Ruin* of an Inct town, 

 Pon chorea. Vm llerog. 



PERU, 



Yam.— OtiTaJlllo. 

 Difficulty in procuring mute*. 



At the distance of three leagues from Liiiirv, they 

 passed through tho ruins of an Inca town, situated 

 (as they uniformly found tliein afterwards) just <.n 

 tho border of the irrigated valley. The walls of the 

 town were very thick, built of mud and unbunit 

 brick, at right angles, very much after the modern 

 manner ; tho bills alHo were seen covered with the 

 ruins of Indian buildings, some of thetn resembling 

 fortifications. 



They now turned up a beautiful valley, on the 

 irrigated fields of which were seen herds of 

 horned cattle, horses, and goats, — a proof that 

 the irrigated laud is nut exclusively used fur 

 tillage. 



At six leagues from Lima they reached Pou- 

 chorua, the first stop ping -place ; but the party 

 concluded to go a league beyond it to Caballenw, 

 where they passed the night. They arrived there 

 in sufficient time to make a short excursion to the 

 banks of the Rio do Caxavillo, which appeared a 

 larger stream than the Kimac. 



Around Caballoros are very extensive meadows 

 and fields of clover. The posada was found occu- 

 pied by the guard and muleteers who acted as n 

 convoy of silver from Fftsco. They gnve up the 

 only room in the house for- our gentlemen, into 

 which they were shown, and where a good supper 

 was provided for them, while the guard took up 

 their quarters in the yard. The metal, it was ob- 

 served, was in large masses of pifia, some of the in 

 heavy enough to be a load for a mule, and au in- 

 convenient burden to run away with. 



They passed the night on the tables and rude 

 seats, under cover,— a luxury they had not yet 

 learned to appreciate. 



At midniglit they felt the shock of an earth- 

 quake. A distant hollow sound nits at first heard, 

 which seemed to approach, increasing rapidly, and 

 before they could spring to their feet, the house 

 was rolled and shaken as if it had been on an nsji- 

 » tated sea. Mr. Rich says that it was with diili- 

 cnlty he could hold himself oil the table whore lie 

 had been lying. The natives of the adjoining huts 

 ran out into the road, uttering horrible shrieks, 

 striking their breasts, and offering up prayers to 

 the Holy Virgin to protect them. The shock con- 

 tinued severe for forty seconds, but lasted alto- 

 gether about two minutes ; it produced a slight 

 nausea, like sea- sickness, which continued for home 

 time afterwards, and a bewildering sensation, that 

 rendered it difficult to collect their ideas to speak. 

 The sound resembled that produced by throwing 

 stoues over precipices, so as to roll on hollow 

 ground beneath. This earthquake was the most 

 violent tluit had been experienced for some time, 

 and was felt sensibly at Lima and through all 

 Lower Peru. No material damage was done, — in 

 consequence, according to the people of the coun- 

 try, of its not getting to thr surface. 



Early on the J/th the party set out up I he dry 

 mountain valley, the soil of which is composed of 

 stunes and loose powdery earth. This kind of 

 ground couthiued for five leagues, with nut a drop 

 of water, nor was a plant or bird collected ; no- 

 thing was seen growing but a few tillandsiaa. On 

 this route they passed many crosses, marking tho 



Sots where there had been loss of life : a right 

 at was uot calculated to excite pleasing thoughts, 

 and bringing to mind not only the great number of 

 murders thai had taken place, but the daily occur- 



rence of attacks upon small parties of travellers by 

 the desperadoes of Peru. 



Immediately on the confines of this dreary waste 

 is Yanga, a deserteddooking place, but having 

 some good gardens and orchards. At noon they 

 reached Santa Rosa do Qnivi, a small place, where 

 they procured some good fruit. After travelling 

 two leagues, they at dark reached Yaw, and 

 stopped at the postmaster's house ; he was not at 

 home, but they were permitted to sleep in the 

 porch or veranda. Nothing edible wag to he found 

 in the Milage, except a few potatoes, after supping 

 on which, they disposed themselves on the clay 

 and stones, with their arms ready for service, — a 

 precaution necessary at times, even in the most 

 frequented places in Pent. 



During the day, they had been much annoyed 

 by sand-flies and hYas ; besides these, they had a 

 few musquitoes, but the latter are seldom felt in 

 Peru. 



The screaming of parrots during the night, had 

 announced that some change had taken place in 

 the vegetation, hi the morning they found this 

 to be the case. The land in the vicinity of the town 

 was cultivated, and some good orchards and fields 

 of clover were seen ; the mountains, which had 

 hitherto been gray with tillandsiaa, had now as- 

 sumed a greenish tinge. Agaves made tlair appear- 

 ance here, and a few miles beyond, the hills be- 

 came entirely green : all showed that a different 

 region had been entered. The inclined roofs of the 

 huts proved that rains were experienced, and that 

 it was found necessary by tho inhabitants to pro- 

 tect themselves from them. 



Tlie valley bad now become more contracted, 

 and level ground was seldom seen ; the mountains 

 increased in elevation, the roads and sconetj par- 

 taking of the character of Madeira, Cascades were 

 seen springing from almost the very summits of 

 tho high peaks ; cattle were grazing, and occa- 

 sional eultivutcd patches were mingled with the 

 pasture-grounds ; the aid of irrigation was no 

 linger necessary; and the Cordillera plants of the 

 Flora Peruviana, with the vegetation made known 

 by Humboldt and Ltoiiplaud, were recognised. At 

 noon, after travelling si\ leagues, they reached 

 Obrajillo, the rendezvous of tho two celebrated 

 Spanish botanists, Ruiz and Pa von, authors of 

 the Flora Peruviana. 



There are three towns, Obrajillo, Canta, and San 

 Miguel, about a mile distant from each other, said 

 to contain three or four thousand inhabitants. At 

 Obrajillo, the general to whom they had letters of 

 introduction was not at home; some difficulty in 

 getting mules occurred in consequence, and it was 

 not until much time and patience had been ex- 

 hausted, that our gentlemen understood the real 

 difficulty, which was, that the horses they had 

 brought from the low country, were not considered 

 capalde of standing the cold nnd fatigue of the 

 mountains, the owners at Lima having refused to 

 allow their mules to cross the mountains. They 

 were assisted, however, in procuring mules and 

 guides by the general's son. 



Obrajillo, the largest of the three towns, con- 

 tains about one hundred cottages. It has ft stone 

 church, with two towers, apparently of some age, 

 which fronts on tho open square. The dwellings 

 are of one story, without Hours, and almost with- 

 out furniture; yet it is said to be the residence of 



