feet of the horses.
The leading files of the retreating army reaching the second breach in the causeway before the rear had all passed over the first, there halted, still exposedCITY OF MEXICO.
235
to the attacks of the enemy who were swarming around this opening; and by and by when all had passed over the first breach the consternation and alarm of the whole army were excited to the highest pitch by the discovery that their bridge had become so wedged by the passage of the baggage waggons and artillery, that it was impossible to raise it; and as the time had only permitted the construction of one bridge, their progress was now arrested.
Upon the discovery of this unexpected difficulty every man deemed himself lost. All subordination was at an end, and every one thought only of his own safety. Some of the cavalry succeeded in swimming their horses across the second breach, notwithstanding the opposition of their enemies, and a portion of the foot soldiers also contrived to swim over, while hundreds in the attempt to follow their example were left in the lake or dragged into the canoes of the Astecs to be reserved for their sacrifices.
At length the break was literally bridged by the waggons and cannon that had been dragged into it, and the bodies of the men and horses that were drowned or killed by the enemy. Thus the remainder of the army, without their principal arms or any of their treasure, were enabled to advance to the third breach which being less beset by the enemy, appears to have been passed without much loss, so that the rest of the forces reached the open country and were not pursued by their deadly enemies.
There are great discrepancies between the statements of the losses of the Europeans and their ailies on this236
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
terrible night; but according to the most probable account there were about four hundred and fifty of the Spaniards and about four thousand of the Tlascalans missing, with one officer in particular, Juan Velasquez de Leon, who shared the command of the rear wdth Alvarado, and was one of the tried friends of the general-in-chief.
Thus with the losses sustained during the several davs of hard fighting before the attempt to escape, the Europeans are supposed to have become reduced to about a third and the Tlascalans to about a fifth of the numbers that had entered the city. All the artillery and every musket was lost; and their swords and a few cross-bows were the only arms now left them which were superior to those of their enemies. Such was the most memorable of the battles and disasters of the Spaniards in Mexico.
We were early taken to inspect the chamber in which the Mexican senate assembles. It is rather small, of an oval form, and has the President’s chair on raised ground in the middle of the long side opposite the entrance. There is a gallery at the end on the left of the chair.
We next visited the chamber in which the deputies assemble. It is semi-circular, and so nearly resembles that of France as to appear to have been copied from it. Opposite the President’s chair is a picture in full length of the virgin of Gruadaloupe, who will be by and by more particularly mentioned, while around the walls are inscribed the names of the heroes who were most distinguished during the war of the revolution, and onCITY OF MEXICO.
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the right of the chair is the portrait of the Emperor Augustin Yturbide.
The members at the time we were in the chamber, were engaged in a debate respecting the means of improving the revenue, and I could not avoid comparing the calmness that there reigned, with the turbulent scenes I had so lately witnessed in Jamaica.
We next visited the academy of San Carlos. There was here a fine original painting of the annunciation, in which the face of the virgin was extremely beautiful, and that of the angel very plain and unintellectual.
A smaller painting representing Spanish peasants on horseback was very remarkable. Another represented a girl of great beauty, which was much enhanced by the reflection of a red umbrella held over her head by a man, and the presence of a plain old lady who was walking with a stick.
The alameda of Mexico is not very remarkable. It has rather a- formal appearance, on account of the numerous columns, rails and basins with which it is filled. It has many fine trees, but they are all now in a state of decay.
We visited the university in which there are* one hundred and fifty scholars. The building is fine, and contains rooms for lectures on the various branches of natural science. That which is appropriated to mineralogy and geology is the most splendid. There was also one in which astronomy was taught, and another for the study of drawing and other arts.
There is • also an observatory at the top of the building, to which we ascended. The view from this238
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is one of the finest that may he seen in the world. The fair city is fully seen, with its many churches, convents and broad ways from which no sound reaches the ear; while, beyond its bounds appear two mighty aqueducts which convey the water from the neighbouring hills, long avenues of fresh green trees distinguishing the lines of the roads to the city, and several villages buried in the rich foliage which surrounds them. At the same time we see the whole panorama of the vast plain, with the mountain peaks by which it is encompassed at a distance of between twenty and thirty leagues, and the two remarkable volcanoes known by the somewhat tortuous names of Popocatepetl and Iztaccibuabt; the whole combining together one of the grandest displays of natural scenery mingled with the works of man, that may anywhere be seen at one view.
The museum which we next visited contains a valuable collection of the relics of antiquity which serve to illustrate the manners, and the character of1 the religion, of the ancient inhabitants, also many curiosities that recall the events which accompanied the Spanish conquest, or exhibit the manners of the earlier Spanish settlers.
In the middle of the court as the stranger enters there is a colossal statue of Charles III. in bronze, by a native artist; and on the left hand within a rail are placed many relics of the Indian race.
The most remarkable of these is an enormous sacrificial stone. It is round and about three feet and a half in depth, and eight feet in diameter. The top and sidesCITY OF MEXICO.
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of the stone are covered with hieroglyphics, and some of the figures of human beings are represented in the act of marching very much in the same manner as is seen upon many of the Egyptian monuments. In the middle of the flat upper side is a hole which appears to have been intended to catch the blood of the victims when sacrificed, while a groove from this to the side of the stone carried it off.
By the side of the sacrificial stone stands a figure which was found with it, and which presents one of the most monstrous forms ever designed to represent a living being. It is composed of a solid mass of stone, is about seven feet high, three and a half broad and covered with representations of the limbs of men, with figures to which it is by no means easy to give a name. It has a projecting tongue or lip, upon which the heart of the victim, which was cut out by the chief priest at the sacrifice, is said to have been placed.
If the traveller in Mexico should have come from Peru, where he may have followed the blood-stained tracks of the ferocious conquerors of the comparatively refined inhabitants of that romantic land, he will view the remains of the barbarous races that were conquered by the same nation in Mexico with very opposite feelings from those which he will have experienced upon the southern continent. Upon the whole he may even regard the conquerors of Mexico as the saviours of millions of our fellow-creatures from the most barbarous tyranny ever practised since the earliest period of human history. The authors of works on the history of the Astecs estimate the number of human sacrifices240
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made annually throughout the empire, at from twenty thousand to fifty thousand. *
There are also in this department of the museum several representations of the human form, among which, one only is tolerable. This is seated much as we see the Indian Juggernaut; but instead of that worthy deity’s light figure and benevolent countenance, the Mexican deity has a clumsy form and most savage countenance; which however agree well enough with the ferocious character he was doubtless intended to represent.
Besides these, there were a number of monsters of different kinds, doubtless representing deities, of whose virtues and vices it is hardly to be regretted we have no particular knowledge.
Upon coming to the first of two upper rooms in the museum, I found our worthy charge Æaffairs, Mr. Doyle, who was showing the curiosities exposed here, to three of my compatriots, Lord Mark Kerr, lately arrived from Canada, where he had been aide-de-camp to the governor-general, Lady Emilina Stewart Wortley, who has published her travels, and her daughter, a young lady of about thirteen years of age. Mr. Doyle politely introduced me to the party, and we continued our observations together.
The collection here consists chiefly of articles of pottery, which generally slightly resemble those found both in Pompeii and in Egypt. Amongst them were several heads placed in a similar attitude to those found in the eastern world,* and much resembling some cut on
* See Prescott’s chapter on the mythology, &c., of the Mexicans.CITY OF MEXICO.
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the walls of the Egyptian temples, though not in the expression of the features, which are the most savage that can be conceived. There were, however, some heads with features resembling those of the native Indians of the present day.
There is in one of these rooms, a broken and somewhat decayed trunk of a mastodon or mammoth ' like that at Santiago ; but too little of it remains to enable any one to judge of its original dimensions.
There are also many stone instruments of which the use is quite unknown. It is probable, however, that these had a close connection with that extraordinary advancement attained by the Astecs, which seems to have been quite dissimilar from that of any other people in the new world. The most remarkable of these objects are several rude instruments which might be called mathematical, as they were doubtless used by the Astec philosophers, who, it is evident from the accounts of historians had made much greater advances in the science of astronomy than in any of the arts which they cultivated.
Perhaps the most curious article in the museum is, a map of the ancient city drawn by the Indians before the arrival of the Spaniards. It is placed in a glass frame and is not very distinct. It shows however some streets which appear to have been as straight as those of the present day, though nothing of them now remains.
Among the more remarkable of the articles exhibited are Indian weapons of war. They prove, at least, that the earlier inhabitants of this country were as accom-
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plished as the people of the eastern world at the same stage of civilisation, in the construction of instruments for the destruction of one another.
Many other relics of the Astec people are distributed rather confusedly about the rooms, mixed with some brought from the neighbouring countries. Among these are several colossal statues, and many smaller of more or less merit, according, no doubt, to the character of the deities or monarchs they represent.
There are a great variety of busts and heads of men, and likewise figures of animals not of Mexican production. Were the places from which they were brought well known they might serve to give some idea of the advance made towards civilisation by the people of the several districts in which they were found.
There are a great many articles which appear to have been used as candlesticks, and also many vases, the greater part of which are said to have been brought from the Isle of Sacrifices on the coast near Vera Cruz, though some were found buried in or near the city of Mexico.
There is also a cabinet of natural history containing a fair collection of minerals, especially specimens of gold and silver.
The most remarkable of the modern curiosities comprise a group called rag-figures, from the supposed material of which they are formed. They are the work of a woman to whom alone the art of making them was known. She Jived it is said to a great age without having ever communicated her secret to any one besidesCITY OB' MEXICO.
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her two daughters who were engaged with her in her various works, but as they died before her, the mode in which they were constructed remains unknown.
One group of these figures consisting of three persons is perhaps a work as near perfection as it is possible to conceive. The subject is, a woman accusing her husband before an alcalde or judge. The three persons are standing. The alcalde, who is in the centre, is seen turned towards the accused whom he is reproving with his right hand stretched out and his eyes turned upwards, while the accused by holding his head a little down, manifests, whatever may have been his error, abundance of contrition, and the woman is preparing her handkerchief to dry her flowing tears.
On one occasion we attended the theatre, and though neither of us was so well acquainted with Spanish as to understand all that passed on the stage, having heard that this was the only evening amusement in the city, we expected to be pleased. We were, however, very much disappointed at the dulness of the scene, the indifference of the audience, and the low character of the whole performance, in none of which particulars was it possible to be mistaken.
The drama being itself founded upon historical events familiar to us, would however, in spite of the apparent dulness of the representation, have been bearable enough, if our unfavourable impressions had not been enhanced by the want of light in the house and the frightful prevalence of smoking. It seemed indeed as if the theatre was the place of rendezvous for adepts in that accomplishment, who were matched against one244
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another for some great prize. The beaux in the boxes«, even whilst sitting with ladies, puffed out smoke into the open space before them, where it mingled with the denser cloud, ascending from the pit; so that from the front boxes where we sat, we looked through a floating medium at the actors on the stage.S il II» IMI«» S or «lTABAXIIATO,|f,
ATA, MIKI,11. AUSO «e JRAYAS.)245
CHAP. XXXVIII.
VICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
Village of Guadalupe. —• Traditions concerning a Miracle. — The remarkable Picture of the Virgin.—Unfortunate Fanaticism of a Bishop. . — A pleasant Repast. — Interview with agreeable Natives. — Good-liumour of the Women. —Russian Opinions respecting the Relations of Christian Communities. — Gardehs of Montazuma at Chapaltepec. — Castle of.the Spanish Viceroys. — Extent of the Ancient Gardens. —Remarkable Trees. — A small Lake. — View from the Hill.
I made two little excursions in the vicinity of Mexico, accompanied by my Russian friend. The first of these was to the village of Guadalupe, a place of some celebrity from its possessing a picture already mentioned, the history of which is very characteristic of the people.
It appears that about ten years after the country was subdued by the Spaniards, or; a little before the middle of the sixteenth century, the bishop of the diocese Don Juan de Zumarraga was one day sitting gloomily contemplating the falling off of the church revenues, and the consequences that must ensue to the faithful, when he was aroused by the abrupt entry of an Indian named Juan Diego. This unexpected visit it seems was at that hour of the night when “ spirits are wont to walk,” and as the story runs the silence of the intruder for a short space of time, caused the churchman to shudder,
R 3246
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and to doubt whether he looked upon flesh and blood. The Indian, however, in a broken Castilian accent reassured him, and advancing, presented him with a small branch of a tree, which was not of a kind that the country produced, saying that it would be a testimony to the truth of what he had now to relate.
The bishop making no reply to this stranige address, his visitor stated, that the virgin had appeared to him while occupied with his labour in the field, and presenting him with this branch, had desired that he would carry it to the bishop, to whom, if he had faith, it would be the assurance of her special protection, and the regeneration of his church by the increase of its revenues. The bishop however expressed his disbelief of what he heard, and the stranger without making any attempt to persuade him of its truth, retired.
