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Title: The South American Tour
Author: Peck, Annie S.
Language: English
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THE SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration:
NORTH PEAK OF MT. HUASCARÁN, 21,812 FT.
THIS PEAK, ASCENDED BY MISS PECK, SEPTEMBER 2, 1908, IS 1,500
FEET HIGHER THAN MT. McKINLEY.
]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
SOUTH AMERICAN
TOUR
BY
ANNIE S. PECK, M.A.
Author of “A Search for the Apex of America”
_ILLUSTRATED CHIEFLY FROM
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR_
HODDER & STOUGHTON
LONDON MCMXIV
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright, 1913,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION
I congratulate Miss Annie S. Peck, the publisher of this book, and those
who consult or read it, upon the preparation of a work of this
character. Interest in Latin America is now so rapidly growing
throughout all the world, and especially in the United States, that a
descriptive guide-book of this kind regarding the regions commonly
visited by tourists has become an actual need; such a work by Miss Peck
is a practical and timely contribution to the literature of the day.
There are few persons better qualified to write a book of this
character. The remarkable explorations which Miss Peck has undertaken in
the most difficult sections of Latin America, and the traveling she has
done in all parts of it, not only have provided her with a vast fund of
useful information about the countries of South America but give
especial authority to what she writes. Her book contains in compact form
an amount of definite information concerning the countries considered,
which should place it in the forefront of works of this character.
While, of course, it is impossible for the Pan American Union, as an
official organization, and myself, as its official head, to endorse in
any way a particular book or accept responsibility for the statements
and views it contains, it gives me real pleasure, from a personal
standpoint, to express the hope that this work of Miss Peck will have a
wide circulation and prove of decided help in promoting travel to and
through the Latin American countries.
The Pan American Union, which, as readers of this book probably know, is
the office of all the American republics—the United States and its
twenty sister Latin American countries—organized and maintained by them
for the purpose of developing commerce, friendship, better acquaintance,
and peace among them all, is doing everything possible and legitimate to
persuade the traveling public of the United States and Europe to visit
the Latin American countries and become familiar with their progress and
development. There is no influence in the world that helps more to
advance friendship, comity, and commerce among countries than travel
back and forth of their representative men and women. Nearly every
person who visits Latin America under the advice of the Pan American
Union, upon his or her return, writes a letter expressing appreciation
that this opportunity has been afforded of seeing these wonderful
countries of the south.
In conclusion, I would observe that if those who may become interested
in Latin America through reading Miss Peck’s book desire further
information about any or all of these republics, the Pan American Union
will always be glad to provide them with such data as it may have for
distribution.
JOHN BARRETT,
Director General of the Pan American Union.
Washington, D.C., U.S.A., October, 21, 1913.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR EVERY ONE
To all Americans both of the Northland and of the South this book with
due modesty is inscribed, in the hope that by inciting to travel and
acquaintance it may promote commercial intercourse, with the resulting
ties of mutual benefit and respect: in the hope, too, that the slender
cord now feebly entwining the various Republics may soon draw them all
into more intimate relations of friendship; at last into a harmonious
Sisterhood, in which neither age nor size shall confer superior rights,
but mutual confidence based upon the foundations of justice shall insure
perpetual peace.
* * * * *
The opportunity is here improved to express my grateful acknowledgment
of kindly assistance and attentions of diverse character, received
throughout my travels from many of my own countrymen, from Englishmen
invariably interested and ready to aid, and from the ever courteous and
helpful Latin Americans: officials and private individuals, with members
of my own sex. As a complete list of these would be too long I permit
myself the mention of those only who are entitled to especial
recognition, our Minister to Bolivia, 1910-1913, the Honorable Horace G.
Knowles, and the Governments of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, without
whose prompt and substantial aid this work would have been impossible.
That its usefulness may be such as to convey to them a valid return is
my earnest aspiration.
The indulgence of critics and of tourists is sought for errors (few, I
trust) and deficiencies which may be discovered. These and other faults
will have crept in on account of a preparation somewhat hurried that the
book might earlier be of service, and from the impossibility of securing
on some points exact and adequate information, in spite of diligent
investigation and careful scrutiny of facts and figures.
Many items of interest and importance have been omitted lest the book
should be too long. The selection of material it is hoped will be
suitable to the general reader, though doubtless every one will find
topics presented to which he is indifferent and others neglected which
appear to him of greater consequence.
Hours have been spent in searching for the best authority as to widely
different figures and even as to varying accents and spelling. In the
absence of other information a few statements have with some trepidation
been copied from authors whose recognized blunders have made their
unverified observations appear questionable.
While a different statement made by some other, albeit notable writer
cannot be taken as conclusive evidence of error, any just criticism or
suggestion presented to the author will be gratefully received and
considered with a view to incorporating it in a subsequent edition.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I WHAT THE TOUR IS—HOW AND WHEN TO 1
GO—WHAT IT COSTS
II THE VOYAGE TO PANAMA 6
III THE ISTHMUS—THE CANAL—COLON 12
IV COLON TO PANAMA—PANAMA CITY 23
V STEAMSHIP LINES ON THE WEST 36
COAST—ECUADOR
VI ON THE WAY TO CALLAO 43
VII SALAVERRY, CHAN CHAN, CHIMBOTE, THE 50
HUAILAS VALLEY
VIII CALLAO TO LIMA—HISTORY 59
IX LIMA, THE CITY OF THE KINGS 66
X THE SUBURBS OF LIMA—THE OROYA 86
RAILWAY—CERRO DE PASCO
XI THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY OF PERU, 99
AREQUIPA
XII THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY—CUZCO 109
XIII BOLIVIA—CUZCO TO LA PAZ 123
XIV THE CITY OF LA PAZ 133
XV OTHER REGIONS OF BOLIVIA AND ROUTES 142
TO THE SEA
XVI ALONG THE CHILIAN COAST, ARICA TO 154
VALPARAISO
XVII VALPARAISO 163
XVIII SANTIAGO 170
XIX SANTIAGO—CONTINUED 179
XX SOUTHERN CHILE—SANTIAGO TO BUENOS 191
AIRES BY SEA
XXI ACROSS THE ANDES TO MENDOZA 198
XXII ARGENTINA—ACROSS THE PLAINS TO 213
BUENOS AIRES
XXIII BUENOS AIRES 222
XXIV BUENOS AIRES—CONTINUED 238
XXV A SIDE TRIP TO IGUASSU FALLS AND TO 257
PARAGUAY, INCLUDING IMPORTANT
ARGENTINE CITIES
XXVI URUGUAY 272
XXVII BRAZIL—ALONG THE COAST TO SANTOS 286
XXVIII SANTOS AND SÃO PAULO 295
XXIX RIO DE JANEIRO—BAY AND CITY 306
XXX RIO DE JANEIRO—CONTINUED 321
XXXI RIO DE JANEIRO—CONCLUDED 330
XXXII NORTHERN BRAZIL—HOMEWARD 341
XXXIII SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE 360
INDEX 391
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
NORTH PEAK OF MT. HUASCARÁN, 21,812 _Frontispiece_
FEET
MT. HUASCARÁN FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 56
10,000 FEET
LLANGANUCO GORGE 56
CALLAO HARBOR; RECEIVING SECRETARY 66
ROOT
PLAZA DE ARMAS, CATHEDRAL 66
PORTALES AND MUNICIPAL BUILDING 70
CALLE JUNÍN, INAUGURATION OF 70
PRESIDENT LEGUIA
PASEO COLÓN AND EXPOSITION PALACE 78
IN THE MUSEUM, EXPOSITION PALACE 78
STATUE OF BOLÍVAR, PLAZA DE LA 82
INQUISICIÓN
PERUVIAN MUMMY, UNIVERSITY OF SAN 82
MARCOS
ON THE OROYA RAILWAY 94
PLAZA, CERRO DE PASCO 96
NEAR THE SOURCE OF THE AMAZON 96
(MARAÑON)
ON THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY OF PERU 102
RELIGIOUS PROCESSION, EL MISTI AT 102
THE RIGHT
CATHEDRAL, PLAZA MATRÍZ 116
ANCIENT WALL 116
BALSAS, LAKE TITICACA 128
LA PAZ FROM THE HILLS 128
CATHEDRAL AND GOVERNMENT PALACE 134
HALL OF CONGRESS, MONUMENT TO 134
MURILLO
STREET NEAR THE MARKET 138
IN THE CEMETERY OF LA PAZ 138
MONOLITHIC GATEWAY, TIAHUANACO 142
INDIANS AT FESTIVAL, TIAHUANACO 142
MT. ILLAMPU, 21,750 FEET, FROM THE 146
PLATEAU, 13,000 FEET
SORATA TOWN 146
INDIANS TRANSPORTING FREIGHT 150
PLAZA AND GOVERNMENT PALACE, ORURO 150
VALPARAISO HARBOR 164
MONUMENT TO ARTURO PRAT, PLAZA 164
INDEPENDENCIA
AVENIDA BRAZIL, WITH BRITISH 168
MONUMENT
RESIDENCE, VIÑA DEL MAR 168
NEW HALL OF CONGRESS, LIBRARY AT 174
THE LEFT
PALACE OF FINE ARTS 180
ENTRANCE TO PARQUE SANTA LUCIA 180
PALACIO DE LA MONEDA 186
CEMETERY IN ROSE TIME 186
TIERRA DEL FUEGO 196
ENTRANCE TO ANDINE TUNNEL, CHILIAN 196
SIDE
AVENIDA DE MAYO 224
THE CAPITOL PLAZA, BUENOS AIRES 230
PALERMO PARK 230
JOCKEY CLUB STAND, HIPPODROME 236
CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION, RURAL 236
SOCIETY
BOTANICAL GARDEN 240
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, HOUSE OF ZEBUS 240
PATIO IN NEW HALL OF JUSTICE 246
COLÓN THEATRE 246
TOMB, RECOLETA CEMETERY 248
RECOLETA PARK 248
MERCADO DE FRUTOS AND RIACHUELO 250
BUILDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SARMIENTO 250
PASEO COLÓN, GRAIN ELEVATORS IN THE 252
DISTANCE
DARSENA NORD AND MARINE SHOPS 252
ON THE RIVER TIGRE 254
LEGISLATIVE BUILDING, LA PLATA 254
UNIVERSITY BUILDING, LA PLATA 256
MUSEUM, LA PLATA 256
A FRACTION OF THE IGUASSÚ FALLS 260
JUDICIARY BUILDING, ROSARIO 264
RESIDENCE ON AN ARGENTINE ESTANCIA 264
GOVERNMENT PALACE, ASUNCIÓN 268
NEW LEGISLATIVE PALACE, MONTEVIDEO 276
SOLIS THEATRE 280
GOVERNMENT PALACE 280
PORT OF SANTOS 296
LUZ STATION, SÃO PAULO 300
MUNICIPAL THEATRE 300
YPIRANGA MUSEUM 302
HOTEL OF IMMIGRANTS, SÃO PAULO 302
COFFEE FAZENDA 304
COFFEE TREE 304
AVENIDA DE RIO BRANCO 314
BOULEVARD BEIRA MAR FROM PENSÃO 314
SUISSA
NATIONAL LIBRARY 322
SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS 322
AVENIDA DO MANQUE 326
RESIDENCE OF THE PRESIDENT 332
BOTANICAL GARDEN 332
CORCOVADO FROM THE BOULEVARD BEIRA 336
MAR
THROUGH THE CLOUDS, FROM CORCOVADO 336
UNITED STATES EMBASSY, PETROPOLIS 340
STREET WITH RIVER 340
PRAÇA DE FREI CAETANO BRANDÃO, PARÁ 354
BAHIA 354
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Miss Peck’s photograph of Mt. Huascarán,
page 56, is used by permission of Harper
& Brothers (copyright 1906), and through
the courtesy of the Pan American Union
eight illustrations were selected from Pan
American Bulletin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOREWORD
The South American Tour! “_Como no?_” “Why not?” as many Spanish
Americans say when they wish to give hearty assent. Have you been around
the world? Do you travel for pleasure or business? Whatever your object,
whether your purse is full or you wish to fill it, the southern half of
our hemisphere is a land which should not be ignored.
What is there to see? May the journey be taken in comfort? These things
shall be revealed in detail after a few general facts have been
presented.
Is the enjoyment of scenery the chief aim of your travel? With ease you
may behold some of the finest in the world,—much more if you care to
take a little trouble: snow clad mountains galore rising above 20,000
feet, dwarfing the Alps into insignificance, giants to be admired not
only from afar as tourists in India gaze upon the Himalayas, but from
nearer points, even from their very foot; smoking volcanoes, cliffs more
lofty than those of the Yosemite, wonderful lake scenery including the
highest sheet of water (12,500 feet) where steamboats ply; strange yet
fascinating deserts; wondrous waterfalls, one of these surpassing
Niagara in height, volume, and beauty; magnificent tropical vegetation
and forests, the highest railroads, the most picturesque and beautiful
harbor of the world. All of these, with the exception of the great
cataract, are easily accessible, and form a combination of scenic
attractions unsurpassed in any portion of the globe.
Do strange people and cities interest you more? You may wander in towns
old and quaint, containing buildings of centuries past, and in cities
quite up to date growing with the rapidity of our own. In a few places
Indians in peculiar garb may be seen by the side of Paris gowns and
English masculine attire, in others an Indian with sandals, hood, and
poncho would attract as much attention as on Broadway. Several cities
have boulevards, parks, and opera houses finer than any of which North
America can boast.
Do you care for ruins, antiquities? These also abound. Whole cities of
the dead are there, and others where the new civilization rises above or
by the side of the old. Temples, palaces, fortifications, ancient
statues, mummies, and pottery may be cursorily admired or profoundly
studied, and search may still be made for undiscovered monuments of a
prehistoric past.
These countries rapidly advancing, with astonishing mineral and
agricultural resources awaiting development, with railroads to be laid,
with fast growing markets for almost every kind of merchandise, invite
the trader and the capitalist to investigate hitherto neglected
opportunities before it is too late.
Well informed as to what there is to see, the possible tourist is
certain to inquire if the journey will be comfortable. Perhaps, indeed,
the order of the questions should be reversed; for few, I greatly fear,
would be tempted to say “Let _us_ go!” if the tour involved any
hardship. Happily this is not the case. Though the _Imperator_, the
_Mauretania_, and the _Olympic_ do not yet sail in that direction, the
names of several steamship lines which serve the traveler to Panama, or
Buenos Aires are a guarantee of comfort and of sufficient luxury. The
steamers elsewhere are commodious, having for the most part state rooms
provided with electric fans, and satisfying all reasonable requirements.
The railroads in the various countries have the usual equipment. The
hotels, if one does not depart from the ordinary line of travel, will in
general be found satisfactory, providing excellent food, good beds,
etc., and in those cities where some little time should be spent meeting
the wants of all except the ultra fastidious tourist.
If we do not sympathize with the cry “See America _first_,” bearing in
mind that America is the whole and not a fraction of the Western
Continent, at least, when we have seen the Old World, instead of ever
retracing our steps in familiar ways, let us seek the strange _New_
World beyond the equator where a brief tour will reveal a multitude of
scenes amazing and delightful, even to the experienced traveler.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR
CHAPTER 1
WHAT THE TOUR IS—HOW AND WHEN TO GO—WHAT IT COSTS
=The South American Tour=, rapidly becoming fashionable and popular, and
about to be described, includes the most interesting and accessible
portions of that continent,—its finest scenery, its greatest cities. A
wonderful variety in the swiftly moving pictures prevents any dullness
on the part of the intelligent traveler, who is ever kept alert for the
continually fresh experiences of this remarkable journey.
=Where.= My tourist party will be conducted first to Panama, where soon
the sail from ocean to ocean through an immense artificial channel will
awaken sensations of wonder and pride. The opportunity then to continue
in the same vessel along the West Coast of South America, invaluable for
commerce and for those on business bent, may prove a disadvantage to the
pleasure traveler, by tempting him to pass with a mere glance the City
of Panama and other spots worthy of observation.
On the Pacific side Peru, Bolivia, and Chile will be visited by every
one: a few may make the side trip to Ecuador,—Guayaquil and Quito. In
order to return along the East Coast one may complete the circuit of the
continent by sailing down, through the Straits of Magellan, past Punta
Arenas, and up on this side, or with the greater number may cross the
Andes by rail, thus to reach the metropolis of South America, Buenos
Aires. Thence, after, or if not including, an excursion to Paraguay and
to the greatest of American waterfalls, the Iguassú, one may sail to
Montevideo in Uruguay, from there to Brazil, returning from Rio de
Janeiro directly to New York, or by way of Europe as preferred.
Similarly the trip may be made from _Europe_ by several lines of
steamers direct to Panama, or more quickly by way of New York, with a
return from Rio.
Altogether omitted from this itinerary are the countries on the northern
shore of South America. Of these Colombia and Venezuela are better
included in a West India trip. The Guianas by ordinary tourists are
neglected.
Obviously the journey may be made in either direction: as above, or in
reverse order; but unless the season of the year invites a change the
former sequence should by all means be followed. Thus taken the journey
is one of ever increasing interest, until its culmination in the
delightful harbor and city of Rio de Janeiro. Not that Peru is inferior
to Bolivia and Chile, or Buenos Aires to Rio, let me hasten to add; each
has its own peculiar charm; but one who begins with the West Coast will
find the entire journey far more enjoyable and impressive.
=When= one should go depends more upon when one wishes to leave home
than upon the conditions prevailing in South America; also upon one’s
individual taste as to temperature. In brief, one may safely make the
trip whenever it suits his convenience. Bearing in mind what so many
seem to forget, that the seasons are reversed in the northern and
southern hemispheres, one may leave home to escape either heat or cold,
or to avoid March winds, as he may elect. In none of the countries to be
visited is the variation between winter and summer so great as in the
latitude of New York, nor is the tropical heat anywhere on the journey
so intense as that on many days of every summer here.
Leaving the United States on a four months’ tour at any time between the
middle of November and the last of August, I strongly advise one to
visit the West Coast first. During the remaining three months, one who
dislikes hot weather might better begin with Brazil. In December,
January, and February, the mercury at Rio is mostly in the eighties. In
January I found it comfortable enough for summer weather, but I needed
the ten degrees lower temperature of an earlier or a later season to
make my visit absolutely ideal. With a delightful climate during nine
months of the year, the city at any time is perfectly healthy; since the
yellow fever, formerly a dreaded scourge, was stamped out at Rio during
the same period that this was accomplished in Panama.
Buenos Aires also may be more advantageously visited during the cooler
weather, both because the opera and social festivities are then in full
swing, and because one is likely to be more energetic for sight-seeing,
of which there is much to be done. In Peru and Bolivia, on the usual
route of travel it is never hot enough to be troublesome. Chile, in the
central and most visited portion, is a trifle less agreeable during the
southern summer than in spring or fall, especially on account of the
dust, but this matters little for a brief stay.
=Four months= should be allowed for the trip. A couple who made it in
three, though delighted with their journey, mourned over the unavoidable
omissions and were planning to go again. Six months is not too much; a
whole year could be profitably employed: but in four months or a trifle
more, one may visit the most important places and gain a fair idea of
the various countries. The personally conducted parties for three months
only are well worth while.
=The expense= of the trip will naturally vary according to the time and
extent of the journey and the economy or extravagance of the tourist. A
round trip ticket from New York to New York, good either by the Straits
or across the Andes, may be purchased for $475, or including a return by
way of Europe for $505. Additional expenses may be from $500 or less to
$1000 or more according to the person, the time, and the number of side
trips taken. By several tourist agencies personally conducted parties
are semi-annually dispatched to South America at a cost varying from
$1375 for a tour of 98 or 99 days to $2250 for 146 days. Also the
Hamburg-American Line has sent a ship around to Valparaiso by way of the
Straits. Tickets $475 to $3000; optional extra shore trips $300 or more.
On the completion of the Canal they will probably have a ship making the
entire circuit.
Persons who prefer to be relieved of care, or who do not speak Spanish,
the language current at all points of the journey save Brazil, and there
understood by educated people, will do well to join a party, especially
if their time is limited. Those who can devote a longer period to the
trip and who like to do their own planning may see more by themselves at
either greater or less expense. One who speaks only English, by keeping
to the main line of travel and patronizing the leading hotels, should
have no serious difficulty; though it is, of course, an advantage,
readily gained by one who is familiar with Latin or French, to have some
acquaintance with Spanish, an easy and beautiful language. A bare
smattering picked up from a phrase book on the voyage is better than
nothing, while a conversational knowledge greatly enhances the pleasure
and profit of the journey.
=Baggage.= In regard to baggage, the less taken the better, both on
account of the expense and because of the care it entails; yet it is
well to have a fair supply of good clothes, since evening dress is
everywhere more strictly _en règle_ than in most parts of the United
States. The steamships are not all rigid as to the precise amount of
baggage, though the allowance on different lines varies from 150 to 400
lbs.; the railroads are strict and extra baggage is expensive; only 100
lbs. are allowed. Going up to Bolivia by the Southern Railway of Peru, a
heavy box or two may cost as much as the ticket. Many tourists take only
hand baggage to Cuzco and La Paz, leaving on board the steamer their
heavy pieces, to be reclaimed later at Valparaiso. On all roads, the
hand baggage goes free; hence suit cases, etc., are much in evidence.
=Clothing.= One needs a supply of both light and heavy weight, the
proportion of each depending upon the season of the year. Always by way
of the Isthmus there are eight or ten days of summer weather en route,
and several weeks during the East Coast journey. Along the seaboard of
Peru and Chile woolen or heavy underwear may be desirable for many, as
on the highlands of Peru and Bolivia; also in Chile and Argentina during
their winter season, when a temperature in the forties and fifties will
be experienced; some hotels have no fires, and the nights and mornings
are chill. On the mountain railways, as during a portion of the sea
voyage, wraps and rugs are needed in addition to moderately heavy
clothing. Furs though unnecessary may be found agreeable during the
months of winter, June to September.
=Money= may be carried in letters of credit on W. R. Grace or other
bankers, or by American Express or Travelers’ Cheques, together with a
moderate supply of gold, preferably in English sovereigns. The English
pound, being precisely the same as the Peruvian, is interchangeable with
them; in other countries it is more acceptable and convenient than
American gold, though in the large cities either will be readily
exchanged. A point to be noted and _remembered_ is that most resident
Americans and English, a few natives, and travelers in South America
generally, speak of certain coins, _soles_ or _pesos_, as dollars; a
poor custom which should not be imitated. Since it is prevalent, one
must be on guard to avoid mistakes. In Panama a clerk or a coachman
saying twenty cents or one dollar means silver; _i. e._, 10 and 50
cents, United States currency. A man in Lima who speaks of twenty
dollars probably means _soles_, practically ten dollars. In Bolivia a
_bolivian_ is about 40 cents, a _peso_ in Chile is 22 cents more or
less, in Argentina 44, in Uruguay $1.04; in Brazil a _milreis_ is 33
cents. All of the countries divide their unit decimally, and if it were
not for the foolish custom of English-speaking folk, there would be no
confusion. In this book the words dollars and cents and the sign $ will
everywhere signify United States currency; otherwise the names employed
by the respective countries will be used, as _soles_, _pesos_, and
_centavos_. In connection with Brazilian money the sign $ is put after
the number; thus 15 _milreis_ is written 15$000.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER II
THE VOYAGE TO PANAMA
In 1903, before the United States’ occupation, there was no choice as to
means of transport to the Isthmus. A single steamship company, that of
the Panama Railroad, dispatched a vessel from New York once a week. Now
there are four different lines with as many weekly sailings, besides one
from New Orleans, a more convenient point of departure for many south of
Mason and Dixon’s line. The four companies, all with headquarters in New
York, will gladly furnish the latest information in regard to their own
sailing and accommodations as on other points in reference to the tour.
=Fares.= The lowest fare from New York to Colon, $75.00, to Panama,
$78.00, is the same on all lines, better accommodations being provided
for a supplementary fee of from $15.00 up. It is wisdom to purchase, if
not a ticket for the round trip, one as far at least as Mollendo, $191,
as a slight reduction is made on through tickets. Stop-overs are allowed
at any of the ports of call, and on the East or West Coasts of South
America the journey may, if more convenient, be resumed on certain other
lines of steamers without extra charge, save for embarking or
disembarking in the small boats.
The respective merits of the four steamship lines to Panama are a matter
of opinion. On three of these I have enjoyed the voyage, especially my
last in a luxurious suite on the _Prinz August Wilhelm_ of the Atlas
Hamburg-American Line.
The old PANAMA COMPANY claims that its boats are provided with all of
the comforts afforded by the others, including rooms with private baths.
It has slightly irregular sailings, seven a month, with several steamers
making the journey in six days, instead of the seven, eight, or nine
occupied by ships of the other lines. Those who prefer American cooking
or the shorter voyage will choose one of these ships.
The ROYAL MAIL and the HAMBURG-AMERICAN lines are quite similar to each
other in service and accommodations; the boats of the former sail for
Colon on alternate Saturdays, calling on the way at Antilla, Cuba, and
at Kingston, Jamaica: those of the latter sail every Saturday, touching
at Santiago de Cuba and Kingston. The Royal Mail Steamers are scheduled
to arrive at Colon on Sunday, eight days from New York, connecting with
the P.S.N. boats departing on Monday for the south. But through tickets
are good by any of the three lines on the other side; and one may delay
on the Isthmus for a few days or weeks of sight-seeing. The
Hamburg-American steamers arrive at Colon Monday, one week connecting
with a P.S.N. steamer, the next with one of the Peruvian and another of
the Chilian Line sailing the same afternoon. No one, however, who is
making a pleasure trip should cross the Isthmus without staying over a
few days.
The UNITED FRUIT COMPANY boasts of a great white fleet with four
sailings to Colon a week; two, on Wednesday and Saturday, from New York;
and two on the same days from New Orleans. These ships, they say, are
the only ones going to Colon which were designed and built especially
for tropical service, thus having all of the latest devices for comfort
as well as for safety. Among these are bilge keels and automatic
water-tight compartments. A wireless equipment as a matter of course the
boats of all lines carry; these have also a submarine signal apparatus,
to give warning of the proximity of another vessel, and, as an especial
feature, lifeboats which with a patent lever may be swung off and
lowered by a single man. By the system of ventilation the temperature of
the rooms at night may be kept down to 55° if desired, a boon to many on
the muggy Caribbean; and the electric lights have the rare quality of
burning low. All of the boats on the various lines have pianos and
music, most of them cards, checkers, chess, and libraries, the United
Fruit Company supplying the latest magazines.
The Saturday steamers of this line from New York call Thursday at
Kingston, Jamaica, where they remain until two p.m. Friday. They are due
at Colon at noon on Sunday. The Wednesday steamers take a day less for
the trip; at Kingston where they arrive on Monday they remain from 7
a.m. till 4 p.m. The Isthmus is reached at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
=Via New Orleans.= The opportunity to go by way of New Orleans may
appeal, especially in winter, to some who have not visited that city and
to those who desire to avoid the possibility of two or three cold stormy
days on the sea before entering the regions of perpetual summer. The
steamers sail in five days to Colon, the Saturday boats arriving
Thursday a.m. and the Wednesday boats Monday morning.
The voyage to Panama, indeed all of the six or seven weeks on the sea,
which are a necessary part of this tour, will be likely to prove an
agreeable experience even to those who as a rule do not enjoy the ocean.
While the waters of the Atlantic may at any season be turbulent and
tempestuous, the portions of both oceans which are to be traversed are
for the most part so smooth that unless persons are _determined_ to be
seasick whether they have occasion or not, it is probable that they will
suffer little or none from this unpleasant malady. Ordinarily the sail
to Panama, under sunny skies, over unruffled seas, in weather, after a
day or two, warm enough for summer clothing, is a pleasure unalloyed. On
the Caribbean it may be a trifle muggy and sticky, but if favored with
sunshine the wonderful blue of the waters, deeper than that of the Bay
of Naples, affords solace. On some of the ships a little dance on deck,
if happily under a tropical moon, may be an experience affording
delightful memories.
=Watling’s Island.= After leaving New York harbor and the adjoining
coast the first land to come within range of vision is that of Watling’s
Island, noted for a lighthouse of great power and value. Otherwise
unimportant, it acquires interest from the fact that on this shore
Columbus is believed to have made his first landing in the Western
World. The island is thus entitled to the more pretentious name, San
Salvador, bestowed by the great explorer upon the land where first he
trod in devout thanksgiving, after many weeks of painful suspense upon
the limitless ocean.
Fortunate is the traveler who towards sunset enters _Windward Channel_,
passing before dark the desolate wooded bluffs of the eastern extremity
of Cuba, _Cape Maysi_, and later having a look at the southeast shores
where rise sombre, forest covered peaks to an imposing height, the
loftiest above 8000 feet. From a Panama or United Fruit Company steamer
no more will you see of Cuba; but on a boat of the Royal Mail you will
already have called at ANTILLA, in the eastern section of the island’s
northern shore, a new and growing seaport on Nipe Bay, and the north
terminus of the Cuban Railway. Extensive docking facilities have been
provided, large warehouses, immense tanks for molasses, a good hotel:
and plans are made for building here a great commercial city.
=Santiago de Cuba.= By the Hamburg-American Line the first call is made
on the south side of the island at the more famous and considerable
city, Santiago de Cuba, which, founded in 1514, is said to be the oldest
settlement of size in the Western Hemisphere. With a population of
50,000, among Cuban cities it comes next to Havana. It has also historic
interest. That Hernando Cortez from this port, Nov. 18, 1518, set out
for the bold conquest of the Aztec Empire is a fact less widely known
than the more recent circumstance that in this sheltered harbor the
fleet of Admiral Cervera lay concealed, until July 3, 1898, it sailed
forth to its doom. In the narrow portal, less than 600 feet wide, rests
the old _Merrimac_, sunk by Lt. Hobson and seven others, June 3, 1898.
On the right of the entrance, crowning a bluff 200 feet high, is the old
Morro Castle, an ancient fortress of picturesque appearance, begun soon
after the founding of the city and possessing towers and turrets in
genuine mediæval style. Six miles farther, at the head of the bay, on a
sloping terrace with steep hills behind, is the bright, gay city; though
at the noontide hour it may seem a trifle sleepy and dull.
If time permits, a drive on the fine roads will be enjoyed. To the _San
Juan_ battlefield three miles distant and to _El Caney_ a little farther
the fare is $1.50 for a single person, $2.00 for several. The longer
drive to _Morro Castle_, fare $3.50, affords charming views. In the city
one proceeds first to the plaza, where on one side is the great
cathedral called the largest in Cuba, containing rare marbles and
mahogany choir stalls. On the other sides are the Casa Grande Hotel and
the Venus Restaurant. Near by is the Filarmonia Theatre where the famous
_diva_, Adalina Patti, is said to have made her début. A few may care to
visit the spot where the Captain and sailors of the _Virginius_ were
executed as filibusters in 1873, a slaughter pen near the harbor front
to the east of the Cuba Railway Station. An inscribed tablet there
commemorates the sad event.
=Kingston=, Jamaica, is visited by all of the steamers except those of
the Panama Line, the Wednesday boat of the United Fruit Company having
previously touched at _Port Antonio_ on the northeast end of the same
island; the port, a busy place, owing its present prosperity chiefly to
our fondness for bananas. Captain Baker of Boston in 1868 began the
trade which the United Fruit Company has developed to immense
proportions. The splendid Hotel Titchfield which the company has erected
affords every facility for a delightful summer outing during our winter
season.
The older and larger city of _Kingston_ is on the south side of the
island, by the excellent and far-famed harbor of Port Royal. The town of
that name, ancient rendezvous of Morgan and the buccaneers, once stood
on the long sandy spit which separates the bay from the ocean. But on a
day in 1692 occurred one of those memorable tragedies at which the whole
world stands appalled. The earth was shaken. The city sank beneath the
sea, where it is said that some of the buildings may yet be seen, when
the waves are still, deep down below the smiling tranquil surface.
Kingston, then founded on the main shore, recently suffered (January 14,
1907), as we well remember, a similar though less complete disaster,
being merely shaken down instead of swallowed up. Like San Francisco it
was promptly rebuilt with better architecture. Quite up to date with
electric cars and other modern conveniences, it is an attractive place
of scenic and tropical beauty, excellent too for shopping. Interesting
are the markets, the old Parish Church, badly shaken, but still
standing; the main streets, King and Queen, at right angles to each
other; the Jamaica Institute with museum and library where among other
historical curios may be seen the famous Shark papers, in 1799 thrown
overboard, swallowed by a shark, but soon after rescued from his maw, to
the discomfiture of the Yankee captain of the _Nancy_, an American
privateer. In the suburbs of the city within easy reach is King’s House,
the fine residence of the Governor-General. Worth visiting (electric
cars) is Hope Gardens, an estate of 220 acres, with a fine collection of
indigenous plants and many exotics. The splendid roads over the island,
the possibilities for delightful excursions,—the most enchanting the
ascent of Blue Mountain, 7423 feet,—would tempt to a longer stay. But we
hasten onward to more distant and greater glories.
=Western Tourists.= Tourists living west of the Rocky Mountains may
prefer to sail from _San Francisco_ or _Los Angeles_ to Balboa, the port
of _Panama_, at a considerable saving of expense, though not of time.
Express steamers twice a month make the voyage from San Francisco in 14
days with the single call at San Pedro (Los Angeles), fare $85; while
three times a month there are other boats which do not stop at San
Pedro, but make eleven calls in Mexico and Central America, thus
affording opportunity to see some of those ports, consuming 26 days on
the trip. On these steamers the fare is $120. All these boats are of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company. By way of New York the journey from San
Francisco to Panama may, with close connection, be made in 10 or 12
days.
=European Tourists= may sail from Southampton by Royal Mail steamer in
18 days to Colon, fare $125, or from Cherbourg, 17 days, fare $100.
Other companies which have steamers sailing from Europe to Colon are the
Hamburg-American, four times monthly from Havre and Hamburg, the Leyland
C. Harrison, three times a month from Liverpool, the Cia. Generale
Transatlantica, once a month from St. Nazaire and once from Bordeaux,
the Cia. Transatlantica and the Cia. La Veloce, each monthly from
Barcelona and Genoa.
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CHAPTER III
THE ISTHMUS—THE CANAL—COLON
Two days from Jamaica, six, seven, eight, or nine from New York, one
arrives at Colon, eager to witness the wonderful operations now
well-nigh concluded, or to behold the finished work, when great ships,
no longer halting at the Atlantic shore, shall, through a broad channel
among green hills and islands, sail onward to the serene Pacific. Every
one knows of the marvellous transformation on the Isthmus during the
last ten years, but the most imaginative person, now arriving for the
first time, will hardly fancy what it was like in 1903.
=Colon=, once called the most repulsive, disagreeable, filthy hole of a
place in all Christendom, though always a pretty picture _from the sea_,
is at present fair enough on land. The climate only remains unchanged.
It still rains—and _rains_: 130 inches a year: not all the time even in
the rainy season, which it is very apt to be, as that continues eight
months, from the first of May to January, leaving a dry season of only
four. Even in this period it is liable to rain, so it behoves every one
to be provided with raincoat and umbrella, if not with overshoes.
Everywhere there are good walks and in the towns, paved streets, beyond
which the tropical sun soon dries the mud.
The agreeableness of the Isthmian climate as a whole and in various
localities, if to some extent indicated by figures, is largely a matter
of individual temperament. With little difference in temperature Colon
has double the rainfall of Panama with a corresponding excess of
humidity. Yet happily for the welfare of the great work and the workers,
it has been the fashion on the Isthmus for every one to have local
pride; to like his own station the best, whether on either shore, or in
one of the pleasant villages along the line. It is genuine summer
weather all the year around; not excessive heat, like our days in the
90’s and 100’s; but mostly in the plain 80’s by day, with cooler and
comfortable nights.
HISTORICAL
This section of the New World was first visited in 1501 by Columbus,
who touched at Nombre de Dios and Porto Bello east of Colon, perhaps
sailing into Limon Bay; this he certainly did in 1502, naming the
place Puerto Naos, Navy Bay, as it was called until recent years. It
is just 400 years ago, September 25, 1513, that Vasco Nuñez de
Balboa first saw the great Pacific, then named the South Sea,—not,
as often said, from the hill near Gorgona, called Balboa, more
properly the Cerro Gigante, but from another 120 miles east, as he
was crossing the San Blas country. Thence he continued to the Bay
San Miguel of Darien. This bold explorer, like many another, fared
badly. He was beheaded a few years later at the age of forty-four.
In 1519 the site of an Indian fishing village near the farther shore
was selected by Governor Pedrarias as that of his future capital,
and in 1521, it was made a city by royal decree. This was _Old
Panama_ which soon became a place of great wealth and luxury, as for
a century or more the rich treasures of Peru passed by this route to
Old Spain. Yet it suffered many vicissitudes from fires, buccaneers,
and insurrections till at length, when its prosperity had already
begun to wane on account of the ships going by the Strait of
Magellan, it was captured, plundered, and destroyed, by the
freebooter, Henry Morgan, January 19, 1671, never to be rebuilt.
January 21, 1673, the new city of Panama, about four miles distant,
was dedicated. Until 1821 the Isthmus was under the dominion of
Spain, and after that, in spite of numerous insurrections, remained
a part of the country of New Granada, later Colombia, until its
sudden practical transfer to the United States. On November 3, 1903,
its independence was proclaimed, on the sixth the infant Republic
was recognized by the United States, and on February 26, 1904, a
treaty with the United States was signed by which it became a
Protectorate, with a position similar to that of Cuba.
As early as 1527 an explorer from Panama city went from the Pacific
up the Rio Grande Valley, crossed the divide by Culebra and sailed
down the Chagres River to the Atlantic Ocean. Soon this was a
popular route,—to sail up the Chagres to a point fifteen miles from
Panama and continue by land to that city. As early as 1534 the idea
of a canal occurred to that great monarch, Charles V, who had a
route surveyed. Pronounced too expensive even for his great wealth,
the project was abandoned, but 381 years later, a far greater canal
than he dreamed of will be opened in the very same track which his
surveyors followed.
THE FRENCH CANAL
Various canal projects in the meanwhile have been cherished, though the
building of the Panama Railroad, 1850-1855, had a deterrent effect on
the enterprise; but in May, 1876, the Government of Colombia made a
concession for the work to a French Company and operations soon
followed. After surveys by Lieutenant Wyse a sea-level canal from Limon
Bay to Panama by the pass at Culebra (meaning snake) was decided upon.
January 10, 1881, Ferdinand de Lesseps, promoter of the Suez Canal, made
the ceremonial beginning at the Pacific entrance, and January 20, 1882,
the first excavation was begun near the continental divide where, in the
section called the Culebra Cut, work has proceeded ever since except
from 1888 to 1891. The French were badly handicapped by disease,
Colombian interference, incomplete plans, and insufficient funds, and
were injured at home by rumors of sickness, extravagance, etc. In 1887
the sea-level plan was transformed to a lock-level, and February 4,
1889, the company went into the hands of a receiver. Several persons
were convicted of fraud including Ferdinand de Lesseps, who, eighty-six
years of age, was probably in entire ignorance of the business details.
He died soon after.
In 1894 energetic work was recommenced by the new company which
continued operations until the Americans took possession, May 4, 1904.
$225,000,000 had been spent upon the work for which the United States
paid $40,000,000. Recently it was estimated to have been worth
$42,799,826. The advantages of the Americans over the French in having
political control of the region, modern sanitary methods, better means
of excavating, and unlimited money should be considered; and due credit
and admiration should be awarded by all to de Lesseps and the Frenchmen
who did so much, according to the verdict of praise rendered by our own
engineers.
=Panama Canal.= In June, 1904, Chief Engineer Wallace, Col. W. C.
Gorgas, and others sailed to the Isthmus to pursue the great work which
had been transferred to the United States, May 4, by the French. Digging
in the Culebra Cut was continued, but the chief labor for two years and
a half was to remedy the unsanitary conditions, to provide
accommodations for the employees, to perfect the organization, to
reconstruct and double-track the railroad, and to improve the terminal
facilities: necessary preparations for the colossal task. The sanitation
of Colon and Panama included repaving, sewerage systems, and fresh water
supply, as a part of the war against yellow and malarial fever. A
proportionate sum spent on sanitation in the United States would be
$12,000,000,000 a year, one-third of the entire amount devoted to all
government expenses. Since January, 1907, the work has progressed
rapidly, so that the canal is expected to be completed and in operation
some time before the date of its formal inauguration January 1, 1915.
In spite of being hampered in many ways, much valuable work was
accomplished by Chief Engineer John F. Wallace, who resigned after one
year, and by his successor, John F. Stevens. He serving until 1907 is
said by Col. Goethals to have laid out the transportation scheme in a
manner which could not have been equaled by any army engineer. The
engineering skill and the great administrative ability of Col. George W.
Goethals, Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, Chief Engineer,
President of the Railroad, Governor of the Zone, etc., are so well known
and already so highly honored as to need no encomiums here. A benevolent
despot, able, wise, just, and honest, it is indeed a pleasure in this
day and generation to find one as to whose virtues all are agreed, whose
undying fame is as yet free from the malice of petty jealousy.
The length of the Canal, from deep water on one side to the same on the
other, that is, from the Toro Point breakwater on the Atlantic side to
Naos Island on the Pacific side, is about 50 miles,—40 miles from shore
to shore. From the Atlantic entrance, by a channel 41 feet deep with a
bottom width of 500 feet, it is seven miles to Gatun, two-thirds of
which is in Limon Bay, the rest apparently along a fairly broad river.
At Gatun, as everybody knows, are the locks, a double series of three,
by means of which the ships will be raised 85 feet to the level of Gatun
Lake. This, with an area of 164 square miles, is without doubt the
largest artificial sheet of water in the world. The lake naturally has a
widely varying depth and a highly irregular shape, with large and small
arms, promontories, and islands; but vessels may sail at full speed
along a channel from 500 to 1000 feet in width for a distance of 24
miles until at Bas Obispo the Culebra Cut is entered. This, about nine
miles long, has a bottom width, except on the curves, of 300 feet only,
making a slower rate of speed necessary. At Pedro Miguel the ship will
be lowered by one lock to a smaller lake covering 1200 acres, 30 feet
below. A mile and a half beyond, at Miraflores, the ship, by means of
two locks, will return to sea level, thence sailing on, 8½ miles more,
out into the Pacific.
The sail from ocean to ocean will to all be of intense interest, though
more highly appreciated by those who visited the region before it was
submerged, watched the great shovels cutting away the range of hills
which forms the continental divide, and saw the locks in process of
formation.
The great Gatun dam seems a wonderful creation, though the only
remarkable feature is its size. It should be borne in mind that the
extensive surface of the lake among the hills does not cause any greater
pressure upon the wall of the dam than if it covered but a single acre;
the _depth_ of the water being the determining factor, not the extent of
surface. The dam is nearly a mile and a half long at the top; half a
mile wide at the bottom, 400 feet at the water surface, and 100 at its
crest, designed to be 105 feet above sea level and 20 feet above the
normal level of the lake: a very wide margin of safety. Of the entire
length of the dam only 500 feet, a small fraction, one-fifteenth, of the
whole, will be exposed to the maximum water head, 87 feet. The thickness
of the dam is greater than was deemed necessary by engineers, with the
result that there is no seepage: but it was thought best to satisfy
over-apprehensive Congressmen by the employment of excessive caution.
The interior of the dam is an impermeable mixture of sand and clay
obtained by dredging above and below, placed between two parallel ridges
of rock and ordinary material obtained from the steam-shovel
excavations. The upstream slope of slight grade is thoroughly riprapped
ten feet below and ten above the mean water level. The 21 million cubic
yards of material composing the dam, which covers 400 acres, is
sufficient to build a wall three feet high and thick nearly halfway
around the world.
The Gatun Lake will receive all the waters of the Chagres basin of 1320
square miles and will contain at its ordinary level 206 billion cubic
feet of water. An outlet, an obvious necessity, is provided in the
spillway, a cut through a hill of rock nearly in the center of the dam,
southwest of the locks. This opening, lined with concrete, is 1200 feet
long and 285 feet wide, with the bottom, at the upper end ten feet above
sea level, sloping down.
Until the construction of the dam was well advanced the water from the
Chagres and its tributaries flowed out through this opening. Then it was
closed at the upper or lake end by a dam of concrete 808 feet long in
the form of an arc of a circle, its crest 69 feet above the sea. Upon
this, 13 concrete piers rise to a height of 115.5 feet, with steel gates
by which the water level of the lake will be regulated.
The immense double locks deserve more than a cursory glance. Similar in
construction and dimensions, each has a usable length of 1000 feet and a
width of 110 feet. The chambers have floors and walls of concrete with
mitering gates at each end. The walls, perpendicular on the inside, are
45 to 50 feet thick near the bottom, but the outer walls narrow from a
point 24 feet above the floor to a thickness of 8 feet at the top. The
middle wall separating the double locks is 60 feet thick and 81 high,
with both faces vertical; but in the upper part it is not solid. A
tunnel in the wall has three divisions, the lowest for drainage, the
middle for electric wires to operate the gate and valve machinery, the
highest as a passage way for the operators. An enormous amount of
concrete has been employed for the locks, four million or more cubic
yards, with as many barrels of cement, enough to make a sidewalk 9 feet
wide and 6 inches thick more than twice around the world.
Matching the walls are immense steel gates, 7 feet thick, 65 feet wide,
and from 47 to 82 feet high, with a weight of from 390 to 730 tons each.
At the entrance to the locks are double gates, also at the lower end of
the upper lock in each flight, in case of ramming by a ship accidentally
breaking through the fender chain; for there are 24 chains in addition
to the gates, to prevent the gates being rammed by a ship under its own
steam or having escaped from the towing locomotive. The chains will be
lowered into a groove to allow the ships to pass.
Ships will not be permitted to enter the locks under their own steam,
but will be towed through by electric locomotives, usually four to each
vessel, two ahead and two astern, the latter to keep the vessel in the
middle, and in the right place. The gates and valves are also operated
by electricity, with power obtained through water turbines from the head
created by Gatun Lake. The locks will be filled and emptied by a system
of culverts, one of which, about the size of the Hudson River tunnels of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, 18 feet in diameter, extends along the side
and middle walls, with smaller branches under the floor of the locks.
The water enters and leaves by holes in the floor. The culverts are so
arranged as to economize water by passing it from one twin lock to the
other. To save both time and water each lock chamber has a single gate
near the middle dividing it into two parts, only one of which will be
used for vessels less than 600 feet long. To fill and empty a lock will
require about 15 minutes: to pass through the three at Gatun, about an
hour and a half, and as much more to go down the locks on the Pacific
side. The entire passage through the Canal will occupy 10 or 12 hours
according to the speed of the ship, in the narrower parts all being
obliged to go slowly. While it is hoped that the first steamer will pass
through the Canal in December, 1913, if not earlier, there is no
expectation of its being open for general traffic before the summer of
1914.
=Colon.= Passengers arriving on a Panama Railroad Steamship at
_Christobal_, practically a part of Colon, may find waiting on the dock
a special train to carry them across the Isthmus. The tourist, en route
to a Pacific port, with his heavy baggage checked through, may let that
go on to Balboa, the place of embarkation on the other side, and himself
remain with hand luggage to look about Colon. Tourists on other steamers
land at a Colon dock, from which it is a five minutes’ walk to the
railway station. Men and boys are about, to assist with hand baggage.
All that is checked through _should_ be transported to Balboa without
personal care; but the cautious traveler will have an eye upon it to see
that it goes to the station here, and aboard the proper steamer on the
Pacific side.
HOTELS. Washington, E. P. Rooms $3.00 per day and up, December 1 to
June 1. June to December $2.00. Meals $1.00 each or à la carte.
Imperial Hotel, Park Hotel.
_Carriage Fare_, 10 cents for one, 20 cents for two, 25 cents for
three, 30 cents for four. By the hour 75 cents for one, $1.00 for
two, and so on.
Regular trains for Panama (June, 1913) at 5:10 and 10:30 a.m., and
4:25 p.m.; time two and one-half hours. Inquire as to special
sight-seeing trains.
Landing early in the morning one may have sufficient time to look about
Colon and Christobal before taking the afternoon train for Panama. Those
planning a longer stay, to enjoy some of the excursions available, will
drive at once to the new Washington Hotel on Colon Beach, near the site
of the old house of that name, which, giving way to its stately
successor, now stands in the rear of Christ Church and there fulfills
its original purpose to supply lodging for the railway employees. The
new hotel, built of hollow tiles and re-enforced concrete in a
modification of the Spanish Mission style, is quite up to date with
baths, electric lights, lounging rooms, etc., broad verandas on the side
towards the sea, and a pretty garden between the house and sea wall. A
swimming pool has been constructed near by, 100x125 feet, from 3 to 9
feet deep, open on the sea side, where a baffle wall protects it from
rough water. In 1903 I looked at the water with longing eyes, but the
numerous sharks deter most persons from venturing into the ocean. The
hotel with some rooms with bath, and others without, accommodates 175
persons. Like the Tivoli it has no bar, and since April 24, 1913, there
are no saloons in the Zone outside of the cities, Colon and Panama,
which except for sanitary regulations are under Panamanian control. The
hotel enjoys a breeze all the year around and is said to be as cool as
Bar Harbor in July, and no warmer in winter; but it did not seem that
way to me when I spent a few days in Colon in 1903, the excessive
humidity rendering the heat oppressive.
In the center of the garden in front of the hotel is a rather ugly
monument, a red granite shaft on a triangular base, bearing busts of
John L. Stephens, Henry Chauncey, and of William H. Aspinwall, after
whom Americans called the town for some years. To these three men, in
December, 1848, a concession was granted by Colombia to build a railroad
across the isthmus. The discovery of gold in California made it possible
to raise money for the enterprise. Work began in 1850, and the first
train crossed the continent January 28, 1855. The passenger and the
freight trade have been both heavy and expensive, so that from 1852 to
the present time annual dividends of from 3 to 61 per cent have been
paid. Most of the traffic to California and Oregon was diverted on the
completion in 1869 of the transcontinental railway, but good dividends
continued. In 1881 the French Canal Company bought most of the shares,
as the road was an obvious necessity to their work; it therefore came
into possession of the United States Government, May 4, 1904, when the
purchase of the French rights, work, and equipment was consummated.
The city of Colon, which the Colombian Government very properly insisted
upon calling after Columbus, is on the Island of Manzanillo (formerly
separated by a narrow strait from the main land), a coral reef with a
mangrove swamp at the back. Here in 1850 some shanties and stores were
built by the pioneers of the railroad. The village grew and prospered in
spite of the swampy location, which was improved by the deposits of rock
and earth made by the French on the part now known as Christobal for the
homes of the employees. In 1904 there were 10,000 people in the town,
9000 living in shanties on stilts in the terrible section back of Front
street. Now in Christobal-Colon there are 20,000 people, and the place
is drained and healthful.
Just east of the Washington Hotel is the gray stone building, modified
Gothic, of Christ Episcopal Church, dedicated in 1865. Built by
contributions from the Panama Railroad Company and various missionary
societies, it was at first American, after 1883 Anglican, and in 1907
again American Episcopal. Whites and blacks here worship together, with
a majority of negroes.
Half a mile farther on is the fine Colon hospital with 525 beds, of
course a Commission affair. Built right over the water on piles a few
feet high, one is almost tempted to be sick to be housed in so
attractive a place. Beyond is the quarantine station where persons
coming from plague or fever ports are detained six or seven days.
The numerous negroes from Jamaica and Martinique will interest many,
their dwellings on the back streets, the drainage ditch, and Front
street lined with stores, where curios of a sort could formerly be
purchased better than in Panama,—bags or caps of cocoanut skins, heads
carved from cocoanuts, and carved gourds, large and small, the latter
used as drinking cups.
In Christobal are dwellings of the Canal employees; a large building
occupied by the Commissary Department contains a cold storage plant, a
bakery, and a laundry, which serve all the employees of the canal, the
railroad, and the U. S. Government on the Isthmus:—these with their
families numbering at times 60,000. Also there is a Commission Hotel
with meals at 30 cents for employees, 50 cents for transients, providing
better fare than can be procured in most parts of the United States for
the price to employees; and a Y. M. C. A. building which supplies a
reading room, opportunity for games and for social diversions including
dances, lectures, and other entertainments. There are five other similar
structures along the line.
At the end of the Point are two houses constructed for Ferdinand de
Lesseps and his son, now moved closer together and devoted to offices of
the Commissary and Health Departments. Beyond is the statue of the great
Discoverer: the monument, cast at Turin, a replica of one in Lima,
presented by Empress Eugénie to the Republic of Colombia to be erected
at Colon. Columbus, of noble countenance, is represented in attitude of
explanation to an Indian maiden personifying America, whose face
expresses wonder and alarm.
=Porto Bello.= With time to spare an excursion may be made to the
beautiful harbor of Porto Bello, 18 miles northeast of Colon, where the
Commission has been operating, in a great rock quarry, one of the
largest stone crushers in the world. Millions of cubic yards of rock
have been taken from here, a smaller size for the concrete of the Gatun
locks and spillway, a larger size for the Colon breakwater. Porto Bello
and Nombre de Dios were the two safe harbors found by the Spaniards on
this coast. The former has been a Spanish town since 1597. With a fine
location the town is considered unhealthy, having an extraordinary
amount of rain, 237 inches in 1909. A tug leaves Christobal wharf every
morning returning at night. One has two hours or more to view the
American settlement of 1000 people at the stone quarries and to cross
the bay to the old village to see the finest ruins on the Isthmus: an
old customs house, old bridges, the remains of Fort San Jerome, and the
old plaza. There is a population of over 2000, with a church and stores.
Some miles beyond Porto Bello begins the large section of country
inhabited by the _San Blas Indians_, who have been smart and sensible
enough to keep the white man out of their territory, thus preserving
their independence to the present day. They come to Colon to trade, but
seldom allow a stranger to remain over night in their territory.
=San Lorenzo Fort.= Another excursion of interest is to San Lorenzo
Fort, at the mouth of the Chagres River, either by sea in a motor boat,
or better, in a canoe down the river from Gatun, a sail of ten miles,
during which one has a glimpse of the real tropical jungle; the sea
route affords a better view of the old fort. The remains are very
complete, an outer wall, and a castle to be entered by a drawbridge.
There are strong rooms, galleries for prison cells, manacles, etc.,
seeing which the tourist is apt to be more contented with his own lot.
At the foot of the hill is the little village of Chagres.
In front of Christobal a construction of five piers is being made
enclosing ten docks capable of berthing ships 1000 feet long, these
being the Atlantic terminal docks for the canal. Across the bay is _Toro
Point_. From this headland a breakwater has been constructed to protect
the canal entrance and Limon Bay from the violent northers which
occasionally visit this coast. It will also reduce the amount of silt to
be washed into the dredged canal. From Toro Point the breakwater extends
northeast for a distance of over two miles. The bottom width varies with
the depth of the water; at the top it is 15 feet wide and 10 feet above
mean sea level. A double-track trestle was first constructed, from which
carloads of rock were dumped into the sea. The cost is about $5,500,000.
It has recently been decided to construct an additional though smaller
breakwater on the Colon side, extending west, some distance north of
Christobal Point. Fortifications for the defense of the canal are being
raised, both at Toro Point and on the east side at Margarita Island, one
mile north of Manzanillo.
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CHAPTER IV
COLON TO PANAMA—PANAMA CITY
Four daily trains in about 2 hours at 3.00, 6.00 and 10.40 a.m. and
4.00 p.m. Special train for sight-seers, round trip fare $4.00, from
Colon at 8 a.m., with barge service on lake, $1.50 extra.
Guides for tourist parties to inspect Canal, $7.50 per day, on
application to Railway Ticket Agents, Colon or Panama.
While the sail through the great canal will be an extraordinary delight,
the railroad ride will also afford much pleasure. On leaving Colon the
line passes various docks, the Government printing plant, the marine
shop and dry dock at Mount Hope, and the main storehouse of supplies for
canal and railroad. On the east side of the railroad, opposite the
warehouse, is Mount Hope Cemetery, where many French and others are
buried, on a knoll which for a time was called Monkey Hill on account of
the many monkeys there. These creatures are found in the woods all over
the Isthmus. Stone piers which may be seen on the east beyond Mindi were
erected by the French for a viaduct with the design of relocating the
railroad. This, obviously necessary for the Americans, has been
accomplished at a cost of nearly $9,000,000. In the swamp lands along
here much papyrus is growing.
=New Gatun.= From Colon to Gatun a distance of 7 miles the track rises
95 feet. New Gatun, on the hill, is a village but a few years old, the
site of the ancient town now being covered by the dam. In 1904 Gatun was
a busy place on the Chagres River, where sometimes 100 dugouts loaded
with bananas would tie at the bank, and seven or eight car loads a week
would be shipped. In former days the railroad followed up the Chagres
Valley, but now it is obliged to turn east to make a detour around the
lake. It is desirable to alight here to examine the locks and if
possible the spillway. Along the edge of the lock walls may be seen the
cog rail for the towing locomotives, and farther back the return track
without center cog. Tall concrete columns along the top of the walls are
the standards for electric lights to illuminate the locks. Tall towers,
apparently light houses, are range lights on the center lines of the
straight stretches of the canal, so that a vessel lining up with the
tower would know it was on the center line of the canal. From the
building on Gatun hill containing the office of the Division Engineer
may be had the best view of the canal obtainable from any one point.
Northward are the waters of Limon Bay; and the masts of shipping at
Colon harbor are visible. Close at hand are the locks and dam and a
broad stretch of the lake.
Leaving Gatun the new road turns east along Gatun ridge, then south with
pretty glimpses of the jungle, crossing the Gatun Valley to Monte Lirio.
From this point it skirts the east shore of the lake to Bas Obispo at
the beginning of the Culebra Cut. Several immense embankments were
necessary to cross the Gatun Valley section above the surface of the
lake, and others were made for dumping the spoil from Culebra Cut near
its north end. Half a mile beyond Monte Lirio the railroad crosses the
Gatun River by a steel girder bridge 318 feet long, built in three
spans, one of which may be lifted to permit access by boat to the upper
arm of the lake. Another steel girder bridge, one-quarter of a mile
long, crosses the Chagres River at Gamboa, with the channel span a
200-foot truss, the other fourteen, plate girder spans, each 80 feet
long. From this bridge, at the north end of which a new town-site has
been laid out, a glimpse of the northern end of Culebra Cut may be had.
It was originally expected to carry the road through the Cut, 10 feet
above the water level, but the slides making this impracticable, the
relocation has been made by cutting through a ridge of solid rock and
working around east of Gold Hill, passing Culebra at a distance of 2
miles. Then the track runs down the Pedro Miguel Valley to Pedro Miguel
Station, where it is within 300 feet of the locks. The highest elevation
of the track is 270 feet above the sea about opposite Las Cascadas. The
Continental Divide is crossed 240 feet above the sea in about the same
line as Culebra.
Journeying by the new road from Gatun, the old traveler or resident will
miss some familiar names, the bearers of which, if not concealed under
water, are now remote and vanishing. Lion and Tiger Hills were small
hamlets, but Bohio was quite a place, where the French had a machine
shop. It was once considered as a possible site for the locks and dam.
Frijoles (beans) and Tabernilla have been places of some importance and
Gorgona of more, because here were the American machine shops, now
removed to Balboa. The place with the peculiar name Matachin, which
everybody remembered, will not be covered over with water, but like
others farther on will relapse into a small hamlet. The prevalent notion
that this name was derived from _matar_, to kill, and _Chino_, and was
applied on account of the wholesale deaths of Chinese is incorrect. It
is the Spanish word meaning a dance by grotesque figures.
_Bas Obispo_ beyond Gamboa is one of the old places still visible, at
the north end of the Culebra Cut. Near by, December 12, 1908, occurred
the greatest accident in the construction of the Canal when 44,000
pounds of 45 per cent dynamite which had been packed into fifty-three
holes were set off by the explosion of one, as the last hole was being
tamped. As the hour was 11.10 many men were passing home to lunch. The
hillside, falling into the Cut, as had been planned for a later hour,
buried several men, and others were struck by flying rock. In all
twenty-six were killed and a dozen permanently maimed. Near Bas Obispo
is Camp Elliott, where a battalion of marines has long been stationed.
=Empire.= Las Cascadas, where once a stream tumbled down a precipice 40
feet towards the Chagres, formerly came next, then Empire, one of the
largest of the Canal villages. Here the French began excavations in the
Cut, as previously mentioned, January 20, 1882, before a large
assemblage of officials of the Canal Company and of Panama. The work was
blessed by the Bishop and the too common champagne celebrated the
occasion.
=Culebra= was the real capital of the Zone after John F. Stevens in 1906
moved his quarters there from Ancon. Here has been the home and office
of Col. Goethals, the head of everything, and of other prominent
officials. In 1908 Culebra had a population of 5516, but is now much
smaller. The side of the hill towards the Cut has been gradually
slipping away, taking a part of the village, but so slowly that the
houses were first removed to the rear slopes.
The average depth of the Cut through its nine miles of length is 120
feet. The heaviest point is near Culebra village between Gold Hill on
the east side and Contractors’ Hill on the west, where the depth
averages 375 feet. The summit of Gold Hill is 660 feet above the sea, of
Contractors’ Hill, 410 feet. Beyond Gold Hill is the troublesome
Cucuracha slide, though the largest is the one at the Culebra village on
the west. One slide here involved 1,550,000 cubic yards. At this point
the Cut is about 2000 feet across. The dwellings of the employees here,
as at Christobal and all along the line, look very pretty and
comfortable with their screened verandas. Market facilities have been
good with prices generally lower than at home for meat and other things
brought in cold storage from the States. The climate is not
objectionable to the majority, and many will be grieved, when, the Canal
being finished and only a select few remaining for its service, they
shall be obliged to return home again. Some, no doubt, being now weaned
from excessive affection for one particular spot, will go on to other
parts of Spanish America. There, intelligent men of the right spirit,
who have saved a portion of their earnings, will find agreeable
opportunities for work and for investments of various kinds.
Beyond Pedro Miguel is the Miraflores Lake and the two Miraflores locks
by which the ships reach sea level again. After passing through a
concrete lined tunnel 736 feet long, Ancon Hill, overlooking the Pacific
entrance to the Canal, is straight ahead. One more station, Corozal,
headquarters of the Pacific Division, and the city of Panama is reached.
PANAMA CITY
HOTELS. The Tivoli, $5.50 and up a day, American plan; the Central,
$3.00 a day, American plan; the International, Metropole, and
several others, smaller and less expensive, but some of them neat
and respectable.
_Carriage Fare_, 10 cents, U. S. currency, for one person, 20 cents
for two, etc., in Panama City, or 20 cents and 40 cents silver,
Panama money. Panama to Balboa docks, 50 cents U. S. currency.
_Automobile Tariff_, first hour, for cars seating five, six, or
seven persons, $5.00, $6.00, or $7.00; second hour $1.00 less. Local
fares about the city, 50 cents for each person. To Balboa Docks and
return, $3.50, five-seat car; $5.00, seven-seat car. To Old Panama
and return, $5.00, or $7.00, if within one hour; if more, on hourly
basis.
_Electric Cars_, fare five cents, run every ten minutes from Hotel
Tivoli past the railway station down Avenue Central to the National
Palace near the sea wall; also beyond the Tivoli to the Catholic
Chapel on the Ancon Hospital road. Of two other lines, one runs from
Santa Ana Park by C, 16th, and B streets, and so on to Balboa;
another branching from Central avenue at 13th street and following
North avenue goes out the Sabanas road.
=The Republic of Panama=, proclaimed Nov. 3, 1903, by treaty of Feb. 26,
1904, came under the protection of the United States, receiving
$10,000,000 cash for the sovereignty of the Canal Zone and after 1913 a
yearly rental of $250,000. The form of government of the Republic is
similar to that of the United States. The country is 340 miles long from
east to west, from the Atrato River on the Colombia side to Costa Rica
on the west. From north to south its widest point is 120 miles in the
province of Veraguas, and the narrowest less than 40 in Darien. There
are mountains 7000 feet high in Darien and 11,000 feet in Chiriqui; the
lowest pass, 312 feet, is that used by the Canal and Railroad. The
population, outside the Zone about 340,000, includes 36,000 Indians, and
a very large proportion of negroes and mixed races. The country has
excellent possibilities for agriculture and cattle raising, with smaller
ones for minerals.
=Panama.= The new city of Panama, founded January 21, 1673, was soon
protected by a sea wall, still standing, and on the single land side by
a wall, and a deep moat crossed by a drawbridge. To make it proof
against further raids two forts were erected on the land side and one by
the sea. The residences built of wood suffered from various fires so
that few old buildings remain, yet the masonry structures have the
appearance of age. One hundred and twenty years ago the city had 7857
inhabitants, double that in 1870, and in 1911, 37,505.
=Hotel Tivoli.= Arriving at Panama, almost every one who can afford it
will go to the Hotel Tivoli, near the station, delightfully situated at
the foot of Ancon Hill, on the farther side of a small park called the
Plaza de Lesseps. It is intended some day to erect in the center of the
plaza a statue to the hero of the Suez Canal, initiator of the great
work at Panama. On a knoll, overlooking the city and part of the bay,
the hotel has many rooms opening on the broad verandas which afford
charming prospects. The nights are comfortably cool, and the table
affords good American fare. The hotel was erected by the Government
especially to accommodate Canal employees on their arrival, and persons
whose business with the administration caused them to come to the
Isthmus. Also it was designed to afford recreation to employees on the
line desirous of an occasional trip to the city. With this end in view a
large dance hall was provided about 80x40 feet, where the Tivoli Club,
organized among the employees, has given dances two Saturday evenings
each month. The hotel, opened Jan. 1, 1907, has 220 guest rooms, and a
dining-room seating 700. The building, 314 feet long with wings 156 feet
deep, has a court in front 91 feet in depth with a carriage road and
garden. Of late on account of increased travel the hotel has been
enlarged and is much used by tourists. The prices, $5.50 a day and up,
will seem reasonable enough to patrons of the large New York hotels.
=The Hotel Central= may be preferred by some on account of the lower
prices, $3.00 and up, or because it is in the center of things on the
principal plaza of Panama (now called the Independencia), opposite the
cathedral; its location and its clientele afford an opportunity to see
more of Spanish American life. The building is four stories high, in
Spanish style around a central court or patio. Built in 1880 it has
recently been renewed, and the rooms are large and airy. The table
formerly left something to be desired, but has very likely improved with
the competition. Once it was the _only_ place where anybody could go.
=The International Hotel= is most convenient to the railway station on
the Railway Plaza; a large fireproof building in Spanish Mission style,
completed in 1912, and affording all modern conveniences. The smaller
hotels on the Avenida Central may be patronized by those to whom the
saving of a few dollars is important. The _Hotel Metropole_ is
pleasantly situated on the Santa Ana Plaza.
A new and modern hotel, accommodating 500 persons, built by British
capital on Chiriqui Point overlooking the bay, is expected to be ready
for guests in November, 1914.
