250 



PERU. 



Yet, extraordinary 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 hulds society together. All are subservient to the rites of 

 the church. Even the Chilian general officers dismount and kneel 

 when the procession passes; 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 toid 

 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 he Peacock, a boy, was discovered to 

 have the small-pox. He was immediately removed to a tent at San 

 Lorenzo, and every thing provided for him, until he could be sent to 

 Lima, Mr. Bartlett, oar consul, having procured permission for his 

 removal there. 



Every precaution against this disease had been taken, by vaccina- 

 ting the crews after leaving the United States. 



I felt great uneasiness, lest we might carry it with us to the Islands, 

 where it might spread among the natives, and render our visit ever 

 memorable by the introduction of that dreadful scourge. All the 

 clothing, and every thing that had been in any way connected with 

 the sick boy or his nurses, was destroyed, in the hopes of rendering 

 us exempt from the contagion. 



LIMA HOUSE. 



