difficulty in
making them drag on; and if he is inconsiderate enough to force the
animal to take a quicker pace, the horse lies down and dies. The mule,
which more easily supports the difficulties of a severe journey on the
sparest food, is, in Peru, the camel of the desert. Without mules, a
long journey on most parts of the coast would be impracticable. The
horse obeys the spur until he falls dead under the rider. Not so the
mule: when too weary to journey onward he stands stock still, and
neither whip nor spur will move him until he has rested. After that he
will willingly proceed on his way. By this means the traveller has a
criterion by which he can judge of the powers of his animal.

Excursions along the coast have been greatly facilitated by the
introduction of steam navigation, and travellers now eagerly avail
themselves of that rapid and secure mode of conveyance. Even in sailing
vessels voyages from south to north can be conveniently performed in
consequence of the regularity of the tradewind.

During my residence in Lima, in the commencement of the year 1841, I
visited the port of Huacho, situated to the north. A packet bound to
Panama had permission to touch at Huacho, without casting anchor, as she
had to convey political prisoners under sentence of transportation to
Panama. I was one of five passengers who landed at Huacho, and among the
number was the pastor of the town, that very original individual, "the
Cura Requena." The passage, which is usually made in fourteen hours,
lasted two days and a half. Off the port we fell in with a Peruvian
sloop of war, which, on our sailing from Callao, had been sent to watch
us, and to stop the prisoners in case they attempted to escape. Our
captain lay to, and we stepped into a boat. Our movements were
observed from the shore, where, for some days, a report had prevailed
that Santa Cruz was coming with Corsairs, to make a descent. The
inhabitants believed that our ship must belong to that expedition.
They were the more confirmed in their notion, inasmuch as the
appearance of a sloop of war, which had sailed about for some hours in
the bay, could not otherwise be explained. Accordingly the alarm bell
was rung. The custom-house officers and the coast guards, headed by
the port captain, and followed by a crowd of people, came down to the
shore, some armed with muskets and pistols, others with swords and
cudgels, to repel the intended attack.

At the entrance to the por