Chapter II: Part II: By Lt. Lardner Gibbon

WASHINGTON:
A. O. P. NICHOLSON, PUBLIC PRINTER.
1854.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
TRANSMITTING
THE SECOND PART OF LIEUTENANT HERNDON'S REPORT OF THE EXPLORATION
OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZON.

JANUARY 6, 1854.—Resolved, That there be printed, for the use
of the members of the House, ten thousand extra copies of the
report of the Secretary of the Navy communicating the reports
of the exploration of the river Amazon and its tributaries,
made by Lieutenants Herndon and Gibbon, with the accompanying
maps and plates.

APRIL 13, 1854.—Resolved, That there be printed twenty
thousand additional copies of the reports of the surveys and
explorations of the river Amazon, with the plates and maps
accompanying, by Lieutenants Herndon and Gibbon—two hundred
and fifty copies for distribution by Lieutenant Herndon, and
two hundred and fifty copies by Lieutenant Gibbon, and the
remainder for the use of the members of the House.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of the Navy, accompanied by the second part of Lieut. Herndon's Report of the Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon and its tributaries, made by him, in connexion with Lieut. Lardner Gibbon, under instructions from the Navy Department.

FRANKLIN PIERCE.

WASHINGTON, February 10, 1854.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, February 10, 1854.

To the PRESIDENT.

SIR: In compliance with the notice heretofore given and communicated to Congress at its last session, I have the honor herewith to transmit the second part of the Report of the "Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, made under the direction of the Navy Department, by William Lewis Herndon and Lardner Gibbon, lieutenants of the United States Navy."

The first part of the exploration referred to was transmitted to Congress by the Executive on the 9th of February, 1853, and has been printed. (See "Senate Executive No. 36, 32d Congress, 2d session.") The second part, which completes the report, is the result of the labors of Lieutenant Lardner Gibbon, after his separation at Tarma, on the 20th June, 1851, from Lieutenant Herndon, the senior officer of the exploring party.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant,

J. C. DOBBIN.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 7, 1854.

SIR: I have the honor to submit, herewith, a report of an exploration of the countries drained by certain tributaries of the Amazon, made by Lieutenant Gibbon during the years 1851-'52.

It will be recollected by the department that, at Tarma, in Peru, I divided my party, and confided a portion of it to Mr. Gibbon's direction. This report is the result of Mr. Gibbon's labors consequent upon that division, and will form Part II of the "Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon."

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. LEWIS HERNDON,
Lieutenant U. S. Navy.

Hon. JAMES C. DOBBIN,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 25, 1854.

SIR: By instructions, a report, accompanied by maps and sketches of scenery in South Peru, Bolivia, and Madeira river, in Brazil, made by me to the Navy Department, is herewith submitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LARDNER GIBBON,
Lieutenant U. S. Navy.

Lieut. WILLIAM L. HERNDON, U. S. N.,
Commanding Amazon Exploring Expedition, Washington.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Page.

Tarma—Inca road—Juaja valley—Quichua Indians—Trade—Juaja
river—Snow mountains—Stone bridge and stone
coal—Temperature of springs—Llamas—Lieutenant
of police—Quicksilver mines of Huancavelica—Wool
growing—Molina Posta, or Country tavern—Silver mines
of Castro-Virreyna—Population of Huancavelica—Its
mineral productions—Sandstone pyramids—Chicha and
chupe—A New Englander among the Andes—Fruits and
flowers of Huanta—Blacksmiths. 1

CHAPTER II.

Gold and silver ornaments—Bridal trip on the
Andes—Manufacturers of bark rope—Cotton
trees—Winds and currents of the
mountains—Population—Cultivation—Flocks
of sheep—Frosty nights—Reports of
Robbers—Shoemaker—Ancient fortification—Indians
travelling—Condor's wings—A padre on the
road—Sugar-cane patches—Spanish Creoles—An African
slave—Apurimac bridge—Cabbage patch—Peruvian
widow—Bull fight—Fish and horned cattle—Cuzco—Market
place—Steamboat navigation—Eastern side
of the Andes—Coca plantations—Head of
Madre-de-Dios—Rivers Cosnipata, Tono and
Piñipiñi—Forests—Tigers—Monkeys—Chuncho savages—View
of the lowlands from a peak of the Andes—Cinchona
bark gatherers. 27

CHAPTER III.

College of Sciences and Arts at
Cuzco—Students—Library—Popularity
of Fenimore Cooper's
works—Convents—Cock-pits—Procession—Condition of
the Aborigines anterior to the Incas—Manco Capac
and his wife—Their language—Antiquities—Incas
fortress—Worship of the planetary bodies—Suspicion
of intercourse between ancient civilized Asia and
south Peru—Temperature of bull's blood—Reception
of the prefect's family—Sham fight among the
Quichua Indians—Barley and corn crops—Trade—Loss
of Paititi—Thermal springs—Hospitality of
a Cura—Lampa—Gold mines of Carabaya—Lake
Titicaca—Appearance of the Indians—Puno
military—Niggardly soil. 55

CHAPTER IV.

Manto silver mine—Trade—Shores of Lake Titicaca—Rush
balsas—Animals—Loftiest mountains—Aymara
Indians—Mode of cultivation—Bottled fish—Frontier of
Peru—Rio Desaguedero—Rush bridge—Bolivia military
and custom-house—Southeast trade-winds—Tiahuanaco
ruins—Evaporation and precipitation—Planting
small potatoes—Difficulty among postillions—City
of La Paz—Population—Cinchona bark—Beni river
and Madeira Plate—Transit duty—Gold washings
of Tipuani—Productions of Yungas—Dried
mutton and copper mines—Articles of the last
constitution—A Bolivian lady's opinion of North
Americans—Illimani snow peak—Church performances of
the Aymaras—Benenguela silver mines—Growth of cedar
bushes. 96