Sight-seeing may begin from the Tivoli or International with a walk or
ride down the Avenida Central, which goes first in a rather southerly
direction, but in town when crossing the plaza about east and west. The
northern part of the town is rather new, belonging to the Canal period,
French and American. On the right at some little distance a three-story
white concrete building, very ornate, with broad portico, is the club
house of the Spanish Benevolent Society. Next door is the American
Consulate. Two blocks farther is the Plaza Santa Ana, with trees,
plants, and walks, where on Thursday nights there is a band concert and
hundreds of people promenading. Besides the Church, there are saloons, a
Variety Theater with roof garden, promenade balcony, and fine interior
decorations, erected 1911-12, and on the west side the Metropole Hotel.
On the road, one block south of the plaza, leading west to Balboa is the
Santo Tomas Hospital, with 350 beds, under the direction of an American
doctor with good nurses and physicians, maintained by the Panama
Government. The three cemeteries are beyond, one each for Chinese,
Hebrews, and Christians. Tragic tales are told of the yellow fever days,
and space for burial is still leased.
Three blocks from the Plaza on the Central avenue is the Church of La
Merced. Diagonally across from it is a piece of the old wall formerly
extending from tidewater on one side to the other. One should climb the
steps to get an idea of the walls, the cost of which caused wonder to
the King of Spain. This was one of the bastions commanding the
drawbridge and the _sabanas_ or plains to the north. Here the youth now
play tennis, and a circus encamps once a year. The area is at least 1500
square feet, and there is a drop of from 30 to 35 feet to the level
outside. A parapet 3 feet high still shows the embrasures for the brass
cannon. The old wall extending to the south had rock faces with earth
between.
Beyond this wall is the real city, mostly of natives, with its own
peculiar spirit and fascination. They always come back, it is said, when
people go away. Here in the narrow streets, plazas, churches, even
stores, and on the old sea wall, a spell is woven over those who linger,
which has alluring power. The _Plaza Independencia_, three blocks from
the wall, is the heart of the city, a charming place, with the Cathedral
on the west, the Central Hotel east, the Bishop’s Palace north, and the
Municipal Building and the French Administration Building on the south.
The last, four stories high, was built in 1875 as a hotel, but leased to
the French and used for offices. The Americans took possession of it May
4, 1904, but finding it to be infested with the _stegomia_ mosquitoes
during the yellow fever epidemic in 1905, it was abandoned by them in
1906 when the Chief Engineer moved to Culebra. It is now occupied by the
health and municipal bureaus of Panama and by their printing office.
The new _Municipal Building_, on the site of the old _cabildo_, council
chamber, in which independence was declared in 1821, was completed in
1910 and is called the handsomest building in the city. Here are various
offices, the Columbus Library with valuable historical works, a marble
_bacchante_ in the corridor, and a front door of a dozen varieties of
native hard woods.
The _Bishop’s Palace_ erected 1880, besides his residence, offices, and
a boys’ school, has in one corner the office of the Panama Lottery.
Though gambling is prohibited by the Panama Constitution, the lease of
the company is good till 1918. Every Sunday morning drawings are made
for prizes ranging from $1.00 to $3500, taken from 10,000 tickets. It is
said that most of the money comes from the Canal workers. The offices of
several of the steamship companies are on the Plaza, but that of the
Peruvian Line is on 11th street near Central avenue.
Continuing on the Central avenue, passing on the right the French
consulate and the American Legation, one reaches the _National Palace_
or Government Building on the left, occupying a whole square, with a
central patio. The Assembly Halls and offices are on the south side, the
_National Theatre_ on the north and various Government offices on the
sides. Begun in 1905 it was finished in 1908. It is of the modified
Italian renaissance style and is said to be fireproof. The handsome
theater seats 1000 people. There is a week or two of opera and of
theater every year. Other entertainments are occasionally held, and
public meetings of a non-political nature.
The _Plaza Bolívar_, formerly San Francisco, is at the southeast corner
of the building, with the San Francisco Church and Franciscan convent on
the east side, the latter in ruins, destroyed by fire in 1756; the
former, also burned, was restored 1785-1790. The church is a basilica
with a nave and two aisles, the arches supported by square masonry
pillars, and with transept and apse. The high altar is wood painted to
imitate marble. A picture in a shrine at the left of the entrance has a
very definite representation of purgatory, with a view of heavenly
regions above.
The ruins of the old convent still show a fine row of arches. Within are
wooden buildings now used as schools.
From the Central avenue going along the water front, one will pass a
Methodist Episcopal Church, parsonage, and school, buildings of concrete
erected in 1908. At the sea front is the south bastion called _The Sea
Wall_. Under the arches are many dungeons once filthy, where thousands
of criminals and political suspects suffered and died. These are used no
longer, but the Chiriqui prison, suitably provided and clean, is here
located, partly in the large barrack building formerly occupied by the
garrison of soldiers. In the late afternoon or early evening one should
visit this interesting spot. Close by is the new home of the _University
Club_ where some say the best meals in Panama are served and the best
collection of English books and periodicals is found. The library and
reading room with hardwood floor are sometimes cleared for dancing. The
membership of two hundred includes one hundred twenty-five American
employees and seventy-five residents of Panama. Organized in 1906 for
college men, the restriction was soon abandoned.
Two blocks from the Plaza Bolívar, keeping to the sea front, is the home
of the Union Club, a large white building from the roof of which is a
fine view of Panama Bay. A swimming tank refilled at every tide is among
its luxuries.
On the water front near this Club, at the foot of 5th street which
passes in front of the Hotel Central, is the _Marine Building_ where
passengers go aboard small boats to be rowed out to ships engaged in the
coasting trade. Diagonally across the street is the _Presidencia_, a
two-story building of Spanish Mission style where the President of the
Republic lives and has his executive offices.
Two blocks along the front from the _Presidencia_ there is a steep
incline where the old wall passed to the sea. On the beach below, a
market was established in 1877, now in a large open building, where not
only vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish are sold, but lace and other
commodities. Close by, boats at high tide run up on the beach, saving
expense of lighterage. A visit to the market early in the morning is
well worth while, as the assemblage of people and of commodities, many
of strange appearance, make this the most picturesque place in Panama.
On the way to the plaza one may pass various shops, several Chinese,
where bargaining is possible, though most of the other stores have one
price. Woolens, silk, lace, and some other things are cheaper than in
the United States, and odd bits may be picked up by a connoisseur.
Panama hats are found cheaper than in the United States, but may be
purchased to better advantage in Ecuador and Peru. A hammock, a kodak,
films, anything forgotten or newly thought of may here be supplied. But
if films are purchased, be sure that they are dated nearly a year ahead
and are in sealed tin boxes.
The churches of Panama are not especially fine, but a few should be
visited. It would be needless to say that due respect to the House of
God should be shown by the removal of the hat, and by courteous
behavior, but for the astonishing ill manners and rudeness displayed by
some American boors which have tended to make us unpopular with most
Latin Americans. If we are really so superior as some of us fancy, it
would be well to exhibit this by our good breeding. To avoid shocking
the prejudices of others, and in some cases to do _better_ than we would
be done by will increase the pleasure of a trip and pave the way for
business advantage.
The _Cathedral_, though first of the churches designed, was delayed in
construction. A negro, Luna Victoria, becoming Bishop in 1751, urged its
completion, himself making liberal contributions so that it was finished
in 1760. The architecture is of Moorish type with Spanish and American
modifications; the style of two towers is used in many Spanish American
churches. The cathedral has a nave and four aisles, an apse containing
the high altar of wood richly ornamented, with two side altars and the
episcopal throne. An old painting representing the miracle of the Rosary
is said to be a Murillo.
_The Church of San Felipe Neri_, with a tablet bearing the words Neri Ao
1688, on the corner of Avenue B and 4th street, is said to be the oldest
and perhaps the prettiest of the Panama churches. It is less gaudy or
tawdry than some of the others. An adjoining courtyard with a garden is
surrounded by houses of Sisters of Charity. At the corner of Avenue A
and 3rd street are the ruins of the old _Dominican Church_ with a little
statue still standing over the entrance. The woodwork was burned in the
fire of 1756 and it was never rebuilt. One of the arches was shattered
in the earthquake of 1882. A brick arch near the entrance, 50 feet wide
with but 10 feet between the heights of spring and arch, is unusually
flat. There are others, in the San Francisco and Jesuit churches, of
almost the same style.
A church and convent school erected by the Jesuits 1749-1751 was of
little service, as the Order was expelled in 1767. In 1781 the wood of
the structure was burned, but the ruins are still of interest. The
churches of La Merced and Santa Ana contain little to invite attention,
unless it be the effigy of the gentleman who provided the funds for the
reconstruction in 1760 of the latter church and who was thereafter
called the Count of Santa Ana.
A visit to _Ancon_ must certainly not be neglected. On its edge is the
_Panama National Institute_ opened in 1911, consisting of seven
buildings around a patio, including a gymnasium. This is to be the head
of the educational system, but at present is occupied with primary and
secondary instruction.
=Ancon Hill= is especially noted for the hospital, the buildings of
which were erected by the French soon after 1881. When Col. Gorgas and
his assistants arrived in 1904 they were pleased to find them in so
excellent a condition with French Sisters of St. Vincent still in
charge. Many additions and improvements were made, but most of the
twenty-three buildings are still in use. With crowding, 2000 patients
may be accommodated, but for the last five years the percentage of
health has been remarkably good. Thanks to the skill and efficiency of
Col. W. C. Gorgas, of the Regular Army, as Health Officer, and to his
corps of able assistants, yellow fever was practically stamped out in
1906 and malaria diminished, by the destruction of the mosquitoes,
screening, etc. Swamps were filled in, and the cities of Panama and
Colon were to some extent made over. Every street in Panama is now paved
with brick or macadam, all are well drained and provided with sewers,
and the dirtiest slum of the city is cleaner than many middle class
streets in most American cities, not to mention New York. A good water
supply is provided, and all these improvements are being paid for by
Panama from the water rates. The _Administration Building_ on one of the
knolls at the foot of the hill should be noted. There are located the
offices of the Sanitation Department, the Civil Administration, and the
Commission Secretary. The _Avenue of Royal Palms_ leading up from the
entrance to the hospital grounds will be admired by every one, and those
of botanical tastes will enjoy spending a considerable time in the
garden which was begun by the Mother Superior, Sister Marie Rouleau, and
which has recently been catalogued by Col. Mason. It contains a fine
collection of the plant life of the Isthmus, trees, fruits, nuts,
shrubs, and flowers. Persons not botanists will find pleasure in
examining many plants with familiar names, some never seen before,
others only in a hot house. The energetic individual will enjoy climbing
to the top of the hill which, 664 feet above the sea, affords a view of
bay, islands, city, and green hills, beautiful enough to reward even the
slothful: but near sunrise or sunset are the only suitable hours for a
climb in this temperature.
=Old Panama.= An excursion to Old Panama should be taken if possible. In
1911 a road was constructed by the Panama Government from the highway
traversing Las Sabanas, to the old city. Electric cars may be available
for the excursion, as well as carriage and automobile. Also one may go
by launch or horseback. Paths lead to the chief points of interest,—the
old bridges across the estuary that extended on two sides of the city,
the tower seen from afar and the church of St. Anastasius, the wells,
and the walls and foundations of public buildings. On the sea side is a
hole in the wall where still may be seen the old paved road leading into
the water. At high tide ships could come up to the city gate.
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CHAPTER V
STEAMSHIP LINES ON THE WEST COAST
SIDE TRIP TO ECUADOR
_Panama to Callao and Valparaiso_—The Pacific Steam Navigation Company;
and Compañia Sud-Americana de Vapores—each with sailings alternate
Mondays; the Compañia Peruana de Vapores—sailings alternate Mondays to
Valparaiso, alternate Sundays as far as Mollendo.
_Panama to Guayaquil_—The Pacific Steam Navigation Company—two steamers
weekly; one express direct, one accommodation, calling at Colombia and
Ecuador ports. The Compañia Peruana de Vapores—fortnightly, on Sundays,
direct.
_Guayaquil to Callao_—The Pacific Steam Navigation Company; the Compañia
Sud-Americana de Vapores—alternate sailings weekly on Wednesdays; the
Compañia Peruana de Vapores—fortnightly sailings on Wednesdays.
The traveler going southward from Panama to Callao or beyond has at
present a choice of ships on three different lines: Peruvian, English,
and Chilian; the second, often called the P.S.N., now a branch of the
Royal Mail; the third, that of the Compañia Sud-Americana de Vapores.
The through ticket purchased in New York to a South American port, or a
roundtrip ticket, good on any of these lines, _will not be accepted_ on
the steamers for transportation. Being certificates merely, they must be
exchanged for tickets in Panama at the office of that steamship line by
which one has decided to sail. The cabin may there be selected and
assigned.
As the boats vary in size and speed, individually, rather than according
to the line, travelers are apt to go by the first steamer sailing after
they are ready to depart; yet some have a preference and arrange their
plans accordingly. Peruvians and Chilians are likely to patronize their
respective lines; some English-speaking people prefer the P.S.N. Others
have a favorite ship or captain. Since the chief officers on most of the
ships of all the lines are British, while the subordinates, stewards,
cabin boys, etc., are Spanish Americans, the difference is not striking,
although the P.S.N. boats seem a trifle more English. On these the menu
is in English and Spanish both, on the Chilian Line in Spanish only. The
boats of the Peruvian Line, the newest and the largest, are preferred by
some Americans who have tried all of the lines. The various steamers are
lighted by electricity, the Peruvian have also electric fans, for the
use of which a charge of $1.00 is made for the trip. Deck chairs cost
$1.25. Most of the ships on all lines have on the upper deck a handsome
salon with piano, card tables, sofas, perhaps a fairly stocked
book-case, a spacious well-furnished dining-room, and a large
comfortable smoking room, besides considerable space for deck golf and
other sports. The Peruvian steamers have on this deck four cabins at a
price ten per cent higher than those below. The cabins in general are on
the second deck, all opening on an outside passage with door and window,
each furnished with blinds. On my first voyage I provided myself with
mosquito netting, as advised, especially for the trip to Guayaquil; but
never had occasion to use it. In the rainy season, from December to
June, one would be indispensable for the tourist visiting Ecuador, but
is superfluous at any time to one going directly to Peru. Meal hours
vary slightly on the different steamers, but all serve coffee with toast
or rolls in cabin or dining-room from 6.30 to 8.30 a.m. At last accounts
condensed milk, unfortunately, was the accompaniment. Persons who object
to this will be happier if they provide themselves in New York with a
few five cent cans of the evaporated. On the East Coast the ships appear
to have regular milk, but as late as 1911 I saw none on the West. The
hours of the meals are at the pleasure of the captains; on the English
boats generally, breakfast is at nine or half past, on the others it may
be at ten or eleven: luncheon is served at 1, 1.30, or 2 p.m., dinner at
6, 6.30, or 7. Some ships have afternoon tea at four, others have tea at
8.30 or 9 p.m. Breakfast, in Spanish, _almuerzo_, begins with _cazuela_,
a kind of soup, which is followed by fish, entrées, eggs, beefsteak,
etc.: at luncheon there are cold dishes only, meats and salad, except
for hot potatoes, tea, and coffee. The dinner resembles breakfast, but
has a different kind of soup, while roasts and sweets are served at this
meal only. As many of the ships are unprovided with cold storage, the
meat, eaten the day after it is killed, is often tough. For this reason
the boiled meats and the South American dishes generally are apt to be
better than the roasts; that is, if you like them. It is well to have a
try, for many are really good. Of fruit, oranges and bananas are always
in evidence, sometimes melons, and paltas (alligator pears or aguacate),
which as salad are very fine.
_Balboa_, the place of embarkation, formerly called La Boca, is ten or
fifteen minutes by rail from the Panama station. Its present name, in
honor of the discoverer of the Pacific, dates from April 30, 1909, when,
adopting the suggestion of Hon. Alfonzo Pezet, then Peruvian Minister to
Panama, Colonel Goethals issued a circular with the mandate that La Boca
should in future be known as Balboa.
Before embarking for the south, it is important to look up one’s baggage
and see that it is put on board the ship by which one is about to sail.
Baggage which is checked through to Callao or elsewhere will probably be
brought over to this port and remain in the baggage room until it is
pointed out by the owner and the ship is designated on which he will
sail. This is an absolute necessity. Otherwise it might be sent on an
earlier or a different steamer, when, with no one to look after it and
pay for its transport to land, it might sail up and down the coast a
year or two, or until the ship people decided to dump it in the ocean.
Hence, _always, look after your baggage_, throughout the entire trip.
Failing in care, you are likely never to see it more. Ample time should
be allowed for the purpose, and no harm will be done if, at the Panama
station, you investigate to see if by chance your baggage has been left
there instead of at the Balboa dock.
A matter by no means to be overlooked before embarkation is the
procuring of _Peruvian money_, silver and gold for use on the steamer
and in landing. English sovereigns and half sovereigns, equal to 10 and
5 _soles_, will do as well as Peruvian coins of the same value; but one
should have silver coins as well, a _sol_ equaling 48½. cents. Exchange
will be made at the banks or by money changers in Panama.
Tourists will generally embark at Balboa for Peru; but Colombia and
Ecuador may be included in the tour if desired. Two steamers sail for
Guayaquil, one express, making no calls en route, the other, _caletero_,
or as we should term it, if a train, accommodation, calling at various
ports in Colombia and Ecuador. _Buenaventura_ in Colombia is the port
for its capital, Bogotá, a city charmingly situated, with a delightful
climate, containing many cultivated people and luxurious homes, yet by
any route a tedious journey from the sea. From Cali which the railroad
nearly reaches, a town five hours by rail from Buenaventura, it is eight
or ten days on mule or horseback. Few at present will undertake the trip
except for business or scientific research.
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, far more accessible, and oftener visited,
will yet be omitted by the majority; not because there is nothing to
see, but because one with limited time for the tour will content himself
with scenes of more or less similar character on the direct line of the
journey. Moreover the reputation of the port of Guayaquil as a hot bed
of yellow fever, to say nothing of bubonica, leprosy, and smallpox is
such that most persons prefer to give it a wide berth. Formerly there
was mutual recrimination between Guayaquil and Panama, each asserting
that the yellow fever was imported from the other city; but now the case
is clear. Panama has long had a clean bill of health, while Guayaquil
(1912) was as bad as ever, if not worse. Some years ago our American Dr.
Lloyd attempted to clean up the place, but on account of insufficient
funds and authority succeeded in accomplishing little beyond getting the
yellow fever himself. As a good part of the city lies low by the river’s
edge, the problem seems difficult; yet with sufficient money its
sanitation may be accomplished. If the present plans of the Ecuadorian
Government are carried out, by 1915 Guayaquil will probably again be on
the same plane of health as Panama. Should one meanwhile be disposed to
venture probably no harm would befall. Dr. Baker, American Consul at
Guayaquil states (December, 1912) that the city may safely be visited
from June 1 to October 1, but not at other times.
Furthermore, one desiring to visit Quito, the equatorial city, to see
far famed Chimborazo, and Cotopaxi, the loftiest of active volcanoes,
may do this without going to Guayaquil, or at least without staying
there, and thus he may proceed.
On the third morning after leaving Panama, on express steamer for
Guayaquil, one is likely to find his ship anchored at the quarantine
station, _Puná_, on an island at the mouth of the Guayas River. It is a
pleasant sail north, up this broad stream, the most important in South
America flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The low green shores are heavily
fringed with trees or bushes. Ridges and peaks of blue will presently
appear, possibly the snow-crowned Chimborazo, but this on rare occasions
on account of incessant clouds.
=Guayaquil=, a few hours from Puná, appears from the steamer’s deck a
pretty place, stretching several miles along the river front, a city of
75,000 inhabitants. The buildings made of wood, plastered over to
resemble marble, look quite imposing. There is a cathedral and other
churches, and good public buildings; a Club, the Union, is said by one
globetrotter to be the best he had seen in the tropics save one at
Hongkong. Worth visiting are the pretty plazas with rare and luxuriant
vegetation, the market, and a great hospital on the hill above the town,
fitted with modern appliances, and comparing favorably, one says, with
the Ancon Hospital at Panama.
The swift current of the river is noticeable, the strong tide running
rapidly, six hours each, up and down. Small boats, taking advantage of
this, may thus go with slight effort in either direction; but with hard
labor if the tide is adverse. Much used are the native _balsas_, made of
tree trunks, five, seven, or nine lashed together, many with small
houses upon them. With _balsas_ they even venture upon the ocean as far
as Paita. Panama hats are here purchasable, which with cocoa and ivory
nuts are among the chief exports of the country.
To make the journey to Quito one may, the day of arrival, cross from
Guayaquil by boat to Durán on the other side of the river, whence a
railroad leads 297 miles to the capital city. The fare from Guayaquil is
$17.40 each way. Departing from Durán Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at
6.30 a.m., the train arrives at 6.30 p.m. at Riobamba, where the night
is spent at the Grand Central Hotel, price one or two dollars. Leaving
Riobamba at 6.40 a.m. one arrives at Quito at four. Each day a halt is
made for the noon meal at a way station. The train, at first passing
among great sugar estates, then ascending gradually through a luxuriant
tropical region, presently reaches the higher temperate zone where by
contrast the night will seem decidedly chill. At 4000 or 5000 feet the
way seems barred by lofty hills, but the American constructing engineer
cut in the face of the granite a zigzag path with switchbacks of four
levels making a rise to 9000 feet. After some distance through volcanic
country, a similar cul-de-sac is surmounted by a similar switchback with
a seven per cent grade to the Pass of Palmyra, 12,000 feet. Wastes of
sand and shifting grass, resembling a sea-coast, are an unexpected
variety in the scenery.
Descending gradually to Cajabamba, 11,000 feet, one passes, the first
afternoon, splendid _Chimborazo_, still supposed by many to be the
highest mountain in America, _a great mistake_, as its altitude is only
20,498 feet, more than that of Mt. McKinley, but over 2000 feet _less_
than that of Aconcagua, on the border of Chile and Argentina, the
highest measured mountain on the Western Hemisphere. Moreover, this
tallest of the Ecuadorian Andes is surpassed by fifty or more peaks
farther south; among these, Huascarán and Coropuna in Peru, Illampu,
Illimani, and Sajama in Bolivia. The first ascent of Chimborazo, made in
1880 by Edward Whymper with two Swiss guides, was at the time considered
a wonderful feat. The same year Whymper ascended the active volcano,
Cotopaxi, 19,613 feet, farther east and nearer to Quito. Near Cajabamba
are a few remains of ancient Inca edifices.
Beyond Riobamba, a little farther on, the road the second day goes lower
to Ambato, 8000 feet, a town in a deep basin with a delightful climate,
headquarters for trade with the _Oriente_. A broad sterile plain is
crossed near the foot of _Cotopaxi_, a beautiful truncated cone, smoking
continuously. Above the snow clad slopes, a gray and white cloud is
formed in the shape of an enormous branching tree, which at length
breaks off and floats away. Near the snow line of the volcano is a huge
mass of rock called the Inca’s head, said to have been the original
summit of the mountain, torn off and hurled below on the day of the
execution of the Inca, Atahuallpa. Beyond the Pass Chasqui is the
charming green valley Machachi. In a bowl shaped depression entered by
three gateways, through one of which the railroad passes, crossing a
bridge over the Machangara River, is found the white, but red-roofed
city, the capital famed as lying under the equator; it is within a
quarter of a degree.
=Quito.= Beautifully situated among the mountains at an altitude of 9600
feet, Quito enjoys a climate as delightful as the prospect. In former
days travelers have united their admiration for the scenery with groans
over the accommodations provided. It is said that good hotels now exist,
the Royal Palace, the Hotel de Paris, Hotel Americano, and Casa Azul.
The city has a population of 75,000, including many charming and
cultivated Spanish Americans, and more Indians, who in gay ponchos of
orange and scarlet are a striking contrast to the ladies in smart
victorias, the gentlemen in frock coats and silk hats, the officers in
dress uniforms, and the throng of mules, horses, donkeys, and llamas,
frequently crowding the streets.
On the principal plaza are handsome government and municipal buildings,
the cathedral, and the bishop’s palace. Among many beautiful churches
and convents is the Jesuits’ church, the interior superb in scarlet and
genuine gold, and its choir singers imported from Europe. Quito, too,
has one of the prettiest theatres in South America, which is saying more
than you might imagine, if this is your first call on that continent.
The temperature of Quito averaging 60°, ranging from 50° to 70° only, is
comfortable enough to make exercise desirable, and variety is easily
attained. A half day’s journey will bring one to a deep sultry valley
with tropical vegetation; hence every kind of fruit and vegetable is in
the market. Or four hours will take one to a region of eternal frost.
And thither every one should go, for from the top of Mt. Pichincha,
16,000 feet, at the foot of which is Quito, may be had a splendid view
of twenty snowclad peaks, from 15,000 to 20,000 feet in height.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER VI
ON THE WAY TO CALLAO
On board ship at the Balboa docks, recently enlarged by the United
States Government, the surroundings at high tide are beautiful. On three
sides are green wooded hills, some of which might almost be dignified as
mountains. The wide stream coming down at the northwest is the Pacific
entrance to the Canal. Below are pretty islands to one of which, Naos,
the breakwater, three and a quarter miles long, will extend. At low
tide, when the water has fallen 18 feet, as it does twice in the
twenty-four hours, an ugly expanse of flats is visible on each side of
the channel. Should one spend the night here, he may be so fortunate as
to see the sun or moon rise, not set, from the Pacific Ocean; so far
west is Panama City of the western shore of South America, at least of
Colombia, for the Isthmus runs east and west instead of north and south.
As the steamer leaves the dock, one should linger in the stern of the
vessel to look back at the charming picture. Thus standing and gazing
rearwards, the city of Panama will soon appear on the right, finely
situated on a promontory with water on three sides, thus with excellent
opportunities for drainage, and now as healthy a city as may be found in
the Torrid Zone, surpassing in this particular many of those in
temperate climes.
The Peaceful Ocean will gently “Rock the Cradle of the Deep” and the
voyage will be a pleasure. Formerly ten days to Callao, it is now six or
seven. The weather is warm, with summer clothes in order, probably until
Paita is reached; so warm that enthusiasts only will care for the
vigorous exercise of deck golf, yet not uncomfortably hot. The crossing
of the equator is made without ceremony: even with careful inquiry it is
difficult to ascertain just when the equinoctial line is passed. The
Pole star has vanished, yet in our summer months a part of the
constellation of the Dipper, still above the horizon, may be recognized
far down the coast.
With no sight of land for three days, there will be time on this
tranquil sea to brush up our Spanish, or if we have none to brush, at
least to pick up a few words and phrases. Or there is opportunity for a
brief review of South American history. Prescott perchance is in the
library, or other books, historical or descriptive, of the various
countries to be visited. That we see only what we are prepared to see is
an old saying, as true of South America as of Europe. A slight knowledge
of South American history and of present conditions will illumine the
journey, increasing both pleasure and profit. A course of reading at
home and a little study of Spanish will bring infinite reward. For those
who have neglected this, brief allusions to facts of history, geography,
etc., will be scattered here and there.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Every one has heard of the Incas and of the conquest of Peru by
Pizarro, but a few particulars of the remarkable subjugation of a
great people will here be recalled. As early as 1524 Francisco
Pizarro, incited by rumors at Panama of a country at the south
marvellously rich in gold, for the purpose of exploration only, made
his first expedition to Peru. Landing at Tumbes on the south shore
of the Gulf of Guayaquil, he found an opulent city, whence he
proceeded along the coast as far as Trujillo. Satisfied by this
reconnoissance as to the great wealth of the country, he was obliged
to return to Spain to procure royal warrant for the invasion. This
gained he set out from Panama in January, 1531, upon his
extraordinary career of conquest. Partners in his adventure were
Diego de Almagro and a priest, Hernando de Luque.
Again landing at Tumbes he advanced overland southward and in a
fertile valley founded the present city of Piura. Some months were
here passed, a vain delay for reinforcements; Pizarro meanwhile
learning of the quarrel between the two Inca princes, the brothers
Atahuallpa and Huascar, and that the former, victorious, was now
with a large retinue, ten days’ journey from Piura, at the town of
Cajamarca whither he had gone to take the baths.
To attempt the conquest of a great empire with an army of less than
200 men seems preposterous indeed, but the bold, one would say
insane, Pizarro, had he not succeeded, at length set out with 180
men, 67 of whom were cavalry. However, these last were equivalent to
a mighty host; for horses, never before seen in this country, struck
terror to the stoutest hearts. It was a hard march across the
desert, then up over the great coast range of the Andes down to the
longitudinal valley in which Cajamarca is situated. On the way they
were met by messengers bearing royal gifts, with an invitation to
visit the powerful ruler of this immense empire. Through narrow
defiles where a large force might easily have been annihilated, the
little army was permitted to march in safety. Upwards in bitter cold
and rarefied air they toiled to a height of 12,000 feet or more
until they looked down upon a beautiful valley, a prosperous city,
and the camp of a great army.
With bold faces if quaking hearts they descended, November 15, 1532,
to the city which they found deserted: that better accommodations,
it was said, might be furnished to the distinguished guests. The
next day, accepting the invitation of Pizarro that he should dine
with him, Atahuallpa with a large retinue, unarmed, came in royal
state to the Plaza. In place of the courteous greeting from Pizarro
which was here due, a priest, Father Valverde, came forward. Having
expounded the chief doctrines of the Christian religion he thereupon
demanded the Inca’s allegiance to the Pope and to the Emperor
Charles V. Upon Atahuallpa’s indignant rejection of this piece of
bold and insolent presumption, Valverde called on Pizarro to make an
assault. The signal was given, guns boomed, the cavalry charged upon
the defenseless throng. Instead of the hospitality that had been
proffered there was a scene of terrible slaughter. The Inca was
seized and imprisoned, after which a ransom was arranged. The
collection for this purpose of more than $15,000,000 worth of gold
dishes, plate, and other objects was followed by a second act of
perfidy. Accused of various crimes, Atahuallpa, instead of being
released, was condemned to be burned at the stake; or if he would
consent to embrace Christianity to have the easier death of
strangulation. This he chose. Thus the courtly monarch of this
highly civilized empire, one of the first on that continent to be
baptized (revolting mockery) into the Christian faith, was
ignominiously put to death after the most shameless betrayal of the
rites of hospitality, the most brutal treachery, to be found on the
pages of history.
Thus was accomplished the conquest of Peru. The Inca executed, his
humble subjects made but little and sporadic resistance. Cuzco, the
capital city, was visited and stripped of many of its treasures. For
the conciliation of the populace, Manco, a younger brother of
Atahuallpa, was crowned; but the real power was placed in the hands
of one of Pizarro’s brothers.
Francisco then descended to the coast and, on January 6, 1535,
founded on the banks of the Rimac, a capital which he named City of
the Kings in honor of the Epiphany, although Lima, a corruption of
Rimac, is the title by which it has been called. Such a beginning
was naturally followed by a period of dissensions and murders, which
lasted twenty years. For nearly three centuries a Spanish Viceroy
ruled over the country, until in 1824, at Ayacucho on the highlands
of Peru, the last battle of independence was fought, the whole of
South America was liberated from the domination of Spain, and the
realms of the Inca became free to develop a new civilization.
=Panama to Salaverry.= For three days after leaving Panama the ship is
out of sight of land, which is again approached near the northern
extremity of Peru. This coast is unlike that of any other country in the
world, to the uninitiated presenting a series of surprises. The first is
the climate, which in the Torrid Zone one naturally expects to be hot,
at least at sea level. On the East Coast of South America this is the
case, but not on the West after reaching Peru. Panama, Colombia, and
Ecuador have ordinary tropical weather, continuous heat with plenty of
rain and luxuriant vegetation. Peru is in striking contrast. From Paita,
5° south of the equator, throughout the journey of 1200 miles along the
coast, all within the tropics, the weather is so cool at least half of
the year that exercise is a pleasure, while wraps and steamer rugs are
frequently desirable. Of this moderate temperature the chief cause is
the Antarctic or Humboldt current, which flows along the coast from the
South Polar regions until, at Point Pariña, the western extremity of
South America, it meets a hot stream and both turn westward across the
Pacific. The proximity to the sea of the lofty range of the Andes also
contributes to the coolness.
Another surprising phenomenon is the barren shore. The entire coast for
2000 miles, from Tumbes, to Coquimbo in Chile, is a genuine desert, save
where, at considerable intervals, the fifty-eight streams in Peru,
coming down from the mountains, afford opportunity for irrigation. The
lack of verdure in Peru is not occasioned by the character of the soil;
it arises simply from the absence of rain.
=Paita.= The fourth morning after leaving Panama the ship is likely to
be at anchor in the harbor of Paita, having passed in the night the more
northern Peruvian shore. Otherwise one might from a distance perceive
near Point Pariña the pipes and derricks of many oil wells. For the
petroleum industry is important in Peru. In this Department, Piura, the
oil regions cover an area as large as Holland. It is said that the
petroleum is superior to that of the United States, having little
paraffine and no odor; that the kerosene gives a better light, and that
the crude oil may be employed as fuel after merely standing a few days
in the open air. For the last ten years the oil has been thus used in
the locomotives of the Oroya Railway; it is now similarly employed on
the Peruvian steamers. There is a great field for the development of the
industry in this and other districts of the country.
After several days on board ship most of the passengers improve the
opportunity of going ashore. The regular fare as at other ports is forty
_centavos_ (twenty cents) each way for each person. Paita is a curious
place, a small village, yet the third port in Peru in the amount of
exports and imports, serving a considerable district including the city
of Piura, with which it is connected by a railroad of standard gauge.
The walls of the houses are of bamboo, set perpendicularly, some
overspread with plaster often partly peeled off, others destitute of
covering. Climbing the hills back of the town you will perceive a
genuine desert, in the distance fringed by low mountains. “Paita,” said
the Captain on my first voyage in 1903, “is the dryest place on earth.”
From its appearance I was not inclined to dispute the fact, but having
heard that it rains there once in seven years and in Iquique not at all
I inquired how this might be. “That is easy,” replied the Captain. “In
Iquique there are heavy dews, here nothing, and now it has skipped one
shower and it is almost fourteen years since it has rained.” This was no
idle jest. The drought continued until February, 1910, when there was a
heavy shower, the first in nineteen years. There are no wells, hence all
water is brought by rail and sparingly used; therefore there is no
green. The town of _Piura_, on the contrary, 60 miles distant, is in an
irrigated valley where the finest cotton is a staple production and
where new irrigation canals are increasing the possibilities for
agriculture. A few miles farther is _Catacaos_, where half of the 20,000
inhabitants are engaged in making the 260,000 Panama hats here annually
produced. While Ecuador is the chief seat of the industry, hats may be
purchased at Paita to better advantage than at Guayaquil. The natives
who come on board ship bring various articles for sale, paroquets,
mocking-birds, fruit, pottery, ancient and modern, as well as the Panama
hats. These of good quality may be purchased at from $2.00 to $12 or $15
gold, the latter of the Monte Christo quality, all at about one-fourth
of the price commonly asked for a similar article in New York. The best
are rarely found in the United States at any price.
Some day Paita with its excellent harbor will become a port of great
importance. A railroad 400 miles long is planned and has been surveyed
to Melendez on the Marañon, the larger of the two rivers (the other, the
Ucayali) uniting to form the Amazon. Crossing the Andes in one of its
lowest sections, where a short tunnel at 5000 feet altitude will serve
instead of the long ones, above 10,000 and 15,000 feet, through the
mountains farther south, this road will bring the rubber country in the
neighborhood of Iquitos, the chief port on the upper Amazon, within two
weeks of New York, instead of the four or five weeks by way of Pará. On
this route, too, are said to be millions of tons of iron, as well as
coal and other minerals.
On leaving Paita, if not before, the tourist will be likely to feel the
need of heavier underwear. The air in winter is damp and chilly. The
temperature in my cabin was 60°. At this season clouds generally conceal
the sun, making a gloomy sea, and the little patches of blue sky are
small.
=Etén=, the next port, 161 miles farther south, the ship is likely to
reach the next morning. An iron pier 2000 feet long is noticeable,
though a good distance away. Callao is the only seaport below Panama
having docks which may be approached by large ships. The slope of the
beaches is so gradual that even for the use of the lighters long piers
are necessary. Etén has an especially poor anchorage, an open roadstead
where there is often a moderate swell, so that the passing traveler
seldom goes ashore. Frequently passengers must be taken on board by
means of a sort of barrel or hogshead destitute of one side. One person
sits, another stands on the edge. Thus they are raised with windlass,
chain, and pulley, and gently deposited on deck.
=Pacasmayo=, 34 miles farther, is usually visited the same day. This is
quite a town with a railroad running 85 miles up country, some day to be
prolonged to Cajamarca, now rather difficult of access.
The coast presents for the most part a study in browns, diversified by
occasional patches of green, the size of which varies with that of the
stream coming down from the mountains and the extent of irrigation in
the valley. The great mountain range is surprisingly near the sea. There
are indeed foothills, and in the northern and southern sections of Peru,
back of the high bluffs which generally line the coast, a plain
stretches away to lofty mountains. These, however, are near enough to be
always in sight if it were not for another peculiarity of this rainless
coast, the low clouds or mist which too often conceal or obscure them.
Along the central portion of Peru beginning with Salaverry, the
mountains come down to the shore in many bold headlands and are
sometimes so disposed as to present an appearance of several ranges of
varying altitudes, the rearmost, a frowning almost perpendicular black
wall, which, back of Chimbote and Samanco, rises to the extraordinary
height of 15,000 to 18,000 feet. Barely, a snow-crowned summit is there
seen peeping over a depression in the Black Range, the north peak of the
great _Huascarán_, 21,812 feet above the sea, first ascended in 1908 by
Miss Annie S. Peck with two Swiss guides. At present Huascarán is called
the second highest measured mountain in America, but it is far more
difficult to climb than Aconcagua, now holding first place. Had one a
clear view of these great ranges, the voyage to the mountain lover would
be of real fascination. As it is, the long halts at the various ports to
discharge and receive freight become a trifle monotonous. Possibly,
after the opening of the Canal, there will be through service with
direct express to Callao from Panama.
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CHAPTER VII
SALAVERRY—CHAN CHAN—CHIMBOTE—THE HUAILAS VALLEY
=Salaverry=, 66 miles from Pacasmayo, is usually reached during the
night. At this port a few tourists may be tempted to disembark, perhaps
with two objects in view; one to visit the ancient city of Chan Chan,
the flourishing city of Trujillo, and the great sugar plantations of the
valley; the other, for the purpose of transferring to the _caletero_
boat, in order to land at Chimbote or Samanco, thence to visit the
Huailas Valley to admire its magnificent scenery, including the peerless
Huascarán. By taking at Panama the Sunday steamer (fortnightly) of the
Peruvian Line, one may land at Chimbote or Samanco without change.
Salaverry, with one or two hundred houses on the desert shore, is a port
merely, near a bold bluff which helps to make a fair harbor. A great
quantity of sugar from the Chicama and Santa Catalina Valleys is the
chief export.
=Trujillo=, eight miles by rail from the harbor, is a pretty city of
10,000 people. Founded by Pizarro in 1535 near the ruined capital of the
Grand Chimu, it is one of the most aristocratic of Peruvian cities.
First among these to proclaim independence, December 22, 1820, the
Department received from Bolívar the name La Libertad. Trujillo
possesses a pretty shaded plaza, fashionable for the evening promenade,
several convents, and interesting churches, one of which, the San
Augustín, is noteworthy on account of the excellent carving and rich
gilding of the pulpit and high altar. It has a hospital, a university, a
club, a hippodrome, a theater, and three daily papers; also, most
important to the traveler, a respectable but far from luxurious hotel
providing rooms, while fair meals may be procured at a Chinese
restaurant close by.
=Sugar Estates.= Well worth a visit are the splendid sugar estates up
the Chicama Valley, _Casa Grande_, _Roma_, _Cartavio_, and others. The
first, an hour by rail from Trujillo, is said to be the largest sugar
plantation in the world, containing a total population of 11,000,
one-fourth of which is engaged in labor in the fields or mills. This
valley, which in the time of the Grand Chimu supported a great
population, was in the last century almost a barren desert up to 1873,
when a German visiting the valley discovered the ancient irrigating
canal, bought up land, and soon made the desert blossom as the rose.
This valley produces more sugar than the entire island of Porto Rico,
sugar of the finest quality. In the temperate, equable climate, the cane
all along the coast matures early, is unusually rich in sugar, and may
be cut all the year around. It may be raised at a profit if sold at 1½
cents a pound. The estates have the best of machinery, and expert
managers who employ the latest and the most approved methods. Churches,
schools, and hospitals are provided. The dwellings of the proprietors
and superintendents contain most of the conveniences and luxuries of
modern life, including telephones. The annual export of sugar from
Salaverry amounts to 50,000 tons, and from Huanchacho near by to half as
much more. Within 30 miles of Salaverry are also rich copper and silver
mines, far more accessible than those on the plateau region above, and
with a more agreeable climate. Their development on a large scale will
not long be delayed.
=Chan Chan.= The tourist who is not a possible investor or looking after
commercial interests may rather turn his attention to the great ruins
north of Trujillo on the road to the small seaport, Huanchacho. Every
one interested in antiquities should visit the ruins of Chan Chan, the
largest and most important of the dead cities on our western coast. For
a good pedestrian it is a moderate walk from Trujillo, though a horse
may well serve the majority. Here the Grand Chimu once ruled over the
twenty northern valleys of the Peruvian coast, from Tumbes on the north
to Supe, well towards the Rimac valley on the south. Here was a
civilization entirely distinct from that of the Incas, unhappily
overthrown by them some four generations before the Conquest by Pizarro.
A fertile plain 90 miles long was watered from three rivers by a
remarkable system of irrigation. An aqueduct tapping the Muchi River
high up in the mountains carried water across the valley on an
embankment 60 feet high. Remains of a great reservoir between Trujillo
and Casa Grande indicate a capacity, of two billion cubic feet of water.
The city itself, open to the sea, was protected on the east from land
invaders by a thick and lofty wall extending for miles along its
borders. That it was at last compelled to succumb to the Incas is
believed to be because these succeeded in diverting the water supply.
The site of Chan Chan, once probably the largest city in the New World,
with an area of fifty or sixty square miles, is now a melancholy
spectacle. What ruthless destruction has been wrought! What loss to the
human race, through the overthrow of ancient civilization, again and
again followed by relapses into partial or complete barbarism and
toilsome progress upward! Will people ever learn to moderate their greed
for wealth and power, and suffer others to dwell in peace after their
own fashion!
For a cursory or careful inspection of the ruins a guide should be
employed, as wandering at random one may miss or fail to understand the
most important remains. In the labyrinth of walls with various
enclosures containing numerous buildings, an immense mound is an
occasional feature. One built of stone and rubble, 150 feet high, called
Obispo, covers an area of 500 square feet. To the casual observer the
design would not be obvious. Originally the mounds were in terraces,
upon which buildings were erected with various passages leading to store
rooms or burial chambers in the interior. With gardens around their base
a splendid effect must have been created. The Spaniards early searched
these mounds for treasure, with great success. From one called the
Toledo three million dollars are said to have been taken; from the
entire city $15,000,000. A broad lower mound proved to be a cemetery,
where in niches were found mummies in elaborate garments of fine cotton
adorned with gold and silver. In the center is a structure doubtless for
the performance of the funeral rites.
The great palace of the Chimu enclosed a large hall 100 by 52½ feet. Its
walls, containing a series of niches, were covered between with stucco
relief work in arabesque patterns. Two structures of unusual form are
believed to be factories. Arranged around a square which had a reservoir
in the center were twenty-two recesses, probably for shops. Opening on
smaller courts and passages were one hundred and eleven rooms, probably
workshops for artificers in gold, silver, and bronze, and for designers,
dyers, potters, and weavers. Wonderful ornaments of gold and silver have
been found, fine textile fabrics, and most remarkable, the pottery,
white, black, and pale red, which in immense quantities has been taken
from the mounds called _huacas_, a name applied also to the objects. On
the various specimens of this ceramic ware is portrayed every kind of
fish, bird, mammal, and fruit, with which they were acquainted, also
human beings, some in portraits, others as caricatures. There are groups
engaged in war dances, in harvesting, and in other occupations. Some
specimens of the pottery are said to be equal to any which has been
fashioned, from the best days of ancient Greece up to the present time.
Near the banks of the river Muchi at the south, stood a temple to the
moon called Si An, where important religious ceremonies and processions
took place.
Evidently the Grand Chimu was a powerful monarch with a magnificent
court, ruling over subjects who lived in comfort. Their language,
Mochica, is little known, as the race is practically extinct. When
conquered by the Incas they were neither destroyed nor robbed of all
their wealth. It was Pizarro and his followers who, though amazed at the
greatness and beauty of the edifices, wantonly robbed and persecuted the
inhabitants until the country was laid waste. The people and their
civilization vanished and were forgotten. The language, wholly different
from the Quichua, gives no hint as to the origin of the people. Neither
does tradition lighten the mystery, nor their art, which relates wholly
to their environment, though betraying some similarity to Mayo works. An
exhaustive study of the language and of the archæological remains is
required to reconstruct the history of this remarkable people whose
ancestors are believed to have dwelt here long before the Christian Era.
_Moche._ Between the city of Trujillo and the port Salaverry is an
Indian town called Moche, the inhabitants of which may be remnants of
this old race. They wear a distinctive dress, are proud of their unmixed
lineage, and do not intermarry with others. The costume of the women,
merely a chemise with a piece of dark blue cloth wrapped around the body
and fastened at the waist, to be seen anywhere in Moche, is not allowed
in Trujillo.
Continuing from Salaverry by express steamer, one arrives the day
following at Callao, a twenty-two hours’ run.
=Chimbote and the Huailas Valley.= The tourist who desires to behold the
wonderful scenery of the Huailas Valley and magnificent Huascarán,
surely repaying a little trouble, at present transfers at Salaverry to
the weekly _caletero_ boat for Chimbote or Samanco, unless he has sailed
in the Sunday Peruvian steamer. With the completion of the railway to
Caráz and beyond, promised within a year or two (as, alas! since 1906),
Chimbote will doubtless become a primary port, receiving calls from the
express steamers. When this happens, no one should omit the delightful
railway journey of 135 miles to Yungay, at the foot of the great
Huascarán. At the moment, the trip may be enjoyed by the robust
traveler, as the three or four days’ horseback ride into the valley
involves no hardship, save fatigue to those unwonted to such journeys.
The harbor of _Chimbote_, by some called the finest on the entire West
Coast below Panama, is practically landlocked by a peninsula and several
islands. It has an area of about 36 square miles, without a single rock
below its placid surface. The usual pier extends from a sandy beach
which affords splendid bathing facilities; but docks, approachable by
the largest ships, could be arranged on one of the islands, which a
bridge across a 200-yard channel would easily connect with the main
land. The American capitalist, Henry Meiggs, the prime mover in the
construction of the South and Central Peruvian Railways, had the
foresight in the early seventies to perceive the great business
possibilities of the Chimbote harbor, and planned the railway from
Chimbote up the valley of the Santa River and along the Huailas Valley
to Huaráz, 167 miles. A beginning was made, the road bed was constructed
for 80 miles, the rails were laid for 60, when the Chilian war broke
out. The invaders, having captured Chimbote, carried off the rolling
stock and supplies, and destroyed whatever could not be removed. After
the close of the war, Peru being bankrupt, the project remained for some
years in abeyance, during which time the road was operated only to
Tablones, a distance of 35 miles. Under recent concessions some work has
been accomplished and the road is now open 30 miles farther. It is
expected that the Peruvian Corporation, at present in control, will soon
complete the line to Recuay, a little beyond Huaráz, when better
accommodations for tourists will surely be provided. At present some of
the towns have no hotels whatever, while in others those existing are
very poor. Happily the residents are most hospitable, and strangers with
letters of introduction, or in some cases without, are agreeably
entertained by some of the best families. Naturally, with better
facilities for travel this pleasant custom will cease. At Chimbote the
small and poor hotel where I stayed in 1906, if not already enlarged and
improved, will doubtless soon be superseded by a more adequate
establishment. Back of the town, together with a mound and walls
remaining from an ancient city, are vestiges of an aqueduct, presumably
constructed in Chimu days. When these are repaired the desert plain near
by, which bears an excellent soil, will be fruitful enough to support
the great city laid out by Meiggs and expected to follow the completion
of the railroad. This project was originally undertaken, not for the
purpose of conducting tourists to the splendid scenery of the Huailas
Valley, nor primarily for the convenience of its present large
population and the export of its agricultural products. The chief value
of the railroad lies in its opening up the immense coal fields of the
region. Along the Santa River are millions of tons of excellent coal,
which some persons believed worthless, because it is chiefly anthracite
and semi-anthracite, therefore non-coking; ignorant of the fact that
except for smelting purposes it is more valuable than soft coal.
This railroad has an advantage over the others leading into the
interior, in being able to follow the Santa River through a cut in the
Coast Range, instead of climbing 15,000 feet over it. Thus by a moderate
grade it will reach the Huailas Valley. A serious impediment to the
construction is the narrow gorge through the mountains, impracticable
even for a pedestrian; yet the difficulty will soon be overcome. After
ten miles on the desert the road passes near sugar plantations and
haciendas. The region of coal deposits follows, extending through the
mountain range and up the two lateral valleys beyond, the north in the
direction of Cajamarca, the south, the Huailas Valley, to Recuay. The
passage of the sombre gorge will be along the side of splendid cliffs
with a foaming stream below, a continuous spectacle of superb grandeur.
Turning south into the Huailas Valley, from one to four miles wide, the
traveler has the White Range on the east, the Black on the west. The
floor of the valley is beautiful with green fields of alfalfa and
vegetables, with vineyards, fig and orange trees, chirimoias, and other
tropical and sub-tropical fruits, and with hedges of fragrant flowers:
above are rounded hillsides bearing the grains, green or golden, of
temperate climes, higher are cliffs either gray or black, and on the
east white peaks of dazzling splendor rising 14,000, 16,000 feet above
the valley, which itself slowly ascends from 4000 to 10,000 feet above
the sea. The lower western wall attains an altitude of from 15,000 to
18,000 feet. Travelers may always disagree as to the finest scenery in
the world, but few visitors to this valley will deny that it is
unsurpassed in the Western Hemisphere. In scenic splendor excelling
Chamonix, in mineral riches it rivals the Klondike; for on both sides,
the mountains are veined with gold, silver, and copper, as well as the
more useful if plebeian coal.
[Illustration:
MT. HUASCARÁN, FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FEET
]
[Illustration:
LLANGANUCO GORGE
]
=Huascarán.= _Caráz_, a pretty town with a delightful climate at an
altitude of 6000 feet, is situated at the base of Huandoy, 21,000 feet,
while _Yungay_, at 8300 feet, has a still finer location on the lower
slope of the great _Huascarán_, one of the most beautiful of the world’s
mountains, first climbed by Miss Peck on her sixth attempt, September 2,
1908, in company with two Swiss guides, her earlier efforts being
rendered abortive through inability to provide other assistants than the
inexpensive and incompetent natives. In recognition of this remarkable
ascent to a summit 1500 feet higher than Mt. McKinley, Miss Peck was
presented by the Government of Peru with a very beautiful gold medal. Of
the twin peaks, the north was the summit attained: this, according to
later measurement by French engineers, has an altitude of 21,812 feet;
the south peak, 22,187 feet, pronounced by the guides impossible at the
time, remains for some other mountaineer to conquer. Other snow
mountains a little lower, of varying degrees of difficulty, afford
opportunity for a number of first ascents of 20,000 feet and upwards.
The tourist who is not a mountain climber will find ample reward for his
journey in admiring these peaks from the valley. He should, however,
take a few horseback rides, especially one from Yungay through the
_Llanganuco Gorge_, by which there is a frequented pass between
Huascarán and Huandoy to the mountainous and mineral region east of the
White Range. This splendid excursion may be made in a single day from
Yungay, but the feeble, or the novice in horseback riding may prefer to
spend the night at a ranch house at the east end of the gorge, perhaps
extending the excursion some distance beyond. In any case provisions
should be taken from Yungay.
After a pleasant two hours’ ride over the green foothills, one enters
the narrow gorge four miles long, and a quarter to a half mile wide,
where a sublime spectacle is presented. Practically perpendicular
cliffs, more lofty than those of the Yosemite, rise on either hand,
until at the center of the gorge one gazes at the sheer north wall of
Huascarán towering 10,000 feet above the floor of the cañon which itself
has a height of 12,000 feet. On the left, high up between massive
triangular cliffs, gleam glaciers of the sharper Huandoy, almost as high
as the snowy coverlet peering over the edge of Huascarán. A beautiful
lake half a mile long, near the center occupies the entire floor of the
valley. One rides along the pathway, in places cut out of the solid
rock, in others supported by tree trunks, where a horse’s stumble might
easily precipitate his rider into the so-called fathomless lake 100 feet
below; but the excellent horses climb veritable stairs with ease, and
there is no occasion for disquietude. In the distant foreground a
beautiful snowclad mountain is in brilliant contrast to the somber and
awesome surroundings. A second lake follows; a silvery waterfall on the
left leaps down a few thousand feet in a shimmering shower of spray.
Beyond the lakes are meadows, then the ranch house. To continue thence
to the south to behold the eastern face of Huascarán and other splendid
peaks is well worth the sturdy traveler’s while. At least the Llanganuco
Gorge should be traversed by every visitor to the valley, though many of
the natives of Yungay have never admired its grandeur, as many residents
of Buffalo have never seen Niagara Falls. Several delightful walks or
rides should be taken to the hills back of Yungay, and to a buttress of
the Black Range opposite. From one of the former, a little to the south,
may be had the finest possible view of the mountain. A pleasant ride, of
three hours each way (a whole day should be allowed for the trip), is to
the gold mine Matarao (10,000 feet), above the village of Mancos. From
this point Huascarán may be climbed; or one may walk up to the snow line
and return the same day, if not affected by the altitude.
Before the completion of the railroad the tourist may adventure thither
by riding up over the Black Range. Without letters of introduction to
hospitable hosts, one should write a week or two in advance to the
steamship agent at Samanco requesting him to have horses ready at the
port, since none may be obtained there. One may ride on the day of
arrival 30 miles to Moro where there is a poor hotel. The second day one
may proceed to Pamparomás, where food and lodging of a sort are
provided. A long third day’s ride will bring one at nightfall to Yungay.
From the altitude of 14,700 feet at the top of the pass in the Black
Range, there is a glorious picture of the Cordillera Blanca, a row of
snowclad giants extending north and south as far as the eye can reach;
while a gloomy cañon close in front leads down to the beautiful valley.
A truly hardy traveler may enjoy pursuing his way up the Huailas Valley
to Huaráz and on to Cerro de Pasco, from Yungay a ten days’ journey;
either by way of Huánuco in the _montaña_ section east of the mountains,
or by Chiquián on the plateau near the foot of another splendid peak.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER VIII
CALLAO TO LIMA—HISTORY
=Callao.= The harbor of Callao, six or seven days direct from Panama, in
contrast to the ports where the ship has previously called, presents an
attractive picture. If the arrival is in the early evening the brilliant
and extensive display of lights indicates a considerable city and a wide
array of shipping. By day one will admire the varied landscape, the busy
docks and the city in front, the verdure of the Rimac Valley at the left
with its scattered enclosing heights often partly hidden by clouds, and
the contrasting bluffs of the islands San Lorenzo and Fronton on the
right, which, with the long sandy bar called La Punta extending a mile
out from the city, form a well protected harbor. Of the few such on the
West Coast this alone has been actively utilized. Unfortunately the
other chief commercial ports are open roadsteads. In 1537, two years
after the founding of Lima, a city was established at the port, where
soon there was a busy harbor, with vessels bringing all kinds of
merchandise from Europe, and departing laden with rich cargoes of gold
and silver and a few other products. In the early colonial days Callao
was several times pillaged by pirates, but later suffered a far greater
calamity, exceeding the recent disasters at Valparaiso and San
Francisco, and paralleled only by the fate of Port Royal. October 28,
1746, a terrible earthquake occurred, accompanied by a tidal wave which
engulfed the city, destroying all, save one or two, of the 6000
inhabitants. The site sank beneath the ocean. The present city was
rebuilt to the north of the earlier settlement. Many ships lie at anchor
in its harbor, some at the docks, others outside: sailing vessels, large
steamers, both passenger and freight, a half-dozen men of war, Peruvian,
British, perhaps American, the last probably flying the only United
States flag visible. Seldom does a ship approach the docks on arrival,
and not at all if its stay is to be short. The freight is discharged
into lighters, the passengers with their baggage into rowboats. As the
water is always smooth, this, though inconvenient and an additional
expense, is no great hardship. The fare to the shore is 40 _centavos_. A
bargain should be made with the _fletero_, as the men are called who
have numbers on their hats indicating that they are duly licensed. These
men will take charge of your luggage, large pieces and small, delivering
it safely at your hotel in Lima. They are likely to ask double what it
is worth, not in comparison with New York prices, but with what it is
needful to pay. The Lima Express Company has a fixed tariff of 1.50
_soles_ for a large trunk, 80 _centavos_ for each piece of hand baggage,
although for several a reduction may be made. The figure agreed upon
should include the fee for taking both passengers and baggage, except
that the passenger will often make his own way from the dock to his
hotel in Lima. Stipulation should be made for the delivery of the
baggage within two or three hours, though it may then arrive much later.
What one carries one’s self should not be counted. If undecided what
hotel to patronize one may arrange with the _fletero_ for half price to
conduct him and to transport his baggage to the railway station, where
it may be checked to Lima. Trains every half hour, fare 20 _ctvs._
Leaving it at the station Desamparados in Lima, a block from the
principal plaza, the tourist may look about and arrange where to go.
Persons who have decided in advance may go with the _fletero_ to the
railway station or, after passing the customs examination at the dock,
may turn to the right, then left, and walk a block or so to the electric
cars which run every ten minutes to Lima, a ride of about twenty minutes
through the center of Callao, and along a broad boulevard to the larger
city eight miles distant. From the end of the line in Lima it is a walk
of four blocks to the left and one to the right to the Hotel Maury; or a
cab may be taken (fare for one or two persons, 40 _centavos_), to the
destination desired.
The tourist on landing will give Callao but a passing glance, and is
likely to return only to embark on his departure; but a few points of
interest may be mentioned. A floating dry dock belonging to the Peruvian
Steamship Company will receive ships of 7000 tons within the space of
two hours. The city is of foreign aspect, with buildings of one or two
stories. Noticeable are the women with stands of strange and familiar
fruits and other edibles. The newsboys seem natural; the electric cars
are of the best quality, some with compartments of the first and second
class, with prices to Lima, 20 and 10 _centavos_ respectively. Among
many narrow streets are some wide ones; two or three small but
respectable hotels afford accommodation at modest prices, one _sol_ a
day for a room, or at double the rate and more. There are several large
plazas, (open squares) and a few Clubs, the English with good quarters
fronting the bay, and with a fine view from the balconies, the Italian,
Centro Naval, Union, Boat Club, etc. Among the churches, hospitals, and
public edifices, the most noticeable is the Aduana or Custom house,
which is seen at the right from the car as it is passing through the
first plaza. Of the churches, that of La Matríz is most important. The
plaza in front is adorned with a statue of General San Martin; the Plaza
Grau has a handsome monument to the celebrated Admiral of that name;
while in the square called Dos de Mayo is a marble pillar surmounted by
a bust of José Galvez, Minister of War, killed in the naval battle at
Callao, May, 1866. Should one desire further information as to shops or
other matters, inquiry may be made at the importing house of W. R. Grace
of New York (ask for _Casa Grace_); or at one of the steamship offices,
all of which are near the landing.
PERUVIAN HISTORY
For the fuller enjoyment and appreciation of Lima, a little more
history may be an advantage. The heroes of Peru are many. The names
of a few will often be heard, and a knowledge of their valiant
deeds, a slight acquaintance with Spanish American History, is
desirable.
After the news of the Conquest had been carried to Charles V
together with the royal fifth of the gold treasure obtained by
Pizarro, the Conqueror received an additional grant of seventy
leagues of land to the south of the two hundred previously bestowed,
which began in Ecuador about one degree north of the equator. To
Almagro, Pizarro’s partner, was given two hundred leagues south of
this dominion. Just where the dividing line ran was a matter of
dispute, each claiming that Cuzco lay in his territory. However, a
truce was declared until Hernando Pizarro should arrive with the
documents, Almagro meanwhile setting out in 1535 on what proved to
be an arduous and futile expedition for the conquest of Chile. On
his return he again set up his claim to Cuzco. A contest with
Hernando Pizarro ensued; Almagro gained possession of the ancient
city, but was later put to death there by order of his old friend
and ally, Francisco Pizarro. The claim of Almagro’s son to his
father’s territory then being denied, this so enraged the followers
of that brave and generous chieftain that they resolved to avenge
his wrongs. Rushing into the house of Pizarro they slew him before
he could arm himself to resist. Thus in 1541 perished the Conqueror
after a few brief years in the enjoyment of his astonishing success.
For nearly three centuries afterward, Peru was governed by a
Viceroy, who until 1740 had authority over the whole of Spanish
South America. The Viceroy was assisted by a _Real Audiencia_,
consisting of four _oidores_ or judges who possessed extensive civil
and criminal powers. Another _Audiencia_ was also established at
Chuquisaca, Sucre, in Alto Peru, now Bolivia. During the colonial
days the Indians were greatly oppressed by the Spanish residents,
who drew vast wealth from the mines and lived in luxury and
splendor. At the same time the colonists suffered various
vicissitudes, attacks by pirates, an epidemic of smallpox, two
severe earthquakes in 1687 and 1746, and insurrections of the
Indians; but in the main the country was prosperous.
For centuries the spirit of loyalty remained, but the North American
and the French revolutions encouraged the spread of liberal ideas,
which events in Spain made easier to be carried into execution.
Although the Viceroy, Fernando Abascal, whose administration lasted
from 1806 to 1816, made many concessions and improvements, it was
impossible to stem the tide. After the abdication of Charles IV of
Spain in 1808 in favor of his son Ferdinand VII, and the subsequent
crowning of Joseph Bonaparte as king, orders were sent out for the
colonists to transfer their allegiance to the new ruler. It
happened, however, that a decree of Charles V in 1530, confirmed by
Philip II in 1563, had authorized the colonies in case of emergency
to convoke _Juntas_ or political assemblies. These convening in the
various colonial capitals declared loyalty to the banished King
Ferdinand and refused to recognize the authority of Spain while in
the hands of a usurper. The leaders were already planning ultimate
independence, but the masses were not yet weaned from their loyalty.
In Buenos Aires the Viceroy was expelled without trouble, but in the
other colonies the struggle was severe and prolonged. In Lima the
Viceroy employed harsh measures against the patriots. In 1809
royalist troops were sent from here to Quito, and an army under
General Goyeneche to Alto Peru, to oppose the revolutionists.
February 13, 1812, independence was proclaimed at Huánuco, in 1814
at Cuzco; but at length the royalists everywhere gained the day, so
that when Abascal retired to Spain in 1816, Buenos Aires alone
remained in the hands of the patriots. Nevertheless, the successor
of Abascal, General Pezuela, was the last of the Viceroys. Although
Ferdinand was now restored to the throne of Spain, the spirit in
favor of independence had become general. With an empty treasury,
and general disorder in the departments of government, the Viceroy
found himself confronted by a resurrection of the enemy who, after
victories in the south and north, at length advanced upon Peru.
First came the Liberating Army from the south, organized in Mendoza
by General San Martin, who, in 1817, had overthrown the royalists in
Chile. Landing near Pisco, 122 miles south of Lima, September 7,
1820, General San Martin issued, September 8, a proclamation stating
that he had come to liberate the people, not to make conquests.
Robbery was prohibited; and bloodshed, except on the field of
battle. The Viceroy proposed a conference which was held at
Miraflores without result.
An army of 1000 soldiers under General Arenales, dispatched by San
Martin from Pisco to the interior, after gaining many recruits
defeated a royalist force near Cerro de Pasco. Meantime San Martin
had proceeded to Ancon just north of Lima, and then to Huaura near
Huacho, while Admiral Cochrane, with his new Chilian fleet, captured
by surprise at night the Spanish frigate _Esmeralda_ in the port of
Callao. In January, 1821, the Viceroy abdicated and returned to
Spain leaving in command General La Serna, who withdrew to the
interior on the advance of the patriot army. July 12, 1821, San
Martin entered the capital; July 28, which is regarded as Peru’s
Independence Day, proclamation was made in the Plaza in front of the
palace—“From this moment Peru is free and independent by the will of
the people and by the justice of their cause which God defends.”
San Martin, now called the Protector, after organizing a provisional
government and arranging for a national congress went to Guayaquil
to meet General Simon Bolívar, who, having freed Venezuela and
Colombia, was coming from the north. The particulars of the
conference were not revealed. A disagreement was evident. San
Martin, returning, resigned the government into the hands of the
Constituent Congress which met in 1822, and withdrew to Argentina
and Europe. The assembly conferred on him the title of Founder of
Liberty of Peru, decreed a life pension and other honors; but the
pension probably lapsed, as San Martin died in comparative poverty
in 1850 at the age of seventy-two. The hero’s patriotism, courage,
skill, unselfish devotion, high principles, and sterling character
make him worthy to stand with the noblest patriots of history. His
name in South America is honored as is that of Washington in North
America, and with equal justice. It should be known among us, as is
Washington’s among them.
General Bolívar arrived in Lima September 1, 1823, and was invested
with supreme power. There were now two armies of royalist troops in
the interior; in July, 1824, the Liberating Army of the North began
its march from the sea over the mountains to Cerro de Pasco. The two
armies met, August 5, on the plain of Junín, where the patriots
gained a complete victory. General Canterac, commander of the
royalist forces, retired to Cuzco, where he was joined by the
southern army under Valdez. The patriots under General Sucre
proceeded to the Apurimac Valley. December 9, 1824, the two armies
met in the hard-fought battle of Ayacucho, which resulted in a
brilliant victory for the patriots and ended Spanish dominion in
America.
Bolívar was made President of Peru for life, the Colombian troops
were voted a magnificent reward; but in 1827 Bolívar retired to
Colombia. Of the troublous times following, up to the war with
Chile, little need be said. The name of Manuel Pardo may be
mentioned, founder of the Civil Party and President from 1872 to
1876, an able statesman, scholar, and patriot, who was assassinated
in 1878 while President of the Senate.
The War of the Pacific broke out in 1879, when Peru, in accordance
with a treaty secretly made with that country, went to the
assistance of Bolivia, after the Chilians had seized Antofagasta,
then a port of Bolivia, on account of a quarrel over an export tax
on nitrate. A noted naval engagement occurred off the coast of
Iquique, when the Peruvian ship _Huascar_ under Admiral Grau sank
the Chilian _Esmeralda_ under the heroic Captain Arturo Prat, who
lost his life in the engagement. To his widow, Admiral Grau, with
kindly spirit, sent a letter of sympathy with some relics which Prat
had carried. The other Peruvian vessel, the _Independencia_,
pursuing the Chilian _Covadonga_, ran upon hidden rocks and became a
total wreck, a misfortune which proved a death blow to Peru. For
four months Admiral Grau kept the Chilians at bay, but at last,
October 8, he was obliged to fight the two Chilian ironclads at
once. A shell striking the tower killed Admiral Grau. His four
successors in command, one after another, met the same fate. When
forced to surrender one-third of the entire force of 193 men had
been killed or wounded. The coast, 1400 miles long, was now exposed
to the enemy, and in November, 1870, the Chilians began a series of
attacks, all of which were successful, excepting the battle of
Tarapacá. Many Peruvians met a heroic death, notably Bolognesi and
others at Arica. In 1881 occurred the battles of Chorillos and
Miraflores and the capture of Lima by the Chilians, who remained in
possession of the city until the treaty of Ancon was signed,
October, 1883.
