24 



ARRIEROS. 



lightning, which lit up the whole valley. The nights are cloudy, which 

 baffles our watch for the stars. The day's travel before our arrival here 

 was harassing. 



The roof of the government house in Huanta is well tiled, and the 

 walls well plastered, with paintings of full figures of saints, fairly exe- 

 cuted, on them ; the rooms are large, furnished, and carpeted. This is 

 the exception to the rule. 



The Huancavelica mules and arrieros returned, and we engaged others. 

 The postman examined the baggage ; pairs off the loads ; and receives 

 half the passage-money in advance the day before starting. He in- 

 quires, with an enterprising air, what time we would like to leave in the 

 morning ? I have found it best to tell them to come before the time 

 appointed. The frequent excuses are various — a mule will be missing, or, 

 the arriero may want a wife — he is never at a loss for a reason to keep you 

 waiting until he is ready. The best way, after fretting a little at first, is 

 to take things a little easier than they do. It is amusing to see how they 

 dislike to be outdone, and hurry to break down opposition. Whenever 

 these people meet with difficulties, the rule is to take a seat, and from 

 the pocket take a small piece of paper or corn husk ; a tin box sup- 

 plies tobacco, to be rolled up in the shape of a cigar, and placed be- 

 hind the ear ; a match box and strike-a-light are produced, and the 

 difficulty is considered in so cool a manner, while the smoke curls up- 

 wards, that unless you saw a mule, baggage and all, had broken through 

 a miserable bridge, or fallen down a precipice, you would not believe 

 anything had happened. The tobacco imported from Havana into 

 Peru is highly prized, and a quantity consumed. Massachusetts cotton 

 goods are sold by the Indians, in the plazas of these inlanc^ towns, at 

 three times their value in the United States. 



Passing through the small town of Macachara, I made Jose ask an 

 Indian woman, seated on the side of the street, how old she was ? She 

 answered, one hundred years, God bless you, and " very poor." At a 

 well built stone bridge, dated 1*7 70, a flock of parrots flew by. Out 

 course is south, over a rocky, dusty road ; the day clear and calm. At 

 noon, thermometer, *71°, with snow-capped mountains to the northeast. 

 There is very little growth on the mountains — here and there some 

 cactus. "We arrived at the side of a stream through which a number 

 of women were wading. No wonder they carry such loads on their 

 backs, they are so stout built. An old woman, with four handsome 

 daughters, kept her dress much dryer than any of the girls, though 

 they were more careful after they found how deep it was. They are 

 not nervous, and don't mind men much. A plateau is cultivated with 



