141 



PERU. 



PERU. 



142 



which 221 were public schools, and 86 were private schools ; the total j 

 number of scholars was 21,143. Of Sabbath schools there were 230, 

 with 16,294 scholars, of which 76 schools were connected with the 

 Free Church, 74 with the Established Church, and 37 with the United 

 Presbyterian Church. Of evening schools for adults there were 19, 

 with 464 scholars. There were 10 literary and scientific institutes, 

 with 693 members, and about 9000 volumes in the libraries belonging 

 to them. 



Sariuy* Bant. In 1853 the county possessed one savings bank at 

 Perth : the amount owing to depositors on the 20th of November 

 was 134,759*. 17. Id. 



PKHU (Republic of), South America, is situated between 8 30' 

 and 21" 28' a lat., 63 20' and 81 20' W. long. It is bounded S. ar.d 

 S.E. by the republic of Bolivia, E. by the empire of Brazil, N. by the 

 republic of Ecuador, and W. by the Pacific Ocean. Its length from 

 south to north, along the meridian of 70", is above 1150 miles, but its 

 width varies greatly. South of 17" S. lat., it hardly exceeds 30 miles, 

 whilst near 10 9. lat. it is more than 650 miles wide. Its area is about 

 550,000 square miles ; the population is about 1,375,000. 



Coait-line, Surface, <tc. The coast-line is about 1500 miles in length. 

 In an extent of 1 200 miles this coast forms only three straight lines, 

 which meet at obtuse angles, and are not interrupted by any large 

 bays. The most southern line runs south and north, the central line 

 runs nearly south-east and north-west, and the northern line runs 

 north-north-west. The most northern and most projecting portion 

 of the coast U broken by bays and headlands. 



The southern coast-line, which runs south and north, extends from 

 the mouth of the river Loa (21* 28' S. lat), to the harbour of Ariea 

 (18 28' a lat), a distance of 210 miles. The whole of this line con- 

 sists of rocky cliffs, rarely low, and occasionally several hundred feet 

 high. In a few spots a sandy beach lies between the cliffs and the sea. 

 The projecting points seldom extend a mile from the mainland, and 

 in no cue more than two miles. The only harbour is that of Iquique, 

 which is formed by a low island, the largest that occurs along this coast. 

 Between it and the town is good anchorage in 1 1 fathoms. The har- 

 bour of Arica, which lies at the northern extremity of this coast-line, 

 i* also formed by a low island, on the northern side of which there is 

 good anchorage. A mole runs out into the sea, which enables boats 

 to lie quietly while loading or discharging. 



From Arien <1* 28' 8. lat) to Point Carreta (14 100, a distance of 

 more than 460 mile*, the coast lies east-south-east and west-north- 

 west. Where the cliffii come close to the tea, they rise from SO to 

 800 feet above it, and the waves in some places break with great vio- 

 lence along the shore. The first harbour which occurs, after leaving 

 Arica, Is that of Islay, or Hay, the port of Arequipa. Cove Mollendo 

 formerly servrd for that purpose, but it has so changed that at present 

 it only admit* boat* or very small coastine-v. n-els. Port Islay, formed 

 by a few struggling island* which He off Point Islay, affords good 

 anchorage in 10 or 12 fathoms for about twenty sail. It is one of 

 the iiiont frequented porU on the Peruvian coast ; but the landing is 

 extremely difficult Point Loman, the port of Acari, lies farther west, 

 and i* an open roadstead, but has good anchorage in from 5 to 15 

 fathom*. Home distance farther west there are two good harbours, 

 San Juan and Han Nicolas. Farther we*t i* the Bay of Independencia, 

 which lie* between Cape Quemada and Cape Carreta, ia protected 

 towards the *ea by two island* (Santa Ron and Santa Vieja), extends 

 15 miles from south-east to north-west, and is about 3i miles broad. 

 Then i* anchorage in all part* of this spacious bay, the bottom being 

 quite regular in about 20 fathoms, but the country along here U 

 sterile, and very thinly inhabited. 



The coast from Ope Carreta (14* 10' 8. lat.) to the roadstead of 

 LamUyeque (6 40' S. lat), a distance of about 520 miles, runs north- 

 north- went, and exhibit* a much greater portion of low sandy beach 

 than i* found farther south. A high ground invariably appears at the 

 back of the low fiere. Toward* the south-eastern extremity are 

 some islands, and between 7* and 10 8. lat. some inlet*, which are 

 larger than commonly occur on this part of the const, and good 

 anchorage i* fouud in them. The most southern of these harbours is 

 the Bay of Pisco, which i* between the mainland and a row of islands 

 extending along the coast The mort southern of these islands, that 

 of Oallan, is 2 i miles long, 1 mile wide, and of considerable elevation. 

 . of it are tl.e low rocky Balli-ta Island*, and north of them 

 the Cbincha* Islands. [CinxcBAS.] The sea about these islands ia 

 deep, and the Bay of Pisco may be entered safely by all the passage* 

 thus formed. Within the bay thrre ia good anchorage in 12 fathoms. 

 The Bay of Callao U between the coast and the island of San Lorenzo, 

 whit h 4 J mile* long from south-east to north-west, and a mile wide ; 

 iU highest part i* 1060 feet above the sca-leveL The bay, which u 

 extensive and commodious, ha* good anchorage. Salinas Bay, on the 

 north of Salinas Head, which extend* 5 mile* into the sea from south 

 to north, 1* of large dimensions, and afford* good anchorage. The Bay 

 of Hapo 1 , to the north of Cape Thomas, and the port of Guarmey, 

 north of Point Legartu, are small, but afford good anchorage. Between 

 9' and 10' S. lat. there are four comparatively good harbour* Casroa, 

 flamenco, or Huambacho, Fi-rrol, and Santa, There is no harbour 

 farther north. Opposite the town* of Truxillo and Lambayrque 

 there an only open roadsteads with bad anchorage. 



