Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-25

unacceptable, the kind hearted people are not.
Dog killers rushing through the streets with short
clubs and wounded dog running for protection
among baggage mules the arrieros fat wife chung TO
her pet dog until the killers out Of sight The
women generally accompany the arreros distance
the road carrying provisions which eaten and drank
on the roadside just before parting
Ascending rough rocky road, over deeply washed ra-
vines, gain the smooth grasscapped mountains. Be-
tween peaks Of perpendicular strata ocks of amas are
pastnring. Yonder is lake of clear water, and
there stands five beautiful vcuha looking intenty at
What pretty animals and how wild they look They come
here to pasture with their kinfolks the namas Rich
ards ride round the mountain; Jose go with the bag
gage steadily along the road, while take up the ravne
and try shot" We all start The male gives whis-
tie which sounds among the hills like the cry OF wild
turkey. The four females off; he stands STILL AS
him he calls louder, and, long before get within
ball range, he is away over the mountain brow
The vicuna is smaller and much more neatly formed
animal than the llama with coat Of fine curly wool Its
color resembles that of the smaller deer In the distr
button of animals as well judge, the ycufa ma
turaly seeks atmosphere just below the llama It is
very swift and difficult to capture The Indians take
them by driving them into pens as we drive cartridges
into nets Nowand then young may be found tam
ed and kept pet among the chdren they are never
used as beasts Of burden Fine cloths and valuable hats
manufactured from the wool Of the vicuha. skin
sells in the market for fifty cents and the meat better
than that OF the llama, though Jose expresses rather
disgust at the idea of eating llama meat
Our is to the eastward The snow-capped noun
tans in sight the west Temperature Of spring
49, air 44o Lightning flashes all around us. As the
wind whrls from northeast to southwest rain and snow
flakes become hail. half the size Of peas. Thunder roars
and echoes through the mountains The mules hang their
heads and travel slowly The thnlycad aboriginal walks
shiyering he drives the train ahead The dark
lus cloud seems to wrap itself around us,
The first house we met was the Molina Posta. The
men passed the night with their mules in storm which
beat against our tent all night The postman, Spanish
Creole invited in his house. saw his wife, two chill
dren Indian servant, and five dogs seated around
fire made Of dung, which the woman was cooking
mutton Their bed Of barley straw. miserable old
donkey was peepng in at the door, so had the tent
pitched! At in the morning the thermometer was 81
Fahrenheit
This is barren country, and to be inhabited by
the wilder animals. We chased fox among the rocks
and shot two biscachas which resembles the rabbit in
sze color and head but the feet and tail like those
of the opossum The people are very fond ofthem The
arrero smiled when he saw his supper. Richards cut
of them open to bottle its young, but had mis-
judged its appearance Our Indian boy said the mules
ate any of the hair Of this animal it would instant
death. We had extra mules to prove the assertion.
The fur is very fine and valuable. They running in
and of holes the ground the cefts of rocks to
nbble the mountain grass The mountains more roll
ing and covered with thick coat of pasture Flocks of
sheep speckle the mountains black and white, clearly
washed by the ransthey seek the atmosphere next be-
low the yicuna-whie the goodnatured Indian shep-
herdess follows with womany regard for the wishes of
those she loves.
Another storm is coming. We hurry on and arrive at
the post in the small Indian town of Paucara The
posman told Jose that the alcade had come to pay
visit respectable old Indian with silver-headed cane
who could not speak Spanish appeared So Jose was my
interpreter in Quichua " How many people live in this
town, Senior Acalde?" Alcalde, (eating parched
from his waistcoat pocket) Don't know" Have you
plenty to live upon in this part Of the country? Al
,ade with the most laughably contented air. Roast
and few potatoes The people all going away; will
soon be left by myself Going to Cuzco?" Jose, "Yes
and have long travel we have to feed our mules
harla &c Tru,n
now and fetch it,
The town is falling into decay many houses deserted,
Ind their roofs have tumbled in Climate cold and
pleasant Except our kind friend the alcade, the people
ook wretched
The vegetable productions Of this department few
Ind only be raised in the deep ves where the dense
atmosphere interceps the parchng of the and
they protected from the cold mountain blasts of the
night No department in Peru is broken and bar.
than this with greater variety of climate. In
sight peaks of eternal snow, which up to sharp
points of pure white standing in rows; the humble In
dian cutvatng his little patch OF green lucerne in the
valley far below
The animals are mostly those native to the country,
md few Of them tame The horse ass and horned cattle
much smaller than those the coast and are little
lsed Birds very few, and seldom found homestead
i'd; even the common poultry finds the climate unconge
NAL Fishes for sale and small only taken be-
ieve in the Juaa river OF minerals and metals already
Known there are silver, quicksilver copper, Lead iron,
stone coal, and lime.
The silver mines of Verreyna have been worked
many years They situated south of the town Of
in the Cordera range They count thirty
nnes of which at the present day but worked
Stone coal is found by sufficiently good for engine
purposes One steam-engine made voyage round Cape
Horn and arrived safely at these Mines where it is said
10 be doing good business. In all the pieces must
exceed hundred and fifty pounds weight they
come to stand still at the landing the coast Two
pieces balanced the back Of mule, which carries
the heavy loads exceeding three hundred pounds
This is the only way steam can possibly travel
through the department of Huancavelica. The
pied mines said to contain water and air offensive
that it is dangerous for workmen to enter them
This department has population by the Government
estimate of people Two of the aboriginal to
one Creole will not be far from the average proportion
AS the old acade honestly confesses he don't know how
many people live in his small town. it will be understood
people are scattered over great space OF country We
travel day the wild heights without meeting with
man find valley too hickly peopled for the produc
tions raised therein. @
The department is divided into four provinces, each
governed bya subprefect These are again divided into
districts under governors oil of whom responsible to
the project at the capital Huancaveca, who is allowed
amounts annually to Sc, 495. The project is appointed
by the Government at Lima and holds his Office during
the pleasure Of the President of the Republic The sub
projects and also appointed Supreme
Government, though generally through the recommended
ton of the project Of the department.
Early in the morning left Paucara, our good old
friend still eating roasted maize while he cheertuly
pressed desire to- when we return again The
Indians show surprise when they told We will not re-
that nay and to be buried in deep thought as
though it troubled them to make out the white mans
motions.
In the valley right focks Of sheep, and the
merry laugh the shepherdess echoes through the noun
tain Two irlc walk mr. ffart their