COCACHACRA. 



45 



After San Pedro, at about three miles of distance, comes the haci- 

 enda of Santa Ana, belonging to Senor Ximenes, an old gentleman of 

 Lima, who had made a large fortune by mining. Just before reaching 

 there we met a drove of one hundred and fifty mules belonging to him, 

 in fine condition and well appointed, going to Lima, laden with small 

 sticks of the willow and molle for fuel. 



There is very little cultivation till near Cocachacra, where we saw 

 well-tilled fields, green with alfalfa and Indian corn. "We arrived at 

 this place at half-past five, and pitched the tent in a meadow near the 

 river, and without the town, for the purpose of avoiding company and 

 disagreeable curiosity. 



Although we had seen fields of lucern before entering the village, 

 we could get none for our mules after we got there ; and to every in- 

 quiry for hay, fodder, or grain, the constant reply was " No hay" (there 

 is none.) Gibbon, however, persevered until some one told him, in an 

 undertone, as if imparting a great secret, where a little corn was to be 

 purchased, and he got a peck or two shelled. We were continually 

 annoyed and put to inconvenience by the refusal of the people to sell 

 to us. I think it arose from one of two causes, or probably both — either 

 that money was of less value to them than the things we wanted, or 

 they feared to have it known that they had possessions, lest the hand 

 of authority should be laid upon them, and they be compelled to give 

 up their property without payment. 



Cocachacra is a village of about one hundred inhabitants, and at 

 present the residence of the sub-prefect or governor of the province, 

 which is that of Huarochiri. This province, according to the " Guia 

 de Forasteros," (a sort of official almanac published yearly at Lima,) 

 is conterminous with that of Lima, and commences at eighteen miles 

 from the city. It has ninety miles of length from N. W. to S. E., 

 and seventy-two of breadth. There are fourteen thousand two hundred 

 and fifty-eight native inhabitants; and its fiscal income is fourteen 

 thousand two hundred and fifty-eight dollars and two reals ; its mu- 

 nicipal, one thousand one hundred and eighty-seven dollars. The in- 

 habitants are generally engaged in mining, cultivating potatoes, and 

 raising cattle, or as muleteers. The houses, like all those of the Sierra, 

 are built either of stone or adobe, and thatched with wheat or barley 

 straw. 



We called on the sub-prefect and exhibited our Peruvian passports, 

 asking, at the same time, that he would give us some assistance in 

 obtaining food for our beasts. This he seemed lukewarm about, and I 

 did not press him, for I had made up my mind that as far as it was 



