264 PERU. [CHAP. XVL 



in 1830: in one year an amount in value of one hundred thousand 

 pounds sterling was sent to France and England. It is principally 

 used as a manure and in the manufacture of nitric acid : owing to its 

 deliquescent property it will not serve for gunpowder. Formerly there 

 were two exceedingly rich silver-mines in this neighbourhood, but theii 

 produce is now very small. 



Our arrival in the offing caused some little apprehension. Peru was 

 in a state of anarchy ; and each party having demanded a contribution, 

 the poor town of Iquique was in tribulation, thinking the evil hour was 

 come. The people had also their domestic troubles; a short time 

 before, three French carpenters had broken open, during the same 

 night, the two churches, and stolen all the plate : one of the robbers, 

 however, subsequently confessed, and the plate was recovered. The 

 convicts were sent to Arequipa, which, though the capital of this province, 

 is two hundred leagues distant ; the government there thought it a pity 

 to punish such useful workmen, who could make all sorts of furniture ; 

 and accordingly liberated them. Things beine in this state, the churches 

 were again broken open, but this time the ^late was not recovered. 

 The inhabitants became dreadfully enraged, and declaring that none 

 but heretics would thus " eat God Almighty," proceeded to torture some 

 Englishmen, with the intention of afterwards shooting them. At last 

 the authorities interfered, and peace was established. 



July i3/#. In the morning I started for the saltpetre-works, a distance 

 of fourteen leagues. Having ascended the steep coast-mountains by 

 a zigzag sandy track, we soon came in view of the mines of Guantajaya 

 and St Rosa. These two small villages are placed at the very mouths 

 of the mines ; and being perched up on hills, they had a still more 

 unnatural and desolate appearance than the town of Iquique. We did 

 not reach the saltpetre-works till after sunset, having ridden all day 

 across an undulating country, a complete and utter desert. The road 

 was strewed with the bones and dried skins of the many beasts of 

 burden which had perished on it from fatigue. Excepting the Vultur 

 aura, which preys on the carcasses, I saw neither bird, quadruped, rep- 

 tile, nor insect. On the coast-mountains, at the height of about two thou- 

 sand feet, where during this season the clouds generally hang, a very 

 few cacti were growing in the clefts of rock ; and the loose sand was 

 strewed over with a lichen, which lies on the surface quite unattached. 

 This plant belongs to the genus Cladonia, and somewhat resembles 

 the reindeer lichen. In some parts it was in sufficient quantity to 

 tinge the sand, as seen from a distance, of a pale yellowish colour. 

 Further inland, during the whole ride of fourteen leagues, I saw only 

 one other vegetable production, and that was a most minute yellow 

 lichen, growing on the bones of the dead mules. This was the first 

 true desert which I had seen : the effect on me was not impressive ; 

 but I believe this was owing to my having become gradually accustomed 

 to such scenes, as I rode northward from Valparaiso, through Coquimbo, 

 to Copiap6. The appearance of the country was remarkable, from 

 being covered by a thick crust of common salt, and of a stratified 

 salifeious alluvium, which seems to have been deposited as the land 



