LIMA, THE CITY OF THE KINGS
HOTELS. Grand Hotel Maury, A. P., 6 to 20 _soles_ per day. E.
P., 2 _soles_ up; Grand Hotel, A. P., 6 to 10 _soles_; Hotel
Cardinal, E. P., 2 _soles_ up. Excellent restaurant, reasonable.
_Restaurants._ Jardin Estrasburgo, and Marron’s, excellent,
fashionable restaurants; Berlin, German home-cooking restaurant.
_Carriage Rates._ 40 _ctvs._ a course, for one or two; by the
hour, S. 1.50.
Post Office boxes in hotel. Postage rates, Peru, letters, 5
_ctvs._; cards, 2 _ctvs._; United States and Europe, letters, 12
_ctvs._; cards, 4 _ctvs._ Population of Lima, about 150,000.
CHIEF POINTS OF INTEREST
Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, Government Palace, Portales, Plaza de
la Inquisición, Senate Chamber, Hall of Congress, Market,
Exposition Palace, Museum, and Park, Paseo Colon, Botanical
Garden, Christóbal Hill. Excursions on Oroya Railway, and to
Chorillos.
The monthly magazine, _Peru Today_, contains a Visitors’ Guide
and other valuable information. The weekly paper, _The West
Coast Leader_, is of interest and service.
[Illustration:
CALLAO HARBOUR—RECEIVING SECRETARY ROOT
]
[Illustration:
PLAZA DE ARMOS, CATHEDRAL
]
To be comfortably settled for a few days or weeks is of the first
importance. Few will criticise the statement that the hotel _par
excellence_ of Lima is the MAURY, often called the best on the
entire West Coast. A New York club-man whom I met there with his
East Indian valet, declared that nowhere else in the world had he
found so excellent a table at so moderate a cost. One here meets
travelers, distinguished and undistinguished, foreign diplomats, and
other resident and transient guests from all quarters of the globe.
With its main entrances near the corner of Ucayali and Carabaya
streets, the Maury extends through the block to Huallaga. The
section at this corner, called the Francia y Ingleterra, the French
and English, was formerly a separate establishment. Though now a
part of the Maury it preserves its old name, with its own
room-clerks, and entrance on Huallaga. At the corner of the Plaza de
Armas, the heart of the city, it has many rooms with balconies
looking across the Plaza to the Government Palace and Municipal
Building, while opposite the front is the side of the great
Cathedral. In spite of the proximity of the Cathedral bells, which
ring oft and loud, many persons prefer this end of the hotel on
account of the pleasant outlook and the better circulation of air.
It is, however, quite a walk through the corridors to the
dining-rooms at the other end, and some distance to the bathrooms.
So the majority prefer the Maury side, where the rooms are more
elegantly furnished, the suites have larger parlors, a few have
private baths, all have higher prices. The rates including meals are
from six _soles_ a day up to twenty, according to accommodations.
Coffee and rolls are usually served in the rooms at the hour
desired; _almuerzo_—breakfast, is from eleven to two; dinner from
5.30 to eight. At each of these meals there are half a dozen kinds
of soup, several varieties of fish, 15 to 20 hot entrées, 10 or 12
cold dishes, and several vegetables; at breakfast, steak, chops, and
eggs in any form, at dinner several roasts, and, most unusual in
South American cities, five or six kinds of desserts. Also there is
always fruit, at least oranges, bananas, and _granadillas_ somewhat
like a pomegranate. At _almuerzo_, strawberries may usually be had
for the asking, though never on the bill of fare, while chirimoias,
sometimes called custard apples, may be obtained with a considerable
extra charge, this fruit being everywhere the most expensive
variety. On the street or at the market they may be purchased for
one-third the price at the hotel, from 10 to 40 _centavos_ apiece
according to the size. An Englishman once complained that the roast
beef and mutton were not such as he had at home, and he didn’t care
for the other things, fussed-up dishes; but most persons, like the
New Yorker, rejoice in what is provided, at least for a reasonable
time, especially if they have come from plateau or desert or from
almost anywhere. The _señoritas_, which are not young ladies but
resemble scallops, and the crabs and lobsters, are particularly
fine. The Maury has also two or three annexes where rooms may be
secured, and meals taken as desired. In the hotel, too, rooms alone
may be procured, with meals à la carte in a different dining-room,
or elsewhere at one’s option. An excellent orchestra provides music
of the best quality; at the Maury from 12 to 2 daily, and at the
Exposition Restaurant under the same management, in the Zoological
Gardens, from 5.30 to 11.30. A steam laundry is connected with the
establishment; of course there are electric lights, as at all
hotels, and in all cities of any size throughout the tour. Generally
a button will be found near the head of the bed by which the light
may be extinguished after retiring.