According to the terms of this treaty, the province of Tarapacá was
ceded to Chile, while Tacna and Arica were yielded for ten years, at
the expiration of which time the residents were to vote whether they
would continue as a part of Chile or return to their former
allegiance. The fact that the provinces have remained under control
of Chile without any such vote being taken, has for years been a
cause of ill-feeling between the two countries, which at times have
seemed on the verge of war.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER IX
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER X
THE SUBURBS OF LIMA—THE OROYA RAILWAY—CERRO DE PASCO
=Chorillos.= With sufficient time at one’s disposal a few days may
be pleasantly spent in visiting the shore resorts near the capital.
The electric cars which pass on the calle de Abancay, the third
street southeast from the Maury, are the means of transit to
Miraflores, Barranco and Chorillos, all pleasant places of
residence, though Chorillos is especially fashionable. The last
named, before the Chilian war, was the most frequented summer resort
in South America, but after the battle of Chorillos in 1881 it was
completely destroyed by the invaders. Rebuilt during the last
quarter of a century, it is again beautiful with many charming
homes. The town is located 100 feet above the beach of a sheltered
cove, which is partly enclosed by a cliff. A promenade along the
edge is a fashionable resort for tourists and townspeople, to enjoy
the cool breezes, and the sunset in the broad Pacific. Close at hand
an eminence of 2000 feet called Morro Solar enhances the beauty of
the scene. A shady pathway leads down to the beach, which affords
excellent bathing with a moderate surf. The regular population of
3000, greatly increased in the summer, is daily further augmented by
those who come for the bathing and the other diversions of a
watering place: boating, music, dancing, etc. At the Casino are held
many fashionable social affairs; and the Regatta Club gives frequent
entertainments when the bay, covered with boats of various
descriptions, presents a pretty spectacle. Worthy of a visit is the
Military School here located, a fine institution for the education
of army officers, and an excellent training school for the Indian
soldiers.
Beyond Chorillos the electric cars continue by a tunnel through
Morro Solar to La Herradura, another bathing resort. _Barranco_ and
_Miraflores_, nearer to Lima, are almost continuous with Chorillos
and are connected by pleasant, shaded driveways. _Magdalena_, a
shore resort still nearer Lima, is reached by a different electric
car line.
A very popular resort with a fine new hotel, the Eden, is _La
Punta_, down beyond Callao, whence electric cars, connecting with
those from Lima, for five _centavos_ carry passengers to the
extremity of the sandy point ever refreshed by cool breezes. Here
the Naval School’s excellent new building is located.
=Ancon.= Twenty-five miles north of Lima, on the opposite side from
Chorillos, is _Ancon_, more especially a health resort, its sandy
soil and dry atmosphere making it especially desirable for persons
with pulmonary and bronchial affections. There is good bathing, a
tennis court, one or two hotels, the Grand said to be comfortable,
and many cottages; but it is less attractive than the resorts at the
south. It has, however, an allurement peculiarly its own in being
renowned as a necropolis of prehistoric treasures. Ancon is reached
by a steam railway from the Desamparados station in an hour and a
half or so, and the ride gives one a view of the genuine unirrigated
desert. The journey may now be pursued to the town of Huacho, about
90 miles farther.
=Pachacámac.= Persons who are interested in antiquities should make
the excursion to Pachacámac, whose ruins are believed to antedate
any others in Peru and to go back two or three thousand years. The
place is not accessible by rail, carriage, or boat, yet it may be
visited in a single day by a vigorous, enterprising person who is
able to make suitable arrangements in advance. The site of this
ancient sanctuary and city is nearly 25 miles from Lima, in the
direction of Chorillos. Thither one should go by the earliest
morning car, to be met there by a guide and horses with which to
pursue the journey. Dr. Max Uhle made extensive excavations in this
region. The ruins are in the Lurin Valley, the loveliest south of
Lima, watered by a stream smaller than the Rimac but of constant
supply. In the period of the invasion it was the more thickly
populated of the two. Wars, and the efforts for the conversion of
the natives by religious orders caused the ancient city in the
course of the century following the Spanish invasion to become a
scene of desolation.
Provisions for a substantial luncheon should be taken in
saddle-bags, though fodder for the animals may doubtless be procured
at the hacienda near by of Don Vicente Silva. A desert called the
Tablada de Lurin is crossed between the Rimac and Lurin valleys.
Barren islands are in view on the right with myriads of pelicans and
other sea-fowl. The desert sands drift over the ruins, on the north
side of the valley, 600 yards from the ocean. A few _tillandsia_
plants show a little green in winter. The hooting owl, the lizard,
and a small viper are the only forms of life. The neighboring hills
rise 150 to 250 feet above the desert. In the distance two villages
with their church spires may be seen, Pachacámac three miles back
from the sea on the other side of the river, and Lurin near the
coast, a mile and a half from the ruins. To the south beyond is
desert; to the east, 45 miles away, the outlying bulwarks of the
Andes rise 9000 feet. In an early period the coast for 120 miles
from Supe to Huaman was under the sway of Pachacámac. There are
extensive remains in many places about, and traces of an ancient
road with a wall along the center, one side for the ruler and his
retinue, the other for common people, each section 16 feet wide. The
place was conquered by the Incas 170 years before the invasion of
the Spaniards, when all its wealth of gold had already disappeared.
The ancient city, 2½ miles long and 1⅓ broad, included four hills,
on one of which in the center of the town the Incas later erected a
temple to the Sun. The original sanctuary to the Creator god, not to
be confounded with the Sun god of the Incas, stood at the foot of a
hill on the north side of the town nearly on a level with the city.
The temple which faced the coast to the northwest was 400 feet long
and 180 wide with terraced sides leading to a plateau above, 330 by
130 feet. There are rooms supposed to be for the reception of
envoys, others for sacrificial purpose. They were gorgeously
decorated with frescoes of bird and animal designs, with doors
incrusted with coral, turquoise, and crystal. Pilgrims who came a
thousand miles with offerings were obliged to fast for twenty days
before entering the first court, and a year before ascending to the
holier shrine of extraordinary sanctity above. The cemeteries
naturally furnished many valuable relics, mummies, bones, and
skulls, fragments of cloth, and a great variety of articles. The
cemetery connected with this temple was the most crowded, though
burial here was reserved for princes and pilgrims who brought rich
offerings. Many objects have a strong resemblance to those of
Tiahuanaco. A slab of Chavin de Huantar and a richly ornamented
poncho at Ancon are of similar style. It is estimated that there
were from 60,000 to 80,000 graves here, some in open cemeteries,
some in dwellings, besides those in the temple. Most of these were
rifled ages ago. This is thought to be a seat of the earliest
civilization of the coast, perhaps extending to Ecuador, while the
Chimu culture either descended from it or was influenced by it. The
city wall was from 11 to 13 feet high and 8 feet thick. There was an
inner as well as an outer wall. The streets were 13 to 16 feet wide.
There were large detached edifices, resembling ruins at Huatica near
Lima, and one group of crowded buildings. The term Pachacámac is of
Quichua origin, the earlier name being different, perhaps Irma the
same as Wiraqocha. The Sun temple half a mile from the sea is on a
terraced rocky height a mile and a quarter in circumference; but it
does not compare with the Mexican pyramid Cholula. The rooms may be
traced, and the stairway with steps four inches high and one foot
four inches wide. A convent for the Sun maidens, accommodating two
hundred, fronts the green fields. The cemetery on the southeast
terrace of the Sun temple shows that all were women who had been
strangled in obvious sacrifice; thus suffered also many children of
all ages for the propitiation of their cruel deity.
=The Oroya Railway.= Whatever else may be omitted from one’s
programme of sight-seeing in Peru, a journey over the Oroya road
should on no account be missed. Long enjoying the reputation of the
highest railway in the world, it affords an opportunity to climb
with ease in a few hours to a height as great as that of the summit
of Mont Blanc, to behold scenery of wonderful grandeur, and a
historic region of remarkable mineral wealth, the second of the
three great longitudinal divisions of Peru. Farther on, with a
little more trouble, one may most conveniently obtain a glimpse of
the third and by far the largest of Peru’s three natural divisions;
as yet thinly peopled and little known, but ultimately, perhaps, to
prove the richest. The practically rainless coast region from 50 to
100 miles wide, all desert except where irrigated, we have already
seen. Next comes the sierra district of mountains and tableland,
from one to three hundred miles wide, where, beyond the Coast Range,
there is plenty of rain and snow. Varying in height, width, and in
the number of parallel mountain chains, the greatest altitude is in
the southern and central portions, decreasing north of 7° S. Lat.
The lofty snowclad mountains, the multitude of lesser peaks, the
lakes, small and large, the countless streams, the delightful
valleys, the desolate plateau sometimes called the _puna_, cut by
narrow gorges, present a marvellous variety of scenery, climate, and
productions. Here are two-thirds of the inhabitants of the country.
The forest region on the eastern slope of the mountains with the
lowlands beyond, all called the _montaña_, is at first wonderfully
beautiful with soft, genial climate, though below an altitude of
2000 feet it becomes rather warm, in a few spots unhealthy.
By the Oroya Railroad a great elevation is attained in fewer hours
than can be duplicated elsewhere in the world except in balloon or
aeroplane. Indeed, the time of the ascent is so brief that some
persons suffer from the sudden change in the pressure of the
atmosphere. This fact has given rise to alarming representations, on
the part of many native and foreign residents, of the danger
involved in the journey, so that many tourists are frightened out of
the excursion to whom it would be a genuine delight. The truth is
that of the thousands who each month go over the road, the majority
suffer from _soroche_, mountain sickness, not at all, or with little
and temporary discomfort. A slight headache is common; it may be
severe, or accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A few have become
dangerously ill and deaths have occurred, as on Pike’s Peak. Two
classes of people should not take the risk, those with weak hearts
and those who are both stout and full blooded. Persons merely
delicate in a general way are less likely to suffer inconvenience
than some vigorous athletic persons. One doubtful about his heart
should have it examined. Apprehensive persons who would be _sure_ to
avoid trouble may get off at Matucana, and a day or two later
comfortably pursue the journey. It will be easier for every one to
go the day previous to Chosica to spend the night, thus avoiding an
unreasonably early start in the morning. Ordinary prudence may
suggest that one should be careful not to over-eat the day before,
and be very abstemious on the trip, especially as to alcoholic
liquors. At the highest points one should move slowly or not at all.
A brisk walk may produce dizziness or worse.
=The Central Railway of Peru=, a standard gauge line, was begun in
1870 by the American financier, Henry Meiggs, and completed to
Chicla, 88 miles from Callao, in 1876. On account of the troubles
resulting from the Chilian War it did not reach Oroya until 1893.
For some years this was the terminus of the road and in one sense is
so still, as the natural continuation would be east, over to the
_montaña_ country. There are, however, branches in two different
directions, north and south; the former, an American line of the
same gauge to Cerro de Pasco, the latter, a part of the Central
system owned by the Peruvian Corporation, now open to Huancayo and
being gradually extended to the southwest, ultimately to reach
Cuzco, where it will connect with the Southern Railway managed by
the same corporation. Both of the _branches_ are on the line of the
Pan American Railway, by which it will some day be possible, perhaps
within a decade, certainly in two, to go by rail from New York to
Buenos Aires, a wonderful journey through ever changing and
delightful scenes. By the time these 250 miles from Huancayo to
Cuzco are finished, which should be by 1918, all the southern part
from Lima to Buenos Aires will be ready, as Argentina’s portion is
now complete and Bolivia’s will be finished soon. The section from
Quito to Panama will linger longest. When finished, the road in my
opinion will be a far greater bond of union between North and South
America than the Panama Canal.
The Oroya Railroad follows the Rimac Valley up to its culminating
point, with an occasional detour into a side cañon to gain
additional height. It was a man of courage and large ideas who forty
years ago planned to climb with the iron horse, instead of the
ancient burro and llama, the steep and lofty wall which, rising in
its _lower_ points to a height of from 14,000 to 17,000 feet,
stretches for 1000 miles along the coast of Peru within 100 miles of
the sea. With an average grade of four per cent it was the second
road from the Pacific to cross the continental divide, though it
still remains to be continued, as Meiggs planned, down to a point
open to steam navigation on one of the branches of the Amazon.
Setting out on this trip from Lima, one must rise early, as the
train leaves the Desamparados Station at 6.50 a.m., Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday. By strenuous insistence the night before, you
_may_ be able to have coffee and rolls brought to your room before
your departure; but if you fail, a ten minutes’ halt at Chosica at
half past eight affords opportunity to repair the omission.
The lower part of the Rimac Valley has an apparently level floor of
considerable breadth, with vegetation of a sub-tropical character,
irrigation affording an ample water supply. At first banana groves
and fields of sugar cane are numerous; patches of Indian corn and
alfalfa continue far up the cañon. The view, for a short distance
somewhat open among isolated hills, narrows as we enter a genuine
valley with steep and ever higher walls, their slopes thickly
terraced and bearing remains of ancient highways and villages,
evidence of a formerly far greater population than now. After much
wandering among the ruins near Chosica, Professor Solon I. Bailey
estimated an earlier number of 6000 inhabitants, where now there is
one-tenth of that number.
=Chosica.= This town, at train time a busy place, is growing rapidly
since, with several daily trains, it has become a suburb of the
capital 25 miles distant. It is especially a winter resort, as,
located just beyond the edge of the fog bank or cloud which in that
season hangs over the coast, it has plenty of sunshine. It is much
patronized by those natives and foreigners who find the chilly
dampness from May to October rather trying to their health. The Gran
Hotel de la Estacion, close to the station, affording comfortable
rooms, is the best place to stay over night. On the opposite side of
track and river are many pleasant dwellings in pretty gardens and
another hotel, rather a Sanatorium, fitted up with all modern
appliances such as sun rooms, electric apparatus for baths, and many
other devices to aid the semi-invalid or debilitated to recover his
strength. In the season, Chosica is served with three daily trains
each way, including an express with parlor car in one hour.
Above Chosica the scenery becomes wilder, the valley narrower. The
fall of the Rimac is so rapid as not only to compel many curves and
V’s but to make an incursion into a side valley desirable. Thus the
road goes half a mile up the Verrugas Gorge which it crosses by the
highest bridge on the road, 225 feet, with a length of 575,
returning on the other side to the Rimac at a considerably greater
elevation. Frequently the floor of the Rimac Cañon has room only for
the rushing stream. The road passes high up on the slope, or through
one of the sixty-five tunnels. Many times the river is crossed;
sixty-seven bridges may be counted. At one point the side walls are
so precipitous that it was necessary to lower workmen from the top
of the cliff above. Sitting in a swing they cut footholds in the
rock preparatory to the beginning of the work. Some of the cliffs
are more than a third of a mile in perpendicular height.
=Matucana.= Whenever the valley broadens out there is a town, as at
the breakfast station, Matucana, which at an altitude of 7788 feet
affords a meal of several courses at the price of one _sol_. The
hotel furnishes comfortable accommodations for those who think it
wiser to take the climb in instalments, or for any with
archæological tastes who may like to investigate some ruins a few
miles down the valley on an eminence rising from the north side of
the river. The excursion may be made from Matucana in a long day on
horseback with a good horse and guide, even on foot by one so
inclined. The remains are of especial interest on account of a
theory that they are relics of a Pygmy City; that the little people
once its inhabitants were expelled by ruthless invaders and fled
over the mountains into the Amazon basin. Fortifications, house
walls, and subterranean chambers still exist, the small size of the
rooms, the doorways three feet high, being adduced as evidence in
favor of the little people. Others believe the ruins are those of an
ordinary ancient fortress.
[Illustration:
ON THE OROYA RAILWAY
]
Beyond Matucana the scenery becomes still grander. The walls above
sometimes look dangerous with overhanging rocks, or with boulders
half out of a steep earth slope, appearing just ready to roll down.
Slides occasionally occur, especially in the rainy season, but
accidents are rare; for going up it is easy to make a sudden pause,
and coming down a hand-car goes ahead of passenger trains to make
sure that the track is clear. Bridges and tunnels are the order of
the day, gorges and cliffs, at last, shining mountains. The Gorge of
Infernillo (Little Hell), black and deep, you are whisked across in
a moment, and from one tunnel into another. Tamboraque, the first
small mining town, is really in the Sierra. Rio Blanco and Casapalca
farther on are important smelting centers, the last above 13,000
feet. Long before this it has grown cold and wraps are in order,
furs perchance not amiss, good woolen underwear desirable. Chicla, a
considerable place, reached before Casapalca, is notable for having
five parallel tracks one above another, curves, tunnels, and two V’s
being required to climb, by three miles of track, 500 feet in a
short distance up the valley. At Ticlio there may be a chance for
tea. One venturing from the car should here step slowly and
carefully if he would avoid a slight ringing in the ears. One not
feeling perfectly well is wiser to let some one else bring the tea.
A bottle of salts of ammonia should be at hand in case of headache
or vertigo, and fresh air may be desirable. A short stop is made
just before entering the Galera Tunnel, 4000 feet long. On the right
at the entrance of the tunnel is a rounded brown hill top, Monte
Meiggs, often without snow though 17,575 feet above the sea. This
altitude is confused by many with that of the railroad, about 2000
feet lower; for which the manner of printing the time-table may be
responsible. East of the continental divide the fine snow peaks and
glaciers are in striking contrast to the bareness in the dry season
on the coast side. Beyond the snow mountains, the scenery diminishes
in grandeur to _Oroya_, 12,050 feet, where the train is now due
about 3.30. An observation car is greatly to be desired on this
ride. If the conductor can be persuaded to let you stand on the rear
platform of the last car, this on a regular train is the best
position available. An open freight car now affords the finest
possible outlook, but most persons will prefer a more comfortable
seat with diminished view. From the station Ticlio, altitude 15,665
feet, the highest point on the main road, there is a short branch
line to the mining town Morococha, beautifully situated among lakes
and glaciers, this branch crossing the divide at 15,865 feet, a
trifle higher than Mont Blanc, and absolutely the highest point in
the world now reached by rail. The grandeur of the varied scenes on
the wonderful Oroya Railway baffles all description and must be seen
to be realized in the smallest degree. For those who are unable to
devote the two days necessary to enjoy the entire trip, it is
sometimes possible to make a Sunday excursion part way up the valley
to Rio Blanco, 20 miles above Matucana, returning the same
afternoon; much better than nothing, but with a loss of the more
splendid scenes above. At Oroya there are two hotels, the _Junín_
and the _Grand_, with little to choose between them. No luxuries are
provided; a fair dinner, a bed, and morning coffee are supplied; but
more fortunate are those who have friends at court and are
entertained by some of the railway officials. At Oroya one may have
his first sight of llamas, the ancient burden bearers of Peru,
dignified, graceful animals, when moving with their ordinary slow
walk, but not when startled into a run. Be cautious about making
free with them, as if they resent your advances they are liable to
spit in your face, though they do not look as if they could be so
rude.
Those who are making the South American Tour in a leisurely manner,
or who have an eye to business, may not pause at Oroya, but changing
cars may continue north the same day to Cerro de Pasco, or after a
night in Oroya may pursue the railroad journey southward to
Huancayo, or may on horseback go over another mountain range, then
down, down, to Tarma, La Merced, and the _montaña_ country.
[Illustration:
PLAZA, CERRO DE PASCO
]
[Illustration:
NEAR THE SOURCE OF THE AMAZON (MARAÑON)
]
=Cerro de Pasco= is reached by a journey of about 90 miles over a
generally hilly or rolling country, with few high mountains visible
and those afar off. Lake Junín is passed before dark, a resort of
ducks and other wild fowl, hence a field of sport for those fond of
game. Here, be it remembered, was the next to the last battle of the
War of Independence; and the soldiers in those days did not come up
in cars either. Indians abound at the stations along the road,
Quichuas, differing little from their ancestors of 400 years ago.
The town of Cerro is reached about 9.30 p.m., but as a dining car is
attached to the train one is well fed at a seasonable hour. The best
if not the only hotel in the place is the _Universo_ on the main
plaza of the town, to which the stranger will need a guide, as the
station is on the outskirts of the old city. The hotel is not much
to boast of, but the night I spent there was perfectly comfortable.
Again, if one has friends at court among the officials of the Mining
Company he is lucky, but naturally they cannot entertain all
tourists. The place is of exceptional interest as one of the highest
mining camps of any size, and the highest town of any importance in
the world. There are at least 8000 people here at an altitude of
about 14,300 feet. The _Cerro de Pasco Mining Company_, composed of
half a dozen or more well known American millionaires, has spent it
is said towards $30,000,000 in the purchase and development of
property here and at Morococha, in building the railway from Oroya,
in erecting a large smelting plant nine miles from Cerro with
buildings for employees, on coal mines, and on other things
essential to a great property. In earlier days these mines were
worked for silver, but now copper is the chief production. Recently
an average of 400,000 lbs. 98 per cent pure has been turned out from
the smelter each month. The privilege of visiting the mines is
accorded to few, but all may observe the great open pits resembling
quarries, several hundred feet deep, where the surface, undermined
years ago by great tunnels and chambers, at last caved in. The
titanic forces of nature by some mighty effort here cast upward a
wonderful mass of minerals, gold, silver, copper, etc., not in
veins, but in chunks. This has been called the richest copper
deposit in the world, but others dispute the claim. Vanadium is one
of the various minerals found not far away. The town with its many
Indians, Peruvians, and Americans is a curious place on this great
plateau from 50 to 100 miles wide, a plateau diversified by hills,
fringed by distant mountains, and cut by occasional cañons, from
which fruit and vegetables are brought for the sustenance of the
dwellers above. It is possible to go on by train from Cerro to
Goyllarisquisga, 26 miles farther, on the edge of a cañon commanding
a fine view of the great mountain, La Viuda, believed by some to
exceed Aconcagua in height. A concession has recently been granted
by the Peruvian Government to Mr. Alfred McCune, now transferred to
the Amazon Pacific Co., to build a railroad from Goyllarisquisga,
down to Puca Alpa on the Ucayali River, a point four days from
Iquitos. Operations have commenced. An immense amount of rich
territory will be opened up by this road, fine grazing and
agricultural lands, and rubber country below. Ultimately the town
Goyllarisquisga will be connected by rail with Recuay, the entire
line from Oroya forming a link in the Pan American railroad. From
Cerro or the Smelter, a three days’ horseback ride would bring one
to Lake Santa Ana, the source of the Marañon or Amazon. A mile or
two below the Smelter is a valuable silver mine and smelter in
operation, property of Señor Fernandini.
=Huancayo.= The trip from Oroya south to Huancayo is through a
valley of somewhat lower elevation, hence of more cheerful
character. The town of Jauja on this line is considered an excellent
place for consumptives, for whom the coast is much too damp.
Huancayo, 78 miles from Oroya, is now the terminus, but work has
been pushed for 20 miles farther and ere long Ayacucho will be
reached, the scene of the final battle, compelling the withdrawal of
the Spaniards.
=Tarma.= The expedition to Tarma and the _montaña_ may attract a few
who can spare a week or ten days for this delightful trip. Animals
to Tarma may be obtained at Oroya for 5 or 6 _soles_ each. With
saddle-bags, no baggage animals are needed. It is well to set out
from Oroya by 9 a.m., in order to pass over the _cumbre_ before the
afternoon breeze begins to blow and to arrive in good season at
Tarma, a pretty town at an altitude of about 10,000 feet. There are
two hotels where lodging may be had at modest prices, and at the
Umberto horses may be engaged for the ride to La Merced. Luncheon
must be taken from Oroya, but beyond Tarma there are places on the
road where it may be procured. On the _cumbre_ 2000 feet above
Oroya, all is brown and bare, but at the farther edge of the broad
pass there is a fine view of distant mountains and valleys. Not far
down, green will appear, presently a house or two, a pretty stream,
a few calla lilies. From Tarma onward there are plenty of trees,
growing as it were of their own accord, a pleasing change from the
plateau and the western side. The next day luncheon is at Palca, and
before night one should reach Huacapistana, 40 kms., a delightful
spot. The third day one has luncheon at San Ramón and spends the
night at La Merced, 35 kms., which with an altitude of less than
3000 feet is really in the tropical country. The delights of this
journey, the beautiful cañon lined with verdure, is a contrast
indeed to the bare sublimity of the other side. The road is
excellent except in one place between Oroya and Tarma. There are
romantic tunnels, fine suspension bridges, swinging, but that does
no harm and may afford a novel experience. This road is now the
highway from Lima to the Atlantic by way of Iquitos, and at the
moment it is probably the most comfortable route to cross the center
of the continent. With good luck the journey from Lima to Iquitos
may be made in 16 days, nine of these on horseback from Oroya to
Puerto Jessup, one day by canoe to Puerto Bermudez, thence in five
or six days by steam launch to Iquitos. At this city of 15,000
people a larger boat may be taken for Pará or New York. But that is
another story. By way of Cerro de Pasco and Huánuco, the journey
from Lima to Iquitos is ten days. A few hours beyond La Merced is
the Perené coffee plantation belonging to the Peruvian Corporation.
In this section land is cheap, and with the mercury always in the
eighties, one so inclined may be happy, leading the simple life. The
Indians about here are fine looking, whiter than many of the
Spanish, and are quiet, peaceful people; though others beyond are so
fierce that it is unsafe to pass through their territory. Having
been ill-treated by white rubber gatherers and some other so-called
civilized men, they allow no whites among them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XI
THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY—AREQUIPA
From the charm of the Rimac Valley and the City of the Kings it is
difficult to escape, but on a four months’ tour not more than ten
days can be spared for this region, fourteen at the outside. To
Mollendo, the next place of debarkation, the voyage may be pursued
by any one of the three lines of steamers previously mentioned. If a
through ticket to this port or to Valparaiso has not been purchased,
one may elect to go on one of the Kosmos boats, a very comfortable
German Line which in 1911 afforded an especial advantage to tourists
with heavy baggage, going up to Bolivia. These boats lie over two
weeks at Antofagasta, taking on freight at near by ports; so that
leaving one’s heavy baggage on board, one may make the trip from
Mollendo to Arequipa, Cuzco, and La Paz, rejoining the same ship at
Antofagasta two weeks and three days from the time of going ashore
at Mollendo. Persons patronizing any of the three lines from Panama,
may by especial arrangement with the purser have their baggage
checked through to Valparaiso, to reclaim it at the Custom House
there when they arrive.
The express steamers south from Callao arrive at Mollendo on the
second morning after sailing. As the daily train for Arequipa leaves
at 1.30 p.m. there is ample time to disembark, have the baggage
examined, take breakfast, _almuerzo_, price one _sol_, at the Hotel
Ferrocarril just above the railway station, and perhaps look about a
little before going aboard the train. A through ticket, price 40
_soles_, to La Paz should be purchased, as this saves considerable
bother, permits stopping off at Arequipa, and for the trip to Cuzco
at Juliaca, and saves a trifle over the local tickets. All hand
baggage may be taken into the car without charge, but there is a
heavy tariff on trunks or anything that is checked, so much so that
two heavy trunks will approximate the cost of one ticket. Most
persons will be able to manage with hand luggage only, not
forgetting, however, that wraps and warm clothing will be needed on
the plateau above.
=Mollendo= is a busy port, in Peru second to Callao in commerce,
though far behind in other ways. It has really no harbor at all, in
spite of a small breakwater recently built; the rollers and surf
often look a bit awesome and the barrel is frequently called into
requisition. Rarely the sea is so rough that passengers are carried
on to the next port, whence they may return at their own expense.
Seven or eight miles north is an excellent quiet haven, among the
best on the Pacific, Matárani, to which there is much talk of
transferring the port, especially since most of the business portion
of Mollendo was destroyed by fire, April 2, 1912. From the Matárani
Bay the railroad journey would be nearly twenty miles shorter and
the ascent to the top of the bluffs would have a one per cent lower
grade. It is hoped that the transfer will not long be delayed.
The tariff for disembarking at Mollendo is higher than at other
ports, four-oared boats being generally used. For one passenger it
is S.1; if there are more than three in one boat, 60 _ctvs._ each:
children under twelve, 30 _ctvs._ Parcels of ordinary size or small
trunks are 50 _ctvs._ each to the mole, and as much more to the
station: large trunks 70 _ctvs._ and 60 more to station. With much
baggage for several passengers a bargain for the whole may be made.
The boatmen are liable to ask double what it is worth or what they
are willing to accept. Peruvians generally pay one-half or one-third
as much as strangers.
Mollendo is not an attractive place, between May and November
subject to a fine mist or drizzle, and having little sunshine. It
is, nevertheless, a health resort, but the most melancholy one it
was ever my lot to visit. Yet many persons are benefited by coming
from the greater altitudes of Arequipa and La Paz, even though the
place be damp and cheerless. With an hour to spare one may stroll
around the town or along the beach where the waves are rolling in
from Australia or other remote region, or may climb the rocky
promontory to watch the high breaking surf.
After leaving the station the train for several miles hugs the sandy
shore, then turning away soon begins to climb the bluff, here about
3000 feet high. The face is irregular with steep slopes cut by many
cañons. The road winds along up one of these, then on the face of a
projecting slope, the car having first one side toward the sea, then
the other, and heading in turn towards all points of the compass. At
_Tambo_ Station about 1000 feet up, there is a pretty view down into
the Tambo Valley, its level floor green with sugar cane and other
agricultural products. Women from below stand by the car windows
with fruit and other edibles to sell. The ever changing prospect is
a continual source of pleasure, especially near the close of the wet
season, when the upper half of the slopes is quite green, mostly
with bushes of heliotrope all in blossom. At other times there is
only sand, not a particle of verdure, but many black sticks, some
day to be rejuvenated into glowing life. It is a long and devious
way to the edge of the plateau, where a sudden change is
experienced. The green if any is left behind, a sandy desert is
before, though the dampness, in the winter, continues. The gradual
change from the gray mist to the bright desert sunshine if observed
is most interesting, and then to look backward upon the gray cloud
from which you have emerged. Here, perhaps, you have your first view
of an absolute desert; no wells are useful, and for the stations
along the track, even for Mollendo itself, water is piped down from
near Arequipa, 100 miles distant. The plateau is covered with deep
yellow sand and scattering stones, some as black as coal. Here is
the desert you have dreamed of: no sage-brush, no blade of grass
relieves the burning sand. Not that the sand burns here, but in some
sections it is hot indeed. The monotony is relieved by graceful gray
sand dunes from three to twenty feet high, crescent-shaped, moving
slowly along at the rate of sixty feet a year. In the distance are
variegated hills, gray, red, yellow, brown, and white, and the great
mountains, El Misti and Chachani, with snow caps varying in
dimensions according to the time of the year and the character of
the season, Pichu-Pichu, a long range slightly lower. Some of the
stations have a glint of green, a small oasis in the desert, others
not a sign of verdure. Vitor is quite a little place with a hotel
kept by an ancient Belgian, a neat, comfortable little
establishment, used as a health resort for persons with weak hearts,
for whom Arequipa is too high or Mollendo too damp. It is a starting
point for those who would ride across the desert to the Vitor Cañon
close by, the Sihuas Cañon beyond, and the Majes Valley still more
remote, at the head of which Mt. Coropuna, 21,000 feet, is situated;
ascended for the first time, July 16, 1911, by Miss Annie S. Peck
and party. A railway is soon to be constructed between Vitor and the
Majes Valley, which will open for increased traffic a fine
agricultural and mineral section, the products of which are now
brought by trains of burros across the desert. A little above Vitor
the train enters the hills and presently passes along the edge of
the fine Vitor Cañon, the floor of which is 500 or 1000 feet below.
Trains of llamas may be seen, ancient ruins, a suburban town, Tingo,
then if darkness has not fallen comes an enchanting view of Arequipa
on the verdant slope of the great volcano El Misti, with Chachani
and Pichu-Pichu also in the background.
AREQUIPA
HOTELS. Morosini Parodi, Grand Hotel Central, Royal Hotel, Hotel
Europe.
[Illustration:
ON THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY OF PERU
]
[Illustration:
RELIGIOUS PROCESSION, EL MISTI AT THE RIGHT
]
At the bustling railway station, at the car windows, if not within,
boys and men will appear who wish to seize your baggage and carry it
to the trams. Hotel runners perhaps have previously entered the car.
Behind the station a long row of tram cars drawn by little mules was
formerly found, already probably superseded by the promised
electrics. Before taking a car decision should be made as to what
hotel will be patronized. The Morosini Parodi is by many called the
best, but I was never so fortunate as to find there a vacant room.
Their table is particularly commended; the main building containing
the restaurant Venezia is on the west side of the Plaza de Armas,
and there are several annexes. The Grand Hotel Central and the Royal
Hotel, the first on the left, the second on the right of the calle
Mercaderes a block or two from the Cathedral and Plaza are both
fairly comfortable with perhaps a slight preference for the former,
where electric lights and bells are in service and hot and cold
baths announced, which does not mean private baths en suite. None of
those will be found, so far as I am aware, after leaving the Maury
until you arrive at Buenos Aires. From some of the upper rooms of
the Central a fine view of Misti may be enjoyed. The prices at all
three hotels range from four to six _soles_ per day, according to
room and bargaining ability. This includes everything but bath,
which is with difficulty had at all. Hotel Europe, 67 Mercaderes,
serves coffee and supper only. A block or two from the station is a
clean and respectable hotel of lower price, convenient for one
leaving by the early morning train; but for the few days desirable
here, one of the hotels in the center of the city about a mile from
the station is to be preferred.
_Arequipa_, at an altitude of 7549 feet (we are still within the
tropics), has by day a climate of perennial June, by night one of
October or November. The evening air in winter is chilly enough to
make many men, even natives, wear a light overcoat and some ladies,
furs; at the same time others appear on the street in thin summer
clothing. The city, the second in Peru in size and in commercial
importance, has a population of about 40,000. It was founded in 1540
by the Spaniards, though there was a pre-existing Indian settlement,
a natural location on account of an ample water supply from the
river Chili. A garden has been made here in the midst of the desert,
in a spot sheltered from winds by the mountains, enjoying a
delightful climate, and a very beautiful prospect.
Sight-seeing begins with the principal plaza which has the
_Cathedral_ on one side, and on the other three the finest stone
_portales_ in South America. Behind these are many of the principal
shops, dry goods, confectioners’, etc. The Cathedral is a fine
structure, with an interior more imposing than the outside view.
Begun in 1612, it was constructed with great elaboration and
contained many costly treasures. These with the interior were
largely destroyed by fire in 1844. The rebuilding which consumed
twenty years was hardly over when the great earthquake of 1868
occurred. Fortunately the work was too substantial to be overthrown.
Splendid columns support the great arches of the three naves,
producing an effect unusually noble and impressive. From the lower
side of the Plaza, in the wonderfully clear atmosphere, the
beautiful cone-shaped Misti presents an admirable picture with
Chachani a trifle higher on the left and Pichu-Pichu a little lower
on the right, in the moonlight a scene of rare loveliness.
Other noteworthy churches are those of _Santo Domingo_, and the
Jesuits’, the latter, _La Compañia_, near a lower corner of the
Plaza, having a noticeable carved stone façade and, an uncommon
feature, an altar in the open air. The people are noted for their
culture and for their devotion to the church, the city having the
reputation of being the most bigoted in South America, a reputation
shared by several others. There is no objection to one’s practicing
his own religion in an inconspicuous manner, but there has been
serious opposition to proselyting. Nevertheless, the Evangelical
Mission of England is now carrying on a work, especially among the
Indians, in which personal hygiene and sanitary modes of life are
taught in connection with moral and religious instruction, with less
friction on the part of the higher classes than formerly.
The fine new _Public Market_ occupying a whole square, about two and
a half acres, deserves a visit. The building which cost $280,000 is
of a pink and white volcanic stone locally called _sillar_, with a
roof of corrugated iron arranged to give good ventilation. At the
four corners are four buildings, one a hotel and restaurant, the
other three for storage of surplus stocks of fish, meat, and
vegetables.
Some tourists may like to visit the splendid new hospital of
Arequipa, called the finest of its kind in South America, named
after the Goyeneche family, Arequipanians now resident in Paris, who
have devoted the sum of $625,000 to the buildings and their
equipment. The grounds embrace about eight acres of gently sloping
land, with the main entrance at the head of a broad avenue. In front
of the gate is a beautiful Gothic chapel, with Gothic administration
buildings at each side of the entrance. Beyond the chapel are the
wards, the men’s on the left including a military section; the
women’s on the right, together with the residence for the nurses,
who are Sisters of Charity. There are especial apartments for paying
patients, with and without baths. Also there is a hydro-therapic
building equipped for every sort of bath, available for use by
outsiders: operating rooms, kitchen, laundry, morgue, disinfecting
stoves, electric lights, and ample water supply. All the buildings
are of stone, well ventilated, and a fine clock adorns a tower. The
hospital was inaugurated January 20, 1912.
The _Garden of Señor Leopoldo Lucioni_ is a picturesque spot to be
visited by every stranger. Vine-covered walls, arbors of grapes,
heavily laden fruit trees, an avenue of fine cedars, flower-bordered
walks, roses, and carnations adorn the place; almost every variety
of fruit and vegetable seems to grow in this delightful climate, and
plants, seeds, and cuttings are yearly sent by the owner to
European, and to other South American cities. Planted by the owner
26 years ago, it is now one of the attractions and benefactions of
Arequipa.
Near the city, about two miles from the center, is a spot which is a
strong reminder of home, the name Harvard being familiar to every
American. This is the Observatory, one of the most important and
best equipped in South America, established here in 1891 after
considerable study of various locations along the West Coast in
search of a site both fairly accessible and favored with clear
skies. In addition to various other instruments there is a 24-inch
Bruce photographic doublet, the largest and most powerful of the
kind in the world, and a 13-inch Boyden telescope, which may be used
for either visual or photographic work. More than 100,000
photographs of the Southern Heavens here made are now in the Harvard
Observatory at Cambridge, many new stars have been discovered and
magnitudes determined. Meteorological observations are taken twice
daily, and were made for some years in other places, the most
notable, on the summit of El Misti, 19,200 feet, the greatest
altitude where a long series of observations has ever been recorded.
The dwelling of the Director is a very homelike structure, from the
veranda of which there is a beautiful view of Misti close at hand,
of Chachani a little more distant, and over the city of Arequipa and
the great desert beyond. Visitors are welcome in the afternoon, but
the evenings are devoted to work.
Six miles beyond the Observatory, following the Chili river, is the
Power Station of the Electric Society of Lima, a pleasant ride; but
in the plant, only the specialist would have great interest.
=Ascent of Misti, 19,200 feet.= A unique possibility which may
appeal to a few, to those who say that they like to climb
mountains as far as they can ride, is presented by the beautiful
Misti. For, years ago, when observations were to be made on the
summit, a road was constructed, _i. e._, a narrow bridle path, to
the very top of the mountain, and a stone hut was erected at about
the altitude of the summit of Mont Blanc, where the observers
might pass the night on the way. While it may not _look_ very
distant, the top of the mountain is 11 miles in a straight line
from the Harvard Observatory, and 39 miles around by the road,
which from there makes the complete circuit of the mountain before
reaching the top. One desirous of making the trip should consult
the Director of the Observatory, which may be done by telephone,
to know if Francisco is available as guide and if he can provide
mules. Having made the ascent more than 100 times Francisco may be
relied upon. He may charge S.8 for each animal and as much more
for himself, or he may have doubled his prices within the last ten
years. He may indeed be dead, in which case probably there is
another who may serve. Setting out by eight o’clock, with plenty
of wraps and provisions, one will not be likely to arrive at the
M. B. hut much before dark. The way goes to the right of the
mountain up to the Plateau of the Bones, 13,300 feet, between
Misti and Pichu-Pichu, where passed the ancient highway to Cuzco
and Bolivia; then it turns directly towards the summit, to the M.
B. hut at an altitude of 15,700 feet. One sleeps on the floor if
at all. Some persons are here so affected with headache, fever,
and nausea, the usual symptoms of _soroche_, mountain sickness,
that they are unable to proceed. But if not too badly off, one
with good grit is likely to feel better by day, and in the fresh
morning air may pursue the journey. Some persons suffer no
inconvenience whatever. One should set out for the summit by
daylight, as the ascent requires four hours or more and it is a
long way down to the city. From the summit there is a splendid
prospect of mountains near and remote, of the beautiful city and
green valley just below, and of the desert stretching away to the
ocean, which, alas! however clear the surrounding atmosphere, is
likely to be hidden from view by the almost perpetual cloud of
mist which overhangs the shore. Still more striking is the view of
the great crater at one’s feet, a gulf half a mile in diameter and
800 feet deep, enclosed by almost vertical walls. In 1903 a lower
cross wall separated the old from the new crater and it was
possible at one point to the right to descend to the bottom of the
former, climb up the cross wall and look down into the new crater,
which was smoking slightly; then to continue along this wall to
the edge of the crater above the M. B. hut, and to slip and slide
down thither. Some changes have occurred in the crater since then
and doubtless most persons will be satisfied with reaching the
summit. Nowhere else in the world can so great an altitude be so
easily attained: Misti is 5000 feet higher than Pike’s Peak and
surpasses every mountain in North America save Mt. McKinley,
possibly Mt. Logan. If the season has been unusually stormy and
the mountain has a considerable covering of snow, the ascent on
muleback might be impracticable. In 1903 there was but a small
patch of snow on one side and not the slightest difficulty. The
reason for the lack of snow at this altitude, when it is found on
other mountains in Peru much lower down, is the slight
precipitation which here occurs, varying with the year but always
less than on most other mountains. No real eruption from this
volcano has occurred since the Spaniards in 1549 founded the city,
but El Misti is somehow held in a measure responsible for the
earthquakes which from time to time have devastated the city, and
the affectionate admiration with which the mountain is regarded is
not unmixed with awe. Hence the two crosses which have been
erected on the summit, standing near the little shelters for the
Observatory instruments. Those of a self-registering character
here placed were for a year or two read by an observer, not always
the same person, who came up every two weeks. The effects of the
severe earthquake of 1868 are still visible in the city. Slight
shocks are common. For this reason dwellings of a single story are
generally preferred, and few buildings have more than two.
Not far from Arequipa, as is natural in a volcanic region, are
springs of great reputation. One situated about a league from the
city produces an excellent table water, called the _Agua de Jesus_
or _de Misti_, highly recommended for general use, good also for
several ailments. It is a pleasant ride with a fine prospect all
along the way, and with opportunity at the end for a bath in a
clear, effervescent pool, where the water, charged with carbonic
acid gas, rising from the gravel floor, seems to have a highly
exhilarating effect.
In the opposite direction, 15 miles from Arequipa near the railway
leading to Puno, are the _Baths of Yura_, a watering place of
growing fame, with baths of sulphur and of iron. These may be
enjoyed free of charge, as the Government has erected suitable
buildings over the various springs; though in order to profit by
them, unless camping out, one must pay a moderate board at one of
the neighboring hotels. The _Gran Hotel de las Termas_, in a pretty
garden, supplies comfortable quarters and food (bathing suits,
etc.), at S. 2.50 a day. The waters are said to cure stomach
troubles, skin diseases, rheumatism, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XII
THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY—CUZCO
A tri-weekly train is now scheduled from Arequipa up over the
mountains, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; the Wednesday only
connects with an express to Cuzco. These trains, are provided with
buffet chair cars, which make the long journey less wearisome.
Persons who have suffered _slight_ inconvenience on the trip to
Oroya need not fear a repetition of unpleasant symptoms on this
journey, the stay of a few days at Arequipa making the change in
atmospheric pressure more gradual; also a second experience is
generally less trying, and the top of the southern pass, 14,666
feet, is 1000 feet lower than that on the Central Railroad.
The scenery between Arequipa and Juliaca presents far less of
grandeur than is witnessed on the Oroya road, though for a time it
should keep the attention. The white city with the deep green of the
Chili Valley, and graceful Misti with its more rugged sisters on
either hand, for a half hour form a delightful picture, as the track
winds along down, and later begins to climb around the other end of
Chachani. The dry and channeled slopes of this mountain, the desert
of volcanic sand and lava rock for a while may interest, but there
is a good deal of sameness to the view, somewhat enlivened by two
distant splendid snowclad _massifs_, Amfato and Coropuna.
The _Baths of Yura_, an hour from Arequipa, are invisible from its
station: a glimpse of the green cañon may be had later. Presently
Chachani and Misti are seen from the rear, appearing considerably
lower from the increased elevation. On the Pampa de Arrieros, a
bleak, grass-covered plateau, the highest point of the divide is
passed at Crucero Alto. Beyond is the breakfast station, Lagunillas,
near which among the graceful rounded hills are two romantic lakes,
Saracocha, and Cachipascana, one on each side of the track. In spite
of these and the lines of beauty in the contour of the hills, the
plateau is rather dreary: to live happily at any of these stations,
one must needs be a true lover of solitude. With good fortune one
may descry in the distance a few vicuñas, cousin to the llama, but
with much finer wool, often called fur, of a tawny shade, as light
in weight as chinchilla; perhaps a drove of the almost equally rare
alpacas; the former in a wild state, the latter under care and
cultivation.
=Juliaca=, the junction, is a busy place, always thronged with
Indians and a scattering of white people. From here to Puno the
train is generally crowded; but if on the way to Cuzco, you will not
mind, as this is the junction where the roads divide. Probably you
must descend here to spend the night. Passing through the station on
the right of the track, you will find a plaza, on the left side of
which is a hotel providing clean beds and enough to eat, with no
display of elegance. The next morning at 9.15 you may set out for
Cuzco, if Thursday arriving there at 7.40 p.m. If Tuesday or
Saturday it will be necessary to spend a night at Sicuani, the
journey by slow train consuming two days.
At Juliaca are many men and women, venders of a great variety of
foods and of merchandise. Many others will be seen at the stations
on the road to Cuzco, women wearing odd stiff hats, flat as the
proverbial pancake, short skirts, and shawls, men with short
trousers and ponchos. Pottery in curious shapes, jars, water
bottles, and ornaments may be purchased, match safes, tooth-pick
holders, etc. The Indians are industrious, generally occupied with
spinning, even while walking and carrying on the back heavy burdens.
=Tirapata=, where there may be a pause of twenty minutes for
breakfast, is a place of considerable importance, headquarters for
the Inca Mining and Rubber Companies, where their wagon road begins
towards the Santo Domingo gold mines, their mining property at an
altitude of 7000 feet, and their rubber lands beyond. Eight thousand
acres of land were presented by the Government to this company for
every mile of road opened to traffic; and one was made across the
plateau northeasterly, as far as the mountains. Over the Aricoma
Pass, 16,500 feet, and down the steep slopes through ravines and
gorges on the other side, a trail for mules is still the only
pathway. Recently a concession has been granted to the Peruvian
Corporation to build a railroad from Tirapata or from Urcos to
navigation on the Madre de Dios, not to really deep water, but to a
point accessible to boats of two feet draught, perhaps at
Tahuantinsuyo. This is likely to be the third or fourth important
route across Peru from the Pacific to navigation on a tributary of
the Amazon.
=La Raya=, the highest point between Juliaca and Cuzco, with an
altitude of 14,150 feet, is on the dividing line of the watershed
between the Amazon system and that of Lake Titicaca. Here is the
knot of _Vilcanota_ where the Coast and the Eastern Cordilleras
unite, and where the sacred river, Vilcamayu, takes its origin in a
little sacred lake lying at the foot of a snowy peak visible from
Cuzco. Now, leaving the bleak plateau region, the train descends the
Vilcamayu Valley to a milder region.
=Sicuani=, 2500 feet below, the most important place along the road,
was for some years the terminus of the railway line. It boasts
therefore of a good hotel, the Lafayette. Here the night was
formerly spent, the remainder of the journey to Cuzco being by
diligence, certainly an advantage as far as enjoying the scenery is
concerned. The Sicuani market place is noted for its extraordinarily
picturesque appearance, the Indians coming for miles around to make
their purchases, largely by barter. Journeying by accommodation
train, which has some advantages, one spends the night here and
arrives the next afternoon in Cuzco.
The train passes many historic sites and ancient ruins, just out of
view the famed Lake Urcos into which, the story goes, was thrown the
wonderful gold chain of the Prince Huascar. This was said to be long
enough to encircle the great plaza of Cuzco, with each link weighing
100 lbs. Projects have been formed to drain this lake in the hope of
finding here much ancient treasure, but though small the lake is
very deep and no real effort has been made.
CUZCO
At last the railroad leaves the main valley to follow up a tributary
on the left, the Huatanay. At the head of this side valley, it
reaches the ancient city of Cuzco, once the metropolis of a vast
realm surpassed in extent or in wealth by few in the world’s
history, probably equaled by none in the number of people living,
contented and peaceful, under a single sway.
From the station half a mile from the center of the city, an
attractive boulevard is being laid out, on which a tram car runs to
the central plaza, or by this time electrics. Carriages too may
serve and boys are eager to carry hand baggage. The hotels, alas!
leave much to be desired. Slow, indeed, are the people to realize
the necessities which _must_ be supplied if the town is to advance,
to attract tourists and business men. The residents have not seemed
to care whether there was progress or not, but the Central
Government is interested, the Prefect who comes from Lima is
endeavoring to work a revolution, and the cultivated inhabitants
have begun to realize their condition and to remedy the evils which
have long been a reproach.
=The Hotel Comercio= may be endured for a night or two, since it is
in a very worthy cause. The other hotel, the _Royal_, is no better.
Another, the _Central_, is spoken of, opposite the church, La
Merced. One does not go to Cuzco for the luxuries of New York or
Paris, but if unhappy without these he must postpone this part of
the journey a while longer. One writer says that the Comercio
affords reasonably good meals and decent bedrooms. Other opinions
are less favorable, but conditions may have improved by now. On the
spur of a hill which closes the head of the valley, at an altitude
of 11,500 feet, is situated the ancient imperial city. Some
knowledge of the history of its rulers, the greatness of its domain,
the development of its civilization, the magnificence of its
temples, the power and riches of its princes, and the terrible
tragedy of their downfall gives a keener interest to the massive
ruins, the delightful prospect, and to everything in this remote
valley which is connected with the unique and wonderful empire of
world-wide and immortal fame. At the time of its capture, four
centuries ago, few if any cities in the world could rival Cuzco in
the magnificence of its temples, and their treasures of gold and
silver, and none in the massive fortifications and other
constructions of which the remains are still a marvel.
In the history of this ancient city there are at least four periods:
the prac-Inca age; the glorious epoch of the Inca dynasty; the
merciless, mournful days of bloodshed and destruction, followed by
the brilliant reconstruction and the relentless rule of the Spanish
invaders; and the slow progress of the modern republic. From the
earliest period date the megalithic ruins of Sacsahuaman and
elsewhere, regarded as belonging to the same age as those of
Tiahuanaco and a few other places, their origin alike involved in
mystery. Sir Clements Markham, the most careful student of this
early civilization, believes it to be an indigenous growth of great
antiquity, though there is a tradition of an early outside influence
from the south.
The great empire of the Incas was of comparatively short duration;
according to commonly accepted tradition, it existed for about four
centuries. The most current and approved legend of the Incas’ origin
is that they were the children of the Sun, who pitying the sad
condition of his creatures sent to their aid two of his offspring,
Manco Ccapac and Mama Oclla, brother and sister, also husband and
wife. These first appearing on the Island of the Sun in Lake
Titicaca thence came to Cuzco and established their dominion. Manco
seems to have been a great and wise ruler, probably of Quichua
origin, and to have lived in the twelfth century. His successor
Sinchi Rocca was a peaceful ruler, but the third Inca, Lloque
Yupanqui, subjugated some of the neighboring peoples. The fourth,
Maita Ccapac, was a greater warrior, extending his kingdom over most
of Bolivia, and to Arequipa and Moquegua. The fifth Inca, Ccapac
Yupanqui, who was called avaricious, employed his reign in subduing
insurrections in regions already conquered. His successor, Inca
Rocca, was an eminent warrior and statesman, who built great
palaces, founded schools for the education of the nobility, and made
strict laws for the welfare and protection of the people, with
severe punishment, even death, to murderers, incendiaries, and
thieves.
The seventh Inca, Titu Cusi Hualpa, was less successful. An invasion
by the tribes of Chinchasuyo caused him to flee in alarm, but his
son, collecting an army, defeated the invaders and was then crowned,
with the name of Viracocha. During his reign eleven provinces were
added to the empire, and a magnificent temple was erected twenty
miles south of Cuzco with an altar to Viracocha, a deity who had
appeared to the prince to warn him of the coming invasion, informing
him that _he_ was the creator of man, the world, the sun, and all
else. A remarkable engineering feat of this reign was the
construction of an irrigating canal nearly four hundred miles long
and twelve feet deep to convert some plains below into green pasture
lands. The eldest son of Viracocha, who was of small account, was
presently succeeded by his brother Pachacutec who brought still
greater glory to the empire. With the excellent armies organized by
Pachacutec, his son Tupac Yupanqui made conquests along the coast
from Pisco north including Pachacámac, the realm of the Grand Chimu
near Trujillo, and the valley of Cajamarca. These cities were not
destroyed, but were left under the dominion of their former rulers
as vassals to the Inca, the worship of the Sun being associated with
their former religion; but the learning and use of the Quichua
language was made compulsory. Every government official and soldier
was obliged to speak this language.
After the death of Pachacutec at the age of eighty, his son Tupac
Yupanqui, the tenth Inca, conquered Chile as far as the Maule River
and spent three years in a tour to the various parts of his empire.
Some uncertainty exists about an Inca Yupanqui, but a younger son of
Tupac called Huayna Ccapac, near the close of his father’s reign,
carried still farther the conquests even to Quito, which he won from
its king. His reign was one of wisdom until its close. The rightful
heir Huascar, son of the Coya or Queen, had a rival in his father’s
affections, a younger son, Atahuallpa, of another, Pacha. Having
himself retired to Quito before his death, Huayna Ccapac left that
province to his son Atahuallpa, and the throne of Cuzco to Huascar.
Thus happened the division, so disastrous to the Inca dynasty,
possibly altering in some measure the whole of Peruvian history.
The location of Cuzco is said to be more beautiful than that of
Quito or Bogotá, both of world-wide fame. Rome, Athens, and Sparta,
in the opinion of many, present less charming scenes than that which
is outspread before the observer on Sacsahuaman. Yet how altered
from the days of its glory! Then the hills around, fertilized with
guano and small fish and irrigated throughout their entire extent,
were terraced and cultivated to their summits. Then the city and its
suburbs are said to have contained 400,000 souls. The gates of the
walled enclosure were of colored marble. Within were great palaces,
their walls painted in bright colors.
The _Temple of the Sun_ was covered with a roof of gold. In the
gardens around were artificial flowers of gold and silver, figures
of animals large and small, wild and domestic, of herbs, plants, and
trees; a field of maize, fruit trees, images of men, women, and
children. The doors were covered with gold plate. A gold cornice
more than a yard deep, around the building, did not remain long in
place after the occupation by the Spaniards. The golden roof had
been removed previous to their arrival. This sumptuous temple called
Coricancha, Place of Gold, begun by the first Inca, Manco Ccapac,
was not concluded for many generations until the time of Inca
Yupanqui, each Inca in the meantime contributing a share towards the
completion of the great work. The form of the temple was elliptical,
and opposite the entrance where the rays of the rising sun would
fall upon it was a gold effigy representing the Sun. Golden rays
projected from his head so that the entire creation occupied one
side of the temple. When the sun’s rays fell upon the figure the
effect was indeed dazzling, lighting up the place with such radiance
that the Indian Nobles, who alone were permitted to enter,
prostrated themselves, striking their foreheads on the pavement. The
only women allowed within the temple were the wife and daughters of
the ruling Inca. On each side of the deity were arranged the dead
mummified bodies of the Incas, clad in royal robes, seated upon
golden thrones, with eyes downcast and hands folded across their
breasts. One only, Huayna Ccapac, faced the god, one story says
because he was the best loved, another, because he dared to gaze at
the sun and show that this luminary was not the creative lord.
Beyond this, the chief holy place of the temple, was a rectangular
cloister with five square chapels around. One dedicated to the Moon
contained a silver image of a woman’s face. In this chapel were
arranged the bodies of the Queens called Coyas, as were the Incas in
the chamber of the Sun. The next hall, its ceiling covered with
silver stars, was dedicated to the Stars; the third, adorned with
gold, was to Thunder and Lightning. Next came the hall of the
Rainbow with colored delineations on gold plate, and finally a hall
covered with gold where the priests gave audience. Many jewels,
emeralds and turquoise, were set in the mouldings of gold. The
bodies of the Incas were removed before the coming of the invaders,
but in 1559 five were discovered and subsequently carried to Lima,
where they were buried in the patio of the San Andres hospital. Four
streets which led to the temple of the Sun are now called Carcel,
Loreto, Santa Catalina, and San Augustín.
Near by, where now is the convent of Santa Catalina, was the House
of the Virgins, who, like the Vestals at Rome, fed the sacred fire.
Of these there were 1500 or more, some from Cuzco of royal lineage,
others from the provinces, selected for their beauty from those of
high birth. They spun and wove the clothing of the Inca and his
Queen and had various other duties. Their dishes and utensils were
of gold. They entered the convent before they were eight years of
age and here, vowed to chastity, they spent their lives. This
building was 200 by 800 feet.
Each Inca built for himself a great palace, and above were the
wonderful fortifications of Sacsahuaman. West of the town is a place
called Huaca-puncu, Holy Gate, which is approached by a steep
street. At a certain spot every Indian paused to look back or
forward, this being the first or last point from which could be seen
the Temple of the Sun. And still today, as four centuries ago, the
Indians continue this ancient custom.
[Illustration:
CATHEDRAL PLAZA, MATRÍZ
]
[Illustration:
ANCIENT WALL
]
The visitor may first stroll about the modern city, which should
occupy him for a day or more, and then turn to the ruins above. A
short distance east of the Hotel Comercio is a larger plaza called
the _Matríz_, which with the other two, the _Regocijo_ and the _San
Francisco_, in ancient days formed a huge single plaza, the scene of
many great festivals, its periphery the measure of Huascar’s gold
chain. First to attract observation is the imposing _Cathedral_,
regarded as third in splendor in the New World, following those of
Mexico and Lima. Begun in 1560, later than that in Lima, it was
earlier finished, in 1654. One writer calls it the most perfect
example of colonial architecture existing. It has the usual three
doors and naves, with two rows of Corinthian columns carved, in
front only, to their base. Built of stone in the Renaissance style,
the cost of the cathedral was so great that one of the Viceroys
remarked that it would have been less expensive in silver. The choir
in the central nave is of superb carving, the high altar in front is
covered with silver. Two fine organs provide music. There are many
paintings, one attributed to Van Dyck, El Señor de la Agonia.
Portraits of the Popes and of all the bishops of Cuzco are contained
in the sacristy. A monstrance ornamented with diamonds, pearls,
rubies, etc., is one of the most valuable possessions. On the right
of the Cathedral is the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, on the left, the
Chapel of Triumph. In front of the Cathedral which, with the Chapel
of Triumph, occupies the site of the palace of Viracocha stood a
round tower.
Especial heed should be given to the tone of the Cathedral bell,
called one of the richest in the world. It is styled the Maria
Angola from the name of a pious lady who presented 300 lbs. weight
of gold to be used in its casting. The great bell, which is large
enough to cover eight men, was made in Cuzco in 1659, so heavy that
an inclined plane was built to hoist it to the tower and many men
were required for the task. It is said that the bell may be heard
for a distance of 25 miles, and that its rich tones, due to the
large amount of gold in its composition, are especially inclined to
awaken a spirit of reverence.
On the south side of the Plaza will be noticed the Church of the
Compañia, the Jesuits’, standing on the site of one of the later
Inca palaces, that of Huayna Ccapac, father of Atahuallpa and
Huascar. This church, one of the finest in Cuzco, is cruciform in
shape with a single broad nave and a large dome at the intersection
of the transverse aisles. Pillars both round and square support the
fine arches of the church.
On the corner of Loreto calle, nearer to the Cathedral, was once the
palace of the Inca Yupanqui, some distance back of which was that of
Inca Tupac Yupanqui. At the farther corner, also of the south side,
was the palace of Huascar beyond the calle de la Carcel which led
down to the Temple of the Sun, now built over by the church and
convent of Santo Domingo. The church is not so fine as some of the
others, but deserves a visit on account of the historical
associations, the altar now occupying the position formerly sacred
to the Sun god. The exceptional oval wall behind the altar should be
noted, indicating the elliptical form of the ancient structure. The
cloister has a finely carved stone archway, and columns around a
patio of the convent, which was one of the earliest Spanish edifices
in Peru.
The convent of Santa Catalina close by is on the site of the ancient
House of the Virgins.
On the north side of the Plaza were the palace of the Inca Rocca,
next the Cassama or House of Freezing, the magnificence of which was
supposed to stiffen the beholder with admiration, and then the
palace of Inca Pachacutec. The walls of the ancient structures were
used for the lower floors of Spanish dwellings and a second story
with balconies was added above. Here are now houses and shops with
arched arcades in front, much as in the time of Garcilasso de la
Vega, a boy at the time of the Conquest. The palace of Pachacutec,
the Inca legislator, is the residence, according to Fuentes, of C.
Gonzales Martinez, calle del Triunfo No. 78. On this street is the
famous great stone with twelve angles. At No. 116 on this street,
the house of Señora Juana Arinibar, was, says Fuentes, the palace of
Yupanqui. Francisco Pizarro once occupied the mansion now the
residence of the Prefect; his brother Gonzalo, a house in the
_portal_ Harinas.
While the great Plaza of Cuzco in the days of the Incas must have
been the scene of many joyous, marvellously brilliant and sumptuous
festivities, in violent contrast after the Conquest it witnessed the
most terrible tragedies. Here in 1571 the youthful Inca, Tupac
Amaru, was beheaded in the presence of a vast crowd of Indians. For
a moment the hand of the executioner was stayed by the wail of
horror that arose, but the ruthless Viceroy Toledo would grant no
mercy. The head of Tupac was set up on a pike. In the middle of the
night, a Spaniard looking from his window was amazed to see the
entire Plaza filled with kneeling Indians, in silent veneration
before the last of their rulers. Next day the head was removed and
buried. Two hundred years later, in 1781, a greater atrocity was
committed. Another of the same name who had led in revolt his
kinsmen, suffering from the inhuman exactions of their rulers, was
here compelled to witness the torture and execution of his wife and
other relatives. Then after having his tongue cut out, he was torn
limb from limb by four horses. It is small wonder that the Quichuas
appear of a stolid, melancholy disposition.
The church of La Merced should be visited, especially to observe the
fine cloister with its admirable arches, columns, and staircase, as
also because here are the remains of the old warrior Almagro and the
brothers, Juan and Gonzalo Pizarro.
Above the city, slopes toward the north a steep hill between two
gorges, the Huatanay on the east and the Tulumayu on the west,
crowned with the world renowned fortress of Sacsahuaman. A long half
day at the least is needed to investigate this and other ruins
above. Many, with a whole day to spare, will find it delightful,
setting out early with a luncheon, to linger above until the shadows
begin to fall.
One may go on foot or horseback (it may be a mule) according to his
taste and ability. An extremely athletic gentleman says the climb is
best done on a mule. Certainly it is better for one not fond of
walking, but to a good pedestrian the walk is no hardship. Turning
to the right on the calle Triunfo one will pass a great wall
containing the famous stone with twelve angles into which other
stones are beautifully fitted. This method of construction is
characteristic. They did not trouble to make rectangular blocks of a
fixed size, but utilized stones both large and small of various
shapes, and fitted them perfectly to each other. In some cases the
joining is so fine that the thinnest knife cannot be inserted. Nor
was mortar used in the construction. How their wonderful work was
accomplished without tools of steel or other metal remains a
mystery. There is a legend that they knew of a plant the juices of
which in some magical manner softened the stone so that it could
easily be rubbed into the required shape. This great wall perhaps
enclosed the palace of Manco Ccapac, the first Inca, of which some
remains are above. Still higher, on a terrace back of this palace,
was the Garden of the Sun which was yearly the first to be
cultivated. Markham calls this the most lovely and the saddest spot
in Peru. Beyond the calle Triunfo, to one climbing the hill along
the edge of the gorge, scenes of beauty are continually revealed as
one pauses to rest and look about him. The great fortress on the
hilltop was so difficult of access that in the greater part of its
circumference a single wall sufficed; but to the northeast or rear,
as regarded from the city, the approach was gradual. On that side
for a distance of 330 yards, were constructed three great parallel
walls which had 21 advancing and re-entrant angles, so that every
point could be enfiladed. These walls, which may be called
Cyclopean, are said to contain stones surpassing in size any found
in ancient Mykenae or other Greek strongholds. One of the largest
stones weighs about 36 tons. They are of limestone brought from
quarries three-quarters of a mile away, though other writers state
that they came from a distance of 5 and 15 leagues. One 30 feet long
is said by one writer to weigh 160 tons. The most perfectly planned
fortress ever built is the extraordinary tribute which this work has
received. Against what people such a stronghold was required is a
mystery. The lowest of the three walls was 27 feet high, the second
was 18, and the uppermost 14; on the inside, the parapet was breast
high. Between each two walls there was a space of 25 to 30 feet. In
each wall near the center was a gate which could be raised. There is
a story of a tired stone which was left on the road and wept blood
at being unable to reach the fortress. It is related that this
stone, being dragged by 20,000 Indians, half in front with stout
cables and half behind, slipped back down the hill killing several
thousand, and thus it wept blood.
At the top of the hill in a triangular space within the enclosure
were three strong towers. The central tower, circular in shape,
contained a fountain with water brought from some distance. The
walls of the tower were decorated with birds and animals of gold and
silver. Here kings were lodged who came to pay a visit. From the
parapet the Inca prince, Cahuide, overcome in a final struggle,
plunged to his death. The other two towers which were square
provided lodgings for soldiers. They had equal space underground
with subterranean passages forming a labyrinth for which a skein of
wool was needed as a guide. There were no arches, but corbels with
long stones laid across. One of these towers was the last to be
defended by the Inca subjects against the Spanish. The invaders soon
dismantled the colossal Sacsahuaman fortress for material to
construct their dwellings, perhaps also to impair its strength as a
refuge in case of insurrection. Impressive are these great walls,
and the ruins beyond in a vast solitude where no habitation is in
sight, perhaps no human being. A little plain lies between
Sacsahuaman and a hill called Rodadero, once partly walled. Here are
curious masses of rock which look as if children or older persons
had slidden over them for ages. Some believe that the white rock
solidified in this form, others that the ridges were artificially
cut, and still others that they have been worn as above indicated.
Certain it is that youths on feast days or as they have opportunity
still take pleasure in the pastime of sliding. A little farther on,
carved in the solid rock, is a seat called the Inca’s throne, where
he may have sat to watch his people at their sports and dances, or
to review his troops, or alone in state to contemplate his dominions
and the setting sun. Very near is a stone in which there is a
channel ten inches wide and over which is a little bridge, thought
to be a place of libation. It is said that chicha is thus offered
here today. Two caves may be seen close by, a small one of
labyrinthine character, with entrance three feet high.
