56 



CONVENTS AND COCK-PITS. 



sion when they went to pay their respects to the prefect. Peru has si 

 population of not quite two millions, more than half of which are friendly 

 aborigines. On the standing army list there are six " Grandes Mariscales," 

 seven "Jenerales de Division," with twenty "Jenerales de Brigada," and 

 junior grades in large proportion. 



The people of the country complain of a constant revolutionary spirit 

 in all places, and there is no advatcement in "science and the arts." It 

 is said that. when a Creole mother in this country holds her baby between 

 her hands to tickle and kiss it, she addresses a boy as "My dear little 

 Bishop;" or, "My President." She objects to allow its head to be wet 

 with water, for fear of destroying its memory ; and prevents it from 

 sleeping in the day-time, lest it may catch a sore throat. The birthday 

 of a boy is a cause for rejoicing. The father is congratulated, and the 

 mother praised for her patriotism. The proportion of females through 

 this country is great. The women are well developed, healthy, active ? 

 and gay. Generally speaking, the men are not so. 



Every Sunday evening there is a cock-fight in Cuzco, at fifty cents 

 entrance. The pit is built of mason work, with two entrances, and seats, 

 one behind the other, all round. Gaffs, three inches long, sharp, and 

 like a dragoon's sabre, are fastened to the cock's spurs ; the fight is very 

 soon decided. A good deal of mon ey is bet on these occasions, at which 

 the co)iege-boys take part ; ladies are not admitted, though they bet 

 upon* their favorites as they are carried by to the pit. The commander 

 of police presides in uniform, with a small table before him, covered by 

 a green cloth, on which he makes his bets, and piles his silver and gold, 

 if he wins. He rings a small bell when he is ready for the fight to 

 commence, and decides the battle. There are few game chickens in 

 this part of the country, but the barn-door fowl, aided by gaffs, are 

 freely used up. 



A visit to the churches and convents of Cuzco is interesting ; many 

 of them are immense, built from the hewn stone from the ruined Inca 

 city. The ornaments are rich and costly ; the carving of ornamental 

 woods from the montana are well executed. We were surprised to find 

 such a display of oil paintings, which were used to induce the Indians 

 to change their worship to that of the Catholic. In the convent of San 

 Francisco, one represented a graveyard somewhere between Heaven and 

 hell ; the dead are seen rising ; winged angels come down from among 

 the clouds, and bore off the good people ; while the devil's understrap- 

 pers grasped the bad, and tossed them over a precipice into an active 

 fire far below. This painting produces a lasting effect upon the minds 

 of the poor Indians. A major in the Peruvian army remarked "he saw 



