137 



over and over again, though I had a very unsa- 

 tisfactory account to give^ and could only give 

 it in very indifferent Spanish* I was at last 

 permitted to retire for the nighty with Mr. Gir- 

 don. The eagerness of these good people to 

 learn the progress of Salaverry was very natural; 

 for their property, if not their lives, and the 

 comfort of their existence, are placed in peril 

 by every new revolution, 



April 7. — This village of Payta, for it can 

 hardly be called a town, is of more importance 

 than its wretched appearance seems to indi- 

 cate. The bay in which it is built affords the 

 only safe anchorage on this part of the coast. 

 It serves as an outlet to the commerce of South 

 America, from the north of Peru, and particu- 

 larly from Piura, the first city built by Pizarro, 

 when he conquered this province, a large inland 

 town within thirty miles of Payta. In spite of 



