NOTICES OF PERU. 



407 



The table was supplied with cool water, glasses, and some 

 excellent Italia, which was so cordially recommended, that a 

 president of a temperance society could not have refused it. 

 In a few minutes breakfast was brought, consisting of a variety 

 of substantial dishes in the Spanish style. After the lady re- 

 tired, we sat an hour chatting over our cigars, with an old 

 Franciscan who came in, and then Don Isidro proposed a stroll 

 through the town. 



The streets were dusty and hot, and we gladly took shelter 

 in the ''tina," or soap factory, belonging to our friend Don 

 Isidro. He makes large quantities of soap, and tans a great 

 number of goat skins. Tanning and soap making are combined 

 here, because the soap is made from goats' tallow, to obtain 

 which the whole animal must be purchased. Having no coopers 

 in the place, the soap tubs or boilers, with a copper bottom, are 

 built up in an octagonal form, of pieces of wood, the ends of 

 which are dovetailed together, and the seams and joints caulked 

 like those of a ship. The barilla, here called ''lito," is ob- 

 tained at Sechura, a few leagues to the northward. The soap 

 is cut into square cakes of five, six, or nine to the pound, and 

 packed in bales called ^'petacas'^ for exportation. 



The goat skins are tanned and dyed by the aid of a plant 

 called Paipai. A hundred thousand skins of Cordovan are an- 

 nually exported from the province. The goats are fattened on 

 the algarrobo bean, and yield from seventeen to twenty-four 

 pounds of tallow each. 



The whole neighborhood of Lambayeque and Chiclayo, is 

 taken up with soap factories, tanneries, and sugar mills, in most 

 cases all combined into one establishment. They are only re- 

 markable for the rudeness of their structure. 



Leaving the soap works, we visited several families, but 

 found only the gentlemen at home, all the ladies having gone 

 to church. 



The news of a late revolution had just reached Chiclayo, and 

 was the absorbing theme of conversation. An old gentleman 

 in company remarked, " that a general commotion throughout 

 Peru, would be a great blessing to the country, because it 

 would serve to unite the liberals, and put down the tyrant Ga- 



