The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-28

ployed as Interpreter to the Indians, and
Mauricio, an Indian servant. They were
mounted on mules, and their baggage of
all kinds, including looking glasses, beads
and other trinkets for the Indians, and
some supplies of provisions, were carried
also on muleback, under the charge of an
arrjer0, or muleteer, who was az Indian.
The party were furnished with a teat,
! which often came in use for nightly shell
ter, as the roadside inns furnished none;
and the haciendas, or farm-houses, which
they sometimes availed themselves of, af-
forded but poor accommodation. The
following picture of the lieutenant's first
nights lodgings, not more than ten miles
from Lima, is specimen: 1.-The house
was built of adobe, or sun-dried bricks,
and rooted with tiles. 1t had but one
room, which was the general receptacle
for all corners. A mud projection of two
feet high and three wide, stood out from
the walls Of the room all around, and
served as permanent bedplace for num-
bers. Others laid their blankets and
cloaks, and stretched themselves on the
floor; so that with whites, Indians, ne
groes, trunks, packages, house furniture,
game cocks and guinea pigs, we had quite
a caravanscra appearance"
The lieutenant found the general an
swer to his inquiry for provisions for his
party, and of fodder for their animals,
was "no hay" (there is none). The re-
fusa! of tie people to sell supplies of these
indispensable articles was source Of con-
tinued Inconvenience. 1t arose probably
from their fear to have it known that
they had possessions, lest the hand of
authority should be laid upon them, and
their property taken without payment -
The cultivators, it must be remembers
are native Indians, and they are under
the absolute control of their Spanish
masters, and have no recognized rights,
protected by law. While this state of
things continues, civilization is efectually
debarred progress.
The usual days travel was twelve to
fifteen miles. The route ascended rapid
ly, and the river Rimac, along whose
banks their road lay, was reduced to q
mountain torrent raging in foam over the
fragments of the rocky cliffs which over
hung its bed, The road occasionally
widened out and gave room for a little
cultivation.
May 27, They had now reached
height of 10000 feet above the level of
the sea. Here, the traveller feels that he
is lifted above the impurities of the lower
regions of the atmosphere, and is breath
ing air free from taint. The stars spark
led with intense brilliancy The temper
ature at night was getting cool, and the
travellers found they required all their
blankets. But by day the heat was op-
pressive until tempered by the sea breeze,
which set in about eleven o'clock in the
morning,
The productions of the country are In
dian corn, alfalfa, species of lucern,a
potatoes. The potato, in this its native
country, is small but very fine. They saw
here, for the first time, q vegetable of the
potato kind called oca. Boiled or roast
ed, it is very agreeable to the taste, in
favor resembling green corn. Who
knows but this may serve as successor
of the true potato, if thai is destined, as
some think, to die out?
Here they entered upon the mining re-
gion. "The earth here shows her giant
skeleton bare; mountains, rather than
rocks, rear their gray heads to the skies,
and proximity made the scene more strik-
ing sublime" Lieut. Herndon had bro't
letters to the superintendent Of the mines,
who received the travellers kindly and
Hospitality. The establishment is mana
ged by superintendent and three assis-
tants, and about forty working hands
The laborers are Indians-strong, hardy
looking fellows, though low in stature
and stupid in expression. The manner
of getting the silver from the ore is this
The ore is broken into pieces of the size
of an English walnut, and then ground to !
a fine powder. The ground ore is then
mixed with salt, at the rate of fifty pounds |
of salt to every six hundred of ore, and |
taken to the ovens to be toasted. After /,
being toasted, the ore is laid in piles of a
bout six hundred pounds upon the stone
floor. The piles are then moistened with !
water, and quicksilver is sprinkled on
them through wollen cloth. The mass
is we'll mixed by treading with the feet,
and working with hoes. a little caleined /
iron pyrites, called neagiStrah, is also ad-
ded. The pile is often examined to see
if the amalgamation is going on well. 1t !
is left to stand for eight or nine days un-
til the amalgamation is complete, then
carried to an elevated platform, and /
thrown into well or cavity; stream of |
water is turned on, and four or five men
trample and wash it with their feet. The /
amalgam sinks to the bottom, and the I
mud and water are let off, by an aperture |
in the lower part of the we'll The am
aigam Is then put into couical bags OF !
coarse linen, which are hung up, and the .
weight of the mass presses out quantity /
of quicksilver, which oozes through the .
linen, and is caught in vessels below
The mass, now dry and somewhat harder
than putty, is carried to the ovens, where
the remainder of the quicksilver is driven