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Caballeros. Lima. Remarks on the 

 journey. Geological observations. 



PERU. 



Excursion to the ruins of 

 Pachacamac. 



Their supper was good, and they were permitted 

 to lie on the clay floor in the house. 



They paid the usual price for the accommoda- 

 tions. In the morning, before their departure, 

 they purchased fifty oranges for twelve and a half 

 cents (a real), it being stipulated, however, that 

 they should be gathered by themselves. These 

 served to refresh them while passing over the bar- 

 ren track (described in their ascent) of four leagues. 

 They were overtaken by their Chilian friends, and 

 the troop, when their minds were relieved of the 

 apprehensions of robberies. 



Caballeros was reached at an early hour, and 

 here they intended to stop on account of their 

 horses ; but their Chilian friends persuaded them 

 to pursue their journey to Lima, promising to ren- 

 der them assistance in case they should need it. 

 At Caballeros they witnessed a fight between a 

 turkey and a game-cock ; strife, indeed, appears to 

 be a constant amusement with the Peruvians, and 

 scenes of this kind alone seem to interest the pub- 

 lic. After a long day's journey of twelve leagues, 

 they reached Lima at eight o'clock, very much 

 fatigued, and happy to return to the comforts of 

 civilized life. 



The only novelty they met with during the day's 

 ride was a Guacho on horseback, carrying a pine 

 board before him, a proof of the scarcity of such 

 articles in Peru, and the value that is set upon them. 



This journey, although attended with much 

 fatigue and some disappointment, from not having 

 accomplished their object entirely, that of reaching 

 the wooded district of the eastern slope of the 

 Andes, yet was very productive of results in the 

 botanical department. 



The great difference of elevation, and the varia- 

 tion in climate consequent thereon, would lead 

 one to expect a greater variety in the vegetation 

 than was actually found. Forests were no where 

 met with, nor were any of the palm tribe seen; 

 very few of the many tropical plants were per- 

 ceived even on the coast. The smaller shrubs 

 were seldom found, except in the lower region, 

 where their limit is circumscribed to the well- 

 watered district. Thickets are very rare, and in 

 the higher regions appear to be altogether wanting. 

 The vegetation of Peru, on the whole, is charac- 

 terized by an air of tameness, indicating but a 

 slight change of season, and has been classed into 

 four distinct botanical regions, which are easily 

 distinguished. 



The geological region passed over was also one 

 of much interest, and from the observations of the 

 gentlemen, the following information has been de- 

 rived. 



The geological structure, as far as their obser- 

 vations went, corresponds to that of North Chili, 

 with the exception of a narrow belt of sedimentary 

 rocks along the sea-coast, west of the granitic 

 range, which is wanting in that country. This 

 belt includes the island of San Lorenzo and others, 

 as well as the coast itself, to the extent of from 

 seven to ten miles from the sea-beach. These 

 sedimentary rocks are argillaceous, distinctly stra- 

 tified, and more or less slaty, the layers being in 

 many places discoloured by the red oxide of iron. 

 In other places they appeared of a black colour, as 

 if in the vicinity of coal-beds, of which the existence 

 was spoken of, but we did not discover any unequi- 

 vocal traces of this substance. Some conspicuous 



examples of faults were noticed by Mr. Dana along 

 the coast of San Lorenzo. Many minerals were 

 also found by this gentleman ; among them gypsum 

 was of frequent occurrence, as well as some fossils: 

 for fuller information reference is made to the 

 Geological Report. 



The hills and mountains to the eastward, joining 

 the above sedimentary rocks, are exclusively of 

 granite, which extends in width to the distance of 

 forty-five geographical miles beyond Yaso. In 

 places it has very much the appearance of a stra- 

 tified rock ; it is much broken, and variable in its 

 character, so as to render it somewhat deceptive. 

 Dr. Pickering observes, that this peculiar character 

 or appearance is owing to the slow process of the 

 decomposition of the rock in this dry climate, and 

 which would, in other places, subject to the ordi- 

 nary fluctuations of seasons, be covered with several 

 feet of earth. The same reasons will account for 

 the duration of the Inca villages that cover many 

 of the hills, and which a copious shower would en- 

 tirely wash away. The granite on its eastern side 

 was coarse-grained, presenting more of the ordi- 

 nary appearance of that rock. 



Immediately eastward of the granite district 

 commence the trap rocks, consisting for the most 

 part of porphyry. Dr. Pickering traced the line of 

 junction for some miles, the hills on one side being 

 of granite, on the other porphyry. The eastern 

 limit of the trap region is supposed to be dis- 

 tant some twenty miles from the western. The 

 porphyry resembles the Swedish, and that in 

 the vicinity of Boston. Many porphyry pebbles, 

 supposed to be of this formation, were found on the 

 beach at Callao, having, it is to be presumed, been 

 carried there by the action of the water-courses. 



Next comes the plateau of the Cordilleras, which 

 is formed of sedimentary rocks; this includes the 

 silver-mines, and the highest peaks, and is appa- 

 rently of the same age as the coast. Much of 

 the rock is argillaceous. At Banos an argil- 

 laceous limestone was used for burning, and quan- 

 tities of gypsum, used for manure, was brought 

 from the vicinity of Casa Cancha, some twenty 

 miles to the north. Conglomerates prevailed over 

 a great portion of the crest the party traversed. 

 The included pebbles were observed to be of re- 

 gular shape, smooth and polished as if sea-washed. 

 All the party remarked the smoothness of the peb- 

 bles in the torrents of the Cordilleras, which had 

 a strong resemblance to those on the sea-beach. 

 From the information relative to the mines in the 

 Cerro de Pasco, it will have been perceived that 

 blue limestone, slate, and sandstone exist in that 

 vicinity; and at the silver-mines at Alpamarca a 

 compact bluish rock was observed, probably the 

 limestone; it was not, however, ascertained whether 

 it was argillaceous or a pure limestone. Dr. Pic- 

 kering remarks, that it contained numerous hard 

 seams of opaque calcareous spar, with somewhat 

 the lustre of " satin spar." Sandstone with small 

 pebbles was not uncommon. 



The bare spots of the higher peaks did not pre- 

 sent the variety of colour of the Chilian Andes, but 

 had a uniform dark slaty hue. Many incrustations 

 were seen forming on the rocks and plants ; this 

 was found to be gypsum. 



Previous to our departure, I felt desirous of 

 having an excursion made to the ruins of Pacha- 

 camac ; and having heard that the landing was 



