NOTICES OF PERU. 



CHAPTER I. 



Callao Bay — ^Island of San Lorenzo — Entering Callao — Castles — Ancient de- 

 fence of Callao — Town of Callao — Market — Water — The mole — Remains of 

 "Old Callao." 



By reference to any map of Peru, it may be seen that Callao 

 lies in about twelve degrees of south latitude, and that Lima 

 is a little to the northward and eastward of it. 



From the mild, and almost constantly prevailing southerly 

 breezes, the bay is always smooth, affording one of the best 

 places on the coast for vessels to careen, after their long pas- 

 sage round Cape Horn. From its geographical relations, this 

 could not be expected, since it is a mere open roadstead, pro- 

 tected from the southerly breezes by an island called San Lo- 

 renzo, which extends from south-west to north-east, nearly 

 two leagues. It is about a mile wide, and its highest point is 

 nearly five hundred feet above the level of the sea. Towards 

 the southern end it is separated by a narrow, rocky channel, 

 navigable for boats. It bears evidence of having been severed 

 by some violent earthquake, at a period of which there is no 

 record. San Lorenzo is a barren spot, without a vestige of ver- 

 dure, save on its very summit for a few weeks in the winter 

 season, when it is pretty constantly shrouded in dense clouds* 

 Its rocky shore is inhabited by a variety of molluscous animals^ 



