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PERU. 



water, produce here a surprising luxuriance of ve- 

 getation. We were shaded, during our ride, by 

 arches of foliage formed of the branches of trees 

 meeting over the road ; while the underwood was 

 so thickly matted together, that sometimes we 

 could not distinguish the houses, till within a few 

 yards of them. 



These dwellings bore a rude resemblance in 

 design to a Grecian temple ; they were oblong, 

 nearly flat-roofed, and ornamented with a row of 

 columns along the front. The walls, which were 

 about twelve feet high, were composed of strong 

 canes placed upright, and wattled across with 

 reeds. The columns were generally made of 

 posts, encased by small rods placed close toge- 

 ther, so as to resemble the Gothic clustered co- 

 lumn : others were left hollow, being formed of 

 rods alone. Most of the pillars swelled out at 

 the bottom, like a tree : nature, in this instance, 

 as in many others of architectural design, having 

 probably suggested the original idea. Each wall 

 was surmounted by a sort of entablature, consist- 

 ing of a rude wooden frieze, and a cornice carved 

 with the knife. Ornamental tracery in wicker- 



