430 LIMA. 



L for K in pronunciation at that epoch. The city lies in an amphitheatre of hills on both 

 banks of the river Rimac, latitude 12 02' 34" S. These hills appear to have been broken 

 through by the waters of that stream. From the summits of San Cristoval and Amancaes, two 

 of the nearest to the northwest, a bird's-eye view is commanded of the valley of the river far to 

 the eastward ; of its ornamental gardens and productive haciendas; of the city at one's feet its 

 grand cathedral and multitude of churches its huge circus for bull-fights its alamedas, 

 gardens, and picturesque bridge; and of the distant ocean and harbor, dotted with sterile 

 islands and ships. A gleam of sunlight to illumine a spot or two, and the picture would have 

 been perfect ; but both my visits chanced to be at periods when sunbeams are rare, and I was 

 not so favored. 



The river divides the city into two unequal parts. That on the southern side is the most 

 extensive, and is of a triangular form, the Eimac constituting the base. Perpendicular thereto, 

 the breadth is rather less than a mile. All this portion was enclosed by walls erected towards the 

 close of the 17th century, for defence against the buccaneers. A considerable portion of these 

 fancied safeguards having fallen into ruins, they were rebuilt in 1807. The smaller portion of 

 the town, consisting of the suburb of San Lazaro, has its greatest extent perpendicular to the 

 course of the river ; but the utmost circumference of compact population will not exceed ten 

 miles. It was originally intended that all the streets should be in two directions perpendicular 

 to each other, and also that the house^ should afford the greatest amount of shade ; but this was 

 only carried out to a certain extent in the vicinity of the great square. They are of tolerable 

 width (12 varas), suitably paved in the more populous portions, and have sidewalks of broad 

 flag-stones. The last, however, are rarely elevated above the general level, and foot-passengers 

 instinctively shrink to the wall whenever a carriage or other vehicle approaches drawn by 

 animals. A stream of water flows constantly through the centre of each east and west 

 thoroughfare. As the site has a decided slope towards the ocean, offal and garbage thrown into 

 the rivulets, and not immediately rescued by the flocks of buzzards that frequent them with the 

 confidence of domestic fowls, are carried rapidly away, and consequently the streets are quite clean. 



Climate, and the apprehension of earthquakes, compel the people to build low houses. If the 

 latter are of more than one story, the upper one is of wicker-work, plastered with mud and white- 

 washed or painted in fresco. The lower story is of adobes similarly finished. Of necessity 

 they cover much ground, and for ventilation and convenience are ordinarily built round one or 

 more quadrangular courts, that have a common entrance from the street. Over this great door- 

 way, usually large enough for a carriage, there are closed lattice-work balconies, where ladies 

 are accustomed to sit and watch the passers-by themselves unseen. Most of the walls on the 

 streets have neither balustrade, cornice, nor finish of any kind, but terminate abruptly, and 

 support roofs that are flat or very nearly so. The portals, ceilings, walls of the patios, and 

 apartments of the better-class houses are handsomely painted with fresco colors in rich groups 

 or landscapes, that gives them a most charming and airy look ; and this is often increased as one 

 passes, by the perspective obtained of gracefully twining flowers about the rear balcony. Some 

 few have ornamented fronts ; but as the great majority have only windowless dead walls, the 

 royal city by no means favorably impresses a stranger. 



The great plaza, near the centre of the business part of the city, is more than 500 feet square. 

 There is an ornamental fountain at its centre, which is supplied with water from the Kimac, and 

 is resorted to by water-venders, with donkeys and kegs, from many surrounding squares. As 

 some of the fraternity possess wit of no mean order, this is a scene of constant noise and 

 humor. The fountain is composed of a reservoir, 24 feet in diameter, and two basins. Four 

 lions in the former eject water from their mouths, and its rim is externally adorned with 

 flowers in semi-relief. The lower basin rests on a pedestal, perhaps fifteen feet high, and the 

 upper one, supported on a column of nearly half that altitude, itself sustains a shaft surmounted 

 by a ball on which stands a figure of Fame. The pillars, basins, and figures are of bronze, and 

 were cast by Antonio Rivas in 1650. Half a mile to the eastward there is another, though 