Somewhat east of the Rodadero is another rock formation with large
double perfectly level stairs with a small landing at the top. By
some this is regarded as the true Inca seat. All about, carved in
the living rock are niches, benches, and seats of every kind and
shape.
From Cuzco a delightful excursion may be made to visit other ruins
in the Urubamba Valley, delightful that is to those who do not
object to riding on a mule over difficult if not dangerous trails,
or sleeping on floor or table, with a rather poor food supply.
Temporary discomfort will, however, be most highly rewarded to the
lover of romantic scenery as well as to the tourist of archæological
tastes. One may go up over the hills back of Cuzco direct to Yucay
or to Urubamba, and the next day arrive at Ollantaytambo.
These ruins of Ollantaytambo in the valley of the Urubamba River, at
the entrance of a side ravine, have long been known as those of a
great fortress or fortified palace arranged on several terraces; the
first plateau 300 feet from the floor of the valley. Here are
immense stone slabs, polygonal walls with recesses for household
gods, a circle or pillar called a Intihuatana for observing the
equinox, and other remains in a valley of wonderful beauty. The
story of the Tired Stone is also connected with this place. Farther
down, about 60 miles northwest of Cuzco, are the still more
wonderful remains of Machu Picchu, recently brought to the knowledge
of the world by Professor Hiram Bingham and described in the April,
1913, number of the National Geographic Magazine. This is thought to
have been a city of refuge of earlier date than Cuzco, a large
walled settlement 2000 feet above the bottom of the valley and 7000
feet above the sea. The Spaniards appear never to have reached this
point, hence the ruins are in a remarkable state of preservation.
Here are terraces, many houses, fountains, towers, 100 staircases,
and beautiful walls of rectangular stones. The valley itself with
its steep rugged walls, its luxuriant vegetation, and its views of
snowclad mountains is one of incomparable loveliness.
Nearer to Cuzco are ruins previously known and easily accessible, at
Yucay palaces and baths, and still higher up the valley the
fortress, palace, and rock tombs of Pisac; all of these in the same
valley, that of the River Vilcamayu or Vilcanota, as it is called in
the upper part, below becoming the Urubamba, then, on uniting with
the Apurimac, the Ucayali, which with the Marañon forms the Amazon.
Other ruins, Choquequirao on the Apurimac River, Ñusta España and
Vitcos on the Vilcabamba River, are more difficult of access, though
by no means impossible; but to investigate all would require weeks.
Before undertaking such journeys, one should read the accounts of
other travelers and come suitably prepared; they are not for the
ordinary tourist. When the railroad has been extended from Huancayo
to Cuzco, a very expensive work, the completion of which may be
delayed for some years, this wonderfully romantic region will
attract many visitors.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XIII
BOLIVIA—CUZCO TO LA PAZ
From Cuzco the tourist will return to Juliaca, the junction on the
main line, where he should arrive in time to take the train at 6.15
p.m. for _Puno_ on Lake Titicaca, a ride of an hour and a quarter.
The time table should be carefully studied in Arequipa and the
journey planned to avoid a stop-over at Puno. Should this occur,
notwithstanding, one may look about the town, which, founded in the
seventeenth century, is an important center of trade in alpaca and
vicuña skins and wool. One may therefore inquire for _rugs_, as
these either of _white alpaca_ or _vicuña_ are valuable souvenirs,
also purchasable in La Paz. The shorter vicuña fur from the necks
and legs is considered more desirable; though the longer is
preferred by some. The rugs vary in price according to buyer and
seller, as well as the quality of the fur, from 25 or 30 _soles_ to
100 or more for a special order. In La Paz they are sold at from 40
to 80 _bolivians_ each. Alpaca rugs are more rare and cost about the
same as the better vicuñas. They are quite double the weight.
Llamas, sometimes called the camels of the Andes, are prized chiefly
as burden bearers, though their long coarse wool is serviceable. The
vicuña and alpaca are never used as pack animals, being smaller and
of lighter build. The fine quality of the vicuña wool and its
scarcity makes it expensive and desirable. A poncho or any other
article of this wool is something to be valued. The Indians alone
manage all of these animals successfully; though the vicuña is
hardly domesticated. A profitable industry in which to engage would
be the culture if possible of these animals for the wool. The llamas
are of various colors, black, brown, white, and mixed; the alpacas
are oftener black or white, the vicuñas a tawny or fawn shade,
fading almost to white on the belly. None of these animals have
horns, and spitting is their only weapon of defense. They range
mostly from 12,000 to 15,000 feet in Peru and Bolivia.
=Puno= is quite a town with a large plaza, several churches, many
nice homes, a college, a hospital, and, in the vicinity, many
ancient monuments; one famous round tower, called a _chulpa_, at
Sallustani, of unknown origin, is by some believed to be a burial
structure. Puno on the frontier of Peru is a meeting place between
the two tribes, the Quichuas and Aymarás, the latter, residents of
northern Bolivia, while the Quichuas occupy the plateau region of
the greater part of Peru and of the central and southern portions of
Bolivia.
=Lake Titicaca=, halfway between Panama and Cape Horn, is on a great
plateau more than two miles vertically above the level of the sea.
About 135 miles long and 66 wide it has, with a very irregular
outline, an area of more than 5000 square miles. Although at so
great an altitude the waters never freeze, being slightly warmer
than the atmosphere, the temperature of which in winter is often as
low as 30° Fah. Snowstorms are no rarity. The glacier-covered
mountains on the southeast have some effect upon the climate. A
number of small streams flow into the lake which has a single outlet
at the southwest corner, the Desaguadero River, 180 miles long,
emptying into Lake Poopo. For a distance of 30 miles from Lake
Titicaca the river is navigable for boats of 500 tons. So high that
one Mt. Washington piled upon another would not rise above the
surface of the water, and the loftiest mountain in the United States
proper would appear but as one of the grassy hills around, this
sheet of water, 12,500 feet above the sea, nearly as large as Lake
Erie, is the most elevated in the world where steamboats regularly
ply.
In the winter months, June, July, and August, it is quite dark
before Puno is reached, but in the gloomy dusk one will have on the
left glimpses of the Lake. At the Puno Station an animated throng
will be waiting for the many who descend from the train; but the
majority of first-class passengers, if it is the right day, will
remain in the car for the half-mile ride to the docks, where they
embark on a 1000 ton steamer for the sail to Guaqui in Bolivia.
Formerly the steamer lay at the wharf until morning, the passengers
sleeping on board. Then a delightful all day’s sail was enjoyed with
continually charming views of deep bays, irregular hilly shores,
rugged picturesque promontories and islands, and after a few hours,
the splendid Cordillera Real at the east. Towards sunset, the line
of snowclad giants, stretching from imposing Illampu to Illimani,
presented a spectacle of extraordinary magnificence.
To those who delight in ancient myths and archæological research,
perchance to all who know the legend of Manco Ccapac and Mama Oclla,
children of the Sun, it would be a privilege to call at the sacred
islet _Inti-Karka_ or _Titicaca_, now commonly referred to as the
Island of the Sun, whence these two set forth on their wonderful
mission and career. It was reserved for the fourth Inca, Maita
Ccapac, to return with an army to this region, then entitled
Collasuyo, and to reduce the people to submission; and for his
successor, Ccapac Yupanqui, to complete the conquest. The Incas were
greatly impressed with the more ancient monuments at Tiahuanaco,
evidences of superior civilization; and on the island from which his
ancestors were supposed to have issued on their beneficent,
civilizing mission, Tupac Yupanqui erected a splendid palace and a
temple to the Sun, the richest in his entire empire. A temple also
was built to Thunder and Lightning, a monastery for the sons of
nobles, a sanctuary for vestal virgins, and dwellings for his
courtiers. The island is said to have been paved with gold and
silver. A smaller island near by is called _Coati_ from Coya, the
Moon, wife of the Sun, where temples to the Moon were erected. On
both islands many remains still exist, but to visit them is
difficult, as the regular steamers sail direct from Puno to Guaqui,
at the south end of the lake. These boats which were built in
Scotland, brought up in pieces and here put together, have
comfortable staterooms with electric lights and afford good enough
meals. The curious native boats, the _balsas_, one must try to get a
glimpse of near the dock at Puno, or in the early morning. These are
made of reeds, which grow in the water near the lake shore and are
bound together in rolls. The broad sails also are of reeds. After a
while they become water-soaked, lasting only about six months. The
boats are propelled from shore with a long pole. Before the coming
of the steamships these boats transported much freight among the
various lake ports, but are now little used except by the Indians
who are adept in their management and seldom wrecked, though often
severe storms suddenly arise. August is the month of best weather,
though the coldest. Warm clothing and wraps are indispensable.
Thunderstorms may occur at any time, especially in summer when
waterspouts are not infrequent; but in my seven crossings the
weather has always been good and everything comfortable; berth and
meals are provided without extra cost.
=Copacabana.= In 1903 the steamer called at the town of Copacabana,
on the west shore of the lake, where there is a far-famed shrine to
the Virgin, once the richest and most renowned in all South America.
The story goes that the image of the Virgin is the work of a
converted Indian, who, ignorant and unskilled, from pious zeal
devoted many years to the task. Aside from the face and hands, the
entire image is covered with gilt upon which are colored designs so
applied as to give the effect of an elaborate robe. The gold crown
and the many priceless jewels with which the image is decorated
possess a value indeed amazing to find in a town largely Indian in
this remote corner of the globe. Candles are ever burning before the
sacred shrine. Besides the church, a cupola on columns of Moorish
style is notable. At the time of the great festival to the Virgin in
July, this usually quiet town is thronged with Indians who come from
all directions, a distance of 100 leagues. Mingled with Catholic
ritual and ceremonies are primitive Indian rites and beliefs, and
the religious exercises are followed by grotesque dances and songs,
drunkenness and bestial excesses, as happens generally on the great
feast days elsewhere among Quichuas and Aymarás. In an earlier
period there was here a city with accommodations for the pilgrims
who annually came to visit the Temple of the Sun on Inti-Karka and
to pay homage to the Inca. Pilgrims still come from Mexico and
Europe to be healed. The tourist has now no opportunity to visit the
place except by chance, or with an outlay of considerable time,
trouble, and expense, by chartering a special _balsa_ or by making
use of the small coasting steamer.
One should rise early the morning after leaving Puno, in order to
enjoy the imposing sight of the great mountain range from _Illampu_
to _Illimani_, a distance of 100 miles. No more splendid vision,
some maintain, may be witnessed on the whole round earth. As one
beholds the glistening glaciers which, pierced by bristling ramparts
of rock, in immense masses clothe the vast and towering peaks, with
the brown plain and the blue waters of the lake as a contrasting
foreground, it is difficult to realize that one is two miles above
the sea and still within the Torrid Zone. After passing through a
very narrow strait, the ship sails west into a considerable bay, at
last along a narrow, artificial channel to the port of _Guaqui_ near
the southwest corner of the lake. It is a bustling place with plenty
of Indian men and boys to assist in transporting hand baggage to the
train 30 or 40 rods distant. A trifle bleak, maybe, in winter,
exercise and sunshine promptly dispel discomfort. There is not much
of Guaqui save the dwellings connected with the port and railway
terminal. It has been growing with the increase in traffic ever
since the opening of the railway in 1903; but its progress may now
be retarded by the new railway from the Pacific recently opened
between Arica and La Paz. Life on this desolate plain which might
seem a dreary lot to many is yet enjoyed by civilized Englishmen and
their families, who find the climate agreeable and are content in
the possession of all essential comforts.
The cars for the journey to La Paz, 60 miles distant, are of
ordinary American style. A seat on the left will afford the finer
prospects, though at the start the hills on the right are higher.
These are often covered with a thin coating of snow which at times
spreads over the plain. Near the lake the land is well covered with
brown bunch grass, good food for cattle, many of which with long
rough hair may be seen from the car window. Trains of donkeys,
mules, and llamas are often in evidence, and many Indian men and
women, not very prepossessing in appearance, the Aymarás, who are of
more churlish manner than the Quichuas of Peru. Along the line are
Indian villages and solitary dwellings of sun-dried bricks, the
latter surrounded by thick walls of the same material, though walls
of stone are used to separate the cultivated fields. Fifteen miles
from Guaqui is _Tiahuanaco_, the seat of a wonderful prehistoric
civilization. Beyond the railway station may be seen at the left
great stones of a sacred enclosure, a mound showing evidences of
excavations, perhaps a colossal statue. No time is given to examine
these marvellous ruins, for which purpose one must make an especial
excursion from La Paz.
[Illustration:
BALSAS, LAKE TITICACA
]
[Illustration:
LA PAZ, FROM THE HILLS
]
After an hour or so the Cordillera comes again into view, when the
great Illampu will excite profound admiration, until the Alto
Station is approached. Two hours from Guaqui the train reaches the
station _Viacha_, a junction from which a road leads south to Oruro,
and the newer road west over the mountains, to the sea at Arica.
Often there is here a long wait, which begins with much bustle and
animation, women offering for sale fruits, rolls, and a variety of
curious concoctions. The village is at some distance on the right; a
church is conspicuous on a hilltop. A half hour beyond at the Alto
Station another pause is made. The train is divided into sections
and with a special engine attached the car proceeds in reverse
direction. For a moment it continues on the practically level plain,
but keep a sharp look out! Presto! You begin to descend and suddenly
perceive that you have passed the brink of an enormous cañon, its
vicinity hitherto unsuspected, and you gaze in astonishment at the
steep enclosing walls and far below in the distance on the red roofs
of the city of _La Paz_ more than 1000 feet beneath. A remarkable,
astonishing, and delightful ride is before you. One wishes to look
all ways at once, to admire the long curves of the winding track,
the strangely carved walls of the cañon, the troops of llamas or
burros with their Indian drivers, the steep pathways up which they
toil, the patches of bright green in the midst of the brown slopes,
and the gradually approaching city. The descent is on the sloping
head wall of the curiously carved oval basin, the sides of which
appear in places perpendicular and converge at the farther end in
such a way as to leave no opening visible, though an outlet is
really there. The upper edge of this great basin is called the
_alto_ or height by the people dwelling below. Thus concealed in the
very heart of the Andes is the unique city of La Paz, with its
80,000 inhabitants, over 12,000 feet above the sea, the highest
capital on the globe, a curious, fascinating place, surrounded by
these strange walls; while brilliant, snow-crowned Illimani,
towering in majesty 9000 feet above, adds a charm comparable to that
which the Jungfrau gives to Interlaken. But La Paz itself is as high
as the shoulders of that glacier-robed Alpine summit; an altitude
which in other regions signifies perpetual snow here bringing only a
temperate clime, where flowers blossom in the open throughout the
year, and the rare inch or two of winter’s snow quickly vanishes in
the morning’s sunlight.
The railway down to the city, by many pronounced impossible of
accomplishment, was opened in October, 1905, through the initiative
and agency of Mr. T. Clive Sheppard, then Superintendent of Public
Works. The road, 5½ miles long, has an average grade of six per cent
with curves on a radius of 100 meters. The power is electricity
obtained from mond gas, an explosive mixture compounded of coal gas,
steam, and air, cheaper than either gas or steam; a consideration of
importance where coal from Australia in 1908 was selling at retail
for $50 a ton.
At the station are porters who for modest fees will transport to
your hotel your baggage, both large and small. Big trunks they carry
on their backs with apparent ease. Carriages may be at hand, costing
one _bolivian_, 40 cents; or on the other side of the station an
electric car, fare 20 _centavos_, first class, will soon be passing.
This will bring you to the Hotel Guibert, half a mile distant, the
oldest and best of the hostelries of the city, unless a new one,
long promised, should be already completed. 20 _centavos_ is an
ample fee for the boy who takes a bag to the car or even to the
hotel, and 50 _centavos_ to the man who brings the trunk.
Of the early history of Bolivia, little is known. At the time of
the Spanish invasion the country was under the sway of the
Incas. These being overthrown, no resistance was here offered to
the advance of Diego de Almagro, who chose this route for his
southward march for the conquest of Chile. After this unhappy
adventure Gonzalo Pizarro invaded the country; the city of
Chuquisaca was founded (at times called Charcas, and La Plata),
now known as Sucre. Quarrels among the invaders culminated in a
victory near Cuzco by the Viceroy Pedro de la Gasca over Gonzalo
Pizarro, who was put to death. As a memorial of the peace thus
secured, La Gasca ordered Captain Alonso de Mendoza to found a
city in the valley of Chuquiapu, where an Indian village already
existed, and October 25, 1545, the first anniversary of the
battle, the foundations were laid of a city named Nuestra Señora
de La Paz. The city of Potosí had been founded a few months
earlier, after the discovery of the wonderful silver mines which
soon made the city and _cerro_ famous throughout the world.
The country now known as Bolivia, formerly Alto Peru, was a part
of the province of New Toledo granted to Almagro, who was
beheaded after his party was defeated in a conflict with
Pizarro’s forces near Cuzco, subsequent to his return from his
unfortunate expedition to Chile. In 1542 the Viceroyalty of Peru
was created with authority over all the Spanish American
possessions. Under the Viceroy were later two _Audiencias
Reales_, Royal Audiences, of Lima and of Charcas, the latter
covering the former New Toledo and having jurisdiction over the
provinces of Tucumán, Paraguay, and Buenos Aires. The
_Audiencias_ were supreme courts possessing also executive
functions, and were responsible to the Crown. The _Audiencia_ of
Charcas, created in 1559, had its chief seat at Chuquisaca, the
site also of the bishopric of Charcas, and of the University of
San Francisco Xavier, renowned in Spanish America for its
learning, and ranking with Salamanca in Spain. La Paz became a
Cathedral city in 1605, and Chuquisaca in 1609 was made the seat
of the archbishopric of La Plata. Other cities were founded;
explorations were made east and north of the Andes Mountains;
the work of christianizing the Indians was prosecuted by the
Jesuit, Franciscan, and other _padres_. At the same time great
abuses were practiced upon the natives, who both in Peru and
Bolivia were compelled to work in the mines, and suffered such
hardships and cruelties as rapidly to diminish their numbers. In
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries there were many
struggles and conflicts, chiefly between the native born
Americans of Spanish ancestry and the rulers who were for the
most part Spanish born; several insurrections occurring with
intent to throw off the Spanish yoke. In 1776 the Viceroyalty of
Buenos Aires was established, to which the _Audiencia_ of
Bolivia was transferred. In 1780 occurred an Indian rising
instigated and directed by three brothers named Catari, for
whose heads 2000 _pesos_ each were offered by the _Audiencia_.
Thus they were betrayed. The Indian revolt in Cuzco led by Tupac
Amaru occurring about this time incited the Bolivian Indians to
further efforts. The Indian Ayoayo with 80,000 men for three
months besieged the city of La Paz until dispersed by an army
from Chuquisaca. The town of Sorata was destroyed, but in the
end, after 50,000 lives had been lost among the Spanish
Americans and many more of the Indians, they were finally
crushed.
Injustice and oppression had been the lot, not of the Indians
only, but of the native born Spanish Americans, in spite of the
fact that especially from Peru and Bolivia fabulous wealth had
flowed into the treasury of Spain. The Revolution in North
America was a warning, but the concessions granted were too
late. July 16, 1809, conspirators at La Paz deposed and
imprisoned the Governor and proclaimed the independence of the
country, organizing a _Junta_ of which one of the leaders in the
movement, Pedro Domingo Murillo, was elected President. This
insurrection deserves especial notice as the first effort in
South America towards democratic government. A trained army sent
by the Viceroy of Peru overcame the feeble opposition of a few
patriots, and Murillo, January 29, 1810, perished on the
scaffold; yet full of confidence he exclaimed in the words of
another, “The torch which I have lighted shall never be
extinguished.” Within a few months the Viceroy at Buenos Aires
was deposed and an army from Argentina under General Belgrano
met and defeated the royalists on the field of Suipacha. From
this time on, there were various conflicts in which the
royalists were usually successful; but the patriots, in spite of
serious defeats, for years continued a persistent guerrilla
warfare in which a large number of their leaders perished. The
arrival of General San Martin with his victorious army at Pisco
in Peru, and soon after the proclamation of independence at
Lima, July 28, 1821, gave new hope to the Bolivians. The battle
of Ayacucho December 9, 1824, having ended Spanish dominion in
South America, January 29, 1825, just fifteen years after the
first patriots suffered martyrdom in the plaza, the last Spanish
authorities evacuated La Paz, which was occupied by the
Independent Army of Alto Peru under General Lanza the same day.
The victorious army under General Sucre, marching from Cuzco,
made a triumphal entry, February 7, 1825, in the midst of wild
rejoicing. With General Sucre acting as the prime organizer of
the Republic, the first National Assembly met in June at
Chuquisaca. The Act of Independence bears the date of August 6,
1825; the Republic was named for Bolivar, who was elected its
first President, while Chuquisaca was made the capital under the
name of Sucre. Nuestra Señora de La Paz became La Paz de
Ayacucho. General Bolívar, on his arrival in La Paz August 18,
was greeted with unbounded enthusiasm. In November at Sucre he
was inaugurated President, but resigned in January, 1826, to
return to Lima. The troublous times which followed, continuing
many years, must be passed over, up to the Chilian war. A
quarrel arising over the collection of an export tax on nitrate,
Chile sent troops to occupy Antofagasta, then Bolivian
territory. Peru having previously made a secret treaty with
Bolivia joined her in the declaration of war, April 5, 1879. As
the allies were altogether unprepared, Chile was completely
victorious and Bolivia lost what little coast she had previously
possessed. During the last thirty years, however, internal
dissensions have for the most part ceased, and with more stable
government there has been successful development of the rich
resources of the country. In 1898 trouble arose over the
question of the seat of government, sessions of Congress having
been held in several cities. Congress passed a law that Sucre
should be the permanent residence of the President and Cabinet.
The people of La Paz protesting, a Federation was formed and,
after several engagements, General Pando, commander of the
revolutionary forces, gained a complete victory, with the result
that La Paz was made the real seat of government although Sucre
retains the name of capital. General Pando was elected
President. During his administration occurred the Acre boundary
difficulty settled by the cession of considerable rubber
territory to Brazil, in return for which Brazil paid Bolivia
£2,000,000 to be used in building railways, while Brazil further
agreed to construct the so-called Madera-Mamoré railway around
the rapids in those rivers, thus giving to Bolivia an outlet by
the Amazon and Pará for her own rubber districts and for a large
section of her territory. Under President Montes (1904-1908) a
treaty was made with Chile according to which, in addition to
bestowing a subsidy and other considerations, Chile agreed to
build a railway from Arica to the _Altos_ of La Paz, recently
opened to traffic, and affording a shorter route to the Pacific
than those by Mollendo or Antofagasta. During the administration
of President Eliodoro Villazón progress has continued in other
directions and especially in the development of railways. The
road from Rio Mulato to Potosí has been opened and that from
Oruro to Cochabamba will probably be in operation before the
close of 1913; thus these two important cities are brought into
better communication with the outside world. The Madera-Mamoré
Railway is already in service. President Villazón is now
succeeded by former President Montes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XIV
THE CITY OF LA PAZ
The _Grand Hotel Guibert_ is well situated at a corner of the
principal Plaza. Though not on the square, several windows overlook
it and from many the music of the band concerts may be heard on
Sunday and Thursday evenings. The hotel entrance is on the calle
Comercio, one of the principal streets of the city, running
longitudinally in the valley. The side windows, on a street running
down the steep hill, look across upon the side walls of the
Cathedral which fronts upon the Plaza. The hotel, with two stories
in front and three in the rear, is an ancient structure several
centuries old, with handsome carvings on the inner walls. These once
surrounded a large patio, originally open to the sky and with a
sloping pavement, which might be entered from the side street. In
1903, the patio was occasionally occupied by a drove of llamas, or
by men discharging freight, or with other matters; but now, roofed
and floored, it has been converted into a large dining-room. The
cookery is a combination of French, Spanish, and Indian styles. The
hotel has a rather narrow entrance and stairway, and no salon or
parlor in which guests may be received. The chambers, provided with
electric bells and lights, are quite palatial with expensive French
furniture, thick carpets, canopied bedsteads with embroidered sheets
and splendid blankets. The luxurious bed, placed by the door, leaves
a large space near the window as a drawing-room where callers may be
entertained. When a foreign minister arrived, tall and stately
screens were brought in to partition off the bed from the rest of
the apartment. After Cuzco and Arequipa, the hotel will seem quite
cosmopolitan and satisfactory, though the arrangement of bathrooms
and toilet on an inner patio leaves something to be desired. So
crowded is the hotel that sufficient accommodations are hardly
afforded by the main building and two dependencies, one on the Plaza
facing the palace, the other, three stories high, on the same calle
Comercio three blocks nearer the station. To secure a good room or
even to be sure of any, it is wise to telegraph from Arequipa or
Cuzco. Prices vary from 7 to 15 _bol._ a day for room and board, 8
or 10 being the average fee except for the largest rooms. Morning
coffee is served in one’s room, _almuerzo_ is from 11 to 2, the
crowd coming between 12.30 and 1.
Another hotel nearer the station, kept by a German, is said to be
very neat, and good for the money, the price being lower. It was
rumored in 1911 that the millionaire mine owner, Señor Patiño, had
purchased a corner on this street on which to erect a large
up-to-date establishment. This would be a boon in view of the
rapidly increasing travel. On the street floor of the Guibert is a
large café, a good part of the day and evening filled to overflowing
with gentlemen, both natives and foreigners, at small tables,
regaling themselves with a cocktail or some other beverage,
discussing business or politics, or shaking dice, to the serious
neglect, I was told, of the important affairs of life, as is
frequently the case elsewhere.
[Illustration:
CATHEDRAL AND GOVERNMENT PALACE
]
[Illustration:
HALL OF CONGRESS, MONUMENT TO MURILLO
]
The city of _La Paz_ (population 80,000) on both sides of the
Chuquiapu River, which flows at the bottom of the cañon in a
southeasterly direction, has the greater part on the left bank. From
above it appears as if on the broad floor of a valley, but later it
is seen that both banks rise steeply from the stream. Thus while the
main streets running parallel to the river have but slight incline,
those at right angles are so steep as to make carriage driving
almost impossible. Both streets and sidewalks are narrow, and paved
with small cobblestones, though the walks have also blocks of stone,
alternating checkerboard fashion with the squares of cobbles. So
narrow are the walks that only two may go abreast, the gentlemen
often stepping into the gutter to allow a lady to pass. In fact on
the steep ways many prefer the middle of the street as being less
slippery, a safe enough place, as on these one meets chiefly other
pedestrians or llamas. The latter are one of the main attractions
and charms of La Paz, troops of graceful animals occasionally
blocking the streets, bringing ice perhaps from the glaciers of
Illimani or some nearer and invisible mountain; or _taquia_, the
dung of the llama, here the chief fuel; or carrying away imported
merchandise to Indians or others, dwelling off the few lines of
railway.
The multitude of Indians (_Aymarás_, less prepossessing than the
_Quichuas_) and of _cholos_, who together form nine-tenths of the
population of Bolivia and two-thirds that of La Paz, also gives a
picturesque novelty to the place, attracting eager attention if not
admiration by the strangeness of their personality and garb. The
Indian men bearing loads or driving herds of llamas, both apparently
belonging to some remote patriarchal age, the women sitting in the
streets or squares, knitting as they preside over the sale of
edibles, knit goods, or other wares, or handing out a bowl of
_chupe_ (soup) to a patron, the _cholas_ (women of the half-breeds)
in gay attire, are a constant source of interest.
One’s sight-seeing naturally begins with the open square close to
the hotel, called the _Plaza Murillo_ from the patriot, Pedro
Domingo Murillo, executed here in 1810. This, too, is the spot where
independence was first declared in 1809. The square has seen many
turbulent episodes. In 1894 the existing park was laid out. The
fountain in the center was the work of a talented Indian, Feliciano
Cantula, in 1855.
On the same side of the Plaza as the Cathedral is the _Government
Palace_, erected in 1885; an earlier structure having been destroyed
by fire. This contains the offices of many state officials and in
the upper story the office and residence of the President and his
family. In October, 1908, a grand ball was here given by President
Montes in honor of the Princess Argendoña of Sucre, on which
occasion the large patio was entirely floored over at the second
story to form a ball room, which with the corridors was handsomely
decorated with hangings of heavy broadcloth in various colors. The
affair was altogether elegant, the costumes of the ladies in the
latest Parisian modes, the refreshments most elaborate; ices, cakes,
and wine were served at small tables throughout the evening, and at
two, a fine supper with soup, hot meats, roast beef, turkey, etc.,
delicious salads, and other viands. The dancing, which began about
eleven, continued until seven a.m.
Across the corner is the _Hall of Congress_, a fine new edifice
completed in 1905, though sufficiently advanced for the inauguration
of President Montes in 1904. In addition to the Chambers of the
Senate and the House of Deputies, the building contains among other
offices those of the Minister of Foreign Relations. The _Cathedral_,
close to the Hotel Guibert, in process of construction, is likely to
continue thus for many years. In 1835 a design was adopted of a
Bolivian architect, Padre Manuel Sanauja. The foundations were laid
in 1843, when stone cutters were imported from Europe to instruct
the Indians in cutting and polishing the stone. They proved apt
pupils and were soon qualified to continue the work, which has,
however, been much delayed through troublous times and the fact that
railroads and other projects for material advancement seemed of
greater importance. Now, however, with an appropriation of 100,000
_bol._ annually, the construction is slowly but steadily proceeding
according to plans of Señor Camponoro adopted in 1900. The structure
when finished will be the largest and most expensive cathedral
erected in South America since the Independence, and may be the
finest of any. Covering 4000 square meters it will be capable of
seating 12,000 persons. Of the Græco-Roman style, it will have five
naves with columns of polished stone, towers nearly 200 feet high,
and a dome, the top of which will be 150 feet above the floor.
_Berenguela_, a native marble, will be used for the great altar.
Two blocks north of the Plaza is the pro-Cathedral, the church of
_Santo Domingo_, where such services are held as are regarded as
functions of State. Thus on the day of the funeral of Pope Leo XIII
in 1903, a procession including the President, the Ministers of
State, and other Bolivian officials, with members of the Diplomatic
Corps, all in evening dress, the customary garb on formal occasions
in South America and Europe, marched from the Palace to the Church
with a large escort of soldiery, a regiment also lining the streets
en route.
The city contains twelve other churches, five public chapels, five
convents, and three monasteries. The handsomest church is that of
_San Francisco_ on a plaza of the same name, down on a fairly level
space in the hollow. A church and convent were erected here in 1547,
but the present edifice dates from 1778. Its façade of carved stone
attracts attention, from its excellent design and workmanship. The
interior has three naves and eight altars, besides a high altar of
carved cedar. The convent with accommodations for two hundred at
last accounts had but fourteen inmates, though recently
reconstructed from a legacy left by a rich lady of La Paz. The
convent contains one of the largest libraries of Bolivia.
Besides several other plazas, either entirely paved or having a
little green, there is the usual _Alameda_ nearly half a mile long,
which, like the Plaza Murillo, has been the scene of conflicts. On
the right bank of the stream towards the lower end of the city, this
quiet promenade, ornamented with several rows of trees, has broad
driveways, a wide central walk with pools which swans adorn, and
fountains with basins containing gold fish. At each end of the
Alameda are portals, of which the lower, leading to the Plaza de la
Concordia and the Avenida Arce, was taken from a convent cloister
and set up here in 1828. Along the Alameda are many new and pretty
residences in rather modern style, without a central patio, as also
above and beyond, this being a very fashionable and growing section
of the city. The tints of pale blue, green, yellow, crushed
strawberry, etc., in which the houses are painted, in the clear
sunlight and contrasting shadows present a gay and pleasing
appearance.
More interesting to many than plaza or _alameda_ is the _Market
Place_ found on the calle Mercado, parallel to the Comercio, and two
blocks down the hill. Going down the street at the corner by the
Guibert and turning to the left, the entrance to the market, an
arched portal, will be found in the middle of the third block on the
right hand. Though not very noticeable the market place occupies the
greater part of the square, the site of the former convent of San
Augustín. The best time for a visit is as early as possible on
Sunday morning, when hundreds or thousands of Indians come in from
outlying districts. The adjacent streets, as well as the market, are
thronged with these strange looking people. Both men and women have
bare legs and feet, though some wear sandals. Their heads are more
carefully protected with woolen hood and hat. The men’s trousers are
noticeable, wide at the pockets according to Spanish style at the
time of the Conquest, and with a slit up the back, showing white
drawers underneath. Made of dark cloth they are often worn lining
side out to preserve them from damage while wearers are at work,
when they appear gray. The women wear several short heavy skirts,
and over woolen waists a shawl or two, in one of which a baby is apt
to be carried on the back. The _chola_ women are much gayer in
attire, with many bright colored woolen skirts, red, green, blue,
yellow, one showing below another, or with a richly embroidered,
white under-petticoat, these standing out like a balloon. They
generally wear a jaunty white or gray hat resembling a derby,
several shawls, often open-worked stockings, and shoes with high
French heels. A great contrast to these are the Spanish American
ladies, in the morning on the way to church or market robed in
black, the black _manta_ over their heads, but when calling or
visiting attired in the latest Paris fashions. The gentlemen, too,
are extremely punctilious as to correct dress, appropriate to the
hour and the function.
[Illustration:
STREET NEAR THE MARKET
]
[Illustration:
IN THE CEMETERY OF LA PAZ
]
Within the market place and on the streets around are women sitting
by their stalls, in the doorways and on the sidewalks, selling their
wares, dried and fresh fruits, vegetables, hot soup, _chuños_ (dried
potatoes), _chalona_ (dried sheep), and articles of almost every
kind; shoes, stockings, salt, sugar, meat, coca leaves, rather
coarse native lace, or cheap, imported, machine-made, funny little
rag dolls in Indian garb, five or ten _centavos_ each, red beans
which would make a pretty necklace (they are not real beans), soft
woolen mitts, mittens, and caps, and coarse caps or hoods, with face
masks. The women are always knitting (except at meal time) when not
employed with a customer. People will be found here at any hour of
the day and one may go again and again with interest; the numerous
babies and toddlers, though dirty, add to the picturesqueness of the
scene. The women seem pleasant and more prepossessing than the men.
The knitted articles are astonishingly cheap and the dolls are of a
quaint ugliness. Everything may be found here but flowers, which are
sold in a square above by the La Merced church on a prolongation of
the calle Comercio. Sweet peas, pansies, roses, and other flowers
brought from the valley below are sold at a ridiculously low figure.
A _bolivian_ will purchase as many as you can carry.
There are many good shops in La Paz, the dry goods, mostly on the
calle Comercio or the Mercado; the largest called El Condor, with
several branches, doing an immense business. There are book stores,
banks, and all ordinary institutions. The house of W. R. Grace is on
the calle Mercado towards the market. The _Post Office_ is on the
calle Comercio just beyond the Palace, the office of the Prefect is
on the floor above. A short distance down the steep street between
is the Police Station.
On the side of Plaza Murillo opposite the Capitol, at the upper
corner is the building, entrance on Ingavi, which contains the
Library of the _Geographical Society_ and the office of Don Manuel
V. Ballivián, geographer and statistician, formerly Minister of
Agriculture, who speaks English fluently and is most courteous in
giving information to students, explorers, or investigators of the
resources of the country. The Geographical Society, of which Mr.
Ballivián is President, has by its publications and research
contributed much to the knowledge of the country, which Mr.
Ballivián has himself extensively explored. He is author and editor
of many valuable works.
On the first floor of the same building, with entrance on the Plaza,
is the _Museum of Natural History and Industrial Propaganda_,
containing specimens of the flora, fauna, and great mineral wealth
of the country, ancient sculpture, aboriginal mummies found on the
plateau, pottery of the Inca period and earlier, and other
paraphernalia, as well as curious examples of modern textiles, and
other work and implements of the civilized and savage Indians.
Passing one block along Ingavi and turning to the right one will
find on the left the _Theater_, of modern construction, recently
remodeled and equal to the average theater anywhere. Entertainments
here given are frequently subsidized by the Government; as, however
well patronized, the receipts would hardly be sufficient to pay a
company for the long expensive journey from the sea coast. At the
corner, before turning up the street, is the _Municipal Library_ and
free reading room, open day and evening, where, as in all quarters,
the inquiring stranger will receive the greatest courtesy. On the
block beyond the theater is the _University_.
As in other cities of the West Coast there is a _Bull Ring_ in the
outskirts where occasional fights are held with skillful Spanish
_toreadors_. Several pleasant walks may be taken by one who is fond
of hill climbing. A little _Chapel_ at the top of the left wall of
the cañon to some may seem inviting. It is an hour’s walk, with
suitable pauses affording attractive views of the city and cañon;
but the arrival is disappointing, for a further though moderate
slope cuts off the expected view of plateau and distant mountains.
How much farther one would have to go to obtain this, I am unable to
state. Some writers warn the stranger not to walk at this altitude
except for short distances. It is well to be cautious the first day,
especially if there is the slightest symptom of discomfort, and at
any time persons should avoid too rapid walking, especially uphill,
and be careful not to overdo. This is a great country for climbing,
its opportunities yet unimproved, Illimani (21,000 feet) being the
only one of its high mountains whose summit (by Sir Martin Conway)
has yet been reached. There is no better exercise, providing the
recreation is wisely pursued; but of course not every one can endure
the altitude even of La Paz, to say nothing of 8000 or 10,000 feet
more.
A walk down the valley may afford pleasure, though the majority may
prefer to employ a carriage, or a horse. On foot he will hardly get
far unless taking a whole day. The road winds around, and the wall
blocking the lower end of the cañon is more distant than it looks.
It is a delightful little drive to Obrajes, three miles distant.
Every one should go at least so far, and will then wish to continue.
The curious shapes of the cañon walls, the bright variegated colors
of the cliffs, the road winding in great curves down the rapidly
descending cañon, the beautiful green of alfalfa meadows, the pretty
villas and gardens, and glorious Illimani above, excite ever
increasing admiration. One with plenty of time at his disposal may
ride down the valley to a hacienda, Cebollullo, at the foot of
Illimani, enjoying the most magnificent scenery; but two days would
be needed to go and return. Down this cañon one may proceed to the
Yungas Valley, whence come the vegetables and fruits for the La Paz
market. A railway will some day open up this country, extending to
Puerto Pando on the navigable waters of the Beni, whence one may
cross the continent to Pará by boat and by the newly constructed
Madera-Mamoré Railway, but our tour does not lie in that direction.
An excursion on foot or horseback may be made to the noted gold mine
Chuquiaguillo, a league from the city, which in the eighteenth
century produced one hundred and twenty-five million dollars gold.
Here Indians were washing for gold when the Spaniards arrived and
here they work still under a German superintendent, the gravel
yielding about thirty-five cents gold a cubic foot, with an
occasional nugget. One found in 1905 contained 45 oz. of gold. It
was recently reported that this property has been purchased by
Americans, the Bolivian Goldfields Company.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XV
OTHER REGIONS OF BOLIVIA—ROUTES TO THE SEA
=Tiahuanaco.= All who have an interest in legendary lore and in
ancient monuments of a mysterious past should surely make the
excursion to Tiahuanaco. Even those who have no especial leanings in
that direction cannot fail to be impressed and may possibly be
fascinated by these strange relics of a bygone age. Taking the
morning train to Guaqui, one descends at Tiahuanaco and after a stay
of three or four hours may return to La Paz in the evening. The real
student could profitably devote as many days as the ordinary tourist
would hours to the examination of the ruins. These are believed by
Sir Clements Markham to indicate the existence of a large city,
while others think that this was rather an immense sanctuary and
never a place of general residence. The existing remains on the
broad plateau, 135 feet above Lake Titicaca, from which it is 12
miles distant, are supposed when erected to have been on the shore
of the lake. A great terraced mound of earth, supported by stone
walls, having an area of 620 by 450 feet and a height of 50 feet, is
called a fortress, and also a palace. Long used as a stone quarry
for the erection of buildings in neighboring towns, even in La Paz,
60 miles distant, it is now in an extremely dilapidated condition.
The excavations of treasure seekers as well as of scientists have
also contributed to its ruin.
[Illustration:
MONOLITHIC GATEWAY TIAHUANACO
]
[Illustration:
INDIANS AT FESTIVAL—TIAHUANACO
]
About a quarter of a mile from the station is a construction,
generally regarded as a sacred enclosure, which has the form of a
rectangle, 388 by 445 feet, marked by granite blocks 15 feet apart
and 8 or 10 feet high, conspicuous objects on the brown plain,
reminding of Stonehenge. These monoliths are supposed to have been
part of a wall, the spaces between filled in with rough stones. A
temple may have stood within, but of this there are no remains. A
massive monolithic gateway, broken and apparently not in its
original position, may once have afforded entrance to the enclosure.
This great piece of stone, 13 feet wide, 7 feet above ground and 3
feet thick was probably fractured by an earthquake. The curious and
elaborate carvings on the upper part of one side have been variously
explained, but the interpretation endorsed by Sir Clements Markham,
long a profound student of Peruvian antiquities, is most highly
regarded. In the center is a human head supposed to represent the
creator of the universe Pachacámac or Viracocha, to which the other
figures, partly human and some with heads of condors, seem to offer
adoration. Three other constructions, one called the hall of
justice, are remarkable for their extent and for the cyclopean
masses of stone. There is abundant evidence of extraordinarily
skillful masonry and of excellence in sculpture. Many of the
enormous stones are unequaled in size in any other part of the world
save by the monoliths of Egypt and some near Cuzco. One stone 36
feet long and 7 wide weighs 170 tons. These have often ornamental
carving. A number of statues elaborately decorated have been found
here, one of which still stands upright within the enclosure. The
great age of these remains is unquestioned. One theory is that they
date from a period before the plateau was elevated to its present
position when it enjoyed a milder climate.
It is worth while to go over to the modern Indian village,
Tiahuanaco. On the plaza is a church, largely constructed of stones
taken from the ancient ruins. In front of the church are two ancient
and dilapidated statues, long since transported from their original
site. The interior of this small church is of extraordinary
magnificence, with elaborate gilt carvings, an altar of pure silver,
and some religious paintings of moderate excellence.
On the 16th of September elaborate festivities occur, when many
Indians appear in velvet or plush garments, blue, pink, or green,
embroidered with gold or silver, wearing masks, black, white, or
yellow, and elaborate feather head dresses. Pipes and drums, other
wind instruments, and wooden rattles make plenty of noise if not
music. Some men are dressed to represent devils, with horns and
tail; others, animals, as a sheep or a green turtle. The finest
suits cost each as much as $200 gold. At Sorata town a still more
elaborate festival occurs at the same period, lasting for four or
five days. Gorgeous feather head dresses may be seen, and fans which
could not be purchased for $75. The execution of the Inca Atahuallpa
is here represented with mourning by the Indians. These festivals
are all accompanied or concluded by drunken orgies. In La Paz,
August 15, 1903, occurred somewhat similar but milder festivities,
Indians in costume and dances.
=Sorata.= One who is fond of horseback riding and not afraid of a
little discomfort might, with from five to seven days to spare,
enjoy an expedition to the town of Sorata. This city of 8000 or
10,000 inhabitants is situated about a hundred miles north of La Paz
in a beautiful valley at the foot of the mountain of the same name,
better called by the euphonius Indian appellation, _Illampu_. In
1911 a diligence or covered wagon with four horses twice a week made
the trip by a fair road over the plain to Achacachi, perhaps 70
miles distant. The diligence sets out at a very early hour, six or
half past, making a rather long day. From Achacachi to Sorata town
it is a ride of from six to nine hours according to the animals
provided. These must be engaged in advance in La Paz and probably
sent ahead to meet one there, in which case it is obviously cheaper,
though more tiresome, to go on horseback all the way. If this method
of travel is decided upon, or indeed the other, an _arriero_ must be
engaged to provide saddle animals and to take care of them, being
paid somewhat in advance. Unless he receives a sum to bind the
bargain and to pay his preliminary expenses, whatever he may
promise, he is likely never to be seen again. But having accepted
money, he generally carries out the bargain, though a written
contract is desirable. An _arriero_ once agreed with me to furnish
four animals, two saddle, one of these for himself, and two baggage
animals for eight _bol._ a day for all, he paying the expenses for
his own food and the animals; but it might cost double that now.
Much depends on chance and ability at bargaining. If making the
journey on horseback one should at least take the early train to the
_alto_ arranging in advance for the animals to meet him above.
Setting out from there promptly, a good horseman with first-rate
animals might reach Guarina or even Achacachi the same evening and
from either place go on to Sorata the next day. Soon after leaving
the Alto Station all traces of life disappear save what is met upon
the road, Indians with llamas, burros, etc. The brown plain shows no
signs of cultivation, being thickly covered with stones. No village
or hut is passed for hours. But the great peaks seen from slowly
varying angles are a continual source of enjoyment. A splendid
imposing mountain, Huaina Potosí or Cacaaca, about 21,000 feet, with
tin mines on its lower slopes, affords an opportunity for a
difficult first ascent. The _tambo_, Cocuta, should be reached in
time for _almuerzo_; at the very least, Machacamarca for the night:
better Guarina, if possible. If one lodges at Machacamarca one must
spend the next night at Achacachi and go the third day to Sorata. It
is desirable, even necessary, to take blankets for the night, and to
provide in the _alforjas_ (saddle-bags), a supply of chocolate,
raisins, etc., perhaps canned meat and crackers. At Cocuta, and the
other places, meals are provided, soup, eggs, beefsteak, coarse
bread, and tea, but between Achacachi and Sorata there is no place
for luncheon; and some chocolate, etc., will come in very well the
first day. Except at Achacachi no bed will be found better than a
couch of adobe, but with blankets a hard bed is no harm. I have
heard dire tales of the insect life which infests some such places,
but in my own considerable experience, I never found anything worse
than fleas and not many of them. The immense snow fields of Illampu
come into view soon after leaving Cocuta. Before reaching Guarina
there are glimpses of Lake Titicaca. Between Achacachi and Sorata
the Huallata pass is crossed at a height of 14,000 feet. This is a
big buttress of Illampu, from the top of which one has a splendid
view of the enormous mountain _massif_ close at hand, with its
several summits all from this side seeming absolutely unclimbable.
Descending towards Sorata attention is divided between the
tremendous cliffs of Illampu on the right and the romantic Mapiri
Valley below. The town, _Sorata_, at an altitude of 8000 feet, has a
charmingly picturesque location on a terrace near the head of the
valley, among trees, shrubs, and fragrant flowers, in striking
contrast to the bare, bleak, brown plain above. On one side the grim
walls and glittering summits of Illampu rise nearly 14,000 feet (the
height of the mountain being over 21,000), contrasting sharply with
the bluish purple tints down the steeply enclosed gorge opposite. At
no distant day electric cars will cross the mountain ridge, and this
charming town will be regularly included in the fashionable tours of
South America. Sorata now has a fair hotel, as it is the
headquarters for several rubber companies which conduct the industry
on the lower eastern slope of the Andes, and for many miners who
seek placer deposits, or the veins above them, also on the eastern
side. Any one with the spirit of the explorer would find it a most
interesting trip to make the circuit of the mountain: not a
difficult task, but probably never yet accomplished by a white
person. To the mountaineer, Illampu still affords opportunity for a
splendid first ascent, Miss Peck in 1904 being obliged to turn back
in good weather and a fine condition of the mountain at about 20,500
feet simply because her companions refused to advance; while Conway
in 1898 retreated from a higher point on account of dangerous
conditions of the snow. With Swiss guides the ascent should be
easily made, or without them by experts like the conquerors of Mt.
McKinley, Parker and Browne.
Train from La Paz Wednesday at 4.15 p.m. arrives at Arica
Thursday, 1.40 p.m. Sleeping cars.
[Illustration:
MT. ILLAMPU, 21,750 FT. FROM THE PLATEAU, 13,000 FT.
]
[Illustration:
SORATA TOWN
]
=La Paz to Arica.= At La Paz, if not earlier, decision must be made
as to the route in leaving this remarkable city. At present two are
offered besides that by which we have come; one by Arica, the other
by Antofagasta. If one is averse to a long railroad journey and is
not eager to see other Bolivian cities, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba,
he will prefer the Arica road, 250 miles, by which trains were
expected to descend from La Paz in twelve hours to the sea, and the
upward journey was to occupy sixteen. On account of the steep grade,
the rack-rail system is employed on one stretch for a distance of 25
miles. To render harmless the rapid change in atmospheric pressure,
in ascending 14,000 feet in eight or ten hours, a special
car-chamber was planned to contain compressed air of the density at
sea level. The difference in temperatures is greater than by the
other routes. In winter it may be below O Far. at the summit, and a
few hours later at Arica it may be 86°, though probably less if
arriving at evening. Parlor and sleeping cars are provided and as
these are to be heated there should be no trouble on that score.
Having come up comfortably one is not likely to be troubled going
down. If inclined to see a mining town one may branch off to
Corocoro, six miles from the main line, a place of about 15,000
people, long famous for its mines of copper and tin. The copper
mines have been called the richest in South America. The lodes are
in a sandstone formation in fine grains through the matrix. After
grinding and concentration a product results, 85 per cent pure. The
Arica road has its own prolongation from Viacha to the Altos and
city of La Paz, by the route followed a distance of 22 miles.
=The Jamiraya Cañon.= To the traveler in search of novelty outside
the beaten track, and to the scientist, the route by way of Arica
affords a chance to visit one of nature’s wonders, the existence of
which is unknown to most Bolivians, as well as to the rest of the
world. This is a remarkable gorge called the Jamiraya Cañon, of
which I received definite information from two English scientists
who had just visited it. In the Lluta Valley some distance back of
Arica, it is a few miles south of the railway between km. 92 and 132
of the line. It is best visited from Arica on account of the
necessity for arranging in advance to be met by animals at the
station Moleno, the terminus of a branch line 54 kms. from Arica.
The first bivouac may be made in Cata 27 kms. distant, from which
point a day’s ride with a steep climb will lead to Socoroma, where
night’s lodging may be obtained at the village store. From here one
may ride down into the cañon at Jamiraya or to Ancolacalla,
returning after a night or two at the bottom. Both places are
desirable to visit, but it is a day’s journey from one to the other,
as it is necessary to go to the top and come down again. The finer
scenery is at Ancolacalla near which is a beautiful waterfall. It is
said that the walls of the cañon rival if they do not surpass those
of the Yosemite, being six or seven thousand feet in height, often
very steep, the angle varying from 45 to 90°. At the bottom the
cañon in places is but two or three meters wide, and at the top from
a few hundred feet to possibly a mile. At Jamiraya the ruins of huts
add a peculiar interest. The walls, which are of varied and
beautiful colors, are chiefly volcanic rock, with some granite on
the floor. _Water should be carried_, as that at the bottom of the
gorge is bad. Few covers are needed as in the depths the weather is
warm.
=Other Bolivian Cities.= If more time can be allotted to Bolivia, a
week or two may be agreeably spent in visiting the cities of
Cochabamba, Potosí, and even Sucre, though that is more remote. The
newly constructed railway 125 miles in length, if now open from
Oruro to Cochabamba, will make the latter easily accessible. This,
called the Garden City of Bolivia, was founded in 1574 in a
beautiful valley on the east side of the mountains, here called the
Royal Range. Much wealth, culture, and refinement is here manifest,
as well as in Sucre, though both cities have been so remote from the
rest of the world.
=Cochabamba= with its suburbs has a population of 40,000 or more; it
boasts of six pretty plazas, adorned with trees and flowers, and an
_Alameda_ with five divisions, a fashionable driveway. There are
handsome public buildings and churches; but the scenery and climate
are the chief attractions, and a complete recompense for the railway
journey from Oruro.
=Potosí=, a name much more familiar on account of the almost
fabulous wealth of which it has been the source, deserves a visit on
very different grounds. Not for its delightful climate, smiling
skies, and surroundings of placid beauty, but for its historic
associations, the remains of colonial grandeur, and for its
impressive if more gloomy scenery. From Rio Mulato, 130 miles beyond
Oruro, a railway has been recently built to this ancient city 105
miles distant. In 1545 it was founded, after the discovery of the
wonderful silver mines, which according to a moderate estimate have
yielded about four billion dollars, another writer says one billion,
up to the present time. It is related that one man paid no less than
fifteen million dollars as tax on the production of his mine,
one-fifth being supposed to go to the crown. It is said that 7000
mines have been opened in the Cerro, the hill back of the town, 700
of which are being worked for silver and tin today. Great
extravagance naturally accompanied the production of great wealth,
and many stories are told of the expenditure and display of riches
in the early period. At one time the city had a population of
150,000, now dwindled to about 25,000. It contains many interesting
ruins of colonial palaces and churches, including a finely carved
tower of the old Jesuit church, notable carved doorways of San
Lorenzo, the palace of Don José de Quiroz, and others. The Plaza
Pichincha contains a handsome monument to the Independence, and is
bordered by several public buildings, the City Hall, and the
Pichincha College. A Public Library and Museum are of interest,
still more the great Casa de Moneda or Mint covering two blocks.
A visit to the top of the famous Cerro may be made on horseback. A
splendid view is enjoyed from the summit. Of extreme interest are
the great artificial lakes on the slopes, built by the Spaniards to
furnish a constant water supply for the working of the mines. The
construction of the thirty-two lakes consumed nearly fifty years,
the largest being 3 miles in circumference and about 30 feet deep.
Two of them are at an altitude of 16,000 feet. Each is surrounded by
five sets of walls, all together about 30 or 40 feet thick. The
mines are by no means exhausted and with the opening of the railway,
mining operations will doubtless be largely increased.
=Sucre.= A coach road 100 miles long leads from Potosí to Sucre, the
nominal capital of the Republic, which will soon be connected by
rail with the region of the west. The city, pleasantly located among
the hills at an altitude of 10,000 feet, is noted for its fine
climate which must certainly seem agreeable to a resident of the
plateau above. In fact many of the wealthy mine owners of Potosí in
former days, if not at the present time, made their homes here,
where life is much more enjoyable. Made the capital of Bolivia in
1826 it still has the name, though now it is the seat only of the
Supreme Court and of the Archiepiscopal See; the Legislative and
Executive Departments of Government being at La Paz. The Legislative
Palace of Sucre with handsomely decorated halls still remains, there
is a stately new Government Palace, a Palace of Justice, the
University of San Francisco Xavier, and other important buildings.
Among the churches, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the richest in
Bolivia. The Virgin of Guadalupe, an image of solid gold, with its
rich adornment of jewels, is said to be worth a million. Among the
nine plazas, that of the 25 de Mayo has a special mark of
distinction in the fact that it has two streams, one on each side,
one of which flowing northward joins the Mamoré so reaching the
Amazon, while the other turning southeast goes on to the Pilcomayo
and at last to the estuary of La Plata.
One who sees only the plateau region of Bolivia knows but a small
part of the country; the section east of the Andes, now becoming
accessible, is far more attractive and within a half century may
have the larger part of the population.
=From La Paz to Antofagasta.= The remaining route from La Paz to the
sea will be followed by those who have visited any of the three
cities last mentioned, the old road by way of Oruro to the southern
port, Antofagasta, though not until 1908 was the railway opened
between Oruro and Viacha. Many in the past have groaned over the
journey which formerly involved two days by diligence to Oruro and
three by rail to Antofagasta, but since the introduction of sleeping
cars on the old section and the completion of the new the trip may
be made in comfort and even with pleasure in 48 hours. Within the
year the road has been prolonged from Viacha down to La Paz, another
great improvement.
Except for the fine view of Illimani on the left in the early part
of the journey, the ride to Oruro is of no great interest. Some tall
mud built piers may excite curiosity: a few remaining from those
erected three centuries ago which formerly, it is said, marked the
entire route from Lima to Potosí. Before reaching Oruro, a ride of
about seven hours, a snow-crowned volcanic peak may be seen at the
southeast, Sajama, with an alleged altitude of 22,700 feet. A
possibility, is therefore presented of its overtopping Aconcagua, or
like Coropuna turning out 1000 feet lower.
[Illustration:
INDIANS TRANSPORTING FREIGHT
]
[Illustration:
PLAZA AND GOVERNMENT PALACE, ORURO
]
At a station called _Patacamaya_ a halt is made for _almuerzo_.
Strange to say, the restaurant, where a fair meal is served, is kept
by an American and his wife who have been living there about twenty
years. The gentleman remarked that he was contented, doing well, and
had no desire to return to the States. Fortunate it is that all have
not the same tastes, some enjoying the warm tropics, some the
desert, some the cool plateau, some happy only in large cities, and
others whom the solitary places please. Many who go down to engage
in railroad construction, to work in mines or smelter, or even to
fill office positions in cities, soon become tired and return;
others are fascinated with the life, being successful, and persons
of more importance than they would be at home, and they are glad to
settle permanently in those countries.
=Oruro= is an important mining town of about 20,000 people, with a
very good hotel, the _Unión_, facing the pretty Plaza. Arriving on
Wednesday or Saturday at Oruro, one may the same evening at 7.30
take the express train for Antofagasta, a ride of 36 hours. The
plateau seems rather dreary and only those who have an interest in
mining matters will care to stay over. The various mines on the
outskirts of the city produce both silver and tin. There are many
foreign residents with several clubs and life is not so dismal as
may at first glance appear, although the climate at this altitude of
12,500 feet in the exposed position on the plain is a trifle raw.
The Government Palace and the University building face the Plaza,
and the city boasts of a theater, a public library and a
mineralogical museum, as well as the usual churches, hospitals, and
schools. Oruro was noted during the colonial period as next to
Potosí in the richness and production of its mines and in 1678 is
said to have had 76,000 inhabitants. In the immediate vicinity are
half a dozen mines, formerly great silver producers, but now worked
chiefly though not entirely for tin. The San José mine, two miles
from the town, several years ago was yielding $55,000 a month in tin
and silver. It is an interesting place to visit, employing 1000 or
more people and equipped with the best of modern machinery. There
are workings 1000 feet deep. The Socavón de la Virgen, nearer the
city, is one of the oldest of Bolivia. In all four provinces of this
Department are rich tin mines. The ore is treated by grinding and
concentration, the product exported averaging about 64 per cent tin.
Copper also is found, and farther south borax, and metals of almost
every kind.
For the through journey to Antofagasta, staterooms should be engaged
in advance at La Paz and in the best possible car; as I was informed
that there was considerable difference. Some persons complain about
everything and I had heard much of the discomfort of the journey.
But the accommodations which I enjoyed were decidedly superior to
those of an ordinary Pullman and I never experienced a more
comfortable railway ride. The road is of very narrow gauge, 2½ feet,
so that an aisle passes along one side of the car with staterooms in
a row on the other. In these the berths are not crosswise of the car
as in Argentina but lengthwise. My room had two very comfortable
leather-covered armchairs, facing each other, on which the berth was
later arranged with none above it. A wash-basin with running water
was at the side, a small mirror, and several nails on which to hang
clothing. In a dining car good meals, dinner and _almuerzo_ were
served at a fair price, morning coffee in one’s own stateroom.
Traveling from Oruro at night one misses the sight of Lake Poopo.
Poopo is a curious shallow, salt, and turbid lake with no visible
outlet, fed by the Desaguadero River from Lake Titicaca. Although 24
by 53 miles in extent it is at most but 9 feet deep, often less than
5, and seems to be shrinking. In this dry air and strong sunshine
the water may in time disappear, leaving only a bed of salt. Uyuni,
from which the railway is now being continued to Tupiza, 125 miles
beyond on the Pan American route to Argentina, is also passed in the
night. From Tupiza it is hardly 60 miles to La Quiaca which was
reached by the Argentine Railway several years ago. A few miles from
Uyuni are the Pulacayo and Huanchaca mines which have produced
within the last quarter century about 5000 tons of silver, thus
taking rank as the second silver district in the world (the first is
Broken Bow, Australia). Electricity is here the motor power; Corliss
engines render service; several thousand men and women are employed,
the latter sorting ore with wonderful accuracy. The day following is
spent among the desert mountains. The hills are red, yellow, white,
and gray, dotted with black cinders. Volcanoes are numerous, mostly
extinct but showing perfect cones against the blue of the sky. Large
level sheets of saline material are frequent. Some jagged hills have
streaks, blood-red or chrome-yellow. The volcano San Pedro, 17,170
feet may be smoking. From a smaller cone, Poruña, at its side,
stretches a great stream of lava, like a glacier, half a mile wide
and several long, through which in a cutting the railroad passes.
Just before dark, close to the Conchi station, the train crosses a
viaduct 336 feet above the Loa River, more than twice as high as the
celebrated Forth Bridge. It is a graceful steel structure with six
lattice girder spans of 80 feet each, on steel towers. Early the
second morning one arrives at Antofagasta.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XVI
THE CHILIAN COAST—ARICA TO VALPARAISO
=Arica.= Arriving at Arica by sea, or departing as well, one may
observe in great white letters on the rocky Morro, _Vive Battalion
No. 4_, commemorating the Chilian victory with its massacre of
Peruvians, June 7, 1880. The 1700 Peruvians here stationed, whose
cannon were directed towards the sea, suffered an assault in the
rear from 4000 Chilians who had landed at night several miles below.
Short of small arms and ammunition, after an heroic defense for one
hour, the commander, Col. Bolognesi, perished having used his last
cartridge, and many soldiers leaped to the rocks by the sea, who
preferred this death to having their throats cut by the Chilians.
Others were crowded off by Chilian bayonets, and for months the
bodies were seen below. No prisoners were taken, the entire garrison
of 1700 being slaughtered.
The harbor, one of the best south of Callao, is called by one writer
the emerald gem of the West Coast, on account of its green trees and
other verdure. The line of railway may be seen among the cliffs, and
a great cross on the highest hilltop. The town is called by one
writer very squalid, by another a neat, attractive place in
comparison with most of the port cities, the houses of various
colors, blue, green, orange, etc., many with arched entrances
affording pleasing views of an inner patio. On account of
earthquakes the buildings are chiefly of one story, many of
corrugated iron. The most noted of the ’quakes was that of 1868 when
two United States frigates were in the harbor. One of these, the
_Freedonia_, was lost with all on board; the other, the _Wateree_,
by a wave 60 feet high, was carried over houses a mile inland,
suffering a loss of half the crew. The ship there became the home of
several Indian families, until the next earthquake and wave carried
it back to the beach without doing injury to the occupants. Rarely
from the harbor may be had a beautiful sunset view of snow-crowned
Mt. Tacora, 19,000 feet, though other mountains are frequently seen.
In this port Hernando Pizarro built ships for the invasion of Chile.
On the broad beach is a prehistoric cemetery with embalmed mummies,
said to be equal to those of Egypt. Some of the eyes are translucent
with a rich amber tint, which scientists say are of squid or
cuttle-fish here numerous, substituted for the eyes of the dead. It
is said that when some of these were sent to Tiffany’s in New York
to be polished, the workmen suffered a violent irritation of the
eyes, lips, nostrils, and throat. Though all recovered, the work was
not resumed. An analysis showed animal matter with saltpeter and
unknown minerals.
It is believed that along here is a subterranean outlet of Lake
Poopo, as the fresh water fish of Lake Titicaca, peccajay, are
caught in the ocean, and driftwood of the mountain vegetation
appears. Formerly Arica was a great market for vicuña skins, which
were brought down from the interior, but their number has now
greatly diminished. A highway constructed by the Incas 1000 years
ago, called the _camino real_, has been in use ever since, the
Bolivians, even after the construction of the railroad to Mollendo,
still using it to bring down ore by means of llamas and burros and
to carry up supplies. The new railroad may not cause a complete
disuse of the old route, as the carriage of freight by a road of so
heavy grade is likely to be expensive.
=Tacna=, 38 miles distant, capital of the province, connected by
rail with Arica, is a pretty and a larger city, worthy a visit. The
prosperity of this section has been delayed by the friction and
hostile feeling between the Peruvian and Chilian Governments and
peoples, resulting from the unfortunate war 1879-1883, and the
unsettled conditions following. The Tacna-Arica question has been
one of greater bitterness than that of Alsace-Lorraine; the present
arrangement, to postpone the _plebiscite_ twenty-one years, will be
greatly to the advantage of both countries. On the desert between
the two cities is often an unusual effect of mirage, and from Tacna
there is a mountain view of much grandeur.
=Iquique.= The next important port south of Arica is Iquique, but
between the two is _Pisagua_ where many boats call, affording
opportunity for any who desire, to disembark and go 124 miles by
rail to Iquique, thus to see without loss of time something of the
rich nitrate lands of Tarapacá. This part of the coast may not look
very different from some of the Peruvian, yet it is still more of a
desert; for the Peruvian will blossom like a rose, with a sufficient
water supply, while this is less easily transformed. In Iquique,
gardens and plazas have been made by bringing from a distance
artificial soil for the trees, shrubs, and plants, which must be
carefully nurtured. The nitrate ports are said to look like western
mining towns, with wide streets, and one-story houses made from
Oregon lumber, with iron roofs. There are many shops selling much
liquor and canned stuffs. The streets were formerly dusty, the air
full of sand. Unnatural tastes were developed by the conditions. Two
miners in earlier days, wishing to enjoy a feast, sat down with two
cans of _pâté de foie gras_, a loaf of bread, a bottle of brandy,
and two cans of condensed milk, the last being eaten with spoons as
dessert.
Hotels, Phoenix 8 to 15 _pesos_, Europa 7 to 15, Grand, 6 to 10, all
A. P. _Iquique_, the principal Chilian port except Valparaiso, is
the most important center of the nitrate industry. With a population
of 50,000, called a fine city, it has an enormous commerce for its
size, not merely from the export of nitrates but because it is
unique in having all its supplies brought in by sea, food, fuel, and
formerly water. The port receives more than 1000 vessels a year. The
population is rather rough and hard to govern, though with a circle
of aristocratic society, with the usual accessories. The Arturo Prat
Plaza with a statue of the hero in the center is an attractive
place. One may here first observe women conductors on the street
cars, many of whom will be seen in other Chilian cities.
Water, formerly, when brought by sea, 10 cents a gallon and at times
$2.00 when the supply boat was overdue, now comes from the
mountains, a distance of 148 miles, by a 10 or 12-inch pipe, partly
on the surface of the desert, or buried two or three feet. To
Antofagasta water is brought 173 miles from a point 10,700 feet
above the sea; to Taltal, 102 miles. Though expensive, costing
millions, it has proved profitable. The streets of Iquique are now
piped, hydrants protect against fire, the dust is laid by
sprinklers, some people have bathrooms, a few, fountains in patios,
a costly luxury. It was once said that people drank champagne
because water was too expensive. It is an enterprising community
with a good portion of Anglo-Saxons; there are broad streets, fine
churches, schools, hospitals, a large theater, pleasant homes, and
good Clubs. Some of the people entertain sumptuously, with dinner
parties as in London. A broad driveway along the beach leads to
Cavancha, an attractive resort with a dancing pavilion, and a choice
flower garden tended with utmost care. Halfway is the Jockey
Club-house, with race track, tennis, and bowling.
A railway climbs the variously colored mountain back of Iquique to
the Pampa of Tamarugal, where it branches to various _officinas_,
interesting to visit if time allows. People who are born and have
lived in this section can hardly believe stories about grass that
has to be cut, and of trees and flowers. A girl of sixteen who had
visited Santiago on her return said, “Trees, trees, everywhere,
grass growing in a thick mat, and hundreds of flowers! A perfect
paradise!”
