Chap. VI. TOWN OF VILQUE. 93 



them ; and, crossing a rocky ridge, we came in sight of a vast 

 swampy plain, with the little town of Vilque, at the foot of 

 a fine rocky height, in the far distance, which we reached 

 at sunset. The long rows of thatched brown huts dripping 

 with rain, and the muddy streets, looked melancholy. But 

 at the time of the great fair, in June, Vilque presents a veiy 

 different appearance. The plains, for several miles beyond 

 this little town, were so swampy as to be rendered almost 

 impassable. It was with the greatest difficulty that we 

 made our way across them, constantly wading and splashing 

 through water, and in some places sinking so deep in the 

 adhesive mud, that it Avas not without desperate exertions 

 that the mules could extricate themselves. At length we 

 came to a rocky ridge which bounded the vast pampa of 

 Vilque, and continued our jom-ney over rather drier ground. 



Since leaving La Compuerta we had been continually 

 descending ; the vicunas had disappeared, as they confine 

 themselves to the loftiest and wildest parts of the cordillera ; 

 but, in the lower region between Vilque and Puno, the feel- 

 ing of desolation and solitude is dissipated by the numbers of 

 birds which enliven the country, and by the increased quan- 

 tity and variety of mid flowers. 



The lecca-leccas or plovers were very numerous, screaming 

 shrilly as they flew in circles, or ran along the ground. In 

 the clefts of the rocks there were many birds, like creepers, 

 called liaccacllo by the Indians, and pito in Sjjanish — beaks 

 curved downwards, black on the top of the head, white under- 

 neath, red at the back of the neck, speckled wings, white 

 breast, and a black line from the beak to the back of the 

 neck. We also saw many small green paroquets, bright 

 yellow finches called silgaritos, a kind of partridge called 

 yutu, and, above all, the glorious eoraqueuque or alcamari, 

 the royal bird of the Incas, whose black and white wing- 

 feathers surmounted the imperial llautii or fringe of the 



