1839.] THE PLAZA MAYOR. 113 



right angles, and, in the older and principal part of the city, 

 run from south-east to north-west, so that the walls of the 

 houses cast a shade both in the morning and afternoon. At 

 noon, there can be no shade, as the city is situated in lati- 

 tude 12° south. 



Through the centre of most of the streets in Lima, there 

 runs a stream of water, three feet wide, which is the recepta- 

 cle of all the garbage, refuse and filth, thrown from the pri- 

 vate dwellings ; yet, as there are buzzards and dogs, without 

 number, to perform the part of scavengers, the nuisance is 

 not so intolerable as it would otherwise be. The streets' 

 generally are paved with round pebbles, and the sidewalks 

 are nagged ; but the latter are almost always in bad repair. 



Ever since the foundation of the Peruvian capital, by 

 Francisco Pizarro and his fellow adventurers,* it has been 

 celebrated for the beauty, richness, and splendor, of its publio 

 edifices ; and, in this respect, it has long maintained a posi- 

 tion, second only to the proud city reared above the ruins of 

 " the Venice of the Aztecs." In passing through the Peri- 

 phery, or outer circle of the town, the stranger is not favora- 

 bly impressed by the groups of old houses, whose dirty and 

 dilapidated walls seem ready to topple down at the first blast 

 of the tempest ; but on entering the Plaza Mayor, in the cen- 

 tre of the business part of the city, his eye rests with delight 



* Historical records differ widely, in regard to the year in which Lima was 

 founded; some asserting it to be 1534, and others 1535. Garcilaso of Cuzco, 

 Herrera, Montalvo, and Ulloa, adopt the latter date ; and Mr. Prescott, in his 

 Conquest of Peru, (vol. II, p. 2-1,) does the same, on the authority of Q.uintana, 

 and Bernabe Cobo. Dr. Von Tschudi, however, (Travels in Peru, p. 42, nota,) 

 says the city was founded in 1534. According to Captain Wilkes, also, (Nar- 

 rative, vol. I, p. 242,) the title of the book in the city hall of Lima containing the 

 signatures of the viceroys, fixes the date of the organization of the municipality 

 at 1534. There has likewise been considerable dispute in regard to the day of 

 the month; but it is now generally acknowledged to have been the 6th of Jan- 

 uary, (the day of the Epiphany,) as the original name of the city was Ciuddd 

 de los Reyes, (City of the Kings ;) and in Germany, and other countries on the 

 European Continent, the day of the Epiphany was called " the festival of the 

 three holy Kings." At the time of the foundation, it will be recollected, Charles 

 V, emperor of Germany, was also King of Spain. 