A short time after this, the same messenger presented himself a -second time before his grace, at the same hour and in the same manner, furnished with a fresh sign of the appearance of the virgin. The bishop was less alarmed on this occasion; yet when the Indian presented him with a somewhat fuller proof of his mission, viz., a bouquet of flowers, not one of which was then in season, he still remained sceptical and declared he would not believe, unless he saw and touched the virgin herself.
Not long however after this, the Indian made his abrupt entry into the presence of the holy man for the third time. On this occasion, full of the confidence, with which the favour of the Madré de Dios seemed to have inspired him, he placed a coarse mat, which was rolledVICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
247
up* upon the bishop’s table* and desired the holy man to open it* adding* that it was that very day presented to him by the Queen of Heaven for the purpose which the other gifts had failed to effect. The sceptical priest* still in doubt* unrolled the mat* and now beheld a beautiful picture of “the Virgin*” as “the Queen of Heaven” painted* if not by herself* at least by some Kaphaello of the skies. Entranced with this discovery, his incredulity was quite vanquished* and he caused the picture to be conveyed with great solemnity to his oratory. The happy event gave rise to pilgrimages and offerings which furnished funds for the erection and support of this spacious church* now one of the richest in Mexico. When completed the picture was placed in it* and has ever since remained there.
Such was the origin of the legend of the virgin of Guadalupe* the patron saint of Mexico* who i&honoured throughout the republic above all the saints in the calendar. The picture* however* I must not forget to add* is at this time in such a faded and decayed condition that it would not* apart from its history* attract notice. The figure appears to have been habited in an under garment of crimson, over which was a blue cloak with spangles. The hands are clasped and one foot rests on a crescent supported by a cherub.
We must not mention the intelligent bishop who thus repaired the fortunes of his church by his belief in the truth of this miracle* without repeating another tale concerning him* which does not reflect so much credit upon his memory as the honours he caused to be shown to the virgin of Guadalupe.248	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
There appears to have been at the time, of the conquest of Mexico, a large store of native literature, written in hieroglyphics upon cotton cloth or prepared skins, and upon a material resembling the Egyptian papyrus made from the filaments of the leaves of the maguey. The strange figures that were thus portrayed, appear to have excited the suspicions of the Christians, who regarded them as magic scrolls in the production of which the prince of darkness had some share. These this first bishop of Mexico, doubtless under the influence of the same superstitions, having collected from every quarter in the state, caused to be piled in the market place at Thateloles, and there burned.
On the hill of Telayac at this place, during the Indian rule, stood the temple of Tonantain, goddess of earth and corn, who is specially worthy of notice as being the mildest1 of all the deities of the Astecs, at whose altar we are told no human blood was shed.
We spent the greater part of a very agreeable day at Guadalupe and in its vicinity. The people, who seemed to be a rather choice sample of the mixed races of the country much interested us by their unreserved communications. After talking with a party of them, we entered a posada or kind of hotel of no great pretensions, in order to obtain some refreshment, and several of our newly made friends followed us for the mere pleasure of conversing, as they declined sharing our repast.
Our refreshment here was quite in the country style The most novel things served were, atoli, a sort of porridge made of the maguey, and tortillas, or flatVICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.	249
cakes made of the same substance; and we were told that these, which were the staple articles of food of the Indians before the conquest, still formed the chief portion of the diet of the people of the country.
But our greatest treat was the pleasant conversation we had with our good friends. One of them, who seemed to have little or no European blood in his veins, described to us the Indian manner of carrying weights, indeed acted the matter so drolly that we were convulsed with laughter. Whatever they carry is placed on their backs, and secured by a band round the head something in the fashion of our practised porters.
The women of the house having seen but few Europeans, were very much amused at our manner of speaking the Spanish language, which indeed we probably pronounced less correctly than themselves.
Among the little treasures which they seemed to wish us to admire, were some black crosses worn on their foreheads on Ash-Wednesdays and during Lent. The examination of these led to some remarks upon the different churches rather than the different religions of our several countries. We told them that one of us was of the Russian and the other of the English church, but though they had not heard of either, the information did not seem to lessen their respect for the strangers, or to give them any impression of our being less good Christians than themselves.
After this the women enlivened us very much by their description of the amours and marriages among them, and the jealousies which occasionally disturbed some of their otherwise very happy men; but there250
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were remedies they said for this disease as well as for others. The most common practised among them was, for the jealous man, with the consent of his wife when she presented him with a new born babe, to make the man of whom he was jealous, compadre or godfather to his child. This put aside all suspicions for the future, as that bond was considered a kind of relationship between the compadre and the mother which is never disgraced by unbecoming levities.
After leaving the village sanctified by the possession of this faded picture of the virgin, my friend made some observations during a conversation to which the superstitions of this people gave rise, which I thought worthy of remembrance. I have generally, indeed, listened to what I have heard Russian gentlemen say upon religious subjects or upon such questions as cause great differences of opinion between Protestants an(l Romanists, from the full conviction that their opinions are as much apart from the one as from the other of these two great Christian communities. Those Russians, whom I have well known, have commonly been men of good education, and, as it has appeared to me, of very sound judgment, with very little national prejudice upon religious subjects, which has made what they have said doubly worthy of respect. I was therefore induced to regard what came from my friend, on this occasion, with peculiar interest.
It was his opinion, that it would be better that all the different sects of Christians should remain as they were, without any attempt at proselytism on the part of individuals.251
VICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO*
“ If this/’ he said, “ were the course followed and taught by the priests of the various sects, such affection would be by and by entertained by all Christians for one another, as would greatly tend to promote peace and, good will among mankind generally. Moreover, if these sentiments were entertained and such results were effected in a religious sense, who among us could say how much farther they might not go ? Who could calculate their effects upon the international feelings of men throughout Europe, and at a more distant time throughout the world?”
“ The conversions,” he also said, “ of Protestants to the Eomish church, commonly proceed from, impressions made upon understandings perplexed by what they are unable to comprehend. Persons of this character are glad to embrace any means of relief from the burden of thought, and are happy in being able to throw the whole responsibility of their faith and practice upon men who in the Eomish church are always ready to bear the burdens put upon them, seeing that they themselves with the exception of a few at the head of the establishment, act only in conformity with the opinions of others.”
But the conversion of the Eomanists to the Protestant faith, he believed to proceed from quite different causes. In this case he supposed men doubted their right to be guided by any other principle than their own judgments. This led to an examination of the authority upon which their faith was founded, and finally to the rejection of what they had been taught,252
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which was followed by the adoption of the faith of another sect.
“The Russian church/’ continued my friend, “which you are aware is the Greek Church reformed much in the same manner as the Protestant is the Romish Church reformed, resembles the Romish in its forms and ceremonies, but is more like the established Protestant churches in its independence and its practice. The monarch with us as with you, is the head of the entire establishment, and the same tolerance which you practise towards other sects, is also practised by us with the same good effects.”
“ There is however,” he added, “ a reasonable hope of the final drawing together of the different Christian sects. This may be chiefly seen in the better feeling for one another which exists at the present day, above that formerly entertained. Religion is unchanged, but men better comprehend its ends, and entertain yearly more charity for one another.
“ Religious wars are no longer fought with the sword. The bonfires of London and Paris are burned out. Even the inquisitions of the south of Europe have since the conclusion of the last general war, opened their gates and let the victims of the most ignorant and tyrannical rulers of mankind breathe again the free air.”
The other place of interest that we visited was at Chapaltepec, about a league from the city, where may be seen almost all that now remains to recall the memory of the last princes of the ancient race once peopling this region of America, comprising little more than the gardens of Montazuma.VICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
253
We set off on foot with our approved guide* and the first thing that attracted our attention as we left the city was a noble aqueduct forming one of the two great courses by which water is conveyed from the higher country* and which is supported by nine hundred wide arches.
The sources of this watercourse are at the hill of Chapaltepec* towards which we were directing our steps, while those supplying the watercourse which enters another part of the town* are at the hill of Santa Fe which is further from the city.
After an agreeable walk* we came to the gates of the gardens of Montazuma which were open* and at which there were two sentinels who did not obstruct our passage. We found the ground rise a little after entering, until we came to a branch of the road on the right* conducting to the more elevated ground upon which stands the castle of Chapaltepec* an edifice built by one of the viceroys in the days of Spanish rule.
We first took the straight way which leads directly to the site of the former palace and gardens of the Mexican princes. The gardens are said to have at one time encompassed the hill for several miles around* to have been filled with shrubs and flowers* and to have possessed every enchantment which the highest refinement of the times afforded. There are now howeve no remains whatever of the palace* or indeed of the gardens* save a few magnificent trees* which still adorn the place of residence of the last sovereigns of this ancient people. The most remark-254
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able of these, are of the cypress species, which stand like an eternal monument of the past grandeur of the monarchs of the ancient race. Tradition reports, and we may well believe, that those proud sovereigns, the heads of the terrible system of government and the frightful mythology which prevailed, once passed their leisure hours amidst the women of their harems, under the branches of these very trees, which are supposed to have been centuries old even at the time of the conquest of the country.
The height of one of them is immense, and we found the trunk at about four feet from the ground, to be ten times the span of a man’s arms, or about forty-five or fifty feet, in circumference. The other trees of the same species are not much inferior to this; and there are about a dozen of a different species equally magnificent, while their age is rendered more apparent by their trunks and larger boughs being covered with plants and moss. There were also many of the kinds often before mentioned as prevailing throughout the tropical regions of America.
The greater part of these trees, were standing near the banks of a narrow and tranquil lake, which is said to have afforded fishing for the ancient sovereigns; and near the lake abound shrubberies of natural growth and wild flowers, which, if they do not recall the past, add to the gloomy aspect of the place.
After we had gratified ourselves by inspecting the little to be seen in the garden besides the trees, we ascended a winding carriage road which led to the castle above mentioned. This, notwithstanding itsVICINITY OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
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European origin, is an ancient building in a state of decay. The apartments were uninhabited, and without furniture, and the walls, which are from their situation much exposed to the wind, were crumbling away, while the windows which had once had glass in them, were now without any.
From the terrace beneath the walls of the castle we obtained even a more extended view of the city and its vicinity, and of the snow-capped mountains which encompass the plain, than from the observatory of the university. The most conspicuous object which now came under our notice was, the rural retreat of Tobayca, where the wealthier portion of the citizens pass the hottest season of the year.
At the base of the hill we had ascended, and near the pathway which leads to its summit, there is a cold spring, now walled in, which is said to have been the bath of Montazuma.256
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CHAP. XXXIX.
THE SILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.
Level Road. —. Cultivated Country. — Arrival at Puchaca. — Road to Real del Monte. — Arrival at the Director’s. — Curious Reception. — Mrs. Buchan. —Meeting Mr. Buchan. — Inspection of the Offices of the Chief Engineer__Ride to the Outworks of the Mining Establish-
ment. — Reducing the Silver from the Ore. — Patio Process. —Wet Crushing Mills. — Process of the German Barrels.—Regia.—Natural Objects of Curiosity. — San Migel. — Romantic Country. — Descent into the principal Mine at Real del Monte. — Account of the Interior. — The principal Veins worked.—-Departure.
As it was mv intention to visit the silver mines of Real del Monte which are at a convenient distance from the city of Mexico, our consul Mr. Mackintosh, their principal proprietor, offered me a letter to the director of the works, Mr. Buchan ; but by some accident I missed seeing the consul before my departure and set off without this advantage.
There was but one other passenger in the diligence, a gentleman who had been speculating heavily in mines with very indifferent success. He was now, however, full of hope, that a favourable change was taking place, by the introduction of improvements in the working of the ores, which would soon enable him to recover the losses he had sustained.
We were both well armed, and therefore free at least from the terror I had suffered on my last journey, lestSILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.
257
I should be obliged tamely to submit to the greatest indignity that could well be conceived.
As we left the capital at five o’clock in the morning, we had a fine view of the country before the glare of the brilliant sun obstructed the view of the distant mountains around.
We breakfasted at an early hour at the village of Capio, near which the ground was covered with fine crops of the maguey.
As we proceeded, we found the road level and much better than any portion of that by which I had travelled between Vera Cruz and the capital. The country too was in general well cultivated ; and the only inconvenience we experienced was occasioned by the dust which was whirled about in a most remarkable manner by a strong wind nearly the whole of the day.