North of the roadstead of Lsmbayrqne, and between it and the 



Bay of Guayaquil, a huge promontory runs out into the sea. At its 

 base, between Lambayeque and Point Malpelo (3 30' S. lat.) it is 220 

 miles wide, and its coast-line exceeds 300 miles. Between Point 

 Ahuja and Cape Blanco, the most projecting part of this promontory, 

 the shores are rocky and steep, and rise to a considerable elevation ; 

 but near the roadstead of Lambayeque, and on the Gulf of Guayaquil, 

 they are sandy and partially covered with brushwood. In this part 

 there are two indentations, which form two tolerably deep but open 

 bays. The southern is the Bay of Sechura, which is 6 miles deep, 

 and at its entrance, between Cape Pisura and the Little Lobos Island 

 of Payta, 12 miles wide. It is open to the swell of the sea, and is 

 only navigated by the Indiana in balsas. The Bay of Payta, which is 

 farther north, ia of smaller dimensions, but it is the best harbour on 

 the coast of Peru, and is more visited by foreign vessels than any 

 other harbour except Callao. 



As the heavy surf occasioned by the swell of the Pacific renders 

 landing with boats always dangerous, and ofteu impracticable, 'balsas' 

 are used along this coast, which carry two or three persons, and run 

 through the surf and on the beach with ease and safety. These 

 balsas, in Chili and the southern coast of Peru, are cane rafts sup- 

 ported by two inflated seal-skins made air-tight. Along the northern. 

 coast of Peru they are rafts formed of logs of the cabbage-palm 

 secured together by lashings, with a platform raised about two feet, 

 on which the goods are placed ; and at Lambayeque, where the SUIT 

 is very heavy, they consist of bundles of reeda fastened together and 

 turned up at the bow. 



As Peru comprehends the whole of the mountain masses of the 

 Andes which lie between 15 and 5 S. lat, together with the countries 

 on both declivities of the chain, it is naturally divided into three 

 different regions. The country between the chain and the Pacific is 

 called Lot Valla, and that included between the higher ranges of the 

 Andes, Montana. The region east of the Andes may be conveniently 

 called the Eastern Plaint. 



The country between the steep ascent of the Andes and the 

 Pacific varies in width from 10 to 60 miles, and may be considered as 

 the western base of the mountains. Its elevation above the level of 

 the tea where it lies contiguous to the range, is on an average between 

 8000 and 10,000 feet From this elevation it slopes towards the sea 

 with a very irregular surface, which is furrowed by a number of deep 

 depressions which are called Loa Valles, or the Vales, and run from 

 the Andes to the sea with a rapid slope. They are traversed by rivers, 

 many of which are dry during nine months in the year, and only a 

 few preserve a perennial stream. As it never rains in the lower portion 

 of this ngion, vegetation and agriculture do not extend beyond the 

 reach of irrigation. The narrow strips along the rivers are cultivated 

 in proportion to the supply of water. Though the upper course of 

 the rivers i* extremely rapid, few of them enter the sea. but are either 

 lost in shallow lagunes or filter through the tand which is invariably 

 found near their mouth. The uplands which separate the valleys from 

 one another are covered with a b'ne loose and yellow sand ; and along 

 them occur chains of sandy hillocks called Medanos, some of which are 

 firm, but more loose and shifting. These uplands are complete deserts ; 

 neither beast*, birds, nor reptiles are ever seen on them, and they do 

 not produce a single blade of vegetation. No stranger can travel 

 from ouo vale to another without a guide, the sand being so loose that 

 it is raited by the wind in clouds or columns from 50 to 100 feet in 

 height, and thus all traces of a path are obliterated. On account of 

 the great heat which is experienced in these uplands in the day-time, 

 and the clouds of sand which the wind then raises, they are usually 

 traversed by night, and the guides regulate their course by the stars, 

 or the light breeze which always blows from the south. In the south 

 the Tales are very narrow, and occur at greater intervals, but farther 

 north they are much wider and more numerous ; and in the most 

 northern district they are more extensive, and contain considerable 

 portion* of cultivated ground, but are at great distances apart. 

 Between Lambayeque and Sechura the desert is 90 miles across. 



Along the whole coast of Peru, south of Cape Blanco, a drop of 

 rain scarcely ever fall*. But for nearly five months, from June to 

 November, the sky ia covered with a kind of mist or fog, called 

 the garua, which precipitates into a fine dew, which, though not 

 heavy enough to penetrate the thinnest clothing, changes dust into 

 mud, and fertilises the ground. In the morning it is so thick and 

 close to the ground that objects at a moderate distance cannot be seen. 

 About 10 or 11 o'clock the fog rises iuto the atmosphere, but does 

 not break into clouds. While the garua covers the lower parts of 

 the country, and produces their winter, the higher declivities of the 

 Andes enjoy fine weather and have their summer. But in the month 

 of January the rains on the mountains commence, and they last about 

 three months. The rains occur however earlier in the year in the 

 northern than in the southern districts : and hence it happens that 

 the rivers in the northern parts of Peru are full at the end of January 

 or the beginning of February, while in the southern parts this does 

 not take place before the end of March. 



The climate is not so hot as might be supposed. In summer the, 

 weather U delightfully fine, and the heat is moderated by the sea and 

 land breezes. The sea-breeze generally commences about 10 o'clock; 

 gradually increases till 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon ; a steady breeze 

 then prevails until sun-set, when it begins to die away j and soon after 



