closely by the guide and our valiant ally, old Surley, at whom
several blows were aimed, but he escaped them all, and at full gallop we
pushed over the sandy plain, pursued by our black assailants. Happily
they had no fire-arms, or we should have fared ill. When we had got
beyond their reach we pulled up and congratulated ourselves on our
escape, while old Surley came in for his due share of praise and thanks.
He wagged his tail and opened his mouth, as if he were about to speak
and say, "I only did my duty, masters; you feed me well, and treat me
kindly, and I love you, and am ready to fight for you, and do you any
other service in my power, as I hope to prove whenever I have the
opportunity."

It was very late when we got back to Lima, to the house of a merchant
who had asked us to stay with him. He told us that the blacks who
attacked us were, he had no doubt, emancipated slaves, who had always
borne a very bad character. Had they been properly educated, and
prepared for freedom, they might have turned out well; but those
wretches are a melancholy example of what will be found to be the case
in other countries where slavery still exists, should the slaves
suddenly be made free, or should they rise and win their freedom for
themselves. Unless they are carefully trained--taught to depend on
their own exertions, and instructed in the pure truths of Christianity--
they will, when freed, sink into a state of sloth and wretchedness; or
if they rise to obtain their own freedom, they will, very certainly, be
guilty of the most dreadful murders and every kind of atrocity in
carrying out their designs. I often have since thought of what our
friend said, and have prayed that the people of the United States will
make due preparation for enlightening those held so long in bondage. On
the nature of that preparation it defends (I have often heard Captain
Frankland say) whether their dear-bought liberty shall give joy and
gladness, or poverty and misery.

The next morning, before returning to Callao, we rode out to visit the
ruins of an Inca town, situated on a hill forming one side of a fertile
and well-irrigated valley. The walls of the houses were built of
unburnt brick and mud, carefully constructed at right angles to each
other, and very thick--indeed, they put us in mind of some of the
pictures we had seen of Egyptian architecture. We were surprised to
hear of the great number of Indians who still exist in the count