CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



U. S. ship Vandalia — Valparaiso— Santiago — Vicente Pazos — Preparatory 

 orders — Lima— Means of information— Conquests of the Incas in the Mon- 

 tana — First explorations of the Spaniards — Madame Godin. 



Attached to the U. S. ship Vandalia, of the Pacific squadron, lying 

 at anchor in the harbor of Valparaiso, in the month of August, 

 1850, I received a communication from the Superintendent of the 

 National Observatory, informing me that orders to explore the Valley 

 of the Amazon would be sent me by the next mail steamer. 



The ship was then bound for the Sandwich Islands, but Captain 

 Gardner, with that kindness which ever characterized his intercourse 

 with his officers, did not hesitate to detach me from the ship, and to 

 give me permission to await, in Valparaiso, the arrival of my instruc- 

 tions. 



The officers expressed much flattering regret at my leaving the ship, 

 and loaded me with little personal mementos — things that might be 

 of use to me on my proposed journey. 



On the 6th of August I unexpectedly saw, from the windows of the 

 club-house at Valparaiso, the topsails of the ship mounting to the 

 mastheads ; I saw that she must needs make a stretch in shore to 

 clear the rocks that lie off the western point of the bay ; and desirous 

 to say farewell to my friends, I leaped into a shore-boat, and shoved 

 off, with the hope of reaching her before she went about. The oarsmen, 

 influenced by the promise of a pair of dollars if they put me on board, 

 bent to their oars with a will, and the light whale-boat seemed to fly; 

 but just as I was clearing the outer line of merchantmen, the ship 

 came sweeping up to the wind ; and as she gracefully fell off on the 

 other tack, her royals and courses were set ; and, bending to the steady 

 northeast breeze, she darted out of the harbor at a rate that set 

 pursuit at defiance. God's blessing go with the beautiful ship, and 

 the gallant gentlemen, her officers, who had been to me as brothers. 



Owing to the death of President Taylor, and the consequent change 

 in the Cabinet, my orders were delayed, and I spent several weeks in 



