The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-04-05

our iittle tent was pitched; the baggage
piled up and covered at the door the
mules let free for the night, to feed upon
the mountain grass around us. a fire
was kindled, and water from a small
spring heated tea was made. Jose pro,
duced bread and cheese from his saddle
wallets, placed upon clear cloth over a
trunk; looking into the tent, he SAYS,
"'Se@or, Ia ho'a de cena"-Sir, it is the
hour of supper. We have ascended all
day, and both man and beast feel tired.
The first days travel is always the most
harrassing. Our Arriero Francisco, and
his little son, Ignacio, keep watch by turns
over the mules. The night was clear and
coId-the moon shining brightly. The
world is not SO silent i'll the middle of the
ocean. | do not think | heard any thing
almost listened to hear the globe turI,
upon its axis. Long after the people
were asleep, heard little Ignacio singing
to himself, wrapped up in his homspun
poncho, as he follows the mules.
AT daylight in the morning we found
heavy frost and ice about us, with the
thermometer at - dogs. Fahrenheit.-
The mules were loaded, breakfast over,
observations made, and We off soon after
sunrise. This is the way to travel at an
elevation where we find no inhabitants.
The mountains are becoming more
rounding and covered with a fine sort OF
grass. Shepherdesses are following thou,
sands Of sheep and lambs. The girls spin
wool and chat together, while the dogs
follow lazly after.
Here comes q cheerful party of Spanish
Creole ladies and gentlemen on horse
back. AS we pass each other the gen,
tlemen take of their hats, and the ladies'
look prettily under their white straw ones.
Thor figures show tn advantage in ridup
dresses, and they manage and sit their
horses well. The cool mountain air gives
them fresh color, which contrasts well
with gazellc-cyed beauty, and long black
hair. Thought their dresses, rather short
but sight of the foot Of one of them,
small as it was, remind; one there is proof
positive against the p.oprieiy of mans
travelling through, this world alone.
Crossing small ridge on the East, we
came in full view of the great valley o.
JuaJa, stretching away South. The town
Of Juaja has population of about TWEEN
ty-five hundred. say about, because
there is no such thing as censes know
at this elevation. The houses are built
one-story, of adobe walls, or to unburnt
bricks, and tile roofs. The streets ar,
paved, and run at right angles with each
other.
Men live 70 n good old age in this eli,
mate. Seventy, eighty, and ninety years
are common; some have arrived at one
hundred and twenty, and one hundred
and thirty. am under the impression tha
the Indians live longest. Mestizo and
Spanish Creole girls have been known
t" bear children at eight and nine years
OF age.
Over the surface Of this level valley there
are numerous gangs of Indians thrashng
barley, The grain is separated from the
straw 10y the tramping Of oxen and hor-
ses-thcn cleaned from the chatf bv being
poured from the top of mans head, on a
windy day; may of them suffer with in
famed eyes, and even lose them, some
times. by Il shift of wind.
Black cattle are numerous here and
at the foot Of the mountains; so are white
churches, which stand in the midst Of a
thick population Of Indians. The valley
is all activity, and merry are the people-
Women are visiting about from place
to place, astride ofPIunp little jackasses.
This is n plentiful seaSon-when the
crops fail on these table lands, the suffering
among the Indians is very grest-seed
time IS in September, just before the rains
commence. Ii there arc hard floss in Feb
ruary the chances are that famine follows.
There is no part of the territory Of Peru
so thickIy populated as the Valley Of
Jauja.
The mountains on both sitles are dry
and unproductive, except in the ravines.
The halfyearly displacement Of earth is
very great During the rainy sea. on. the
mountain torrents come down from the
summit loaded with soil. The decrease in
the size OF the mountains from the time oi
their creation TO the present day, and the
hliing up OF this basin, naturally leads one
to wonder whether the paesents valIy WAS
not once a lake.
The Juaja River, which takes its rise in
Lake ChInchaycocha, to the North OF
Tarma, flows sIaggishIy and serpent like
through the whole length Of the valrcy,
creeping though the Andes, suddenly rush
es Oft at a rapid rate, as though sensible
OF its long journey by the UcayaIi and
Amazon, to the Atlantic Ocean. These
waters descend over 1900 feet before
they mingle with the bTiny deep. BY the
river, snipe are found, and among the ap-
pie trees, which are the size of rasberry
bushes hummihg birds are seen and heard.
The affection the different species Of an.
imals have for one another in these heights
is remarkable. The dog in any other
place, will sometimes kill and eat the
sheep--here he protects II by night and
and by day. The pig forms an attach.
ment 70 the jacksss, who leayc It at this
season OF the year, for the female ofhis own
kind. The ram becomes intimate with
Al. A A a.