The valuable nitrate lands which, previous to the war, belonged to
Peru and Bolivia are now the chief source of Chile’s wealth. Yet it
is a curious fact that though Chile receives from her export tax on
nitrates the large sum of $13,700,000 annually, the finances of the
country, if they may be judged by the currency, are in a poorer
condition than those of Peru, where with a firm gold basis gold and
silver coins are used, while in Chile there is paper money of low
and fluctuating value.
The nitrate deposits are found in the three provinces of Tarapacá,
Antofagasta, and Atacama, along from Pisagua to Coquimbo, about 300
miles. The deposits with an average width of 2½ miles are between
the coast hills and the Andes, 10 to 80 miles from the sea, and from
2000 to 5000 or more feet above its level, covering a tract of about
250,000 acres. The deposits, sometimes on the surface, are oftener
overlaid with strata of earth varying in thickness and character,
occasionally with guano. They are not continuous, but separated by
other deposits, in some places salt. The raw material called
_caliche_ carries usually from 20 to 65 per cent of nitrate of soda.
It is pickled in tanks from eight to twelve hours, the sand and
refuse dropping to the bottom. The liquid called _calso_ runs off
into vats. The salt by-product is used or discarded. When treated
and ready for export the article carries 15 to 16 per cent of
nitrogen and 36 per cent of sodium. The amount of production is
regulated by a syndicate, according to the needs of the world. About
35,000 men are employed, the laborers earning from $1.00 to $2.00 a
day. These establishments, called _officinas_, are interesting to
visit, but it is a gloomy, depressing region for most persons. The
superintendents, doctors, and other officials receive good salaries
and are supplied with comfortable quarters. $100,000,000 or more of
British capital and some German, is invested here and large fortunes
have been made. New nitrate fields recently discovered are held at
$2000 an acre.
The nitrate of commerce is a white cheese-like substance from which
the highest grade gunpowder is made; it is also used in chemical
works to produce nitric and sulphuric acid, etc., but the bulk of it
is employed as a fertilizer, doubling or tripling the harvest. A
mineral substance, it is distinguished from guano, the excrement of
birds. As to its origin there are various theories, but none is
generally accepted. A byproduct, a yellow liquor, which in its
preparation is drawn off from the nitrate into a crucible, is then
chemically treated, poured into smaller pans, and on cooling leaves
on the dish a blue crystal, the _iodine_ of commerce, which costs as
much per ounce as saltpetre per 100 lbs. The casks in which it is
placed are covered with green hides which shrink and keep out the
moisture. Worth $700 to $800 a cask, the iodine is shipped in the
treasure vaults with bullion. About 40 per cent of the nitrate goes
to Germany, 30 to the United States, 20 to France, the rest to Great
Britain and Belgium.
=Antofagasta.= The next port, 200 miles below Iquique, at which
express boats call, is Antofagasta, the terminus of the other
railway from Bolivia, _via_ Oruro. Here are sea-lions, diving birds,
and a considerable town, but no sheltered harbor, in spite of which
much commerce is carried on. This, with Iquique, as a poor port,
almost rivals Mollendo. One writer says it is an ugly dun-colored
place, another that it is the prettiest town since leaving Panama.
It has an air of prosperity with good shops and business houses, a
comfortable hotel, the Grand, A. P., 7 to 20 _pesos_, well furnished
rooms, and real milk; another says the hotel is very bad. Much
depends upon one’s disposition, point of view, what he expects, and
where he has come from; and you may read exactly opposite opinions
of many places and people, as happens even of cities in the United
States.
Some steamers call at Caldera, 207 miles south of Antofagasta, with
a sheltered harbor, and the oldest railway in South America
connecting it with the town of Copiapó; the express boats call only
at Coquimbo nearly 200 miles farther and 200 north of Valparaiso.
=Coquimbo=, at the end of the desert country, a busy port, shipping
more copper than any other in South America, is situated at the foot
and up the side of cliffs. The country around is very rich in
fossils. At Herradura on Horseshoe Bay was found a petrified
icthyosaurus 20 feet long, which visitors are taken to see; they are
informed that it is 12,000 years old. Above in the mountains, at an
altitude of 4000 feet, is a very sacred shrine, a Virgin of the
Rosary, at a small village called Andacollo. During Christmas week
pilgrims come by thousands from all parts of the country, even from
Peru and Argentina, some walking hundreds of miles. Precious gifts
and jewels valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars have been
presented at various times.
One day’s sail from Coquimbo is Valparaiso.
=Chile.= The country of Chile is very peculiar; let me hasten to
add, in nothing more serious than its shape. It is indeed
excessively long and narrow, its great extent from north to south,
18° to 56° S. Lat., a distance of nearly 3000 miles, giving it a
remarkable variety of productions and making it larger than any
European country except Russia, although it is only from 100 to 300
miles wide. It is peculiar also that in spite of its scanty width,
it is divided into three narrower strips, a low Coast Range, a
longitudinal valley or plateau, and the high range of the Andes.
With practically no rain in the north, it has a gradually increasing
rainfall towards the south, till near the extremity there is rather
too much. The northern part is the nitrate and mining section: the
central and larger part is an agricultural zone of great
possibilities, with good pasturage area; while farther south is an
excellent forest region. There must obviously be a great variety of
scenery as well as of climate, so that in one section or another all
tastes may be gratified.
Chile was first invaded by Europeans soon after the founding of
Lima in 1535. To Pizarro, Charles V, on hearing of the conquest,
had given the country seventy leagues south of that previously
bestowed; to Diego de Almagro the two hundred leagues beyond. In
which section lay Cuzco was a matter of dispute. Pending its
settlement Almagro decided to conquer the remainder of his
province. That this region was richer in gold and silver than
Peru was doubtless a tale of the Incas to distract the
conquerors for their own advantage. However, with an army of
Spaniards and some Indian captives, Almagro set out over the
Bolivian plateau to investigate and take possession of the
unknown country. On the barren heights they suffered hunger,
cold, and mountain sickness, the difficulties of this terrible
journey in many ways surpassing those of Hannibal and Napoleon
in crossing the Alps. Failure and disappointment were the only
results of the expedition, which was followed by the execution
of the gallant leader after his return to Cuzco.
In spite of Almagro’s disastrous experience, a second expedition
was inaugurated by Pedro de Valdivia, who proceeded along the
desert shore, instead of over the plateau, and after arriving at
Arica, there constructed vessels to pursue the journey. With no
great loss, in December, 1540, he reached the valley of the
Mapocho, and selecting a favorable site, on February 12, 1541,
he proclaimed a new city: _Santiago_, for Spain’s patron saint,
_de la Nueva Estremadura_, from his native province. On the
Plaza de Armas was built a small chapel and a _Cabildo_ or
Municipal Council Chamber, as well.
Still unsatisfied Valdivia pursued his explorations southward,
beyond the Bio-Bio River. In his absence the small garrison he
had left behind barely escaped destruction, being saved only by
the valor and boldness of the solitary woman in the party, Doña
Ines de Suarez. The Araucanians, the most powerful tribe in this
section, were of different caliber from the Quichuas, and long
and fiercely they continued the struggle against the invaders,
who treated them with barbarous severity. After the founding of
Concepción, Imperial, Villa Rica, and Valdivia, and the settling
of the conqueror himself at the town of Concepción, the Indians
under the command of Lautaro, who as a servant of Valdivia had
learned something of Spanish methods, attacked and defeated the
Spaniards, capturing Valdivia and putting him to death with
tortures. After long-continued warfare a truce was established,
with the Bio-Bio River as the boundary line, but for two hundred
and fifty years the contest went on for the subjugation of the
natives. At last, when the Chilians rose against Spain, the
Araucanians lent assistance, and friendliness was established.
As in other lands, however, civilization of a sort proved too
much for the Indians and few of pure blood remain.
On the 16th of June, 1810, the movement for independence began
with the abdication of the Governor, Carrasco, on account of
difficulty between himself and the _Real Audiencia_. September
18, 1810, the _Cabildo_ or City Council in open session elected
a _Junta_ to govern until a National Congress should be
convoked, ostensibly for the purpose of holding the dominion for
King Ferdinand, deposed by Napoleon. The people regarding this
as the birth of their independence were filled with joy. An army
subsequently sent from Spain landed at Concepción, marched
northward recruiting royalists, and after several engagements
finally put to rout the patriots, who were commanded by Bernardo
O’Higgins assisted by Colonel Juan Mackenna. October 16, 1814,
General Osorio with the Spanish army entered Santiago and there
maintained Spanish rule for three years longer. General
O’Higgins meanwhile fled to Mendoza in Argentina to join the
army which was being organized in that city by General San
Martin for the expulsion of the Spanish power from the entire
continent. Three years were required for this work. In January,
1817, the invasion of Chile from Argentina was begun by a
well-drilled army of 5000 men, 1600 horses, and many pack mules.
One division came by the Uspallata Pass, along the coach route
across the Cordilleras, and the one followed by Almagro almost
three centuries earlier. A second division under San Martin came
by the lower Los Patos Pass. The two divisions, having united on
February 12, gained a complete victory over the royalists in the
famous battle of Chacabuco, and February 14 entered Santiago.
The enthusiastic and grateful Chilians now offered to San Martin
the governorship of the country. This unselfish patriot
declining the honor, an assembly, February 17, appointed General
O’Higgins Dictator, thus concluding the so-called Reconquista or
Reconquest of Chile. However, troubles were not over. The
Viceroy of Peru sent General Osorio again to Chile. Landing at
Talcahuano in the south he was able to advance with his army,
after defeating O’Higgins, until he approached Santiago; but on
the plain of Maipo, April 5, 1818, San Martin again gained a
decisive victory. Meanwhile on the anniversary of the battle of
Chacabuco the Act of Independence was read in the Plaza of
Santiago, and the oath was taken by the leaders. The United
States was the first nation to recognize the Republic. A navy
was soon formed and with the aid of Admiral Lord Cochrane, a
squadron of eight warships and sixteen transports in 1820
carried north the army of San Martin for the conquest of Peru.
In 1823 General O’Higgins was obliged to resign his Dictatorship
and a period of confusion followed. In 1833 a constitution was
adopted. In the administration of Manuel Montt in the fifties
railway construction was inaugurated. In that of President Pinto
occurred the War of the Pacific with Peru and Bolivia, 1879-81,
though the treaty of peace was not signed till 1883, when the
province of Tarapacá was ceded to Chile, and occupation for ten
years was arranged for Tacna and Arica. About the same time a
boundary treaty was concluded with Argentina, with which nation
Chile had been on the verge of war. Balmaceda, elected President
in 1886, instituted many reforms but by his arbitrary methods
brought on civil war. A victory by the constitutional party was
followed by Balmaceda’s suicide.
The unfortunate death of the able President Montt in 1910 was
succeeded by the election of the present incumbent, Ramon Bárros
Luco. Among the prominent Chilian families (it has been said
that one hundred of these govern the country), are many British
names, the forbears of these having married into the best
Spanish American families and become patriotic citizens of their
adopted country.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XVII
VALPARAISO
HOTELS. Royal, A. P., 12 to 25 _pesos_; Grand, A. P., 10-15
_pesos_; Palace, about the same or a trifle less; Colon, 6 to 12
_pesos_. All higher in summer.
Money. The Chilian _peso_, paper, varies in value from 20 to 30
cents or more; recently it was 22 cents.
_Chief Points of Interest._ The Monument and the Government
Palace near the landing; the business streets; Plaza Victoria
and the church facing it; the Av. Brazil with the British
Monument; the Naval School; the English and the Spanish American
Cemeteries on the heights, these with the Naval School reached
by ascensors; and the suburb Viña del Mar.
=Valparaiso=, Vale of Paradise, the largest and busiest port on the
Pacific south of San Francisco, like many others along this coast,
has no real harbor. The spacious semi-circular roadstead lies open
to the wintry northers which occasionally bring terrific storms. On
such occasions, ships at anchor in the bay to escape the fury of the
waves often steam for the open sea, lest they be driven ashore or be
overwhelmed in the deep, as has several times happened to ocean
steamers. In the summer there is no danger, and after the completion
of the breakwater designed to protect the bay from the savage force
of the tempestuous sea, it will be safe at any time. The great depth
of the water a short distance from shore renders the construction
difficult, but satisfactory plans at length were devised and in
October, 1912, work was begun on the port improvements which besides
the breakwater 945 feet long will include additional docks. Those in
existence are sadly inadequate for the vast commercial movement at
this port.
While from a business point of view the harbor at present is poor,
from the deck of a steamer or from the hills above the town, there
is a busy and beautiful scene. Scattered over the waters are
hundreds of vessels of various shapes and of every size, some from
the farthest corners of the globe, showing flags of many nations
(probably none of the United States), others mere lighters or
rowboats to transport freight or passengers from ship to shore.
Around the bay, a few rods back from the water, rise in a
semi-circle steep hills or cliffs to a height of 1000 feet or more.
Farther back, more lofty ridges are seen, and it is said that on a
clear day in the far distance may be descried, in the sharp toothed
ridge which forms the backbone of the continent, the snow-flecked
peak of Aconcagua.
On the narrow strip of shore between the sea and the hills, varying
in width from two blocks to half a mile, is the substantial business
section of the city; while climbing up the slopes and crowning the
hilltops is most of the residence portion, both the fine dwellings
of the prosperous and the humble homes of the poor.
The arriving steamers are as usual beset by a throng of boatmen, and
wary must be the tourist who is not exorbitantly fleeced, unless he
has a friend on board to guide, or one from the city to greet him.
As the Chilian _peso_, of somewhat variable value, is generally
worth less than a quarter of a dollar, the tariff price is not so
high as it sounds; one _peso_ for each person or considerable piece
of baggage is a suitable fee, though much more is likely to be
demanded.
[Illustration:
VALPARAISO HARBOR
]
[Illustration:
MONUMENT TO ARTURO PRAT, PLAZA INDEPENDENCIA
]
At the landing, arrangements may be made for the transport of the
heavy baggage by cart, while you go with hand baggage to the hotel
in a carriage; or a tram car may serve you. The hotels, the Royal,
Palace, and Grand, are all within half a mile of the landing. The
Royal Hotel, 65 Esmeralda street, which is sometimes full to
overflowing, will be found amply satisfactory. The American
proprietors, Mr. and Miss Kehle, have made it more like a hotel in
the United States than are any others that I have seen on the West
Coast. Located on one of the principal business streets, it affords
excellent meals in several large dining-rooms; and handsomely
furnished chambers, with modern equipment including red satin puffs
for the beds in addition to fine blankets. The price is from 12 to
15 _pesos_ and up according to the room. The Grand Hotel is said to
afford similar accommodations at about the same prices. The Palace,
a little cheaper, is well situated on the Plaza de los Bomberos, and
others less pretentious, as the Colon, 87 Esmeralda, are called
clean and good.
In Valparaiso, a city of nearly 200,000, it seems to be the fashion
for the residents to reply, when asked what there is to see, “O,
nothing at all.” This is by no means true, though at least twice as
much time should be devoted to Santiago. First there is the large
square near the landing on which is the handsome Casa del Gobierno.
In the center of the plaza is a fine monument, _The Country to the
Heroes of the 21st of May_, and at one corner near the docks is the
railway station to Santiago. The air seems crisp and the city more
European than any previously seen.
The business streets have many handsome buildings two or three
stories high, a few even more, looking fresh and clean, since the
greater part of this district was laid low by the terrible
earthquake of 1906. A twelve-month of unusual shrinkage, of
adjustment of the earth’s surface, and of consequent calamity was
practically coincident with this year. In April 1906 occurred the
catastrophe at San Francisco, August 16, the practical destruction
of Valparaiso, and in January, 1907, the disaster at Kingston. Some
buildings in Valparaiso withstood the shocks, but with the ’quakes
and the resulting fires little of the lower part of the city
remained undamaged. The upper town was to a great extent uninjured
and the shipping in the bay received no harm. Few traces of the
calamity are now left, as like San Francisco the town was soon
rebuilt in a superior manner. While slight earthquakes are frequent
they are not fearsome, as heavy shocks are usually half a century
apart. Besides earthquakes, Valparaiso has experienced other
calamities. Founded in 1536, in its earlier days it was three times
captured and sacked by pirates; in 1858, it was destroyed by fire;
in 1866, bombarded by a Spanish fleet; and in 1890 it suffered
considerable injury from the Balmaceda revolution. It is to be hoped
that after all these vicissitudes it may enjoy a peaceful existence.
A stroll along the principal streets to the office of the American
consul, Mr. Alfred Winslow, to the banking house of W. R. Grace, and
to gaze at the handsome shop windows is the pastime of an hour or
two. Between the hills and the water it is impossible to lose one’s
way. The double-decked tram cars are an imposing sight, and rather
curious objects are the women conductors. Having heard of these
before arriving, I was expecting to see some trim young women, with
possibly a coquettish eye turning at times upon some of the
gentlemen patrons, as occasionally happens in some of our cheap
restaurants; but no! Staid indeed are the women conductors in
Valparaiso and Santiago, and far from handsome. Plainly dressed in a
sort of blue uniform with white aprons, they are obviously of the
so-called laboring class, of rather stolid appearance, perhaps the
mothers of families, and closely intent upon their duties. It
appears that during the war of ’79–’81, so many young men joined the
army that women were drafted into this service. Performing it in a
satisfactory manner they continued to be so employed though not to
the total exclusion of men. They mount to the upper story to collect
fares and in Santiago swing along the sides of the open cars quite
in man fashion, though necessarily hampered by their voluminous
skirts. Manifestly competent for the labor, less difficult than
other duties like scrubbing floors, supposed to lie more within
their sphere, it would seem that bifurcated garments, even
knickerbockers, would enable them to perform either service more
easily. If men and women were to exchange garments for a hundred
years it is conceivable that the idea as to which is the weaker sex
might be changed also.
A few car rides may be taken to advantage, the greater if sitting
above; but among the natives of the upper class this is taboo, as
the price is only half of that below; the fares being five and ten
_centavos_ respectively. A gentleman in Santiago remarked to me that
although he preferred riding outside it would never do except in the
evening, when he could not be recognized from the street or from the
upper windows of houses in passing.
Not far from the Royal Hotel is the _Plaza Victoria_ on one side of
which is the Espiritu Santo Church, the most fashionable in the
city, though with an ordinary exterior. A flower market is passed on
the way, where beautiful roses and other flowers may be purchased in
quantities for a single _peso_. The general market as a matter of
course is worth seeing, especially in the season of fruits, as Chile
rivals California in the excellence and variety of these, and
surpasses it in cheapness. The fruits of the Temperate Zone,
cherries, peaches, apples, pears, and grapes, luscious in quality
and, _they say_, unrivaled in any part of the world, in their summer
and fall, tempt the tourist on every hand.
It is important to ascend the hills in two or three different
places, both for the view going up and for what is to be seen at the
top. The ascensors are similar to those of Cincinnati, one being
carried up by cable as another is coming down; but the inclines
seemed steeper and one appeared rather rickety. There _have_ been
fatal accidents. However,—I went as do others. Near the top of one
of the inclines which is but a short distance from the Hotel Royal
is a _cemetery_ where chapel-like tombs and pretty head stones and
monuments are closely packed together among shaded walks on the very
edge of the precipitous bluff. One has here a magnificent view of
the city below fringing the semi-circular shore, of the blue waters,
alive with ships, and of the surrounding hills. Through cañons here
and there separating the various hills and bluffs, a few carriage
roads wind steeply upward and more footpaths, by which some
pedestrians climb; but most persons will prefer to save time and
strength by taking their chances in an ascensor. Perched on these
steep inclines are houses of the poor, while at the top are many
fine villas occupied by native and foreign residents. Close to the
Chilian cemetery on the bluff is the _English burial ground_
surrounded by a high wall. In a far corner of this enclosure is a
small _marble tomb_ on a concrete foundation with a marble cross
above, the whole about five feet high, in which Americans will have
a special interest. The inscription reads:
“In memory of the officers and seamen slain on board the United
States frigate _Essex_ in this harbor in an engagement with H. R.
Majesty’s frigate _Phoebe_ and brig _Cherub_, February 28, 1814.” A
list of 52 names follows and the statement that it was erected by
officers of four ships of the United States Navy.
This ship, the _Essex_, commanded by Capt. David Porter, after
inflicting much damage on British property, capturing 360 seamen and
100 cannon, was surprised in this harbor by two British ships.
Though disabled by a squall she made a splendid fight until more
than three-fifths of the crew were killed or wounded, and the ship
was on fire in several places, when she struck her colors. A more
conspicuous monument for the gallant dead might seem appropriate.
By another ascensor, a trip should be made to the _Naval School_,
which crowns a splendid height nearer the outer edge of the harbor.
A fine large building, well equipped in the best modern English
fashion, stands back of a pretty garden. There are good class rooms,
laboratories, machine shops with guns mounted as on board ship, and
all essentials for a thorough and practical course of study. In the
rear patios are athletic fields with bathing facilities. The cadets
are generally from the best families, and the program of study is
based on that of English schools; the fleet is organized on the
British model, and the ships are constructed in British shipyards.
There is, further, a training ship for sailors, where if unable to
read and write they receive instruction, as do soldiers in a
corresponding institution in Santiago.
On the fine broad Avenue Brazil is a handsome arch with the British
Lion above, presented to the city by the British colony here, at the
Centennial in 1910.
[Illustration:
AVENIDA BRAZIL, WITH BRITISH MONUMENT
]
[Illustration:
RESIDENCE VIÑA DEL MAR
]
=Viña del Mar.= An excursion should by all means be made to this
suburb; to Miramar if time allows. The former may be reached by tram
or train in half an hour or so. It is pleasant to go by one and
return by the other. The tracks, nearly parallel, pass several
pretty suburbs and give several glimpses of the sea beyond the
harbor before reaching the destination. Viña del Mar is not only a
suburb of Valparaiso whither many Englishmen and others go in the
afternoon for sports, and where many business men of Valparaiso have
homes, but it is also a fashionable summer resort for the wealthy
residents of Santiago and other parts of Chile. It is a charming
place with a pretty railway station near a large and attractive
plaza. Many carriages stand near, in one of which for a few _pesos_
a pleasant drive may be taken around the town and out to the
hippodrome or race track, a mile or more outside the city. Within
the track enclosure, a pretty spot surrounded by green hills, the
foreigners have laid out a golf course, grounds for cricket, and for
football. The place is thus visited, especially on Sundays, by many,
not only for the races, to which the Chilians are as devoted as the
Argentines, but for athletics of various kinds. The Chilian horses
seem very large after those of Peru, and trotting is their
specialty. Some of them do this so well that their gentle trot is as
easy as the lope or canter of most other animals.
A pretty and commodious clubhouse faces the Plaza, and near by are
many charming villas of attractive architecture surrounded by
luxuriant vegetation of tropical and temperate climes, beautiful
flower beds, trees, and shrubbery. Half a mile from the center of
the town is a fine beach bordered by jutting rock promontories.
Large bathing establishments, cafés for ices and tea, and splendid
villas with well laid out grounds recall our own shore resorts. A
good pedestrian may be tempted to climb over the steep enclosing
hill and descend on the other side to the electric car track for his
return to the city. The _Grand Hotel_ with beautiful grounds is the
leading hostelry of the place.
=Miramar= is a small but popular bathing resort in the opposite
direction from Valparaiso, reached by electric cars; but the bathing
is here more dangerous, as not far from shore the bottom drops
suddenly to a great depth.
From Valparaiso to Santiago by rail is a ride of 3½ or 4 hours by
express trains and about two more by accommodation. The price of
tickets for the express is 12.80 _pesos_, 4 extra for seat in
Pullman; 8.50 _pesos_ by slower train. It is a pleasant ride, for a
few miles near the shore, passing Viña del Mar, then east through
the Coast Range to the Central Plain, at Llai-Llai leaving the
Andine Railway to turn southward to Santiago.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XVIII
SANTIAGO
HOTELS. Oddó, A. P., 12 to 40 _pesos_; Grand, A. P., 12 to 18
_pesos_; Francia, and Royal, about the same; others at lower
prices.
_Chief Points of Interest._ Plaza de Armas; Cathedral and other
buildings around; the Capitol; the Moneda; the Alameda; Parque
Cousiño; _most important_, Santa Lucia Park and the Cemetery;
the Art Gallery.
=Santiago=, the capital and largest city of Chile, the third or
fourth in size in South America, considered by some travelers to
have the most beautiful location of any capital in the world except
Rio de Janeiro, is situated on the river Mapocho in the long central
valley of Chile, at an elevation of 2000 feet. Founded by the
doughty warrior and Spanish invader, friend and almost counterpart
of Francisco Pizarro, Pedro de Valdivia, it was by him planned and
laid out in 1541 after he had first built a fort on Santa Lucia
hill, an excellent site for the purpose, recalling the ancient Greek
Acropolis or some of the mediæval strongholds. On account of the too
great dispersion of the invaders, the settlement for some years had
a hard struggle for existence, but during its century of
independence it has grown rapidly. Its population, now approaching
400,000, is ten times as great as when independence was declared in
1810.
The site is indisputably one of remarkable beauty and picturesque
charm, without any interference with the convenience of a large
city. The hills in and on the edge of the city, rising like small
islands abruptly from the plain, do not preclude long level streets,
yet form a peculiar and admirable embellishment, while east and
west, the mountains of the Great Cordillera and of the Coast Range,
which a few miles away rise as lofty ramparts to the ethereal blue,
are an ever sublime and noble contrast to the verdant smiling plain.
The climate of Santiago, which at 33° S. has about the same latitude
as Charleston and San Diego N., is considered excellent; though the
three winter months, in dwellings destitute of heating apparatus,
seem rather cool indoors to residents of the United States. In the
summer, though not extremely hot, it is very dusty, so that wealthy
residents at this season escape to Viña del Mar or other seashore
resorts, to the beautiful lake region, to the springs and baths
among the mountains, or even to the _fjords_ in the distant south.
An amusing _mot_ of a German is related by one who did not seem to
appreciate it. “The climate of Santiago is good but it is very
unhealthy.” And both statements have been quite true, the latter
inexcusably so, resulting from the fact that ordinary sanitary
measures have been neglected. The medical congress in 1911 was held
in the midst of an epidemic of smallpox. There has been a woeful
lack of sewerage. But happily the officials have at last come to
realize the importance of sanitation, an adequate system of sewerage
is now installed, and doubtless other deficiencies will soon be
remedied.
From the fine large railway station on the outskirts of the city, a
carriage or tram car may be taken to one of the hotels near the
center, a mile or more distant. To secure rooms at the _Oddó_, for
many years regarded as the leading hotel of Santiago, it is often
necessary to engage rooms in advance, as both main building and
annexes are generally crowded. The Oddó, near the Plaza de Armas, is
on one of the principal streets, the Ahumada, 327, the annexes on
another at right angles with this, the Huérfanos, 976 and 1012, all
three in the heart of the city. The _Grand Hotel_, preferred by
some, is close by, Huérfanos 1164. Other hotels approximating these
are the _Hotel Francia_, finely located on the south side of the
Plaza, and the _Royal_. Prices at the first two are likely to be 15
or 18 _pesos_ a day, with morning coffee, one _peso_, as an extra.
Other hotels of more modest price and accommodations are the Fornos,
Brinck, Frances, and Imperial on the Alameda, the Milán, Estado 130,
the Biarritz, and near the station the Meloossi.
At the Oddó Hotel, a surprising and pleasant custom in 1911 was that
morning and evening the newspapers, _El Mercurio_ and _Las Ultimas
Noticias_, were thrust under the door of my room, the first in time
to enjoy with my morning coffee. Whether this was by the courtesy of
the hotel proprietor or the newspaper management (both papers having
the same publishers) I am unable to state. Rather expecting to find
them charged on my bill, I was agreeably disappointed that they were
not. To the tourist coming down the West Coast the newspapers of
Chile are a surprise. Those of Peru and Bolivia though often with
able editorials are small, and contain but a modicum of foreign
news, especially of the United States; and the little there is from
our own country is largely gossip. But in Chile, as on the East
Coast, it is different. The _Mercurio_ is a newspaper of world-wide
reputation and of advanced age, exceeded by few in the United
States. Originally founded in Valparaiso in 1827, a Santiago edition
was started in 1900, the two papers now being published with the
same editorials, cables, and general news, though differing in local
matters. The proprietor is Mr. Augustín Edwards, a member of a
wealthy banking house and a large owner and president of the
Compañia Sud-Americana de Vapores. The buildings in which they are
housed, and the _contents_ of these papers are superior to most of
those in larger cities of the United States. Besides good quarters
for editors, reporters, and other employees, there are dining,
reception, and assembly rooms, bed and bath rooms, and other
features not found in our establishments. The editors are
cultivated, well informed gentlemen, whose well written editorials
on the chief topics of the day are read and become subjects of daily
conversation among men of the upper class. More news in regard to
foreign countries is printed than is usual in our metropolitan
dailies. Distinguished strangers are interviewed, social life
receives attention, commercial matters, sport, science, and
literature all have their place. _Las Ultimas Noticias_, an evening
paper with the same publishers, is of lighter character. Besides
other good though less known dailies, Santiago has illustrated
weeklies, the _Zigzag_, and _Succesos_, containing a record in
pictures of the week’s happenings, cartoons and photographs of local
and of world-wide interest. These are in compact magazine form of
slightly less size and thickness than our monthlies.
Sight-seeing in Santiago naturally begins with the _Plaza_, the
center of which is beautified by palm, orange, and fir trees, grass,
fountains, and flower beds, among which are broad walks and benches.
From the usual band stand Sunday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings
concerts of good classical and operatic music are given, in summer
from eight to ten p.m., in winter from six to seven. In the center
of the Plaza is a statue by a famous Italian sculptor, Fagazarro,
which represents Liberty breaking the chains of (Spanish) Slavery.
The four crocodiles beneath with their mouths open indicate that
this was originally intended for a fountain.
Around the Plaza are buildings of importance; on the west side, the
_Cathedral_, originally constructed of stone on the site which
Valdivia appointed for the first church to be erected in Chile. If
the outside is not remarkable the interior is vast and imposing. On
each side of the nave are large square pillars with images of Saints
and Apostles. In the usual side chapels are various paintings by old
masters and other objects of interest; a reclining life-size figure
of San Francisco de Xavier, carved from the trunk of a pear tree, is
considered of high artistic merit. This work was found in the
monastery of the Jesuits when that Order was expelled from Chile in
1776. Another chapel on the same side, that of Santo Sacramento,
contains a monstrance and altar of beautifully wrought silver more
than two hundred years old, and also an antique, large swinging
silver lamp. The choir stalls in the chancel are as usual of carved
wood, also the throne of the Archbishop. In the sacristy is a large
oil painting of The Last Supper, of the old Spanish school, and a
crystal chandelier which hung in a room where the first Congress
assembled, now the National Library. In the Cathedral are buried the
three archbishops, the first, Señor Vicuña Larrain, consecrated in
1841. The tomb of the second is noteworthy, elaborately carved of
Carrara marble, with fluted columns and trailing vines, and the
reclining figure of the archbishop in his stately robes. In front
crouches a bronze lion. The stained glass windows deserve attention.
The particularly fine organ is said to be equal in tone to that in
St. Paul’s, London. It came here by accident, being on its way to
Australia in a ship which was wrecked in the Straits of Magellan.
Among the salvage was the organ which, purchased at a bargain, was
brought to Santiago. The Cathedral should be visited at the earliest
opportunity, as much of the time it is closed. Also it is to be
observed that there is a strict rule here, rigidly enforced, against
wearing hats into the churches. Unless a lady does not mind removing
hers, it is well to devote a morning to the churches, wearing a lace
scarf or veil over the head and thus having no bother. Next to the
Cathedral is the Palace of the Archbishop.
On the north side of the Plaza at the corner next to the Cathedral
is the _Post Office_, a modern well equipped structure, the
telegraph office, and the _Palace of the Provincial Governor_. On
the east side is the _Portal McClure_, back of which are many shops,
and the _Valparaiso Restaurant_, said to be good. The _German Club_
is above the restaurant. Under the _portal_ are many venders, as
also on the south side of the Plaza under the _Portal Fernandez
Concha_, where especially are fruit and flower stalls: beautiful
roses, jasmine, heliotrope, etc., grapes, figs, paltas, chirimoias
and other fruits, according to the season.
Santiago is a city generally pleasing to tourists, even delightful,
as one traveler asserts, who calls it the best place in South
America for residence the whole year around and the only one
attractive from a scenic, climatic and social point of view. This
very critical writer who seems to have a special “grouch” against
Rio de Janeiro, after seeing Lima revises his opinion to a degree,
then declaring that only Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Lima appear
desirable places to live in and of the three he rather prefers Lima.
_Per contra_, another great traveler who stayed in Lima not long
enough really to see it, from his superficial view thought it much
over-rated, this showing, with a possible difference in taste, the
error of a too hasty judgment.
But not to make undue comparisons, Santiago is a charming city, much
larger, obviously, and more modern and European than cosy and
courtly Lima, or strange and remote La Paz. Its attractions will
surprise many and all will be loath to leave.
[Illustration:
NEW HALL OF CONGRESS, LIBRARY AT THE LEFT
]
It has a fine system of electric cars with a device which in our
cities might be adopted to very great advantage. The cars of the
various routes, in addition to the names of streets or destinations
which they bear, are all numbered, with figures at the top large
enough to be visible for a block or two. On the calle Ahumada you
will see cars numbered 15, 17, 20, 24, etc. Should you wish to go to
the Park, you may take No. 19 on Huérfanos. The hotel people or any
resident will tell you what cars you may take and where, for any
given point, or you will find a complete list in Scott’s Guide Book.
After seeing the Plaza, one may take No. 19 there for Parque
Cousiño, or a cab or automobile for a drive about the city. In 1911
the paving on many streets was so rough that the cars were preferred
by many; yet one conversant with the city could for the most part
keep to smooth roadways and visit nearly all sections.
The business quarter of the city is chiefly between the Plaza and
the Alameda, extending also to the west. All of these streets are
rather narrow with a single car track on one side, the cars as in
Lima going by one route and returning by another to the starting
point. In this section are many excellent shops of all kinds, the
hotels, banks, and the government buildings. Of the last the
_Capitol_ is naturally the finest, occupying a whole square a little
west of the Cathedral. On two sides of this large handsome structure
are beautifully kept gardens, with magnolias, heliotrope, and other
flowers. In the garden on the east front is a _beautiful marble
madonna_ in an attitude of mourning or prayer, with four kneeling
angels at her feet. An inscription records that this is a memorial
to the victims of the fire, December 8, 1863, witness of the undying
love and grief of the people ten years later. The church of the
Jesuits, then consumed with 2000 victims, formerly stood on this
spot.
Of the four entrances, this on the east is to the _Cámara de
Diputados_ above, that on the west to the _Cámara de Senadores_.
Both Chambers are like small theaters with four rows of seats raised
one above another, each with a small table and writing material in
front. There is a high carved dais for the President. A dome of
colored glass forms the roof. In the Senatorial Chamber is a
painting by Valenzuela Llanos representing the first Congress, July
4, 1811, held in the National Library near by. The building has wide
marble staircases, rooms for the President, for secretaries, some
designed for discussion and conversation; also a large handsome
_Congress Hall_ where the President reads his message at the same
time to both Houses, and to the Diplomats. To the two galleries of
the hall, friends are admitted by ticket for the opening of
Congress, an impressive and ceremonious occasion. This building is
heated by steam pipes, a wonderful innovation, making it comfortable
even to Americans.
The official residence of the President is in the _Palacio de la
Moneda_ which contains also his offices and those of the Ministers
of the Interior, Finance, and Foreign Relations, as well as the
quarters of the Mint. This building, between the streets Morande and
Teatinos, faces the _Plaza de la Moneda_, which is ornamented with
fountains and flower beds, and a statue of an able Minister, Don
Diego Portales, noted for his uprightness. The Palacio with its two
large patios occupies an entire square. By a curious mistake plans
designed for a Government House in Mexico City were sent here, and
so pleased the Chilians that they decided to use them. Opposite the
Palace on the north side of the Plaza is the _Ministry of War and
Marine_; on the west side is the _British Legation_. The _United
States Legation_ is well located on the Alameda. On the east side of
the Palace on Morande street, facing the entrance to the Mint is the
_Ministry of Public Works_. On the Plaza Moneda band concerts occur
Tuesdays and Fridays at the same hours as those on the other Plaza.
The most notable street in the city is the _Avenida de las
Delicias_, commonly called the _Alameda_, a beautiful park-like
promenade 600 feet wide, extending four miles from beyond the hill
park, Santa Lucia, to the Quinta Normal and Central Railway Station.
Here formerly was the river bed of the Mapocho, now farther to the
north. The transformation was due to General O’Higgins. The central
parkway has four rows of trees, oaks, elms, acacias; little canals
of running water and many monuments of soldiers, statesmen, and
scientists of Chile. Next to the parkway on each side are electric
car tracks, and beyond, broad boulevards for carriages, bordered by
wide sidewalks and many handsome residences. Near the calle Ahumada
stands a monument to the brothers, Miguel Luis and Gregorio Victor
Amunátegui, the elder, a patriot of marked distinction in civil life
who served as Minister under several administrations. A remarkable
speaker among people distinguished for their oratory, he died in
1888, greatly mourned.
Proceeding down the Avenue one passes a bust of Abate Molina, a
noted naturalist and author of the eighteenth century. A Natural
History of the Country of Chile was his chief work. There follows a
bust of José Miguel Infante, a great philanthropist who was one of
the foremost in the struggle for independence.
Next is the most striking of the memorials in the Alameda, a bronze
statue of General Bernardo O’Higgins on horseback, represented as on
his famous retreat from Rancagua. Bernardo, born in Chillan, Chile,
and educated in England, was the son of an Irishman Ambrose
O’Higgins who after living some time in Spain settled in Chile,
where he was made Governor in 1778. Bernardo entering the army in
1813 became commander, and as previously related took part in most
of the revolutionary struggles, later becoming Supreme Dictator. In
spite of an excellent administration, after a few years he was
requested to resign, which he promptly and patriotically did, then
withdrawing to Peru. Some years later, influenced by President
Bulnes, the Chilians tardily recalled the disinterested patriot and
were preparing to receive him with due honor when, as about to set
out on his return, in 1845 he died. In 1868 his remains were brought
back by a Commission of the Government and interred in the General
Cemetery.
A little farther, on the left, stands a life-size figure of Carrera,
José Miguel: the most noted of three brothers, ardent patriots in
the struggle for independence, but of misdirected zeal; all three
executed in Mendoza by the Argentines, José, the last, without a
trial, Sept. 4, 1821. The bodies of the three were by order of
Congress brought in 1828 to Santiago and buried in the Compañia
Church.
Some distance beyond is the monument of another general and
dictator, Don Ramon Freire, also distinguished in the War of
Independence and called by O’Higgins, the bravest of the brave.
Later engaging in civil war and being defeated in the battle of
Lircai in 1830, he too went to Peru, but returned before his death
in 1853.
The next monument, between calles San Martin and Manuel Rodríguez,
is to the great hero who is honored in every city, General San
Martin, sometimes called the Hannibal of the Andes. Though receiving
scant honor in his later life, after his death in 1850 his memory
was cherished. This bronze equestrian statue, erected by public
subscription in 1863, represents the hero holding a flag which is
surmounted by a small figure of Liberty.
Beyond this point, the Alameda is still wider, with flower beds and
shrubs beautifying the central promenade. On the right is a statue
to the grandson of an Irishman, Don Benjamin Vicuña Mackenna, a
distinguished historian who initiated many important works for the
improvement of the city: the enclosing with stone embankment the
Mapocho River, the adornment of Santa Lucia, and the idea of
encircling the city by a belt of trees to prevent straggling and
undue extension. His death occurred in 1889.
Between the streets Ejercito and Almirante is a statue unusual if
not unique in character, being erected by the citizens of Santiago
in honor of the city of Buenos Aires. The last monument is an
obelisk to the memory of four writers of the Revolutionary period.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XIX
SANTIAGO—CONTINUED
In all Spanish American countries the parks are an important
feature. In some respects the most beautiful, and one absolutely
unique in character, is that of _Santa Lucia_, which, however highly
praised, is almost certain to surpass expectation. The last of a row
of detached hills, it made in the early days a splendid stronghold
against the Indians. When no longer needed as a fort it became a
quarry, then a burial ground for Jews, infidels, and Protestants,
whose bones would have defiled the consecrated ground of the
Catholic Cemetery. But in 1872 these were removed to the new
Protestant Cemetery by the side of that occupied by the faithful,
and the hill was converted into a wonderfully beautiful park. About
three-quarters of a mile southeast of the Plaza de Armas, it is a
pleasant walk, or it may be reached by several lines of cars.
Covering a surface of six or seven acres it rises in irregular,
jagged, sometimes perpendicular walls, gradually narrowing to a
pavilion-covered summit 400 feet above, whence on a clear day, and
especially at sunset, there is an enchanting view. The city is
spread out below, distinct in every feature, surrounded by the broad
expanse of fertile plain 40 miles long and 18 wide, fringed by
ranges of steep hills and mountains, the latter on the east
snow-crowned and forming a splendid rampart 15,000 feet tall.
Aconcagua, visible from the sea and from Valparaiso, is unseen here
on account of the nearer approach to the lower peaks in front,
behind which it disappears from view. As often as time permits will
those who delight in nature’s beauty climb this hill (splendid
exercise, too) to see the sunset glow on the snow-capped mountains,
especially when a slightly clouded sky gives assurance of lovely
hues and the certainty of a truly enchanting scene.
Almost as beautiful to look at as to look from is this Cerro which
natural and artificial charms render unique among all cities.
Embellished by public and private munificence, especially by
Benjamin Mackenna, the hill is a mass of green and blossoms,
luxuriant graceful vines, shrubs, and trees, among which are
glimpses of stairs and roadways, rock cliffs and walls, towers and
battlements, chapels and monuments, the whole a combination of
exceeding loveliness.
The most imposing entrance to this hill park is from the Plaza
Vicuña Mackenna near the Alameda, where stands a recently erected
statue of the gentleman, a fine bronze figure, at its foot a seated
Fame holding in her hand a wreath of laurel. Entering the carriage
drive (fee 5 _centavos_ for a pedestrian, 40 _centavos_ for a
carriage) a large brass plate may be noticed, a memorial to
Mackenna, here placed by the city. On a great boulder back of this
is a bronze Flora or Melpomene with inscription giving the date of
the inauguration of the Park, Sept. 17, 1874. On the other side of
the boulder is inscribed Huelen, the ancient Indian name for the
hill, signifying misfortune or sorrow, a curious name for so superb
a feature of the landscape. A little farther are two bronze lions,
copies of the famous ones at Florence. Beyond the next corner of the
winding road is the foundation stone of an old Spanish bridge
formerly stretching to the inscribed boulder. Built in 1787 it was
destroyed in 1888. Halfway up the hill is a small door in a
perpendicular rock wall, the entrance to the Seismological
Observatory, where record is made of the numerous ’quakes, and of
the observations conducted by M. le Conde de Montessus Ballores. A
little higher the carriage road ends on a wide terrace in front of a
spacious restaurant, well patronized for dining, especially during
the summer, when an orchestra discourses sweet music. At the left of
the road is a slab commemorating the removal of the bones of the
heretics once buried here. The inscription reads: “In memory of
those exiled from Heaven and Earth who in this place lay buried for
half a century, 1820-1872.”
[Illustration:
PALACE OF FINE ARTS
]
[Illustration:
ENTRANCE TO PARQUE, SANTA LUCIA
]
Beyond one must proceed on foot. On attaining the summit, having
viewed with admiration the lovely prospect, one may notice close at
hand, a little below, a castellated gateway, above which is an
ancient Spanish escutcheon here found buried. From the gateway a
narrow flight of steps leads to a small chapel where Benj. Mackenna
is interred and where services are held on the anniversary of his
death. Looking over the parapet one may see below the remnants of an
old gateway surmounted by two small Spanish guns. A little farther
down is a monument to the first archbishop of Santiago. The statue
of Pedro de Valdivia, on the spot where he built his fort, deserves
especial heed. The inscription reads: “The valiant Captain of
Estremadura, first Governor of Chile, who in this very spot encamped
his band of 150 conquerors, Dec. 13, 1540. Giving to these rocks the
name of Santa Lucia and forming of them a bastion he planned and
founded the city of Santiago, Feb. 12, 1541.” To see all the points
of beauty and interest one must ramble on foot by the pretty paths
leading in every direction to charming nooks or delightful outlooks.
At noon a cannon at the summit of the hill is daily discharged by
electricity from the Observatory in the Quinta Normal on the other
side of the city. A second and less picturesque entrance to the
Park, affording a more gradual ascent is well enough to leave by,
but is not a suitable introduction to this genuine fairy land.
Very different, and more like any other, is the _Parque Cousiño_
several miles distant. To see this at its best, one should go in
carriage or auto together with the fashionables, between the hours
of 5 and 7.30 p.m., when, particularly in the months September to
December inclusive, it is thronged with fine horses and carriages,
bearing the beauty and fashion of Santiago. Woods, pleasant walks,
well kept gardens, beautiful shrubs, weeping willows drooping over a
pretty lake, adorn the park; a good restaurant provides _almuerzo_,
afternoon tea, and dinner, the latter at four _pesos_, well
patronized and usually accompanied by music. There are cheap cafés,
merry-go-rounds, and stands for dancing, where on Sunday may be seen
the peculiar national dance of the Indians, _La Cueca_, where the
couples face each other, handkerchief in hand, and dance with
swaying gestures. In summer a biograph is usually in operation and
twice a week a military band plays from 9 to 11 p.m., when the park
is often crowded. Near the entrance is a large open grass plot with
a pavilion in the center, where a Military Review takes place Sept.
19. Bicycle races and football games are sports of the youthful
Chilians, who take more kindly to athletics than the young men of
some other countries. A lawn tennis club also is found here. The
electric cars numbered 19 come to the restaurant in the park, number
18 to the gate only.
This Park was presented to the city by the famous Señora Isadora
Cousiño, who was the richest woman in Chile before her marriage to
the richest man in the country. He, dying, left all his property to
her, as it was said that she had administered her estate better than
he had his. The Señora, now deceased, being worth many millions in
mines, railroads, steamships, cattle, and real estate, was a woman
of so lavish expenditures as to cause much gossip even in Europe.
Her residence in Santiago, of the Ionic order of architecture, is
one of the finest in South America. It was decorated by the French
artists who adorned the Paris Opera House. Her magnificent palace at
Loti, unfortunately incomplete, would undoubtedly surpass anything
at Newport. Outside Santiago she had an immense hacienda extending
to the mountains.
Another large park of different character, at the west of the town,
reached by Car No. 2 from the Plaza de Armas, is called the _Quinta
Normal_: a particularly desirable place for a drive, as the
buildings here are at a considerable distance apart. The fine trees
in this section, the green fields of the Agricultural College, and
the Botanical Garden are a pleasure to see. Some persons may be
interested, after driving about, to visit the _Agricultural
College_, the _Astronomical Observatory_, the _Meteorological
Station_, and the _Riding School_. The College established in 1845
by President Bulnes has been of much benefit. A cattle show is held
here annually. The _Botanical Garden_, though not large, deserves a
visit. It has some fine specimens of the Victoria Regia and other
aquatic plants, with a nice old German in charge. Apart from this
garden is a nursery where flowers, shrubs, and plants of great
variety are grown for the stocking of public gardens and parks. The
_Zoological Garden_ in this quarter does not amount to much beyond
presenting many natives of Chile; condors, eagles, vultures, with
others, in an aviary of Chilian birds; and domestic animals
including some fine fowls. There are a few bears and monkeys.
The _Natural History Museum_, also in this Quinta (north side),
contains a very complete collection of Chilian birds, fishes,
insects, and plants, made chiefly by a celebrated German naturalist,
Dr. Otto Philippi. Another section of greater interest to many,
contains Indian mummies, specimens of pottery, weapons, and relics
of colonial days. In 1911 the Museum was open Sundays and Thursdays
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but was expected later to be open daily. A
good restaurant pleasantly situated and well patronized is opposite
the calle Catedral not far from the Museum. An entire day is not too
much to devote to seeing the Quinta by persons with taste for these
matters, in which case the restaurant would be serviceable. The
_School of Arts and Trades_ for the training of mechanics and
tradesmen is located on the south side of the Quinta not far from
the Central Station.
Beyond the Parque Cousiño is the _Club Hípico_ or race course on the
outskirts of the city, with fine views of the Coast Cordilleras and
the Andes. Sunday afternoons and feast days races are held beginning
at 1.30, but most persons do not arrive until four. From August to
the end of December the whole city, meaning of course Society, is
said weekly to assemble there. In the Diez y ocho week, from the
17th to the 20th of September, it is difficult to get near the
Pavilion. There is a special enclosure for members, and behind the
Pavilion are little gardens where people go to take tea and meet
their friends. Tickets, three _pesos_ to the pavilion, five more to
enter the paddock, may be bought after 7 p.m. Saturdays at the
Cigarria La France, _Portal_ Fernández Concha, 18; in the Centro
Hípico, Pasaje Balmaceda, an arcade running from Huérfanos to the
Plaza; or at the entrance of the enclosure. Races on Saturday,
frequented more by sporting men than by Society, are at the
_Hipódromo_ on the north side of the river.
Along the bank of the Mapocho is another park, long and narrow,
called the _Forestal_, which with the embankment and bridges forms a
very pretty section of the city. At one end, in the Plaza Italia or
Colon, is a monument presented to the city by the Italian colonists
as a centenary gift, and on the opposite side of the beautiful
_Palace of Arts_, in the Plaza France, is one similarly presented by
the French colony. The _Palacio de Bellas Artes_ has a great
Statuary Hall with some fine copies and the best original work of
native Chilians. Nine spacious rooms contain a collection of
paintings, including some originals of old masters and many by
modern Chilian artists. The arrangement of the building is excellent
and the whole is a great credit to the city. A smaller park is the
_Plaza de Montt-Varas_ in the calle Compañia between Bandera and
Morande, on one side of which is the fine new _Palace of Justice_
occupying a whole block. In the park is a statue of a scholar, a
native of Venezuela, Don Andres Bello, a seated figure by Don
Nicenor Plaza. Bello, 1789-1865, was so highly regarded by the
Chilians that they declared him by works and public services to be a
true Chilian, and by a special law of Congress declared him a
citizen. Another statue is of two friends from college days, Don
Manuel Montt, ten years President of Chile, and Don Antonio Varas,
who worked together to promote the welfare of the country.
Housed in the old Congress Hall on Catedral street is the _National
Library_ which, with many books, contains a valuable collection of
historical documents, some of these, spoils brought from Lima, and
others, their own colonial archives: a place of much interest to the
scholar and antiquarian.
The _Market_, seldom a show place in cities of the United States,
everywhere in South America is an object of interest. Here it was
one of the benefactions of Benj. Mackenna. Best seen early Sunday
morning, it may be reached by following the 21st of May street from
the northeast corner of the Plaza. Besides the usual and _un_usual
profusion of fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc., may here be found
tiny baskets made by nuns, and little jugs of earthenware and
_mates_, some extremely minute. Another market on the north side of
the river is especially for vegetables.
A visit to the _Municipal Theater_ or Opera House should not be
omitted. Erected as long ago as 1873, it probably surpasses anything
of the kind in the United States, certainly presenting a finer
exterior. An imposing entrance hall has wide staircases leading to
the upper row of boxes. The Presidential box is large and elegantly
furnished with reception rooms, etc., at the back, and a box for his
lady guests below. There is a large foyer and refreshment rooms, and
there are seats for an audience of 4000. The opera season, though
short, is brilliant, with a company every year brought from Italy
for a month or more. Society is present in full force in immaculate
evening dress, gorgeous gowns, and sparkling jewels, a spectacle of
beauty, it is said, equaling that in any opera house of the world.
Santiago has many beautiful homes and pleasing residences, though
less in the pure Spanish style than in Peru: fewer wide doorways
admitting horsemen, and apparently smaller patios, of which one has
but a rare glimpse. Among noticeably fine residences are the
_Cousiño_ on Diez y ocho, the _Edwards_ on Catedral, corner Morande,
the _Umeneta_, Monjitas street; on the Alameda, the _Concha y Toro_
between Brazil and San Miguel, the _Ramon Valdez_ between 18 and
Castro, and the _Quinta Meiggs_ between Republica and España, this
having fifty or more rooms with elaborate furnishings.
An excursion which may be made by carriage, or by a good walker on
foot, is to the top of Cerro _San Christóbal_, 900 feet above the
city. A more superb view than from Santa Lucia is here afforded. At
this point of vantage is an _Observatory_, a branch of the noted
Lick Observatory of California. It is in charge of an American, Dr.
Moore, and was established by the late D. O. Mills. Lower down on a
prominent bluff is a colossal _Image of the Virgin_ with arms
outstretched towards the city as if in blessing. The pedestal
contains a small chapel in which services are held December 8, the
anniversary of her festival. On this night the statue, which with
its pedestal is 70 feet high, is illuminated so as to be visible to
the whole city. It is said to have been erected by women as a token
of gratitude for their preservation from the earthquake, and also to
celebrate the jubilee of the declaration of the Immaculate
Conception.
[Illustration:
PALACIO DE LA MONEDA
]
[Illustration:
CEMETERY IN ROSE TIME
]
The most important feature of the city to be visited, aside from
Santa Lucia, is,—the _Cemetery_. Let no one be surprised and say
that he does not care to visit such places. There are other
cathedrals, plazas, public buildings, etc., but this again is unique
and in many respects the most beautiful resting place for the dead
that I have seen in any land; especially in November, the month of
roses. A French lady resident, who did not find much else to please
her, was most enthusiastic over this. It may be reached by Car No. 8
from the Plaza de Armas. In front of the cemetery is a semi-circular
plaza with a colonnade. The gateway is surmounted by a lofty dome,
which bears a fine colossal group of statuary, Adam and Eve mourning
the death of Abel. The whole effect is imposing. In the corridors of
the entrance may be noticed the painted ceilings, and passing within
one will observe a stately chapel where masses are said for the
repose of the dear departed. Here in truth is a city of the dead,
with streets laid out at right angles, many of these lined with
beautiful houses, rows and rows of chapel-like tombs. In other
places are statues, columns, and memorials in various forms. Some of
the avenues are shaded by orange trees, magnolias, and the Jacarandá
or Brazilian rosewood; others have the tall, stately, and more
gloomy cypress; but when the roses blossom there is such a wealth of
these that there is no gloom anywhere. They are of various kinds and
colors, but most numerous, genuine large white roses which grow in
great vines sometimes on trees to a height of thirty feet, or over
the tombs, forming the most lovely framework imaginable. At the
festival of All Saints, November 1, the sight is unequaled in any
part of the world, as here this is at the height of the rose season,
when there is also a profusion of other flowers. The immense masses
of bouquets and floral devices of all kinds then placed upon the
tombs and graves, even the poorest on account of the small cost of
flowers being able to contribute, make of the already delightful
spot a veritable floral bower. Among noticeable monuments are a
bronze bust, near the entrance, on a black marble column, to the
litterateur, Andres Bello; in the calle Central in the rear of the
chapel is the white marble tomb of General Bernardo O’Higgins. Fifty
yards to the right and then turning to the left, one finds the
memorial erected over the remains of more than 2000 victims of the
holocaust in the Jesuit Church, the Compañia, Dec. 8, 1863, when a
gorgeous fête to the Virgin was in progress. The decorations of
paper flowers and festoons of gauze which were interspersed with
lighted candles, taking fire, fell among the crowd, chiefly women of
the higher classes who thronged the church. The doors opening
inward, the crowds, packed against them, made egress impossible, and
nearly 3000 are said to have perished. Few of the leading families
escaped bereavement and since that time this festival has been
solemnized with mourning.
The tombs of many of the Presidents are found on a street of that
name, and on the Magnolia are many of real beauty belonging to some
of the leading families. In the high wall of the enclosure which
covers many acres are niches for the reception of the coffins of the
poorer people. At the left of the General Cemetery as one faces the
entrance from without is that where the _Protestants_ are buried,
naturally much smaller and far less attractive.
On the way to the Cemetery one may pass on the Avendia Recoleta the
_Church of the Recoleta Dominica_ which deserves a call. The façade
presents a fine row of marble columns, the only edifice in the city
furnished with such decoration. The doors are of carved wood. The
interior is severely beautiful, avoiding the tawdriness exhibited in
many Catholic churches. There are double rows of handsome marble
columns with Corinthian capitals, a white marble chancel screen of
trellis work, and above the high altar a marble Madonna del Rosario.
The marble, imported from Italy, was brought in ox-carts from the
coast. Pretty cloisters are adjoining.
In the same avenue a little nearer the city, at the foot of Cerro
Blanco, is a small church rather dilapidated, La Viñita; of
historical interest as erected by Ines Juárez, who came with Pedro
de Valdivia, a woman of extraordinary courage both for enduring the
hard life, and even going into battle; if necessary engaging in
combat, when not attending to the wounded of both parties.
Santiago is an extremely religious place, so far at least as the
women are concerned, the gentlemen often being inclined to
agnosticism. Among the many churches the most important may be
mentioned. _La Merced_ at the corner of Merced and Claras is painted
a pale pink and has two towers. At the main entrance on Claras, on
each side of the carved wooden doors are two life-size paintings, on
the right, of Ramón Monato, on the left, of San Pedro Nolasco who
founded the Order Mercedarios. Within, the objects of interest are a
wooden crucifix with notably expressive eyes, a gift from Philip II
of Spain to the Order in Chile, an antique frame of solid silver
near the High Altar enclosing a statue of the Virgin, and an old
pulpit of native workmanship carved from a single tree trunk. The
four Evangelists are represented and at the base the four Symbols.
The church has an excellent organ and is famed for its fine music.
The _Santo Domingo_, one of the oldest churches in Santiago, at the
corner of Santo Domingo and the 21 de Mayo, has a beautiful silver
altar exhibited on especial occasions only. The little plaza in
front is gay with a small flower market, and nearly opposite on
Santo Domingo is an old Spanish gateway.
The _San Pedro_ is a pretty little church in Claras near by.
The large church of _San Augustín_, fronting on the Estado has a
ceiling covered with pictures of Saints, Prophets, Martyrs, and also
the Ten Commandments. A valued relic is a crucifix, concerning which
it is related that in the total destruction of the church by an
earthquake in 1730 this suffered no injury except that the crown of
thorns fell from the head to the neck, and that whenever an attempt
was made to replace the crown shocks occurred in the vicinity; it
therefore remains where it fell. On the anniversary, May 13, occurs
a great procession of monks and acolytes of various Orders,
chanting, swinging incense; and with lighted candles, bearing
beautifully embroidered banners, a robed figure of the Virgin, and
the Crucifix.
_El Salvador_, church of the Jesuits, erected after the destruction
of the Compañia in 1863, is on the Huérfanos and Almirante Barroso,
passed by Car 21. This church was damaged by the earthquake of 1906,
though Santiago was far less affected than Valparaiso. The interior
is gay with colors, each pillar being composed of small columns of
various hues, which are covered with designs in red, blue, and gold.
An angel at the foot of each column holds a plaque with emblems of
the Passion. Handsome stained glass windows portray scenes from the
life of Christ.
The _San Francisco_ in the Alameda, almost opposite calle San
Antonio, said to have been built by Valdivia, is plain with a flat
ceiling and one simple arch. All around are memorial tablets: on the
left of the chancel is a fine marble Crucifix in relief. Of great
interest as a historical relic, over the High Altar is the wooden
image of the Virgin in velvet robes embroidered with gold, which
Valdivia used to carry in his saddle-bags. Presented to the church
by the brave Captain, it is highly valued. On the right of the altar
is a small chapel to St. Anthony, on the extreme left, one to Our
Lady, with altar of colored marbles and two angels above.
The _University of Chile_ may be visited by those interested in
educational matters. It has several departments, the main building
on the Alameda, occupying the block between San Diego and Arturo
Prat. Here are the general offices, the University Library and the
Department of Physical and Natural Sciences termed the Engineering
School. A hall in the form of a theater is in the part of the
building which separates the two patios. A new Engineering building
in the suburbs was to receive this Department, then to be replaced
by the Law School, the largest of the various branches. In the
Quinta Normal is the building of the Medical School with handsome
classical façade, containing large halls, and patios ornamented with
shrubs and flowers. There is a modern building for the Dental School
and an annex for Pharmacy. It is interesting to note that in most of
the South American countries coeducation is rigorously avoided in
the lower schools while permitted in most of the universities,
conditions exactly opposite to those in some parts of the United
States. A good number of women in Chile study medicine, dentistry,
pharmacy, etc., with the men.
The _Military School_ on the Avenue Blanco Encalada facing the Diez
y ocho now occupies a fine large building after a checkered career.
Founded March 16, 1817, by the Supreme Director Bernardo O’Higgins,
it is the oldest in South America, though it has experienced several
interruptions. The present edifice was decreed in 1887 by the
progressive but unfortunate President Balmaceda, though not until
1903 did it become established as now existing. The school has as
its head a German officer, Col. Alfred Schoenmeyer, and provides
courses of instruction similar to those in the German institutions.
The building contains all suitable conditions of convenience and
hygiene, a covered riding school, shooting galleries, patio
facilities for gymnastics, laboratories of science and of military
models.
The _Military Museum_, in 1911 housed in the _Arsenales de_ _Guerra_
next to the Military School, by 1913 will probably be removed to a
new building erected for it in the Quinta Normal. It contains many
historical relics: the armor worn by Valdivia during the conquest, a
chair which he occasionally used in the brief intervals from
fighting, cannon brought over the Andes by Gen. San Martin to aid in
freeing the country of Spanish dominion; a marble urn enclosing the
hearts of four heroes who fell in the battle of Concepción in the
effort to save the Chilian colors from the hands of their Peruvian
opponents; the flag of the Esmeralda, commanded by Arturo Prat, and
sunk in the battle of Iquique May 21, 1879; a marble bust of Manuel
Rodriguez who, in the War of Independence, among other brave deeds
as scout and spy, three times crossed the Andes on foot; other
objects of interest, besides cannon, flags, arms, and trophies won
in many a fierce battle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XX
SANTIAGO TO BUENOS AIRES BY SEA
=Southern Chile and the Straits of Magellan.= The great majority of
tourists will proceed from Santiago by rail over mountains and
plains to Buenos Aires, being influenced thereto by several
considerations. Of these the strongest may be the fact that the
journey thus made occupies only 48 hours (the return 38), while by
sea it requires twelve days, an important consideration in a brief
tour. Also in view of the several weeks already spent on the ocean
and the several more to come, all but the real lover of steamboat
travel will prefer the land for a change, especially with the
prospect of the fine mountain scenery always visible on the
Trans-Andine journey and the possibility of a glimpse of mighty
Aconcagua, which still claims pre-eminence as the culminating point
of the Western Hemisphere.
On the other hand the route across the Andes, formerly blocked to
general traffic for half the year by reason of the winter snows, may
yet be impassable for a week or two, even longer, by reason of the
great avalanches which on the Chilian side of the tunnel are liable
in winter or spring to obstruct the track. When such a condition
prevails, the longer way around may (rarely) become the shorter in
time. A few will at any period prefer the Magellan route from
inability to endure the 10,000 feet altitude of the mountain
journey, from affection for the sea, or from an especial desire to
traverse the famous Straits, discovered by Magellan in 1520 on the
first around-the-world voyage, and to pass the southern continental
limit of the main land if not the dreaded Cape Horn.
The leisurely tourist who desires to see everything of importance
may enjoy the chief pleasures of both routes: going by rail to
Puente del Inca on the east side of the mountain, or better, on to
Mendoza on the edge of the great Argentine plain, returning to Chile
by the old route, the splendid horse back and former diligence trail
from Las Cuevas over the once frequented pass. Thus he may delight
in near and distant views of splendid cliffs and mountains, and
pause to contemplate among the everlasting hills the impressive
image of a colossal Christ standing on the frontier of two great
countries, an emblem of the eternal peace and friendship to which
these nations have sworn.
The tourist who always prefers to travel by sea may at Valparaiso
take a P.S.N. steamer (they sail once in two weeks) for Montevideo,
where he must change for the short run to Buenos Aires. All of these
boats call on the way at Coronel (or Lota) and Punta Arenas, every
other one also at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, the voyage
occupying 11 or 12 days to Montevideo. A boat of the Kosmos Line may
be taken, although they no longer as formerly go through Smyth
Channel, all now missing the fine scenery of the _fjords_. Persons
desiring to see more of Chile may go by rail down the famed Central
Valley, the wonderful fruit and agricultural section, and through
the beautiful lake region, taking the steamer at Coronel. A
peculiarity of this longitudinal valley extending several hundred
miles between two ranges of mountains parallel to the sea is that
instead of being watered by a single stream running lengthwise, it
is crossed by a number of rivers flowing west into the ocean. The
railroad is now opened to the south for a distance of 400 miles to
Puerto Montt on the Gulf of Ancud. Although sleeping cars are
provided, the journey should be made by day for the enjoyment of the
scenery.
For a considerable distance south of Santiago towns and villages are
numerous, some of them especially frequented in the summer. Almost
all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and cereals are raised to
perfection in various parts of the valley. In the earlier part of
the journey there are views of lofty Andean peaks; farther south the
range is lower, but with a multitude of lakes and dense virgin
forests, the scenery is no less beautiful. From _Talca_, a
prosperous town of 45,000 on the Maule River, 50 miles south of
Santiago, a branch line runs to the small but pleasant town of
_Constitución_. It was in Talca, which was founded in 1692 and
partly destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1835, that Director
O’Higgins signed the Declaration of Independence. The city has a
pretty plaza with a fine Government House, theater, church, and
other handsome edifices.
=Chillan=, 100 miles farther, is a modern city famous for its fine
horses and cattle. It affords an unusual opportunity to see the
country people, who come in to the market place on the outskirts of
the city, two or three times a week, especially Saturdays. Wares are
well displayed in booths, gay with _mantas_, gorgeous ribbons and
lace, equestrian outfits, pottery, baskets, and horn ornaments.
Street cars run to the historic ruins of old Chillan, the birthplace
of Don Bernardo O’Higgins. The famous baths and hot springs of
Chillan are beautifully situated among the mountains about 60 miles
distant at an altitude of nearly 8000 feet.
The railroad crosses many rivers on some fine bridges, one nearly ¼
of a mile long and 300 feet above the Malleco River at Collipulli. A
bridge ¾ of a mile long crosses the _Bio-Bio_, along the boundary
line between the Spanish American settlements and the country of the
fierce Araucanians. From Rosendo a branch line leads to the cities
near the sea, _Concepción_, and its seaport _Talcahuano_ 240 miles
from Valparaiso, a port both of commercial and military importance
on a large bay in which a dry dock has been arranged for the repair
and the cleaning of naval vessels. Concepción, which was founded by
Valdivia, but has been several times destroyed both by Araucanians
and by earthquakes, is now a substantial modern city of 50,000
inhabitants, the third in size in the Republic.
=Coronel= and =Lota=, five miles apart on the Bay of Arauco, 40
miles south of Talcahuano, are, one or the other, regular ports of
call for all the steamships, and the only one below Valparaiso for
the P.S.N. boats before Punta Arenas. Hence one going by rail to
Puerto Montt would be obliged to return to this point for his
steamer; unless possibly the Kosmos boats call farther down. The
boats call at Coronel or Lota to procure a supply of coal. This is
pre-eminently _the_ coal region of Chile, of which Lota is the
center. In 1852 a property was purchased here by Don Matias Cousiño
who explored for coal with success. His son Luis, in 1862 inheriting
the property, in 1869 formed a company, keeping most of the shares.
