YAVARI One of the products of Peru's adventure-filled history is a gunboat built in England in 1862, which now forms part of an attractive cultural tourism project on Lake Titicaca. The legendary Yavari rides at anchor in the port of the city of Puno, on a part of the lake normally covered with a green weed that feeds on organic pollution - thankfully now receding. Today the ship is a floating museum and will soon be offering trips over the lake. In 1861 Ramon Castilla (President of Peru) ordered the construction of two gunboats for Lake Titicaca. The idea was to use the wealth created by guano industry to systematic exploit the natural resources of Peru's Southern Andes. The ordered was placed on the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding and one year later the two vessels arrived at Arica - in 2766 pieces. It must be remembered that at that time there was no railway from the coast to the highlands and all goods destined for the Andes had to be carried by mule, and that is how 210 tons of dismantled gunboat started across the mountains to the Andean Plateau. It was not a simple task, however: many of the pieces were lost on route, then powerful earthquake, a revolution and a second attempt by Spain to reconquer Peru produced an eight year delay between the unloading of the dismantled ships and the launch of the Yavari on the25th December 1870. Three years later the Yapura was launched, to be renamed BAP Puno by the Peruvian Navy. Over years the Yavari was altered, re-engined and put to a variety of uses. In 1914 her original engine (with boiler fired by dried cattle dung!) was removed and a Swedish Bolinder semi-diesel fitted. This engine runs perfectly to this day and is the oldest of its type and size still in use, though needless to say later repairs relied upon creativity of Puneño mechanics and the generous assistance of Volvo and other private companies. Life has held many surprises for the Yavari, but perhaps, the most unsual of all was her acquisition in 1982 by an English lady called Meriel Larken. Larken, having fallen in love with Peru, commissioned a survey of the ship and when she was found to be suitable for restoration bought her as an information center and tourist attraction. Today the Yavari is the country' s first floating museum and will soon be carrying tourists and travelers over the what Squier described as the onyx waters - because of their methallic blue color - of the lake.