Trip to ihe CordiH«rRs. PERU. Vjillcy of ths Rio d* CbibvMo. 5 I 



CHATTER IX. 

 PERU (continued). 



TRIP TO TUB CORDILLERA!— PREPARATION* FOR THE JOirRNET—FAHFOnT* — DEPARTURE- EFFECT OF 01 nUAL 



papers— face aw country— xtriss of ihca towxb— poncuurua— caballero*— convoy or SILVER— ACCOM- 

 MODATIONS — f: A UTH U' A KE — ROUTE UP Tit R YALLET OF CAXAVILLO — FACE OF COPXTRT— ST. 110IA DC «U1VI— 

 TASO — ODRAJlLLO — DIFFICULTIES IX PROrrRINO MULE t — BEAUTY Of SITUATION — LLAMAS — XIOT1 R» — 

 PLUNDERtXO OF IXH AB1TAXTS— CULWA1— LA VIXDA — VEGETATION— MULETEERS ENCOUNTERED — CREST OT TUB 

 CORDILLERAS — CAS A CANCHA — 1TB ACCOM MQDATIONS— COOK1 SoUiSIll- SICKNESS OF FAKTT — »50W STnXM— 

 A LT A M A RC A — COMPANY OF PERU V I A NS— TU El tt ATTENTIONS — PROC ESS OF AMALGAMATION OF ORE— TISIT TO 



Tin mix r face or Tit* mountain— roab— ran'os— beauty of valley— vegetation— threatened attaik 



OF A COX DOR FOXTRA IT — IXC I HEN TS XELATiyn TO IT— DESCRIPTION OF BAX'OS— IT* I] A BITATIONS — STATE OF 

 HO HIES— RETT? XX TO CAU C AXCU A— CI1 1 LI AN CONVOY FRUM PASCO— PASCO— MIXEI— VXlXf OF OEE— HINDER 

 OF MIXES IX OPERATION — LAWS IX RELATION TO BILTXE M IX ED— DUTIES— 11 ILL OF EACO— XEW BPXCULATI0XI 

 IX 1810 — DIFFICULTIES IX PUR< HAalNO M I N fc»— POLITIC* L STATE Or THE COUNTRY ADVERSE To THIS BCSlNtSS 

 — TEM FEU A TV lit BE ACTT OF SITCATIOX OF C Al A CANCHA— THE PARTY RETURN — LINE OF PERPETUAL IXOW 

 —AMMONITE— CUirXINE— TRAVELLING PARTIES — FRENCH MAN — n IS COMPLIMENTS AXD F ATE— <. t'LN A 1— CULTI- 

 VATION — HOI PITA LITt— OBR AJ 1 LLO — ACCOM MOD ATIONI - VAKT OF OA LL AN TRY— OU1D ES— SETTLEMENT — BRIDAL 

 PARTY— YARD— EOBBKRY— YANOA — llOSTR»»— ANGELITA— CABALLXROS — RKTVRN TO LIM A — BOTAX1CA L REVIEW— 

 GEOLOGICAL ClIARAITER OF THE COUNTRY— FLTXXG-PISU SENT TO PACK AC A M A C— LAN DISC — TEMPLE— TOWX— 

 TOMBS— THEIR CONTENT*— £M BARK ATION— EXTUEH TO CALEAO — COMMERCE AKD i It «>! OF PERU. 



0\ the arrival of the Relief nt Callao, Messrs. 

 Pickering, Rich, Agate, and Brackenridge, re- 

 quested permission to make a jaunt to the Cor- 

 dilleras of Peru, for the purpose of making bota- 

 nical collections. I felt much gratified that this 

 object liud been effected, although I could not but 

 regret that they wore, suffered to depart without 

 the necessary instruments for obtaining the alti- 

 tudes, which had been put on board the Relief at 

 Orange Harbour, fur that very purpose. 



Mr. Rich spoke the Spanish language well, which 

 afforded the parly many facilities for overcoming 

 the difficulties that were thrown in their way, 



In Lima the journey wax considered as a very 

 serious undertaking, and likely to be attended with 

 much danger, from the banditti who frequent the 

 run Ec iliey intended to pass over, — that to the mines 

 of Pasco. Through the friendly assistance of Mr. 

 Biggs, of the house of Messrs. Bartlett and Co., 

 every thing' was nude easy. By his advice, they 

 supplied themselves, not only with blankets and 

 horse-furniture, but with all sorts of provisions, 

 and particularly with bread, of which they took as 

 much as they could earn', notwithstanding the 

 country was described ns well inhabited. As a 

 preliminary step, it was necessary to provide them- 

 selves with passports, for which they Inst no time 

 in applying. After the delay of n day, the passports 

 came in the form of a letter of protection and re* 

 commendation from Lafnente himself, to the local 

 authorities throughout all Peru, couched in the most 

 liberal terms, and treating the affair with as much 

 importance as if it were a national one. It is a regu- 

 lation that the names of all who receive passports 

 shall he published in the official gazette; their inten- 

 tion, therefore, became known to all Lima, pmrn 

 the few who are gazetted, it would appear that but 

 a small number travel into the interior, or else that 

 the '. .■_'ni:Lii"ti i- not vt rv strictly Complied with. 



The injunction to render the party assistance in 

 rase of need was very strong, and among other 

 things specified to be furnished, w;w rt-Jhiuj, which 



was thought to look somewhat ominous in *lus 

 country of banditti. In spite of the positive terms 

 in which the passport was expressed, it was found 

 of little effect in procuring them mules or hflflMt ; 

 and it was not till alter much trouble and disap- 

 pointment on many sides, that horses were at last 

 obtained from the post establishment. 



On the 16th May they were ready to Bet out, 

 and were accompanied for some miles by Mr. 

 Biggs, whose friendly advice nnd assistance they 

 had often, during the jaunt, reason to be thankful 

 for. It saved them much inconvenience, nnd was 

 the cause of their being provided with many little 

 comforts, without which they would have suffered 

 privation. 



Their proposed route was up (ho valley of the 

 Rio de Caxavillo, the river next to the northward 

 of the Rimae. Leaving Luna, they passed through 

 the suburbs of San Lazaro, at the gate of which, 

 and for the only time during Ihe journey, they 

 were desired to show their passports. Sums little 

 difficulty arose, and tin intention was expressed to 

 unload the baggage-mule for examination. This, 

 however, was soon removed by the rending of the 

 passport, and the examination ended in many bows, 

 and the repeated exclamation, u Go on, go on ! 

 God speed you !" Such was the talismunic effect 

 of an official document al the period of our vi-it. 



After leaving the city, their mute lay along the 

 margin of the extensive plain that borders on the 

 sea, at the foot nnd over the low hills which nkirt 

 it. Many columns of dust and loose particles of 

 sand were seen rising from the heated plain, stirred 

 by the action of the wind, forming vortices of con- 

 siderahle diameter and elevation. Cloud** of smoke, 

 too, were visible in the distance, proceeding, ac- 

 cording to the information of their guides, from the 

 burning of the cane-brakes. The Peruvian willow, so 

 much resembling the Lombardy poplar in its form, 

 was much admired, and the contrast tu the landscape 

 b. rv i ro the barren clay-colntired hills and the bright 

 green of the 'irrigated fields was very remarkable. 

 I 2 



