SANDSTONE PYRAMIDS. 19 

 • 



engine purposes. One steam-engine made a voyage round Cape Horn, 

 and arrived safely at these mines, where it is said to be doing a good 

 business. In all cases, the pieces must not exceed one hundred and 

 fifty pounds weight, or they come to a stand-still at the landing on 

 the coast. Two pieces are balanced on the back of a mule, which 

 carries the heavy loads, never exceeding three hundred pounds. This 

 is the only way a steam-engine can possibly travel through the depart- 

 ment of Huancavelica. The unoccupied mines are said to contain 

 water, and air so offensive, that it is dangerous for the workmen to enter 

 them. 



This department has a population, by the government estimate, of 

 76,111 people. Two of the aboriginal race to one Creole will not be 

 far from the average proportion. As the old Alcalde honestly confesses, 

 he don't know how many people live in his small town, it will be un- 

 derstood how difficult it is to get anything like a correct list. The 

 people are scattered over a great space of country. We travel a day 

 over the wild heights without meeting with a man, or find a valley too 

 thickly peopled for the productions raised therein. 



The department is divided into four provinces, each governed by a 

 sub-prefect. These are again divided into districts, under governors, all 

 of whom are responsible to the prefect at the capital — Huancavelica — 

 who is allowed a secretary, three assistants, and a porter. The civil 

 list amounts annually to six thousand four hundred and ninety-five 

 dollars. The prefect is appointed by the government at Lima, and holds 

 his office during the pleasure of the President of the republic. The 

 sub-prefects and governors are also appointed by th« supreme govern- 

 ment, though generally through the recommendation of the prefect of 

 the department. 



Early in the morning we left Pancara ; our good old friend, the 

 Alcalde, still eating roasted maize, while he cheerfully expressed a 

 desire to see us when we returned again. The Indians show great 

 surprise when they are told that we will not return that way, and "seem 

 to be buried in deep thought, as though it troubled them to make out 

 the white man's motions. 



Near this small town the road leads through a number of standing 

 rocks, which have been washed by the rains into sugar-loaf forms ; and 

 so uniform are they, that it seemed like passing through tents in an 

 encampment. The rock is a soft sandstone, which wears away very fast 

 at the sides, and not on the top, where seems to be the end of the grain. 

 Their heights are from 12 to 18 feet, and so well shaped, that one 

 might be erroneously led to believe they were the work of a pyramidal- 



