PERU. 25? 
and purposes a conquered people, although they profess to think the 
Chilians their friends, and say that the war was only against Santa 
Cruz and his policy. No favourable accounts can now be given of 
the state of Peru. A want of confidence exists every where. The 
government is bankrupt in principle and funds. The tenure of 
property is uncertain, and oppression, extortion, and want of principle 
have brought the country to the verge of ruin. The people are 
harassed by the frequent changes, and the government, military, and 
constantly changing, gives rise to all kinds of disorder. This' is to 
be imputed to the ambition of the various rulers or generals, who 
endeavour to keep old and little understood controversies in a constant 
state of agitation, for their own benefit. Revolution is the order of 
the day. One broke out again in Payta a few days before we sailed, 
and Peru was raising troops to attack Bolivia. 
Their manner of recruiting the army is not unlike the press-gangs 
of England. They scour the country far and near for recruits, and 
if not obtained, compel every poor Indian met with, to serve against 
his will. Agriculture, and every other kind of honest industry, has 
fallen into disrepute, if not into entire neglect, and the whole country 
is left in a continued state of anarchy and confusion. Yet, extraor- 
dinary as it may seem, one would never suspect, from the outward 
appearance of its inhabitants, that the country could be in such a 
state. All their pastimes go on as usual. Among these, the festivals 
of the church are most conspicuous; for they yet claim the outward 
respect of all, both high and low, and constitute the only bond that 
holds society together. All are subservient to the rites of the church. 
Even the Chilian general officers dismount and kneel on the passing 
of the procession, and all the different guards, with their officers, not 
only give the military salute, but also drop on their knees. 
I was much struck with the sight of a mistress and her slave, who 
had followed her to the cathedral, kneeling on the same piece of cloth, 
telling their beads, and saying their prayers together. This I was 
told was quite common. It seemed a tacit acknowledgment that 
religion reduced all to the same level. From what I could learn, the 
slaves are treated with great kindness. 
During our stay here, we had the misfortune to lose one of the 
marines, Benjamin Holden, who had been transferred but a few days 
from the Relief to the Peacock. He was interred at San Lorenzo. 
One of the servants on board the Peacock, a boy, was discovered to 
have the small-pox. He was immediately removed to a tent at San 
vol. i. 65 
