LIMA. 



Yncas alfo did, after they had extended their empire hither : 

 and as it was fuppofed to return an anfwcr to the prayers ad- 

 drefled to it, they called it, by way of diftinftion, Rimac, 

 or lie who fpeaks. The fituation of this city is peculiarly 

 advantageous, as it is placed in the centre of a valley, the 

 ■whole of which it commands. Towards the north, at a 

 confiderable diilance, is the Cordillera, or chain of the 

 Andes ; whence fome hills project into the valley, the 

 neareft of which, to tlie city, are tliofe of St. Chriftopher, 

 and Amancaes. A river of the lame name walhes the walls 

 of Lima, over which is an elegant and Ipacions (lone brido-e, 

 with a gate of beautiful architedure, that forms the entrance 

 into thcvcity, and leads to the grand fijuare, wliich is large, 

 and finely ornamented. In the middle of it is a noble 

 fountain of bronze, and fuch olijefts, uletul as well as orna- 

 mental, are not uncommon. The form of the city is 

 triangular, the bafe, or longed lide, extending along the 

 banks of the river. Its length is 1920 toifes, or -jds of a 

 league; and its greateft breadth from N. to S., that is, 

 from the bridge to the angle oppofite to the bafe, is 1080 

 toifes, or |ths of a league. It is fnrrounded with a brick, 

 •wall, fianked with 34 baftions ; and in its whole circum- 

 ft-rence it has feven gates and three poiterns. On the fide 

 of the river oppofite to the city is a fuburb, called St. La- 

 zaro, which has lately increafed ; all its flreets, like thofe of 

 the city, are broad, parallel, and at right angles, forming 

 fquare? of houfes ; all well-paved, fupphed from the river 

 ■with ftreams of water, arched over, fo that they contribute 

 to cleanunefs and falubrity, without the leaft iiiconveniency. 

 The number of ilreets is faid to be 35 j, and of houfes 3941 . 

 Towards the E. and W. parts of the city, within the walls, 

 are many fruit and kitchen-gardens ; and mod of the prin- 

 cipal houfes have gardens for amufemcnt, which are conti- 

 jiually refrelhed with water by means of canalj. The whole 

 , city is divided into five parilhes, and abounds with churches, 

 convents, nunneries, colleges, and charitable foundations, 

 which it would be tedious to recount, and it has alfo a famous 

 univerfity, founded in 1576. All the churches and chapels 

 are large, and adorned with paintings -and other decorations 

 of great value. The viceroys of Peru ufually refide at 

 Liima, enjoying all the privileges of rpyalty, and, befides 

 afhlling at the courts of jullice, and the councils relating both 

 to the finances and war, give every day public audience to 

 all forts of perfons ; for which purpofe, there are in the 

 palace three very grand and fpacious rooms. Under the 

 •viceroy there is a number of officers, and of tribunals for 

 the tranfaAions of the bufinefs of the city and audience. 

 The Cabildo, or Ayuntamiento, that is, the municipal 

 body of the city, enjoys particular privileges ; and the re- 

 venue of the capital exceeds 36,000 dollars. Since 1786, 

 tliere is alfo a judge of the police, afilfted by an able archi- 

 teft, and other officers. 



Upon the whole, we may obferve, without reciting par- 

 ticulars, that Lima is not only large, magnificent, and dillin- 

 guilhed as the capital of the kingdom, by the refidence of 

 the viceroy, and the fuperior courts and offices, but that it 

 has an acknowledged fuperioijity over the other cities in that 

 part of the world, from the inftitutions that are eftablilhed 

 for the advancement of literature and the fciences. It is a 

 place v.'here lu.Kury prevails to a great degree ; the malls 

 are crowded with bandfome carriages ; the number of 

 coaches and calafh'cu being computed at 1400. Never- 

 thelels, amufements are rare, and literature is negleded. 

 Little encouragement is given to publications of a kind 

 moft likely to mtereil the inhabitants of the city and its 

 environs. The univerfity of St. Mark is condufted on the 

 plan of tlie Spanifh univerfitie*. The theatre is » neat 



building ; but the exhibitions do not difplay much tarte. 

