ompanions. I
once had six tumors, caused by broods of _piques_, on my right foot,
and I could not trace the annoyance to any other cause than having
stopped for a few minutes, while my horse was being saddled, in the
_corral_, or yard, of a plantation.

The road from Chancay to the Haciendas of Bisquira, Andahuasi, and the
village of Sayan, extends in a northeasterly direction, through a dreary
valley of sand, between rows of sterile hillocks of the most singular
forms. I had once to travel along twelve leagues of this wearisome road,
under the most oppressive heat of the sun. The mules were quite
overcome, and when we reached the _Cuesta de los ahorcados_ (the hill of
the hanged) they would not move another step. We had to descend and give
them a long rest. We stretched ourselves under the bellies of the
animals, the only shade we could get in this treeless waste. At last,
after a very difficult journey, during which we lost ourselves in a
marsh in the neighborhood of Bisquira, we arrived about midnight at
Andahuasi. On this road, only two leagues from Chancay, near the
Hacienda of Chancayllo, are situated the Colcas, most remarkable
subterraneous structures, of the time of the Incas. According to
tradition, they were built by the Yuncas, during the campaign of Capac
Yupanqui against Chimu Cancha, as provision magazines for the numerous
army, more than 120,000 strong.

At the mouth of the Pasamayo, on the north bank, there are some salinas,
which, however, are far more inconsiderable than those of Huacho.

The first time I went from Huacho to Lima, I wished to pass over the
whole road, twenty-eight leagues, in one uninterrupted ride; accordingly
I left Huacho at two o'clock, P. M., in order that I might cross the
great sand-flats during the night. A negro who knew the road accompanied
me. We passed through Chancay at midnight. Some muleteers, lying before
a hut, called to us, and warned us to stop, as the river had swelled
very much. Nevertheless we proceeded onward, and by one o'clock we
reached the Pasamayo, which, in consequence of the heavy rains from the
mountains, had overflowed its banks. Several travellers had stretched
themselves on the ground to wait for the morning light, and in the hope
that the flood would by that time subside. No Chimbadores[48] were to be
had. My negro guide looked at the water with dismay, and declared that
he had never before witnessed so furious a swell. However, we had no
time to