After these picturesque, though lurid happenings, the history of Peru, like that of all the other South American Republics, becomes monotonous. The colonial period resolves itself into a record of oppressive taxation, rigidly exacted, and patiently borne; and events do not begin to move again until the declaration of independence in the early part of the nineteenth century. For the establishment of its freedom, Peru has much to thank the great Bolivar, and that modern Peruvians have not forgotten the invaluable services which the Liberator rendered their fathers the fine equestrian statue of him in the square at Lima testifies. But Peru has much to show the rambler in addition to the relics of its impressive past. As already intimated, it is a country of marvels, and not all of them are supplied by Incan civilisation. The Indians who preceded that regime were also possessed of quaint and curious knowledge. Amongst other things, they knew how to reduce the human head from its natural size to about four inches. The object of this strange craft was obvious. Just as the Indian of North America carried the scalps of his foes at his belt, so the Indian of North Peru carried the reduced heads of his victims strung together to show his warlike prowess. The _modus operandi_ of this gruesome process was as follows: The severed head was boiled in an infusion of forest plants, so as to soften the bones, which were then taken out. The head was afterwards hung up, and hot pebbles constantly placed inside until the skin was dried and the required size attained. The custom is not confined to Peru, but is practised by savage tribes in other parts of northern South America. There is in the British Museum a reduced head from Venezuela, which was presented by Mr. Fagan, British Minister in Caracas. The human likeness of the features in these miniature heads is wonderfully retained and has a most weird appearance. It is not only savage heads that are treated in this barbarous fashion. At least one of the preserved heads which have been brought to Europe bears unmistakable evidence of its having belonged to a white man--probably some wretched adventurer who lost his way in the forest and perished at the hands of these fiendishly ingenious savages. Railways rise steadily from sea-level with an average grade of about four per cent, clinging to, or boring through, solid rock throughout almost the entire distance, to the highest point at Ticlio, 15,665 feet. The short branch from Ticlio to the mining camp of Morococha, beautiful with its many lakes and glaciers, crosses the range at the stupendous altitude of 15,865 feet above sea-level, which is somewhat higher than the summit of Mont Blanc. The Central Railway of Peru is, therefore, the highest railway in the world. It need hardly be said that the intrepid builders of this unique mountain railway surmounted some of the greatest obstacles ever encountered in the history of engineering.