NOTICES OT' PERU. 



S87 



trance, the aunt shook the girls, saying, "levantate, nina, 

 aqui hay gente" — get thee up, there are people here ! The 

 cousins roused themselves, and threw their hair over their bare 

 shoulders with a shake of, the head, and concealed their busts 

 in shawls, which they hastily put on, but without an air of sur- 

 prise or embarrassment. They smiled, and said that they had 

 fallen asleep in consequence of the heat. At the other end of 

 the room sat a thin little man, with black eyes, mustaches, and 

 a long beard, in his shirt sleeves, busily employed in making 

 paper cigars. He only bowed his head, but did not speak, and 

 continued his employment. The aunt, after a communication 

 in a whisper from the ''teniente," pressed us to take dinner 

 with them. While it was preparing, the girls sang and played 

 the guitar, and exerted themselves to amuse us. There were 

 two or three children sitting by the window, studying their 

 lessons from a catechism, and a work on Christian morality ! 



Our dinner consisted of stewed chickens, roasted lamb, boiled 

 €ggs, rice, and a rout of ^^puch6ros," papas con aji," onions, 

 cheese, and garlic, with a desert of melted '^chancaca" and 

 bread. Before dinner, the man who was employed making ci- 

 gars disappeared, and we learned that he was the lieutenant- 

 colonel, and did not dine in consequence of indisposition. 



About three o'clock, we took leave of our hospitable friends, 

 well pleased with our reception and kind treatment, and re- 

 turned on board ship. 