At four o’clock in the afternoon we arrived at Puchaca, where the journey by the diligence terminated. The manager of the vehicles here, who was a Spanish Creole, was one of the most uncivil persons of his race; but I had fortunately brought with me a letter from the proprietor of the whole line, Señor Turatuso, a Spanish gentleman who was also proprietor of the hotel at which I was staying in Mexico. This gentleman always took the head of his table in the city and I had formed with him a chatty acquaintance; but I was much surprised on my arrival here, to find that he had ordered horses and everything I might require to be furnished me without any charge. Horses and a guide were now therefore immediately provided, and after taking leave
VOL. II.
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of my companion, I set off for Real del Monte, which was about two leagues from this place.
The road now rising from the plain led us through the most agreeable scenery, and the temperature as we ascended became colder and colder, until we attained the highest altitude, some time before dark. Here we found a beautiful grove of trees, beneath which is seated the village of Real del Monte, which is not seen by the traveller until he is close to it. The village has rather an English appearance, the houses being white washed and well roofed. After passing a church, we turned down to the dwelling of the director and rode immediately into the court.
As my guide and myself now clapped our hands and no one for several minutes appeared, I was a little embarrassed as to what we should do. Before we alighted however a Creole woman came out of one of the lower rooms, and with a countenance expressive rather of terror than surprise, asked us our business. When told that I wished to see Mr. Buchan, she informed us that he was not at home; but upon being further questioned as to when he would be likely to return, and told that I was one of his countrymen, she said she would inquire of Mrs. Buchan, and then left us.
She now mounted an open staircase leading to a gallery or balcony extending along two sides of the court, and was some little time absent. In the meantime I observed that the lower rooms seemed to consist of chambers for those employed in the various menial offices of the household, while above these, the broadSILVER MINES OE REAL. DEL MONTE.	259
balcony filled with flowers and shrubs,- plainly enough indicated the whereabouts of the better apartments of the family.
The Creole woman 'after an-absence of several minutes returned, ’ and with a most serious countenance and tremulous Voice, which would* have much surprised one who saw a Spanish Creole for'the first time, requested in her mistress’ pume that I would ascend.
Upon receiving this invitation I alighted, and accompanied) by the- messenger mounted to the balcony whence I was conducted to the principal room, where I found Mrs. Buchan sitting alone.
Here I must’ express my- gratification at meeting an elegant English! lady, in ‘the- very.prime of life, and I mustiadd, of great beauty.' She rose most unceremoniously, ; and after informing me that-her husband would be- home in a few minutes, begged I would be seated. She > then informed me i that the Creole by whom she had invited me to/ ascend had been quite paralysed at the courage of her mistress in allowing a stranger to be admitted during her husband’^ absence. She had however reassured her by telling her, that there was not much danger from the company of one of her countrymen upon which the good woman, who it appeared was the amder' governess in the family, descended and in the manner above mentioned delivered the invitation.
It w?i not; long before Mr. Buchan returned home, and upon my mentioning Mr. Mackintosh’s name, he kindly promised me an opportunity of seeing the mines to the greatest advantage. In the meantime a room260
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was placed at my disposal, and after taking some „refreshment, I spent a pleasant evening in the company of himself and his amiable, wife.
The morning after my arrival at Eeal del Monte, Mr. Buchan accompanied me before breakfast to take a hasty first view of the scene of the principal operations. We inspected the offices of the chief-engineer, and of the captain of the enormous steam-engine employed in pumping out the water from the depths of the mine, and other departments. The men overlooking the work in the several divisions of the establishment
■9
were English, and all was activity and order, a state of affairs quite opposite to everything I had met with in any works wholly carried on by the natives. Even some Mexicans who were working with the English operatives appeared to have changed their national habits, though I heard that they were extremely uncertain in their labour, and were often manoeuvring to get their wages increased without any just grounds for *their claims.
After breakfast I rode out with Mr. Buchan to see what might be termed the outworks of the mining establishment. Preparations were here making for extending the operations. The land was lower and a cottage was being built, and a garden planted under the superintendence of the director. The situation was warmer than that of the principal works, and there was less annoyance from rain and mountain mists, and the country around abounded in hill and dale and was tolerably well cultivated.
Mr. Buchan fully explained to me the patio processSIEVED MINES. OF BEAL DEL MONTE.
261
commonly in use for separating the pure silver from the fossil rock; and this I afterwards committed to writing.
As soon as the rock is raised from the pit, such portions as are known by competent judges to contain the most metal are selected, while all that is thought unlikely to pay the expenses, of its reduction is thrown aside. , The better portion is then carried to the reduction works or the hacienda de beneficio, where by pounding it is reduced to dry gravel. It is then ground to an impalpable paste by the mills of the country which are called arrastres. These are circular and are worked in the same manner as the mills on the sugar estates in the West India islands. They contain a sort of basin with a bottom of porphyry within which the gravel is laid mixed with water. Mules are then attached to the ends of poles which have suspended from them large stones called piedras de fondo and piedras voladoras. These are of several hundred pounds weight, flat at the bottom and inclined a little upward at the foremost part, while the back part dragging along the bottom of the basin as the mules move round, reduces the gravel to a paste.
The. paste thus made, is carried to the patio where it is spread out, and after being mixed with a proportion of common salt is for the first day continually trodden down by the mules. The next day mercury and sulphate of copper are added in proportions varying according to the quality of the ore. The whole is then kept wet, and trodden down for about six weeks, by262
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
which time it is considered to he well amalgamated. It is then washed out, in order to separate the amalgamated metals from the mud.
The mass thus obtained generally contains about one-fifth or one-sixth per cent, of silver. It is here of a light colour, resembling clay in appearance; but at other places the colours vary. It is now submitted to a distilling process in a vessel of a bell form which is placed on a plate of copper within a furnace. By this means the mercury is separated from the silver, which as the sulphate of copper has been already carried away by the mud, is now pure.
At ’*Real del Monte, wet crushing mills are sometimes employed to produce the gravel, the greater part of the ores here being found difficult to reduce. Also instead of the patio process of spreading out the paste and thus obtaining an amalgam, they often use the German barrel system. By this, the ore after being ground is dried and sifted, and then calcined in reverberating furnaces for about three hours, in order to draw off almost all the sulphur, and oxydate the inferior metals or those which contain no silver. Salt is then added, and the heat continued for about twenty minutes, in order to convert the silver from the state of a sulphate in which it is foqnd in the ores into a chloride. It is next drawn from the furnace, and after cooling put into large barrels holding about half a ton each, water, bits of iron, and mercury being added to it. The use of the iron is to decompose the chloride of silver, and that of the mercury, to collect the pure silver thus set free fromSILVEE MINES OE BEAL DEL MONTE.
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the iron, forming the amalgam afterwards separated by the process above mentioned.
There are also other methods of extracting the silver from the rock, more refined than those which Tiave been described as chiefly employed here.
A ton or twenty quintals of common ores will generally yield at these mines about three thousand ounces of pure silver, which is considered a good return. Mr. Buchan, however, supposed that when the works should be fully commenced in two new haciendas not yet in operation, he might obtain about seventy thousand ounces.
The next day Mr. Buchan sent me in his carriage accompanied by Mr. Chynowith, an English gentleman who had been long in the country and was now in business in this district, to visit the new mining haciendas at Regia and San Migel, which are at the distance of six or seven leagues from Real del Monte.
The way for the first league or two was along a road made by an English company to whom the estates formerly belonged, by blasting the rocks and other works which had been of great benefit to the country, and the whole of the route was tolerable. The country too was fine, and after a most agreeable drive we reached Regia, where Mr. Bell the manager aided us in inspecting whatever was to be seen within the hacienda.'
The works here were established and for some time carried on by the Spaniards, but everything had fallen to decay and was now being gradually replaced by better machinery than had been formerly employed. The grand patio, which covered about an acre of ground was264
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originally the place where the mules had trodden out the mud. to effect the process of amalgamation.
When we had visited several other remains of the ancient works, the manager led us to a little distance from the centre of the operations, to view some natural objects of curiosity. After passing beneath an archway the gate of which was opened with massive keys, we crossed a stream by a bridge which brought us to a most romantic spot between two hills. Advancing a few hundred yards further, we came to the abrupt termination of the ravine we had entered, and here beheld a noble cataract of about a hundred feet in height.
The scene was of the highest interest and brought to my mind two places in our own country of which I have only seen pictures — the Giant’s Causeway and Fingal’s Cave. On either side, natural basaltic columns stood embedded in the cliffs, , and many others that had fallen were lying in every direction around. They were almost all, if we might judge from those strewed upon the ground over which we passed, of the hexagonal form, but a few had only five sides. A pool beneath the cataract which seemed to be about
three hundred yards in circumference was also sur-
/
rounded by precisely similar columns.
At the distance of about a league from this, we entered the hacienda of San Migel, where we found Mr. Floresi, the manager of the works. He received us with the same politeness we had met with at Eegla, and after we had taken some refreshment, accompanied us to inspect the works. They had, as at265
SILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.
S.
Regia, been formerly extensive, but bad fallen into decay and were now being replaced on a larger scale by this gentleman who bad received bis mining education in England. He was now about reducing tbe silver placed in tbe patio by salt water instead of by tbe above mentioned process.
Beyond this bacienda, we found a billy romantic country resembling some of our parks ; and we observed everywhere in tbe veins of tbe soil a material of a soapy nature wbicb is called by tbe miners jobones. Pursuing tbe course of tbe stream wbicb supplies tbe power by wbicb tbe work is carried on, we came to a lake, wbicb, like an artificial reservoir, furnishes supplies for a time after tbe rains wbicb fill tbe rivers have ceased to fall.
Tbe day after my visit to tbe new haciendas, I was put by .Mf* Buchan under tbe charge of a practical man, in whose company I descended to tbe interior of tbe deep mine at tbe principal seat of tbe operations. "We were first robed in mining attire, made of coarse canvas, and candles being placed upon tbe tops of our caps, we commenced tbe descent of tbe grand shaft.
Tbe descent is effected by ladders about ten yards or less in length, tbe necessary narrowness of the shaft preventing their being made longer. They pass from gallery to gallery, and between every pair of them, there is a trap-door wbicb is kept closed, except when parties are passing by.
We, met with nothing remarkable until we came to tbe first adit, tbe Cornish term for a gallery, sometimes called a level, upon wbicb work is performed.266
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
Here we were able to examine the entrance of the passage for carrying off the water raised from the bottom of the mine, to the distance of two miles, where it meets the external air. This is called by the Mexicans the socabon.
We were now two hundred yards from the mouth of the pit, and we followed the vein intersected by the adit through intricate passages where there were traces of great labour long since performed.
At the termination of one of these passages, we found a party at Work, but as we had to descend to a depth where more important labour was being performed we did not stay to particularly examine what was doing here.
Descending then in a similar manner to the bottom of the mine, we came to the grand second adit. Here we found fewer passages open in the rock ; but several parties were breaking the rocks with much diligence by pickaxes, while boys were piling the choice pieces as they fell broken from the walls around. The rock here, although hard, was rich in quality. The metal, indeed, was plainly to be seen, on many pieces, and the profits of the vein now being worked were known to be increasing abundantly.
There was also here, a narrow vein remarkable for the nature of the substance in which the metal was deposited, which yielded great profits on account of a saving of one-third in the working as it required no crushing and less labour in grinding.
We were now at the depth of 400 yards beneath the surface of the earth, and as the descent had been ex-SILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.
267
tremely fatiguing, we sat down on the ledge of the rocks to refresh ourselves with a meal for which my companion had well provided. I was much surprised while seated, to find we had other companions in the mine than those of our own species. Eats came running about us as boldly as if they questioned our right to be beneath the surface of the earth; and what I confess surprised me more was, to see spiders’ webs which certainly indicated that there were winged insects as well as spiders in this gloomy abode. The wood carried down for use in the works might account for their getting into the mine, but that they should live deprived of the benefit arising from the vegetation above seemed most surprising.
After our meal I collected a few of the most precious specimens of the fossil rock. Then we took our places in the basket in which the uncrushed rock is raised, and were conveyed through a narrow passage to the top of the pit, where we found the day nearly spent.*
While we were near the mouth of the pit some of the miners who were natives having ascended the ladders made their appearance in the open air. They were all particularly examined, to ascertain that they had brought up nothing of value from the depths below.
I shall only further remark, that there are, or very soon will be on the whole estate no less than four mining haciendas or hamlets of reduction works in active operation, and twelve pits or shafts. The principal mines
* For a more scientific and exact account of these mines, see an extract from a letter I received from Mr. Buchan, which will be found in the Appendix.268
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
at present worked here are, the Bescayna, the Tapona and the Aeosta. They all run nearly east and west, and are crossed by others called Santa Brigida and Santa Inez.
The day after descending the mine I hid a very warm farewell to my kind friends Mr. and Mrs. Buchan and returned to Mexico by the road I had before travelled.269
CHAP. XL.
RETURN TO VERA ORUZ.
Departure from the City of Mexico. ;— My Companion. — Our Escort.
