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Ancon

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ANCON, a small village and bathing-place on the coast of Peru, 22m. N. of Lima by rail. The bay is formed by two pro jecting headlands and is one of the best on the coast. It has a gently sloping beach of fine sand and has been a popular bathing place since the time of President Balta, although the country be hind it is arid and absolutely barren. At some time previous to the discovery of America, Ancon had a large aboriginal- popula tion. Traces of terraces on the southern headland can still be seen, and the sand-covered hills and slopes overlooking the bay contain extensive burial-grounds which were systematically explored in by W. Reiss and A. Stiibel (see Reiss and Stiibel's The Necropolis of Ancdn in Peru). In modern times Ancon has been the scene of several important historical events. Its anchorage was used by Lord Cochrane in 182o during his attacks on Callao; it was the landing-place of an invading Chilean army in 1838; was bombarded by the Chileans in 188o; and in 1883 it was the meet ing-place of the Chilean and Peruvian commissioners who drew up the Treaty of Ancon, which ended the war between Chile and Peru.

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