96 



PALCAMAYO. 



inhabitants, belonging to the "Doctrina" of Acobamba. A justice of 

 the peace, a good-looking Indian, whom we encountered sitting at the 

 door of a grog-shop in the plaza, conducted us to the house of the 

 alcalde. We found this worthy drunk, and asleep on the floor, and 

 were much annoyed with the attentions of another individual, who had 

 a very dirty poultice on his jaws ; this was his worship's secretary, who 

 was in little better condition than his patron. Two drunken "regidores" 

 came in to see us ; and it seemed that all the magistracy of Palcamayo 

 had been "on a spree." They required the money of us before they 

 would get us or our cattle anything to eat. 



It would be difficult to find a clearer sky and a purer atmosphere 

 than we had here. The sky, at twilight, looked white or gray, rather 

 than blue ; and I thought it was cloudy until my eye fell upon the 

 young moon, with edges as distinct and clear as if it were cut out of 

 silver, and near at hand. The elevation of Palcamayo is ten thousand 

 five hundred and thirty-nine feet above the level of the sea. 



July 2. — Thermometer, at 6 a. m., 37 ; clear and calm. Three miles 

 above Palcamayo we left the maize and alfalfa, and encountered potatoes 

 and barley. The road a league above this point turns sharp to the 

 westward, and ascends a steep and rugged "cuesta." This brought us 

 out upon a small plain, bounded by low hills, and dotted with small 

 detached houses, build of stone and covered with conical roofs of straw. 

 They were circular, and looked like bee-hives. The plain was covered 

 with a short grass, and many tolerable-looking cattle and sheep were 

 feeding on it. A small stream, coming from the westward, ran through 

 its midst. The water had been carried by a canal half-way up the sides 

 of the hills that bounded the plain to the northward, so as to enable 

 the people to irrigate the whole plain. Where the water had broken 

 through the canal and spread itself over the side of the hill, it had 

 frozen, and the boys were amusing themselves sliding down it. 



At the western edge of the plain is the village of " Cacas" of two 

 hundred and fifty or three hundred inhabitants. The people were cele- 

 brating the festival of St. Peter, for they are not particular about days. 

 The church was lighted and decorated with all the frippery that could 

 be mustered ; and preparations were making for a great procession. 

 There were two Indians, or Meztizos, dressed in some old-fashioned 

 infantry uniform, with epaulets ; flaming red sashes, tied in monstrous 

 bows behind, and white gloves. (The cocked hats, for size and varie- 

 gated plumage, beggar description.) These were evidently the military 

 part of the procession ; one was mounted on a little shaggy nag, with 

 his sword hanging on the right-hand side ; and the other was strutting 