His widow later becoming sole owner of the company was called the
richest woman in the world, with a property of at least $70,000,000.
She died in 1898 leaving six children. Hers was the greatest
financial enterprise then carried on by a Chilian. The capital of
the Company is now $20,000,000. Half a million tons of coal are
annually produced, 1/10 of which is used by the Company for smelters
and their own steamships, the rest being sold.
To visit the mines there is a drop in an electric car of nearly ¼ of
a mile. There are streets, shops, offices, restaurants, stalls for
horses, black-smiths’ shop, etc., down below; and the workings go
far under the deep sea where ships are sailing above. There is good
rock and no drip. The Company owns copper mines, smelting works,
pottery and brick works, glass and bottle factories, etc., with a
fleet of steamers and sailing vessels. Five thousand workmen are
employed here, for whom houses are supplied, free schools, church,
medical attendance, free coal, asylum for aged, etc.
The Señora spent money lavishly at home and in Paris, where she was
well known. Lota Park was laid out by the most skillful landscape
gardeners with artistic design and picturesque effects. Stately
trees, flower beds, all plants of temperate climes here flourished
in a state of the highest cultivation. On a bluff above the town, it
has wonderful sylvan beauty; with grottoes, bridges, fountains,
cascades, etc., marble and bronze monuments, deer and other animals
in the woods, an aviary with birds; near the center of the park, a
fine marble statue by the noted artist Caupolican. A palace fit for
royalty, not quite completed, it is falling to decay. Superb
wainscoting, gold and white frescoing, exquisite parquetry, carved
mantels and sideboards, priceless curios and paintings, treasures of
all kinds were brought from Europe, many never unpacked. The Park at
times is open by courtesy to strangers, a spectacle of great beauty,
though perhaps of melancholy. The Company owning 200,000 acres of
farming land has many sheep and cattle and has planted more than
10,000,000 trees.
=Valdivia.= Still farther south in a picturesque site on the
Calle-Calle River is the town of Valdivia (pop. 12,000), the fifth
city founded by Pedro de Valdivia, in 1552. It was too far from his
base for that period, and much slaughter followed in fierce battles
with the natives. Near its port, Corral, at the mouth of the river
15 miles away, in 1820 occurred the victory of Lord Cochrane’s fleet
over the Spanish. For several years the railroad halted at Osorno a
little farther on. Its recent extension to _Puerto Montt_ on the
north shore of the Gulf of Reloncavi, about 100 miles beyond, will
greatly enhance the prosperity of a rich and beautiful section
already sprinkled with thriving German colonists. One of the lakes
near by, Llanquihue, with an area of nearly 300 square miles is
served with steam navigation.
The boats of the P.S.N. Company running from Callao to Liverpool
reach Lota or Coronel the day after leaving Valparaiso. Five days
later they arrive at Punta Arenas; in five or six more at
Montevideo.
Sailing towards the South Pole, the coldest region on earth, the
winds naturally become more chill, especially if it is their winter
season. By a natural perversity of fate, it is said that the finest
scenery is usually passed at night, also it is often foggy or it
snows, so little may be seen. After several days with no land in
view, the sight of _Cape Pillar_, rising 1395 feet above the sea,
the western extremity of Desolation Island, and on the south side,
the western outpost of the Straits, gives a thrill of pleasure. On
the northwest side of this entrance from the Pacific are the three
Evangelists and the Sugar Loaf, columnar rock, more impressive than
many mountains. From Cape Pillar to Cape Virgenes at the eastern
entrance of the Straits it is 240 miles as the crow flies but
between 300 and 400 by the channel which must be followed. As the
prevailing winds are west, sailing ships between October and March
sometimes go through from the Pacific, a fair passage occupying 80
days, but they more generally prefer the passing around Cape Horn,
100 miles south, where jagged boulders rise to a height of 1391 feet
in the midst of a turbulent sea; for despite the 500 additional
miles of open water it is open with less danger from fogs, cross
currents, etc., and time is usually saved. Storms are frequent in
this region, but if the weather favors, the fine scenery including
glacier-covered mountains, deep bays, grim cliffs, gray moss, and
sparse vegetation, picturesque icebergs, the multitude of penguins,
sea-gulls, an occasional albatross, seals and whales, the tints of
sea and glaciers, of clouds and crags, forms a picture which some
persons think is unequaled in Norway or Alaska.
Tourists sailing on a special cruise may have the pleasure of a
detour to the south to obtain a finer view of the splendid mountain
_Sarmiento_; not so high as many others, but with its 7330 feet of
altitude in this latitude presenting an imposing spectacle, at the
base dusky woods for one-eighth of the height, then 6000 feet of
snow and glaciers, two of the latter indeed reaching down to the
sea.
[Illustration:
TIERRA DEL FUEGO
]
[Illustration:
ENTRANCE TO ANDINE TUNNEL, CHILIAN SIDE
]
=Punta Arenas.= After sailing through Magdalena Channel southeast to
Cape Froward, the most southern point of the continental mainland,
the ship turns almost north, a trifle to the east, and in a few
hours comes to anchor in Lat. 53° off Punta Arenas, the most
southern city in the world, 900 miles nearer the South Pole than
Christ Church, New Zealand, and 1600 nearer than Cape Town. From
Cape Froward west, the British Pilot Book says the weather averages
11 hours daily of rain, hail, or snow. There is none worse in any
inhabited part of the globe: but the region is not unhealthy. The
city of about 12,000 people is a flourishing place with wide
streets, good water works and electric lights, a handsome cathedral,
appropriate public buildings, and many fine residences. A museum in
charge of some Catholic priests has a collection of the fauna of the
country, birds, snakes, fish, animals including a woolly horse, a
unique specimen with wool a foot long. Also pottery, weapons, and
utensils of the Fuegian tribes are exhibited. In the town, furs,
fine guanaco skins, ostrich feathers, Indian baskets, etc., are for
sale, and most persons buy souvenirs. A penal colony was first
established by the Chilians in 1843 at Port Famine not far away, but
after a revolt of the convicts the town was established here; when
the place became a regular port as a coaling station for steamships
the criminals were removed. It was soon discovered that sheep would
thrive in this locality: many large ranches have been established in
the back country, so that 16,000,000 pounds have been shipped in a
year. The Indians, formerly numerous, are now almost exterminated,
though some Yahgans and Onas still wander in the wilds of _Tierra
del Fuego_. As usual most of the white invaders of whatever
nationality have united in their destruction, to which the diseases
of the white man have also contributed.
A settlement still farther south on _Beagle Channel_ in the
Argentine dominion is a village inhabited only by criminals and
their guards, few of the latter being needed, as escape is
impossible except by sea. On this side of Cape Froward the ground is
flatter, the air dryer, the country treeless and of small interest.
Nine hours from Punta Arenas the lighthouse on _Cape Virgenes_, 135
feet high, is passed and a three days’ sail on the Atlantic in a
direct voyage brings one to Montevideo.
=Port Stanley= on the Falkland Islands, a genuine English town of
2000 people, has a fine harbor with supplies for ships and
facilities for repairs; no trees, but a sedgy grass, called tussac,
7 feet high, excellent for horses and cattle, and with roots
something like celery, edible for man. The weather is never very
cold but the average temperature is low.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXI
ACROSS THE ANDES TO MENDOZA
The journey from Santiago to Buenos Aires by the passage of the
Cordillera, in former days seldom undertaken between May and October
save by the hardy mail-carriers, may, since the opening of the
railroad in 1910, generally be accomplished in any month of the
year. Sometimes, however, traffic is temporarily suspended on
account of snow-slides blocking the track on the Chilian side of the
tunnel. Such inconvenience, oftener arising in the southern winter
or early spring, will doubtless in time be obviated by the building
of snow-sheds along the dangerous sections, as has been done in the
United States. At present, from July to December it may be well to
inquire about conditions before purchasing a ticket, though
prolonged suspension of traffic is exceptional.
The excursion across the Andes, less fatiguing than formerly, is
also far less exciting. The comfortable safety of a car ride through
the tunnel is tame indeed in comparison with the passage by coach or
muleback over the _cumbre_ 2000 feet above. Yet as prosaic comfort
is ever more popular than unusual and adventurous experience,
tourists today by thousands and tens of thousands make the journey
where formerly passed tens and hundreds. Still, even to the gazer
from a car window the excursion is memorable; to the lover of
sublime grandeur the day affords a rare joy. Very different is this
ride from those across the mountains farther north. Until the
completion of the line from Chimbote up the Huailas Valley, the
Oroya railroad alone will bear comparison with this. Nor need
comparison be made. Each is truly an _elevating_ experience and
wholly unlike the other.
An afternoon departure from Santiago is customary, often as late as
6.15 p.m. The night must be spent at Los Andes whence the start is
made in the early morning. With ample time at one’s disposal, it is
well to take a forenoon train from Santiago to have a few hours at
the pleasant Chilian summer resort which affords opportunities for
many delightful strolls, while the scenery along the way makes a
daylight journey desirable. The monument to the Clark Brothers
unveiled at Los Andes, October 22, 1911, is a worthy honor to the
initiators of this great railway. As early as 1870 they applied for
a concession, though it was 1886 before the first was received;
while they were unable to complete the work, they have the credit of
its beginning. After the _Casa Grace_ took charge on the Chilian
side good progress was made. In 1906 it was arranged to pierce the
tunnel under one control, and the task was accomplished in time for
the Argentine Centennial in 1910. As far as Llai-Llai, where
connection is made with the train from Valparaiso, the route lies
north along the valley over the road which has previously been
traversed. At the junction, venders of delicious fruit are ever on
hand selling, according to the season, pears, peaches, oranges,
grapes, cherries, or figs, at prices calculated to tempt the hungry
tourist. Llai-Llai is a pleasant little town of about 6000 people,
at a height of 2625 feet above the sea. San Felipe, somewhat larger,
is passed before reaching (to use the full name), _Santa Rosa de los
Andes_.
A few rods from the station is the hotel where the night is passed.
The town boasts of another, but through travelers prefer the
pleasant little establishment, often over-crowded, from the rear of
which the train early in the morning departs. In the summer the
climate of Los Andes is delightful, the evenings always cool; at
other seasons the nights are cold and frosty. Leave word in the
office when you wish to be called, or you may be overlooked and miss
your train or your coffee, which is not agreeable. The cars are apt
to be full, so it is well to hasten, if friends wish seats together,
or at times to obtain any at all.
The track follows the Aconcagua River, on which Los Andes is
situated, up a beautiful valley, after 8 or 10 miles growing
narrower between steeper walls. From luxuriant vegetation to bare
rocks and snow, from beauty to grandeur, the change is quickly made.
The river becomes rapidly smaller as we pass above the merry little
streams which contribute to its madly rushing torrent. One bridge is
called the _Puente de las Viscachas_, these being rabbit-like
animals resembling the chinchilla but with coarser fur. The rocks of
varying hue in sunlight and shadow, cliffs and gorges, and the
foaming stream continually attract the eye. A hundred yards beyond
the station, Los Loros, is the place called _Salto del Soldado_, the
Soldier’s Leap, to see which one must keep a sharp lookout on the
left, the train passing on a shelf with the stream 60 feet below.
Various tales are told of the origin of the name, one that in the
War of Independence a patriot escaped from the enemy by leaping the
narrow gorge which is crossed by the train on a bridge. At the
station, Rio Blanco, White River, a stream of that name joins the
Aconcagua. Not far beyond is Guardia Vieja, where for more than two
centuries a sentry or watchman has been stationed for the protection
of the traveler, a necessary though inadequate safe-guard, as in the
old days bandits sometimes lay in wait even for parties of
considerable size. Robberies were not infrequent and murders were by
no means rare.
In ascending the Visp Valley to Zermatt by the aid of the rack and
pinion system, also employed on the Andine, a height of 3000 feet is
gained in a distance of 28 miles. On this road 7000 feet are climbed
in 35 miles, 2000 of these in the last 8 to Juncal, a rapid ascent
for a traffic as distinguished from a purely mountain railway.
_Juncal_ is noteworthy, as the place where formerly the night was
spent by those tourists and business men designing in the early dawn
to set out on saddle animal or in mountain wagon for the summit and
the other side. Farther on is a tranquil little lake, above 9000
feet, an opalescent gem, at times turquoise or sapphire, called the
Lago del Inca. Now the track makes a great curve into an immense
_couloir_, passing at the foot or along the side of cliffs or steep
slopes, where, as in places lower down, rocks small and large seem
ready to fall, as others have already descended. From the farther
side of the great curve we soon look across at the track 1000 feet
beneath. We gaze in admiration upon the splendid gloomy cliffs with
tints of slate color from blue-gray to black, and on rocks with
delicate hues of pink and cream, splashed with red and bronze or
green; intermingled with these are patches of pure white snow.
Observation cars would greatly increase the pleasure. Too soon at
Caracoles, at a height of 10,486 feet, the tunnel’s portal is
reached and the splendor of the majestic scene has vanished. Now for
almost two miles, to be exact, 10,385 feet, the train goes on
through the backbone of the continent at an elevation about the same
as the tunnel’s length. Near the center, the international boundary
is passed; hence, after ten minutes of darkness, coming once more to
daylight, one is in the great country of Argentina on the east side
of the Andes, still in a vast wilderness of gorges, rocks, and peaks
of multifarious shapes and colors, diversified by immense fields of
snow, with many brief visions of grandeur which one would fain tarry
to enjoy. Fortunate the traveler, who, 7 or 8 miles below Las
Cuevas, has at the head of a side valley at the north a glimpse of
colossal _Aconcagua_ 15 miles away, a long ridge of snow arching
into two domes, with a sheer drop of 10,000 feet on its black
southern wall; and farther on a sight of _Tupungato_, 30 miles away
at the south: both mountains first climbed in 1897 by the Fitzgerald
Expedition, though he unfortunately was compelled by mountain
sickness to forego the satisfaction of attaining either summit
himself. The first to reach the supposed apex of the Western
Hemisphere, the top of Aconcagua, according to the latest
measurement, 22,817 feet, was Matias Zurbriggen, the celebrated
Swiss guide, who in almost every land has led English and Americans
to the summits of noted mountains. Alone, January 14, 1897, he
gained this height, and there erected a stone man as is the custom
where possible. In April of the same year, the first ascent of
Tupungato, 21,451 feet, was made, also by Zurbriggen, and the
Englishman, Vines.
=Puenta del Inca.= The first station in Argentina is _Las Cuevas_:
then we drop quickly to _Puenta del Inca_ where a few moments are
allowed for tea. The contrast between the green and luxuriant
vegetation of the Chilian side and the barrenness of the Argentine
is singularly opposite to that in Peru, where the western slopes of
the Andes are mostly desert while the eastern are clothed with the
richest verdure. At Puenta del Inca is a curious formation from
which the place is named, a natural bridge of stratified rock, one
of nature’s marvels. The stream has perforated a bank about 20 feet
thick so as to form, 80 feet above the river, a fine arched bridge,
at the top 150 feet long and 20 wide, and nearly 30 feet thick. The
piers have been strengthened by calcareous deposits from springs
which gush from the earth just at the bridge. On the left bank of
the stream a path of steps partly cut in the rocks leads down to hot
waters. First comes the Bath of Venus, an effective grotto of white
stalactites. Next is the Champagne Spring, its foaming waters
revealing a considerable pressure from below. Among other warm
springs beyond is one called Mercury. On all sides gush forth these
waters cold, hot, and tepid, saturated with carbonic acid gas; the
Venus is 86°, the Champagne 93°, the same when the path is covered
with six feet of snow. The waters are superior to the more noted
Vichy in containing twice the quantity of carbonic acid, hence
greater effervescence; and five times as much iron. This renders
them a real treasure, a few months’ treatment causing maladies to
disappear (they say) upon which the Vichy waters make no impression.
The iron, salts, and gas of the waters make them efficacious in
gout, rheumatism, and severe stomach affections, as well as an
excellent tonic for those who believe such to be required. Sulphur,
good for skin diseases, is also present. The _Hotel del Inca_
affords comfortable accommodations (including a billiard room); all
that could be expected at an altitude of 8924 feet, for a daily fee
of six _pesos_ ($2.64) with some extras.
One who is ambitious to ascend one of the lofty peaks near by, or
who would merely stroll to a lesser height to gaze upon those above,
or who would wander in strange valleys and on ragged slopes will
here find the most favorable headquarters for his rambles, as well
as cure for many ailments. While the great mountains, Aconcagua and
Tupungato, no longer afford opportunity for a _first_ ascent, there
are many other peaks of various altitudes, the summits of which are
yet untrodden; one, lofty Mercedario, about 22,000 feet, to the
north of Aconcagua, believed by some to be second in height to that
alone. Expert climbers only should attempt exploits of such
magnitude, and these not without Alpine equipment and more; for to
the ordinary paraphernalia of proper shoes, ropes, and ice axes must
be added tents, sleeping bags, etc. The season for climbing here is
not the same as in Peru and Bolivia, but during the summer of this
region, December and January. Strange to say, although in the
Temperate Zone, so vastly farther from the equator, these mountains
have infinitely less snow upon their slopes than have Huascarán and
Illampu. They are therefore much easier to climb, making Swiss
guides not an imperative necessity, so far as the technical
difficulties are concerned: though whether reliable companions as
porters could be secured upon the ground is an extremely doubtful
matter.
But on this journey by rail how much has one missed! Discomfort
indeed has been avoided; but at the cost of a glorious and exciting
experience. In former days, what a rush and bustle at Juncal! in the
chilly hour between three and four a.m., when an army of pleasure
and of business travelers hurried to secure places in the mountain
wagons, or to select a gentle and sturdy animal for the seven hours’
ride. The coach drivers were reckless Jehus who madly raced for the
summit and then for the lower goal, amid a caravan of freight
wagons, baggage animals, and riders, the latter to their joy soon
left behind. Though the roads were called good they were deep with
sand, and have no such great curves as the roads over Alpine passes.
Short zigzags with acute angles, a roadbed rough with ruts and
stones, few walls at the corners where a slip over the edge would
mean a roll of a few thousand feet, made a ride in a swaying coach
behind horses going at a gallop assuredly exciting to people with
any nerves. Some, once embarked and unable to escape, would turn
their thoughts from danger to admiration of the scenery, reflecting
perhaps that accidents were rare. The view of mighty walls, of
glaciers near at hand, of distant glorious mountains; the fine pure
air ever colder, though alas! ever thinner, was a blissful
experience for those who could enjoy it; but not for the
faint-hearted either literally or figuratively. Here and there one
would grow faint, become unconscious, perhaps even pitch out of the
wagon: oftener a stalwart man than a frail woman. On they would go,
their friends uncertain whether a temporary weakness or a serious,
possibly fatal affection was attacking the victim.
At last the _cumbre_ or highest point was reached, 12,796 feet above
the sea; not a sharp ridge, but a nearly level stretch a quarter of
a mile across among the massive hills and mountains: a tremendous
range of gloomy, desolate, forbidding peaks, or a splendid rampart
of majestic, glorious mountains, according to the soul and mood of
the spectator. Here in the midst of this great solitude is the most
impressive monument, men say, in all the world, _the Christ of the
Andes_, a bronze figure of Christ of heroic size, 26 feet, one hand
outstretched in blessing, the other supporting a still higher cross.
The circumstance of its erection, the sentiment involved, as well as
the unique position of the monument, make it the most remarkable in
the world’s history.
Chile and Argentina in 1900 were on the verge of war over a boundary
dispute involving 80,000 square miles of territory in the Patagonian
country. Immense sums expended for warships and other preparations
were the cause of abnormally high taxes, the products of which were
needed rather for the development of physical resources and of
education. The British Ministers employed their good offices and two
bishops, one of each country, traveled among their towns and
villages preaching the cause of Peace and Arbitration. Bishop
Benavente in Buenos Aires, on Easter Sunday 1900, first suggested
the erecting of a statue of Christ upon the boundary, to prevent if
possible any recurrence of strife. A treaty was made, the
controversy was submitted to the arbitration of the British Monarch;
King Edward entrusted the case to jurists and geographers whose
decision, dividing the disputed territory, was cheerfully accepted.
In June 1903, Chile and Argentina, pleased with the outcome of this
matter, made a general arbitration treaty, the first ever concluded
among nations; a considerable disarmament followed releasing much
money for needed internal improvements, and good feeling and
confidence have replaced bitterness and jealousy.
In 1901 the women of Buenos Aires, on the initiative of Señora de
Costa, President of the Christian Mothers’ Association of that city,
acting upon the suggestion of Bishop Benavente, undertook to secure
funds for a statue. A young Argentine sculptor, Mateo Alonso,
created the design; the statue was cast from old Argentine cannon.
In May 1903, the Chilian representatives came by sea to Buenos Aires
for the ratification of the treaties, when the statue of Christ was
inspected and Señora de Costa pleaded that it should be placed on
the highest practicable point on the boundary of the two countries.
In February, 1904, the final steps were taken. The statue was
carried by rail to Mendoza, and on gun carriages up the mountain
side, soldiers and sailors in dangerous spots taking the ropes from
the mules. On the 13th of March, 1904, the dedication ceremonies
took place in the presence of hundreds who from both sides had come
up the night before and here encamped to witness this extraordinary
spectacle. The Argentines stood on the soil of Chile, the Chilians
on that of Argentina. The booming of guns, the sound of music
re-echoed through the mountains. When all was ready, the monument
unveiled, there was a moment of solemn silence, followed by the
dedication of the statue to the whole world, as a lesson of peace
and good will.
The monument consists of an octagonal granite column 22 feet high
upon which is a hemisphere of granite with a partial sketch of the
world’s outlines. On this stands the bronze Christ 26 feet high, the
cross extending five feet above. Two bronze tablets on the granite
base, the gift of the Workingmen’s and Workingwomen’s Unions of
Buenos Aires, bear inscriptions in Spanish, on one side statistics
and dates, on the other—
“_Sooner shall these mountains crumble into dust than Argentines and
Chilians break the peace to which they have pledged themselves at
the feet of Christ the Redeemer._”
Until the opening of the railroad in May 1910, this great statue was
annually passed by thousands who paused here for a moment in the
midst of their dizzy ride to rest and to gaze upon the scene. Now it
stands ever lonely between heaven and earth, the silence no more
broken by the raucous shouts of swearing coachmen and muleteers, or
by the crude jests of a boisterous throng; to the few who now
venture along that solitary way, a solemn spectacle.
On this journey over the _cumbre_ one is likely to descry specimens
of the great condor, oftener to be seen in Chile than in the
countries nearer the equator. In the many days I have spent above
15,000 feet in Peru and Bolivia, not one appeared within the range
of my vision. In the mountainous regions of Chile, the birds are so
numerous as to be a pest, attacking pigs, sheep, children, and
rarely a grown man; hence a reward for condors dead or alive has
been offered by the Government. From the top of the pass down to Las
Cuevas near the tunnel entrance it was said to be a swift slide at
breakneck speed. The thankfulness with which the tourist descended
from the coach to enter the prosaic train may well be imagined. The
sturdy pedestrian was the one who in safety and tranquillity might
truly enjoy the magnificent visions, while others in terror had
fleeting glimpses of the splendid panorama. One should not, however,
even with a good revolver, in these days venture alone upon the
traverse, unless thoroughly seasoned to greater heights; for though
the brigands who once haunted this region have probably departed to
more frequented scenes, the danger of an attack of mountain sickness
or of a sudden storm, especially towards the beginning of winter,
should deter most persons from the excursion except with suitable
companions and equipment. It should be noted that high winds
frequently prevail in these lofty regions after nine or ten in the
morning, strong enough at times to hurl horse and rider from the
track to the depths below; this fact accounts for the unearthly hour
at which the start was formerly made for the ride over the _cumbre_.
Stone huts called _casachas_, anciently built as refuges from storm,
are scattered along the road, though now apt to be snow-filled and
useless.
Below Puenta del Inca, the region seems like the interior of an
extinct volcano, with variously tinted volcanic rocks. Dotting the
slope of a jagged mountain, some odd small black pinnacles, called
_penitentes_, are supposed to resemble toiling pilgrims, and the
perpendicular cliffs above suggest a cathedral. On other slopes are
_nieves penitentes_, ice pinnacles, curiously formed by the action
of sun and wind, these the original _penitentes_, as the pilgrims
were garbed in white.
Beyond _Punta de las Vacas_ is a point on the left where the rock
strata are of tints especially magnificent. At the station
_Uspallata_, the narrow gorge opens into a little plain at right
angles, where river and railroad both turn south. The name Uspallata
is applied to the whole pass: its passage by a division of San
Martin’s army with cannon was a remarkable military exploit: the
general himself with the larger force crossed to the north of
Aconcagua a slightly lower but colder pass called Los Patos.
=Cacheuta.= Near this station, 40 kilometers from Mendoza, are more
hot baths, on the left of the railroad descending, but on the right
bank of the river. Here is a surface of about 3000 square meters
where by digging to a depth of 2 or 3 feet hot water will gush
forth, the temperature varying according to the location, the
hottest water near the river, 112°, the lowest, 79°. The waters are
valuable to sufferers from rheumatism, articular, muscular, and
visceral; less so for neuralgic pains, which may return. Women are
benefited in their special ails. The waters strongly stimulate the
nervous system, the power of nutrition, and the whole organic system
including the heart action and circulation, and are therefore
forbidden to persons suffering from diseases of the heart and
circulation, some of whom pay for their rashness with their lives.
The bath establishment, affording fair accommodations, a dining-room
seating 250, and a billiard room, receives about 20,000 guests a
year. Summer visitors are the most numerous. The baths include a
swimming pool, and smaller tanks with water hot or cold, and a
grotto for Russian baths. The price for two meals daily and bath is
six _pesos_, or second class 4.50. The two meals are _almuerzo_ and
dinner, morning coffee being extra, a curious custom first observed
in Chile but obtaining largely in Argentina. The Indian name,
_Cacheuta_, is derived from the fact that here an Indian chief
bearing, with attendants, two skins full of gold was met by
Spaniards as he was going to ransom the Inca. The Indians succeeded
in deceiving the Spaniards and concealing the gold. The secret was
well kept until a poor Indian, befriended by a missionary, revealed
the hiding place; but there was a mistake somewhere as all search
was vain.
At length the mountains are left behind, probably after dusk has
fallen, so that the arrival at _Mendoza_ is in the early evening.
The tourist who is making a hasty trip will hurry across the station
to the probably waiting train, by which he will arrive in Buenos
Aires the following evening. The more leisurely, and the tired
traveler will take a carriage to the Grand Hotel where an excellent
dinner will be enjoyed and comfortable night quarters may be
obtained. In looking about the town and visiting one of the great
_bodegas_, a day or two will be agreeably spent.
_Mendoza Hotels_, the _Grand_, the _Club_, the _Francia_ and others.
At the Grand, on Plaza San Martin, the table was unexpectedly good;
the dinner, served on the broad veranda, from seven to nine on a
balmy summer evening, was a genuine pleasure.
=Mendoza=, with 45,000 inhabitants, the largest city in West
Argentina, has a remarkable record. Strange, indeed, that this town
at the base of the loftiest of the Andes, by these separated from
one ocean, and by 650 miles of pampa from the other, was founded
nearly fifty years before the first settlement in the United States
and twenty years before the city of Buenos Aires came permanently
into being. If we knew or reflected more on the bold deeds of other
days in other countries, we might, perchance, have more respect for
others and less assurance of our own great superiority. May 2, 1561
(some say March 2, 1560), a city was founded by Pedro del Castillo
in a fruitful spot watered by the Mendoza River. At an altitude of
2500 feet, in the longitude of Portland, Maine, and a latitude
corresponding to that of Charleston, it is an agreeable place, with
plazas, wide, pleasant streets, and attractive buildings; but all
seems new. Two cities there are, the living and the dead; not as in
Cuzco, the one of an earlier race, built over and around by
invaders, but an old city of the sixteenth century, a new one of the
nineteenth. Unless aware of this fact, the old will be ignored, the
visitor passing on, unaware of its existence. Some, indeed, may
prefer so to do, but others will desire to have a glimpse of the
ruins: for the city of 1561, 300 years later, was utterly destroyed
by a tremendous earthquake. The catastrophe was of a singular
character. At 8.30 p.m., March 20, 1861, a subterranean groan was
heard. On the instant, before there was time to flee, the house
walls crumbling fell, the roofs in the middle, so that the people,
generally in their houses, perished to the number of 10,000-15,000.
Some, who were promenading in the streets or plaza, were killed or
thrown to the ground; but many of these who were saved engaged in
the work of rescue: too few, however, to do effective labor, so that
a large number who had not been killed outright, confined among the
ruins, perished from asphyxiation and starvation. From lamps and
fires in the dwellings and the breaking of gas pipes, a
conflagration followed, rendering the night more horrible. Some
districts next day were flooded from the obstruction of the canals;
the odor of dead bodies became insupportable, as the survivors were
too few to remove them. The shocks had continued until nothing was
left standing; there were 19 within the next 24 hours, 17 of which
were violent; 14 more the next day; gradually they diminished,
coming to an end in May. It is extraordinary that the strength of
this violent convulsion was confined to a district 60 miles long and
6 wide, extending southeast from the Uspallata Valley. A slight jar
was felt at Buenos Aires, but in Chile across the Andes no tremor at
all. Assistance, though promptly sent, was long delayed in arrival,
as at that time practically no railroads existed in Argentina.
Succor first came from the neighboring towns of San Juan and San
Luis, then from Chile, all of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru,
and Europe; by which the survivors were enabled to rehabilitate
themselves.
There was the usual talk of changing the location of the city to a
site not far away near granite hills, indicating a more solid
substratum; but the people as elsewhere refused to move, rebuilding
close by in the lighter Chilian fashion, with a larger use of wood,
and employing much material taken from the ruins. Thus these have to
some extent disappeared, but it is worth while to have the coachman
drive you over, if you care to see the destruction wrought.
The _new_ city of Mendoza has recently experienced a rapid growth
and great prosperity. Of the seven plazas, most important are the
San Martin on which is the Grand and another hotel, also the
handsome building of the Bank of the Province; and the Plaza
Independencia, larger and finer, around which are already erected or
about to be built, a new Government Palace, a Legislative Building,
and a Hall of Justice. Other objects of more or less interest
according to one’s taste, are churches, convents, libraries, a
national college, a kindergarten of the very latest model, a normal
and an agricultural school, factories of various industries, several
Clubs of foreigners here resident, hospitals, orphan asylums, and a
fine penitentiary. There are many broad streets, the chief avenue
for shopping and promenade, the San Martin, being 100 feet wide with
four rows of fine poplars. The streets, clean and well paved, are
lined with a profusion of trees, more than 10,000; so many as to
render the atmosphere at times (it is said) stifling and unhealthy.
The houses are mainly of one story and none are above two, out of
consideration for the earthquakes.
A comical and original method of street watering may here be
observed. Considerable streams run along the sides of the main
avenue, if not elsewhere, and boys with buckets on the end of long
poles dip these into the water and throw it upon the driveway, a
primitive but effective method.
On the west of the city an immense park is being developed into a
charming resort at the edge of the Andean foothills. The handsome
bronze gates at the entrance, costing $25,000, were imported from
England. Within are splendid driveways lighted by electricity;
beautiful flower beds; thousands of trees and shrubs; an interesting
zoölogical garden; a pretty botanical garden; and a charming lake
nearly a mile long and 330 feet wide, arranged with boating
facilities, beautified by islands, and furnished with a splendid
grand stand on a sloping shore with seating accommodations for 3000
people. Not far away is a _rond point_, with a kiosk as a band
stand. Already a delightful resort which no one should fail to
visit, it promises to be a truly magnificent pleasure ground. If
there is one to compare with it in the United States in a city of
twice the size, it has not come to my attention.
To many the greatest interest of Mendoza will be in the neighboring
vineyards and _bodegas_. Many fortunes, large and small, have been
made in viticulture in Argentina, and this region east of the Andean
foothills is wonderfully well calculated for its development.
Investments in this business return as high as 25 to 30 per cent
profits. One hectare (2½ acres) of land will bear 300 to 400 cwt. of
grapes, which sell at 3 or 4 _pesos_ a cwt., an Argentine _peso_
being 44 cents. An economical Italian family can live on the returns
from a single hectare. Among the various industries of the province
wine production is the most important, increasing between 1895 and
1908 from the value of 9 to 44 million _pesos_. The largest of the
_bodegas_ or wineries is that of _Domingo Tomba_, whose wines have
received at European Expositions many gold and silver medals. This
great establishment at _Godoy Cruz_, a pretty town half an hour by
rail from Mendoza or a pleasant drive, may be visited in a half day.
Interesting at any time it is especially so during the grape season
which lasts from February to May, the fruit coming in first from the
north and along down to the southern limit of production. Señor
Tomba owns several large vineyards, 3000 acres, and purchases the
entire product of others. The _bodega_, established by his brother
Antonio (now deceased) in 1886, then producing 1000 hectolitres,
increased to a production of 254,000 in 1909. All essentials of a
first-class establishment are here found. The employees, like the
proprietor, are mainly of Italian birth. It is an immense property
with many buildings of various kinds. Rows of enormous casks for
fermentation and deposit contain 220 hectolitres each, others are
smaller, also there are great tanks of brick. The large two-wheeled
carts for transportation are drawn by four horses, one ahead and
three abreast, the driver riding one of the three. A large patio
contains a pretty garden and a monument to the founder of the House.
The buildings are as neat as possible and of fine workmanship. The
wine is excellent, of good body, but not designed for export, not
improving with age. For ordinary table use there is none better, and
the demand for it in Argentina, in spite of continually enlarged
production, is always greater than the supply.
Mendoza is a popular winter resort for many Argentinians on account
of its picturesque surroundings and generally cloudless sky, with a
superb view of snowclad heights; but most Americans would consider a
frequent temperature in the forties a trifle chill without a fire,
and would hie away to warmer climes.
The extensive system of irrigation carried on in the Province
renders it highly productive of alfalfa, wheat, and corn, as well as
grapes; also of vegetables rivaling the California giants, onions as
large as plates, colossal carrots and radishes, at some seasons,
mushrooms, marvellous in size and flavor, all these largely
transported to Buenos Aires. As an attractive center of immigration
this is the third province of the Republic.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXII
ARGENTINA—ACROSS THE PLAINS TO BUENOS AIRES
The great country of Argentina, the largest we have yet visited, in
South America second only to Brazil, has more than five times the
area of France and above one-third that of the United States.
Considerably longer than the latter country, though not so wide, its
latitude compares with that from Key West to Hudson Bay, a distance
of 2200 miles; its width varies from 200 to 1000 miles. Its great
length from north to south assures wide variety in climate, aside
from changes in elevation, of which there is not much after getting
away from the Andes. The climate range is from Sicily or hotter to
Iceland, less than in corresponding latitudes in North America.
The central part of the country now to be traversed is the great
pampa section, largely a region of cattle raising, where the soil is
from 3 to 6 feet thick; farther north and east in the Paraná basin,
where wheat, sugar, and many other products are raised, the soil is
from 30 to 100 feet thick. In Patagonia at the south the plains are
of sand and gravel, requiring irrigation except for a few small
fertile valleys. A rich country is Argentina, now forging ahead with
wonderful strides.
The journey to Buenos Aires is made from Mendoza in twenty-four
hours by the express trains, chiefly composed of sleeping cars.
These have by the windows at one side an aisle, from which
staterooms open with berths one above another running cross-wise of
the car. Each room contains a lavatory, electric lights and fan. By
day there is a long leather-covered seat, less comfortable than
those in our sleepers, and far less than on the despised narrow
gauge railway from Oruro to Antofagasta. A dining car is attached to
the train, furnishing fair meals at reasonable prices.
Leaving Mendoza by daylight, a region of vineyards with a few towns
may be seen for some miles, and at harvest time men and women by
thousands engaged in picking the great clusters of grapes; but soon
an arid country is reached, not like the West Coast deserts farther
north, but resembling our western plains. There is a scanty growth
of scrub and an excessive amount of dust, which in great profusion
creeps through the single windows to the discomfort of all
passengers. Here there is almost no rainfall, and one need not
regret passing in the night. _Santa Rosa_, a town fifty miles from
Mendoza, has some historic importance as the site of two battles in
the civil wars of 1874, where the national forces, defeated in
October, were in December victorious under Col. Julio A. Roca.
Near the small station _Balde_, 75 miles farther, is a noted
artesian well 2000 feet deep, sunk in this arid region by the
National Government at a cost of 150,000 _pesos_. Boring was begun
March 31, 1884, with a tube of 20 inches diameter, decreasing
gradually to 3½ inches. Not until October 12, 1887, did water begin
to gush, at last in great quantity, estimated by some at 8000
liters, by others at 200,000 liters an hour, a rather wide margin.
The water having a temperature of 105° is drinkable and of great
value.
A little beyond is the town of _San Luis_ (population 15,000)
founded in 1597 by the Governor of Chile. From raising alfalfa, land
has increased in value ten fold, being now worth $5 or $6 an acre.
Cattle raising is a special industry of the province, also the sale
of green onyx, beds of which lie to the north.
_Villa Mercedes_, a town of about the same size, is an important
railway junction. One might here take a train by way of Villa Maria
to Córdoba, if desirous of visiting that historic city. From here to
Buenos Aires is a region of rainfall and of wonderful fertility, the
great cattle ranches, formerly covering the whole country, being to
some extent superseded by the cultivation of the soil; wheat,
linseed, and corn are produced in immense quantities. It may be
noted in passing that Argentina is the greatest exporter (not
producer) of cattle and of cereals of any country in the world. At
many stations there is but a house or two, an adobe hut occupied by
an Italian or by a _gaucho_, a cowboy of mixed race, Spanish and
Indian. Yet in the season 6000 tons of wheat may be seen at one of
these stations, representing great wealth. The freight cars,
weighing 12½ tons, will carry a load of 40 tons, this being a broad
gauge road with straight and almost level track, inclining slightly
to the sea. The longest _straight_ in the world is here found, 175
miles in direct line, and, but for one S curve, 206 miles. Bronzed
cattlemen may be seen at the stations, and along the way thousands
of splendid cattle; then a sea of cultivated limitless plain,
interesting for a while, but presently monotonous to many.
Between Villa Mercedes and _Mackenna_, 40 miles, is a very rich zone
containing many elegant dwellings of modern style with city
comforts, amid gardens and orchards, fields of vegetables and
cereals.
_Rufino_, another railroad center, is a station of hurry and bustle.
A wonderful change has taken place in this region in the last 25
years, from a lonely expanse with a rare dwelling and a few native
cattle to villages, splendid herds, and grain fields whose products
always outrun the provision of sheds and storehouses. Near the
station _Vedia_, the end of the _straight_ from Mackenna, is the
noted _estancia_ or ranch of Señor Benito Villanueva of 35,000
acres, which contained some years ago 14,000 Shorthorn cattle,
besides Lincoln and Shropshire sheep, and 1200 horses of Clydesdale,
Suffolk, and Hackney. A station on a branch line is called Gen.
Arenales after the owner of an important establishment, with
creamery and cheese factory making 200 pounds of cheese a day.
A busy town is _Junín_ on the site of a fort from which forces
sallied Dec. 10, 1876, against an invasion of cattle-stealing
Indians. The latter were routed and the cattle saved. Here are
railroad workshops employing 1000 men, and an electric establishment
supplying light for the city and power for the making of butter,
cream, and ice. Land here is worth more than $1.00 a square foot.
Perhaps a _peso_ was meant.
Fifteen kilometers from the town of _Chacabuco_ is the _estancia_
San Gregorio especially devoted to raising Hereford and Durham
bulls, Lincoln sheep, Hackney, Morgan, and Clydesdale horses, collie
dogs, terriers, and fowls of the Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, Brahma,
and other breeds. Seven thousand dollars was paid by the owner for a
single bull.
Near _Mercedes_, a city of 15,000, is an _estancia_ of 40,000 acres.
This in addition to other blooded stock has many race horses, now
used for breeding, which formerly won fame in Europe. For one of
these the owner paid $150,000.
The station _Open Door_ is so called from a remarkable governmental
establishment for healing the mentally diseased by the outdoor
system, work in the fields.
At _Muñiz_, 20 miles from Buenos Aires, there is a Campo de Mayo, a
field for military exercises, where reviews frequently occur
attracting many spectators. Close by is a famous _estancia_, that of
Noberto Quirno, 4200 acres, fenced with wire, divided into 18
enclosures. Besides the pure blooded cattle, acres of the finest
fruit, and an elegant residence, there is a dove-cote, supplying 40
to 50 pairs of pigeons daily.
The town, _Hurlingham_, 15 miles from the city, almost in the
suburbs, is much frequented by those athletically inclined. A
hippodrome containing apparatus for physical exercises is the scene
of frequent hippie and athletic reunions with large and
distinguished crowds. There is a race track of 2000 meters for
horses, grounds for tennis, polo, cricket, etc., with pavilions for
spectators, restaurant, garage, stables, and dog kennels. The whole,
covering 22 squares, belongs to a society with 6000 members. At the
opening of the season occurs an annual fête called Gymkchana. Among
other sports is a Whistling Race. In this, after 500 yards, men must
pause before a lady and whistle a tune, the name of which she hands
to him on paper.
In the real suburbs of Buenos Aires, at _Villa Devoto_, 10 miles
from the city station, is a rifle range established by the Italians.
The field, 1000 meters long and 100 wide, has a shooting gallery 550
meters long. Of the 30 targets 24 are for guns at from 300 to 500
meters, and six for revolvers at 10 meters. English societies have
here tennis and golf grounds. Among many chalets with fine gardens
is one belonging to John A. Hall containing about 1500 varieties of
orchids. Of two asylums in the place, one called Umberto Primo, was
the gift of the philanthropist Antonio Devoto, of which the
cornerstone was laid February, 1904, by Prince Luigi de Savoia, Duke
of the Abruzzi. From this suburb a tramway conducts to the city,
passing on the way a Dispensary for the Tuberculous, and the
National School of Agriculture and Veterinary, which was inaugurated
September, 1904. Continuing by rail, one has on the left a glimpse
of the river, and on both sides, of the Palermo Park, before
reaching the station Retiro, a short distance from the center of
=Buenos Aires=.
This wonderful city, the Metropolis of South America, which in
the last half century has grown at a rate exceeded by few in the
United States, was founded as early as 1535 by Pedro de Mendoza;
but being twice destroyed or abandoned on account of troubles
with the Indians, its permanent settlement dates from 1580. For
this the honor belongs to Juan de Garay, Acting Governor of the
Province of which Asunción was the capital. The latter city had
been founded in 1536 by Juan de Ayolas, sent thither to discover
a way through to the rich country of Peru. This colony, more
fortunate than Buenos Aires, endured, and for many years
Asunción was the chief city of this part of South America.
Several other settlements were made in the present Argentine
country before the permanent establishment of Buenos Aires:
Santiago de Estero in 1553; and within ten years thereafter,
Mendoza, San Juan, and Tucumán.
The name, Buenos Aires, dates from 1535 when Pedro de Mendoza,
January 6, inaugurated the city of Santa María de Buenos Aires,
in recognition of the sailors’ devotion to Nuestra Señora del
Buen Aire, their especial patroness at Cadiz; tradition also has
it that on disembarking here one said to another, “Que buenos
aires son los de este suelo!” “What good airs are there on this
land!” The town founded February 2, 1535, was practically
destroyed by Indians and abandoned in 1541. In 1580 Garay with
sixty-three colonists, provisions, tools, etc., coming from
Asunción, on disembarking Sunday, June 11, 1580, proceeded to an
elevated spot, where now is Parque Lezama. There he pronounced
in Spanish the words, “City of the Trinity and Port of Santa
Maria of Buenos Aires, I baptize thee in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost.” All, saying Amen, then knelt to ask a
blessing on the city to be founded. Proceeding north to an open
space on the wooded shore they fixed upon the present Plaza de
Mayo as the center of the city and placed the first stone at the
corner of Rivadavia and San Martin. The new city was arranged in
sixteen squares from north to south along the river front, and
in nine squares east to west, with farms and gardens beyond.
While the general trend of the river and the shore on this side
is northwest to southeast, the front just here is almost due
north and south, the Avenida de Mayo, at right angles, therefore
running east and west.
The growth of the city was slow, being much hampered by strange
regulations of the Mother Country. No commerce was permitted,
either imports or exports, hence smuggling became popular. While
the Viceroy at Lima was ruler of the entire country, his
practical authority was here small, the _Audiencia_ in Charcas
(now Sucre), Bolivia, being in charge of the country east of the
Andes. Subordinate to this were the Royal Governors of the
Provinces, always Spanish, while the cities were ruled by
_Cabildos_ of from six to twelve members who were natives or
creoles. These serving for life had charge both of judicial and
administrative matters. The troubles with the Indians, and with
the Portuguese who had settlements on the opposite bank may be
passed over, but those with the British should be mentioned. At
last, after about two hundred years, Buenos Aires in 1776 had a
Viceroy of her own and more liberal government; unfortunately
too late to undo the evil which had been wrought, although trade
now flourished and the population soon doubled. In June, 1806, a
squadron under Admiral Popham, and General Beresford with
fifteen hundred men landed below Buenos Aires then a city of
about 40,000. The Viceroy fled and June 27 the British occupied
the city. A French officer, Liniers, in Spanish employ,
procuring one thousand regular troops and some cannon in
Montevideo, approached the city and was joined at his camp by
many. The British on the advance of the army of Liniers, August
12, after hard street fighting, finally surrendered; the British
flags then captured are still preserved in Buenos Aires as
trophies. Four months later the British again came and with four
thousand troops captured Montevideo. General Whitelock
approaching Buenos Aires put to flight the army of Liniers which
had come out to meet him; but on entering the city, July 5,
stubborn street fighting ensued, and after forcing their way to
the barricaded Plaza and losing in two days one-quarter of their
men, the British agreed to withdraw and to evacuate Montevideo
within two months.
This experience inspired in the Argentines a feeling of
self-reliance. Accordingly when Napoleon, after he had overrun
the Spanish peninsula, demanded, May 22, 1810, the resignation
of the new Viceroy Cisneros, who had taken office in 1809, an
armed assembly came together in the Plaza and proclaimed the
_Cabildo_ supreme in authority. While Acts were made in the name
of Ferdinand VII, the Spanish ruler of Castile and Leon, then in
prison, this date is regarded as that of the dawn of
Independence. The _Cabildo_ sent armies in various directions
and bloody combats ensued, several at first successful, then
with varying results. There were long troublous times, though
Buenos Aires never again fell under foreign sway, and the
sentiment of independence became firmly established by 1812. In
this year returned from Europe the great patriot, San Martin,
who, through the labors of the historian, Bartolomé Mitre, is
now generally recognized as the savior of South American
Independence.
San Martin, born, February 25, 1778, of a creole mother and a
Spanish officer father in a small mission town of the Jesuits on
the Uruguay River, was taken to Spain at the age of eight years,
educated in the best military schools, and served in many wars.
Having imbibed liberal ideas he returned to Buenos Aires in
March, 1812, and later, with a chosen company of the best
youths, proceeded to Mendoza, where for three years he was
forming and drilling an army for the purpose of invading Chile.
This he did in January, 1817, the battle of Chacabuco, February
12, giving that country its independence. Going to Peru with his
army in 1820, he proceeded himself to meet Bolívar in Guayaquil.
When the latter rejected the coöperation proffered, San Martin
gave up the army which he had organized and withdrew to Buenos
Aires, suffering the imputation of cowardice without a word, and
returning to Europe to live in reduced circumstances until his
death at Boulogne in 1850.
Independence was formally declared by a Congress in Tucumán,
July 9, 1816. From 1812 to 1862 civil and other wars were
frequent. July 9, 1825, a National Constitution was adopted, and
in 1826, Rivadavia, a very able man, became the first President.
The greatest constructive statesman of the period, he undertook
to reform the laws and administration, created the University of
Buenos Aires, founded hospitals, etc., and engaged in war with
Brazil, by which Uruguay became independent. But after a single
year of office, on account of dissensions, he resigned. In 1829,
following two years of strife, de Rosas became President and in
1835 Dictator. His name and his tyranny are regarded with
detestation. Defeated June 8, 1852, by General Urquiza, he fled
to the British Legation and later to England.
In 1853 Buenos Aires was recognized as an independent state, but
in 1857 the Porteños or harbor people, as the residents of the
city are called, under General B. Mitre were defeated by General
Urquiza and again joined the Confederation. In 1861 another
battle occurred under the same generals with a victory for
Mitre, who then became President of the entire nation and by
granting the Provinces autonomy succeeded in creating better
feeling. In 1868 Dr. Sarmiento, a broad-minded scholar, was
peacefully elected and did much to promote education and develop
the nation’s resources. His successor, Dr. Avellanda, had a more
troublous term of office. General Roca who followed, 1880,
gained his position by hard fighting. He first declared the city
the Federal District of the nation, promoted railway extension,
and put down dissensions. After Dr. Celman had misgoverned for
four years, Carlos Pellegrini finished the six years’ term in
good fashion. Dr. Saenz Peña followed in 1892, but becoming
unpopular, resigned; and the Vice President filled out his
administration. Another term for General Roca was succeeded in
1904 by that of Dr. Quintana and after his death Dr. Alcorta;
the present incumbent, Dr. Roque Saenz Peña, taking office
October 12, 1910.
=Buenos Aires=, the Metropolis of South America, resembles Chicago
in being located on the level frontier of a great prairie, and on
the border of a large body of fresh water; at the same time it is
like New York in being the chief seaport of a great nation. The
so-called Rio de la Plata or La Plata River is in reality more of an
estuary; so wide as to have rather the effect of a bay or gulf.
Formed by the union of two rivers, the Paraná and the Uruguay, the
La Plata basin is the second largest in the world, the flow of the
river being 80 per cent greater than that of the Mississippi. And
here let me make a feeble protest against the usage, general among
the English, and now copied in the United States, of speaking of
this water as the River Plate. Was there ever an uglier name in
sound or sense? Were there any difficulty in saying La Plata there
might be some excuse. True, one is liable to commit a tautology by
saying the La Plata River, a repetition of the _the_ in another
language, but some sins are worse, and one to my mind is changing
Plata to Plate. Plata means silver. Why not then call it the Silver
River, if one would translate, or else say the Plata River? I, at
least, give notice here that in this book it shall be properly
called. The first _a_ of course has the sound of _ah_.
The river is here 28 miles wide, so that one does not see the
opposite shore except from a height such as the Capitol dome. It is
125 miles long more or less, according to where you consider the
ocean line, Buenos Aires being called about 100 miles from the sea
and 90 from Montevideo. The city, 65 feet above sea level, has like
Chicago plenty of room to grow and has improved the opportunity to
extend itself until in area it is one of the largest cities in the
world, three times as large as Berlin, but smaller than London or
New York. Its population, according to the last accounts, 1913, is
about a million and a half. Thus it is the fourth city in the
Western Hemisphere and the second Latin city in the world. At its
present rate of growth it will soon be crowding Paris; some day,
perhaps, it may become the first in population of the cities founded
and ruled by a Latin race.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXIII
BUENOS AIRES
HOTELS. Plaza, E. P., 10 _pesos_ and up; Palace, a little more
moderate; others A. P., Grand, 9-20; Royal, 9-20; Majestic, 12
up; Metropole; Splendid; Caviezel’s New Hotel; Phœnix; Albion.
_Cabs._ First class, 15 blocks, 1 _peso_, next 15 blocks, 50
_ctvs._; second class, first course 60 _ctvs._, second 40
_ctvs._ By the hour, first class, 2 _pesos_, then 80 _ctvs._
each half hour; second class, 1.50 first hour, .60 each half
hour. Automobiles, higher.
_Money._ Argentine _peso_, 44 cents; double the Chilian _peso_.
Guide-book to the Argentine Republic by Albert B. Martinez,
valuable; in Spanish and French, perhaps now in English.
CHIEF POINTS OF INTEREST
The Plaza and the Avenida de Mayo, the Government Palace,
Capitol, Palace of Justice, Plaza San Martin, the Museum of Art,
Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Palermo Park, Hippodrome,
Colon Theater, Parque Lezama and National Historical Museum,
Recoleta Cemetery, the Docks, _Frigorificos_, _Mercado de
Frutos_.
Tourists coming from Mendoza will arrive at the Retiro Station.
Outside are numerous carriages to convey the traveler and small
luggage to his hotel. The price of these carriages is astonishingly
cheap to a New Yorker, 1 _peso_, 44 cents, for a ride of 15 squares,
and nearly all of the hotels are within this distance. From the
docks the ride may be longer, according to where landing is made.
Further, there are carriages of the second class, which seem equally
good. For these the fee is 60 _centavos_. The only difference that I
could learn was that the first-class coachman wears a uniform. The
number of horses, one or two, makes no difference. The automobiles
are somewhat more expensive. The drivers have a habit, as elsewhere,
especially at the station, of demanding more than their fee,
particularly on Sunday; so it may be as well to say nothing, take
the first carriage offered and pay what is due with a small tip and
no remarks, and something additional for baggage. Trunks should be
arranged for with an agent of the express company, Expreso
Villalonga, either at the station, or after reaching your hotel, if
that is not already decided upon. The hotel porter will attend to it
if you hand him your checks.
Unlike the cities previously visited, as might be expected from its
size, a wide choice of accommodations is here offered. Hotels galore
and lodging houses as well are to be found, though perhaps not a
room at the desired hostelry unless engaged in advance: not always
even then, if reports are true of certain establishments. There are
all kinds of prices except very cheap, for this is quite another
world from the West Coast, and except as to carriages, prices
compare with those of New York.
The first choice of the ultra fashionable and wealthy is likely to
be the _Hotel Plaza_, unless a new one promised to be still finer
should already be completed. At the Plaza, barely two blocks from
the station, a room may be had on either the American or the
European plan. The lowest price for the latter is ten _pesos_
($4.40) a day—and from that _far_ up, doubtless 30 or 40 _pesos_ or
more for suites with bath. Meals are in proportion. The location is
good, on the handsome Plaza San Martin, and very near the river, the
American Legation is close by—but it is quite a distance, 11 blocks,
from the Avenida de Mayo, the principal avenue, and many will prefer
a hotel in the heart of the city on this handsome and busy
thoroughfare, or one within a few blocks of it. The other hotels are
somewhat lower priced and by many regarded as more comfortable and
agreeable. The Plaza, under the management of the world famed Ritz
Carlton people, is naturally the grand affair that one would expect,
the pompous, uniformed British attendants easily leading one within
to fancy himself in London.
The _Palace Hotel_, before the erection of the Plaza, regarded as
the first in the city, is a large edifice, property of Nicolas
Mihanovich, the noted steamboat man. This fine structure, two blocks
from the Plaza de Mayo, fronts on three streets, the 25th of May,
Cangallo, and the Paseo de Julio, many rooms thus looking upon the
Paseo, a fine boulevard and parkway, and out over the docks to the
river. On this side there are five stories, with an observation
tower at the corner 150 feet high for the use of the Mihanovich
Company, and containing a powerful electric light. The offices of
the company are on the ground floor of the building. The hotel has
an imposing entrance with a monumental stairway (also elevators)
leading to the main floor. Here is a hall of the Louis XIV style,
and a luxurious dining-room of the Empire fashion with white and
gold ceiling. All floors are heated and there is a telephone in
every room or suite, conveniences and elegance of all kinds. Above
there is a roof garden (a favorite resort on summer evenings)
adorned with exotic plants, and a summer dining-room which affords
charming views.
Other hotels, older and equally popular, are the _Grand_ and the
_Royal_, comfortable, even luxurious, much patronized by
English-speaking folk. The Grand, built in 1900, on Florida and
Rivadavia, is in the very heart of the city and by some called
noisy; the Royal at the corner of Corrientes and Esmeralda is a few
blocks distant. At these the price for room and board with bath
privilege is from 9 to 12 or 14 _pesos_ a day; for room with morning
coffee only, 5 to 8 _pesos_ a day.
[Illustration:
AVENIDA DE MAYO
]
On the Avenida, which means always the Avenida de Mayo, are the
Hotels _Splendid_, _Metropole_, _Paris_, _Majestic_, _Caviezel’s New
Hotel_, all of the first rank with pension prices from 10 or 12
_pesos_ up. Also on the Avenue near the Plaza de Mayo is the Hotel
_Nuevo_, said when built to have been the acme of elegance. The
_Phoenix_, San Martin 780, more quiet and less pretentious than some
of the others, is much patronized by English. One preferring lower
prices will find good board and rooms at the _Pension Caviezel_ for
from 7 to 9 or more _pesos_ daily (elevator), an excellent location
on the Avenida, Rivadavia and Esmeralda (painfully neat, some one
said, which is hardly a fault), a Swiss proprietor; another pension
of the same name is at the next corner, with prices a little higher.
At the Hotel _Albion_ on the Avenue rooms without board may be
obtained, cheaper but less attractive, and furnished rooms elsewhere
at 2-4 _pesos_ a day, according to style and location.
Comfortably settled in a good hotel, what is first to be done? I
should say, after morning coffee take a stroll around the center of
the city, down the Avenue, turning to the left on Florida with a
glance at the shop windows, down Cangallo to Reconquista and the
Plaza at the right. If time is short begin at once sight-seeing
there, the center of the old and new city, a historic site for
nearly four centuries. Called by Garay, _Plaza Grande_ or _Mayor_,
containing 8 acres or more, it is now _Plaza de Mayo_. The center,
regarded as the Altar of the Country, has been occupied by a modest
monument, an obelisk called the Pyramid of May, commemorating the
Revolution of 1810. For this, excavation was made in April, 1811.
This will now be replaced by a great and worthy monument on the same
spot to the same event, voted by the centenary commission to the
competing artists, Gaetano Moretti and Luis Brizzolara. The splendid
marble monument, having a base 150 feet square, will be a trifle
taller, the base supporting a colossal obelisk 115 feet high, upon
which will stand a group of statuary, the apotheosis of the
Argentine flag: a figure representing the _New Nation_ waving the
sacred banner, preceded by Progress crushing down Ignorance and
Prejudice, and acclaimed by Revolution, Justice, and the People.
Other statues and reliefs will be used in decoration. An interesting
innovation will be a large chamber within the monument to be used as
a museum and to contain as a first relic the actual Pyramid of May,
the first memento of the glorious dawn of liberty. This monument is
to be finished and in position in 1916.
Of other monuments already decorating the Plaza, one erected in 1906
faces the Avenue, a fine group of marble portraying a figure, the
_City of Buenos Aires_, being crowned by Progress; a child, the
Future, observing the act. Towards the other end of the Plaza, the
east, is an equestrian statue of _General Manuel Belgrano_, one of
the first Council of Government, appointed by the Corporation of the
City, May 25, 1810; he was afterwards a commander of Argentine
troops, gaining victories at Tucumán and Salta, in 1812 and ‘13,
later suffering defeat in Bolivia, after which he resigned the
command to San Martin. The rest of the Plaza is occupied by gardens,
walks, and fountains. Occasionally there is music.
At the southwest corner of the Plaza is the ancient _Cabildo_ where
met, May 22, 1810, on the upper floor, a popular assembly which
declared the authority of the Viceroy incompatible with public
tranquillity. May 25 the Cabildo appointed a _Junta_ or Council of
Government with Don Cornelio Saavedra as President. The Viceroy
having already withdrawn to avoid bloodshed, the Council took the
oath the same afternoon; Saavedra addressed the people from a
balcony with an appeal for order and harmony. Thus the revolution
triumphed without bloodshed, and from here spread to other sections,
where long struggle was necessary; to Argentina, the success in all
the countries south of Ecuador was largely due.
The most imposing structure on the Plaza is the_ Government Palace_
on the east. On this spot in 1595 the construction of a fort was
begun; but it was 1718-1720 before a considerable fortress was
erected, whose walls remained till 1853. They were then demolished
for a custom house, which in 1894 was destroyed to make room for the
present palace. This great brick edifice, 400 feet long and 250
deep, with two wings of slightly different form, constructed at
different periods, contains offices of the President of the Republic
and of the various Ministers, of the Interior, of Foreign Relations
and Worship, of Finance, of Justice and Public Instruction, of
Agriculture, of Public Works (_Hacienda_), of War and Marine. In the
building are several libraries, the most important that of the
Ministry of Foreign Relations (State Department), where in iron
cases are the treaties with foreign nations since 1811, some of
these, real works of art, superbly engrossed on parchment with
enormous wax seals. The entrance on the north side gives access to
two large and elegant salons where receptions and banquets are given
by the President, his official residence occupying this end of the
building. The banquet salon, richly furnished in Louis XV style,
contains a central chandelier, a notable work of art made in the
country by Azaretto. There is also a fine marble figure representing
the Argentine Republic, and there are busts of the various
Presidents. Within the building are several patios and pleasant
reception rooms. Sentinels abound, but the doors are open and on
business days at the usual hours the building is accessible to the
public. On feast days, if necessary, permits to enter may be
obtained from the Superintendent of the Palace.
On the north side of the Plaza, coming from the Palace, one first
reaches the _Chamber of Commerce_, in 1885 established in its
present edifice, though inaugurated as a _Bolsa do Comercio_ in 1854
with 118 members. It has now above 4000, and is a very important
establishment. Operations in 1909 amounted to a value of 328 million
_pesos_. The same year the Clearing House account for banks was 4½
billion _pesos_.
In the same block at the corner of Reconquista is the _Bank of the
Argentine Nation_, the most powerful institution in the Republic.
Founded in 1902 with a debt of 50 million _pesos_ in bills emitted
as its capital, thanks to a rigid organic law, excellent
administration, and the honesty of its directors, it has become a
great financial power. In October, 1908, the capital was increased
by $17,800,000 gold. As a Bank of the State, no dividends are made,
the annual profit of fifty per cent being converted into gold
reserve and added to the capital. January 1, 1910, the capital was
113 million _pesos_, the reserve 39 millions gold. The bank in 1910
had 121 branches in the provinces and 8 agencies, mostly in their
own buildings, making easy the commercial transactions for cattle
and agriculture, in contrast to our own difficulties, due to the
silly prejudice against a Central Bank, so serviceable in all other
countries. It performs all the operations of other banks, these in
1909 amounting to 645 million _pesos_.
At the west end of the north side is the _Cathedral_, on the spot
selected by Garay for the church in 1580, when a simple structure
with mud walls and thatched roof served the purpose. An edifice with
arches in the present form was begun in 1701, but the façade in
imitation of the Madeleine in Paris was built in the time of
Rivadavia by the architect Catelin. The great semi-spherical dome,
covered on the outside with blue and white squares in the Spanish
style, is a contrast to the other roofs. The interior has a central
nave, two aisles and a transept, well proportioned except for the
great thickness of the pillars. The side chapels are not of especial
importance save the third on the right, the sepulcher of the great
_San Martin_, liberator of Chile and Peru, a patriot whose purity of
motive, possibly his ability, equaled that of Washington, though he
was far less happy in the contemporary appreciation of his services;
not until after his death receiving his merited honors. The
octagonal chapel is effectively lighted from a small dome above.
Four marble plaques bear the names Lima, Chacabuco, San Lorenzo, and
Maipu, reminding of his glorious deeds. In the center a bronze
sarcophagus containing the ashes of the hero has several pediments
upon a broad marble base which bears also four marble blocks. On
three of these stand marble statues, in front, that of Liberty, at
the sides, Labor, and Commerce. The block in the rear carries
laurels and palms only, with a bas relief representing the battle of
Maipu. In front are the arms of Argentina, at the sides those of
Peru and Chile. On the right stands a bust of the great patriot, the
whole forming a worthy, artistic, and most impressive monument.
On the west side of the Plaza at the corner of the Avenida, with
entrance on the latter, is the _Municipal Palace_ or City Hall,
where the Executive Department of the City Government has been
located since 1892, the Deliberative Council meeting at Peru 272.
The Intendente or Mayor is appointed for two years by the President
with the approval of the Senate, and may be re-appointed. The
Deliberative Council of 22 is also named by the President, as the
elections formerly held gave poor results. On the other side of the
Avenue are the Civil Courts.
The Avenida de Mayo, in front of the Capitol, extends from the Plaza
de Mayo a little more than a mile to the Plaza, about 100 feet wide,
paved with asphalt, lined with trees, and with a row of posts for
electric lights in the center. Cut through the block between
Rivadavia, originally the main street, and Victoria, the next street
south, at a cost of ten million _pesos_, it was opened for traffic
July 9, 1894. It is considered by some the finest street on this
hemisphere, others prefer the Avenida Central in Rio, while all who
admire skyscrapers will insist that it is not to be compared to
Fifth Avenue. Adjoining the City Hall, is seen on the right the
splendid edifice erected by Dr. José C. Paz for _La Prensa_. As the
finest newspaper building in the world for the sole use of a single
publication, it should be visited by every traveler, though only
certain parts are open for inspection. There are five stories above
ground and two below, the sub-basement containing the electric
fixtures and the paper storage room. On the next floor is the
machinery, presses, etc., with a room at the back 120 feet long and
25 deep for the distribution of papers. On the ground floor on the
Avenida are the bureaus of administration, as for advertising, etc.,
and the museum; while fronting on Rivadavia are rooms for free
consultation with physicians and lawyers. One flight up, a long one,
for ceilings are high, but there is a good elevator, are the
handsome rooms of the chief editors. A fine salon with luxurious
appointments, Turkish rugs, furniture upholstered in leather, sofas
and armchairs, and a heavy carved table, is the reception room,
where gentlemanly attendants in uniform are at your service,—a
contrast indeed to the dingy hallways where people are kept, by
often pert youths, from entering the sacred though bare and noisy
quarters of the editorial staff of some of our great and wealthy
journals. On the other side of the large patio is a handsomely
decorated hall seating 500, with furniture of red and gold, used
only for entertainments for the employees. On the next floor are
various editorial rooms, on the fourth luxurious apartments for the
entertainment of distinguished guests from abroad. At the top are
rooms for photography, composing, etc. On the turret is a statue
holding a powerful electric light, the rays of which are visible to
a great distance. The editor of this great newspaper, which like its
building in some respects, for instance in the amount of its
telegraphic despatches, is superior to any in the United States, is
Dr. Adolfo E. Davila, who has held the office since 1877. To him the
paper owes a large share of its progress which is deemed worthy of
its palatial setting.
A little farther up is the great store of Gath & Chaves, one of the
best in the city, and at 633 the fine building of the Progreso or
Progress Club. Opposite is the Diario building, which in 1911 had
just been afflicted with a fire. The Diario is an important, perhaps
the leading afternoon paper. Along the way are many hotels and other
business structures. Some of the buildings, like the Prensa, are
almost covered with electric light bulbs, probably remaining from
the Centennial display in 1910, when lighted obviously producing a
brilliant spectacle.
