Aspects of Nature in Southern Peru. 337 



We now descend to the east, having had an opportunity, in 

 one day, of reaching a region of eternal glaciers, with no 

 vegetation, and a most difficult atmosphere to breathe, in con- 

 sequence of its extreme rarity. The peculiar character of that 

 atmosphere once seen is not easily forgotten ; it is of so dark 

 an indigo colour as to look nearly black, where stars can be 

 observed shining at mid-day, and the white outline of snow on 

 the ridges of the Andes and Cordilleras is in beautiful contrast 

 with those sombre heavens. 



In ascending the Cordillera the traveller may observe 

 droves of the slow-moving and patient llama and alpaca ; 

 higher up he comes upon the timid, swift-fleeing herds of the 

 huanaco and vicuna ; in the table-land he may have met with 

 a stray puma or even an ostrich from the eastern plains, but 

 the only inhabitant of life he perceives at and above the 

 elevation he has finally reached, is the mighty condor. 



In the descent to the east the first vegetation seen is the 

 curious and large dome-shaped, very resinous, yareta plant (a 

 Bolax); then the ichu grass ; this is the natural pasture of the 

 auchenia or llama family, four in number ; the vicuna and 

 huanaco which are wild, the llama and alpaca which are tame. 

 We come now upon cacti, the resinous Tola shrub appears, 

 further down grasses cover the mountains, and in their ravines 

 plants and small trees; and descending still further, tropical 

 vegetation is arrived at, covering the tops of the mountains in 

 this region down to the streams and rivers that flow into the 

 Amazon and the Plata. 



The silver mines of Huantajaya and Santa Rosa were up in 

 the coast mountains, beyond which there was a great pampa or 

 plain where the ores were amalgamated, in consequence of 

 water being obtained from wells there. Further on was situ- 

 ated Tarapaca, the capital of the province, the residence of the 

 Intendente, El Sefior Coronel Don Ramon Castilla (now presi- 

 dent of Peru), and there terciana or ague was endemic. Then 

 there was another spot called Pica, where wine and brandy 

 were made, but where the ague was of the atabadillada, or 

 spotted fever type ; further off still, lived the Indians in the 

 valleys of the Cordillera, on their little farms, and higher up in 

 the mountains they tended llamas and alpacas. 



Now, in 1862, Iquique is a large place (the port for all that 

 district, and second only in importance to Callao), containing 

 from 5000 to 6000 souls, including a sprinkling of foreigners 

 of all nations, churches, and some stately houses, a club, hotels 

 — even an Italian opera has been performed there. 



In early times the town was supplied with water from the 

 quebrada of Pizagua, forty geographical miles distant to the 

 north; now, all that is used for drinking is distilled from 



