PANIC IN LIMA. 



221 



that I could make head against the crowd of fu- 

 gitives coming in the opposite direction : groups 

 of people on foot^ in carts, on horseback, hurried 

 past ; men, women, and children, with horses and 

 mules, and numbers of slaves laden with baggage 

 and other valuables, travelled indiscriminately 

 along, and all was outcry and confusion. 



In the city itself the consternation was exces- 

 sive ; the men were pacing about in fearful doubt 

 what was to be done ; the women were flying in 

 all directions towards the convents ; and the nar- 

 row streets were literally choked up with loaded 

 waggons and mules, and mounted horsemen. All 

 night long the confusion continued ; and at day 

 break the Viceroy marched out with his troops, 

 not leaving even a single sentinel over the pow- 

 der magazine. Up to this moment many people, 

 with a strange degree of incredulity, arising out 

 of long cherished prejudice and pride, would not 

 believe that such events were possible : when the 

 moment actually arrived, their despair became 

 immeasurable, and they fled away like the rest. 

 For an hour or two after the Viceroy's departure 

 the streets were filled with fugitives ; but by 