The Grand Hotel is on Huallaga street in the next block beyond the
French and English; similar to the Maury, with good rooms and table
at slightly lower prices, and preferred by many. Of cheaper hotels,
the Cardinal has a reputation for excellent meals à la carte at
moderate prices; this being situated on what is often called the
main street, calle de la Union, half a block from the Plaza. The
Jardin Estrasburgo, on the Plaza, opposite the Cathedral, is a
restaurant of the first order, where meals are regularly served, and
ices and refreshments at all hours. A European orchestra provides
vocal and instrumental music. Opposite the Palace, under the
_portales_ is the Confiserie Marron. Afternoon tea and dinner are
accompanied by pictures from a cinematograph, and by orchestral
music. All tastes and purses are provided for.
Comfortably settled in a hotel, one will first enjoy a stroll on the
_Plaza de Armas_, the real center of the city, important for its
historic associations and for its present activities. For nearly
three centuries the capital of Spanish South America and the seat of
the Viceroys, Lima is a city the true history of which surpasses
romantic legends: a place of wonderful charm to those who tarry
long, the home of a courtly, cultivated society of agreeable,
hospitable people, though somewhat exclusive withal, as are the
social leaders generally in the large South American cities. To be
from New York, Chicago, even Boston, is not an open sesame to the
homes of Spanish American wealth and culture. However, the passing
tourist will have brief time to make acquaintances; the few
Peruvians whom he may casually meet are likely to make a favorable
impression, except upon those who regard courtesy as a waste of
time.
The _Plaza de Armas_ or Plaza Major was selected by Pizarro himself
as the center of the city. The site was well chosen in proximity to
the fine harbor of Callao, yet somewhat back from the water for
safety from the buccaneers who in those days infested the seas.
Although at the foot of the great Andes, off-shoots from which come
down to the water’s edge, the city is on practically level ground;
for the hills about, as in general all along the coast, rise
abruptly, like islands, from a flat surface, instead of the whole
country being hilly and rolling as on our Atlantic shore. These
small detached mountains, which make a pretty and effective
background when they are not concealed by fog, are largely
responsible for the disagreeable mist which in the winter season
makes the climate rather unpleasantly damp and chill.
The chief part of the city is on the left or south bank of the Rimac
River, by the side of which runs the Central Railway from Callao up
to Oroya; the main station of Lima, Desemparados, being one block
from the Plaza. As is customary, a pretty garden with flowers,
trees, and shrubbery occupies a large part of the square, which has
besides the usual band stand a bronze fountain in the center, no
doubt the oldest in America, as it was presented to the city in
1578.
[Illustration:
PORTALES AND MUNICIPAL BUILDING
]
[Illustration:
CALLE JUNÍN—INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT LEGUIA
]
The great _Cathedral_, on the southeast side of the Square, built of
gray stone with two towers, is the earliest and largest in South
America. Although the Spanish invaders manifested little of the
spirit of the Christ they professed to worship, they were ardent
supporters of what they regarded as the true faith and were eager to
establish everywhere the rites of their religion. Thus Francisco
Pizarro, the cruel and perfidious conqueror, had no sooner selected
the site of the city designed to be his capital, and drawn a plan of
the streets and plazas than he himself laid the corner stone of the
church, January 18, 1535. The first structure, though five years in
building, was naturally of no grand proportions. But Lima soon
becoming a metropolitan see with an archbishop, it was deemed
fitting to build a great Cathedral. With interruptions and changes
of design it was 1625 before the splendid edifice was finished and
consecrated. This done the bones of Pizarro were transferred
thither, where they still remain. After a little more than a century
this building was laid in ruins by the earthquake which in 1746
destroyed Callao; it was then reconstructed on the same site, though
with less magnificence than before. The Cathedral has five naves,
and ten chapels along the sides. In the Chapel of the Virgin on the
left is a celebrated image, a gift from the Emperor Charles V, and
under a glass case the remains of the Conqueror Pizarro, though
their genuineness is a matter of dispute. The view in the central
nave is imposing. The choir, said to be unequaled in America and
seen to best advantage only on feast days when the high altar is
illuminated, is distinguished by reason of the beautiful carving of
the mahogany and cedar; the pulpit also shows handsome chiseling. In
front is a Crucifix of ivory presented by Philip II, a valuable work
of art. The solid silver altar and candlesticks are noteworthy. The
unusually fine organ was made in Belgium. In the Chapel Arcediano,
the Archdeacon’s, which was founded in 1600 by Don Juan Velasquez de
Obando and dedicated to Santo Goribio and other sainted Limanians,
is an original painting by Murillo representing Jesus and Veronica,
presented to the church by Señor Luna Pizarro. In the chapel of St.
Bartholomew are paintings of a celebrated artist, Mateo Alexio, who
visited Lima near the close of the sixteenth century and who is here
buried. On a sidewall is the most famous work of a noted artist,
Matias Maestro, called the Consecration of the Cathedral, the gift
of Señor Ocampo in 1625. In the chapel, La Purissima, of especially
rich construction, is the sepulcher of Señor Morcillo with his
statue by a distinguished Peruvian sculptor, Señor Baltazar Gavilán.
