XVI 
CALLAO—LIMA 
39 1 
independence, has suffered more from anarchy than Peru. At 
the time of our visit there were four chiefs in arms contending 
for supremacy in the government : if one succeeded in becoming 
for a time very powerful, the others coalesced against him ; 
but no sooner were they victorious than they were again 
hostile to each other. The other day, at the Anniversary of 
the Independence, high mass was performed, the President 
partaking of the sacrament: during the Te Deurn laudamus , 
instead of each regiment displaying the Peruvian flag, a black 
one with death’s head was unfurled. Imagine a government 
under which such a scene could be ordered, on such an 
occasion, to be typical of their determination of fighting to 
death ! This state of affairs happened at a time very unfortu¬ 
nately for me, as I was precluded from taking any excursions 
much beyond the limits of the town. The barren island of 
S. Lorenzo, which forms the harbour, was nearly the only 
place where one could walk securely. The upper part, which 
is upwards of 1000 feet in height, during this season of the 
year (winter), comes within the lower limit of the clouds; 
and in consequence, an abundant cryptogamic vegetation, and 
a few flowers, cover the summit. On the hills near Lima, 
at a height but little greater, the ground is carpeted with moss, 
and beds of beautiful yellow lilies, called Amancaes. This 
indicates a very much greater degree of humidity than at a 
corresponding height at Iquique. Proceeding northward of 
Lima, the climate becomes damper, till on the banks of the 
Guayaquil, nearly under the equator, we find the most luxuriant 
forests. The change, however, from the sterile coast of Peru 
to that fertile land is described as taking place rather abruptly 
in the latitude of Cape Blanco, two degrees south of Guayaquil. 
Callao is at filthy, ill-built, small seaport. The inhabitants, 
both here and at Lima, present every imaginable shade of 
mixture between European, Negro, and Indian blood. They 
appear a depraved, drunken set of people. The atmosphere 
is loaded with foul smells, and that peculiar one, which may 
be perceived in almost every town within the tropics, was here 
very strong. The fortress, which withstood Lord Cochrane’s 
long siege, has an imposing appearance. But the President, 
during our stay, sold the brass guns, and proceeded to dismantle 
parts of it. The reason assigned was, that he had not an 
