36 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



From the Chinchas we went to Callao, 

 where we anchored on the 17th of January, 

 1872. 



Callao, the seaport of Lima, is one of the 

 most important places on the Pacific coast ; it 

 is capable of accommodating a large number of 

 ships, and there is generally a considerable fleet 

 of shipping loading or discharging in the bay. 

 The harbour is perfectly sheltered by a long 

 spit, which runs out towards the island of 

 Lorenzo, forming a natural breakwater from the 

 heavy swell which breaks incessantly along the 

 shores. Some magnificent docks have lately 

 been constructed to facilitate the loading and 

 unloading of ships trading to the port; these 

 docks, which are justly considered the greatest 

 work of the kind in South America, were con- 

 structed by Mr. James Hodges, the eminent 

 engineer who built the Victoria Bridge over the 

 St. Lawrence. To give an idea of the magni- 

 tude of this undertaking, I have quoted the 

 following particulars from the South Pacific 

 Times, a most ably-conducted journal. 



