NOTICES OF PERU. 



347 



ther, and lined on the inside with mats similar to those of the 

 roofs. The floors are also of mats. From the great pitch of the 

 house-tops, T was led to inquire whether it rained, and learned 

 that there is only an occasional drizzle. Such is the general 

 architecture in this new port, excepting the custom-house, 

 which is two stories high, and some two or three wooden 

 buildings occupied by foreigners. The church, which stands on 

 one side of the plaza, is a large frame, bearing a striking like- 

 ness to an old weather beaten barn. Near it is a pair of shears, 

 made of three poles, from which are suspended three small 

 bells ; strips of raw hide hang from the clappers, by which 

 simple contrivance (and it is adopted all over South America) 

 the necessity of turning the bell over to ring it is completely 

 avoided. The only exterior ornament is a wooden cross fixed 

 on its top. Through the joinings of the door, we perceived 

 that the floor was tiled, and the interior neat and clean. On 

 the door was pasted a notice nearly to the following effect. 



"We, the Bishop of Arequipa, desirous of affording to all 

 faithful Christians opportunities of prayer, and availing our- 

 selves of our power delegated from his Holiness the Pope, do 

 grant to the port of Islay an indulgence of forty days, provid- 

 ed that its inhabitants prostrate themselves," &c. 



Well, said 1 to the captain of the port, suppose that the in- 

 dulgence had not been granted, what difference could it make 

 to the place. He shrugged his shoulders, drew down the cor- 

 ners of his mouth, and replied, " ninguna'' — none. 

 Of what benefit is it to the people 



*'Ninguna puez, but they suppose, if any one who accepts 

 of the indulgence die, he will escape from purgatory in one 

 half of the time allotted for his stay there, which," said he with 

 a knowing smile, " is a consideration !" 



We next found a billiard table, where a negro and a white, 

 both genteelly dressed, were playing ; and I learned that the 

 first was a doctor, and the latter an alcalde. Besides this place 

 of public resort, there are two or three tippling shops, with 

 signs over the doors, representing the union of the flags of Pe- 

 ru, Chile, England, and the United States, which are all temp- 

 tations for sailors, and being clanish in their notions, they are 



