to the city of Lima is very beautiful. Rows of shade trees line the road for some distance on either side, in the vicinity of a murmuring rivulet; while under the shelter of their branches are ranged convenient seats, affording to the tired traveller a cool and refreshing repose for his wearied limbs. Near by are groves of orange and lemon

trees, whose boughs laden with the richest fruit, overhang the surrounding walls, and impress the passing stranger with the idea that he is approaching the abodes of luxury and refinement. When he arrives within the walls of the city, however, he is somewhat disappointed. He is struck with the relics of former grandeur and magnificence, and he would hardly suppose himself in a city whose streets were once paved with ingots of gold, at the entrance of a viceroy. Many of the buildings are ancient and in a state of decay. They are seldom painted, and but partially whitewashed. On account of the frequency of earthquakes, they are commonly of but one story, built of sun dried bricks plastered on the outside, and with flat roofs, which are sometimes paved, affording an agreeable promenade. They usually have round the upper story a balcony in front, with trellis windows, after the Moorish style. The windows which are open nearly to the ground, have iron gratings, many parts of which are handsomely gilded. The largest have a court yard in front, the walls of which are sometimes fancifully painted, with an entrance through arched porches and heavy folding doors. The houses of the wealthy are handsomely furnished. The walls are decorated with large paintings of saints,

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in every encounter. The Moors came to the attack like tigers; while the Spaniards, who had long given themselves up to the enervating influences which were of late encouraged under the Gothic rule, found themselves unable to cope with their more determined enemy.

Perhaps, also, the fortunes of Roderick may have been controlled by a wide-spread defection, heretefore secretly encouraged, which now began to manifest itself. It arose from the jealousy which the immediate descendants of the old Romans entertained towards the Goths, who had despoiled the fair inheritance transmitted to their ancestors by the great Cesar himself, whose best troops, indeed the best and bravest troops of all the great Roman victors, were always drawn from Spain. Julian, it is alleged, was of the Roman descent, and of the Julian family to which Cesar himself belonged; and he used the argument of the Roman lineage, skillfully and effectually, with the discontented of the same ancestral race. They were even taught to believe that the dominion of the Moors would be less oppressive and more acceptable than the rule of the Gothic usurpers. natives of Spain," says de Barros, "never bore much love. to the Goths, who were strangers and comelings, and, when they came, had no right there, for the whole belonged to the Roman Empire."

"The

Tarif was every where successful, by reason of this defection, as much as by the force of his arms. Troops of Moorish cavalry, guided by Count Julian, scoured all the southwestern part of Andalusia, and fell upon the unprotected towns, which they reduced and despoiled with fearful rapidity. So obstinate, however, was the defence, and so fre