32 



ANDAHUAILAS. 



one approach our tent, the arriero was instructed to lasso and haul him 

 in under Jose's hot water, Richards was armed with a carbine and two 

 large ship pistols ; my double-barrelled gun and five-shooter, with rifle 

 bore, made us in all ten shots. At midnight Jose peeped into the tent, 

 and after several anxious calls, said, "Sir, the guia is coming." Jose did 

 not admire the general plan of action, but it was not changed. Upon 

 close examination, we found the supposed guia to be a donkey gazing 

 at the fire. The weapons used by the robbers is a short thick club, slung 

 stone balls, and knives. They seldom use fire-arms, but dread them. 

 The savage, dissipated negro, or Peruvian robber, may come up bravely 

 with his dagger, intent to commit murder ; but let him hear the click 

 of a revolver and he vanishes ; the noise is offensive to him. Robbers 

 waylay travelling merchants, lonely strangers, and trains of merchan- 

 dise with loads of silver. The mules are turned from the road into a 

 wild mountain gorge, where none but robbers live, and forever lost to 

 the owner. The Montoneros, as they are called, control the country 

 around. 



About daylight in the morning, Jose was heard grumbling to himself. 

 While he was asleep a shepherdess's dog robbed his saddle-bags of our 

 bread and cheese. Sketched the encampment ; called it Ladron ; and 

 pushed on. A thick fog, and snow under foot. At 6 a. m., thermometer, 

 89°; wet bulb, 3*7°. The pasture is improved by burning down the 

 grass at this season. While the rain storm beats from the eastward, 

 flocks of vicunas are grazing to the west of us. The rain turns to hail 

 as the wind veers to northeast. 



In the valley of Andahuailas, we see the wild cherry tree for the first 

 time in South America. After sundown, the bright pink light, which 

 often attracts attention at Lima, and soraetrfnes alarms the natives, ap- 

 pears not unlike the aurora borealis, rising far above the Cordilleras in 

 the west, while the bright moon lights our path over the Andes to 

 the east. In Andahuailas we joined the sub-prefect and family at 

 breakfast. Our baggage was placed in a large room, and mules in the 

 corral. If hospitality was not quite so highly seasoned with hot pepper 

 it would go down easier. The rough life on the mountains agrees 

 with body and mind much better than the luxuries of the valley seem 

 to do. 



This town has a population of fifteen hundred ; mostly Indians. The 

 valley contains six thousand. There is a great deal of poverty. The 

 cultivated portions of land seem to be over populated. Deaf and 

 dumb lounge about. A good-looking woman, with a baby in her arms, 

 came to my door begging for bread. Her intelligent face was sad. 



