1835.] ANARCHY IN PERU. 363 



and periodically subject to the same process of vegetation, 

 is perfectly healthy. Humboldt has observed that, "under 

 the torrid zone, the smallest marshes are the most dangerous, 

 being surrounded, as at Vera Cruz and Carthagena, with an 

 arid and sandy soil, which raises the temperature of the 

 ambient air."* On the coast of Peru, however, the 

 temperature is not hot to any excessive degree ; and 

 perhaps in consequence, the intermittent fevers are not 

 of the most malignant order. In all unhealthy countries 

 the greatest risk is run by sleeping on shore. Is this owing 

 to the state of the body during sleep, or to a greater abund- 

 ance of miasma at such times? It appears certain that 

 those who stay on board a vessel, though anchored at 

 only a short distance from the coast, generally suffer less 

 than those actually on shore. On the other hand, I have 

 heard of one remarkable case where a fever broke out 

 among the crew of a man-of-war some hundred miles off 

 the coast of Africa, and at the very same time that one of 

 those fearful periods t of death commenced at Sierra Leone. 

 No State in South America, since the declaration of 

 independence, has suffered more from anarchy than Peru. 

 At the time of our visit, there were four chiefs in arms 

 contending for supremacy in the government : if one suc- 

 ceeded in becoming for 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 sacrament : 

 during the Te Deum Laudamus, instead of each regiment 

 displaying the Peruvian flag, a black one with death's head 

 was unfurled. Imagine 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 unfortunate for me, as 

 I was precluded from taking any excursions much beyond 

 the limits of the town. The barren island of San 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, cluring this season of the year (winter), 



* "Political Essay on' the Kingflom of New Snain," vol. iv. p. 199. 



t A similar ititcrcsting case is rcconicfl in the Afadras Medical Quarterly 

 Jountal, 1830. P- 340* t^f- FcrgUBon, in his admirable Paper (see t)th vol. of 

 " Edinburgh RoyalTrariBactions "), shows clearly that the poison is Kcntrated in 

 the drying process ; and hence that dry hot countries are often the most 

 unhealthy. 



