The harbour of Santa is formed by several small islands, lying a little to the south of it, and about a mile from the main. We passed between the islands and the main, although it was night, and very dark. On the following morning, we made the customary signal, by firing a gun, which, in a very short time, brought the captain of the port down to the beach. He had not much the appearance of official dignity, having a long black beard, and was in no respect prepossessing. Rude, however, as was his exterior, he was profuse in offers of hospitality. He assured us that we should be abundantly supplied with every thing we wanted, and requested that an officer might be sent with him to Santa, to negociate for our supplies. The purser and myself were ordered upon this service, and not having time to send to Santa for horses, it being six miles from our anchorage, we were reduced to the necessity of a most painful ride, behind the captain of the port and a companion whom he had brought with him. The road was over an uninterrupted plain, which was almost everywhere covered with impenetrable thickets of reeds, and the Algaroba[[1]], and in some places a foot or two deep with water that had escaped from the streams of the cultivated valley. When we arrived at the door of the commandant's house, he shewed us in with an air of some formality, and welcomed us with every Spanish expression of hospitality. The appearance of the house corresponded well with that of its occupant. It was disgusting in the extreme. There were but two rooms in it, one of which was occupied as a granary and bed-room, and the other as a pulparia,[[2]] and the ordinary conveniences of the family. In the middle of the latter, hung a hog, weighing three or four hundred pounds, which had been butchered that morning. The captain pretended he could himself supply whatever we asked for, assuring us that he would sell more cheaply than any one else, and evinced an extreme jealousy at our conversing with any other than himself upon the subject of our visit to Santa. As a matter of courtesy, we soon made our way to the house of the governor, and paid our respects to him. He seemed to feel highly complimented with our attention, and, like the captain of the port, proffered his assistance to obtain for us whatever we stood in need of. He bore the name of the cruel conqueror of Peru, it being nothing less than the great Pizarro; but it was evident, from his complexion and curling locks, that his ancestors came from Africa. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, however, he could not be compared to the captain of the port without disparagement, and, considering the wretched society in which he lived, I thought he discharged his official duties rather creditably. Both the governor and captain of the port invited us to dine with them; and each, fearing we would make our purchase of the other, solicited our company very earnestly. We finally accepted the invitation of the latter, and he escorted us back to his house, where the table was already smoking with savoury dishes, served up in a variety of ways from the huge animal we had seen there in the morning, under circumstances by no means calculated to improve our appetites. A rabble, formed of half naked Indians, and long bearded white men, assembled in the room, while we were at dinner, some of whom sat down at table unceremoniously, and partook with us. Our host indulged himself freely with the use of aquadiente,[[3]] and, ere we finished our repast, his house exhibited a constant scene of riot, from which we were exceedingly glad to escape. After making a few purchases we returned on board. The next day, a party, consisting of about thirty or forty, came down to make us a visit. All degrees of the society of Santa, without any distinction,—whites, mulattoes, and Indians, having, it would seem, mingled together for the occasion. They remained with us all day, eating and drinking, and appeared to be very happy; but begged for every thing that came in their way. At sunset, to our great satisfaction, they left us, and on the following morning, we got underway, and continued along the coast to the north.
The small town of Santa contains about two thousand inhabitants, nearly all of whom are Indians. It is situated in latitude nine degrees south, in the valley of Santa, which is twenty or thirty miles in circumference, beautiful and rich in soil, and watered by a deep and rapid stream, which takes its rise in the Andes, at the distance of a hundred miles from the sea coast. Previous to the revolution, it was a flourishing valley, with a numerous population, producing rice, wheat, and other grain, in considerable quantities, for exportation; and frequently large herds of cattle were driven from it to Lima. It abounds also in fruits, such as oranges, lemons, grapes, and a variety of other delicious kinds. Large farming establishments are every where to be seen, each comprehending thousands of acres, and previous to the revolution possessed by gentlemen of ample fortune. All of these are, now in ruins, and most of them unoccupied. The climate of Santa is mild, and almost unvarying. Here, as in nearly all the rest of Peru, bordering on the Pacific Ocean, it never rains, and wherever the land is cultivated it is watered from the rivers.
Around the cultivated valley of Santa, are spread extensive plains of barren sand; and at a short distance back from the sea rises the first range of gloomy and sterile mountains which, increasing in altitude as you advance into the interior, terminates in the eternal snow-covered Andes, at the distance of from fifty to a hundred miles. At Santa we obtained wood with ease, and from two or three old wells, near the shore, filled our casks with brackish water. Where the river empties into the harbour it is so much exposed to the sea as to render watering difficult, and almost always dangerous. Santa was a place of some trade before the revolution, it being connected by direct communication with some mines of the precious metals in the interior.