Here too are fine ivory carvings representing the apostles,
presented by the Lima theologian, Dr. Feliciano de la Vega, who at
his death in 1640 was Archbishop of Mexico. In the passage way
connecting the church with the sacristy may be seen on the right a
painting of the various saints native to Lima, by Matias Maestro. On
the wall of the right gallery of the church, a painting by Lepiani
represents Christ in Prayer. In the sacristy are portraits of all
the Archbishops, a copy of a Rembrandt, some relics of the
Inquisition, and a font of unusual style. By the side of the
Cathedral is the residence of the archbishop, never suitably
restored, and in its dilapidated condition marring the beauty of the
Plaza.
On the northeast side of the Plaza is the historic residence of the
Viceroys, now the _Government Palace_. Of the old colonial building,
the scene of many gay and brilliant festivities in the days of great
general wealth and viceregal splendor, nothing remains but the
chapel with a handsome ceiling and with walls adorned with sixteenth
century tiles reminding of Moorish art. No longer used for worship
it is a store-house for archives. Around the several patios are
suites used as offices of the various departments of government.
Here may be found the Minister of Foreign Relations, the Minister of
Justice and Education, etc.: also the apartment occupied by the
President as his residence and for his offices. In the State
dining-room banquets are occasionally given to distinguished guests,
as to Secretary Root. During the Sessions of Congress, the President
usually entertains at dinner the Members, _seriatim_, holding an
informal reception after the dinner. The present occupant of the
Presidential quarters, His Excellency Don Guillermo Billinghurst, a
gentleman of English ancestry speaking fluently that language, was
installed for a four-year term, not subject to re-election,
September 24, 1912.
Although the main entrance to the patio of the palace is guarded by
soldiers, an ordinary person is permitted to pass from the Plaza
unquestioned. Commonly quiet and peaceful, on a day in May, 1909,
there was here a scene of confusion and bloodshed. By a simultaneous
attack made at each of the three entrances, the guards were
overpowered and many of them slain, the rooms of the President were
invaded, his secretary was murdered, and he himself was seized and
carried to the street. Surrounded by horsemen he was dragged first
one way then another, at length to the Plaza de la Inquisición,
where with a revolver at his head demand was made that he should
sign an abdication. This, President Leguia with much courage
resolutely refused to do. After being two hours in the hands of his
enemies he was rescued, safe and sound, by soldiers who, firing upon
his captors, succeeded in taking prisoner most of the ringleaders.
Two years later they were tried and convicted: but to avert a
probable insurrection they were immediately pardoned, when they were
welcomed by the populace as heroes instead of the criminals they
were. When such men seek to gratify their personal ambition at the
cost of their country’s welfare, for which the first requisite is
peace and steady constitutional government, if they received severe
punishment and reprobation rather than honor, the attempts would
cease and stable prosperity would be assured. An interview with the
President, if especially desired may perhaps be secured through the
United States Minister. His office and residence are in a garden
called _Quinta Heeren_ in the block Carmen Alto of the street Junín,
which passes the front of the palace. The streets, it should be
said, have many names, a different one for each block; but in
addition to these local appellations, which are very confusing to
strangers, they have names belonging to their entire length, so that
the block names may sometimes be dispensed with.
On the northwest corner of the Plaza is the _Municipal Building_ or
City Hall, containing the office of the Mayor, in Lima termed the
Alcalde. Here in 1906 Secretary Root was received by Mayor Elguera
and the Town Council before going to the Palace to pay his respects
to the President. The hall and municipal offices are above stairs,
the street floor being occupied by shops of various kinds. Half a
block from this corner, down the calle de Lima, a continuation of
Junín, is the Post Office, where notices are posted of the opening
and closing of mails in connection with the arrival and departure of
steamers, and of trains to the interior. Postage stamps may be
procured on the right and letters registered. On the left, letters
are mailed in different slots according to where they are going,
hence care should be exercised. After regular closing time double
postage will secure the dispatch of letters for an hour or two
longer. With fast mails to Panama but once a week, it is important
to be in season. There are letter boxes also in the hotels and on
the streets, from which collections are made by carriers. The
northwest and southwest sides of the Plaza, on which are the
_portales_, are equally interesting in their way. Here are shops of
great variety, displaying large assortments of goods, besides
venders under the arches with wares spread on the floor. The walks
are generally thronged with people, for along here are also clubs
and restaurants, the latter already referred to. The Clubs occupy
apartments above the _portales_. The _Union_, at the corner opposite
the French and English Hotel, has a series of handsome rooms where
balls and banquets are occasionally given in honor of distinguished
strangers and residents.
