TheislandofSt。Jago，attheCapedeVerds，offersanotherstronglymarkedinstanceofacountry，whichanyonewouldhaveexpectedtofindmosthealthy，beingverymuchthecontrary。Ihavedescribedthebareandopenplainsassupporting，duringafewweeksaftertherainyseason，athinvegetation，whichdirectlywithersawayanddriesup：atthisperiodtheairappearstobecomequitepoisonous；bothnativesandforeignersoftenbeingaffectedwithviolentfevers。Ontheotherhand，theGalapagosArchipelago，inthePacific，withasimilarsoil，andperiodicallysubjecttothesameprocessofvegetation，isperfectlyhealthy。Humboldthasobserved，that，“underthetorridzone，thesmallestmarshesarethemostdangerous，beingsurrounded，asatVeraCruzandCarthagena，withanaridandsandysoil，whichraisesthetemperatureoftheambientair。”[5]OnthecoastofPeru，however，thetemperatureisnothottoanyexcessivedegree；andperhapsinconsequence，theintermittentfeversarenotofthemostmalignantorder。Inallunhealthycountriesthegreatestriskisrunbysleepingonshore。Isthisowingtothestateofthebodyduringsleep，ortoagreaterabundanceofmiasmaatsuchtimes？Itappearscertainthatthosewhostayonboardavessel，thoughanchoredatonlyashortdistancefromthecoast，generallysufferlessthanthoseactuallyonshore。
Ontheotherhand，Ihaveheardofoneremarkablecasewhereafeverbrokeoutamongthecrewofaman-of-warsomehundredmilesoffthecoastofAfrica，andatthesametimeoneofthosefearfulperiods[6]ofdeathcommencedatSierraLeone。
NostateinSouthAmerica，sincethedeclarationofindependence，hassufferedmorefromanarchythanPeru。Atthetimeofourvisit，therewerefourchiefsinarmscontendingforsupremacyinthegovernment：ifonesucceededinbecomingforatimeverypowerful，theotherscoalescedagainsthim；butnosoonerweretheyvictorious，thantheywereagainhostiletoeachother。Theotherday，attheAnniversaryoftheIndependence，highmasswasperformed，thePresidentpartakingofthesacrament：duringthe_TeDeumlaudamus_，insteadofeachregimentdisplayingthePeruvianflag，ablackonewithdeath’sheadwasunfurled。Imagineagovernmentunderwhichsuchascenecouldbeordered，onsuchanoccasion，tobetypicaloftheirdeterminationoffightingtodeath！Thisstateofaffairshappenedatatimeveryunfortunatelyforme，asIwasprecludedfromtakinganyexcursionsmuchbeyondthelimitsofthetown。ThebarrenislandofSt。
Lorenzo，whichformstheharbour，wasnearlytheonlyplacewhereonecouldwalksecurely。Theupperpart，whichisupwardsof1000feetinheight，duringthisseasonoftheyearwinter，comeswithinthelowerlimitoftheclouds；andinconsequence，anabundantcryptogamicvegetation，andafewflowerscoverthesummit。OnthehillsnearLima，ataheightbutlittlegreater，thegroundiscarpetedwithmoss，andbedsofbeautifulyellowlilies，calledAmancaes。Thisindicatesaverymuchgreaterdegreeofhumidity，thanatacorrespondingheightatIquique。ProceedingnorthwardofLima，theclimatebecomesdamper，tillonthebanksoftheGuayaquil，nearlyundertheequator，wefindthemostluxuriantforests。Thechange，however，fromthesterilecoastofPerutothatfertilelandisdescribedastakingplaceratherabruptlyinthelatitudeofCapeBlanco，twodegreessouthofGuayaquil。
Callaoisafilthy，ill-built，smallseaport。Theinhabitants，bothhereandatLima，presenteveryimaginableshadeofmixture，betweenEuropean，Negro，andIndianblood。Theyappearadepraved，drunkensetofpeople。