NOTICES OF PERU. 



389 



Que solo alii de su Deidad undoga. 

 El descuydo es despojo lamentado; 

 Con que de sus espumas la violencia 

 Del error es castigo no inclemencia 



Whether the cross of brilliant stars or the goddess keeps 

 away tempests, I must leave to the decision of those who are 

 more deeply skilled in the reading of the heavens, though I 

 hope the goddess may not be cheated of her empire, since she 

 is so beneficent to sailors. 



Soon after anchoring, we took a whale boat and pulled in 

 for the town, in hopes of getting on board of a balsa, which we 

 saw under sail close to the shore, and which we conjectured 

 was steering for the beach ; but on coming up with her, we 

 found she was standing out with goods for a brig loading for 

 €allao. Loath to return after so long a pull, we determined to 

 attempt the landing in our boat, though extremely hazardous, 

 from the heavy surf that constantly lashes the beach ; we did 

 not apprehend much danger, as the boat had twice landed on 

 former occasions without the least difficulty. We rowed boldly 

 into the breakers, and though they boiled fiercely around us, 

 we met with nothing that caused us to regret our undertaking, 

 till within a hundred yards of the sand ; then the steering oar 

 was wrenched from the hands of our timoneer. Now deprived 

 in a great measure of the means of managing the boat, she 

 came broadside to the sea, which rushed leaping and foaming 

 and roaring towards us, as if exulting in our danger. We 

 found ourselves in the most imminent peril ; and one of our 

 party cried out, It is all up with us — that sea must turn us 

 over." 



<'Not so fast," exclaimed our timoneer. "Now boys for 

 your lives ! — give way your starboard oars, and back the lar- 

 board — and no crab catching!" The order was obeyed with 

 precision, and the stern of the boat almost instantly was op- 

 posed to the approaching sea, but not soon enough to avoid the 

 .spray, which drenched us pretty thoroughly. The boat mount- 



* Lima Fundada. Canto I. st. xx. p. 10. 



