The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-07-04
Sketches of Lima.


But deemed the place without him.
MONDAY, MARCH 80. We were off
this morning at an early hour for Lima.
The distance is only seven miles, and is
travelled by line OF omnibuses, drawn
by six horses, three abreast. Our COM
panions were licutenants S. and l.. of the
Congress, two Peruvian officers, Span
ish lady with u lapdog creole girl
smoking cigar, and quadroon in white
kid slippers.
We passed Oh the right an obelsk sur
mounted by a cross, designating the spot
to which the sea was thrown. in the great
earthquake Of LAG. A little further on
we passed the neglected dwellings of Bel
lavista, projected as the new Callao, and
built further inland, that it migh escape
the terrible fate of its predecessor. But
fear soon yielded to the suggestions Of
commercial convenience, and Callao
went back again to the strand of the sea.
After dragging along for nearly an
hour, with our old vehicle buried to the
axle in sand, we reached the halfway
station, which consists Of dilapidated
church and grog-shop. In the ruined
turrets of the one the martens had built
their procreant nests at the bar Of the
other stood bare headed monk solicit
ing the change which the glass Of toddy
mig ght leave. lis large feet were protec-
ted by sandals, and his Roman nose was
so red that one of the passengers got out
cigar.
Having breathed our steeds, we star
ted again, when fierce quarrel arose be-.
tween the Spanish lady and her poodle.
The little fellow had his ears soundly boxed
for the indscretion. The quadroon took
the part Of the poodle, and the creole
g girl smoked on. We now passed several
huge tumuli-the burial mounds of the
!. aborigines. The heroic virtues which
they entomb have perished. No Ho'
mer has swept his Tyre in their giant
. shadows The road, as we approached
q the city, presented on either side double
rows of poplars, beneath which the Lin
r anians take their twilight promenade
But at this time only few donkeys wer'
= winding their way through them, burieC
"a up in grass, which they were taking I,
r. market. You saw only the burden; tn
=. animal was concealed under..it, like tor
~ toise beneath its shell, or mouse unde
Il crows nest,
=, We found at the gate a sentry poste
of with as much solemnity as if the old bas
~ ton could still thunder out its defiance
q We ratified up Il broad street into tn
10 heart of the city, where we were emptie
"a from our crazy coach into an Office sui
=, rounded by boys, who vociierousl
~ ~ claimed the privilege Of transporting ou
= baggage. The urchins had hold of
-. ~ before we could even tell them where "
10 ~ we're going. The lady with her Iepen
- = ant poodle, and the creole with her ciga
ar went their way, and We brought up I
I I Moriu's hotel on the grand plaza. tn
l., keeper met US in the hall, welcomed us
w Lima, and allotted us our apartment
Here we were then at last in the "cit
IN of kings and in the most sumptuous h,
Se tel which its ambition and luxury coul
ng furnish. What a transition from ii
10 storms, the sleet, and whales off CaI
~ Horn
de TUESDAY, MARCH 81. The heart
:. Lima is occupied by great public squar
H. in The center Of which stands a fountain
ny the showering waters of which fall in
a wide marble basin. Beneath the We
''d andas which open on this square are II
ll- fancy shops'of the city, while the Cat
on edral towers over III in its solemn ma
uifcence. Around the fountain, instei
nc Of marble statues, YOU find donkey
er- waiting to have the tanks, which a
swung across their little pack.saddle
ou filled with water As soon as this h
been done, off they start on their destin
u tiou, without leader or rein For the
two kegs of water the owner gets a RET
-, or twelve and half cents. Thus
i'h Lima supplied with water; when
might be conducted by pipes through e
cry street of the city.