carried on, is infested with these lawless vagabonds. It surprised me after what I had seen of the Indians in the interior, to hear that, although they were rarely found associated with the professional robbers which compose the majority of the gangs, yet when they were among them, they were more cruel towards their victims than any of the scoundrels in the country.

If the accounts given of the character and arrangements of these robbers be worthy of the smallest consideration, they must show in a very strong light the dreadful deficiency of the republican system of government with such a mixed and disorganized population. It is said that there is an organized body of robbers commanded by expert leaders, who maintain spies in the villages and towns, from whom they receive regular reports of the movements of travellers, as well as of any measures that are taken for their capture.

But the strongest proof of the state of disorganization in Peru, and the consequent insecurity of property, is afforded by the extent to which this marauding is carried on without any successful steps being taken to suppress it effectually. Even the slaves on some of the estates, on Sundays and on other days after their work is over, mount the horses which they drive in their lawful occupations, and waylay the hapless travellers whom they know to be on their journeys. These latter however, are not connected with the organized bands; and it was rather against such as these that our guide and ourselves were so well prepared.

With such an insufficient government as that of Peru,

it is not surprising that some use is made of these bands. of desperadoes in time of war. There has been sometimes a regiment of a thousand strong composed entirely of robbers, and others who for various offences were under sentence of death, and received pardon upon entering into the service of the government. They form a very irregular band, and have never been habited in uniform, but wear their ponchos and broad brimmed hats. They are said to be at all times good skirmishers. They are usually in advance of the regular troops, and sometimes attack the enemy in front and sometimes in the rear. But when the war is over they are disbanded, and the greater part of them return to their former occupation of highway robbery.

69

CHAP. XXV.

LIMA- continued.

Lives of the Citizens. - Degeneracy of the Creoles. - Effects of the System of Government. Occupations of the Independent Classes.

Dress.

of the Ladies.

Gambling. Creole Ladies.- Personal Appearance of the Ladies.Intrigues. - Manners of the Married Men. - Amusements Strange Customs. - Cleverness of the Ladies. — Introduction to a Family. — First Impressions. — Colloquy between the Ladies and their Visitors. Attractions of the Ladies. - Their Impressions concerning English Ladies. - My Second Visit.

If the religious and moral institutions, and the manner of life, of a people, bore the same relation which they ought to bear to each other, we might after what has been said in a previous chapter, suppose we had conveyed a tolerable idea of the state of advancement of the population of Lima in those refinements which mark a civilised and Christian people. It may however be far otherwise; and if it be proper for a traveller who would set down his thoughts upon what he may see around him without prejudice or reserve, to speak of the institutions he has the opportunity of observing, it is not less so to review the manner of life of the people among whom these exist. I shall therefore in this chapter give a slight account of the general mode of life of the citizens of the capital of Peru.

If it be true, as has been often said by travellers and

others, with whom I have found myself agree after observations made in the earlier stages of these travels, that men in the less advanced conditions of society, when they come in contact with the more refined or more powerful, adopt the vices of their superiors and reject their virtues, the ruder inhabitants of Lima have an example before them that is more likely to degrade than to improve their natural characters.

The stranger will dwell but a short time in Lima before he has many reasons for suspecting the inferiority of the Creoles to the race from which they spring; and as he becomes acquainted with the few Spaniards that are here, who are not mixed up with the Creoles, he will be fully convinced of the truth of his impression. Nevertheless, the republic has produced, and still has in its cities, very able, active men, devoted to the abstract sciences and the arts; but such has been the character of the struggle for influence in the political world, that these have for the most part, remained occupied with their own affairs, and have taken but little part in the political government of the country. I have heard many men of abilities and of moderate politics, declare that, happen what might, they would never disgrace themselves by any interference with, or by taking any part in, political affairs.

Now when we consider who must under these circumstances necessarily govern, and set an example of manners to the population, it will be easily seen, that this duty devolves upon the more wealthy of the citizens, who live in a manner far from being worthy of the imitation of the inferior classes.

The people of this class, who frequently have plantations in the vicinity of the town, pass their whole days lounging about the streets and in the shops, smoking cigars and gossiping with one another. They are extremely effeminate in their manners, and decidedly inferior to the Chilians both in intellect and in physical organization.

To the stranger, indeed, the two most serious occupations of the citizens of Lima, appear to be cock fighting and gaming. The frequenters of the theatres for these almost equally disgusting amusements, are nevertheless said to be extremely temperate in the pleasures of the table; and this, whatever be its cause, we must allow to be a virtue well worthy of being placed against any catalogue of faults.

The vice of gambling is authorized, and carried on in a manner that might have done credit to ourselves about half a century ago. The government farm out two lotteries to private citizens for large sums. The principal of these is drawn every three months, and the price of a ticket is four reals or dollars, the highest prize being four thousand reals. The other lottery is drawn weekly, and the tickets are sold for one real each, the highest of the prizes being one thousand reals.

Whatever may be the effects of ill example upon the majority of the population of Peru, it is clear that all the mixed races value themselves and despise others in proportion as they approach in colour to the white. The grounds, therefore, for expecting a change in favour of the ancient races of the country can