94 



LAKE TITICACA. 



merchants of quantities of "bad money" coined and introduced into 

 this country from Bolivia. 



The prefect was a colonel in the army. At his dinner-table, the 

 subject of war predominated. On the table were two kinds of wine — ■ 

 one Peruvian, the other foreign ; those who preferred the formeijgwere 

 praised for their patriotism, and received an extra invitation from the 

 prefect to take another glass. The table was well supplied with beef, 

 mutton, and potatoes. Yuca was considered a great delicacy; wheat 

 bread was scarce. We saw here what we had before seen at a midship- 

 man's mess — one man cunningly eating another man's allowance. 

 Salad heads are of good size. 



November 10, 1851. — At 12.30 p. m., thermometer, 54°. The wind 

 blows from the eastward daily, all the year round ; commences as the 

 sunrises; at sundown it falls calm. Light westerly winds sometimes 

 blow during the night. In such cases, the stars and moon shine clearly ; 

 otherwise, the nights are overcast, and always cold. The mornings are 

 like our springs ; the midday sun warm. There is neither dew nor 

 frosts, though the wind sweeps over the surface of the lake. Ice is 

 formed about the spring-water streams on the sides of the hills. 



From an island in sight of Puno, the Indians bring vegetables to 

 market. Small fish are sometimes taken. Round black pebbles are 

 gathered from the bottom, and, with sheep's knuckle-bones, sold to pave 

 the patios of houses in the town. The Indians navigate the lake in 

 balsas or boats, made of the lake rush, which forms the material for 

 both hull and sails. They can only sail with a fair wind. It is always 

 fair to market in the daytime, and sometimes favorable at night to 

 return home. Headway is made against adverse winds by polling 

 over shoals. 



The color of the water near the shore and shallows is green, like sea 

 water. When deep, it is blue. The surface of the lake in front of 

 Puno is nearly covered with dead rush stalks. Among them a few 

 wild ducks are feeding. The stench arising is disagreeable. The water 

 is not used for drinking in the town, though Lake Titicaca is not a salt 

 lake, as at one time was supposed. 



The rainy season commences about the middle of December, and 

 ends in the middle of April, when probably the depth of the lake may 

 be increased one foot. Such is the opinion of intelligent persons in 

 Puno, though no one is known to have measured the difference of height 

 between the wet and dry seasons. 



On the lake there is one small schooner, belonging to Bolivia. The 

 captain told me he never found more than thirty fathoms water ; gen- 



« 