On the 24th of August, we anchored in the roads of Huanchaco, and communicated with several vessels that were lying there. Huanchaco is an Indian village, and the seaport of the city of Bolivia, the ancient name of which was Truxillo. It is exposed to the sea, and at times the surf breaks so violently on the shore, as to prevent all intercourse with the vessels at anchor. The Indians are provided with a float they call Balsa, and on which they pass through this surf, in cases of great emergency, when no boat could live in it. It is composed merely of two bundles of long reeds, bound compactly together, tapering a little at one end, and the two bundles secured to each other, the small ends coming to a point, somewhat resembling in appearance the bow of a boat. In the middle it is hollowed sufficiently for a man to seat himself securely. It is usually about fifteen feet long, and from two to three feet wide. It is calculated for one man only, who directs it with his paddle. I one day witnessed their wonderful skill in the management of the balsa. The surf was breaking so furiously, that the men, accustomed to work in it, advised me not to go on board of my ship. Whilst I was standing on the shore, with several of them around me, a boat appeared just without the heavy rollers that were setting in, filled with people, who it was evident were strangers to the danger they were about to encounter, as they were dashing on fearlessly into the surf. The Indians near me made motions, and called to them not to advance further, but they neither saw nor heard the warning. Observing this, six or eight of them launched their balsas, and in a few minutes were in the midst of the breakers. They were just in time, for the boat in a moment afterwards darted forward with great velocity, and suddenly disappeared. The wave had broken, and was foaming over her, and another must have terminated the existence of every person on board; but, before the next swell, that came rolling on in quick succession had reached them, each man was upon a balsa, and the skilful and intrepid Indians bore them safely to the shore. We remained but a few hours at Huanchaco, when we continued on to the north, and on the 25th of August, came up with the Lobos Islands, in latitude six degrees south, and distant about a hundred miles from the coast. They are barren rocks, rising in some places several hundred feet, and no where have any appearance of vegetation. With the aid of our glasses, we saw at a distance a number of people upon these inhospitable rocks, and supposing they might be some unfortunate seamen, whose vessel had been cast away, we hove to, with a view of affording them relief. Upon examination, however, they proved to be Indians from the coast, who had come here on a catamaran, upon a fishing enterprise, it being the season when great quantities of fish, resembling mackerel, are taken on the shores of these Islands.
Previous to ascertaining who these fishermen were, we landed on a small island nearer to us, where, on the side of a hill, forty or fifty yards distant, we saw several hundreds of seals basking in the sun. The rock rose perhaps a hundred feet, and many of the seals were near the top of it. The noise of our landing gave them the alarm, and, as we had cut them off from the water, they made the best of their way for the other side of the hill, joining in a terrific growl like so many furious mastiffs. They had reached the top of the hill, and were descending on the opposite side, when we overtook them, and very wantonly killed several. They were so large that many of them would have weighed at least five or six hundred pounds, but their motions were extremely clumsy. Whenever we came near them they would growl, and snapped at us like a ferocious dog, and their long teeth warned us not to approach them within striking distance. Considering their immense size, it is astonishing bow slight a blow will kill them when given on the nose. If, however, this fatal part is missed, and they receive a severe blow upon any other part of the head, they suffer but little injury, and become extremely tenacious of life, particularly if it has time to swell. The nose is then no longer a mortal part, and it is almost impossible to subdue them. We witnessed several instances of this kind, being but poorly provided with weapons proper for the purpose, and withal unskilled in the use of them. In descending from the top of the hill, there was but one narrow defile by which they could escape, and there they floundered for nearly half an hour, tumbling over each other three or four deep, until at last they got into their native element.
The north side of the Lobos Islands affords a fine harbour, where we saw a small vessel at anchor waiting for the proceeds of her cargo, which had been landed on the coast at a place called Lambayaca.
