right. The houses were generally constructed of canes, plastered with mud,
and painted yellow. As the result of earthquakes, scarce a house stood
upright--some leaned sideways, and looked as if they were going to topple
over into the road; while others leaned back, as if, were you to push
against them, they would collapse and crush the inmates.

Their night was not a pleasant one. The beds were simple, consisting only
of hides stretched across wooden frames, but, as they very speedily found,
there were numerous other inhabitants. They therefore slept but little,
and were heartily glad when the first gleam of dawn appeared.

Slipping on their clothes, they ran down to the shore and had a bath. By
the time they returned breakfast was ready--coffee, fish, and eggs. The
mules did not appear for another hour, by which time their patience was
all but exhausted. The portmanteaux were speedily strapped on to the back
of the baggage mule, and they mounted the two others. The muleteer had
brought one for himself, and, fastening the baggage animal behind it, they
started.

It was six miles to Lima, but as the city is five hundred and twelve feet
above the sea, the ascent was steady and somewhat steep. The road was
desperately bad, and the country uninteresting, being for the most part
dried up. Occasionally they saw great mounds of adobe bricks, the remains
of the ancient habitations. As they neared the town vegetation became
general, small canals irrigating the country. Here were fruit and
vegetable gardens, with oranges, plantains, vines, and flowers.

Passing through a gate in the walls they entered the town, which afforded
a pleasant contrast to the squalid misery of Callao. The city, however,
could not be called imposing; the houses were low and irregular,