—	Difficulty of obtaining a Relief. —Visit to the Government-House at Puebla. — Our Reception there. — The Company. — Consultation about the Strangers.— Our Disappointment.—Relief in the Morning.
—	Arrive at Vera Cruz. — Remarks concerning Mexico. — Youths educated in the United States. — Effects of their Education.
When I had seen enough of the city of Mexico and its vicinity to satisfy my curiosity, I began to seek for companions for my return journey to Vera Cruz, well armed against any attack by the brigands that infest the country between that place and the capital.
The diligence had been stopped and the passengers robbed several times since my arrival here, and, happen what might, it was my determination not again to travel without the means of defence against the insult and robbery to which I had been exposed on the previous journey. My Eussian friend had not yet completed his business in Mexico; but I had no doubt that I should find others of the same mind that we had been before our plans were put aside by our fellow-passengers from Vera Cruz.
It happened that I had scarce commenced my inquiries, when I fell in with a retired captain in the North American navy who was seeking a companion for270	TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
the same journey ; and he had a double reason for being well armed, having a box of treasure, which he was determined, if possible, to carry himself to Yera Cruz. He had obtained an order from the captain general of police, which bore the signature of the president of the republic, for an escort at every town which he should pass through, but it was very uncertain whether this would be efficacious. The occasion was however too favourable for me to lose, so I immediately made my arrangements, and, accompanied by a single Mexican also armed, we left the noble city, with less terror, at least, on my part of an inglorious defeat than I had before experienced.
We left the city of Mexico about an hour before day, accompanied by a mounted escort of five men, whose conduct, however, before long led us to doubt whether any dependence could be placed upon them. We gave strict orders to the coachman that he should warn us of the approach of danger, that we might jump out of our diligence and aid the guard, if they should be near us, in repelling any attack, or defend ourselves in case they should not be at hand.
Our escort was armed with lances, carbines and broadswords; but as my companions were doubtless good shots, and I had confidence in myself, we placed rather more dependence upon our own double barrelled-guns than upon the assistance: of the guard.
The manner in which the robbers usually effect their ends, has been already mentioned. The guard with which the coaches are often provided, is always at the time of attack far behind or in advance; so thatRETURN TO VERA CRUZ.	271
whether this arises from connivance with the robbers or from fear of them, they are rarely of much use, and there was now no power in the state to punish their default.
We had our escort renewed at Eio Frio, the village in the mountains which separate the two plains of Puebla and Mexico; and after passing the woody country where on my way to the capital we had met the soldiers of the line at so fortunate a moment, we arrived in the evening at Puebla, without having experienced any other inconvenience than that occasioned by the roughness of the road.
As soon as we had taken some refreshment, the captain and myself proceeded to the residence of the military commander, furnished with the order above mentioned, signed by the president of the republic himself, for a further escort on the following day. We were received with politeness, but informed that there were no troops in the town, and that the only means of obtaining an escort was by application to the civil governor who would probably furnish us with a guard of militia.
Upon hearing this, we set off for the government-house, at the door of which we were met by a reply to our demand to see his excellency, that he was indisposed and in, bed. We insisted, however, that our business was of importance and that it was necessary we should see some one who might have authority to attend to pressing affairs. Strict orders, however, seemed to have been given not to admit strangers or bear an^.messages to the governor, and the servant272
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informed us, that he could not even leave the door for an instant.
While we were considering this strange state of things, a carriage drove up, and a gentleman, evidently dressed for company, jumping out, we took the opportunity of asking him what we ought to do to obtain an interview with some one in the service of the governor ; and he promised to make inquiry. Soon after he had left us a young man appeared with orders to invite us to walk up.
We mounted a broad flight of steps which conducted to the gallery ordinarily met with in all good old
t
Spanish houses. Observing that the young man was about to open a door which, from the number of servants in attendance, evidently led to a room in which there was company, we asked whether he was about' to introduce us in our travelling attire to the gay circle we supposed to be assembled, but he only replied by opening the door and bidding us walk in; and before we well knew where we were, we found ourselves in the midst of the beauty and fashion of Puebla.
Our position, it will be easily perceived, was now somewhat awkward/ Attired in ponchos, we stood in the the room among the ladies of the city upon whom the beaux were politely attending as if preparing to dance. A gentleman advanced to us, who proved to be the secretary of the governor, and very politely asked us our business. Upon being informed^ and after examining the order which the captain presented to him, he undertook to answer for the governor, that the state of the townRETURN TO YERA CRUZ.
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required the presence of all the troops at hand, and that he could not therefore comply with the demand.
Upon hearing this, we expressed our surprise and disappointment so strongly, that a reconsideration of the matter took place. Chairs were given us, while a coterie of officials gathered in consultation at another part of the room, and their deliberations seemed to be as profound, and were certainly as long, as if some question of great importance occupied them.
In the meantime, we had the opportunity of regarding at leisure the beauties in the apartment, our unsuitable attire preventing any attempt to converse with them. They chatted away however among themselves, the greater part of the beaux having gathered round the secretary to join in the discussion concerning the demand of the strangers, or to listen to what was passing.
As soon as the determination of the officials was settled, the whole party advanced, and the secretary informed us that the governor being too ill to be communicated with, it became his duty to express his inability to comply with the order.
There did not now appear much politeness in the secretary’s manner, and vexed rather than surprised, /We told him in as plain language as the presence of the ladies would permit, that when we should report what had occurred, their resolution would no doubt be considered a connivance with the brigands, and that we should consider it our duties to represent the matter to the President and the congress now sitting. After this stiff bows on both sides terminated the interview and we retired.
VOL. II.
T274
TKAVELS IN PEEIT AND MEXICO.
We were called by the driver, at two o’clock the following morning, to continue our journey. The moon which had just entered her first quarter had now set, and the darkness warned us of the' necessity of precaution in the management of our small force if we hoped for success in an encounter with brigands.
Things however turned out better than we expected; for, whether the secretary or the governor, had some misgivings as to the probable consequences of his conduct or from some other cause, as we passed the gates of the town a well armed escort of the usual number of men rode up and joined us.
We breakfasted at Nopolvica, where our extraordinary escort was relieved by that which usually accompanies the vehicle, and we arrived that evening at Perote.
Early on the third day we reached Jalapa, and on the evening of the fourth, without accident, having had an escort during the greater part of the journey, we entered Vera Cruz.
I shall here remark regarding this young republic, that I frequently during my travels in the interior, heard opinions freely expressed both respecting the relations existing between the government of the country and that of old Spain, and also concerning those between Mexico and the North American States; and it will be as well to state the impressions left upon my mind regarding the feelings of the people towards the only two nations with whom they are likely to have any important political transactions.
Whoever has watched the course of the Mexican revolutions or merely observed their constancy, andRETURN TO VERA CRUZ.
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known the little hope that exists under the present order of things* of a return to the peace and tranquillity enjoyed under the government of the mother country* ought not to be surprised to find that there are two parties in the Republic, one of which inclines to submission to Spain* while the other favours a union with the United States.
I do not myself believe there is in the world a country that has ever been civilised* now so deficient as the republic of Mexico in the two great essentials to prosperity and progress* tranquillity and security of property. It is not surprising* therefore* that the people should have become weary of so degraded a condition* and be ready to seize any opportunity of securing for themselves protection or of forming some union that might raise them from the depressed and wretched condition into which they have fallen.
That a determined course would long ago have been taken and the Spaniards chosen for their protectors had they invaded the country during one of the Mexican revolutions and declared their determination to establish free trade* or had the North Americans who would have been equally chosen* earnestly invited them to unite with the great republic* there can scarcely be a shadow of doubt; and who is there among us who would wish from any false notions of the rights of nations* to see the population of so fine a country degenerating into a mere horde of barbarians* for want of the security necessary to enable them to exist in peace under the government wThich is supposed to be established among them.276
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I say, supposed, for there is nothing more certain ^ than that the government existing in Mexico, does not merit the name that is given to it. It is a constantly changing military tyranny, as uncertain in the parties who may rule, as in the measures likely to he taken for the security of their authority and the immediate government of the country. Those who for the time rule are, indeed, always so ill-supported after the first display of power, that they soon become too weak to be capable of protecting the lives and property of the people.
I must here mention a circumstance likely by and by to turn the scale of choice among the Mexicans in favour of connection with the United States, should the people of those States desire it. It is a custom in Mexico to send many of the young men to the universities in the United States to obtain or finish their education, and these are said to return generally with so lively an impression of the superiority of the institutions of that country, as to be ready for the union, as the only means of effecting the regeneration of their unhappy country.
That there would be great difficulties attending both the arrangement of the terms of such union and the carrying these into effect there can be no doubt. Nay, if we suppose the union actually accomplished, the Northern States could not I apprehend, without a change in their constitution, send an army into the country, unless it were actually in a state of rebellion against the supreme authority, and the army that would be in any case necessary must be larger than that which the States usually maintain.CHAP. XLI.
RETURN TO HAVANNAH AND VOYAGE TO EUROPE.
Departure from Vera Cruz. — My Fellow-Passengers. — Sunset in the Gulf of Mexico. — Anchor off Tampico.— Dangerous Bar.—Anxiety about our Boat.—,Beceive Treasure on Board.—Arrival at Mobile.—-Departure.—Arrival at Havannah. —Sail for Europe.—View of the Island of Santa Maria. — Arrival at Cadiz. — Travel in Spain and Portugal. — A few Remarks on taking Leave of the Reader.
The agreeable days which I spent in the city, of Mexico and in its vicinity, appeared to me so worthy a termination of my tonr in the New World that I now determined to take the most direct route to my own quarter of the globe. I had been three years, with, but short intervals of rest, continually travelling by land or by sea. The news of the important events so constantly occurring in the continental countries of Europe, which excite less interest in one travelling in the distant countries of the Pacific Ocean, made now their due impression. My mind, indeed, since I crossed the isthmus of Suez, had been frequently occupied with the desire to approach the peaceful island of my birth, whose noble institutions become more and more dear to those who witness the insecurity of property and life prevailing in the countries through which I had lately278
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
travelled—the land whose claims for our exertions in its defence should he most strongly impressed upon all our minds.
On the 19th of April I embarked on board an English steamer bound to Mobile and Havannah, at the latter of which ports there could be no doubt of my obtaining a passage direct to Europe. Among my fellow-passengers were, Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley, her daughter and Lord Kerr, with whom as I have already mentioned I had made some slight acquaintance in Mexico. ) There was also on board, an American gentleman who had been in California, a correspondent of one of the public journals in New York, and from him we had a very full account of what was doing at San Francisco and at the diggings. The rest of the cabin passengers were chiefly composed of adventurers from California.
But I must here make a few remarks upon my country-woman, in return for her mention of myself in the account of her travels which she afterwards published.
The Lady Emmeline was extremely affable and seemed very desirous of acquiring all the information in her power. Being aware of my having travelled in the wilds of Northern Asia, she asked me many questions concerning that country, and in return for what I was able to relate, gave me among other interesting pieces of information, a remarkable account of her reception by the President of the United States, which being published I need not repeat. She must, however, have forgotten what she heard of Siberia when she gave the279
RETURN TO HAVANNAH.
I '
public the account of my travels in that country in a few words upon a matter of very little importance on which we had some conversation.
The young lady excited general interest by her lively disposition and many promising signs of beauty at a riper age. She much amused some of us who were older sailors, by her pretty use of several expressive sea phrases acquired on a former voyage.
There was an Englishman on board who excited some interest among the passengers from its being reported that he had travelled much, and that the holy land was in the catalogue of the countries he had visited. I con-yersed with him but little, but happening through the turn of our conversation to inquire what had been generally the object of his travels, he informed me that necessity had obliged him to undertake the greater part of those he had made, which he thus explained.
“ X was born,” he said, “ and bred in London, but upon coming of age I sold a little estate I inherited, and sailed for and settled in Canada, where I married and improved my fortunes. At the end of fourteen years, my wife dying without leaving any children, I was induced to part with my estate in the colony and return home. On my arrival in England, I found all my relations either so different from myself in their manners, or so advanced in their fortunes, that I did not feel at home among them, and a second marriage was impossible without drawing my wife down from the higher station to which she was born, unless I could somewhat improve my fortunes in business; for, what was more280
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than ample for every comfort in the colony, was insufficient for my maintenance in a similar position at home. I found however after a short time, what, unless you have been long in one of our colonies you will not understand, that the business of Europe was not such as a colonist could undertake without almost a certainty of losing all he might possess, and as the ennui of remaining in England without occupation appeared to me even worse than this, I determined to occupy myself by almost continually travelling in foreign countries. Thus, necessity you will see has been the cause of my travels.”
