384 CHARLES DARWIN 



French carpenters had broken open, during the same night, 

 the two churches, and stolen all the plate : one of the robbers, 

 however, subsequently confessed, and the plate was recovered. 

 The convicts were sent to Arequipa, which though the capital 

 of this province, is two hundred leagues distant ; the govern- 

 ment 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 churches were 

 again broken open, but this time the plate was not recovered. 

 The inhabitants became dreadfully enraged, and declaring 

 that none but heretics would thus " eat God Almighty," pro- 

 ceeded to torture some Englishmen, with the intention of 

 afterwards shooting them. At last the authorities interfered, 

 and peace was established. 



ijth. In the morning I started for the saltpetre-works, 

 a distance of fourteen leagues. Having ascended the steep 

 coast-mountains by a zigzag sandy track, we soon came in 

 view of the mines of Guantajaya 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 sunset, having ridden 

 all day across an undulating country, a complete and utter 

 desert. The road was strewed with the bones and dried skins 

 of many beasts of burden which had perished on it from 

 fatigue. Excepting the Vultur aura, which preys on the 

 carcasses, I saw neither bird, quadruped, 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 sur- 

 face quite unattached. This plant belongs to the genus 

 Cladonia, and somewhat resembles the reindeer lichen. In 

 some parts it was in sufficient quantity to tinge the sand, 

 as seen from a distance, of a pale yellowish colour. Further 

 inland, during the whole ride of fourteen leagues, I saw only 

 one other vegetable production, and that was a most minute 

 yellow lichen, growing on the bones of the dead mules. This 

 was the first true desert which I had seen: the effect on me 



