PERU. 263 
afterwards) just on the border of the irrigated valley. The walls of 
the town were very thick, built of mud and unburnt brick, at right 
angles, very much after the modern maimer; the hills, also, were 
seen covered with the ruins of Indian buildings, some of them 
resembling fortifications. 
They now turned up a beautiful valley, on the irrigated fields of 
which were seen herds of horned cattle, horses, and goats, a proof 
that the irrigated land is not exclusively used for tillage. 
At six leagues from Lima they reached Ponchorua, the first 
stopping-place ; but the party concluded to go a league beyond it to 
Caballeros, where they passed the night. They arrived there in 
sufficient time to make a short excursion to the banks of the Rio de 
Caxavillo, which appeared a larger stream than the Rimac. 
Around Caballeros are very extensive meadows and fields of clover. 
The posada was found occupied by the guard and muleteers who 
acted as a convoy of silver from Pasco. They gave up the only room 
in the house for our gentlemen, into which they were shown, and 
wmere a good supper was provided for them, while the guard took 
up their quarters in the yard. The metal, it was observed, was in 
large masses of pina, some of them heavy enough for a load for a 
mule, and an inconvenient burthen to run away with. 
They passed the night on the tables and rude seats, under cover, a 
luxury they had not yet learned to appreciate. 
At midnight they felt the shock of an earthquake. A distant 
hollow sound was at first heard, which seemed to approach, in- 
creasing rapidly, and before they could spring to their feet the house 
was rolled and shaken as if it had been on an agitated sea. Mr. Rich 
says that it was with difficulty he could hold himself on the table 
where he had been lying. The natives of the adjoining huts ran out 
into the road, uttering horrible shrieks, striking their breasts, and 
offering up prayers to the Holy Virgin to protect them. The shock 
continued severe for forty seconds, but the phenomenon lasted alto- 
gether two minutes; it produced a slight sea-sickness, which con- 
tinued for some time afterwards, and a bewildered sensation, that 
rendered it difficult to collect their ideas to speak. The sound 
resembled that produced by throwing stones over precipices, so as 
to roll on hollow ground beneath. This earthquake was the most 
violent that had been experienced for some time, and was felt sen- 
sibly at Lima and through all Lower Peru. No material damage was 
