GOLD AND SILVER ORNAMENTS. I 27 



CHAPTER II. 



Gold and silver ornaments — Bridal trip on the Andes — Manufacturers of bark 

 rope — Cotton trees — Winds and currents of the mountains — Population — Culti- 

 vation — Flocks of sheep — Frosty nights — Reports of robbers — Shoemaker — 

 Ancient fortification — Indians travelling — Condor's wings — A padre on the 

 road — Sugar-cane patches — Spanish Creoles — An African slave — Apurimac 

 bridge — Cabbage patch — Peruvian widow — Bullfight — Fish and horned cattle — 

 Ciizco — Market place — Steamboat navigation — Eastern side of the Andes — 

 Coca plantation — Head of Madre de Dios — Rivers Cosnipata, Tono, and 

 Pinipini — Forests — Tigers — Monkeys — Chun^ho savages — View of the low 

 lands from a peak of the Andes — Cinchona bark gatherers. 



This town was formerly celebrated for manufacturers of beautiful gold 

 and silver ornaments. Exported to Spain they were highly prized. 

 Old ornaments are still for sale, which are of virgin metal, some of 

 them curious imitations of birds and animals. In the small shops 

 around the plaza, cotton goods are sold, but there is little activity in 

 anything. The picture of decay is distressing ; blind people walk arm 

 in arm with cripples ; no sound of busy wheels or of business is heard ; 

 a death-like silence prevails, both day and night, only broken by the 

 chime of enormous steeple bells, where the ragged population kneel be- 

 fore an altar groaning with the precious metals. The priests, with few 

 exceptions, are the only fat looking people in this part of the country, 

 others being taxed for the support of the government and the church. 



There are many pleasant families here ; the gentlemen frank and 

 agreeable. Several of them came to see me, and expressed great 

 pleasure at the idea of advancing their country by steam navigation. 

 One gray-headed gentleman told me he probably would not live to see 

 the result of the expedition, but he believed his sons would, and daugh- 

 ters too. He gave me his blessing, which was quite sincere. The pre- 

 fect was also interested in the enterprize, and showed it by presenting 

 maps, and furnishing everything necsssary for an easy passage through 

 a rough country. We were comfortably quartered, and kindly treated by 

 all. The ladies of Ayacucho are handsome, ride well on horseback, 

 are extremely agreeable in conversation, and naturally talented. One 

 who can boast of having been in Lima, is never a " wall flower" among 

 them. With a modest bearing, they speak out, and to the point. 



