88 



CUR A OF AYAVIRE. 



Here and there a low ridge crosses the plain east and west; as we rise 

 one of them our view is uninterrupted, except in the distance on the 

 east and west sides, when low ranges of small hills stretch along north 

 and south. At a small stream flowing west we shot a wild duck, and 

 got a crack at a snipe. As the thunder clapped to the northeast, we 

 rode into the town of Ayavire, a puna town. The Indians all look 

 neatly dressed in coarse blue cloth ; the houses are clean, but small, with 

 narrow streets. Two tall church steeples run up in the midst of the 

 houses, and a small plaza in front. What we first noticed was the 

 silence ; not even the noise of the hoof of a jackass was heard on the 

 paved streets. 



We dismounted in the patio of the cura of the town, and met at the 

 door three young ladies. I gave an open letter to the,eldest to read; 

 the cura was not at home ; the letter was from his son and their brother 

 in Cuzco, and we were welcomed. They had just finished dinner, but 

 we were served. A servant took the letter to the cura, who was dining 

 out. A message came from the governor to invite us to join his party ; 

 we brushed the dust off, and the ladies arranged their hair, when we 

 walked with them through the town. At the governor's house we met 

 the old cura, who introduced us to the dinner party. It was after dinner 

 with all ; we found them very agreeable. The cura insisted upon our 

 drinking a glass of wine with every lady in the room, which was tough 

 work, as there were quite a number. Music and coffee were introduced 

 in a room on another side of the patio. The cura was a sharp-featured 

 man, tall and very slim, with a most agreeable expression of face. He 

 smoked a paper cigar on an average of every ten minutes during the 

 evening. He was particularly fond o£ dancing with a pretty young girl 

 of sixteen, though he was about sixtjf years of age. He kept remarkably 

 good time; was full of life and gayety while with her; but when she 

 was otherwise engaged, he amused the party by falling to sleep in his 

 seat. He received the laughter and remarks of the elder ladies with 

 good humor ; lighting his cigar by the candle and looking round the 

 room at the same time, burnt his fingers, which discomposed the musi- 

 cians, and confused the cotillon. He had drawn hollows in his cheeks 

 by working so much at the tobacco leaf, and forfeited every tooth in his 

 head, which was bald. Yet, his pleasant smile and agreeable manners 

 overcame these particulars, for the girls certainly liked him. His three 

 daughters were handsome persons, and had much of the old cura's 

 gayety about them. One was married to a miner, who she says is doing 

 little. 



There are a few silver mines to the northeast of the town, which have 



