374 THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



bleaching in the sun, which receive many a kick by the idle 

 passers by. The back part of these skulls is almost vertical, 

 and rises quite abruptly from the great hole at the base. The 

 left side is generally much more prominent than the right. 

 The forehead is narrow and retreating ; and the line of the face 

 is quite as perpendicular as that of the European. 



The bay of Santa, situated in 8° 52' of south latitude, is a 

 mere roadstead, defended from the prevailing winds by a high 

 bluff on the south. The valley is comparatively fertile, and 

 yields rice and sugar in considerable quantities, and large 

 herds of cattle are grazed, and sold in the Lima market. A 

 little to the south is a small lagoon, filled with most excellent 

 mullet, which we judged, from their large size and great num- 

 bers, had not been disturbed previous to our visit. There are 

 other lagoons in the neighborhood, abounding with ducks, 

 snipe, and water hens. The lagoons owe their origin to a 

 small rivulet which passes the town to the north, called Santa 

 river, which occasionally overflows ils banks. Algarrobo and 

 espino trees grow closely along its shores, forming thickets, 

 which are visited by deer. These features of the country are 

 quite sufficient to account for the intermittent fevers which 

 prevail through the year, and for which the padre before men- 

 tioned was indebted to the kind attentions of his Dulcinea. 

 The valley contains many of the ancient mounds, termed hu- 

 acas, and a fortress of the Grand Chimu, who for some time 

 made head against the Incas, previous to his fall. The graves 

 of the aborigines in this part of the country resemble those 

 near Arica, but appear to have been made with more care, for 

 some of them are square chambers about six feet deep, and four 

 on each side, walled up with small adobes. 



The town of Santa, which is situated about three miles from 

 the beach, is laid out with a regularity that is characteristic of 

 all Spanish towns, and the architecture is the same as that of 

 Lima. Its streets have a lonely deserted appearance, and are 

 much more than sufficiently extended for the present small 

 population, which does not exceed eight or nine hundred souls. 

 Santa was once much more populous, but change of govern- 

 ment and war have reduced it to its present condition. In for- 