At the upper end of this splendid avenue, beyond a large Plaza, is
the CAPITOL, strongly reminiscent of the one in Washington, but none
the worse for that. The plans were by the late Victor Meano; the
cost was $9,000,000. It may be mentioned in passing that the Plaza
in front was constructed for the celebration of the Centenary in the
short space of 90 days; four solid blocks of buildings were torn
down, ground was filled in, leveled, and grassed, walks were laid,
trees, shrubs, and flowers planted, fountains with colored waters,
obelisks, candelabra, and statues were erected, and all done at a
cost of $5,000,000, in time to receive their guests in 1910. And
_we_ call South Americans slow! Monuments to the Constituent
Assembly of 1813, the Congress of 1816, and to General Mitre are to
be added.
[Illustration:
THE CAPITOL PLAZA, BUENOS AIRES
]
[Illustration:
PALERMO PARK
]
The central façade of the Capitol, setting a trifle back from the
line of the projecting wings, is adorned with a fine portico and
approached by a stately staircase having on each side an equestrian
statue. The central dome is a remarkable work, the pillars
supporting it covering 300 square meters. To sustain the weight of
30,000 tons, the foundations were laid 30 feet deep, and an inverted
dome of stone was fixed. No one should fail to visit the top of the
great dome, which provides a splendid view over the city and the
broad river; or the magnificently furnished reception halls and
legislative chambers. The Senate Chamber, arranged for but 30
members, is a small room though provided with two galleries. The
larger Chamber of Deputies has three rows of galleries, the first
for the diplomatic corps with an especial reservation for ladies,
some of whom come to hear the debates. The acoustics are said to be
poor and the heating inadequate. There are conference rooms, a
library, rooms for secretaries, etc. The Houses regularly meet from
May 1 to the end of September, but the sessions are usually
prolonged until January by Executive Decree. The Deputies meet
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at three, the Senate on the alternate
days. The Chamber of Deputies, semi-circular in form, has 130 seats
besides eight for the Ministers, here admitted to their
deliberations. There is a platform for the President and two
secretaries. Behind the Presidential chair is a portrait of Valentin
Alsina.
Below the platform is a table for stenographers, two of whom write a
report of the proceedings, published the day following. Members
speak from their places receiving polite attention, especially
noticeable in comparison with the practice in Assemblies of older
nations. There is no division of seats for political parties, nor
special garb for President or Ministers. Each Deputy has a desk with
writing material. For each 33,000 people, and for an additional half
as many more, one Deputy is elected for four years, receiving a
salary of 18,000 _pesos_. Every two years one half of the House is
renewed. The Senate Chamber also has seats for the Ministers. The
Vice President, according to the Constitution, is the presiding
officer. Strangers of distinction desiring to visit the sessions of
Congress may obtain from the Secretary cards of admission to the
galleries.
The characteristic of the city first obvious is its extreme
neatness, in strong contrast to our chief cities; then the narrow
streets of the business section and the absence of skyscrapers, each
of which will seem to Americans generally an evidence of
backwardness and provincialism. The former certainly is a great
defect, inherited from colonial times, which the officials of recent
days have been and still are endeavoring to remedy. As the widening
of all the streets at once was obviously impossible, to relieve the
congestion of traffic and to beautify the city, the Avenida de Mayo
was constructed. Soon two diagonals, wonderfully diminishing the
present difficulty, will be cut from the north- and southwest
corners of the Plaza de Mayo through the busiest parts of the city.
Although the streets in the center are only 33 feet wide, since the
buildings have mostly but two or three stories, they do not lack air
and light, as in so many of the streets of New York; the height of
all buildings being limited according to the width of the street on
which it stands, an excellent and necessary rule. All of these
narrow central streets are one way thoroughfares, both for cars and
other vehicles. Natty policemen stand, not at a few, but at dozens
of busy corners, regulating traffic. Yet in spite of their best
efforts blocks are frequent, sometimes delaying cars for ten or
fifteen minutes. It may be mentioned that the city has, in
proportion to the inhabitants, twice as many policemen as New York,
generally courteous and obliging. In order to help a little, the
corners of many buildings and sidewalks have been chopped off in
accordance with a law promulgated some years ago, though long not
strictly enforced. Many of these old streets will be widened in
time, as new buildings must be set 10 or 12 feet farther back, a
temporary disfigurement, ultimately of great advantage. West of the
Capitol all streets are wider. New ones must have a breadth of at
least 60 feet. In the newer sections are many beautiful broad
avenues, the Santa Fé and Alvear in some respects surpassing the
Avenida. There is an excellent service of electric cars, one writer
says the best on this hemisphere, already supplemented by a subway
now being constructed from the Plaza de Mayo to Plaza 11 de
Setembro. This one completed, others will be promptly begun; not as
in New York ten years after they should have been finished. For in
Buenos Aires, packing like sardines is not permitted, as will be
discovered, perhaps with indignation, when a car marked _completo_
passes without a pause, and one has to wait several minutes for a
second or a third. Within, all are comfortable, the seats, each for
two, facing the front with an aisle between, where no one is allowed
to stand; on the broad rear platform six only are permitted. With
carriages so cheap, anyone in a hurry can easily afford to patronize
them. The cars with large figures in front, as in Chile, a fashion
which might well be introduced in our cities, are easily
distinguished; the hotel porters and the policemen being usually
able to tell you two or three numbers of the several cars which may
take you to your destination, and the points at which these are to
be found. Also a little red guide book, _Guia Peuser_, purchasable
for 10 _centavos_, will give all necessary information as to
railways and electric cars, carriage tariffs, etc.
An afternoon drive may be taken in auto, car, or carriage. Setting
out in good season, one may first traverse a few streets in the
center of the city, the fashionable Florida to Plaza San Martin,
returning by Reconquista to the Plaza de Mayo, cross down to Parque
9th of July below the government Palace, then go by Paseo de Julio
and Avenue Alvear to Parque 3rd of February, commonly called
Palermo. After a drive in the park return may be made by Santa Fé
and Callao to the Capitol building and upper end of the Avenue, or
by other streets past the Recoleta, the Aguas Corrientes, etc.
The calle _Florida_ is _par excellence_ the fashionable promenade of
the city. Though narrow like the others and but ten blocks long, it
is distinguished from the rest by having no car tracks and is lined
by many of the most fashionable shops, beginning with Gath & Chaves
extending from the Avenue to Rivadavia; though to be accurate, this
is on Peru instead of Florida, the old Rivadavia street being the
dividing line where the names change and the numbering each way
begins, instead of the Avenue as would seem more natural. Besides
many of the best shops, there are on Florida many fine residences,
among these one between B. Mitre and Cangallo belonging to the
Guerrero family; one on the left in the Louis XV style between
Corrientes and Lavalle, the home of Juan Peña; opposite is that of
Juan Cobo. Beyond Lavalle on the right is the magnificent home of
the _Jockey Club_, soon to be abandoned for a larger and still more
costly establishment. This Club, noted as probably the richest in
the world, with an entrance fee of £300, nearly $1500, yet having a
considerable waiting list, receives so large an income from the
receipts at the races that it hardly knows what to do with it. Its
present edifice has a noticeable façade, a fine entrance hall and
staircase, on the first landing a famous Diana sculptured by
Falguières. Corinthian columns, ornamentation of onyx, ivory, and
azul are part of the decoration. A fine banquet hall, various
dining-rooms, luxurious drawing and reading rooms, rooms for cards,
billiards, fencing, baths, etc., and a few to which ladies are
admitted with a member for afternoon tea, unite to make this the
equal of any Clubhouse in the world. Beautiful paintings and other
expensive luxuries, like tapestries and carving, contribute to the
elegance of the establishment. On moving from their present quarters
to the much larger and more splendid structure now being erected
near the Plaza San Martin, the Club will present this edifice to the
Government to be occupied by the Department of State.
Beyond on the same side between Viamonte and Cordoba, a large
building with arcades, covered by a glass roof, occupies the entire
square. This, called the Bon Marché, is used mainly as an office
building and contains some Bureaus of various Ministries. Formerly
the National Museum and the Academy of Fine Arts were here located,
but the Museum or Gallery now occupies a fine building on Plaza San
Martin, with the Academy adjoining. The Florida ends at this Plaza,
one of the handsomest of the city, surrounded by many splendid
edifices, adorned with large trees, flowers, shrubbery; and at the
upper end an equestrian _Statue of San Martin_. The Art Museum is at
the east end of the north side; farther west are stately residences,
as also on the south side. Here, between Florida and Maipu is the
office of the _United States Legation_, easily distinguishable by
the United States Coat of arms above the door, should the flag not
be floating from the projecting staff. Happily in the South American
countries visited, the legations are all suitably housed, though it
is said that at least one Minister of ours to Argentina, paid more
for his house rent in Buenos Aires than his entire salary. It is
obviously not a position to be sought at present by a man with only
his talents to recommend him. Returning by Reconquista one would
pass many fine business blocks, including banks.
Driving past the Government Palace and turning down to the left, we
come to the _Parque 9th of July_ in the rear of the palace, from
which we proceed again north on the way to Palermo. Buenos Aires
boasts of 74 parks and plazas altogether, with an extent of 10
million square meters. The 9th of July is modeled after the Champs
Élysées, having a broad avenue with gardens of the Renaissance style
on each side. It begins at the south with a half circle in which a
statue, probably Rivadavia, was to be placed. In the middle is a
circle with an artistic fountain by the French sculptor Moreau, and
at the north end, opposite Cangallo, is a pretty fountain by an
Argentine artist, Lola Mora. Along the way are cafés, restaurants,
and concert halls.
Proceeding along the _Paseo de Julio_, with its line of shrubs and
flowers, one may continue by the fine _Avenue Alvear_ through the
most fashionable quarter of the city. The Avenue, bordered with
flowering trees and palms, is lined with palatial mansions, in the
midst of beautiful grounds and gardens. At the fashionable hour this
avenue is filled with vehicles, rented victorias, the stately
carriages of the residents, and many automobiles, which although
numerous have not yet seemed to lessen the multitude of carriages.
Almost too soon the Park is reached, its formal title, the _3rd of
February_, recalling the defeat of the tyrant Rosas in 1852 by
General Urquiza with an army of soldiers from Argentina, Uruguay,
and Brazil, Rosas then fleeing to an English ship and to permanent
exile. He formerly resided on the site of the Round Point. This park
covering 3,677,000 square meters corresponds to Central Park, New
York, or Hyde Park, London, though it is more at one side, being on
the border of La Plata River. The many beautiful, shaded avenues
are, on the _dies de modo_ or days of fashion, thronged with
carriages before or after dinner according to the season, when
thousands of people may be seen enjoying the spectacle as well as
the fresh air, the ladies displaying magnificent toilets for the
pleasure of all beholders.
The drive should be continued to the lake, where the charming
pagoda-like _Restaurant of the Lake_ will be admired. At certain
times and seasons, it is quite the thing to enjoy here at the price
of three _pesos_, a cup of afternoon tea, etc., to the accompaniment
of a good orchestra. At a kiosk on the round point of the lake, _La
Granja Blanca_ offers for refreshment sterilized milk and other
dairy products. Not far distant is the _Restaurant Palermo_, to
which persons wishing to dine there are gratuitously conveyed from
the center of the city. Excellent entertainment with good orchestral
music is said to be provided at a moderate price for this city.
Within the area of the park are included enclosures for various
sports. Close to the lake is the ground of the Cricket Club with
chiefly English members. Enclosed by the avenues Pampa, Ombu,
Alsina, and Palomar, covering a space of about 125 acres, are the
_Golf Links of the Argentine Club_, with a course of 5300 yards. A
_Gymnastic_ and _Fencing Club_ possesses a fine court for their
exercises, where much frequented contests are often held, as also in
the bicycle track. The northwest end of the Park is occupied by a
Rifle Range, covering 10,000 square meters. An imposing façade is
flanked by two towers 60 feet high, from which a magnificent
panorama may be witnessed. Three large gateways with glazed iron
doors open into a vestibule 80 feet long, from which two doorways
lead to the shooting galleries, 300 feet long and 20 wide; 38
targets all double and movable give ample opportunity for shooting,
eight at a distance of 150 feet for revolver practice, twenty at
1200, and ten at 1600 feet, for rifle shooting. Shields of iron and
banks of earth give protection against poor shots. Admission is free
and any one by paying for the cartridges will be supplied with arms
and allowed to practice to his heart’s content. Contests both
national and international are frequently organized.
Near the rifle range is the great hippodrome. Beyond it, outside the
park, is a field of 30 acres belonging to the _Argentine Sporting
Association_. This contains a track of 3500 feet for trotting races
with sulkies, and one of 3200 feet for obstacle races with hurdles,
fences, and ditches of water. The space in the center of the course
is used for polo and football. Clubs from Uruguay and South Africa
have participated in games held here by the Argentine Football
League.
The glimpse now gained of the _Argentine Hippodrome_ will incite to
a visit on one of the gala days, Thursday and Sunday, when many will
enjoy a display superior to anything of the sort previously
witnessed. Nothing in the United States approaches it. While some
Americans asserted that this was the finest Racing Ground in the
world, a gentleman of Buenos Aires stated that it hardly equaled
Longchamps. However, the _buildings_ here are superior. The
spectators are accommodated in a row of great white stands, that for
the especial use of the members of the Jockey Club and their
families being largely of white marble and capped with a graceful
roofing. Behind the upper rows of seats is a spacious promenade with
tables for afternoon tea, and farther back large and well appointed
club rooms.
[Illustration:
JOCKEY CLUB STAND, HIPPODROME
]
[Illustration:
CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION, RURAL SOCIETY
]
Worthy of attention is the long series of other white buildings,
elaborate and spacious, for all required purposes, also the space
enclosed by the track: not the usual bare field but a plat decorated
with flower beds, greenery, and rivulets crossed by little white
bridges. There are three tracks one inside another, the outermost a
mile and three-quarters in length. The grounds outside the track are
embellished with flowers, lawns, and trees, the eucalyptus, pines,
and palms; an excellent band discourses music; while a throng of
gaily dressed people, the men (at least the Argentines), in
faultless attire, the ladies in elegant Parisian costumes with a
liberal display of jewelry, contribute to the brilliant spectacle.
The season is a long one, continuing from March 4 to December 30,
with 56 regular functions. The races are of a high order (the riders
generally Argentine), the most important being for the Jockey Club
Prize, Sept. 8, the Cup of Honor, Sept. 16, the National Prize, Oct.
7, and the International, Oct. 28. These are the true Society
events, the dates varying slightly with the year. On these occasions
the throng is so great that movement is impossible. In 1905 the
winner of the National Prize received $27,000 and the sale of
tickets reached $346,000. In the year 1906, the betting at two
_pesos_ a ticket was equal to $20,000,000. Persons of distinction or
with influential friends may be able to procure an invitation to the
official stand. For seven _pesos_, tickets may be purchased
admitting to everything _except_ that, or for two _pesos_ to the old
stand and four to the new.
To attend the races one may go by train, every five minutes, from
Retiro Station, by tram (15 _ctvs._) marked Carreres from Parque de
Julio, by carriage at two _pesos_ an hour, or with a livery carriage
for 15 _pesos_ the afternoon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXIV
BUENOS AIRES—CONTINUED
Leaving Palermo Park by the broad Ave. Sarmiento, one has on the
left the Zoological Garden; on the right, a feature of Argentine
life of the highest importance, the buildings and grounds of the
_Rural Society_, granted by the Government to the Society for the
annual agricultural and cattle shows. Upon grounds which cover
180,000 square meters are fine pavilions for various purposes;
stables accommodating 500 horses or cattle, park room for 736, a
roofed space for 3500 sheep, an enclosure of 4500 square meters as
show ground, with two stands seating 2000 persons. There are three
large pavilions and others smaller for the display of agricultural
machinery and products, and an immense kiosk for the products of the
dairy. The exhibitions, occurring in the months of September and
October, concluding with horse races, are a social event. In order
to appreciate the leading position in such matters held by
Argentina, one must attend one of these expositions, so well
conducted as to have attained a degree of perfection unsurpassed in
the world in the number and pure blood of animals exhibited. These
expositions, organized by Señor G. A. de Posadas in 1858, have been
a powerful influence in the improvement of stock and in the pride
taken in blooded animals. They were the starting point of Argentine
stock breeding. The _Sociedad Rural_ was organized in 1866. During
the Presidency of Sarmiento 1868-74, an Agricultural Bureau was
organized, and in 1898 the Ministry of Agriculture, a prime
necessity in view of the staple industries of the country. 1905 was
the record year for the exhibition of cattle, with 2389 head, after
which a limit was fixed to the number of entries in each class by
one exhibitor. The variety of cattle most favored is the Shorthorn,
forming 88 per cent, 9 per cent are Herefords and there are some
Durhams and other breeds. Of the sheep, more are Lincolns, of
horses, Clydesdales and Percherons, with some Morgan race horses.
The leading nations of Europe took part in the International
Exposition, June, 1910. At the National Exhibition in September, the
sales amounted to over $7,000,000.
A separate Fat Stock show is now held, with high priced sales and
with frozen meat sent to England. Congress has devoted 100,000
_pesos_ annually to such an exhibit.
The fine studs of the country contain 400 thorough-bred stallions
and 3000 brood mares, producing 1500 foals yearly. There are 66,500
thorough-bred horses. Ormonde, purchased for £19,000, was sold in
the United States for £23,000. Diamond Jubilee cost 30,000 guineas,
Flying Fox 37,000. Cyllene, bought for £30,000 was sought for at
double the price to be returned. The sons of these horses, raised in
this splendid climate, are excellent runners.
In the agricultural section are exhibited cereals and other
products; from the north, coffee, cotton, and tobacco; more
important, the linseed, wheat, corn, and rape, also beans and peas,
woods, fruits, wools, ostrich feathers, grape and wine products,
potatoes, sugar cane, yerba mate; minerals,—marble, onyx, petroleum,
silver;—agricultural machinery, pumps for watering stock, windmills,
engines, threshing machines, shearers, locust destroying machines,
etc.
At the Round Point of this Avenue is a _Statue of Domingo F.
Sarmiento_ (after whom the avenue is named) by the sculptor Rodin.
Unveiled May 25, 1900, it represents Sarmiento advancing over the
laurels which have fallen at his feet, his face expressing the
serenity, decision, and energy, which characterized him.
The statue rests upon a block of marble, on the face of which
Apollo, the god of light and thought advances, dispelling shadows,
while the Python, representing Ignorance and Foulness slinks back in
death. Two other statues in the Park are, one, in front of the
Administration Building, of Dr. Carlos G. Burmeister, who was many
years director of the Museum of Natural History, the other of Dr.
Eduardo Costa, a remarkable jurist who rendered great services to
the State.
On the Avenue are seen two bronze lions, reproductions of those at
the Palace of Luxembourg in Paris. They have been much admired, as
the most perfect representations of these animals yet produced.
At the end of the short Ave. Sarmiento is the Plaza Italia, adorned
with a striking monument by the sculptor Macagnani of _General
Giuseppe Garibaldi_, the gift of resident Italians and Argentines
uniting in a sentiment of fraternal admiration for the hero, who is
here represented on horseback. The monument, inaugurated June 2,
1904, has below at the sides of the pediment two statues; one,
Victory, who many times crowned the hero with laurels, the other,
Liberty, for which he shed his blood. Excellent bas-reliefs
represent episodes in Garibaldi’s life.
In the angle between Sarmiento and Avenue Las Heras is the entrance
to the _Zoological Garden_ and between the latter and Santa Fé an
entrance to the _Botanical Garden_, this not always open, the
principal gateway being in the middle of the side on Santa Fé, No.
3951. To each of these Gardens an entire half day should if possible
be devoted and some persons would enjoy a longer time in each. Now
observing only their location, we return to the city in time for
dinner by Ave. Santa Fé, a street about ten miles long, extending
from Plaza San Martin out to the suburb Belgrano. At No. 3795
adjoining the Botanical Garden is the _National Conservatory of
Vaccination_ (dependent on the Department of Hygiene) where children
are vaccinated by thousands and from which vaccine is sent to all
parts of the Republic except the Province of Buenos Aires. On the
other side of the Avenue, on the corner of Uriarte, is an
Association of young Society ladies, called Las Filomenas, its
purpose that of giving to poor children a practical education by
teaching them a trade. A new route will be by the broad Ave. Callao
to Ave. de Mayo, but thus will be missed many fine residences on
Santa Fé which, however, will keep for the next time.
To see the _Botanical Garden_ one may drive rapidly about, or take
the leisurely walk which is necessary fully to appreciate its
beauties. This important institution, said to be unequaled in the
world, is the work of the celebrated Carlos Thays, its organizer and
director. His red brick residence is directly in front of the main
gateway. Just within the
[Illustration:
BOTANICAL GARDEN
]
[Illustration:
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, HOUSE OF ZEBUS
]
entrance is a plan of the grounds, extremely useful in enabling one
to visit parts of especial interest or to make a systematic tour of
the entire garden. In this limited space is found a collection of
the leading characteristic flora of the whole earth. The climate
lends itself remarkably to the formation of such a collection,
permitting both tropical growths and those of the cooler parts of
the earth. Here are hot houses, a fernery, a Louis XV, and a Roman
garden, industrial and medicinal plants, fruit trees, _yerba mate_,
aquatic plants, a department of acclimatization, Argentine flora,
and sections devoted to Europe, Asia, Africa, North, South, and
Central America, Canadian pines, and Sahara palms, a wonderful
variety of rich colors and luxuriant growth. Naturally the Argentine
collection is fullest, practically perfect, exhibiting, in specimens
from Tierra del Fuego to Mendoza and the Chaco, a good portion of
the varieties of the globe. A flourishing Victoria Regia is in the
little lake of the garden of Louis XV. A truly delightful afternoon
will be spent by many, and another will be passed near by.
The _Zoological Garden_ may be entered from the Plaza Italia, fee 10
_ctvs._, or at two other points. Coming from the Plaza one’s
attention may first be attracted by the sight of a white llama all
saddled and bridled, looking in the summer, very quaint with his
wool clipped off. (Perhaps it is allowed to grow in cold weather.) A
little boy or girl may be enjoying a ride on his back. The animal is
tame but must be gently handled. The Garden is a captivating place.
Among beautiful lakes and trees is a charming array of artistic and
elegant pavilions for the various animals, these in general
constructed in the style of architecture of the country from which
the residents have come. For the elephants there is, with a spacious
yard for exercise, a splendid mansion, where a little one was born
in 1906, a rare occurrence in captivity. An imposing edifice houses
a large variety of bears including the white polars; an Egyptian
temple contains gorillas and chimpanzees, an Indian palace, the
zebus, in correct style of architecture exhibiting the fantasy of
the race. The extensive palace with the ferocious animals, lions,
Bengal tigers, panthers, jaguars, etc., is of especial interest at
feeding time. An immense cage contains condors, eagles, and other
large birds, while smaller ones hold other varieties, lovely white
parrots, and some entirely pink with curious head feathers, probably
macaws. These, with the beautiful white peacocks, are especially
fascinating; the black and white swans are noticeable. Many other
animals, snakes, etc., too numerous to mention, are also on
exhibition. In attractive restaurants a large dish of ice cream may
be had for 30 _ctvs._, and various other viands.
Less extensive than the great collection in the Bronx, the animals
are more magnificently housed, and across the beautiful lakes the
Garden has many vistas of romantic beauty.
In the central portion of the city are many attractions meriting the
attention of the tourist. The _Museum of Fine Arts_ on Plaza San
Martin, northeast corner, contains a worthy collection of paintings,
chiefly of the modern French School. This Museum, decreed by the
National Government, July 16, 1895, was organized by Edward
Schiaffino and opened Dec. 25, 1896. The collection has been formed
from a legacy by Adrian E. Rossi of 81 canvases, donations from a
large number of private individuals, works of art belonging to the
State previously scattered in various public buildings, and by many
purchases. It includes a considerable number of pieces of sculpture.
Among the paintings of various schools may be observed the familiar
names of Puvis de Chavannes, Meissonier, Van Ostade, Luca Giordano,
Corot, and dozens more. The collection is well arranged and lighted,
and a full half day is requisite to give a cursory glance at the
fine works of art here assembled.
A number of private galleries in the city afford evidence of refined
taste and of the desire of persons of great wealth to acquire
collections of artistic worth. To visit these in the homes of their
possessors, persons desiring the privilege should endeavor to
procure a card of introduction, though in some cases permission may
be gained by direct application to the owners, who courteously
receive strangers, whether amateurs or artists. The gallery of the
estate of José Prudencio de Guerrico, Corrientes, 537, is a museum
of art as well as picture gallery, called one of the first in South
America. With many others it contains works of Daubigny, Corot,
Diaz, Meissonier, Greuze, Rosa Bonheur. The gallery of Parmenio T.
Piñero, Corrientes, 633, has a splendid specimen of Sorolla, a fine
example of Castro Placencia, with works of Doré, Bonheur, Fortuny,
etc. At Talcahuano 1138, the salon of Laurent Pellerano presents
paintings, classical, international, and Argentine, 40 of Italian
artists, 18 Spanish including Murillo and Sorolla, 9 French and a
good number of Argentine. In the salon of Dr. Joseph R. Semprun,
Tucumán 757, is a collection of various styles, with many fine works
purchased in Europe since 1830. The gallery of Jean Canter, B. Mitre
516, contains paintings, sculpture, pottery, and engraving of
various styles and periods. The gallery at Maipu 929, belonging to
Piladeo Soldaini, open on Sundays from one to three, has a
collection especially of Italian and Spanish artists with more than
50 different signatures. At Paraguay, 1327, in the home of General
Garmendia are 150 paintings including canvases of rare merit by
unknown and by famous artists, and portraits of members of the
family, with an interesting museum of armor of the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries, fire arms, poniards, and daggers of various
periods, historic swords of Gen. San Martin, Rozas, and others, and
personal relics of the Paraguayan war in which the General was
engaged.
The _Museum of Natural History_ at the corner of Peru and Alsina,
with entrance on the former, is of great value; but in 1911 was so
badly housed that a small portion only of its treasures were
visible. Decreed by the Assembly, May 27, 1812, and actually
installed after an ordinance of Rivadavia, Dec. 31, 1823, little was
accomplished until the fall of the tyrant Rozas. At length the post
of Director was offered to a professor of the German University of
Halle, Charles Germain Conrad Burmeister, who, by a previous journey
to Brazil and Rio de la Plata, had greatly advanced scientific
knowledge of the fauna and flora of these regions. Dr. Burmeister,
landing in Buenos Aires September, 1861, developed the institution
into a renowned scientific establishment. The remarkable
paleozoologic section has a world-wide reputation. Fossil animals of
the antediluvian epoch, largely derived from the Argentine pampa,
were reconstructed by the scientist, who wrote many works embodying
the result of painful research in reference to prehistoric
creatures. After 30 years of service the great scholar at the
advanced age of 95, resolved to retire, but anxious for the
continuance of his work he first secured the appointment of Dr.
Charles Berg, previously in Montevideo. To Dr. Burmeister, who
believed that the Museum was for the benefit of science and not to
gratify idle curiosity, is due the fact that the Museum is so badly
housed; as when a new edifice was proposed he said he would be
buried there rather than leave. Many improvements in the display of
objects have been made by Dr. Berg, but want of light and space is
apparent, and the collection will soon be transferred to a building
in consonance with its merits. The present edifice is an ancient
cloister of the Jesuits in which the University was installed Nov.
3, 1783. The greater part of the visible exposition is up one
flight. Of especial interest are the enormous skeletons of
prehistoric animals. The Museum has five sections, including
Zoology, Paleontology, Ethnology, Botany, and one of Geology and
Mineralogy; also a library of more than 10,000 volumes, chiefly
important works for the study of Natural History.
No one should fail to visit the _National Historical Museum_ in the
Parque Lezama, open on Thursdays and Sundays from noon to four, and
entered from calle Defensa, 1600. The six rooms and a gallery are so
crowded with relics that the Government is planning the construction
of an edifice more worthy to preserve the trophies of the glorious
record of the country’s history. The better one’s acquaintance with
this history, the far greater pleasure in the examination of these
relics of the past; but at least a casual glance is due from every
traveler. The Museum was created in 1890 as a municipal institution
by Señor Adolph P. Carranza, with 191 objects: private donations,
and trophies previously preserved in the Government Palace and the
Natural History Museum. In 1891, it became national in character and
since Sept. 1897, it has been in its present locality. In 1907, it
contained 4500 pieces, not all on exhibition on account of
insufficient space. At the left of the entrance are the offices, at
the right, the salons. The library, originating with a gift of
Director Carranza, contains 1500 volumes of American History and MS.
of great importance. The Museum has a rich collection of
numismatics, 4000 pieces, including rare examples of medals
commemorating the epoch of Independence, and many of other periods.
In the first salon may be seen on the left a celebrated plaque of
silver with reliefs in gold sent in August, 1807, by the Corporation
of Oruro, Bolivia, to Buenos Aires, and to General Liniers, to
commemorate the retaking of the city. Above is the sword of the
British General Beresford, surrendered by him at the time of
capture. From the plaque is suspended a shield no less famous,
called _Tarja de Potosí_, of gold and silver, presented by the
ladies of that city to the general and patriot, Manuel Belgrano; and
with this are medals in memory of his triumphs at Salta and Tucumán.
In this and other rooms are two royal Spanish standards, one dating
from 1605; portraits of Viceroys; explorers, as Valdivia, Mendoza,
Ponce de Leon, discoverer of Florida, Pizarro, and others; many
pictures of battles; furniture, dishes, and other relics of
distinguished men. At the doorway of the third salon, is a silver
statue of the British Minister, George Canning, presented in 1857 to
Dr. Alsina. In the salon is a reconstruction of the chamber in which
San Martin lived and died, the furniture, pictures, etc., given by
his descendants, with pictures of the battles in which he fought,
and a hundred other interesting objects. In the fourth room is
preserved under a glass his uniform as Protector of Peru, and his
saber of Moorish style. Medals, flags, and various other interesting
relics are here also. The sixth room has, with other relics,
trophies, and representations of the war with Paraguay.
The Libraries of the city will be visited by tourists of literary
tastes if not by others. The _National Library_ was founded at the
very birth of the nation in 1810, by the Revolutionary _Junta_, who
placed in charge Dr. Mariano Moreno. In 1796, the prelate, don
Manuel Azamory Ramirez, had at his death left his books for this
object, but the English invasion in 1806 delayed the execution of
the plan. The project received enthusiastic support in the
substantial form of gifts. Installed in a house of the Jesuits where
it remained till 1902, it was then removed to its present quarters
on calle Mexico, 560–566, soon to be enlarged. A fine vestibule and
staircase lead to the spacious reading room. There is a handsome
hall for lectures, and the ordinary appurtenances of a library. The
institution in 1880 passed from the hands of the City to the
Government, when Buenos Aires was federalized. The building, heated
in winter, is then open from 11.30 to 4; in summer, from noon till
5. The last figures obtainable were of 200,000 volumes and 10,000
MS.
Equally interesting is the _Library_ of the late _General B. Mitre_,
preserved in his former residence, San Martin, 336, where he died;
this, Congress has decreed a public monument in recognition of his
glorious services to the nation as a statesman, a writer, and a
soldier. The dissipation of the library would have been a public
calamity. It is a bibliographic treasure, amassed by General Mitre
during fifty years of active intellectual life. It is distinguished
by American historical works, especially documents and MS. collected
for his own writings, the Story of Belgrano, 3 vol. and of San
Martin, 4 vol. The library has twelve sections, including the works
on the pre-Columbian native races of America, their languages,
culture, geography, etc.; the discovery of America; further
exploration; Rio de la Plata in general and particular; Spanish
America; Portuguese America; North America; boundary limits, laws,
seals, constitutions, treaties, etc.; with letters and stamps. I was
interested to observe under glass a letter written by Sidney S.
Rider of Providence, informing the General of his election as an
Honorary Member of the Rhode Island Historical Society, an evidence
that his fame had reached one corner of the United States.
The _Library Rivadavia_, Lavalle, 935, founded May 20, 1879, by the
Bernardino Rivadavia Association, is free to readers, but the
members pay one _peso_ a month for the privilege of taking out
books. It contains about 30,000 volumes.
[Illustration:
PATIO IN NEW HALL OF JUSTICE
]
[Illustration:
COLON THEATRE
]
The _Library of the Sociedad Tipográfica Bonaerense_, Solis 707,
with more than 5000 volumes, is noteworthy as receiving all journals
and reviews of the Republic. Open 7-10 p.m. Entrance free.
There are especial libraries: that of the _Faculty of Medicine_,
Córdoba 2180, open daily to students and the public, and having more
than 20,000 volumes, that of the _Law_, Moreno 350, and that on
_Education_, well stocked on this subject, for the use of teachers
and others who may apply. The library of _La Prensa_ is open to the
public from 2 to 7 and from 9 to 12 p.m.
In this connection reference to the newspapers seems appropriate.
The leading journals publish news from every corner of the globe,
all that is worthy of interest: they contain much more foreign news
and cable dispatches than any New York paper. Instead of the
enormous quantity of trivial gossip about public and private
individuals which forms so large a part of the reading matter of
most of our papers, they have in addition to real news of State, and
of mercantile and commercial matters at home and abroad, articles
scientific and literary, information as to art, music, and every
field of activity. In their high ideals of duty in molding public
opinion and in correcting abuses, they are regarded by foreign
critics as among the most important and advanced of the world. To
this, the first rank of their press, belong the _Prensa_ and the
_Nación_ among morning papers, the _Diario_, of afternoon. These,
with _El Pais_, _Tiempo_, _La Razon_, and _La Patria degli Italiani_
show the highest degree of excellence as to their illustrations,
typography, material, and housing. _La Nación_, originating in 1857
under the name _Los Debates_, was edited by Gen. Mitre until 1862,
and in 1870, took its present name. It is noted for the elegance and
literary character, as well as for the intrinsic value of its
writings. There are more than 400 publications in the Republic
including 100 in foreign languages, many naturally poor and
ephemeral in character. There are some excellent illustrated papers;
_Caras y Caretas_, the _P. B. T._ and _La Illustración
Sud-Americana_.
On the Plaza Lavalle are several important buildings of great
interest to every tourist. On the west side is the new _Palace of
Justice_ on a site formerly occupied by the Artillery Armory, a work
of much splendor both without and within; the edifice, of the
neo-Greek style, constructed by Joseph E. Bernasconi after a design
by the French architect, Norbert Meillar, at a cost of about a
million and a half dollars. The main building, 125 feet in height,
has seven stories, the four central bodies surmounted by a cupola.
Steps lead from the Plaza to a broad portico and vestibule, from
which fine stairways conduct to the third floor, the seat of the
Supreme Court. Other great staircases lead up from north and south;
from Lavalle street is a covered passage way admitting vehicles with
criminals. On the main floor are the chambers for Federal Courts and
their Secretaries, the Criminal and Correctional Tribunals. A Jury
Hall is an amphitheater seating 700. The Supreme Court Room on the
third floor, 70 by 38 feet and 60 feet high, is separated from the
front by a fine gallery looking upon the plaza. Every floor is
arranged for eight tribunals or courts, each with audience chamber,
private rooms for judge and secretaries, and rooms for employees.
There are several patios adorned with beautiful columns, one in
style somewhat after the Caryatides of the Erechtheion in Athens.
The archives will be kept on the ground floor: the three upper
stories are reserved for use when needed. Six passenger elevators
and two freight supply required service.
On the opposite side of the plaza is a building which to many will
be still more attractive, the _Colon Theater_, without its equal in
America, and some say in the world. No shops disfigure the ground
floor, nor do any of the façades resemble the walls of a prison. The
exterior is of the Ionic order of architecture below, the Corinthian
above, and at the top a rather composite construction. The height to
the cornice is about 80 feet. From the main entrance on the plaza a
vestibule leads to a hall 45 by 90 feet and 80 feet high, from which
a staircase 45 feet wide and adorned with 16 large statues conducts
to the level of the orchestra chairs of the auditorium, one of the
largest in the world, accommodating 3570 persons. The entire length
of one balcony is nearly 250 feet, 10 more than that of St. Charles
in Naples. The floor space 90 by 70, has 900 chairs on 7 levels. The
stage, 60 feet broad and 65 feet high, from foundations to arch is
150 feet. The building is fire-proof, with fine acoustic properties,
and the best of light, heat, and ventilation. The cost was nearly
$2,000,000. The theater is a government building where operas are
performed by the leading European artists, Mascagni and others
conducting. It has been said that the Argentines discover the great
singers; later they come to New York. The seats are more expensive
than at the Metropolitan and the audience is as brilliant as any in
the world.
[Illustration:
TOMB, RECOLETA CEMETERY
]
[Illustration:
RECOLETA PARK
]
The edifice north of the theater deserves more than a passing
glance, a beautiful school building called the _President Roca_,
fitted with all the latest improvements and containing a charming
patio at which every one should take a peep, since this may be done
without disturbing the inmates. An equally beautiful school building
is the _Sarmiento_ on Callao. On the opposite side of the Plaza
Lavalle is another excellent and well equipped school.
Many theaters there are besides the Colon; the _Opera_, at
Corrientes 860, now used for light opera, the _San Martin_ on
Esmeralda 257, the _National Theater_ designed for the
representation of works written in the country, and many more of all
classes including vaudeville and cinematograph, as may be seen by
consulting the daily papers. The performances begin usually at 8.30,
sometimes at 9. For the opera, full dress is _de rigueur_, the
ladies _en décolleté_; and the spectacle on a fête day, as the 25th
of May or 9th of July, should not be missed by the tourist.
At the _Colisée Argentin_, Charcas 1109, is a permanent circus of
modern arrangement accommodating 1700.
In the city are many _Conservatories of Music_ and musical
societies. Concerts are given in various places, besides those in
the Parks by the excellent military bands.
Six blocks west of Plaza Lavalle and two north, facing Paraguay
street, is a fine building occupying a whole block, the purpose of
which would hardly be suspected. Instead of the public institution
which it might be supposed to contain, it has indeed public works,
tanks containing the city’s water supply. It is called the _Aguas
Corrientes_ and may be inspected within, on a permit to be procured
from the President of the Commission, Rivadavia 1255. A fine view of
the city will be enjoyed from the roof.
The building opposite is the _Normal School for Girls_.
A little farther west is the building of the _Medical School_,
facing Córdoba, and on the corner of Los Andes. The fine edifice
contains offices, lecture halls, a large amphitheater, laboratories,
dissecting rooms, library, etc. The handsomely decorated salon where
degrees are conferred has a ceiling of artistic merit representing
the triumph of Science. Paintings on the walls illustrate some of
these, such as Jenner innoculating with the first vaccine, Pasteur
examining cultures of microbes, and many others. In the amphitheater
is a large painting by Charles Leroy, representing _Meditation upon
Death_, presented by Dr. Toribio Ayerza. The school has annexes for
Pharmacy and Dentistry and in a separate building a School of
Obstetrics for midwives. Opposite the Medical School, is the
_Maternity Hospital_, and connected with the former the _Morgue_,
equipped in the finest manner with refrigerators and every facility
desirable for such an establishment. The public entrance is on
Junín. The standard of the Medical School is so high that only about
60 per cent of its students are graduated. Other departments of the
University are located in different parts of the city. A beautiful
structure of the Gothic style of architecture has been designed for
the Law School. The Agricultural School in the suburbs has
commodious buildings and large grounds.
The _Recoleta Cemetery_, no one should fail to visit. Well within
the city, it is easy of access by car or carriage, in the direction
of Palermo Park but not so far,—a city of the dead among the living,
a _crowded_ city with no room for more, save in the lots and tombs
already well filled. The Municipal Cemetery now in general use,
supplied with a crematory, is the Chacarita, five miles from the
Plaza. But in the Recoleta are monuments to many Argentine heroes,
and splendid works of art which would adorn any gallery. To mention
even the most notable of these would require too much space. A few
only may be named. In a chapel near the entrance is a great marble
Crucifix by Monteverde, the Christ represented in realistic agony. A
beautiful statue of _Grief_ by Tantardini stands upon the tomb of
Quiroga. The finest of the tombs is said to be that of Dr. François
J. Muñiz, physician, soldier, and philanthropist. A superb female
figure of bronze representing _Science_, is seated below, a bust of
the physician is above. The tombs of Ayerza, of Ocampo, and others
are also adorned with beautiful statues of allegorical figures. A
full half day should be allowed for a careful study of the works of
art and the tombs of many famous Argentines.
[Illustration:
MERCADO DE FRUTOS AND RIACHUELO
]
[Illustration:
BUILDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOL, SARMIENTO
]
A visit to the _Frigorificos_ and to the _Docks_ and _Harbor_ should
be on the programme of every tourist. Those who care for such things
may like first to visit the _Slaughter Houses_ on the edge of the
town, the extreme west, at a place appropriately called Nueva
Chicago. These, inaugurated March, 1900, occupy an immense rectangle
on Merlo, Arco, and San Fernando streets, about 1200 by 3000 feet.
The _abattoirs_ against the outer wall cover each 400 square feet
and the courts for the animals, 15,000 feet; room for 30,000 head of
cattle. All arrangements are of the best fashion, with suitable
constructions for every necessity, including a crematory for useless
animals. To see the animals slaughtered, a visit should be made in
the early morning. The tramways leading thither may be taken on
calle San Juan or on Rivadavia; round trip by the former, 70
_ctvs._; by the latter 10 _ctvs._ each way. An hour must be allowed
for the journey.
Many who will prefer to be excused from visiting slaughter houses
may yet enjoy a visit to the great _Frigorificos_, where no
unpleasant sights need be witnessed, but where some insight may be
gained into the wonderful industry which has been so great a factor
in the rapid increase of Argentina’s wealth. An electric car will
take one to the bridge across the Riachuelo, an important structure
of iron opened in August, 1902, of immense service to the teams
carrying loads to the Central Produce Market, the _Mercado Central
de Frutos_ (not fruits), where cattle and agricultural products are
sold for export, an immense traffic, the most important, it is said,
in South America. As long ago as 1906, 5000 vehicles daily crossed
this bridge. At the left on the other side is the _Frigorifico La
Blanca_, opened Sept. 1903, an establishment of imposing appearance
and completeness with its courts, offices, and warehouses. Passing
some of these, one comes to a pool in which animals by the hundred
are bathed before going to the slaughter house, whither _we_ are not
obliged to follow. Here is a track on which run automatic cars
transporting the slain animals to the air chambers. Three boilers of
200 horse power, a depot of ammonia, a fire engine and two electric
light installations are beyond the three refrigerating chambers,
which will accommodate at the same time 7000 beef and 70,000 sheep.
The pipes of ammonia are 60 miles long. To see rows on rows of
hanging cattle covered with a thin coating of snow as it appears,
really frost, which on pipes and walls is a quarter of an inch
thick, is quite impressive. The _fortunate_ visitor may be regaled
by the English Superintendent with a hospitable cup of tea.
Beyond this establishment is the _Mercado de Frutos_, the great wool
market of the world, where other products also are sold, grain,
cattle, fruit, etc. The iron building which covers over 30 acres
cost $4,155,000 gold. It contains 72 cranes and elevators, 44
hydraulic presses, motors, engines, etc. With a capacity of over
50,000,000 lbs. of wool the greatest quantity yet stored was in Feb.
1901, when there were 35 million lbs. within and 5 million in wagons
outside. To see the wools being sorted, and other operations, and at
other times of the year the different products of the season is of
very great interest.
Above the bridge, the _Frigorifico La Negra_, founded in 1883 by
Sansinena, employs nearly 700 men and boys, has four Stern
refrigerating machines, and three from Switzerland, and with a
capital of $3,000,000 pays annual dividends of from 18 to 50 per
cent. Another establishment called _Frigorifico Argentino_, a joint
stock company, is nearly as large as the _Mercado dos Frutos_. A
single man kills 6000 sheep daily, so skillful is he and so perfect
are the arrangements. In connection with the beef is a department
for making Liebig’s Extract. Many interesting operations carried on
here would take too long to describe.
A great establishment in this quarter is that of Domingo Noceti &
Co. with immense workshops, foundry, iron-work, etc., connected with
the railway.
On the way thither or on the return, several important institutions
may be passed or visited.
[Illustration:
PASEO COLON, GRAIN ELEVATORS IN THE DISTANCE
]
[Illustration:
DARSENA NORD AND MARINE SHOPS
]
The _Hospital Mercedes for the Insane_, established in 1863, is well
located on the calle Brandsen, on high land with fine large
buildings and grounds, the latter including well paved, shaded
streets, parks, and gardens. It has separate apartments for persons
needing continual surveillance, and for all grades and conditions,
each section with refectory, salon, dormitory, etc.; also workshops
for the manufacture of many articles, and opportunities for
gardening, painting, music, etc., for those who are able to work. At
one time there were more than 1000 poor patients and 132 paying.
Baths, medicinal and plain, a gymnasium, library, music, and
billiard rooms are provided. Opposite is a Building for Idiots,
established 1855 by philanthropists, with accommodations for 500.
The _Arsenal of War_, also in this quarter of the city, may be
reached by cars coming down Callao and Entre Rios, though located on
Pozos between Garay and Brazil. Everything needful for the making or
repairing of war material, for the furnishing of barracks and most
of the military establishments, is here provided. The workshops will
interest many, and the depot of war supplies. The buildings, lighted
by electricity, are surrounded by large and well planted gardens.
There is a gallery for artillery practice. If passing along the Ave.
Callao, at 540 the school building _Sarmiento_ should be noticed,
admirable both without and within.
The splendid _Docks of Buenos Aires_ deserve the attention of every
visitor. Although now utterly inadequate for the requirements of the
city’s commerce they are models as far as they go. When constructed
it was supposed that they would provide ample accommodations for
many years, as no one looked forward to the astonishingly rapid
growth of both city and commerce. The port has two sections, the
original and natural harbor at the Riachuelo south of the city,
where the stream so called, entering the River, allows ships drawing
18 feet only to go some distance up. The docks on both sides of this
stream form a very important auxiliary to the more modern section on
the River, the tonnage some years ago reaching 1,200,000 annually.
The chief port constructed on the bank of the great River is
composed of two large basins called the north and south _darsenas_,
and between these, four docks. The _Darsena Sud_ is more than half a
mile long and 500 feet wide, the first and second docks are about
1800 by 500 feet, the other two a little smaller. The _Darsena Nord_
has an area of a million square feet. In the basins the depth of
water is 21 feet, in the docks 23.9 at the lowest. The entire water
surface of this port is over 150 acres. The Riachuelo has but two
sheds for merchandise; this, the Capital port, has 24 depots, 8 of
iron and 16 of masonry. Their dock frontage is 8000 feet, their
capacity over 2 million cubic feet. There is hydraulic motive power,
four motors, 36 elevators, and all other necessities, including
nearly 50 miles of railway.
Two large grain elevators at Docks 2 and 3 belong to private
companies, one with a capacity for 85,000 tons of grain. Next to
these is a mill for making flour, the Rio de la Plata, which cost
$15,000,000. The port is lighted by electricity, 180 lamps of 280
watts, and 261 of 400 watts placed 100 feet apart, so that ships can
come in by night as well as by day. It is said to be the best
lighted harbor in the world, except that of London. New York is far
behind. The cost of the harbor works was approximately $35,000,000.
Plans are already made for vastly greater facilities extending for
miles up the river.
The neatness and cleanliness of the docks and their approaches will
probably excite the greatest astonishment, and the manner in which
they are shut off from the rest of the city by the beautiful Parque
de Julio and the Paseo Colon. Between these and the river is an
immensely broad, well paved street with appropriate structures and
ample room for all traffic. A call to see the Immigrants’ Hotel,
where fine accommodations for the use of the immigrants are provided
in several large buildings close to the Darsena Nord, is well worth
while.
An excursion by no means to be omitted is that to _El Tigre_, the
fashionable summer and boating resort, where regattas at times occur
and where all kinds of water craft are in evidence. It is a short
rail or boat ride, an hour or so, to the delightful spot where the
river Tigre flows into La Plata. The former is overspread with a
perfect network of islands covered with trees, gardens, meadows, and
charming vine-clad cottages. On the main shore are pretty hotels and
restaurants with music and other attractions, people in outing
flannels and in evening dress, a delightful combination of wealth,
fashion, and natural beauty, which every one may enjoy.
An excursion should be made from Buenos Aires to La Plata; according
to one’s taste and pocketbook, to Mar del Plata. A visit to an
_estancia_ will be greatly enjoyed if permission can be obtained
from the proprietor; but the large ones near the city are few in
number and obviously it would be inconvenient for them to entertain
all passing travelers. With friends at court, the few may be able to
arrange a visit.
[Illustration:
ON THE RIVER TIGRE
]
[Illustration:
LEGISLATIVE BUILDING, LA PLATA
]
At _estancias_ far out on the _campo_ it is different, and the rare
stranger is pretty sure to receive a welcome.
=La Plata.= The excursion requires a full long day. The journey is
made by rail from the fine large station on the Plaza Constitución,
by the Southern Railway, the F. C. S. The first important station is
_Quilmes_, 9 km., a historic spot, taking its name from an Indian
tribe which was conquered and deported in 1670. Here landed, June
25, 1806, the English General Beresford with 2000 soldiers for the
capture of Buenos Aires, meeting with temporary success; and off
shore Feb. 24, 1827, Admiral Brown defeated the Brazilian squadron
during a war for the possession of Uruguay. A pretty Gothic church
may be seen from the station. On the edge of the town is a vineyard,
a brewery also. So far come electric cars, starting from a bridge
over the Riachuelo in the part of the city called Barracas. From the
station _Pereyra_, 39 kilometers, a branch road goes to the port of
_Ensenada_, and in this vicinity are several large _estancias_, the
San Juan, the Pereyra, and the _Estancia Grande_. Fifty-seven
kilometers southeast of Buenos Aires and five from Ensenada is _La
Plata_, a city made to order, like Washington, to be the capital,
not of the Republic, but of the Province, we should say State, of
Buenos Aires, after the city, B. A., had been made the Federal
Capital. The decree was promulgated Nov. 19, 1882. The city is well
planned with rectangular blocks, but with the addition of many
diagonal boulevards, of parks and plazas. On account of the
wonderful growth of Buenos Aires, so near, the development of La
Plata has not equaled expectations, as for many years was the case
with our own capital, Washington; but in time, like that, it will
become a splendid city. The chief points worthy of observation are
the various Government Buildings, the _Casa de Gobierno_, residence
and offices of the Governor, the _Legislative Hall_, the _City
Building_ (Municipalidad), the _Dirección de Escuelas_, the
_Department of Engineers_, the great _University Buildings_, the
_Astronomical Observatory_ founded by the Government in 1883, and
most famous of all, the _Museum_. A carriage may be hired at the
station at one _peso_ an hour, or a tramcar will make a considerable
circuit, fare 10 _centavos_. A large _Asylum for Mendicants_,
satisfying an important social necessity, has been erected by the
philanthropist, Placide Martin.
The _La Plata Museum_ (open fête days including Sundays from 1 to
4), having a world-wide reputation for its large collection,
anthropological and ethnological, was founded Sept. 17, 1884, by
Francisco P. Moreno. While the departments mentioned are the most
famous, the museum also contains sections devoted to zoology,
geology and mineralogy, and to archæology. The substantial
architecture of the building and the arrangement of the interior and
of the specimens is equal to that of European collections.
Unscientific persons will be interested in many of the objects
presented, the stuffed animals, the skeletons of prehistoric
creatures, the mummies, the pottery, and other objects.
=Mar del Plata=, called the Newport of South America, is an
extremely expensive and fashionable seaside resort about 250 miles
from Buenos Aires. The night trains with Pullman cars are well
patronized. In the summer season tickets must be procured in advance
and rooms engaged at the hotels. The _Hotel Bristol_, American plan,
12 _pesos_ up, is the most luxurious, equipped with every possible
convenience. The _Grand_, _Victoria_, _Royal_ and many others are
very comfortable.
The city has more than 10,000 inhabitants, with boulevards, plazas,
splendid chalets and “cottages” of the Newport fashion. There are
casinos, theaters, golf course, bathing establishments, and
everything requisite for a resort of wealth and fashion on the
grandest scale.
[Illustration:
UNIVERSITY BUILDING, LA PLATA
]
[Illustration:
MUSEUM, LA PLATA
]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXV
THE IGUASSU FALLS AND PARAGUAY
IMPORTANT ARGENTINE CITIES
Among the nations of the ancient or the modern world, not one do we
know with a history in some respects so extraordinary as that of
Paraguay. Yet of the thousands annually who will soon be making the
South American Tour, scarcely one would be tempted by _historic
interest_ to journey 1000 miles from the beaten track. But _the
greatest waterfall in the world_! Ah, that is another matter! A
waterfall bigger than Niagara, as high and with more water? Truly,
that is the tale! So while the majority, who wish to make the trip
in three months or so, or who have come in the wrong season, may go
directly on from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, some will decide to
visit the Iguassú Falls, and then, being near, will cross over to
Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.
To a few it would be pleasant to make the entire journey upward in
the fine steamers of Mihanovich. Although the banks of the wide
Paraná are too distant and too flat to afford much scenic beauty,
there is some interest in calling at various cities along the way,
and in noting the gradual change from a temperate to a tropical
clime, with the variation in verdure and animal life, especially of
birds; higher up between narrowing shores or islands are fascinating
stretches of forest, interspersed with pretty pastoral scenes. All
the way to Asunción, a week’s journey, one may sail in the same
commodious steamer; but if first visiting the Falls, a change will
be made at Corrientes; for the Alto Paraná on which Posadas is
situated is more shallow than the Paraguay on whose bank is
Asunción.
The shorter way, appealing to the greater number, is to go by rail
to Posadas, thence by steamer to the Falls and return, continuing by
rail from Posadas to Asunción. The river route, obviously shorter
coming down, may be taken for the return to Buenos Aires, or the
rail route through Posadas.
The cross-country ride through the provinces of Entre Rios and
Corrientes on the way to Posadas will give a view of the fertile
pampas and their rich agricultural products, of enormous herds of
cattle, and of the wooded banks of the Uruguay; through Misiones, of
a pretty rolling country. The towns are generally small. At last
accounts a day and a half was required for the journey.
=Posadas=, capital of the territory Misiones, is a thriving town of
10,000 inhabitants, destined to more rapid growth, now that it has
through railway connection with Buenos Aires, and, after crossing
the Paraná, with Asunción; the whole section will share in the
prosperity promoted by better transportation facilities. The three
hotels of Posadas, one of which, terms, $2.00 a day, is called
fairly comfortable, will be sure to improve. There is a fine
Government Building on the principal plaza and other public
edifices, a beautiful promenade with native and exotic trees. The
river is here about a mile and a quarter in width.
=Iguassú Falls.= To visit the Iguassú Falls one sails from Posadas
in a boat of moderate size 100 miles up the Paraná to the mouth of
the Iguassú, and half a mile up that stream to Port Aguirre, where a
building, called a hut, serves as hotel, store, and post office. As
the Alto Paraná separates Argentina from Paraguay, the Iguassú
separates it from Brazil, flowing from the east, from its source in
the mountains near the Atlantic. Twelve miles more one proceeds on
mule or horseback, a four hours’ ride. By 1915, so rapidly are
improvements made, doubtless there will be an automobile traveling a
good road; and a primitive establishment on the edge of a rocky
gorge will have been transformed for the globe trotters into a large
hotel with luxurious accommodations. Perhaps, however, the tourist
who arrives before the pristine beauty of the wild surroundings are
converted into artificial adornment may enjoy equally well the
magnificence of the spectacle. From the inn near the Falls, a public
spirited and wealthy lady of Argentina has had a roadway
constructed, 65 feet wide, more than half a mile along the bank of
the stream to the top of the Argentine Fall. For the river, here a
mile and a half in width, double that of Niagara, also has two
falls, the Brazilian farther up nearer the other shore. In the midst
of this primeval tropical forest, the roar of the great cataract is
startling; on the other hand it may seem still more startling to
approach through an absolutely silent forest quite to the edge of
this tremendous cataract, the wind sometimes unaccountably carrying
the noise in an opposite direction. Above the Falls the river is
very wide; taking a sharp turn it makes three leaps, the last about
200 feet, where unequal erosion has given something of a horseshoe
shape. Zigzag paths cut in the cliff lead down to several beautiful
view-points. When the stream is low, it may be crossed above the
Falls by canoe and wading, to a point called the Garganta del
Diablo, the Throat of the Devil, close to the Brazilian Falls; the
traveler with steady nerves leaning over the precipice, in the midst
of howling waters and showers of spray, may there have a glorious
view of the foaming abyss beneath. In low water the Brazilian and
Argentine Falls each measure a quarter of a mile along the edge.
Separated by masses of rock in some places covered with forest, they
are then quite distinct; but when the river is high they are
practically one, the whole measuring nearly two miles across, indeed
a worthy rival of Niagara, as figures show, in the midst of wild and
delightful scenery.
Comparing this with the other two great cataracts of the world,
Victoria and Niagara, the African fall leads in height with a leap
from 210 to 360 feet, that of the Iguassú is 196-210 feet, and
Niagara but 150-164. The width of the Victoria is slightly more than
Niagara’s; the Iguassú with its 13,123 feet has more than double the
breadth. In the volume of water also the Iguassú is greater with 28
million cubic feet a minute to 18 million for each of the others.
Our great Niagara thus seems outdone by both, while in the magical
beauty of the surroundings there is no comparison. The Argentine
Government is already awake to the necessity of preserving from
spoliation by the greedy and destructive hands of men this one of
the world’s marvels for the admiration and enjoyment of posterity,
and is planning for the development here of a great National Park,
foreseeing that visitors will come from all parts of Europe and
America when aware of the attractions and that the comforts of
travel will be supplied.
One having the spirit of the true explorer may continue up the Alto
Paraná River, now dividing Paraguay from Brazil, 125 miles farther,
to the foaming cataracts of _La Guayra_, sometimes called the Seven
Falls and said to be the mightiest on earth. Above these is a great
lake from which the water emerging comes down over precipices
through a narrow gorge at one point but 250 feet wide. The waters
drop in one leap after another 310 feet, descending into the gorge
below with a force so tremendous as to form a maelstrom by the side
of which the Niagara whirlpool is a quiet spot. They are calculated
all together to have a force of 4.3 million horsepower, from a mass
of 13,000,000 cubic feet a minute. Four hundred miles farther up
stream are the Uberaponga Falls.
=Ruins.= One who delights in these will find a further attraction in
the territory of _Misiones_. Not so ancient as the Inca and other
remains in Peru and Bolivia, they still have an interesting history.
Here in Misiones, and in neighboring regions of Brazil, occurred the
earliest and most successful attempt yet made for the civilization
of native tribes, instead of their extermination or exploitation,
ruthlessly practiced for centuries in most parts of North and South
America. The earliest settlements of the Indians made by the Jesuits
were in the countries of Paraguay and Brazil; but as a result of the
attacks of the Portuguese, who carried the Indians off into slavery,
the Jesuits migrated to the south shores of the Alto Paraná and to
the region along the Uruguay, taking with them their protégés, who
through humane treatment had become submissive to their influence.
Thirty villages were ultimately established, which in 1732 were in a
prosperous condition with 30,362 families. Envy thus arose from
which and other reasons the Jesuits were expelled from the colonies
as also from Spain in 1768. Bereft of their leaders the Indians,
happily domesticated and employed, soon began to scatter, and in
1817 the villages were destroyed. The ruins of these large
establishments, surrounded and overgrown by thick woods, are mute,
impressive witnesses of the criminal folly of man and of the
destructive power of nature.
[Illustration:
A FRACTION OF THE IGUASSÚ FALLS
]
Such ruins exist at _Apostoles_, a railway station 35 miles from
Posadas, though the best preserved are at San Ignacio Mini, 11 miles
from Santa Ana, 1½ miles from the bank of the Paraná.
HISTORICAL
Before crossing the river into Paraguay, a glance at its strange
history is in order. Wonderful indeed it appears, that almost in
the center of this great continent, eight hundred miles from the
sea, a city was founded August 15, 1536, by three hundred
Spaniards, a full century before Roger Williams made a
settlement on the shores of Narragansett Bay and seventy-one
years prior to the first English colony established in North
America. The names of Juan de Ayolas and his faithful aid,
Captain Martinez de Irala, should stand out more prominently in
the list of American pioneers. A land route to the newly
discovered rich gold country of Peru was what they were seeking.
With this end in view Ayolas established a fortified settlement
on the site of Asunción; then having made peace with the Indians
he pursued his way north and west in the hope of winning through
to Peru. For this purpose he had been sent by Pedro de Mendoza,
after that leader had established a small colony at Buenos
Aires. Sailing up the river to a natural port which he called La
Candelaria, he left here the ships with Irala and forty men,
with orders to wait for him four months. Then he plunged into
the vast and gloomy forest.
Somewhat later the Governor of Buenos Aires, Francisco Ruiz
Galen, hearing of Ayolas’ disappearance, with six ships and two
hundred men, sailed up to Asunción, arriving about when Irala
for the second time returned from La Candelaria for necessary
supplies. Galen, asserting authority, refused Irala a vessel to
go back. Months elapsed before the faithful Irala with angry
urging at length obtained the vessel. It was now the autumn of
1538, long after the time set for Ayolas’ return. Still Irala
waited, ignorant that Ayolas and all his followers were lying
dead in the forest not far distant. For while Irala had been
urging his demand for the vessel and supplies, Ayolas, who had
journeyed among hostile Indians, swamps, and forests to the
mountains of Charcas, had returned unscathed with gold and
silver to find the banks of the river deserted and no vessel in
waiting. The tragedy was complete when the Indians fell upon the
little band and slaughtered every one. Again Irala descended to
Asunción and again returned to wait, till at last he learned
from the Indians of the unhappy fate of his chief and sadly went
back to Asunción. There he was enthusiastically acclaimed
Governor and Captain-General of the colony.
Although his subsequent career was far from smooth he was more
fortunate, as well as more faithful and able, than most of the
_conquistadores_, at last, while still in office, dying
peacefully, in 1557, at the age of seventy. Years of jealousy
and strife followed. Meanwhile the settlement at Buenos Aires
had been abandoned. Though re-established in 1580, Asunción
remained the chief Spanish city on the eastern slope of South
America until near the close of the eighteenth century. When,
however, in 1776 a Viceroy was appointed for the region of La
Plata, he had his seat in Buenos Aires. Some time after the
revolution there of May 25, 1810, a small army was sent from
Buenos Aires to Paraguay with the expectation that they too
would revolt. Instead, the Argentines were defeated; but a
little later the people of Paraguay demanded the resignation of
Governor Velazco. It was given and a new government was
peacefully organized, to be followed by many changes, until in
1844 Carlos Antonio Lopez was elected President. This office he
held until his death in 1862 when he was succeeded by his son,
Francisco, both men being really dictators. Unfortunately the
son, who had visited Europe, conceived the idea of becoming a
second Napoleon, and at once began to strengthen and discipline
the army and to fortify the country. Uruguay, as usual involved
in difficulties, appealed to Lopez for assistance against
Brazil. Lopez, on his way to invade that country crossed
Argentine territory although permission had been refused.
Uruguay meanwhile becoming reconciled with Brazil, Paraguay
became involved in a war against these three countries.
Presumably, a war between one small country and the two greatest
of South America would be of short duration. Not so! Six years
the war continued, inflicting upon the little country, through
slaughter and disease, loss and suffering unparalleled, costing
the allies also severe distress. No more heroic struggle is
recorded in history. Though with a splendid army of fighters,
the resources of Paraguay gradually diminished, a victory
winning no lasting good. A chain barrier fixed across the river,
with fortifications, long kept the enemy out. Wooden cannon were
constructed from the hardwood of the forest; but at last the
forts were passed. In December, 1868, after a severe defeat,
Lopez abandoned Asunción to continue his struggle in the
interior. Defeated in August, 1869, in a last battle, he fled
farther into the forest, till finally, March, 1870, his horse
becoming mired in a swamp, he was killed by a spear thrust after
refusing to surrender.
Freed at last from his ruthless domination the country had
peace; but alas! of the population of nearly a million and a
half six years earlier, but 280,000 it is said remained. An army
decimated is supposed to suffer terrible loss. Here five-sixths
of the entire population perished, the cattle and agricultural
resources were destroyed. Few able-bodied men had survived; boys
even to the age of ten had been impressed into the army;
delicate women had been compelled to work in the fields for the
production of grain to sustain life, and had suffered many
unspeakable hardships. The struggle of the Greeks against the
Persians was not so desperate, or prolonged to so bitter an end.
This, moreover, was wholly unnecessary, the Dictator Lopez being
the culpable aggressor; none the less, this story of the
unparalleled heroism of a people should be more familiar to the
world outside.
A season of recuperation and freedom followed, but many years
were needed for the nation to retrieve in population and
resources the position it held before the war. Not yet indeed
are the inhabitants so numerous, nor have they learned the
advantages of peace. No longer ago than November, 1911, an
insurrection broke out, which for six months or more caused
devastation and bloodshed. It is to be hoped that peace will now
be preserved.
Curiously enough, the people of Paraguay pride themselves upon
being the most homogeneous and united of all the South American
Republics, as they are among the best fighters. Not that they
are of pure Spanish descent! They are an amalgamation of the
early Spanish settlers with the Guaranís, the most numerous and
intelligent of the Indian tribes in the neighborhood. An
illustration of the fallacy of certain theories, the result is a
strong and handsome white race, preserving with Spanish culture
and virtues the warlike nature of the Guaranís and unusual
virility for a people on the edge of the tropics.
From Posadas across the river to Villa Encarnación the through
trains are now carried on large ferry boats as planned. The journey
to Asunción may therefore be made by through cars from Buenos Aires,
the road having recently been widened, and iron bridges erected over
the various streams. It is a pretty, rolling country, still sparsely
settled, with forests, open grass lands, and occasional small
villages and farms.
=By River to Asunción.= Should one prefer to sail up the river to
Asunción and return by land, which on some accounts might be the
more pleasurable, one would drive in the early morning to the docks
of the Darsena Sud, whence the great steamers of the Mihanovich
Lines ply to Montevideo and to the north. Also there are boats of
the Lloyd Braziliero twice a month. Excellent steamers provide every
essential comfort, and the person for whom the sea is too boisterous
may find pleasure in this experience. Unless with a considerable
party one should be something of a linguist to enjoy fully the
excursion, as the crowd will be cosmopolitan, representing perhaps a
dozen different countries.
A multitude of vessels will be passed ere the ship sails freely on
the great brown stream, so like the sea except in color. It first
seems like a river, only on the entrance to the Paraná, where the
steamer winds in and out among low islands, fringed with rushes and
willows. Several ports are passed on the left bank, but most of the
way now, as far as Corrientes, the stream is so wide that only one
bank is visible. The water swirls along 2½ knots an hour. There are
vistas of green and silver, occasional sails, and gradually higher
banks.
=Rosario.= The first call is made next morning at this, the second
city in Argentina, with nearly 200,000 population, founded by
Francisco Godoy in 1725, but having small prosperity until, in 1859,
General Urquiza made it a port of entry. Ocean steamers drawing 24
feet come to its docks, for as a grain port it leads Buenos Aires.
The city is situated on bluffs, one says 60, another, 300 feet high.
An expensive system of docks has been arranged to suit the varying
height of the river. Sacks of grain are sent down through chutes
into the holds of the vessels. The river here is said to be 20 miles
wide, though with numerous islands it does not so appear.
