54 



GOTHIC FORMS IN WICKER. 



This taste for architectural ornament in wicker 

 is found in other uncivilised countries at a distance 

 from, and holding no communication with, one 

 another. In Java, in Manilla, and in Ceylon, and 

 probably at other places in the Eastern seas, the 

 natives are in the practice of erecting temporary 

 triumphal arches ; which exhibit a great variety 

 of very elegant forms, of a purely Gothic chai*acter. 

 In Ceylon, large buildings, entirely of canes and 

 basket-work, are sometimes erected, of a highly 

 ornamental description. The bamboo and rattan 

 are generally used ; but the willow, or any pliable 

 material possessing elasticity, seems to afford, in the 

 hands of these ingenious people, an endless profu- 

 sion of beautiful forms. In Java, where there 

 are a great number of such arches, it is rare to 

 observe exactly the same tracery repeated, although 

 a striking consistency of character pervades the 

 whole. 



It is interesting to trace, in such remote regions, 

 the same analogies which, in Europe, have been 

 conceived to afford some explanation of the origin 

 and consistency of principle of the two finest styles 

 of architecture, the Grecian and the Gothic. The 

 theory of Vitruvius receives all the confirmation 

 it could desire from these humble structures at 

 Huaura ; while that of Sir James Hall, in the 

 case of Gothic architecture, derives no less support 

 from the wicker forms above mentioned. And 

 these instances, as far as they go, seem to possess 

 a peculiar value from being found amongst rude 

 nations, separated far from one another, and hold- 

 ing little or no intercourse with those countries in 

 which architecture has made the greatest progress: 

 they help to support the idea, that there may be 

 an intrinsic or natural beauty in certain classes of 

 forms, which afterwards, in the hands of persons 

 of higher powers of execution, and cultivated taste, 

 may not only have afforded a ground-work, but 

 have given consistency to more elaborate architec- 

 tural systems. 



On returning from Huaura, we lost our way by 

 making a wrong turn up one of the innumerable 

 lanes which intersect the country in every direc- 

 tion. By following one of these, we were eventu- 

 ally brought to the very edge of the desert, and 

 found ourselves once more in a sea of sand. On 

 another occasion, we came to a road filled two feet 

 deep with running water, and upon afterwards 

 observing the others more attentively, we disco- 

 vered that our supposed roads or lanes were only 

 so many water-courses, and as each field required 

 at least one ditch, the cause of their numbers was 

 explained. The hedges appeared to be planted 

 merely to give stability to the embankments ; 

 although their shade must also have the beneficial 

 effect of preventing evaporation. Wherever a 

 river, or even the smallest stream occurs, the in- 

 habitants gladly profit by it ; and nothing can 

 exceed the fertility of the soil which this irrigation 

 produces : but ^ is the misfortune of the western 

 side of America to have very few rivers at that 

 part of the coast which is never visited by rain. 



At Iluacho, we found the governor at dinner 

 with two or three friends. lie was of the abori- 

 ginal race of the country, spoke a little Spanish, 

 and was probabiy a discreet and clever fellow ; 

 otherwise lie would not have been left in a com- 

 mand by San Martin, The dinner was placed on 

 a low table in the middle of the floor, and the 



whole party forked their meat out of one dish. It 

 was interesting, on looking round the shop, to 

 observe the effect of the recent political changes. 

 A roll of English broad-cloth was resting on a 

 French wine-case, marked medoc ; on the table 

 stood a bottle of champagne ; the knives and forks 

 were marked Sheffield, and the skreen which 

 divided the apartment was made of a piece of 

 Glasgow printed cotton. 



We sailed for Lima again on the 4th of August, 

 but it was not till late at night of the 7 th that we 

 reached Chorillos, an open roadstead in front of a 

 small town about ten miles to the southward of 

 Lima. This spot, in times of peace a favourite 

 bathing-place for the gay world of the capital, was 

 now a military outpost. Sentinels paced along the 

 heights ; parties of soldiei-s occupied the beach ; 

 all the neat villas and ornamental cottages were 

 turned into guard-houses and stables ; so that the 

 beauty and comfort of the spot were utterly 

 destroyed. As no one was allowed to proceed 

 without a passport, I was forced to wait till a 

 messenger went to Lima, and returned. 



CHAPTER XX. 



Return to Lima. — San Martin assumes the title of Protec- 

 tor. — Proclamation declaratory of his Views. — Proceed- 

 ings against the Spaniards. — Their disagreeable Predica- 

 ment in Lima.— State of Society. 

 9th of Aug. — On reaching the city we learned 

 that General San Martin had taken upon himself 

 the title of Protector, uniting in his own person 

 both the civil and military authority of the liberated 

 provinces. The proclamation which he issued on 

 this occasion is curious ; it has but little of the 

 wonted bombast of such documents, and though 

 not sparing of self-praise, is manly and decided ; 

 and, as I fully believe from a number of collateral 

 circumstances, perfectly sincere. 



" DECREE 



"By Don Jose de San Martin, Captain-General 

 and Commander-in-Chief of the Liberating Army 

 of Peru, Grand Cross of the Legion of Merit of 

 Chili, Protector of Peru. 



" When I took upon me the important enter- 

 prise of liberating this country, I had no other 

 motive than a desire to advance the sacred cause 

 of America, and to promote the happiness of the 

 Peruvian people. A very considerable part of 

 these objects has already been attained ; but the 

 work would remain incomplete, and my wishes 

 imperfectly accomplished, were I not to establish 

 permanently both the security and the prosperity 

 of the inhabitants of this region. 



" From the moment of my landing at Pisco, I 

 announced, that the imperious necessity of cir- 

 cumstances obliged me to vest myself with the 

 supreme authority, while I held myself respon- 

 sible to the country for its due exercise. Those 

 circumstances have not varied, since there is still 

 in Peru a foreign enemy to combat ; and conse- 

 quently it is a measure of necessity, that the 

 political and military authority should continue 

 united in my person. 



" I hope that, in taking this step, 1 shall have 

 the justice done me to have it believed, that I am 