The streets of Lima are narrow, with the electric cars running so
close to the curb that one needs to be rather careful, especially as
the sidewalks are narrow also. Fortunately most of the buildings
have but one or two stories, though a few of the later erections
have three. Apart from the Plaza, the principal street for shopping
is the calle de la Union, which passes across the Plaza in front of
the Municipal Building. In the first two or three blocks from the
Plaza there are drug stores, photographers, jewelry and book stores,
shops of millinery and dry goods, etc., as on all the cross streets
near. The fruit-sellers with little baskets of strawberries on long
poles, the milkmaids perched high on mules or horses with great cans
on each side, the ladies in _manta_, the close fitting black shawl,
or the _mantilla_ of lace, or in the latest Parisian modes, the
cholos in plainer garb, the soldiers, the policemen ever blowing
their whistles, the newsboys and news women, the sellers of lottery
tickets, the fine private equipages, carriages and automobiles, and
many many other things present variety sufficient to make an aimless
stroll of continual interest. A glance into the open doorways away
from the busiest streets usually reveals a paved court, sometimes
with flowering plants or small trees, mayhap a fountain, and around
the court the main rooms of the dwelling. A gem of typical colonial
architecture, the old historic dwelling on the calle del Ucayali, a
block from the Maury, should by all means be visited. It was the
property of the _Marquis de Torre Tagle_ and still belongs to his
descendant, Señor Ortis de Ceballos, to whom is due its excellent
condition. The massive stone doors, staircase, galleries, barred
doors and windows, and the balconies both on the street and around
the patio, present fine examples of the carving of that period.
These may be examined by all. A wonderful collection of paintings in
the possession of the family is not always on view. Inquiry as to
the possibility of seeing it may be made by those who are especially
interested. This extraordinary assemblage of more than eight hundred
paintings of the classic schools contains works of Michael Angelo,
Raphael, Titian, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Poussin,
Velasquez, Murillo, and others.
An important private collection of ancient furniture, carved and
inlaid with artistic merit, is the property of Dr. Javier Prado y
Ugarteche, Minister of Foreign Relations in the administration of
President Leguia, and Dean of the School of Law; another is that of
Don Carlos Watson.
For evening entertainment there are several theaters, the Politeama,
seating 2000, El Olimpo, smaller, the Chinese, and the New Municipal
Theater seating 2000.
If disposed to take a morning stroll, one may walk along Huallaga
street past the side of the Cathedral until he comes, after four
blocks, to the largest of the four market buildings. This, called
the _Mercado de la Concepción_, occupies a whole square. In the
second block from the Plaza on the right hand side is an
unpretentious drug store of Estremadoyro where for 5 _centavos_ may
be purchased a small envelope of Persian powder, very useful for the
fleas. Elsewhere two or three times as much must be paid for the
same quantity in less convenient form. At the end of this block is
the fine building of the _Bank of Peru and London_. Other banks of
various nationalities of Europe will be observed, but none of the
United States. However, the _House of W. R. Grace_, which will be
found by turning to the right at the end of the first block, a
little way down on the left, will serve the purpose if one takes a
draft on their house, when letters may be sent in their care.
Continuing on Huallaga past the Bank of Peru and London, the
interior of which is worth looking at, though you have no especial
business within, you come to the fine _Market_ with little shops and
cafés along the front and sides. Within the large hall is a great
display of fruits, flowers, vegetables, meat, butter, eggs, etc.;
everything at very reasonable prices except the last two. Flowers
may be had for a song, a bunch of roses for 20 _centavos_, 10 cents;
not American Beauties to be sure, but old-fashioned tea roses and
others of various colors, fresh and sweet. Tuberoses, mignonette,
heliotrope, and other garden flowers are there in profusion. How one
would rejoice at such opportunities in any of our cities! Twenty, a
hundred such markets are needed in Manhattan alone. Luscious fruit
of various kinds is always plentiful, most of it cheap. Two squares
beyond the market one would come to what is now called _Plaza
Raimondi_. Facing this is a great building for the _Police
Quarters_, and just before that, one for the _Society of Mining
Engineers_. In this Plaza the numerous Italian residents of Lima
have recently erected a monument to the famous Italian engineer,
_Antonio Raimondi_, who for many weary years wandered over the great
territory of Peru, investigating its mineral resources, and making
topographic observations which he embodied in a series of maps on a
very large scale. Though not perfect in every detail, they are
remarkably accurate in view of the difficulties under which he
labored. One intending to make exploration in the interior should
provide himself with Raimondi maps of the sections to be visited,
these being on sale at two _soles_ each at the large book stores in
Lima. Crossing the Plaza to calle de Junín, the Church and Hospital
of Santa Ana are on the right. Turning at Junín to the left, back
towards the Plaza de Armas, at the next corner will be found the
_Casa de Moneda_ or Mint. This is not always open to the public but
may be visited on one or two afternoons of the week, as may be
ascertained by inquiry. The gold and silver coins here made are of
the finest workmanship and of high-grade metal. The Numismatical
Museum of the Mint contains a splendid collection of medals from all
parts of the world, as well as copies of all those coined from the
time of Independence to the present.
At the next corner on the left is the Church of St. Thomas and
beyond that on the cross street is the _Prison_ and the
_Correctional School for Women_. On the following corner of Junín,
at the right is the Church of Caridad, Charity, facing the Plaza of
the Inquisición. Turning here to the right we find in construction
the new building for both _Houses of Congress_, while keeping
straight ahead with the pretty garden on the right we should observe
the handsome Doric portico of the building long used as the _Senate
Chamber_, formerly occupied by the Tribunals of the Inquisition,
which even on our Western Continent sought to stifle free thought.
