CALLAO. LIMA. 131 



government : if one succeeded in becoming foi- a 

 time very powerful, the others coalesced against 

 him ; but no sooner were they victorious, than they 

 were again hostile to each other. The other day, 

 at the Anniversary of the Independence, high mass 

 was performed, the President partaking of the sac- 

 rament : during the Tc Dcum laudamus, instead 

 of each regiment displaying the Peruvian flag, a 

 black one with death's head was unfurled. Ima- 

 gine a government under which such a scene could 

 be ordered, on such an occasion, to be typical of 

 their determination of fighting to death ! This 

 state of affairs happened at a time very unfortu- 

 nately for me, as I was precluded fi-om taking any 

 excursions much beyond the limits of the town. 

 The barren island of S. Lorenzo, which forms the 

 harbour, was nearly the only place where one 

 could walk securely. The upper part, which is 

 upwards of 1000 feet in height, during this season 

 of the year (winter) comes within the lower limit 

 of the clouds ; and in consequence, an abundant 

 cryptogamic vegetation, and a few flowers, cover 

 the summit. On the hills near Lima, at a height 

 but little greater, the ground is carpeted with moss, 

 and beds of beautiful yellow lilies called Amancaes. 

 This indicates a very much greater degree of hu- 

 midity than at a corresponding height at Iquique. 

 Proceeding northward of Lima, the climate be- 

 comes damper, till on the banks of the Guyaquil, 

 nearly under the equator, we find the most luxuri- 

 ant forests. The change, however, from the sterile 

 coast of Peru to that fertile land is described as 

 taking place rather abruptly in the latitude of Cape 

 Blanco, two degrees south of Guyaquil. 



Callao is a filthy, ill-built, small seaport. The 

 inhabitants, both here and at Lima, present every 

 imaginable shade of mixture between European, 



