PERUVIAN HAEP. 



103 



and, supposing that we laboured under some mis- 

 take as to the nature of the rocks, repeatedly 

 begged us to throw them away, assuring us they 

 were merely " piedra bruta," and of no sort of use. 



On returning through the town, we were at- 

 tracted by the sound of a harp, and, following 

 the usage of the country, we entered the house. 

 The fiimily rose to give us their seats ; and, 

 upon learning that it was their music which had 

 interested us, desired the harper to go on. Af- 

 ter he had played some national Spanish airs, we 

 asked him to let us hear a native tune ; but he 

 mistook our meaning, and gave us, with consider- 

 able spirit, a waltz, which, not very long before, 

 1 had heard as a fashionable air in London, — 

 and here it was equally popular at Payta — one 

 of the most out of the way and least frequented 

 spots in the civilized world. Of the tune they 

 knew nothing, except how to play it : they had 

 never heard its name, or that of the composer, or 

 of his nation ; nor could they tell when, or by 

 what means, it had come amongst them. 



While our boat was rowing from the ship to 

 the shore to take us on board, we stepped into a 