The Indians, luckily, were excused from its kindly ministrations,
the only charity at that time extended to them. The ceiling of fine
carved mahogany inspires admiration for its excellent workmanship of
native skill. A mahogany table now used for writing the laws of the
nation was formerly in service for drawing up the decrees of death.
A noticeable feature of this Plaza is an equestrian _Statue_ in
bronze of the liberator, _Bolívar_. Sculptured on the pedestal of
white marble are bas-reliefs representing the battles of Junín and
of Ayacucho. In spite of the thin atmosphere at a height equal to
that of the top of Pike’s Peak, there was severe and gallant
fighting on both sides.
One may return from here to the Plaza by calle Junín, or going one
block to the right and then to the left may pass the Church and
Plaza _San Francisco_. This imposing building contains in the
sacristy a valuable collection of paintings; paneled ceilings with
finely carved beams, and floor of blue tiles, in the cloisters; and
carved stalls in the gallery. Following the car track to the left
one soon returns to the Cathedral and Plaza.
Of the sixty-seven churches in Lima a few merit a visit. The most
important are fortunately near the centre of the city. On the corner
beyond the Post Office, as one goes from the Plaza, is the Church of
_Santo Domingo_. The roof over the main entrance is spoken of as the
richest and most elaborate work of art in Lima. In the floor of the
first cloister the blue tilings laid in 1606 are noteworthy. The
collection of paintings in the vestry includes a Murillo
representing San Antonio, and a portrait of Santa Rosa by Matias
Maestro. A celebrated chapel by Fray Martin de Porras contains a
valuable collection of paintings by Roman Nicolette of the
eighteenth century; fourteen works representing the twelve Apostles,
St. Paul, and John the Baptist. Especially notable is a beautiful
marble statue of Santa Rosa, standing on a silver pedestal which is
studded with jewels. Santa Rosa, Isabel de Oliva, born in Peru in
1556, led a life so remarkable for its saintly purity that she was
canonized by Pope Clement X, the only American ever distinguished by
such an honor. She became patron saint of the whole of America, the
West Indies, and the Philippines, her festival being celebrated
August 30. Her remains repose in the church in the altar of Santa
Rosa, on the base of which is portrayed in marble the scene of her
deathbed. The church contains also a silver altar to Our Lady of the
Rosary, a madonna with a rosary of large pearls, and relics of Fray
Martin de Porras and others.
At the corner where the Church of St. Domingo is situated one may
turn to the left, and after two blocks on the calle de Camaná he
will reach the Church of _St. Augustín_ where the stone façade in
the baroco style, the choir, and the table of the vestry deserve
attention. The organ is called the finest in Lima. The platform of
the ancient chapter room, now the chapel of the college, and a
painting of St. Augustín are of interest, but the distinguishing
ornament of the church is a remarkable statue in wood representing
Death, the work of a monk, Baltazar Gavilán, who it is said died
from the shock of seeing it during an attack of delirium tremens.
Twelve oil portraits on copper of the Disciples, by an unknown
artist, are called excellent in drawing, conception, and coloring.
After one block more on Camaná, and then one to the left, the Church
of _La Merced_ is reached on the corner of La Union and Ayacucho.
This large and fashionable church has a high altar the front of
which is silver elaborately worked. There are good carvings on some
of the side altars, and paintings of merit in the sacristy.
Continuing two blocks along Ayacucho and one to the left, one
reaches _San Pedro_, the church of the Jesuits, also fashionable.
The wood carvings of the entrance doorway and of the massive altar
are worth seeing, also its burnished gold scroll work, the tiled
wainscoting, and the paintings and carvings in the sacristy.
These churches are best seen during the forenoon, as in the
afternoon they are often closed. There is an _Anglo-American
Episcopal Church_ on the calle de Carabaya in the sixth block from
the Maury, Pacae 226, where service is held Sunday mornings at ten,
others at varying hours. The chaplain, Rev. Archibald Nicol, lives
next door, Pacae 228. At Callao there is another _Anglo-American
Church_, not Episcopal, with services in English at 10.30 a.m. and
8.00 p.m., calle Teatro 25.
At least half a day should be devoted to a visit to the Palace of
the Exposition which may be reached by electric car, down the calle
de la Union, or by the calle de Abancay three blocks from the Maury
in the opposite direction, as well as by carriage. By the former
route one passes the Municipal Theater on Union street, and beyond,
the square in which the Penitentiary is located. This building is
called a model and may be visited by interested persons who procure
a permit from the proper official. The next square is a handsome
shaded park called the Parque Colon. This contains a monument to
President Manuel Candamo, which was unveiled Sept. 8, 1912. On the
farther side of the park is a pretty building, the Institute of
Hygiene, fitted up with laboratories of the latest pattern for the
analysis of water, foods, etc.
In the center of the Plaza where the cars turn is the _Monument_
erected to the famous _General San Martin_, whose name is honored
all over South America as that of Washington in North America, an
equally sincere and disinterested patriot, a great general; less
happy in his later life, though highly honored after his death. He
is here represented proclaiming the independence of Peru. On the
column is a winged female symbolizing Glory. This handsome monument
was presented to the city by Col. Lorenzo Perez Roca.
