
3797-1. 
circuitous courfe, by which his voyage is 
confiderably delayed. Until about the 
year 1780, it was a fource of vaft riches to 
a commercial houfe to keepa veel of its 
own, employed in the coafting trade ; but 
in proportion as mercantile {peculations 
have been fince multiplied, the price of 
freightage has been lowered, and the pro-. 
firs are divided among a greater number 
ef adventurers. 
The fishery is a branch of induftry ex- 
clufively belonging to the Indians, fitu- 
ated on the coaft: but they are deftitute 
of fkill, and being, at the fame time, un- 
provided with proper boats and fit inftru- 
ments, keep conftantly within Hight of'the 
coaft, venturing but a very fmall diftance 
to fea.. Hence arife the {carcity and dear- 
nefs of fifh, fo often experienced in this 
city, and-in all the places along the coaft. 
A few years ago feveral boats of a particu- 
lar conftruétion were built,for the purpofe 
of fifhing throughout the whole extent of 
thefe feas, but this fcheme was fhortly 
‘ afterwards abandoned. The lakes of this 
kingdom afford but few fifhes. Were 
the Indian to refort to them, he would 
put no.price on the fruit of his labours. 
Content with his maize, and his dried 
peafe, he confiders the multiplicity of 
foods as a voluntary furrender of health 
and life. 
Agriculture might, generally {peaking, 
be made to fupply our wants, infomuch 
‘that our fubfiftence ought not to be fo 
precarious as it is, nor fo dependant on 
foreign aid. Inthe vallies adjacent to 
this‘ capital, wheat may be cultivated 
with the greateft fuccefs. The*bad un- 
even roads, together with the delays and 
expence of carriage, almoft entirely ob- 
ftruc&t the internal circulation of this 
kingdom, and are fo many obftacles in 
the way of agriculture. The valley -of 
Jauja* affords many proofs in fupport.of © 
this propofition: the facility with which 
‘it fends its maize and other products to 
the mine of Pafco, keeps it in a moft 
flourifhin’g condition. 
The natural hiftory of Peru is fertile 
in prodigies. Allthe fyfems which have 
been formed in Europe, on this fubjeét, 
are capable of a thoufand amplifications, 
whenever their theories ‘hall be applied 
—_ FF 
* This valley, the circumference of which 
is not more than 17 leagues, is extremely po- 
pulous—Atunjauja is the capital of the province 
of that name, dependent on the intendency of 
Tarma, from whichit is diftant ro leagues, and 
fiom Lima 33. 
Curiens Account of Peru, written at Lima 26) 
367 
to our natural produétions. The moun- 
tains of Chanchamayo, Huanuco,Lamas*, 
_&c. are fo many privileged fpots of na- 
ture with refpeét’to the furprifing gaudi- 
nefs and beauty of their produétions. 
The circumftances of feveral humid and 
hot climates, and the dread of the hoftile 
Indians who iniabit them, have contri- 
buted to withhold from us much informa- 
tion on this head: there is, however, a 
great {cope for inveftigation and defcrip- 
tion ; and accordingly the natural hiftory 
of Peru will occupy no {mall {pace in our 
periodical journal. 
Knowledge is general throughout 
Peru, as well on account of the natural 
quicknefs and penetration of its native 
inhabitants, as through their fondnefs 
for ftudy. \ In whatever does not require 
a meditated, combination of ideas, the 
fair fex has commonly the advantage over 
ours. The Royal Univerfity of St. 
Mark, and, proportionably, the other 
univerfities of this kingdom,form a centre 
of literature which diffufes an abundant 
light to the whole of the circumference. 
Under their aufpices, the moral and phi- 
lofophical fciences have latterly made an 
incredible progrefs, and make it cons 
‘ftantly proud of being received in the pa- 
lace of the fupreme authority ; they have 
found their way into all the {chools, and 
from thence diffufed themfelves rapidly 
into every order of the ftate. May this 
philofophical light be fo conftant and efi- 
cacious, as to influence and ameliorate . 
the common fyftem of education! Edu- 
cation, taken in the fenfe which compre- 
hends the whole of the kingdom, is that 
alone in which Peru is, in fome meafure, 
defective. A good tafte, urbanity, anda 
focial difpofition, are the hereditary qua- 
lities of every Peruvian. 
We have thus fulfilled our promife, by 
ceiving an idea of Peru in general terms, 
not fubjeét to a determinate point either 
of hiftory or of literature. It isa prefa- 
tory introduction ; or, if we may be per- 
mitted to adopt the plirafe, a leifure 
compofition which will give us a greater 
facility in fpeaking of the kingdom of 
Peru, in the whole feries of the MeErRcu- 
RIES, according the variety of the f{ub- 
je&ts which may prefent themfelves. 

- * The mountains of Chanchamayo are difane 
from Tarma 25 leagues. Thofe of Huanuce 
are diftant from Lima about 80 leagues. The 
mountains of Lamas extend from Tefé, the 
boundary of the Portuguefe poffeffions, to the 
confines of the intendency of Truxillo, 
Fe 

