96 



LIMA. 



bitants of Lima to oppose the usurper. He 

 is a young man^ named Salaverry^ only dis- 

 tinguished by those who knew him for being 

 a promising subaltern officer ; but he believes 

 his own genius for great undertakings at least 

 equal to Bonaparte^s^ to whom he now com- 

 pares himself ; thinking, no doubt, that he has 

 long possessed hands that the rod of empire 

 might have swayed/^ 



When these political tumults occur, the 

 mulatto and mestizzo population around Lima 

 abandon the cultivation of the soil, and take to 

 the high road. Being well mounted and armed, 

 riding in large bodies, they are able to attack 

 every passenger they meet, and daily robberies 

 take place, on pretence of raising contributions 

 to support the cause they espouse ; and they 

 plunder even at the very gates of the city. It 

 is now difficult to escape them, on approaching 