[Illustration:
PASEO COLÓN AND EXPOSITION PALACE
]
[Illustration:
IN THE MUSEUM, EXPOSITION BUILDING
]
The _Exposition Palace_ is a large white building where the Chamber
of Deputies temporarily meets and the Department of _Fomento_ is
housed; with halls where lectures and concerts are occasionally held
and grand balls are given. It was the scene of two functions in
honor of Secretary Root, the first when he was incorporated into the
University of St. Mark as honorary member of the Faculty of
Administrative and Political Sciences in the presence of the
President of the Republic and other officials of the University and
the State. Here, too, was given by the Town Council of Lima a
magnificent ball in Mr. Root’s honor, to which 1500 invitations were
issued. The elegance of the whole affair, in the decorations, gowns,
refreshments, and other particulars was equal to that of similar
functions in any part of the world. On the upper floor of the
building is the _National Historical and Anthropological Museum_,
open from 2 to 5 p.m. except on Monday. Over the latter section Dr.
Max Uhle, a distinguished German scientist and a noted authority on
prehistoric Peru, has long presided. The present Director is Emilio
Gutierrez de Quintanilla. Dr. Uhle by excavations at Pachacámac and
elsewhere greatly enlarged this collection, probably the most
valuable in existence in its own specialty. Some of the specimens of
pottery are believed to have been produced previous to the Christian
Era. The origin of the various articles and their period are
indicated on the cases. Exceedingly curious and weird are many of
the objects, and even one who has no taste for archæological relics
can hardly fail to be interested in the extraordinary, sometimes
beautiful, examples of pottery, in the figures of Indians, in the
mummies, and other objects. The examples of the strange articles
used at the present day by the Indians in the remote _montaña_
region equally impress the observer.
The relics of early colonial days, souvenirs of various battles, of
the generals of the War of Independence, will be examined with
sympathetic regard by the tourist who has some familiarity with
Spanish American history. An _Art Gallery_ with a number of
historical paintings, and others of general character occupies one
corner of the same floor.
In a smaller building to the northeast is a permanent industrial
exhibition which the specialist only will care to study. Between
these buildings is the entrance to the _Park_, for which a fee of 10
_centavos_ is charged. This park of thirty acres is a delightful
promenade with shaded walks, palm and other trees, artificial lakes,
a kiosk, conservatories with orchids and various other plants; it is
also a _Zoological Garden_. Here and there are cages of animals of
various kinds, one a spacious and lofty dwelling for many birds,
including a pair of the famous condors, which the tourist is not
likely to see on the journey except in captivity. Bears and other
animals are in other cages. In 1911 the finest pair of lions that I
ever chanced to see, and four lively cubs excited admiration. Within
the park at the left of the entrance is an excellent _Restaurant_
kept by the proprietors of the Hotel Maury, a fashionable place to
dine. Down beyond the Zoological Garden, on the side where the
electrics go to Chorillos, is the _Shooting Club_ of Lima and fields
for cricket, tennis, and other sports.
The Avenue on which the Exposition Palace faces is named the 9th of
December, but oftener called the _Paseo Colon_. It is the popular
driveway, half a mile long and 150 feet wide, leading to the Plaza
Bolognesi. Lined on the side towards the city with handsome modern
residences, it has along the center a garden with trees, shrubs, and
flowers, on each side of a broad walk. On the occasion of Secretary
Root’s visit there were additional arrangements for electric lights,
and on the evening after his arrival the Paseo was brilliantly
illuminated with these, as well as by a splendid display of
fireworks. The Paseo was thronged with people who enthusiastically
welcomed their distinguished guest.
The _Statue of Columbus_ on the Paseo must not be overlooked. He is
represented as the Discoverer of America, which is personified by
the Indian woman kneeling at his side. This was the model for the
statue at Colon and was designed by Salvatore Revelli.
The _Plaza Bolognesi_ is a spacious circle, a fine setting for the
statue in the center to Col. Bolognesi, who fell at Arica in the war
with Chile, June 8, 1880. When asked to surrender he replied, “Not
till I have used my last cartridge,” and so fell. The statue
represents the hero sinking with a mortal wound, yet still holding
the flag of his country. Around the base of the column on which the
hero stands are sculptured in marble allegorical scenes.
Six avenues are designed to radiate from this plaza, one, towards
the center of the city, called the Central, to be a continuation of
the calle de la Union. In the opposite direction extends the Avenue
Pierola. On this a car track leads out to the suburb Magdalena, one
of the pleasant shore resorts with which Lima is favored. Between
this and the Avenue 9th of December is one leading to the
_Hippodrome_. The races, generally held on Sunday afternoon, are
attended by large crowds of fashionable and other people. The
grandstand belongs to the Jockey Club, which has charge of the races
and conducts them according to general custom.
