314 SOUTH AMERICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



figures of angels, with their long tresses and white wings pendent from the 

 shoulders. 



On the other hand, the Orejones (" Long Ears "), although tall and muscular, 

 make themselves repulsive by slitting the lower lobe of the ear into two strips, 

 which hang down nearly to the shoulders. Their territory lies on the north side 

 of the Napo, above its confluence with the Marafion. 



The Spaxiards, Negroes and Coolies. 



The Spanish immigrants, who have served to leaven the native populations, 

 nearly all settled originally in the metropolis and in the mining cities of the 

 plateau. From these centres the créoles (full-blood Spaniards) and the half- 

 castes gradually spread over the land in sufficient numbers to slowly modify the 

 aboriginal elements. But after the heroic age of the Conquest, Spain was too 

 exhausted to send any more colonists to Peru ; there never was an immigration in 

 the strict sense of the word, and the subsequent arrivals were mainly a few 

 fortune-hunters, officials and soldiers. 



Since the War of Independence and the rupture of the commercial relations 

 with Spain, Peru has ceased to receive any settlers of Spanish speech. Amongst 

 the immigrants from other lands, who in 1876 constituted about one-sixth of the 

 inhabitants of Lima, the Italians are by far the most numerous ; they have 

 acquired a sort of monopoly of the retail trade, and most of the eating-houses 

 are in their hands. The English and Germans are for the most part engaged 

 in the wholesale trade, while the French follow jDursuits more like those of the 

 Italians. 



Under the Spanish rule the African element was somewhat strongly repre- 

 sented on the Peruvian seaboard. But it tends to be absorbed in the general 

 population, especially since ihe complete cessation of slavery in 1855, after 

 which year all further importations from any quarter became impossible. 

 Towards the middle of the century there were still about 50,000 negroes in 

 Peru; at present they number at most 5,000. On the plantations they are replaced 

 by Chinese coolies and Soutli-Sea Islanders, of whom nearly 100,000 have been 

 introduced since 1849. 



Whatever be said to the contrary b}'' interested persons, the coolie traffic has 

 always been accompanied by injustice and atrocities. The pretended free hands 

 had often been kidnapped on the coasts of China, while those who signed the 

 contract voluntarily discovered too late the hollowness of the promises in which 

 they had believed. Revolts occurred on the high seas, and frightful struggles 

 took place between the crews and the captives. Reports are current of vessels 

 which disappeared altogether, burnt by their living freight, preferring death to 

 bondage. 



After the horrors of the middle passage came those of forced labour on the 

 plantations. Groaning under the lash during the day, confined at night in 

 hovels guarded by armed men, with only three days of rest in the whole year. 



