of profit to some of the plantation-owners in
the valley. At Periachi, four leagues from the capital, the road takes
a turn to north-east, and continues in that direction, with but little
deviation, as far as the base of the Cordillera. Two leagues beyond
Pariachi we reach Chaclacayo, a village containing about thirty
miserable reed huts. The plantation of Santa Ines, a little further
on, is situated at 2386 feet above the level of the sea.[52] Mr.
Maclean, an English merchant in Lima, who has sent many interesting
Peruvian plants to the hothouses of England, and who has made some
very attentive barometrical observations during a journey in the
interior of the country, calculates the altitude of Chaclacayo at 2265
feet above the sea.[53] Rivero makes it 2010 feet above that level.[54]
The difference between these calculations is remarkable; and in more
considerable altitudes the discrepancy is still more considerable, being
sometimes as much as from eight to nine hundred feet. I am inclined to
believe that it is attributable less to inaccuracy of observation than
to the very imperfect instrument made use of by Rivero. Maclean's
observations, with some trifling exceptions, correspond with mine. He
used one of Fortin's barometers, and I one of Lefevre's, which, prior to
my departure from Europe, had, during several weeks, been regulated at
the observatory in Paris. Unluckily, this excellent instrument was
injured by a fall from my horse, and I found it impossible to get it
repaired. Some barometrical observations made by M. C. Gay, during a
journey in Peru, in the years 1839-40, with one of Bunten's barometers,
deviate very considerably from all those above mentioned. Between the
calculations of Gay and Rivero there is an average difference of from
six hundred to one thousand feet.

On the road to Pasco, the Hacienda of Cavallero corresponds, in its
distance from the capital, with the village of Chaclacayo, on the road I
am here describing. At Chaclacayo wheat and sugar are cultivated. The
sugar cane thrives well, and might be grown in greater quantity. In some
of the coast districts I have seen the sugar cane cultivated at the
height of 4500 feet above the sea; and I have seen it grow
spontaneously, and attain perfect maturity, as high as 6800 feet.

From Santa Ines the road continues gradually ascending to the little
village of San Pedro Mama, where the two rivers, San Mateo and Santa
Olaya, unite and form the Rimac. T