Some distance beyond the Hippodrome is the _School of Agriculture_
and the _Sugar Experiment Station_, both of these institutions well
conducted and doing a valuable work for the promotion of
agricultural industry. A great variety of plants is cultivated, and
experiments are made with soils of many kinds. Instruction is given
to a considerable number of students.
Proceeding from the Exposition Palace in the direction opposite to
the Plaza Bolognesi, following the _Avenue Grau_, one would after a
few blocks pass the _Italian Hospital_ on the left, and a little
farther reach the _School of Arts and Crafts_ on the right, _Escuela
de Artes y Oficios_, of which Señor Valente is director. Here are
taught clay modeling and sculpture, decorative art and composition,
the history of art and æsthetics; and models of various works are
usually to be seen. A foundry for art bronzes, it is hoped, will
soon be added. Of still greater importance are the courses designed
to produce honest and capable mechanics, which are well
accomplishing their purpose.
In the next block on the left is the large building of the _Medical
School_; the _Raimondi Museum_ on the upper floor, open from eleven
to twelve, has sections devoted to Botany, Ethnology, Zoology, etc.
In the rear of the building is the _Botanical Garden_, containing
specimens of every tree and plant to be found in Peru. Owing to the
varied climates of the country arising from the difference in
altitude, a wonderful diversity of productions results. The entrance
is adorned with stately palms; gorgeous and beautiful flowers and
shrubs will be found within. A _pe_ tree bears a strange fruit,
which, bursting open when ripe, shows within a pretty flower with
scarlet seeds called the _chusia_. Cards of admission are obtained
at the Medical School.
Continuing along the avenue one passes the large Dos de Mayo
Hospital and still farther, on the Avenue of Circumvallation, the
Cavalry Barracks and the Arsenal of War.
Other objects of interest are near the center of the city. The
_National Library_ is on the calle del Ucayali on the right hand
side, at the end of the second block to the left or southeast of the
one on which the Maury is situated. One of the first acts after the
inauguration of the Republic, previous, indeed, to the final battles
of the war, was the creation of the National Library. On the 17th of
September, 1822, it was opened to the public with a collection of
about 12,000 volumes, many of which were of great value.
Unfortunately, while the Chilian army was in occupation of Lima in
1881, this library, then containing 50,000 works, was ruthlessly
destroyed, a portion being carried to Chile, and the remainder
scattered about the streets or sold at auction by weight. The later
restoration of the library was chiefly due to Dr. Ricardo Palma, who
remained its Director until 1912. Dr. Palma by diligent effort
collected many of the old books and priceless manuscripts; many
patriotic Peruvians made contributions; sympathetic nations, Spain,
Argentina, Ecuador, the United States, sent gifts. A collection of
5000 volumes was presented by the Smithsonian Institute. In 1884 the
library was reopened with 28,000 volumes; it now contains 60,000.
Still in its old location, a building earlier occupied by the
College of the Caciques, an institution for the education of the
descendants of the Inca rulers, a new building is greatly needed and
no doubt will soon be provided. Señor Manuel Gonzales is the present
director. Among the treasures of the library is an edition of
Cervantes’ works called the Argamosilla, printed from silver type.
In the same building on the floor above, are the rooms of the Lima
Geographical Society, designed especially to foster geographical
study and research in Peru. It has a considerable membership,
including the most noted scholars and statesmen of the country; the
library contains many valuable works and the leading geographical
magazines of the world. The Society of Mining Engineers long had
rooms in this building but have recently removed to their new
quarters a few blocks away.
[Illustration:
STATUE OF BOLIVAR, PLAZA DE LA INQUISICIÓN
]
[Illustration:
PERUVIAN MUMMY, UNIVERSITY OF SAN MARCOS
]
Turning the corner to the right by the side of the library building
one will find at the next corner the Palace of Justice. One block
more after a second turn to the right brings one to the calle de
Azangaro, the Normal School for Girls occupying a considerable
portion of the block on the right. The entrance is near the Church
of San Pedro. Four blocks to the left down Azangaro, but fronting on
the calle del Inambari, is the University of San Marcos, the oldest
in the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1551, almost a century earlier
than Harvard. Established under a charter from Emperor Charles V and
his mother, Queen Joana, it was at first in the monastery of Santo
Domingo and under the charge of that Order. Twenty years later by
order of Philip II the University was secularized, and in 1574 it
received the designation of San Marcos. In 1576 a building was
constructed for its use in the Plaza de la Inquisición. After two
centuries in this location it was transferred to its present site,
formerly that of the Jesuit college of San Carlos, then united with
the University. Dr. Don Luis F. Villarán has been rector of the
University since 1905. The University embraces Schools or
Departments of Law, Medicine, Theology, Science, Philosophy and
Letters, and Administrative and Political Science, in which a high
standard of scholarship is maintained; the Medical School, as we
have seen, occupies a separate building. The rooms are grouped
around several patios. There is an assembly hall with a handsome
carved ceiling, and in the museum are curious mummies. A University
Review is published monthly. A few years ago a Centro was
established, somewhat after the fashion of the Harvard Union. Women
are admitted to the University.