To one of the passengers who inquired in which of the countries that he had seen, he had found the people the most contented and happy, he replied.' “In all the countries which I have Visited in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, the people I have found possessing the fullest share of the greatest blessings which the Creator has bestowed upon his creatures, are the Canadians and other inhabitants of British America who have been born in the country or have emigrated advisedly. They have become a highly intelligent people, owing in a great measure to their familiarity with all the details of our system of government, which is nowhere better known than in these countries ; while they have less that is objectionable in their institutions than is found I believe in any other country; and, as they enjoy the greatest freedom, in whatever they choose to undertake, they have become the most happy in their social intercourse.”
I had heard , a great deal while in the West Indies,RETURN TO HAYANNAH.	281
I
of the magnificence of the sunsets in the gulf of Mexico* but I did not see anything remarkable until I was on this voyage. That which we now beheld was not so beautiful as uncommon to those new to these climes. I have several times* indeed* seen what have appeared to me more splendid sunsets in Devonshire; more especially near the mouth of the Exe when the bright orb has been sinking behind the western hills.
The sunset we now beheld* however* which might be described almost in a single line* was very different from what is generally seen elsewhere. The whole heavens were illuminated* and so equally in every quarter* that when the sun had dipped beneath the sea* that part of the horizon at which he had, disappeared was scarcely distinguishable from the surrounding sky. It. was not* however, merely one blaze of light and colour. Over the entire heavens floated thin vapojary clouds of a few degrees in breadth* and at nearly equal distances from one another* all of which were uniformly illuminated; and they remained tinged with crimson rays from the brilliant orb long after his disk had become invisible from the deck. The appearance* indeed more resembled the aurora borealis as I have seen that wonderful phenomenon in high latitudes* than any sunsets I have ever before beheld.
On the 20th of the month we anchored off Tampico* and one of our boats was sent on shore for some treasure supposed to be waiting our arrival. We had much anxiety about her* for although it was nearly calm with us* there had been a “ norther” upon the coast* and the sea was breaking very heavily upon the bar of282
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the harbour. Thus while she seemed to be in the midst of the surf, she suddenly disappeared from our sight.
The sea continued to run high and we saw nothing more of our boat until the 23rd, when our anxiety was relieved by her re-appearance towing a frail river boat of light draft, built expressly to carry silver over the bar, as any larger craft would instantly go to pieces if she should happen to strike there while loaded. We received by this means, no less than two millions of coined Mexican dollars, as the silver is not allowed to be exported in any other form.
As soon as the treasure was on board we got under weigh and made sail for Mobile, in the United States; and on the morning of the 26th, we, by our reckoning, calculated that we were within a very few miles of the point which stretches out from the west side of the harbour; but being enveloped in a dense fog which obstructed our view, the steamer was hove to. In about an hour, however, the weather cleared up, and our reckoning proved correct, as the point was now visible. We presently received a pilot, and running up a narrow channel, where there were two light-houses, we anchored about mid-day.
We scarcely saw anything while we were at Mobile, except the harbour which is surrounded by low land, and is by no means remarkable. There were indeed a few warehouses and sheds near where we brought up; and five British ships were lying at anchor at some distance off the wharves, loading with cotton.VOYAGE TO EUROPE.
283
After landing our passengers for tlie United States, we got under weigh again and sailed for Havannah where we arrived late in the evening of the 28th, and landed the next morning.
There were no steamers at Havannah for Cadiz where I wished to arrive in Europe; after therefore again enjoying the society of my former friends, for a few. days, I embarked for that port by a .Spanish packet which sailed on the 8th of the month, politely furnished by Senor Tragoni with two letters of introduction to his friends there.
After four days beating to windward, with the powerful gulf stream in our favour, we cleared the strait formed by the Bahama Islands and the coast of America, and then steered a course towards the northeast.
By the 17th of the month, we had much changed our climate. The wind came now strong from the north, and it was very cold. On the 20th and 21st we were scudding under the reefed foresail. On the 22nd we set our topsails close-reefed and on the 23rd again set all sail.
On the first of April we made the Island of Santa Maria, which is the most southern of the Azores or Western Islands, at the very hour our captain expected; and, as we passed within twenty miles of its shores, we had a fine view of the rude and sterile mountains of which it seems chiefly composed, unrelieved by the sight of cultivated lands, which a nearer view might have afforded.284
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
After this, we had strong breezes from the westward, until the ninth of the same month when we entered the harbour of Cadiz.
I spent the summer after my arrival in Europe in a tour in Spain and Portugal, and I visited Gibraltar, Lisbon, Seville, Cordova, Granada and some of the fields of battle during the last European war, where our gallant armies earned the glory which will stimulate future generations to defend the honour and interests of their country.
I particularly inspected the ground of the battle of the Pyrenees near Yera, in which I had to regret the loss of an elder brother, who fell during the storming of the French lines, and was buried in a garden adjoining the church at Yera.) It had been my intention to place some memorial within the church. This, however, two priests forbade; though it was said that if the bishop of the diocese had been present he would not have objected.
Upon consulting with Doctor Tiburcio Lauroche of Yera and Captain Ramon Yzpelegui who was here on leave from Pamplona where his regiment was quartered, with both of whom I had already became acquainted, I was advised to have an epitaph engraven upon the external walls of the church, which I engaged a mason to perform, and the work was completed during my «stay. Upon the largest stone we could find in a suitable position, the surface of which only admitted five contracted lines, I caused the following short inscription to be thus engraven :CONCLUDING- REMARKS.
285
NEAR HERE REPOSE THE MORTAL REMAINS OE
John Hill, 2d Lt. 95th English Regt., who eell 7th October 1813, AGED 24 YEARS. 1850.
And I must add that I had the pleasure after leaving the country of corresponding with both the gentlemen above named, and the satisfaction of hearing from the doctor, that the bishop on his arrival at Vera approved of what had been done.
From Spain I entered France, and after passing the next winter in Italy, arrived the following summer in London which completed my tour round the world.
In taking leave of the reader of these volumes, as I am not at liberty to suppose any one to be acquainted with the four which have preceded them, upon the same course of travels, or with others which I have published, I shall make a few remarks which would not under different circumstances have been thought necessary.
Among the observations I have made, in the course of my wanderings amongst the inhabitants of different nations, it hap appeared to me, that when the people of two civilised nations come in contact with one another they are more apt to imbibe each other’s virtues than vices; that, when the people of two barbarous or not very civilised nations are brought by circumstances286
TRAVELS IN PERU AND MEXICO.
into close contact, they more easily, contract each others vices than virtues, while they confirm the hatred which they are sure to have previously entertained for each other, and thus augment their former discord; that, when the civilised man and the savage are brought into peaceable contact, the savage contracts the vices of the civilised man more easily than his virtues, and the civilised man too often forgets his good manners, and relaxes in his former respect for decency and good morals. The modes in which these effects are manifested differ extremely, and are very difficult to distinguish, though an attempt has been made to exhibit some of them in the preceding volumes of these travels.
I may add to these remarks, that after passing through the north of Europe, and the north of Asia, and after visiting several of the islands of the Pacific Ocean, a great portion of South America and part of North America, with two of the more remarkable islands in the West Indies, — after indeed mingling among the different grades of our species from perhaps the most refined to the most barbarous, I have never been robbed by violence—though here I must give fortune some credit for my escape—never wronged to so great an amount as to be long remembered, and never insulted on account of my religion differing from that of the people among whom I have travelled.
So far, indeed, from any of these troubles having occurred, I have generally been treated with respect, and sometimes with more than it has been in my power by any means to repay. In conclusion, if anyCONCLUDING^ BEMAEKS.
287
one will compare wliat has been said in these pages with what has been related by others who have previously written accounts of their voyages and travels in the same regions* they may perceive that the human race in general is in a state of progress in morals and refinement* the result without doubt of the influence of religion upon those even by wThom this has not yet been received as coming directly from the great Author of all.APPENDICES.
No. I.
An exact copy óf an ancient manuscript, found in the hands of an oíd Indian of Cuzco, and presented to the Author by Mr. Backhouse.
“ Descripción de la Ciudad del Cuzco y como' tomaron posesión, “ por S. M.” de ella y de otras treinta Ciudades principales, de la gran cantidad, fundida, de Oro y de Plata y repartida entre ellos, fuera del quinto del Emperador y de los diversos precios de las vestimentas: por los cuales se conoce en cuan-poca estimación estuviesen tenidos entre los Indianos y Españoles el Oro y la Plata, por haber una gran cantidad de estos metales.
“ El Gobernador había recibido la relación de todas estas u cosas, que había visto y hecha, su hermano, y viendo que u seis Navios, que estaban en el Puerto de San Miguel, no se “ podían ya sostener en el Mar, y que dirijiendose por mas u tiempo su partida se habrían perdido, por cuya razón los “ dueños de ellos habían pedido y solicitado que se pagase y “ despachase pronto; hizo consejo con sus principales y Oficiales u Regios para pagarlos y despacharlos pronto, y para hacer re-“ lacion á S. M. de todo lo que había sucedido; y se concluyó “ y determinó se fundiese todo aquel oro que tenia alli, el que u había hecho venir Atahuallpa, y todo aquel que también “ viniese después, antes que se verificase esta fundición, á fin u de que fundido y repartido fuese no tuviese ya que demorarse u el Governador, sino que fuese á fundar la nueve Colonia y “ Ciudad que S. M. mandaba y quería se hiciese en aquel 11 lugar. La armada fue despachada en 13 de Mayo de 1533, YOL. II.	ü290
APPENDIX I.
“ y comenzó hacer la fundición, y ál cabo de diez dias llegó á “ cajamarca uno de los tres. cristianos que habian ido á la “ Ciudad del Cuzco, y este era aquel que habia ido de “ Escribano ó Notario, y llevo la fé escrita, atestiguando como “ se habia tomado posesión de aquella Ciudad del Cuzco en “ nombre de S. M. y una anotación de todas las tierras que se “ encuentran en el camino; y dijo que se encontraban treinta “ Ciudades principales sin la del Cuzco, y sin otras muchas “ pequeñas; y dijo también, que la Ciudad del Cuzco es “ grandísima, y esta situada al pie de un monte inmediato á la “ llanura, y que sus Calles son muy bien formadas y Empre-“ dadas; y que en ocho dias que estuvieron alli, no la habian “ podido ver toda y que habia en ella un Palacio cubierto con “ las Minas de oro y muy bien ‘ Fabricado ’ en cuadro y cada “ uno de estos cuatro lados de esta casa era de tres cientos “ pasos de estremo á estremo ; y que de las Minas de oro que “ habian en este Palacio se habian quitado setecientas, cada “una de las cuales pesaban* quinientos castellanos; y que de “ otra casa habian, los Indianos, quitado una gran cantidad, “ que llegaba ál peso de doscientos mil castellanos, si el oro “ hubiese sido perfecto, pero que por-que era muy bajo no le “ habian querido recibir, pues que no era sino de siete ú ocho “ quilates. Y que fuera de estas dos casas, no habian visto en “ ninguna otra aquel modo, con planchas de oro, porque los “ Indianos no les habian dejado ver toda la Ciudad; pero que “ por aquello que manifestaba, creian que hubiese en ella gran “ riqueza: y decia que alli habian encontrado á Quisquís “ Capitán de Atahuallpa con treinta mil hombres, por guardia “ de aquella Ciudad porque con fina con los caribes y con otras “gentes que les hacen continuamente la guerra, también dijo “ estas y otras muchas cosas de aquella Ciudad del Cuzco y “ del buen orden que habian en aquella; y como aquel prin-“ cipal Indiano, que fue con ellos, se volvia con los otros dos “ Cristianos y conducian seiscientos pesos de oro, con gran “ cantidad de Plata que aquel ‘ Principal ’ les habia dado en “ Jauja y quien habia dejado alli Chili-chuchima, de modo “ que en todo el oro que conducian, habian ciento sesenta y “ ocho cargas, y son las cargas tales y tan grandes que soloAPPENDIX I.
