LIMA, _April, 1852_.
My last was from Santiago, the capital of Chili. I now address you
from the renowned city of Lima, the seat of government of Peru, having
in the interim touched at many of the small ports along the coast
from Valparaiso to Callao, spending part of a day at each. Our first
landing-place was Coquimbo, where are some important copper mines and
smelting furnaces. The town, which was the seat of the insurgents in
the last civil war, is about two leagues from the little port. Our
steamer was the Santiago, recently from England, and she proved rather
a failure, making only one hundred and ninety miles in thirty hours.
Her machinery became heated, the wheels dipped too much; they attempted
to account for it, however, by the bad quality of the coals. We arrived
the following day at Oasco, which is surrounded by a small valley, very
grateful to the eye, in comparison with the volcanic and iron-bound
coast. The next point was Caldeva, the port of Copiapo, fifty-two
miles distant, where the first South American railway was during the
past year put in operation by American mechanics. We landed there one
hundred and forty passengers of mixed classes, bound for the mines.
They were a noisy set, grasping at table, and continually dancing their
Samba Queca on deck; there were also some amusing groups of half-Indian
and Spanish races, in costume of the country.
We received there considerable quantities of silver in bars, destined
for England. It was a great relief to find our passengers reduced down
to twenty-five, as the living had been poor, and a change was much
needed. No good excuse could be offered for neglect, as the price of
passage was enormous; but nothing to warrant American competition,
as the line is now firmly established, with large capital, and
determined to drive off all opponents. Our next point of debarkation
was Coliza, the only port of Bolivia, a miserable town of huts, with
only three wells of water, which is divided out among the inhabitants
in proportion, from small kegs on the backs of donkeys. The mountains
about it are barren, and not the slightest sign of vegetation is
seen. Silver and copper induce people to live there. We visited the
guano deposits, where about one hundred state prisoners were at work
putting it up in sacks for exportation. The following day we arrived
at Iquique, where one of our fellow passengers is established, though
he is now from Valparaiso on his way to England. He was evidently the
Alcalde of his miserable town, which relies mostly upon saltpetre for
its support; not a blade of grass or drop of water is to be seen,
reminding one of the shores of the Red Sea; still about one thousand
persons exist there. A small mill grinds the wheat brought from Chili;
seventeen Chinese were employed on it. Many are brought over to the
coast and sold for a limited period for their passage money. The escape
steam from the machine distils the salt water, which is sold at six
reals, or seventy-five cents per keg of eighteen gallons. Fruit and
vegetables are brought from Arica, eighty miles further down the coast.
The village looks like an Egyptian one, being composed of mud huts
thatched with leaves. The mules and donkeys are the most miserable
specimens, dying with thirst, and wading in the salt water, laving
their mouths and picking up sea-weed. These animals come down laden
with saltpetre, one day’s journey, and the mules return immediately;
the donkeys generally rest a day or two, but frequently their drivers
are unwilling to pay a real, or twelve and a half cents, for a bucket
of water, so the poor brutes are compelled to return without a drink.
Our friend’s house and stores were large frame buildings near the
beach, two stories high, with balconies, and comfortably furnished and
supplied.
I was particularly struck with his despidida, or farewell departure,
after a residence of nineteen years. A handsome collation of fruits
and wine of various kinds was served to his friends, and among the
number appeared a lady of the country with her child. She was dressed
in velvet, with a rich China shawl, diamond necklace and ear-rings,
and fingers loaded with precious stones. While the champagne corks
were flying I had a glance from the balcony over the desert with its
heavy sands and rocky mountains in the distance, and could scarcely
realize my position; but the figure of Commerce presented herself
among the shipping and explained the circumstance. The town of Arica
appeared like an oasis in the desert, the streets being paved and well
laid out; the houses were built with flat roofs, and there were two
churches, badly shaken by earthquakes. Our Consul had very comfortable
quarters, with a fine garden of fruit and flowers. The country in
the interior in many places is productive, but the chief fertility
consists of silver mines. Islay, the next town, is difficult to access,
being high and rocky; it has some decent houses, and is the port of
Arequipa. Water is brought in by aqueducts, and it was a refreshing
sight to see the donkeys drinking at will. I called with a friend upon
an old Spaniard, whose two daughters gratified us with music upon the
piano, even in this almost uninhabited country, and seemed contented
with their home and climate. The following day we found ourselves at
Pisco, celebrated for its wine and liquors. We mounted horses and rode
in the country, visited some of the vineyards, and returned to town
about two miles from the beach; it happened to be Palm Sunday, and we
visited the cathedral built by the old Spaniards, saw the procession
and entrance into Jerusalem, by knocking at the side-door, and heard
some extraordinary music. Palm branches were distributed, and the
motley group of half-castes, Indians, Negroes, and Spaniards dispersed.
