126 PERU. 



victs were sent to Arequipa, which, though the 

 capital of this province, is two hundred leagues dis- 

 tant; the government there thought it a pity to 

 punish such useful workmen, who could make all 

 sorts of furniture, and accordingly liberated them. 

 Things being in this state, the chui'ches were again 

 broken open, but this time the plate was not re- 

 covered. The inhabitants became dreadfully en- 

 raged, 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. 



12th. — In the morning I started for the saltpetre- 

 works, a distance of fourteen leagues. Having as- 

 cended the steep coast-mountains by a zigzag sandy 

 track, we soon came in view of the mines of Guan- 

 tajaya 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 sun- 

 set, having ridden all day across an undulating 

 countiy, 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, quadru- 

 ped, reptile, nor insect. On the coast-mountains, 

 at the height of about 2000 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 suf- 

 ficient quantity to tinge the sand, as seen from a 