291
“una llebaván cuatro Indianos ál cuello, y que no podían “ caminar sino muy despacio porque eran precisos muclios In-“ dianos para conducirlo, y que aur lo venían recibiendo de Tierra “ en Tierra, por cuya razón se creía que llegarían á Cajamarca “ dentro de un mes, y asi fue en efecto, porque á 13 de Junio “ del mismo año llegó todo aquel oro del Cuzco, y fueron dos “ cientas cargas de oro y veinte y cinco de Plata. En el oro “ por lo que parecía, habían mas de ciento treinta centenares de “ libras y después de esto vinieron otras setenta cargas de oro “ bajo, y la mayor parte de todo esto eran á manera de tablas “ de tres en caja y cuatro palmos de largo, los cuales habian “ quitado de las paredes de las casas, y se conocían los aujeros “ en los cuales habian estado clavados. El dia de Santiago se “ pusieron a fundir y repartir todo el oro y Plata que se había “ dicho; y reducido á buen oro, llegó á la suma del valor de mi “ millón tres cientos veinte y seis mil y Quinientos treinta y “ nueve castellanos. Y sacados los derechos del fundidor “ tocaron á su Majestad por su quinto ya dicho y los derechos “ de fundidor fuera dos cientos sesenta y dos mil doscientos “ cincuenta y nueve castellanos de oro fino; y la Plata fue “ cincuenta y un mil seis cientos diez marcos, y tocaron, á “ S. M. por su parte diez mil ciento y veinte y un marcos (de “ á ocho onzas cada un marco), todo lo que quedó sacado el “ quinto ya dicho y los derechos del fundidor, fué repartido “ por el Gobernador entre todos aquellos que lo habian con-“ quistado y ganado; y tocó á cada uno de los de á caballo “ ocho mil ocho cientos ochenta castellanos de valor en oro y “ tres cientos sesenta y dos-marcos de Plata, y á los de á píe “ cuatro mil cuatro cientos cuarenta castellanos, de oro, y “ ciento ochenta y un marcos de Plata, y algunos mas y “ algunos menos, según que ál Gobernador le pareció que “ cada uno mereciese mas ó menos á proporción de la cualidad “ de las personas y del trabajo que habian tenido. Una cierta “ cantidad de oro que el Governador había puesto aparte, “ antes que hiciese este repartimiento la dio á aquellos Cris-“ tianos que habian quedado á poblar en San Miguel y á la “ demas gente que vino con el Capitán Almagro y á todos los “ Comerciantes y marineros que vinieron después de hecha la292
APPENDIX I.
“ guerra; de modo que tuvieron parte en este repartimiento, “ todos aquellos que se hallaban en aquellas Comarcas, por lo “ que supuesto que fué j eneral para todos, bien se puede “ llamar esto fundición j eneral, y se vio en ella una cosa muy “ notable que hubo dia en que se fundieron se hizo por los “ Indianos porque habian entre ellos grandes plateros y fun-“ didores y fundian con nuevas formas. No dejaría aqui de “ decir los precios que en este Pais se han vendido y comprado “varios efectos aunque hayan sido tan altos muchos no lo “ creería y yo puedo con verdad decirlo, y afirmarlo; pues lo “ he visto y he comprado algunas cosas. Un caballo se vendió “ en mil quinientos castellanos de oro y otros tres se vendieron “ en mil tres cientos cada uno y su precio común y ordinario “ era de mil y quinientos, y no se encontraban á este precio ; “ un baso de vino de asta, seis odales, se vendió en sesenta de “ oro, y yo compré cuatro odales de vino en cuarenta castel-“ lanos, boregos se vendian á treinta y cuarenta castellanos, y “ un par de medias á lo mismo, una capa cien castellanos y “ aun doscientos, una espada cuarenta y cincuenta, una cabeza “de ajo medio castellano y á este modo las otras cosas, un “ cuaderno de Papel para escribir valia diez castellanos; y yo “ compré en doce castellanos, poco mas de media onza de “ Azafrán malo y dañado. Mucho nos detendríamos en querer “ referir los grandes é increibles precios en que se vendian “ todas las cosas y en cuan poco precio eran tenidos el oro y “ la Plata. En efecto la cosa llegó á tal punto que si uno “ debia dar alguno cosa á otro le daba un pedazo de oro en “ masa sin pesarlo, y si bien no le daba el doble lo que le “ debia, no cuidaba de ello y lo estimaba en poco, é iban de “ casa en casa los deudores con un Indiano cargado de oro “buscando á sus acreedores para pagarles. Ya se ha dicho “ como se portaron para hacer la fundición y repartimiento “ de la plata, tanto por los Españoles y se ha hablado también “de la rigueza de aquel Pais y de cuan poco estimado es el “ oro y la Plata tanto por los Españoles como por los Indianos “mismos. Hay lugares de aquellos que están sujetos al “ Cuzco y que después fueron de Atahuallpa, donde dicen que “ hay dos casas fabricadas de oro masiso, y igualmente sonAPPENDIX I.
293
“ hechas de oro las pajas con estaban cubiertas, y con el oro “ que se trajo del Cuzco vinieron algunas pajas semejantes, “ hechas de oro masiso con su espiga en la cima, en el modo “ mismo en que nacen en el campo. El que quisiese contar “ la diversidad de los pedazos de oro que se tuvieron en esta “ conquista nunca acabaña, hubieron pedazos de oro para “ sentarse, que pesaron doscientas libras de oro cada uno — “ habian grandes fuentes con sus canales pordonde corria el “ agua de la fuente; y todas estas cosas eran hechas de oro. “ Se sabe igualmente por dicho de Atahaullpa tenia en Jauja “ ciertos ganados, como los pastores eran grandes, como son “ aquellos que se vean vivos y de carne, y estos pedazos eran “de su Padre y prometió darlos á los Españoles. En efecto “ son grandes las cosas que se cuentan de las grandes riguezas “ de Atahuallpa y del viejo Cuzco.
“ La Ciudad del Cuzco por ser la principal de todas en “ donde recidian los Señores, es tan grande, tan bella y con “tantos edificios, que seria digna de ser vista en España y “ toda llena de casarías de Señores, porque en ella no vive “ gente pobre, y todos los S. S. fabricaban en ella sus casas, “ asi como todos los Casiques aunque no residian eontinua-“ mente en ella. La mayor parte de estas casas son de “ piedra y las demas tienen solamente la mitad de la fachada “ de piedra, hay muchas casas de tierra y están fabricadas “ con bello orden, las calles son muy derechas cruzadas y en “ media de cada una corre una sequia de agua cerrada de “ piedras, el único defecto que tienen es de ser Angostas, “ pues que por un lado del conducto apenas puede ir uno á “ caballo y otro ál otro. Esta Ciudad esta cituada en lo alto “de una Montana, muchas casarías están colocadas en su “ misma falda y otras mas abajo en lo llano la Plaza es “cuadrada y en gran parte plana y.enlozada de piedras “ menudas, a su rededor hay cuatro casas de Señores que son “ las mas sumtuosas de la Ciudad, pintadas í labreadas ’ -y de “ piedra y la mejor es la del viejo Haynacapace, cuya puerta “ principal es la del marmol blanco, rojo y de otros colores, “ tiene á mas de esto en las azoteas otros edificios dignos de “ ser vistos: existen en esta Ciudad muchos otros 1 aloja-
ir 3294
APPENDIX I.
*■1 mentos’ y grandesas; pasan asi á sus flancos dos Eios que “ nacen una legua lejos sobre el Cuzco hasta que llegan á la “ Ciudad y dos leguas mas abajo, los dos están empedrados “ para que el agua corra limpia, clara y para que no inmunde “en la creciente, tienen ambos sus Puentes por los que se “ entran á la Ciudad; sobre la colina hacia á la Ciudad y que “ la hacen parecer mas bella en su interior, hay muchos “ alojamientos y una torre principal en el medio construida á “ manera de cuba y de cuatro á cinco vueltas grandes unas “superiores á las otras, los alojamientos ó aposentos de “ adentro son pequeños las piedras con las que construida “ son muy bien labradas, y unidas de tal suerte que parece “ que hay mésela de cal, y las piedras son tan lisas y pulidas “ que parecen tablones asepilladas con la ligadura una puerta “ en contrario de la otra el uso de España: tiene este Edificio “ tantos cuartos y torres que una persona no podrá verlos “ todos en un solo dia y muchos Españoles que la han visto y “ que han estado en Lombardia, y en otros Eeinos Estranjeros “ aseguran que jamas han visto, y que jamas han estado en “una fortaleza ni Castillo mas fuerte. Podrian caber como-“ damente adentro cinco mil Españoles, no se puede batir por “ parte alguna ni mirarla porque esta colocada sobre una “ Peña viva de la parte de la Ciudad que esta colina muy “ escabroza no hay mas que un jirón y por la otra parte “ opuesta que no es tan escabroza hay tres una mas alto que “ el otro y el ultimo mas adentro es el mas alto de todos. La “ cosa mas bella que puede verse en estos Edificios son estos “ jirones porque están construidas de piedras tan grandes que “ el que las vea no podrá creer que hayan sido colodas por “ manos de hombres pues que son tan grandes como pedazos “ de montañas pedregosas y escollos y se ven muchas de la “ altura de treinta palmos y otro tanto de ancho otras de “ veinte y veinticirco y otros de quince, pero no hay una “ siquiera ue tamaño tan pequeño que pueda ser arrastrada por “ tres carretas esta no es piedra liza pero muy bien encajada “ y tejida la una con la otra., Los Españoles que la ven dicen “ que ni el Puente de Segovia ni los otras Edificios 'que hizo “ Hercules ni los Eomanos son tan dignos de ser vistos como “ este. La Ciudad de Tarragona tiene en su Muralla algunaAPPENDIX I.
295
“ obra de esta clase y muy parecida, pero parece esta con-“ struida con tanta solidez, no con piedras de un tamaño tan u enormes, estos jirones son bolteados, de manera que si les u diere bataria no se les podrá dar en lo llano, si, al través de u los jirones que sobre salen afuera, los que son todos de esta u misma piedra, y entre una pared y la otra si ha colocado u tierra, y en tanta cantidad que puede caminar comoda-u mente tres carretas de fuente. Están hechos á modo de tres “ gradas, que el uno comienza en la altura del otro, y este en u la altura del otro. Toda esta Fortaleza era un deposito de u armas, masas, lanzas, arcos, ondas, hachas, rodelos almilas u fuertemente tejidas, y otras armas de diversas maneras y u vestimentas para soldados; reunian alli de todas las partes u del Pais y estaba sujeto á los S. S. del Cuzco; tenian u muchos colores azules, amarillos y otros muchos** para u pintar, tetas y mucho Estaño y Plomo con otros metales y “ mucha plata y algo de oro y muchas mantas y Almilas para u los hombres de Guerra. La cauza por esta Fortaleza tiene u tantos artificios, porque cuando se fundo la Ciudad que fué u edificada por un Señor Crejione que vino de la parte de u Cuntisuyo hacia ál mar grande, este hombre conquistó este u Pais hasta Yilcas y viendo que este era el mejor sitio para L>í hacer su residencia fundó aquella Ciudad con la Fortaleza; íl y todos los otros S. S. que le han sucedido después hizieron “ alguna mejora en la Fortaleza por cuya razón siempre estaba u creciéndose y engrandeciéndose; desde esta Fortaleza se ven “ en torno de la Ciudad muchas cosas áun cuarto de legua, u media legua y una legua; y en el Valle que esta en medio “ rodeado de colinas hay mas de cien mil casas y muchas de “ ellas son de campo y recreo de los Señores pasados y otras “ de los casiques de todo el Pais que residan en la Ciudad; u las otras son casas almasches llenas de ropas, lanzas, armas u y telas y de todas las cosas que nacen y se hacen en el Pais. u Hay casas donde se conserban los tributos que las gentes u dan á los. Casiques, y hay tal casa que en ella hay cien mil u pájaros secos, porque de las plumas de ellos, que son de “ muchos colores, se hacen vestidos y hay para ello muchas “ casas. Hay rodelas planchas de cobre para cubrir las casas296
APPENDIX I.
“ cuchillos y otras herramientas. * Zapatos y Peines para pro-li vicion de la gente de Guerra en tanta cantidad que no se 11 puede calcular quienes se hubiesen podido dar tan grande “ tributo y tantas y varias cosas. Cada Señor muerto tiene il alli su casa para tributos de estas ropas que se le dieron en il vida porque ningún Señor que les sucede (asi es la ley entre u ellos) puede después de la muerte del finado llegan á ella en “ la heredad. Cada uno tiene su bajilla de oro y Plata su “ ropa y vestido aparte, y el que le sucede no se lo quita; y “ los casiques y Señores muertos tienen cerradas sus casas de a placer con sus serbicios de los criados y mugeres y se les “ siembran sus campos de Mais, del mal supone un poco íl cuando son sepultados. Adoran el Sol, y le han construido “ muchos tiempos y de las cosas que tienen tanto de ropa il comí) mais y de otras cosas, ofrecen una parte al Sol de lo a cual se sirvan después la gente de guerra.