We had the day previous picked up a launch with six men, who had been
out twenty-three days from Valparaiso, and without water and provisions
for two days. We supplied them with biscuit, beans, candles, wood, and
water; not forgetting cigars, which were among the first articles which
they demanded.
Our final landing-place was the Chinchas Guano Islands, the present
great source of wealth of the Peruvian government; a supply still
exists for perhaps a century, sufficient to pay the interest on the
national debt of some twenty millions of dollars, the bonds of which,
from being almost valueless, have advanced to par in England. I was
surprised to find ten ships and brigs waiting for loads. One can
scarcely realize that the immense deposits or hills have been produced
by birds, but the flocks which are seen, and which are prohibited from
being destroyed, and the known voracity of the species, reconcile one’s
doubts, particularly in a climate where it never rains.
The use of the guano has long been known in the interior of the
country; it is transported on the backs of animals to the valleys,
irrigated by the waters from the melting snows of the Andes. The
people, I learn, are substituting negroes for the Chinese, as the
latter, being disappointed in this kind of servitude, have frequently
destroyed themselves by hanging, many in groups, joining hands and
leaping over the precipice, in the belief of restoration to their
happy homes. I arrived here at the commencement of the Passion Week,
and found that all Lima had had the peste, or plague, a species of
yellow fever; it had nearly exhausted itself for want of victims,
but strangers of course were expected to take it. The Italian opera
company, of seventeen persons, just arrived from the north, were
all taken, save three, and out of our number of twenty-five at the
hotel at table only five were left. I have been exposed, with my
fellow-passengers, but in consequence of having had the original Yellow
Jack, have thus far escaped. The churches of Peru are the finest in
South America; there are about fifty-two in the city, with a population
of ninety thousand persons. They date their riches and luxury in the
time of the Spaniards. Some of the temples were decorated with a great
variety of flowers, in vases furnished for the occasion, by private
families, forming avenues of tropical vegetation through these deep
edifices, while the light of a thousand candles illuminated the high
altar, and disclosed the faces of hundreds of the beautiful Limanians
of the Andalusian race, who were kneeling in their rays, in black
shawls or mantillas; after a short prayer they rose and visited other
churches. I visited twelve of the most important in the evening, and
found, as in Havana, that at these festivals, some new attractions
are held out for visitors, who continue the rounds until overcome
with fatigue. In one church the last supper was represented by Christ
and his twelve apostles, sitting at a well-covered table of fruits,
flowers, and wine, the approach to which was difficult, on account of
the rush of negroes and half-castes. In another church the figures of
the soldiery and the crowning with thorns were represented; a grotesque
zapatero, or shoemaker, in a crouching position, looking up with a huge
pair of spectacles, seemed to excite the mirth of the common people.
The balcony of my apartment faces the Plaza, or Cathedral Square; at
the right is pointed out the spot where Pizarro lost his life, fighting
nobly; in the crypt of the cathedral is shown what are called his
remains.
On Noche Buena, the night after the Passion Week, the whole square
was roasting and stewing. Negroes were there in great numbers, with
fire and cooking utensils; hot fritters boiled in oil, sausages,
garlic salads, and _aguardiente_; and there were booths, or
stands, on three sides, with every variety of trinkets for sale, and
an immense concert of Indians, negroes, and other races; while in
front, respectable ice-cream and confectionery stands accommodated the
gentlemen and ladies with seats, and cooling drinks, made from fruits
and ice, brought from the mountains, seven leagues distant, on the
backs of mules. The river Rimac flows through the city, and running
water passes through many of the streets. The mountains around are
arid and forbidding, without the least verdure; but by irrigation the
gardens of the valleys are made productive. At a charge of four reals,
or fifty cents, the railway, eight miles in length, brings passengers
from the port of Callao. It is a new construction, and has an elevation
of five hundred feet. The chief place of resort for the Limanians, are
the ocean baths of Churillas, whither I propose going.