The Engineering School is in quite another direction on the calle
del Callao, four blocks from the southwest corner of the Plaza de
Armas. This, established in 1876, continued under the direction of
the Polish engineer, Señor Eduardo Habich, until his death in 1911.
The school has complete laboratories, and courses in mining, civil,
electric, and mechanical engineering; all of which in a country like
Peru are of infinite importance.
The fine large school for boys in a splendid building on Avenue
Alfonso Ugarte, the Collegio de Guadalupe, well deserves a visit.
The portion of Lima on the right bank of the river Rimac should not
be ignored. Passing from the Plaza by Carabaya street, one comes to
the fine new railway station of Desemparados, completed in the fall
of 1912. After one block to the left a turn to the right leads one
to the bridge across the Rimac, the river recently improved by being
enclosed within a suitable channel. So much water is drawn off for
irrigation all along its course that little is left in the ancient
river bed. To one who wishes to see the life of the common people
the walk affords good opportunity, but a drive to the _Jardin de los
Descalzos_, the Garden of the Barefooted Friars, will be generally
preferred. The garden extends half a mile or more along a broad
avenue. It contains, besides plants and trees, handsome urns, marble
benches, and twelve statues representing the Signs of the Zodiac. At
the end is a fountain, and beyond, the ancient _Church_ and _Convent
of the Friars_ under the shadow of the hill, _San Christóbal_. A
path leads up from this point, but the more usual route is farther
east. Returning from the Garden, one may take the first turn to the
left, then one to the right past the _Bull Ring_, seating 8000
spectators and called the largest in the New World. It lies
practically in front of the _Balta Bridge_, a modern structure named
for one of the Presidents. The _Bull Ring_, said to be the second
largest in the world, is on Sunday afternoons often thronged with
spectators to witness this cruel sport, which will doubtless before
many years be discontinued, as already at Buenos Aires and in most
other cities of South America. Before returning by the Balta Bridge,
the _Alameda de Acho_ on the right hand should be visited. This was
once a fashionable promenade and still boasts of large handsome
trees, tall poplars forming three roadways.
It would be a pity to ignore the _Cerro_ or Hill of _San
Christóbal_, which rises 900 feet above the city. There is an easy
path by which the ascent may be made, but for the benefit of the
lame and the lazy an _Aerial Tramway_ has recently been established;
the transit requiring 8 or 10 minutes begins at Los Baños del Pueblo
near the Alameda de los Descalzos. The summit on a clear day affords
a delightful view of the city, the irrigated valley, the hills, the
mountains, and the sea, which should well repay the effort of the
climb, itself agreeable except to the incorrigibly indolent. More
enticing than the view to some, will be the opportunity of visiting
the _Great Tower for Wireless Telegraphy_, which rises 350 feet
above the crest of the hill. It is, indeed, a triumph for wireless.
Messages across the sea seem not so wonderful: but to send them over
mountains and broad plateau, over or through a wall three and a half
miles high and 100 miles thick appears marvellous. This wireless
station, one of the highest powered in the world, has sent messages
not only to Iquitos on the Amazon, 1030 kilometers away, for which
purpose it was especially designed, in order to ensure communication
between the central government and this important Peruvian
commercial outpost, but also to Manaos in Brazil, 2300 kilometers
(1435 miles) distant. The great mountain range between the two
cities _averages_ 18,000 feet in height, while beyond are dense
tropical forests. The construction company did not venture to
guarantee the success of an untried service, promising only to build
an intermediate station if necessary. The great success of the
undertaking renders this superfluous. The station at the other end
is Itaya, two miles from Iquitos. The towers are identical,
triangular steel structures, each weighing 120 tons. They rest on a
concrete base by a steel ball point, insulated by thick glass
plates. Each is kept vertical by means of three heavy steel cables
at three angles. A power of 10 kilowatts is supplied but 7 only are
used. The service was inaugurated June 16, 1912, with suitable
ceremonies both at Lima and Iquitos. President Leguia, other
officials and citizens to the number of 3000, made the ascent of the
Cerro, though the hilltop was not large enough to contain all, the
crowd as it were slipping over the edges. After various speeches the
President started the machinery. At 5.05 a message of congratulation
was sent and at 5.17 the reply was received. Then was unveiled a
bronze tablet bearing the inscription in Spanish: “This station was
inaugurated in 1912. His Excellency, Augusto B. Leguia, President of
the Republic, Dr. José Manuel Garcia, Minister of Fomento, Dr.
Edmundo N. de Habich, Director of Fomento, A. E. Tamayo and K. J.
Holmvang, engineers in charge of construction. The Telefunken
Company, June, 1912.”
A monument which should not be overlooked by the tourist is the _Dos
de Mayo_ standing in a circle, and passed by the electric cars to
Callao. This monument commemorates the victory of May 2, 1866, when
an attack of the Spanish fleet upon Callao was repelled and the
Spaniards were finally driven from the Pacific coast. A column of
Carrara marble 75 feet high is surmounted by a statue of victory.
Around the base are figures representing the countries of Peru,
Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile.
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