“ La Ciudad del Cuzco es la Capital y Provincia principal “ de todas las otras, -y desde aquí hasta la llanura de San 11 Mateo y por la extra parte hasta mas alia de la Provincia u del Callao que est todo Pais Caribes sangrientos esta domi-“ nado y sujeto á un solo Señor, que fue Atahaullpa y antes “ de el á los otros Señores pasados, y ahora es Señor este hijo u de Haynacapace que fue tan nombrado y tenido, y aun hoy u lo es ya muerto, fué muy amado de sus basaltos, subyugó un u gran Pais y lo hizo trivutario, fué muy obedecido y casi el adorado, y su cuerpo esta puesto en la Ciudad del Cuzco con u su rostro muy entero, con ricas vestiduras, y solamente le “ falta la punta de la nariz, y hay también alli otros imajenes 11 hechos de estuco ó barro, en las que se guardan los caballeros “ y unas que se cortaba y los vestidos que se ponian en vida “ y están en tanta veneración entre aquellas gentes como si “ fuesen sus Dioses: lo sacan frecuentamente á la Ciudad ó u Plaza con música y bailes en torno y dia y noche están en su “ rededor botándole las moseas, cuando algunos S. S. prin-u cipales vienen á ver él casique van primero á dar gracias á “ esta imajen y después ál casique y hacen con ellos tantas u ceremonias, que seria prolijidad grande el escrivirlos, se re-íl unan tanta gente en estas fiestas que se celebran en aquellasAPPENDIX I.
297
“ Plazas, pasan de 100,000 almas. Salió también el acer “ seños á este hijo de Haynacapace, que venian todos los “ casiques y Señores "de Paises y Provincias distantes á servir “ y á dar por amor la obediencia ál Emperador. Los con-“ qnistadores pasaban grandes trabajos porque el Pais es “ montuoso y áspero aunque se puede andar á Caballo; y se “ puede creer que si no hubiese sido la discordia que habia “ entre las gentes de Quito y los nativos y los Señores del “ Pais del Cuzco y su circumferencia, no hubieron entrado los “ Españoles en el Cuzco ni hubieron pasado adelante de Jauja “ y si hubieron entrado alli, hubiera sido preciso muchos mas, “ porque el Pais es tan grande y tan malo que hay montanas “ y pasos que diez hombres pueden defenderse contra diez “ mil. Y jamas el Gobernador pensó, que pudiese ir con “ menosde 500 cristianos á conquistarlo y hacerlo tributario “ con paz; pero como oyese la división que habia tan'grande “ entres los del Pais y la gente de Quito, se propuso con los “pocos cristianos que tenia, ir á libertarlos de la esclavitud y “ sujeción, é impedir los agravios y molestias que los de Quito “ hacian á este Pais, que Dios quiso concederle su gracia. “Y nunca el Gobernador se hubiera arriesgado á hacer tan “ largo y penoso viaje, en esta tan grande empresa sino nuviese “ sido por la grande confianza que tenia en todos los Españoles “ que estaban en su compañia por haber tenido esperiencia de “ ellos y conocido que eran diestros y viejos en tantas con-“ quistas, acostumbrados á aquellos Pais y á los trabajos de la “guerra; ló que manifestaban muy bien en aquella empresa, “ en los aguaseros, y la nieve en atravesar muchos Kios, pasar “ grandes montañas y dormir muchas noches en el campo, sin “ agua para beber ni cosa alguna para comer, y estar siempre “ de noche y dia armados en guardia, y en ir á reducir a la “ obediencia de la guerra a muchos Casiques y tierras que se “habian rebelado, y venir de Jauja ál Cuzco, donde pasaron “ tantos trabajos juntamente con el Gobernador y en donde “ tantas veces pusieron en peligro sus vidas en los Eios y “ Montanas, donde se rompieron el cuello tropesando muchos “ de sus caballos. Este hijo de Haynacapace tiene mucha “ amistad y conformidad • con los cristianos, y por ello los298
APPENDIX I*
“ Españoles, para mantener en su señorío, se pusieron en “ infinitos afanes y finalmente se portaron en todas estas “ empresas tan valerosamente y soportaron tanto peso, cuanto “ los otros Españoles liabian lieclio antes en beneficio del “ Emperador; de modo que los mismos Españoles que se “ hallaron en esta Empresa, se maravillan de lo que han hecho “ cuando se ponen á pensarlo de nuevo, no saben como están “vivos, y como hayan podido soportar tanto trabajo, y tan “ largas necesidades; pero todos los dan por bien empleados “ y de nuevo se ofrecen, si fuese preciso, á entrar en mayores “ fatigas por la convercion de aquella gente, y por ensalsar “ nuestra santa fé católica. Dejamos de hablar de la grandeza “ y situación del Pais, y solo nos reta dar gracias y alabar á “ nuestro Señor porque tan abiertamente-ha querido guiar con “ su mano las osas de S. M. y de estos Eeynos y por su divina “ Providencia haber sido iluminado y conducidos ál verdadero “ camino de la salud asi agrade á su gran bondad que esten “ siempre de aqui adelante de bien en mejor, por intersecion “ de su bendita Madre abogada en todos nuestros hechos que “ los lleve á buen fin.
“ Se acabo esta relación en la Ciudad de Jauja á 15 de “ Julio de 1534 ; la cual Pedro Sancho Escribano Jeneral en “ estos Eeynos de la nueva Castillo y Secretario del Governador “ Francisco Pizarro, por su orden y los oficiales de S. M. la “ escribiá justamente y como paso, la cual acabada, leyó en “ presencia del Governador y de los Oficiales de' S. M. de “ palabra en palabra, y por ser asi el dicho Governador y los “ Oficiales de S. M. han suscripto de su mano—Francisco “ Pizarro — Albaro Eiguelme — Antonio Navarro—García de “Salcedo — por orden del Governador y Oficial — Pedro “ Sancho.”APPENDIX II*
299
No. II.
The following translation of the foregoing manuscript* Which is in language very unlike that in use in Spain at the present day* was translated by Professor B. B. Aguirre, native of Spain* Graduate of French at the University of Madrid* and Professor at the Ladies’ College* Hyde Park: —
Description of the Town of Cuzco and how it was taken possession of and thirty other principal towns.
Description of the great quantity of melted Gold and Silver which was distributed among the soldiers, except the fifth party belonging to the Emperor.
Description of the different prices of Clothing, from which it may be seen how little the Natives and Spaniards valued the Gold and Silver, having it in such abundance.
The Governor received this report from his brother, who saw what he describes. There were six ships in the port of St. Michael, that could not remain, as by delaying their departure they would be lost; the masters of the ships therefore solicited to be paid and discharged immediately. The Governor then summoned to his council the principals and royal commissioners, to pay and despatch them, and to report to His Majesty all that had taken place. It was arranged and decided to melt all the gold they had in their possession, and all that had been ordered to be brought from Atahuallpa, and all that might come previous to the melting, in order that the Governor might not be delayed, but proceed to the new colony and city that His Majesty had wished and ordered to be established.
The fleet was despatched, and the melting commenced on the 15th of May, 1533. After ten days there came to Cajamarea, one of the three Christians who acted as notaries,300
APPENDIX II.
and brought with him the written documents, proving they had taken possession of the town of Cnzco in the name of His Maj esty. He brought also a description of what they met, with on their journey, and of the principal cities besides Cnzco, with many other smaller ones. The town of Cuzco is large, and situated at the foot of a mountain near a plain. The streets are well formed and paved, and during the eight days they remained, it was found impossible to see the whole. He describes a palace covered with plates of gold, built in a square form, each of the four sides being three hundred paces in length. They took from this palace seven hundred plates, weighing each of them five hundred Castellanos (an ancient Spanish coin). They took also two hundred thousand Castellanos, but of inferior quality, weighing only seven or eight carats of four grains. They believe that great riches were in this town, but the Indians objected to let them see all. They met in the town Quisquis, Captain of Atahuallpa, with thirty thousand men to guard it; as it was situated near the Canoribala, and people who made continually war with them. He describes that good order was among them. And the chief Indian which accompanied the two other Christians carried six hundredweight of gold, with a great quantity of silver, from Gonga where Chil Chiechima remained. All the gold they carried was one hundred and sixty-eight burdens, consequently many Indians were taken from the mountains to carry it, that they might arrive at Cajamarea, which they did within one month. All the gold arrived from Cuzco on the 13th of June the same year. Two hundred burdens of gold, and twenty-five of silver; it was supposed the gold was more than thirteen thousand. Afterwards there arrived twenty burdens of an inferior quality. The greatest part had the appearance of large plates, four palms in breadth. They were placed three in a box, with some smaller ones. The small ones had been taken from the walls of the houses, the holes of the nails being in them.
On the day of St. James they began to melt and divide the gold and silver, its value amounting to one million three hundred and twenty-six thousand five hundred and thirty-nineAPPENDIX II.
301
castellanos. After tlie expenses of tlie melting, His Majesty had for his fifth part, two hundred and sixty-two thousand two hundred" and fifty-nine castellanos (fine gold). The value of the silver was fifty-one thousand six hundred marks (eight ounces), His Majesty’s share being ten thousand one hundred and twenty-one marks. The remainder was distributed by the Governor to all which had assisted to conquer the place. The horsemen (cavalry) had eight thousand eight hundred and eighty castellanos in gold, and three hundred and sixty-two in marks. To the men on foot (infantry) four thousand four hundred and forty castellanos, and one hundred and eighty-one in silver. The Governor had laid aside a certain portion of the gold, before the distribution for the Christian people which remained to populate St. Michael, and to all merchants and seamen which might arrive after the war. The ordinary price for horses was from one thousand five hundred to one thousand three hundred castellanos, and you were not always able to find them at that price. A horn cup of wine was sold for sixty castellanos. I bought four odoles of wine at sixty castellanos. Sheep were sold for thirty and forty castellanos, and one pair of stockings for the same price; a cloak one hundred, and a sword from forty to fifty castellanos ; a quire of paper ten castellanos. Indeed the prices for everything were enormous. And a piece of gold was given for the smallest articles and the most trifling debts without weighing. There were villages subject to Cuzco, but now to Atahuallpa, where it is said that two houses are built with massive gold, and covered with gold in the form of straw. With the gold brought from Cuzco there was some representing an ear of corn, very well imitated. If any person wished to describe the various pieces of gold they found in that conquest, it would be impossible. There were pieces of gold weighing two hundred pounds each to sit upon, and large fountains with canals through which the water ran also were made of gold. It was known that Atahuallpa had at Jauja certain flocks and shepherds, very tall, like those that are seen in flesh. The pieces of gold belonged to his father, and he302
APPENDIX II.
promised to give them to the Spaniards. In fact, there are many things reported concerning the ores, and the riches of Atahnallpa and the old town of Cuzco. Cuzco being the principal town where the rich men lived, was so large and beautiful, and had so many buildings, that it would be worthy of seeing in Spain. It is full of houses of rich men. No poor live there, and the rich build their houses like the chiefs, although they do not reside continually there. The greatest part of these houses are of stone, and the others half stone. There are several houses built of earth, and in good order. The streets are very straight and cross each other, and in the middle of each one is a space for water to flow, inclosed with stone. The only fault is the streets being too narrow, scarcely you can ride on horseback on either side of the water. This town is situated at the top of a mountain, and several houses are placed in its declivity and some in the plain. It is in a square form, and the greatest part is flat and paved with small stone. There are four houses, the most magnificent belonging to the rich men, painted and adorned with stones. The grandest belongs to the old Haynacapaca. The principal door is made of red and white and other coloured marble. Hayna-capaca has, besides this, on the platform another edifice worthy of seeing. There are in the town many other buildings equally grand.
Two rivers, which spring from four miles’ distance, run through both sides to the town, and two leagues further. Both are paved, that the water might be clear, and not overflow in its rising. Both have a bridge over which you may enter into the town. Upon the hill towards the town the prospect is fine, with several buildings, and one principal tower in the centre, built like a barrel with four or five large hoops, one upon the other. The rooms within are very small. The stones with which they are built are well elaborated and united in such a manner that they seem to be mixed with lime; and the stones are so even and polished that they resemble boards placed one upon the other. The doors are opposite each other, in the Spanish fashion. There is a fortress with so many roomsAPPENDIX II.
