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the port, which is distant eighteen leagues. There is very
little land cultivated below the town. The wide expanse of
the valley supports a wretched wiry grass, which even the
donkeys can hardly eat. This poorness of the vegetation is
owing to the quantity of saline matter with which the soil is
impregnated. Layers of sulphate and carbonate of soda,
even several inches thick, occur in some parts. The port
consists of an assemblage of miserable little hovels, situated
at the foot of some sterile plains and hiUs. At present, from
the river reaching the sea, the inhabitants enjoy the advantage
of having fresh water within a mile and a half. On the
beach there were large piles of merchandise, and the little
place had an air of activity. In the evening I gave my adios
with a hearty good will, to my companion Mariano Gonzales,
with whom I had ridden so many leagues in Chile. The next
morning the Beagle sailed for Iquique, lat. 20° 12 on the
coast of Peru.
J uly 12th .—We anchored in the port of Iquique. The
town contains about a thousand inhabitants, and stands on a
little plain of sand at the foot of a great wall of rock, 2000
feet in height, which here forms the coast. The whole is
utterly desert. A hght shower of rain falls only once in
very many years; and hence the ravines are filled with detritus,
and the mountain sides covered by piles of fine white
sand, even a thousand feet high. During this season of the
year, a heavy bank of clouds extending parallel to the ocean,
seldom rises above the wall of rocks on the coast. The
aspect of the place was most gloomy; the little port, with its
few vessels, and small group of wretched houses, seemed
overwhelmed and out of all proportion with the rest of the
scene.
The inhabitants live like persons on board a sh ip; every
necessary coming from a distance. Water is brought in
boats from Pisagua, aliout forty miles to the northward and
is sold at the rate of nine reals (4s. 6d.) an eighteen-gallon
cask: I bought a wine-bottle full for threepence. In like
manner firewood, and of course every article of food, is
imported. Very few animals can be maintained in such a
place : on the ensuing morning I hired, with difficulty at the
price of four pounds sterling, two mules and a guide to take
me to the saltpetre works. These are the present support of
Iquique. During one year the value of one hundred thousand
pounds sterling was exported to France and England.
This saltpetre does not properly deserve to be so called ; for
it consists of nitrate of soda, and not of potash, and is therefore
of much less value. It is said to be principally used in
the manufacture of nitric acid. Owing to its deliquescent
property it will not serve for gunpowder. Formerly there
were two exceedingly rich silver-mines in this neighbourhood,
but they now produce very little.
Our arrival in the offing caused some little apprehension.
Peru was in a state of anarchy ; and each party having
demanded a contribution, the poor town of Iquique was in
tribulation, thinking the evil hour was come. The people
had also their domestic troubles ; a short time before, three
French carpenters had broken open the two churches, during
the same night, and stolen all the plate : one of the robbers,
however, subsequently confessed, and the plate was recovered.
The convicts were sent to Arequipa, which, though
the capital of this province, is 200 leagues distant: the
government there thought it a pity to punish such useful
workmen, who could make all sorts of furniture ; and accordingly
liberated them. Things being in this state, the
churches were again broken open, but the plate this time
was not recovered. The inhabitants became dreadfully
enraged, and declaring that none but heretics would thus
“ eat God Almighty,” proceeded to torture some Enghsh-
men, with the intention of afterwards shooting them. At
last the authorities interfered, and peace was established.
J uly 1 3 t h .—In the morning I started for the saltpetre
works, a distance of fourteen leagues. Having ascended the
steep coast mountains by a zigzag sandy track, we soon came
in view of the mines of Guantajaya and St. Rosa. These
P t