94 CITY OF PUNO. Chap. VI. 



sovereigns of Peru. The alcamari is a large and noble- 

 looking bird of prey, ^vith a scarlet head, black body, and 

 long wing-feathers of spotless white. AMierever the plains 

 are intersected by ridges of rocky cliffs, which Ls frequently 

 the case, there are swarms of large rodents, called hiscaches, 

 which sat on their hind legs, and looked about inquisitively 

 as we rode past. 



Kiding over several wide grassy plains, and passing the 

 village of Tiquillaca, we arrived at the banks of the river 

 Tortorani, which was so swollen as to be quite impassable. 

 By following its com-se for about half a mile, we came to a 

 place where the whole volume of water precipitates itself 

 down a sheer declivity of 250 feet, and forms a magnificent 

 cascade. A league below the falls we foimd a bridge, and, 

 at sunset, we came in sight of the great lake of Titicaca, 

 yn\h the snowy range beyond. A steep zigzag descent leads 

 down to the city of Puno, which is close to the shores of the 

 lake, and hemmed in by an amphitheatre of argentiferous 

 mountains. 



Puno, the capital of the department, owes its origin and 

 former prosperity to the rich veins of silver-ore in the sur- 

 romiding country. It is approached, from the north, by a 

 stone archway built over the road by General Deustua, who 

 was prefect in 1850 ; and the streets slope by a gradual 

 descent towards the lake. The houses are built of small- 

 sized brown adobes^ with roofs of thatch or red tiles, and 

 courtyards very neatly paved with round pebbles and 

 llama's knuckle-bones in patterns. There are scarcely any 

 with more than a ground-floor, and the rooms open on to 

 the court ; but, though at this elevation, 12,874 feet above 

 the sea, it is extremely cold at night, stoves are unknoAvn ; 

 and the unusual luxury of a fireplace, whicli exists in one 

 house, is merely a luxury to the eye, for it is never lighted. 

 The streets are clean and well paved, and the stone church 