303
and towers, that yon conld not see them all in one day. Several Spaniards who have seen them, and have travelled in Lombardy, and other foreign countries, assure us they never saw so strong a fortress. It could hold easily five thousand Spaniards, and it cannot be destroyed from any part, because it is placed upon a rock at the side of the town, which is very rough. There is here but one wall, and on the opposite side, which is not so rough, there are three, one higher than the other, and the last is the highest. The most beautiful works you can see anywhere are these, for they are built with such large stones^ that those who see them would not believe that they had been placed there by the hands of men. They are like pieces of mountain. You see many thirty palms high, and others twenty-five, and others fifteen, but there is not one so small that can be drawn by three carts. This stone is not smooth, but well fixed and cemented together. The Spaniards who saw it, declare that the bridge of Segovia, and other buildings made by Hercules and the Romans, are nothing to compare to this. The town of Tarragona has in its walls some work of this kind. Its construction is of equal solidity, but the stones are not so large. These walls are formed in such a manner that if attacked with a battery, they could not be destroyed on account of the salients which proj ect. They are all of the same stone, and between the walls has been placed earth in such quantities that it will permit of three or four carts abreast. They are made like three steps, supported one by the other. All this fortress was a depot of arrows, clubs, lances, bows, slings, axes, shields, and under-waistcoats, and also other different arms, and clothing for the soldiers. They assembled from all parts of the country to this fortress, and submitted to the rich men of Cuzco. They had blue, yellow, and other colours for .painting. They had also pewter and lead in abundance with other metals, a great quantity of silver, with some gold; many blankets, and under-waistcoats for war. The town of Cuzco was well fortified on account of this fortress. It was built by a rich Crajone, who came from the part of Cuntisuyo. This man conquered this country as304
APPENDIX II.
far as Vilias, and on perceiving that this was the best place to fix his residence, founded this town and this fortress. The other rich men who succeeded him, made some improvements. It was, therefore, always being increased and enlarged. From the fortress several houses are to be seen in the middle of the valley, surrounded by little hills. There are more than one hundred houses, several of which are villas, once belonging to the ancient rich men and chiefs. All the other houses in the town were warehouses, full of clothes, arms, stuffs, and all other kind of produce made in the country. There were houses to keep the tributes which the people paid to their chiefs, and there is one in which is found some1 dry birds, valued for their plumage, of which they made clothes/ There are shields, knives, and other instruments, besides" plates of copper to cover the houses. Every rich man after his death has one of these houses to keep the clothes which he had during life, also his service of gold and silver, because those who succeed him (it is a law among them) must not approach the ground of the house; and their country houses are shut up with their services of plate by the chief, and they sow the ground with Indian corn. They adore the sun. They have built several temples, where they offer clothes and Indian corn during war, and these are used by the people upon the return of peace. The town of Cuzco is the capital and principal province of all others. From this to the province of Callao, where the people are all bloody cannibals, the country was governed and subject to a rich man whose name was Atahuallpa, and before him the ancient rich men, and the son of Haynacapaca, who was of so much reputation that he is feared, even to this day. He was much loved by his vassals. He submitted a great country and made it tributary, and he was very much obeyed and adored. His body is placed in the town of Cuzco, with his face entire, and in rich clothes. All that is wanting is part of his nose. There are images made of earth, in which they keep the hair and nails they have taken off during life, and the clothing they wore. And the people adore them as much as though they were gods.APPENDIX II.
305
They take them from the town with music, dancing the whole day and night, and chasing away the flies. And when the rich men visit the chiefs, they go first to salute these images, and afterwards they present themselves to the chief. They make so much ceremony with them, that it would take too long to describe. There are more than one hundred thousand persons celebrating these festivities. And when they made the son of Haynacapaca governor, all the chiefs and rich men came from the distant provinces and countries, to promise love and obedience. The conquerors endured great troubles as the country was so thickly wooded, though it can be passed on horseback. And if there had not been so many disagreements between the natives of Quito, and the rich men of the town of Cuzco, the Spaniards would not have entered into Cuzco, or passed beyond Jauja, because the country is so bad and large. There are mountains and passages in which ten men can defend themselves against ten thousand. The governor never had an idea he could conquer it with less than five hundred Christians, or make it tributary in peace. But as he knew the great discord between those of this country and Quito, he proposed with the few Christians he had to go and deliver them from their slavery and submission, and to prevent the wrongs made by the people of Quito to this country, and God granted him this grace. The governor never would have risked so long and tedious a journey, and so great an undertaking, if he had not had so much confidence in the Spaniards who were in his company. He had tried them and found them skilful in so many conquests, accustomed to this country and to the dangers of war, as they proved in that undertaking, enduring the rain and the snow, crossing many fivers, passing great mountains, sleeping many nights in the fields without water and food, and watching day and night, and compelling several chiefs to obedience, that had rebelled, and making the journey from Jauja to Cuzco, where they endured many troubles with the governor, and many of the horses broke their necks. The son of Haynacapaca had great friendship with the Christians, and to keep his dominions the Christians made every endeavour, YOL. II.	X306
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and they conducted themselves as courageously, and endured as many hardships as the other Spaniards did for the emperor. The Spaniards who were in that undertaking are surprised at what they have done. So many trials and wants but all. are satisfied, and offer themselves again if it were necessary, to encounter greater dangers for the preservation of that people, and to glorify our Catholic faith.
Let us speak no longer of the greatness of this country ; but let us give grace and pray to our Lord for having guided us so openly with His hands for the interests of His Majesty, and of this kingdom. By His Divine Grace and Providence, and by the intercession of His blessed mother, and the hope that she will assist us in all our undertakings.
This report was finished in the town of Jauja on the fifteenth day of July, 1534. Pedro Sancho attorney-general of this kingdom, New Castile, and secretary to the governor, Francisco Pizarro. By order of the governor and his officers he wrote this, and when finished, he read it before the governor and the officers of His Majesty, word by word, and this report was signed by the aforesaid governor Francisco Pizarro, and the officers Albaro Eiguelme, Antonio Navarro, and Garcia de Salcedo.
(Secretary) Pedro Sancho.
No. III.
The following is extracted from a letter written by a gentleman of Arequipa* containing the first information I received respecting the family particularly mentioned in one of the chapters on Lima.
“ A few Particulars connected with the Flight of Señora «— from the Monastery of Thereso in Arequipa.
u The father of the lady came from Spain in the capacity of a merchant many years previous to the rebellion, and whilstAPPENDIX III»
307
the Spanish Government with characteristic jealousy preserved a strict prohibitory system in her commerce with the colonies. He realised a certain sum of money and married the daughter of a Spaniard, and had several children, among whom we find the subject of these adventures.
u While young the Señora conceived a passion for a certain gentleman, and wished to marry him, but her mother positively opposed the match, in consequence of which it was decided that she should enter the monastery and take the vows of a nun. Some say that her mother forced her. Others again say the contrary, and that she declared herself that if she were not allowed to marry the man she loved, she would never marry any other, and would seclude herself from the world.
“ The Señora had been always on terms of great intimacy with a Spanish medical man now residing in Lima, who continued to communicate with her after her entrance into the monastery and the marriage of her former lover with another lady. With him she matured a plan of scape after some years of monastic life, during which she had taken the veil as is usual at the end of two years, which term all novices pass as probationary in Arequipa.
“ The plan of her scape was this:'—She feigned illness, to communicate more freely with her friend and accomplice who managed to introduce a corpse in a trunk or basket of clothes, notwithstanding the severe scrutiny with which everything, either taken out or brought in, is examined by the 4 Priora ’ or Abbess.
44 I ought to observe that the monastery of St. Thereso is far more strict than the two others, St. Catherine and St. Rosa, which exist in Arequipa. The nuns are allowed to get a peep at their relations only once a fortnight through two thick wooden gratings, and that only when no period of particular devotion intervenes, which often prevents- their getting even this peep fot a month or six weeks. While the nun is conversing with her friend through this double grating, another nun is stationed within hearing to report to the abbess all that has been &aid. If a nun wishes to converse with another at308
APPENDIX IY.
any time, she must first ask licence of the abbess, and the sister addressed must, ere answering, piocure the same permission, &c. &c.
u To return to the story, the Señora haying had the corpse brought into her cell, made every requisite arrangement. She had an aunt in the same convent who was very fond of her. This aunt happened at the time to be portress, and her niece managed to purloin the keys‘ on the critical night, put the corpse on her wooden bedstead, set fire to the cell, no doubt adding some combustibles, and scaped from the convent. For some days she hid herself in a small house adjoining, and from her concealment heard the bells of the monastery toll for her funeral, &c.
“ After this she took up her residence with her friend, and application was made to the Pope, who remitted her vows to a certain extent. The Bishop of Arequipa naturally made every effort to induce her to enter another convent, and when that had no effect, to live in her house in a secluded way. But she would have nothing less than entire liberty. For some years they continued living here, and then removed to Lima, where they actually exist and have children. She leads, they say, a gay life, goes every night to the theatre, and takes her children with her.”
No. IV*
Extract of a Letter from John H. Buchan Esq., Superintendent of the Mines of Real del Monte in Mexico.
“ I now proceed to answer the questions you ask me : — In the Doloris shaft (the one in which the engine works) the present adit is 210 varas* from the surface. The new adit
* A vara is a little less than a yard.309
APPENDIX IT.'
now in course of driving, will enter 130 varas under this. The deepest workings of the mines are 450 varas from the surface. The length of the present adit is 250 varas from its mouth to the Doloris shaft, and with all its ramifications, ht least as much more. The length of the new adit to Doloris, will be nearly 6000 varas, of which about 2000 are driven.
“ The Real del Monte company commenced operations in this district, then in an abandoned state and the mines all destroyed, in 1824; and to May 1849, when the English; proprietor sold the'property to other parties in this country, the total outlay had amounted to 15,500,000 dollars, and the returns in silver and gold to 10,500,000 dollars, leaving a loss of 5,000,000 of dollars.
“You will remember that when you were with us, our chief want was the power of reducing a large quantity of ores, and that for this purpose we were erecting the two haciendas de benificio, or reduction works of Velasco and San Miguel. By the beginning of next year these will be all in operation, and I expect that we shall then be raising from the mine, and reducing, about 450 tons of the common ores per week, which will yield on ail average 38 ounces of silver per ton. But besides these, and in the course of extracting them from the vein, we meet with branches of richer ore from which we derive our chief profit. But on the reduction of a large quantity of these poor ores, we depend for defraying the cost of the concern with interest of capital, and for leading us at least without .loss to these richer branches of mineral. You will remember that at Sanchez and Velasco we reduce the silver ore by what is termed the barrel process, forming first the sulphuret of silver contained in the ores into chlorides by calcination with salt; and then decomposing these chlorides with iron, and collecting the native silver thus obtained by mercury in revolving barrels, whence it comes out in the state of amalgam.
“ In the San Miguel hacienda the process up to forming the
YOL. II.	Y310
APPENDIX IY.
chloride of silver is the same; but this is afterwards dissolved by a saturated solution of boiling salt water poured on the ore in large vats, and the silver is precipitated from this solution, native, by copper, and without the- intervention of mercury.
“ At Regia, the richer ores are smelted in high blast furnaces in contact with litherage, resulting in pigs of argentiferous lead, from which the silver is afterwards separated by the well-lmown process of cupellation (driving off the inferior metal by oxidation and leaving the silver).
“ Remember that all these 450 tons of ore have to be blasted from their native beds, at an average depth of 350 varas, with at least five times as much dross, (being dead rock or ore too poor for reduction,) and thence raised to the surface, and all ground to an impalpable powder.
u After the beginning of next year I hope the concern will begin to yield a fair profit, and reward my adventurous and good friend Don Manuel Esoandon, who has with such confidence and spirit supported me in carrying out my plans for developing the resources of the district, and which required no little courage after so decided a failure by the old company. I think I explained to you that my chief object in undertaking this arduous task was, to redeem the credit of the English miners in this country, which would have remained at a sad discount, had a concern so thoroughly English as Real del Monte been abandoned; and afterwards, very probably, been successful under Mexican control.”APPENDIX Y.
311
No. y.
The author takes upon himself the liberty of placing at the close of these volumes of his travels, which are the last that will be published, a poetical address, presented to him, sealed, when he was very young, by one younger than himself, at the moment of his departure upon a voyage across the Atlantic. He has done this, however, without asking permission of the lady by whom the lines were composed, who will probably hardly remember them.
“Yet once again, my brother, once again!
Are friends and country left behind, and thou In foreign climes must seek a resting place.
Thou go’st and our sighs follow thee. Behold!
Already do we look for thee in vain.
Oh ! 'on the stormy waters, or beyond The dark Atlantic wave, forget us not.
In the soft visions of thy heart, oh think !
(And may the thought be full of peace,) of home.
Thou wilt—I know thou wilt, when gaudy day Hath veiled her brightness, and the tender hour Of still and quiet eve- falls silently And all created nature sinks to rest—
When the pale wanderer of the pathless skies Lights her lone lamp in Heaven,
Oh then thy thoughts like her shall wander forth And o’er the trackless seas find rest at home.
Behold the sad moon smiles upon the wave,
The dark and shadowy wave glows lovelily312
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And brightens in her beams—- so may the sweet The kind affectionate thought be unto thee,
And memory’s moonlight gladden as it shines.
Yet could I wish that something of regret Should linger round thy heart, to melt, not wound, And with an all-undying tenderness Should steal a blessing for the absent there.
And oh ! how oft in solitude and silence *
Or mid the busy trifles of the world.
Shall our hopes turn towards the distant land With many weary wishes till again,
Again, we hear the long, long absent voice,
And thou return in love, and peace, and joy.”
THE END.
LONDON
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