On the 26th of August, we anchored at Peyta, in latitude five degrees south. This was the last place at which it would be convenient for us to stop, and here, to our gratification, we were enabled to obtain the necessary refreshments for our cruise. We filled the deck with pigs, poultry, and vegetables, and at considerable expense succeeded, after much trouble, in obtaining a supply of good water. Peyta is situated in a deep bay, and is a good harbour, formed by two projecting points of land, and is for many leagues surrounded by barren sand. It is the seaport of an interior city, called Pieura, and receives from distant valleys all that is necessary for the consumption of the inhabitants or strangers, who visit it for the purposes of trade. It is supplied with water from a river that empties itself into the sea, near a small Indian town called Golan, whence we found it necessary to resort for a supply. When we had proceeded there, and anchored our vessel within a mile or two of the town, the only method by which we could obtain water, was to have it brought in calabashes on mules. It was their saint's day, and in the village all was frolic and mirth. Groups of men and women were everywhere seen, dressed fantastically, singing and dancing along the streets. I called upon the governor, who was a white man, very early in the morning, to report the arrival of our vessel, and the object of our visit. He had just risen from his hammock, and received me with many expressions of civility, and proffers of assistance. His house was but little better than that of the captain of the port of Santa, and his appearance not more prepossessing. The room into which I was ushered had no other floor than the ground beaten hard, on which were several large piles of pumpkins, bags of beans, and Indian corn, which he proposed to sell me before our official interview had ended. Immediately after breakfast he came on board to visit the captain, bringing with him several emales. They remained on board nearly all day, to the annoyance of every body, and in the evening were removed to the shore with great difficulty, so freely had they partaken of our hospitality. Soon after our arrival at Peyta, we were invited to dine with the governor, who treated us with great kindness and hospitality. Some months previous to our arrival, his son had shipped himself at Talcahuana, on board of the Dolphin, as a common sailor, and was discharged on our arrival here, and permitted to remain with his friends. He was spoken of amongst us as a person who had been compelled to fly from his home for improper conduct of some kind, and now the whole mystery was explained. His father was one of the most respectable and patriotic men in the place where he resided; but this son was a youth of a bad disposition, and had given him a great deal of trouble. When the revolution first commenced in that section of the country, he provided himself with the uniform of a patriot officer, and went about the country, where he was a stranger, or but slightly known, and under the authority of his pretended commission, took, by violence, the cattle and horses of the farmers, or whatever else he could possess himself of, which he converted into money for his own purposes. Sometimes he even pressed the Indians as soldiers, and compelled them to assist him in carrying off his plunder.
At length, his exactions became so heavy, and were levied so tyrannically, that a gentleman resisted him, and questioned the legality of his authority. Numbers were fired with indignation against him, and the propriety of his conduct was no sooner questioned, than the investigation was followed up with such activity, that, finding there was no safety but in flight, he preferred a voluntary exile to meeting the just resentment of the people he had injured. He had suffered many hardships during his absence, and appeared on his return to be truly penitent. I was at his father's house when he entered. His mother and sisters were deeply affected, and received him with all the tenderness of female sympathy, their eyes overflowing with tears. They each embraced him, as one most dear to them; but when he approached his father (a man about sixty) who was standing on the opposite side of the room, he caught the old man's eye bent indignantly upon him, and turned away with a look humbled to the dust.
Whilst lying here we had an opportunity of witnessing a solitary instance of an enterprising disposition in a Peruvian Indian,—a characteristic, it is believed, they but rarely possess, or, at most, but in a slight degree. We had on board an Indian youth, who belonged to this part of Peru, and for several days had held frequent conversations with his countrymen, who were attracted on board by curiosity. One of these people had concerted with the youth a plan for his deserting. In compliance with this arrangement, he put off, during the mid-watch, with his canoe, and taking his station just ahead of the Dolphin, gave a shrill whistle as the signal of his approach. The lad, fearing that he might be detected, did not venture to answer the signal, which was repeated several times, when the officer of the watch suspecting the object, gave the long expected response, and the credulous Indian came cautiously paddling close under the bow of the vessel, where, to his amazement, he was made prisoner, and compelled to go on board. When the captain came on deck the next morning, he punished the poor Indian, by impressing upon him the belief that he intended to detain, and make a soldier of him. Not having sagacity enough to know the difference between our vessel and a patriot man-of-war, and conceiving that there was no chance for his escape, he made the most pathetic appeals to the captain's humanity, and appeared to suffer all the agony of despair. The captain ordered a cartridge-box to be put over his shoulders, and a musket placed in his hands.
He seemed frantic with the reality of his servitude, using his utmost violence to disengage himself from the cartridge-box and musket, declaring again and again that he was no soldier, and in the most affecting manner begging the captain for God's sake to permit him to go on shore. When his tormentors discontinued their persecutions, he jumped over the stern into his canoe, with great activity, and soon joined his anxious friends on the beach, who had assembled there, apprehensive of his captivity, and awaiting the result.