 Coffee-houfcs only began to be opened in 177 1. Cock- 

 fighting is a favnurife amufement on Sundays and feflivals ; 

 nor are bull-fightr, unknown. 



The number of inhabitants in this city, according to 

 the lateft enumeration, amounts to ^2,627 ; the monks 

 and clergy being 1392; the nuns 1585; the Spaniards, 

 in general, 17,215; with 3219 Indians, and 8960 negroes, 

 the reft being Meftizos, and perfons of other calls. The 

 rich ecclefiaftics, proprietors of entailed eilatcs, mih'tarv 

 and civil officers, and phyiicians, advocates, attornies, and 

 artizans, may amount to 19,000 ; the reft being ilaves 

 or domeftics. The want of occupation leads many of 

 the females to vice ; and the men are rather inclined to 

 indolence and floth. The population has declined finre 

 the ereftion of the new vice-royally of La Plata ; and it 

 is likely ftiil farther to dccreafe, notwithllanding an i iflux 

 of 1400 perfons of all fexes and conditions, who annually 

 arrive aa a fupply ; not to mention the Spanifh j^irls, who, 

 from the province of Pinra in the north, and lea in the 

 fouth, come hither to difpofe of their charms either in mar- 

 riage or love, thofe provinces being celebrated for female 

 beauty. All the inhabitants of Lima, from the highcft to 

 the loweft, are fond of fine clothes, and they indulge their 

 pafiion to great excefs. The women's drefs confiils of a 

 pair of ftioes, a chemife, a petticoat of dimity, an open pet- 

 ticoat, and a jacket, which, in fummer, is of linen, and in 

 winter of ftuff, to v.hich fome add a mantelette. Women ' 

 of the loweft condition, whofe whole ftock of apparel confifti 

 merely of two chemifes and a petticoat, wear bracelets, rofa- 

 rifs, and finall gold images, about their necks andarms, to the 

 valne of fifty or fixty crowns. The females are, in general, of 

 a middling ftature, handfome, genteel, of a very fair com. 

 plexion, withbeautitul hair, and enchanting luilre, anddiTnity 

 in their eyes. They are naturaUy gay, fprightly, jocofe, with- 

 out levity, and remarkably fond of niufic. The temperature 

 of the air at Lima is agreeable ; and though the difference of 

 the four feafons is perceptible, they are all moderate, and 

 none of them troublefome. Spring begins towards the clofe of 

 the year, ;. e. towards the end of November, or beginning 

 of December ; this is fucceeded by fummer, the heat of 

 which is moderated by the fouth winds : at the latter end 

 of June, or beginning of July, the winter begins, and con- 

 tinues till November or December, the autumn intervenino-. 

 As rain is feldom or never feen at Lima, the place is equally 

 free from tempefts, and tiie inhabitants are totally firangers to 

 thunder and lightning: there are, however, orhcr incon- 

 veniences and evils 10 which they are obnoxious. In fum- 

 mer they are tormented with fleas, bugs, and raofquiloes ; ' 

 but the moft dreadful calamity to wliich this country is 

 fubjetl is the recurrence of earthquakes, of which they have 

 had feveral, which have almoft ruined the city. Thefe have 

 occurred in 1582, 1586, 1609: 1630, 1655, 167S, J687, 

 1696, 1697, 1699, 1716, 1725, 1732, 1734, '745' and 

 1746 ; the latter being the moft tremendous and deilruftivs. 

 As the beft fecurity againft carthouakes, they build their 

 houfes moftly of \*ood, and the walls of wattled oziers or 

 canes, covered with clay, and painted. The dillempers 

 moft common at Lima are malign;uit, intermittent, and catar. 

 lious fevers, pleurifies, and conilipations ; and thcfe rage 

 covitinually in the city. The fniall-pox is slfo known here ; 

 and when it occurs proves fatal to many. The wealth of this 

 city is chiefly derived from the mines in the province* 

 to the north and fouth-; but agriculture profpers very much 

 in the vicinity, and the" fii Ids fupply food for a multitude of 

 Iiorfes and cattie. The fertility of the foil was very much 

 improved iii ancient times bv the care of ilje Yocas, ta cut 



