PREFECT OF CUZCO. 81 



wagon, with a raised cotton-cloth cover upon hoops. Inside were three 

 noisy, laughing children. From the number of persons ready to assist 

 the youngsters, there was no mistaking these little Arequipanians, who 

 were delighted to get out of their box. The Senora and Senorita were 

 in their riding dresses. The ease of manner and beauty of the Arequipa 

 ladies have been celebrated ; the daughter was about eighteen. She re- 

 ceived the co#ipliinents of a hundred beaux with graceful modesty. 

 The dinner table was well supplied with meats and wines, and a desert 

 table with many good things. Champaigne wine and sweetmeats 

 seemed of more assistance in speech-making and toasting than keeping 

 the party together on the road back. A judge of the court assured the 

 party "he should give up drinking water as soon as the navigation of 

 the Madre-de-Dios was open." 



Angostura belongs to the Bishop of Cuzco ; it is one of the best cul- 

 tivated haciendas in the valley. 



A number of Indians collected in the small town of San Sebastian 

 were celebrating the Saint's day of the little church. The main street 

 was decorated with flags ; arches were made with poles on each side, and 

 strings stretched across, to which were suspended coins of silver. The 

 first we passed under was adorned with one dollar pieces ; the next, 

 half dollars ; then quarters, shillings, and sixpences. Other arches 

 were made to which were hung pottery, fancifully-painted pitchers, jugs, 

 pots, and jars — all of earthenware. These hung so close to our heads 

 ihat some one plucked a specimen, which disrespectful act brought down 

 a string, and almost all were broken under our horses' feet. 



The Indians were dancing in the little plaza, some in black masks, 

 others with cows' horns and the skin of the cow's head over their heads 

 and shoulders. A crowd of them were teasing a young bull, pulling his 

 tail and mounting him. The poor animal was tired down and secured, 

 specially disgusted at the music of a cane flute and hide drum. 



We halted in the plaza and witnessed a sham fight with bows and 

 arrows, war clubs, and large wooden swords, gotten up for the moment 

 for the benefit of the prefect and his family. It was the representation 

 of a fight between the Quichua Indians of the Andes, and the Chun- 

 chos of the lowlands. The killed, wounded, and prisoners in Chunchos 

 shoes was dreadful ; while the delighted Quichuas went through the mo- 

 tions of cutting their enemies up, one by one, into small bits, and heaped 

 them on one side like sticks in a wood pile. 



The church doors were all open ; the altar brilliantly lighted with 

 tallow candles ; and along the walls on the outside stood rows of im- 

 mense chicha jars, carefully guarded by the women who huckstered it 

 6 



