140 



PAYTA. 



foreign merchants here^ chiefly engaged in the 

 cotton trade. Great quantities of this article^ 

 of an excellent quality^ are exported from Payta 

 to Great Britain; and this town is the depot 

 now^ as formerly, for the commerce of the in- 

 terior of North Peru.* 



Before the separation from Spain there was 

 a great overland commerce from the Atlantic 

 coast to Panama, on the Pacific ; and the ships 

 freighted with merchandise and gold, to and 

 from Lima, always put into Payta for water and 

 provisions. It was here also that the viceroys 

 disembarked to proceed to Lima, which by land 

 is a fourteen days^ journey. Its wealth fre- 

 quently tempted the rapacity of English navi- 

 gators ; and Payta was one of the places sacked 

 and burnt by Lord Anson. 



Before navigation was brought to its present 



* The exports of Cotton to Europe from Payta, in 

 1835, exceeded 2,000,000 lbs. 



