70 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



that every one, or, at least, every decently dressed 

 stranger, was free to pass. Through an open door 

 we entered the first of a suite of large rooms, and 

 advanced from one to another without encountering 

 a human being, whether guard or attendant, until in 

 the last room but one, seemingly by accident, a 

 secretary presented himself, who at once ushered us 

 into the cabinet of the general. In the case of any 

 public man in Europe, to say nothing of the chief of 

 an army of occupation constantly assailed by the 

 fiercest denunciations, and left thus easy of access, 

 some fanatic or madman would speedily translate the 

 popular hatred into grim deed. 



Among the acquaintances made in Lima, I must 

 mention the name of Mr. William Nation, a gentleman 

 who, amidst many difficulties, has acquired an ex- 

 tensive knowledge of the fauna and flora of Peru, and 

 has observed with attention many facts of interest con- 

 nected with the natural history of the country. After 

 my return from Chicla, Mr. Nation was kind enough 

 to accompany me in two short excursions in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the city, and I am further indebted to 

 him for much valuable assistance and information. 



Soon after eight a.m. on the morning of April 20, 

 I started from the railway station at Lima, in com- 

 pany with my friend W , who was fortunately 



able to absent himself for some days. The country 

 lying between the coast and the foot of the Cordillera 

 appears to the eye a horizontal plain, but is, in fact, 

 a slope inclining towards the sea, and rising very 

 uniformly about seventy feet per mile.* This ancient 



* The heights given in the text are those of the railway stations. 



