Narrative of a Visit to Brazil, Chile, Peru, and the Sandwich Islands, During the Years 1821 and 1822; With Miscellaneous Remarks on the Past and Pres

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825. Excerpt: ... TROOP OF LLAMAS. 277 As we entered Lima, however, an agreeable and novel sight caught our observation: it was that of a troop of llamas, the Peruvian camels, under the escort of two or three Indians. Between twenty and thirty of these animals, each about four feet high, with neck and head erect, came stalking proudly and gracefully along the streets, loaded with the usual burthens. They carry packages weighing 40lbs., that being, I believe, the travelling allowance commonly allotted to them. CHAPTER XI. KESIDENCE IN LIMA CONTINUED. April 25.--Made an excursion with a friend to Chorillos, a small village by the sea-side, about eight miles distant from the town. We left on our right the village of Mil-Flores, which had been an important military post during the siege of Lima. When compared with the surrounding waste, it may be said to be rather pretty. It contains about a hundred mud cottages, two churches, and a few deserted villas. In happier times it was much frequented by the Limanians as a convenient, though not very agreeable, place of country residence. Chorillos may be called the Brighton of Lima, and during the summer months is filled with company who resort to it for the benefit of CHORILI.OS. 279 sea-bathing. Unfortunately we paid our visit at the wrong season, and found no company in the place. The houses, to the number of two or three hundred, were inhabited for the most part, as I said, by Indian fishermen. It was difficult to conceive how ladies could be accommodated in such wretched dwellings; and although they bring their own furniture, every approach to comfort or delicate convenience, much less luxury, is absolutely wanting. The Indians whom I saw presented no very interesting appearance, yet their condition is not worse than that of the ...