250 PERU. 
more absurd one could scarcely have been conceived. The water 
is now used for a much better purpose, namely, to turn the machi- 
nery of some adjacent mills. 
There are three classes of inhabitants, viz. : whites, Indians, and 
negroes. The union of the two first produces the cholo, of the 
two last, the zambo, and of the first and last, the mulatto. The 
Spaniards, or whites, are a tall race, particularly the females. They 
have brown complexions, but occasionally a brilliant colour, black 
hair and eyes. Some of them are extremely beautiful. The cholos 
are shorter, but well made, and have particularly small feet and hands. 
All classes of people are addicted to the smoking of cigars, even in 
carriages and at the dinner-table. It does not seem to be considered 
by any one as unpleasant, and foreigners have adopted the custom. 
The cholo women partake of the dark brown skin of the Indian, 
have low figures, short round faces, high cheek bones, good teeth, and 
small hands and feet. Their whole figure is robust in the extreme. 
There does not appear to exist any accurate account of the popula- 
tion of Peru, but it is generally believed to have decreased, particularly 
the whites and negroes. The best information gives but little over a 
million inhabitants, viz. : about one hundred and twenty-five thousand 
whites; natives and cholos, eight hundred thousand; with ninety 
thousand negroes and ranchos, of whom about thirty-five thousand 
are slaves. This does not vary much from the number given by the 
geographies forty years ago. The country appears, from all accounts, 
not only to have decreased in population, but to have diminished in 
wealth and productiveness. A much less proportion of the soil is 
cultivated than under the " Children of the Sun." 
There are half a dozen newspapers published in Lima, two of these 
daily. They are, like the Spanish, small sheets. They have a good 
deal of control over public opinion. Few or no advertisements are 
seen in them. These are deemed unnecessary in Lima, and all the 
amusements, such as the theatre, cockfighting, &c, are placarded on 
the portals. A high price is asked for these papers. 
On the 30th of May there was a grand procession, on the festival 
of Corpus Christi. It was preceded by a party of negroes, dressed in 
the most gaudy colours, singing, dancing, and keeping time to a 
native tune, somewhat like Mumbo Jumbo, to testify their joy that 
the blessings of Christianity had reached them. Then followed some 
priests, bearing lamps covered with artificial flowers, and swinging 
censers. Next came the shrines of the Virgin and saints, covered 