[Illustration:
JUDICIARY BUILDING, ROSARIO
]
[Illustration:
RESIDENCE ON AN ARGENTINE ESTANCIA
]
Rosario is a great railway center, roads leading to Mendoza and the
Trans-Andine, to Bolivia, of course to the Capital and to other
cities; it is expected that a road soon will extend to the Amazon
basin. Rosario compares with Buenos Aires somewhat as Chicago with
New York; it may have a similar if less rapid development. On higher
land, with wider streets than Buenos Aires, in other respects it is
naturally inferior. There are several hotels, the Grand, Central,
Royal, Britannia, and Frascati called comfortable, with prices more
moderate, as they should be; the new Victoria Restaurant is good
enough for any one. There are excellent public buildings, especially
a magnificent Custom House, the Palace of Justice, a busy Bolsa
(Exchange) on calle Córdoba, a handsome street with good shops; a
beautiful park, boulevards, and fine dwellings. Electric cars supply
adequate service. There are many English here, who have a pleasant
Club; also there is a Strangers’ Club.
=Paraná.= Above Rosario a call on the other side is made at
_Diamante_, then one at Paraná, capital of the Entre Rios Province,
a pleasant town of 30,000, founded in 1730 by a colony from Santa
Fé. On the Plaza de Mayo is an imposing Government Building, and a
Cathedral whose twin white towers are seen afar. The Plaza Alvear
near the river is more beautiful, with graceful palms and flowering
trees, above which rise the towers of a fine church, the San Miguel.
The Paseo Rivadavia, a broad, shaded promenade, conducts to the
Urquiza Gardens. Here broad walks and stone stairways, among
blossoming shrubs and flowers, and handsome trees, lead down to the
river or to the top of gentle slopes, which afford a panorama of the
winding river and of a broad expanse of rolling country, especially
admirable after the flat plain. A large new theater offers
entertainment. We have doubtless all heard that “If wishes were
horses, beggars might ride,” and in Paraná they really do. The city
has electric cars, the workshops of the Entre Rios railway, and is a
distributing and shipping point of importance, also an educational
center. One interested in this phase of Argentine life may visit the
School Alberdi, seven miles distant, a Normal College of
Agriculture, the only one in the Republic. It aims to furnish all
the learning necessary for rural managers, the knowledge requisite
for the administration of an _estancia_, both for cattle raising and
agriculture, to give information as to suitable exploitation of
especial sites, and, besides furnishing technical knowledge, to
develop initiative, perseverance, and ability for direction and
organization. The estate covers 1000 acres, cultivating wheat, flax,
corn, oats, alfalfa, potatoes, besides 5000 trees of choice
varieties.
=Santa Fé.= Opposite Paraná is _Colastine_, the port of _Santa Fé_,
the former for ocean vessels, smaller river steamers only sailing up
the tributary, Quiloaza, to the capital city, seven years older than
Buenos Aires. This also was founded by Juan de Garay, a short
distance from the larger river, as in those days of smaller vessels
a quieter port was desirable than the unruly Paraná. Once a rival of
Rosario, it has now with a population of 50,000 been left far in the
rear.
One of the public buildings, the Casa de Senadores, is a historic
place where in troublous times five National conventions have been
held, 1828-31-53-60-66; many provincial assemblies have met here for
constitutional reforms of the Province. From the lofty tower there
is a fine view of the city and surrounding country. Among other
important buildings are schools, a Public Asylum, and several
churches, the Metropolitan erected 1741 originally with a single
nave, two being added in 1834. Some historic relics within are four
splendid marble basins for holy water, gift of the Tyrant Rosas, a
chasuble of richly embroidered satin made at Misiones about the
middle of the last century, a painting from Cuzco, of date 1751,
representing the beheading of Saint Firmin, a Christ sculptured in
relief on a block of fine white marble framed in Corinthian bronze,
and a portrait of Saint Peter. The Church of St. Domingo, corner 3rd
of February and 9th of July, commenced in 1786, now entirely
renewed, contains a silver tabernacle with Byzantine design, a
diadem of the patriarch Santo Domingo, and other valuable relics.
San Francisco Church, Comercio and Ecuador streets, begun in 1652,
completed 1680, has relics of the noted general, Stanislas Lopez,
who is buried under the cupola, and a remarkable Jesus of Nazareth.
La Merced, on Comercio and Gen. Lopez streets, built in 1728,
contains a fine oil painting of the Virgin. The Cathedral now in
construction, in the form of a Latin cross, will be a monumental
work. A statue of San Martin, like the one in B. A., adorns the
plaza of his name, the pedestal representing a condor, the symbol of
strength and of the victories of the great General contributing to
the Independence. A municipal theater which cost $125,000 has a
handsomely decorated foyer. The hotels, Grand, Central, etc., are
all rather poor.
Higher up the Paraná, towns are more scattered but calls are more
frequent. _Santa Elena_ is a town with a large _saladero_, a
meat-curing factory. At _La Paz_ wood and charcoal are an important
element of trade. The scenery becomes more pleasing. A severe
thunderstorm may afford temporary excitement. Crude native boats
floating down stream are met, bamboo laden schooners, rafts of
quebracho timber. These, too heavy to float, are supported by common
wood placed beneath. The ports _Bella Vista_ and _Piraguacito_ are
centers of the quebracho industry. This remarkable wood, the name
meaning hatchet-breaker, one of the hardest known species, is
largely used for railway ties throughout South America, and to some
extent for furniture. From the red colored variety tannin is
extracted, so valuable in the tanning of hides. This was first
effected in France in 1874. In 1889 the first factory for tannin
manufacture was erected at Puerto Casado, Paraguay, the country
where it is most largely produced.
=Corrientes=, founded April 3, 1588, with 25,000 population, is an
important and busy place, exporting rich woods for building and
cabinet making, sugar, cotton, and tobacco, horses, sheep, and
cattle. The city, three days from Buenos Aires, is 25 miles from the
junction of the two great rivers, the Alto Paraná and the Paraguay,
and from the frontier. To visit by this route Posadas and the
Iguassú Falls one would here change to a boat of lighter draft, as
rapids below Posadas allow passage in the dry season of steamers
drawing no more than three feet.
To Asunción one continues in the same steamer, as the Paraguay
River, though considerably narrower, permits steamers of 12 feet
draft up to that city. Floating islands are frequent, orchids and
parrots are numerous; alligators in profusion bask in the sun,
disdaining to move at the occasional crack of a rifle aimed in their
direction. Islands of green with flowers of lavender float upon the
stream. Blossoms of purple and of white depend from the creepers
which embrace the trees of the forest. Giant scarlet flowers a foot
in diameter spring from a green cactus. Human life is rare.
The first halt in Paraguay, now on the right bank, while Argentina
continues on the left, is _Humaytá_ where the familiar colors red,
white, and blue, appear instead of the Argentine blue and white
only. This being a garrison town, low barracks are visible and
soldiers in khaki. A conspicuous object is a great red brick church,
battered and rent from top to bottom, a mute and mournful witness of
that strange six years’ war. Attacked by the allies, the defensive
army under Col. Martinez made long and suitable resistance, at
length retreating to the church which was bombarded from the boats.
Surrender was at last compelled. Lopez at this was so enraged that,
as Martinez was not at hand, he seized his wife and dragged her
along with his army. After suffering frightful tortures, her hair
mostly torn from her head, she suffered death from merciful bullets.
That she was a relative of Lopez was nothing to the monster of
cruelty who caused a brother to be shot and his own mother to be
flogged.
The country on the left with low banks is called the _Chaco_, first
the Argentine, and above Asunción the Paraguayan; it is a wonderful
section many times traversed, but not yet thoroughly explored; with
the region to the north one of the least known parts of the earth.
From the highlands of Bolivia at the northwest the slope is
extremely gradual causing many swamps. With some poor land there is
more with rich vegetation, immense forests, wild animals of many
kinds, including boa constrictors. And there is a tale of a creature
called Mboya Jagwa, dog snake, a water serpent unknown to science,
60 or 70 feet long with a head like a dog and a hooked tail. The
Indians all agree in their description of it, and one village moved
to another part of the country because one of these creatures had
settled near by.
Two days have passed on the clearer waters of the Paraguay when a
strange sight appears in this alluvial land; some large stone
buildings and great boulders of red stone along the bank, then a
rocky sugar loaf mountain, not very high, a mere babe of a mountain,
but a pleasing sight in this flat land. A different country is here;
red cliffs, honeycombed with caves, rise from the shore. One more
corner, and the city of Asunción appears, after so much wilderness,
an imposing display of white walls, roofs and spires, facing not
only the stream up which we have sailed, but the broad Pilcomayo,
flowing in from the northwest, which marks on that side the boundary
between Argentina and Paraguay.
[Illustration:
GOVERNMENT PALACE, ASUNCIÓN
]
=Asunción=, capital of Paraguay, is called by one English writer the
cleanest, nicest town on the river above Buenos Aires. Situated on a
hillside above the stream, it has fine natural drainage; and good
air and sunshine make it a healthy place, to which many come from
the south to recover from tuberculosis. A thousand miles from the
sea it is only 203 feet above the ocean’s level. With a population
of 80,000 it is still a quiet, sleepy town; for several hours at
noon in summer the streets are practically deserted. The Gran Hotel
del Paraguay is supplied with baths, has French cooking, and English
is spoken. A Paraguayan _peso_ is said to be worth 8 cents gold, so
it may be well not to have too many.
On the main Plaza, of course, is the _Government Palace_, which was
built by Lopez just before the war and is now used for the offices
of the President and the Members of his Cabinet; the second story
windows afford a splendid view; here a breeze is ever blowing. The
_National Library_ deserves a visit, for it contains the finest
existing collection of old Spanish documents connected with the
history of the Plata region, and Jesuit annals from 1534 to 1600;
interesting accounts also of what was nearly a condition of State
Socialism under Dr. Francia and the elder Lopez. These documents,
carried off by the younger Lopez when he abandoned the capital, were
for many years in peasants’ houses at Piribebuy, where many valuable
manuscripts were used as waste paper.
The _Museo de Bellas Artes_ boasts of at least one Murillo and half
a dozen other paintings which would adorn any European collection;
portraits too of many historical personages. The streets, paved with
stone and lined with whitewashed walls, well reflect the sun; here
is repeated the saying that only the English and mad dogs walk on
the sunny side of the street, although the climate even in summer is
not marked by extreme heat. From Tacumbu, the summit of the ridge
above the town, a beautiful view will be had of long stretches of
winding river up and down, and leagues over the Chaco forests
opposite as well as the rolling country to the east. The forests are
not of one or a few kinds of trees. Out of a number of 163, in a
space 100 yards square, there were 47 (not 57) varieties. The land
is well adapted to intensive cultivation, on account of the great
variety of products which may be raised. There is good hunting,
boar, jaguar, monkeys, red wolf, etc., and a great field for
scientists in both vegetable and animal worlds. Also there is a
chance for the treasure seeker; for when Lopez fled from the capital
he took with him seven cartloads of specie, at least $5,000,000. One
cartload, on account of hot pursuit, was dumped over the bank into a
river. The rest was carried on and buried in the midst of a swamp
where it was marked by a wooden cross. This cross was burned in a
prairie fire, Lopez and all of his men perished, the records were
lost; but one man is reported as living who followed the wheel
tracks to the end. However, the money obviously belonged to the
Government of Paraguay and if found, which is improbable, a good
portion at least would have to be forfeited to the Government.
Every one who comes to Asunción will wish to purchase a bit of
Nanduty lace, as it is called, a specialty of Paraguayan handiwork,
some of it very fine and beautiful. It bears resemblance in patterns
to Mexican drawn work; it is not, however, drawn, but is genuine
lace. It may be purchased also in Buenos Aires; perhaps sometimes in
Montevideo, but none could be found there in 1912 in spite of a
strenuous hunt, nor in Rio either. The prices are moderate, and no
man need hesitate about purchasing a piece. No woman will.
Another specialty of Paraguay is the _yerba mate_, sometimes called
Paraguay tea, which is raised also in neighboring parts of Argentina
and Brazil. This herb, _Ilex paraguayensis_, or South American
holly, grows as a bush or tree resembling the orange. The leaves,
which are bright green, are used to make a tea, in these three
countries very popular with natives, and with many immigrants; it is
being gradually introduced into Europe. The leaf is smoked and
powdered. The beverage is made by putting some of this powder into a
small gourd called a _mate_, and pouring on boiling water. After it
has steeped a while, flavored with lemon or sugar, it is drunk
through a _bombilla_, a tube enlarged at the end to a sort of oval
ball, with small holes which admit the liquid, but are supposed to
keep out the powdered tea. The natives and others drink this on all
occasions. Taken in moderation it is very wholesome, of more or less
the same class as tea and coffee, but containing less tannin than
either; of caffein or thein it has less than tea but about the same
as coffee. It does not irritate but soothes the nervous system, and
is beneficial to the digestion unless used to excess. When used
_instead_ of food it becomes injurious. Thus a gentleman, Scotch,
who had been in the habit of taking 12 or 14 cups in the morning and
eating nothing until noon, at length found himself in a bad way.
Placed by his doctor on a sensible diet, a good breakfast with only
2 or 3 cups of _mate_, he found his health soon restored. It is
estimated that in South America, despite the great coffee
production, 10,000,000 persons drink _mate_. It is sold in England,
France, Germany, and other countries of Europe, the United States
being slowest in learning to appreciate its excellence. In 1909 more
than 2 million pounds were produced. Plantations are now being set
out and its production and consumption are certain to increase
amazingly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXVI
URUGUAY
The country of Uruguay has the distinction of being the youngest,
and the smallest in area, of all of the South American Republics. It
must not, however, be inferred that it is therefore the most
backward. On the contrary, its financial reputation is of the best,
its bonds selling in Europe at par and above, while the population
to the square mile is greater than that of any other country in
South America. Although small, indeed, by the side of its neighbors,
Brazil and Argentina, it is twice the size of Portugal and about the
same size as New England combined with Maryland; a trifle smaller
than the Brazilian State of São Paulo, or than our State of
Nebraska.
HISTORY
While the very first landing in the Plata River section was
naturally made in this country, Juan Diaz de Solis with fifty of
his followers here going ashore in 1515, unfortunately to meet
death at the hands of hostile Indians, the permanent settlement
of Montevideo was delayed until December 24, 1726. The Charrua
Indians inhabiting the country seem to have been a particularly
fierce tribe, and several attempts at settlement in various
places resulted disastrously. In the seventeenth century, a
number of colonies had been established by the Franciscans and
Jesuits, including one at Colonia, which site with the country
in general, at that time called the Banda Oriental, was long a
bone of contention between the Spanish and the Portuguese.
After the _Junta_ of Buenos Aires had in 1810 established its
rule within its own borders, Montevideo was for a short time the
seat of the Spanish Viceroy; but the people of Uruguay soon
became eager for independence and under the leadership of
Artigas a war was waged for years, sometimes against the
Spanish, then against the Portuguese, and even the Porteños of
Buenos Aires. After the destruction of the Spanish fleet by
Admiral Brown, Montevideo, June 20, 1814, surrendered to the
besieging army, and the Spanish power on the River Plata was
ended. General Alvear of Buenos Aires, for a short time in
command, presently withdrew leaving the city in the hands of one
of Artigas’ lieutenants, the General remaining in camp on the
Uruguay River. In 1816 the Portuguese from Brazil invaded the
country, and Artigas was finally obliged to take refuge in
Paraguay.
When in 1824 the power of Spain was finally destroyed on the
whole continent, Uruguay alone was destitute of independence. In
the midst of rejoicing at Buenos Aires over the victory of
Ayacucho, Lavalleja, who had earlier distinguished himself
against the Spaniards, and other exiles from Uruguay were moved
to free their own country from foreign dominion. It was a small
band of thirty-three men, Treinta y Tres, now a popular name in
Uruguay, that set out from Buenos Aires for the invasion of that
country. Having crossed the Uruguay River, they soon obtained
forty recruits and after a brief skirmish with the Portuguese
forces took the town of Dolores. General Rivera, sent against
Lavalleja, forsook the Brazilian service and with his men joined
the patriots. Soon the whole of Uruguay was in arms, an
independent government was established at Florida. The
Portuguese fleet was later defeated by the Argentine Admiral
Brown, and a series of victories culminating in the battle of
Ituzaingó, which made the expulsion of the Portuguese seem
inevitable, incited Lavalleja in October, 1827, to proclaim
himself Dictator, though in July, 1828, he voluntarily resigned
the office. In August both Argentina and Brazil acknowledged the
independence of Uruguay and on May 1, 1829, the national
authorities made a formal entry into Montevideo.
After a constitution had been adopted, July 18, 1830, the
National Assembly in October elected Rivera, President, to the
great disgust of Lavalleja who at once plotted against the
government. Rivera, however, twice drove him from the country
into Brazil and served his term of four years. The second
President was General Oribe, one of the Thirty-three, who
combined with Lavalleja against Rivera and, with the assistance
of the Argentine Dictator Rosas, defeated him in a battle which
was of especial historical importance from the fact that the red
and white colors were used to distinguish the forces, ever since
emblems of bitter strife as the badges of the two parties called
_Colorados_, Reds, and _Blancos_, Whites, the former that of
Rivera, the latter of Oribe.
Fighting was almost continuous until the fall of Rosas in 1851.
Giro became the fourth President in 1852 but in 1853 revolts
began again. The deaths of Rivera and Lavalleja about this time
had no effect in promoting peace. Strife continued until in
February, 1865, Flores, having obtained the active support of
Brazil and entered Montevideo, was made Dictator of the
Republic. Then little Paraguay, previously asked to interfere,
jealous of Brazil’s power, continued the fight. And Paraguay,
with her army of 80,000 men, might have been equal to any _one_
of the countries alone. During this war Flores, who was of the
Colorado party, was assassinated in Montevideo, a terrible
visitation of cholera occurred in 1868, and a financial crisis
that ruined thousands in 1869. Troubles were incessant and up to
the present time hardly a single President has had an entirely
peaceful term. That after this prolonged condition of
turbulence, the Republic shows so remarkable a degree of
development and prosperity is wonderful indeed.
As to the country in general, it may be said that while it possesses
no striking features such as lofty mountains or great waterfalls, it
is a beautifully diversified region, with no flat or desert land,
but with low ridges, valleys, and rolling plains, in some parts well
wooded. It is admirably adapted for grazing and agricultural
products. The climate is healthful and delightful, the population,
numbering about 1,300,000, is more homogeneous than in most of the
Republics, and forms an enterprising and progressive nation.
MONTEVIDEO
HOTELS. _Pyramides_, Sarandí corner Ituzaingó; _Grand Hotel
Lanatta_, Sarandí 325; _Central_, 25 de Mayo, 245; _Oriental_,
Solis, corner Piedras; _Palacio_, Calle Florida; _Globe_, 25 de
Agosto and Colón. In the suburbs, _Parque Urbano_, and
_Pocitos_.
Excellent electric cars and service. Fare in center of the city,
4 cents, farther out 6, 8, 10, and to Colón, 14 cts. _Carriage
fare_ $1.00 or $1.50 an hour. _Post Office_, Sarandí 207.
Postage, letters to United States or Europe, 8 cents; cards, 2
cents.
Uruguay dollars, _pesos_, are worth a little more than the
American; $10.00 United States currency equals $9.66 Uruguay. Or
$1.00 Uruguay equals about $1.04 of our money.
The office of the United States Minister is on the 18 de Julio,
221, that of the American Consul in Treinta y Tres, 53. The
British Legation is at 445, 25 de Mayo, the Consulate at 20
Paraná.
On landing at Montevideo a carriage may be taken to the hotel
preferred, or decision reserved until they have been inspected. No
one in the center of the city is pre-eminent but several will be
found satisfactory except to the hyper-critical. First may be
mentioned the _Pyramides Hotel_ on Sarandí at the corner of
Ituzaingó, near the Plaza Constitución, highly spoken of. Well known
is the _Grand Hotel Lanatta_ facing the same plaza; the _Oriental
Hotel_, the _Central_, the _Globe_, the _Florida_, are all
available, close to the center of the city.
A clean, homelike, and agreeable city is Montevideo, most attractive
as a place of residence, and preferred by many to the great
metropolis farther up the river, with its million more inhabitants.
About the size of our own capital, Washington, it is large enough
for all practical purposes, and is the home of a wide-awake
community. Several days should be devoted to the various objects of
interest, which include parks, suburban and seaside resorts of great
beauty and elegance.
Sight-seeing may be commenced with a stroll in the center of the
city, after which excursions by car or carriage will be in order. As
in Buenos Aires, the cars are conveniently numbered, which renders
the service especially valuable to strangers.
_Plaza Constitución_, sometimes called the Matríz, is a good place
to begin. Of the twelve large plazas, this, with several others, has
a pretty garden occupying the center. On the east side is the
_Cabildo_, a quaint old building now used for the Legislative
Assemblies, the only building of historic importance in the city,
which is practically all new. Opposite is the _Cathedral_ with
towers 133 feet high. To the handsome interior, paintings and other
decorations have recently been added, and there is a sweet-toned
organ. On the south side next to the Lanatta Hotel is the _Uruguay
Club_, which is handsomely housed, its imposing salon for receptions
and balls the occasional rendezvous of the _élite_ of the city. On
the north side of the plaza is the home of the _English Club_.
On the _Plaza Independencia_ not far away, reached by the calle
Sarandí, is the Government Palace containing the offices of the
President and Ministers, presently to be superseded by a splendid
structure on the principal avenue, 18 de Julio. Just off the corner
of this plaza is the _Solis Theater_, with a handsome Ionic front, a
rather ancient building for Montevideo, more than fifty years old,
its right wing housing the Museum. The theater which has recently
been remodeled, now seating over 3000, is one of the fine
establishments of South America, though rivaled in Montevideo by the
newer theater Urquiza, corner of Andes and Mercedes, which was
inaugurated by Bernhardt in 1905. In one or the other of these have
appeared nearly all of the most noted European artists, at least of
the Latin races, stars of the drama and of the opera both. The
people are great lovers of the theater and more than 2000
performances are given in a single year with about two million
spectators.
The _Museum_ includes a considerable collection of specimens of the
natural history and geology of the country; many relics of the
native Indian tribes now altogether extinct, such as hundreds of
stone bolos and other weapons, with primitive utensils; souvenirs of
the colonial wars, and some paintings by artists of Uruguay and
Europe.
The new _Legislative Palace_ on the Avenida Agraciada is a
magnificent building with two fine plazas in the front and the rear,
and space on all sides. The basement will contain fire-proof
chambers for the archives, and rooms for lighting, heat, and
service. The ground floor has a great vestibule and a corridor 55
feet wide extending to the rear of the building, crossed by three
others 10 or 12 feet wide. Near the entrance are quarters for the
guard of honor, and farther in are rooms for police, telephone and
telegraph, wardrobes, and other purposes. On the front a great
marble staircase 55 feet wide leads up from the ground to the
entrance on the main floor. Pedestals with costly bronze statues are
designed to divide the staircase into three sections. Two ramps, one
on each side of the stairway, permit the ascent of vehicles to the
main entrance in front of a large hall, Pasos Perdidos, 55 feet wide
and 160 long, embellished with columns, and with a staircase leading
to the floor above. The two large chambers for the Senate and the
Representatives, one on each side, are 66 feet in diameter and two
stories in height, with galleries for the Press and the public. In
the front of the building are salons for the President and the
Ministers, with private rooms, and at the sides and back are rooms
for the officials of Congress. The design was one of the Argentine
architect, Meano, modified to suit local taste and conditions. The
building, which was to cost $2,000,000, is expected to be complete
in 1914.
[Illustration:
NEW LEGISLATIVE PALACE, MONTEVIDEO
]
Other interesting buildings are those of the _University_, the
School of Arts and Trades, and the Agricultural Institute. There are
two groups of new University buildings, erected at a cost of
$2,000,000; the one on the Ave. 18 de Julio containing the central
offices of administration with the _Schools of Law and Commerce_,
the other, the several buildings containing the Medical School, the
Chemistry Building, and housings for the Institute of Hygiene,
Physiology, etc. The _Administration Building_ occupies an entire
block between Caigna and Yaro, where formerly was the School of Arts
and Trades. Of classical Italian architecture, with two stories and
a high basement, it contains ten class rooms seating from 50 to 100
each, two halls seating 200, and one accommodating 800. There is a
law library of 30,000 volumes, one of the best in South America,
while for the present the _National Library_ also is in the
building. The large _high school_ occupies a handsome structure
covering most of the block south, facing on Lavalleja. It is well
fitted up with laboratories, gymnasium with baths and rest room,
class rooms light and airy, and with all modern scholarly and
hygienic equipment.
The _Medical School_ occupies the block formerly the Plaza Sarandí,
being surrounded by the streets Uruguayana, Ladislao Terra, Yatay
and Marelino Sosa, not far from the new Congressional Palace. There
are three separate buildings which are arranged and fitted up in a
style which would meet the demands of such an institution anywhere.
The central part of the main building is occupied by the various
offices, council chamber, library, and reading room, a hall seating
1000, etc.; one wing is devoted to the Institute of Physiology, the
other to that of Anatomy. The _Department of Chemistry_ has a fine
building on Ladislao Terra and Yatay, the _Department of Hygiene_,
one on Ladislao Terra and Uruguayana.
Other Schools which might be connected with the University but which
have a distinct organization are the Agricultural and the
_Veterinary_. The latter is a little farther out on one of the
principal avenues of the outer city, the Larrañaga, with grounds
covering 30 acres. It will ultimately include a number of buildings
for the various departments, Laboratories, Clinics, Autopsies, etc.,
but at present is confined to laboratories, class rooms, and hall
for clinics. The _School of Agriculture_ is a fine large building in
the suburb of Sayago, 45 minutes by electrics from the center of the
city, fare 10 cents. The edifice contains excellent laboratories,
class rooms, and general offices, and is doing an important work of
great value to the country. The four-story building near the harbor
landing, formerly occupied by the University, is now used as an
Engineering School.
A _Pedagogical Museum_ of considerable interest to one with some
knowledge of educational problems and work, is on the north side of
the Plaza Libertad next to the _Athenaeum_, an institution of much
literary and scientific importance in Montevideo.
Another educational edifice which some may be glad to visit is one
which houses both the _Military Academy_ and the _Naval School_. The
situation is a convenient one on the edge of the city with grounds
covering 30 acres, yet only 15 minutes by electric car from the
center of the town. The building with a façade 250 feet long fronts
on Ave. Garibaldi, but sets back 60 feet allowing space for a pretty
garden. In the left wing are the class rooms of the Military School,
in the right those of the Naval. On the next floor are dormitories,
baths, etc. In the center are rooms common to both, a casino,
fencing-room, and a large hall for festal occasions. Above is a
tower with steel cupola for the Astronomical Observatory. In the
rear are great depots, naval and military, a large gymnasium, a
swimming tank, 100 by 150 feet, stables, hospitals, a riding course,
athletic field, etc. On the inside, covered galleries permit passage
from one building to another in the rain; the U shaped constructions
surround a large space ornamented with trees. There is excellent
ventilation in the main building, windows on both sides, so that in
class and in the infirmary each student enjoys much more air space
than the highest amount prescribed.
The _School of Arts and Trades_ in San Salvador street, between
Minas and Magallanes, may be reached by cars 36 and 46.
Other institutions which may be visited are the _Penitentiary_, the
Markets, and the Cemeteries. The first may not interest every
tourist; but if one desires to see a model construction of this
category, arranged according to the most modern tenets of penal
science and of hygiene, the opportunity here presented should be
seized. It has a fine situation near the river on Punta Carreta (30
minutes by Car No. 35, fare 8 cts.), especially open to the
southeast winds well ventilating courts and interiors. The
rectangular plan was preferred to the radial. Back of the
administration building is the entrance to the prison proper, which
is surrounded by a great wall nearly 40 feet high. Here a military
guard is placed. On one side of a central corridor is the kitchen
and bakery, on the other, the laundry. Separated by a large court
from these is the prison house with 384 well lighted cells, each 13
feet long, 8 wide, and over 10 feet high, furnished with iron
folding bed, book shelf, bench, and porcelain bowl and seat. Opening
on a corridor 20 feet wide, the cells are arranged in 4 stories, to
which lead marble and iron staircases and elevators. Fifty baths are
at the service of the prisoners, who may choose either warm water or
sea water for their ablutions. Workshops of eight classes are
provided for the convicts: iron and tin work, carpentry, broom and
shoe making, printing, and book binding. Two patios, 160 by 220
feet, afford space for recreation, and there is room within the
enclosure for two more prison houses if at any time they are needed.
Every one likes to see _Markets_ if not prisons. Of these there are
four, most important, the new market _Agricola_ for wholesale trade,
built of iron except for the base wall, and roofed with glass
according to the Dion system, the construction covering 65,000
square feet with a central height of 72 feet. Provision is made for
the entrance and circulation of carts; four galleries 45 feet wide
surrounding the large central open space provide shelter for
attendants and for the service of the market.
Of the four cemeteries, the _Central_ at the foot of Yaguaron street
is called the best; the _Buceo_, which is the largest, may be
reached by Car 39, and by Car 38 which runs to the suburb _Union_,
passing the Buceo and the beautiful _British_ Cemetery adjoining.
All of these are finely situated on a bluff above the water. They
are adorned with trees and flowers, and contain many fine monuments,
some of which are sculptured by noted artists.
The Parks and Watering Places, most important features of Montevideo
life, have perhaps been left too long; they are attractions of the
highest rank which no one should overlook, however short his stay.
The largest and finest park is called the _Prado_, which contains
also the _National Botanical Gardens_. One may here roam for miles
among immense magnificent trees, half a century old, sheltering
smaller palms and bamboos, flowering shrubs, and beautiful gardens;
here too are lakes and grottoes, vegetation of cool and of warmer
climes, a region more delightful on account of the hills and hollows
with which it is diversified, in pleasing contrast to the flatness
of the Argentine shore. The park, which is surrounded by villas and
chalets, is approached by three fine avenues and may be reached by
three lines of cars, 2, 44, and 47 (8 cts. fare) in 25 minutes.
A little nearer the city and on the other side, close to the ocean,
is _Parque Urbano_, served in a ride of 20 minutes by six lines of
cars, Nos. 5, 6, 7, 33, 36, and 46, with 4 cts. fare. This is a most
popular recreation ground, a large park with trees, flowers, lakes,
pretty bridges, etc., a great circular avenue, a theater of
novelties, and near the entrance on the side towards the sea a
_pavilion_ where popcorn is made and sold by a fine young man and
his happy looking wife, both from the United States. Popcorn is a
new and popular article of food for the natives; every _American_
will certainly wish to buy some. Business is good and the young
couple enjoy the place and the people, though now expecting to come
home some day. The seashore in front is called _Playa Ramirez_, a
fine bathing resort. On the sands stand a multitude of little
bath-houses on wheels, which a horse draws out into the water, thus
permitting less display of gay bathing costumes or of bathers than
on our own beaches, a custom with obvious advantages. The men
generally go in on one side of the iron pier, the women and children
on the other.
Close to the Park and the Beach is an imposing hotel and casino,
four stories high, the _Urbano_, with 300 rooms, a great dining
hall, and other salons, called the finest and most luxurious hotel
in South America. It was erected at a cost of $600,000, and since it
was opened in 1909 it has been a point of attraction to many of the
best Argentine society, as well as to the people of Uruguay.
[Illustration:
SOLIS THEATRE
]
[Illustration:
GOVERNMENT PALACE
]
_Pocitos_, a little farther out, is another much frequented bathing
resort. The Thursday and Sunday concerts at both beaches attract
thousands. In the vicinity are many fine residences. A splendid
esplanade along the shore leads to _Trouville_, another beach
beyond. Pocitos, the most fashionable of the resorts, also has a
hotel of the first rank.
On the port side of the city many improvements have been made and
more are planned. Along the south side of the promontory a fine
esplanade is to be constructed to extend also along the east shore
to Ramirez and Pocitos in the manner of the Avenida Beira Mar at Rio
de Janeiro. Pocitos, a 30 minutes’ run, is served by the cars 31 and
37, fare 8 cts.
Under the head of parks may be included the _Zoological Gardens_ at
Villa Dolores (cars 38 and 39, time 20 minutes, fare 8 cts.), a
private property, but open to the public for a small fee. In
addition to a considerable collection of animals, unusually
extensive in the line of birds and domestic fowls, there are various
artistic features, artificial grottoes, lakes, waterfalls, imitation
of classical ruins, etc. A rather original feature is a little
cemetery of various animals, their graves marked by life-size
sculptures: lions, dogs, a rabbit, a cock, even a huge anaconda, a
curious collection. The entrance fees are devoted to charitable
institutions of the city.
The _Hippodrome_ and horse races, if not quite equaling the grand
display at Buenos Aires, are in excellent style; the accommodations
are elegant and luxurious, and the races under the direction of the
local Jockey Club are fashionable events where many notable horses
have appeared. The receipts are in the neighborhood of $2,000,000
annually, the prizes in 1910 were over $400,000. The Hippodrome,
established in 1888 at the suburb Maroñas, may be reached by Cars
13, 17, and 51 after a 45 minutes’ ride, for the sum of 10 cts.
Races occur on days of _fiesta_ from the first Sunday in March to
the middle of January. During the short vacation the horses rest and
take sea-baths at Buceo beach near by. At the gala events, when
15,000 people may be present, elegant toilets are much in evidence,
with many automobiles and carriages. The betting is said not to be
carried to such an excess as in some other places, practiced not as
a means of livelihood but as a pastime, as people bet only what they
can afford. A members’ stand was recently erected at a cost of
$60,000. In the same direction is the _Parque Central_, a ground for
athletic sports, served by Cars 51 and 52 in 25 minutes at a cost of
6 cts. The people are fond of sports, and football is a high
favorite; 10,000 persons may attend matches.
The _Immigrants’ Hotel_ on Bella Vista Beach, opened July 18, 1908,
is an excellent institution, capable of receiving 1000 guests, and
containing all suitable offices.
In mentioning these points of interest several suburbs have been
spoken of, but others should if possible be visited, as these form
one of the great attractions of the city. One of the most enjoyable
and important of these excursions is to the _Cerro_, a hill
overlooking the bay, to be reached in 55 minutes by No. 16 car, fare
14 cts., or by ferry from the landing every half hour, fare 10 cts.
It is well to go one way and return another. While the hill is not
very high and is easily climbed it is notable for several reasons.
It was the occasion of the name, Montevideo, _I see a mountain_; it
is the first true hill on the banks of the Plata, and, far more
wonderful, it is the last (so Mr. Koebel says), for over 1000 miles;
since the river Paraná, as well as the Plata, flows through a very
flat country and the next hill is close to Asunción in Paraguay.
Other hills there are in Uruguay and higher, but these are along the
Atlantic coast and not on the rivers. From the Cerro there is a
varied panorama, worth seeing if one has time to devote to the
excursion—on one side the bay, the city on the promontory, lapping
over on the mainland, the coast line, and the ocean slightly blue;
on the other the level shore and the yellowish brown river.
Of the nearer suburbs the Paso Molino on the way to the Prado is one
of the best residential districts. The suburb of Colón, car 41 (60
minutes, 14 cts.), is one of the prettiest; this car passes through
Sayago suburb where the Agricultural Institute is situated. The ride
is a charming one, with pretty _quintas_ all along (houses set in
their own gardens), and at Colón restaurants, pleasure gardens, and
miles of avenues of stately eucalyptus trees.
=Other Towns.= If one has time for more distant excursions there are
a number of places which deserve a visit, some of these more
accessible from Buenos Aires. The old town of _Colonia_, to which
boats often run from the Argentine capital, is across the river, and
three miles from that old-fashioned, quiet city is a new resort
called _Real de San Carlos_, where a great hotel is planned and
where some attractions are already installed, a bull ring, though
the fights are now discontinued, another ring for _pelota_, a fine,
sandy bathing beach, a modest hotel.
The great _Liebig Establishment_, its products of world-wide fame,
situated at Fray Bentos on the Uruguay River, is also easily visited
from Buenos Aires. This Company, now with a capital of $5,000,000,
with _estancias_ in Paraguay and in several provinces of Argentina,
established its first factory at _Fray Bentos_ in 1865. Since that
time, in addition to enormous development there, another large plant
has been created, 10 miles farther up the river, but on the other
side, in Argentina. Their beef extract, their Oxo capsules, and
their Lemco have a deserved reputation the world over, as for these
productions the best of meat only is used, instead of the leavings
of poor or diseased meat said to be employed in some other
establishments. All of the products are obliged to undergo a strict
test in order to have the use of the Liebig name. For their
employees, 1500 in number, pleasant homes are provided, medical
attendance, schools for the children, recreation grounds, etc.
From Montevideo excursions may easily be made to two unique resorts
in Maldonado, the next State east of Canelones in which the capital
is situated. Both of them face the broad Atlantic, though still on
the south shore. Especially should every lover of nature, of plants
and trees, improve this opportunity. Not money-making
pleasure-grounds are these, but each the labor of love of a
Uruguayan gentleman of public spirit and of great wealth.
=Punta Ballena= has been converted into an Eden by Antonio D.
Lussich, founder of the first life-saving station in America. A
natural diversity has been intensified by art. The Point by a ridge
is divided into two parts—on the east are green meadows, lakes,
woods, and animals; on the west, nature is stern and savage with
rocks and barren sands, grottoes, etc. On a height which commands a
view of the Punta del Este, the sea, the Lobos Island and
Lighthouse, Señor Lussich has constructed a residence with a
beautiful garden in which roses are a specialty, and a wonderful
park including among the reputed two million trees the finest
collection of eucalyptus in South America, more than 100 varieties.
=Piriapolis.= Probably even more worthy of a visit is Piriapolis, to
which a railroad has recently been opened. Francisco Piria,
possessor of an immense estate in this region, in addition to
beautifying a portion, has initiated a reform now being followed by
others. He sells on easy terms to the poor considerable tracts for
cultivation. The city which he has laid out on the seashore is
called an enchanted region unlike any other. Surrounded by mountains
in the form of a horse-shoe open to the sea, it is arranged with
avenues 100 feet wide and with twenty plazas. A still wider avenue
five miles long, in part macadamized, bordered by large trees,
crosses the entire property. On the city streets are 40,000 tall
eucalyptus trees twenty years old, arranged in perfect lines. The
beach, the finest on La Plata River, beautifully smooth, so that
children can bathe in safety, has an area of 150 acres. Around the
city, and in one large grove are several million trees, 15 to 20
years old, some, 120 feet high. The hotel, called the finest in the
country, has 140 elegantly furnished suites with great salons and
dining hall, a portico 250 feet long. In front a beautiful park
overlooks the ocean; at the sides is the _Park of Roses_, where
Señor Piria has planted 30,000 rose trees. Besides these there are
groves of willows, walks, and a trellis more than a quarter of a
mile long, affording grateful shade. Close by is a Casino four
stories high with a 300-foot front. An artesian well supplies daily
10,000 gallons of good water. All modern conveniences are provided,
such as the latest electric and laundry devices.
Two hills separate this beach from the next. On _Cerro Ingles_ is a
Fountain of the Virgin, of mineral water which has constructed a
stalactite grotto. On the _Cerro de los Toros_ is another mineral
spring. High up among grottoes and cascades, in a semi-circular wall
of rocks, is a bronze bull of double size, weighing nearly three
tons, with a stream of clear water from the rocks above issuing from
its mouth. On the same hill is a Greek temple to Aphrodite 30 feet
high, the cupola supported by six marble columns; in the center a
bronze Venus with a jug under her arm from which will pour daily
5000 gallons of mineral water. All of the spring waters have been
analyzed and pronounced good for dyspepsia. At the summit of this
_Cerro de los Toros_ is a kind of crater, at the bottom of which, to
be seen only from the top of the hill, are woods and meadows. On the
_Pan de Azucar_, one of the surrounding mountains, sheltered by a
natural wall of granite, is a row of colossal palms. A chalet has
here been erected for the benefit of youths making an excursion. On
the Cerro Ingles as well, there is a chalet for tourists. The
mountains around, of much interest, are also a source of great
wealth, being composed of superb porphyry, black with veins red or
white, red with black veins, green with white, about 50 beautiful
varieties. The Pan de Azucar, nearly 2000 feet tall, alone is of
rich granite, with blocks 200 and 250 feet high, from which
monoliths may be taken. Señor Piria has in this section a ranch with
blooded cattle, a tract of vineyards, a grove of 10,000 olive trees,
and a chateau and other buildings erected at a cost of $100,000. The
place is three hours from Montevideo by sea and now that it is
accessible in two hours by rail, it will soon become widely known as
a resort of extraordinary charms.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXVII
BRAZIL—ALONG THE COAST TO SANTOS
The extent of the great country, the exact title of which is the
United States of Brazil, most of us hardly realize. With fifteen
times the area of France, it covers more ground than the United
States without Alaska and our more recent acquisitions, is larger
than the whole of Europe, and is fifth in size (Percy Martin says
third) among the nations of the world. While now it contains barely
22 millions of inhabitants, about five to the square mile, the great
scientist and explorer Humboldt once prophesied that it would in the
future be the most thickly settled portion of the globe, since from
the richly productive nature of the soil life may there be supported
with small exertion.
Of a somewhat triangular shape, Brazil extends a distance of 2600
miles from north to south and 2700 from east to west. Although in
large part under or near the equator and without lofty mountains, it
yet has considerable elevation, averaging 2000 to 3000 feet over
more than half of its territory; not enough to occasion extreme cold
anywhere, but sufficient to induce a more healthful and comfortable
climate in such sections. Bordering on every South American country
except Chile and Ecuador, it is favorably situated for having
intimate commercial relations with all, when its settlements have
spread out in every direction, instead of being chiefly in districts
near the coast, with a few in the Amazon valley.
HISTORICAL
Accidentally discovered by Europeans within ten years after the
first landing of Columbus on Western soil, some years elapsed
before it received a permanent settlement. Pedro Álvarez Cabral,
a Portuguese nobleman, by good fortune holds the honor of having
in 1500 first beheld the most eastern shores of the American
continent. Sailing from Lisbon for the East Indies with a fleet
of vessels, Cabral was instructed by Vasco da Gama who had made
the first all-sea voyage to that region to bear away to the
southwest, in order to avoid the frequent calms off the coast of
Guinea, until he should reach 34° south latitude when he should
turn east. While following these directions, on the 2d of May
Cabral sighted a mountain which, as it was Easter week, he
called Paschoal. The next day he anchored off shore of the
present State of Bahia, to commemorate which event, May 3 is a
Brazilian national holiday and the date of the assembling of
Congress. Ten days Cabral remained at anchor taking formal
possession of the land, and having some communication with the
Indians who appeared friendly. On the news reaching Portugal in
the fall, another expedition was at once sent out and the coast
was explored almost to La Plata, nearly 2000 miles, by Amerigo
Vespucci, who was, however, disappointed by finding no wealth of
gold or silver and no civilized inhabitants. The only article of
immediate value seemed to be brazilwood which, furnishing a
bright red dye, was in demand in Europe. Thus the land was
called the Country of Brazilwood, soon shortened to Brazil.
The name America later bestowed upon the land which Vespucci
explored, and which _he_ first declared to be not a part of the
Orient but a separate continent, was afterwards extended to
include the northern half. Thus it seems peculiarly unfortunate
that we should arrogate to ourselves the title of being _the_
Americans, our only apology for so doing being the fact that we
have no other name by which we can be called, a fact, however,
which does not entitle us to forget that _there are others_.
The first real settlement by the Portuguese was made in January,
1532, at São Vicente near the port of Santos, soon after which a
second post was established on the high land above, in the
vicinity of São Paulo. Subsequently grants were made by King
John III of Captaincies, twelve in number, each, one hundred
fifty miles along the coast; these beginning at the mouth of the
Amazon and extending south to the island of Santa Catharina. Six
permanent colonies were founded, but the only ones early
amounting to much were Pernambuco and São Paulo, later Bahia and
Rio de Janeiro.
The Jesuits, who were prominent in the early settlements, gave
particular attention to Christianizing the Indians, bringing
them into settlements under their jurisdiction and instructing
them both in agriculture and in various industrial arts. Their
labors were chiefly in the States of São Paulo and Minas. As
their system interfered with the exploitation of the Indians by
the Paulistas these attacked the Jesuit settlements, within
twenty-five years, it is said, killing 300,000 of the natives,
and finally destroying all the Jesuit settlements on the upper
Paraná.
In 1558 a nobleman, Mem da Sa, a soldier, scholar, and able
administrator, as Governor, succeeded in consolidating the
government of the various colonies and in establishing the
Portuguese power on a firm basis, in spite of difficulties with
Indians and with French settlers. In 1581 Philip II of Spain by
obtaining the crown of Portugal became also the ruler of Brazil.
During the sixty years of Spanish domination the expansion of
Brazil to the west in territory which had been assigned to Spain
was permitted, as a matter of no importance, later, however to
involve unforeseen consequences.
In the seventeenth century there were years of struggle against
the Dutch who first, in 1623, captured Bahia, to lose it in
1627; in 1630 they captured Pernambuco which they retained
twenty-five years, at one time having under their control
two-thirds of the population and developed resources of Brazil,
Bahia and the southern provinces alone remaining in the hands of
the Portuguese. Portugal having meanwhile recovered its
independence from Spain, the Brazilians made continued efforts
under the leadership of John Fernandez to expel the Dutch. At
last they succeeded and January 26, 1655, the latter signed a
capitulation for the surrender of Pernambuco and all other
holdings in the country. This struggle fostered the development
of a national spirit among the colonies, while the fact that the
coast was held by the Dutch impelled the opening of land routes
of communication in the interior. Cattle ranges became numerous,
rumors of gold were heard, and in 1690 the Morro Velho, one of
the great gold mines of the world, was discovered.
The eighteenth century saw many conflicts in the south, in Rio
Grande and Uruguay, but in 1777 peace was declared with
boundaries as at present. During this period occurred a literary
development, six of the leading Portuguese poets appearing, not
in Rio, but in Minas, twenty days on muleback from the coast. In
1807, John, Prince Regent of Portugal, came over, fleeing, with
his court and with much property, from Napoleon. Received with
enthusiasm, he opened to commerce the five great ports,
encouraged literature, art, science, and education, and the
immigration of foreigners, thus inaugurating a movement which
gradually transformed the country. After the fall of Napoleon,
Prince John, returning in 1821 to Portugal, left his son Pedro
in charge, with the hint that if there was any likelihood of
Brazil asserting her independence, as the Spanish provinces had
done, he should put the crown on his own head. This on October
12, 1822, he did, being crowned Constitutional Emperor of
Brazil. The separation from the Mother Country occurred without
bloodshed in Rio, while from the remaining ports the Portuguese
garrisons were expelled with little difficulty. Troubles came
afterward. Pedro, regardless of the constitution, attempted to
be a despot. After quelling a revolt in the north, becoming
involved in war with Argentina which ended with the independence
of Uruguay, and having alienated his earlier supporters, he was
compelled in 1831 to abdicate in favor of his infant son. Stormy
times continued so that after a nine years’ regency Pedro II,
when only fifteen, was proclaimed of age and took the throne.
Nine years more were required for the pacification of the whole
country, when prosperity of all kinds followed. In spite of the
expensive war with Paraguay and other drawbacks, commerce
increased, general industry developed, and political reforms
were instituted. In 1888 during the absence of Dom Pedro in
Europe a bill for the abolition of slavery, having passed both
Houses of Congress, was signed by Princess Isabella as Regent.
In 1889 the old Emperor, who had returned, was summarily
expelled, without even twenty-four hours’ notice to gather
together his belongings; the diffusion of republican ideas among
the soldiery making the revolution possible without bloodshed. A
Provisional Government instituted many reforms, organized the
Provinces into States, established universal suffrage, the
separation of Church and State, etc. A Congress was assembled in
February, 1891, a constitution was adopted, and Deodoro was
elected President. Extravagance and insurrections followed, then
financial distress which reached its height in 1900. Since that
period the country has advanced rapidly in wealth, population,
and in all other lines of development.
The individual States are less closely bound together than with
us, and have greater power, being able to fix export and import
taxes against each other.
Before embarking at Montevideo for Brazil it is wise to procure a
little Brazilian money, which is more troublesome than any other. A
milreis is about 33 cents; but instead of having 100 cents in what
might be called their dollar they have 1000 reis. Five hundred reis
sounds like a good deal; to pay 200 or 300 for car fare appears
quite exorbitant; but remembering that 100 reis is only 3⅓ cents it
seems more reasonable.
The large majority of tourists will embark at Montevideo for Santos
in one of the fine ships of the Lamport & Holt Line, the Hamburg
American, or the _A_ boats of the Royal Mail, all of which are
comfortable, even luxurious. Ten days _must_ be allowed, and from
twenty to thirty will be enjoyed in the delightful cities of São
Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazil is an immense country, larger, we
must remember, than the United States proper, and to see São Paulo
and Rio only, affords little more knowledge of the Republic than a
glimpse of New York and Boston gives of ours; yet in a four months’
tour of the continent, that is all that can be arranged. The
traveler with more time at his command may find pleasure and profit
in visiting other portions of the great Republic. This may be done,
so far as Southern Brazil is concerned, in two different ways. The
tourist may take at Montevideo one of the boats of the Brazilian
Lloyd Line, which call at the principal ports all along the coast,
and thus journeying in complete comfort, may visit many prosperous
cities, where he will be astonished by the high degree apparent, of
culture, of business energy, and of rapid growth and progress. Or,
if preferring as long as possible to avoid the sea, he may proceed
from Montevideo to Rio all the way by land, and thus gain some idea
of the great interior country, here so different from the vast
Argentine plain, with much variety in scenery and enormous
possibilities for future development.
This railway journey at present requires four or five days to São
Paulo, more time than by express steamer, and involves more fatigue
and hardship. At last accounts there were no through sleepers, the
road in places was rough and dusty and altogether slow. The distance
to Rio is nearly 2000 miles. But on a new road through a rapidly
developing country, quick changes and improvements may be looked
for, and by the time any of my readers is ready for the overland
journey, it is highly probable that it may be made in three days,
perhaps in through sleepers. In one of these, the tourist may now
set out from Montevideo, where details as to the comforts and
duration of the journey may best be secured. The entire region is
scantily peopled all the way to São Paulo and there is no unusual or
striking scenery, except in ascending to the plateau beyond Santa
Maria in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and in the descent to the
town of União in the Iguassú Valley. Along the route traveled,
Uruguay and Southern Brazil show a pretty country of rolling pasture
land to Passo Fundo in Rio Grande do Sul; then comes a hilly
district covered with primeval forest, chiefly pine, to Ponta Grossa
in Paraná and beyond, and in the State of São Paulo highlands,
agricultural and pastoral. A few villages of from 500 to 5000 people
are scattered along the way, with two towns, Santa Maria and Ponta
Grossa, of about 15,000 each. Within a few years it is possible that
a cross railroad, already planned, will be built from São Francisco
on the coast to União, the station above referred to in the Iguassú
Valley, and thence onward to the Iguassú Falls and Asunción. When
this road is finished it may be desirable to visit Montevideo from
Buenos Aires; returning thither one might go by rail or steamer to
Rosario and Asunción, then across to the Iguassú Falls and on by
rail to União and thence proceed to São Paulo. A coast railway is
now planned between Rio and Porto Alegre (963 miles) by which it is
expected that the journey will be made in 25 hours.
=Rio Grande do Sul.= By a coasting steamer, one will first visit the
State of Rio Grande do Sul, the most southern in Brazil, well away
from the tropics, hence with a temperate climate, much like that of
Georgia, and largely settled by Germans. For a State with
considerable seaboard, the location of its three chief cities on a
fresh water lake or lagoon may at first appear curious, yet of
course there is a reason. The coast being flat and generally sandy
the best harbor is the lagoon, separated from the sea by a sandy
spit of land only a few miles wide. The entrance, a narrow strait
near the south end, has a considerable sand-bar on which engineers
have been at work to secure a passage 33 feet deep, affording
ingress to large ocean steamers. This will greatly augment the
present important commerce. The larger steamers now entering go only
to the city _Rio Grande do Sul_ at the southern extremity of the
Lagõa dos Patos, Lagoon of the Ducks, named from one of the tribes
earlier inhabiting this region. The town has fine wide streets, many
handsome buildings, and in the Praça Tamandaré, on which stands the
Post Office and _Public Library_, one unique feature: the only
_monument_ in Brazil, it is said, _commemorating the freeing of the
slaves_. The citizens are justly proud of their Library of 40,000
volumes, probably the best south of São Paulo, and of the fact that
they possess the _oldest newspaper_ in _Brazil_ except the _Jornal
do Comercio_ of Rio.
=Porto Alegre.= As the Lagoon is 150 miles long (30 wide), it is a
long sail, 12 hours, to Porto Alegre, the capital and chief town of
the State at the northern end. Three hours from Rio Grande a call is
made at the pleasant town of _Pelotas_, beyond which there is little
to see on account of the width of the lagoon. The beef industry in
the form of salt beef factories is a chief feature of the prosperity
of Pelotas, and rows of beef strips hung up in the sun to dry, with
an occasional factory, may be seen for miles along the shore. Porto
Alegre, settled in 1742 by colonists from the Azores, after the
Prussian Revolution in 1848 received many Germans, so that
one-fourth of its 100,000 inhabitants are now of German descent. The
town has some handsome public buildings, including a City Hall with
marble columns from native quarries, and some that are old and ugly.
A large stone building near the quay houses the public market, where
fruit, vegetables, dairy products, etc., are sold at modest prices
in comparison with those at Buenos Aires and Rio. The climate is
healthful, with some freezing weather in the winter, and snow in the
mountainous section inland. Minerals are found in the State,
including coal, but the chief wealth is cattle; not the blooded
stock of Argentina but good enough for jerked beef. Also
agricultural products are important, one settlement, chiefly of
Italians, exporting annually a million dollars’ worth. A beautiful
waterfall 400 feet high called Herval may be visited a few hours
from Sapyranga on the railway between Porto Alegre and Taquara.
Going north from Rio Grande the steamers of the Brazilian Lloyd and
the Costeira lines call in the next State, Santa Catharina, at its
capital _Florianopolis_, one of the most picturesque of Brazilian
cities, on an island of the same name. Facing the mainland five
miles across the Strait, with a background of hills rising from 1000
to 3000 feet, it is a charming contrast to the more level country
previously visited. In the principal plaza a stone monument with a
pyramid of cannon balls at the top commemorates those who, as
Volunteers, perished in the Paraguayan War. Though a town of 30,000
people it is a quiet place where they mostly stay at home evenings
and go to bed by ten o’clock. A little farther north, the port of
_São Francisco_, called the best south of Santos, from the building
of the Iguassú, Paraguay, and other railways is destined to be of
great importance.
=Paranaguá.= In the State of Paraná, one of the most beautiful of
Brazil, detached in 1858 from the State of São Paulo, a call is made
at Paranaguá, its chief seaport, from which _yerba mate_, grown in
the interior, is an especially important export. In this State and
the next, the larger and pleasanter cities are on the high land in
the interior. The low semi-tropical strip along the shore is
separated from the plateau region within by the Serra do Mar or
Coast Range, extending far north very near the shore. Rivers, like
the Iguassú and Paraná, rising almost within sight of the Atlantic,
flow thousands of miles to increase the waters of La Plata. The
capital city, _Curytiba_, with 50,000 inhabitants, may be visited by
rail from Paranaguá, a delightful four hours’ journey of 60 miles,
among the valleys and up the slopes of the hills and mountains of
the Serra do Mar, the climb to an altitude of 3000 feet being made
without cogs or cables, by means of high trestles, bridges, and 17
tunnels. The journey is said to surpass in beauty the better known
ride from Santos to São Paulo, presenting a variety of natural
scenery seldom found in so short a trip, along with rich
semi-tropical vegetation, pine forests, and manifestations of
industrial development. The State spends more in proportion upon
education than does any other in Brazil. It possesses unlimited
resources in cattle, agriculture, mines, and forests. The pine tree
of Brazil, the _Araucaria brasiliensis_, especially prominent in
this State, differs greatly in appearance from pines in the United
States. They are a striking feature of the landscape, growing with a
single straight trunk, sometimes 125 feet, with a diameter of six
feet. Thus they somewhat resemble a palm, though crowned at the top
with branches in shape like a bowl, bare to the end, where globes of
dark crispy green leaves recall a candelabrum. All parts of the tree
are useful; the fruit is edible, the nut is used to manufacture
buttons, and the wood, for building and other purposes.
Beyond Curytiba the road goes on to meet the through line from
Montevideo at Ponta Grossa. Not far from the junction is a curiosity
called _Villa Velha_, old village, reminding of the Garden of the
Gods, but even more remarkable. The reddish rocks of sandstone have
had part of their formation cut away by time and water, leaving
rocks which resemble houses, walls, or ruins, some, 300 feet high
like castles and towers, with low bushes growing among them, the
whole having the appearance of an abandoned city. Curytiba, like São
Paulo, though much smaller, is a wide-awake, modern city with
handsome buildings, hotels, etc., and a boarding and day school
conducted by two American ladies. An important industry is the
preparation of _yerba mate_ for market, 20 large mills existing for
this purpose in various parts of the state. The _mate_ profits
sometimes reach 100 per cent.
In the vicinity of _Antonina_, a pretty town on the same bay as
Paranaguá, is a curiosity called _sambaquys_, mounds, 71 in number,
the work of a prehistoric race containing skeletons, pieces of
pottery and of polished stone of varying aspect, apparently
indicating a progress in culture through generations. Unfortunately
many of these remains have been put to the prosaic use of making
lime, but some near Lagõa Santa still await the archæologist and the
ethnologist.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXVIII
SANTOS AND SÃO PAULO
The State of São Paulo, called the most progressive, if not the most
important in Brazil, has for its chief seaport the city of Santos,
to which the majority of tourists will have come by express steamer
from Montevideo. Every ship calls at Santos, even coming up to the
docks, so that all must see this city. The only question is whether
or not to go up to São Paulo, distant two hours by rail. This
_should_ be no question. Every one must go if only for the ride and
a glimpse of this prosperous and busy capital, returning the same
afternoon. Fare one way 12$900. Should the steamer’s schedule not
permit of this excursion, one should still go, and either wait over
until the next steamer, a ticket on the Lamport and Holt serving
also on the Royal Mail, or proceed from São Paulo by rail to Rio,
fare 54$500. Or if preferred, one may continue in the same steamer
to Rio, thence return later by rail to São Paulo, and embark at
Santos on his homeward journey, an arrangement which affords certain
advantages. In this way one has the great pleasure of twice entering
the magnificent harbor of Rio, which it were a pity to miss
altogether. On the other hand, journeying by rail from São Paulo one
may, if on the right train, enjoy a wonderful view of the city and
harbor while descending from the plateau above down to sea level.
But as somewhat similar views may be had from Corcovado, Tijuca, and
the road to Petropolis, this is less important and desirable than
the view of Rio from the sea, peculiarly entrancing at early dawn.
To stay over from one weekly steamer to the next is not too much if
one cares to visit a coffee plantation and see a little of the
country; a day or two is better than nothing.
The name of São Paulo, the greatest coffee-producing region of the
world, is less familiar to people generally than that of its
seaport, Santos, as the name Santos is attached to a very small
portion of the coffee thence dispatched to all quarters of the
globe. As almost every one occasionally or regularly drinks coffee,
under the name of Java, Mocha, or another, _which has been grown in
São Paulo_, there is an especial interest in learning something of
the country. São Paulo is an active flourishing State, not at all in
accordance with the general idea of Brazil, chiefly associated with
the hot Amazon basin; it is an upland temperate region of 75,000
square miles, a trifle larger than the whole of New England with New
Jersey added.
Brazil, like most other tropical lands, is fortunate in having a
fair portion of her surface considerably elevated above the sea, and
thus with an agreeable climate of quite temperate character. The
Coast Range, which includes the Serra do Mar extending from Espirito
Santo to Santa Catharina is indeed a godsend to the country,
endowing it, through regions of great extent, with wonderful scenic
beauty, besides modifying the climate; while in São Paulo and Minas
Geraes, a parallel range with two peaks, Itapeva and Marins, 7000
and 8000 feet, confers additional advantage. Between these two
ranges, as also west of the second, the land is high, the lowland
being confined to a narrow strip along the coast. Unlimited water
power, one estimate is 2,000,000 horsepower, now unexploited, is a
valuable asset of the State; for the various tributaries of the
Paraná have a number of large cataracts both useful and beautiful,
the Itapura Fall 1500 feet wide and 40 high, the Avanhandava 50 feet
high, and others. In spite of this the rivers in considerable
stretches are navigable. Besides the cultivation of coffee for which
the State is pre-eminent, sugar, cotton, rice, and tobacco, fruit
and cereals are, or soon will be, important productions.
[Illustration:
PORT OF SANTOS
]
=Santos.= The port of Santos (Hotels, Grande, Washington,
Internacional), called one of the best and most important of the
world, receives annually more than 1500 steamers besides sailing
vessels. The largest ocean liners anchor alongside the quay, which
extends from the São Paulo Railway Station two miles down along the
front of the town. The fine docks were built by a local company,
which in 1892 began the construction, on a base from 10 to 20 feet
thick, of a huge sea wall of granite rising 5 feet above high water
mark. Hydraulic and other machinery is provided to receive and
discharge freight, and commerce has grown rapidly until, in 1911, it
amounted to $160,000,000 exports and $65,000,000 imports.
Santos is an ancient town founded in 1544 or earlier by Braz Cubas.
A hospital established by this gentleman, the first charitable
institution in Brazil, was called Todos os Santos, from which the
name Santos was gradually used to designate the town. After his
death at an advanced age, Braz Cubas was buried in the chapel of the
hospital. Its early origin might seem to indicate that the place was
particularly unhealthy, and it has in fact had a bad reputation as a
seat of yellow fever; but for some years now it has been as
healthful as need be. The State and City authorities, awaking to the
importance of such matters, accomplished the sanitation of the port
by means of a perfect system of drainage and a good water supply.
Though the fact is not apparent, Santos, a city of 70,000 people, is
situated, 3 miles from the ocean, on an island, the northeast shore
of São Vicente; but so close is the island to the mainland that in
the dry season when the river has no water it becomes a peninsula.
On the opposite side of the river-like channel by which ships enter
the harbor, is a larger island, Santo Amaro. It is all very pretty,
as luxuriantly clad hills slope almost to the water’s edge. At the
southwest end of the island, São Vicente, is the old town of that
name, an hour by rail from Santos. Toward the south end are two
popular summer resorts where some of the Santos people, especially
the foreigners, live all the year around, while from the interior
many come down for the summer. At the entrance of the channel called
Guarujá, the fortress of Barra Grande on the east guards the harbor,
while opposite is the suburb of Barra with charming country homes.
Half way up the channel the docks give evidence of commercial
activity. Opposite the city of Santos on the island Santo Amaro,
beyond the hills is the seashore resort _Guarujá_, called the most
picturesque in South America, on a rounded knoll overlooking the
ocean, among higher hills clothed with virgin forest. This
fashionable resort which is reached by means, first, of a short sail
across the channel, then of a half hour’s railway ride, not so grand
or expensive as Mar del Plata, has natural advantages far greater.
Near the white sandy shore are pretty streets lined with chalets and
Queen Anne cottages, a casino, a large hotel with gardens, and
luxuriant natural vegetation; accommodations may be procured here at
reasonable prices, except during the season, when people from all
over Brazil make the place full to overflowing.
At Santos every one goes ashore if only for the few hours that all
ships tarry. The business streets are close by and the pretty
central plaza but a short distance. This old part of the city
between the docks and the 15th of November street preserves the
narrow old-fashioned _alleys_, we should call them, of the colonial
period, by no means unpleasant on a hot day. Although warm, it is
usual to see persons hurrying about, for business is done between
ten and four, a shorter day than in most Brazilian cities; here
imperative, as many business men daily come in the morning from São
Paulo, returning by the afternoon train. A Brazilian writer whose
translator’s English is frequently amusing says, “People do not run,
they fly. The sweat dampens the collars, the converses are resumed
to the exchange of monosyllables, as it is necessary that everything
be finished before the last train starts.” Away from the business
section are broader streets and fine houses, with a hotel called
excellent. Two long wide avenues, Nebia and Anna Costa, crossed by
streets which are gradually being built up, extend towards the sea.
Street cars run in this and other directions, and if time permits it
is a pleasant ride to a pretty seashore suburb with rolling surf and
attractive dwellings at the end of the route.
But now we must climb the Cubatão Hill, we might even say mountain,
to the capital city, by the _São Paulo Railway_. An elevation of
3000 feet is gained in a very short distance, as the Serra do Mar is
indeed close to the shore. The height seems too steep to climb with
any ordinary means, and in fact it is. Extraordinary means are
employed, inclined planes on a much larger scale than we have seen
before, of novel construction and carrying regular railway coaches.
It is a strange and wonderful ride through tropical forests, along
the side of steep inclines of great picturesque beauty. Often when
the region is shrouded in mist a rift therein, disclosing a
tremendous chasm below, has a rather startling effect.
This railway is ranked by experienced British engineers among the
great mechanical achievements of the world, such as the Brooklyn and
Forth bridges. Due to the initiative of Visconde de Mauá, it makes
an ascent of 2600 feet in the short distance of seven miles.
Beginning only 15 feet above the sea five inclined planes with a
grade of eight per cent, each about a mile and a quarter long, serve
for the rapid climb. Four intermediate levels of about 600 feet each
separate the planes; a bankhead at the top is a little longer. Above
each plane is a stationary engine to run the cables, and to grip
these a small special engine is attached to each car. The winding
engines for the cables are built under the track, partly
underground, receiving light from the side. One is surprised to see
two double roads, but the first proving insufficient for the freight
traffic, soon after 1895 a new incline was begun, just above on the
same slope, with improved technical arrangements. The tracks are
very curious. On the inclines each double-track has but three rails
for both up and down, these being 1.6 meters distant one from
another, the middle rail serving for both the ascending and the
descending cars, which obviously do not meet on the inclines, but
may on the intermediate levels. On each side, in the center of the
space between the middle and the outside rails, the pulleys are
fixed which carry the cable. This is an endless steel wire of
enormous strength, run by a 1000 horsepower engine, and capable of
carrying 6 freight or 3 passenger cars at a time. The entire
capacity of the cables is 17,500 tons daily, or under pressure
22,000 tons. These remarkable engineering works as greatly deserve
the attention of the tourist as the scenery. In this short section
there are 16 viaducts, 15 tunnels, and two miles of retaining wall,
with a volume of masonry exceeding 80,000 cubic meters. For one
cutting over 150 feet deep, 300,000 cubic meters of earth was
removed. The Grota Funda viaduct is 334 feet long and nearly 150
feet high in the center. Two viaducts have masonry arches, the rest
steel. A difficult problem was the drainage, and many surface drains
of the extensive system may be observed in passing. The road, though
but 100 miles long, extending from Santos to Judiahy and passing São
Paulo half way is one of the richest in the world. In spite of the
enormous expense involved in its unusual construction, from the fact
that it carries the most freight and charges the highest prices, it
yields the largest dividends of any road in Brazil, sometimes fifty
per cent. Its heaviest earnings come from the transport of coffee,
as in the section served by this line there are perhaps 15,000
plantations with 500 million coffee trees. From these the road
carries 7 of the 10 million bags annually exported, besides ordinary
freight transportation. The passenger traffic hardly pays, or
greatly increases in volume, as the two hours’ ride from São Paulo
to Santos is more than most men care to take daily.
SÃO PAULO
HOTELS. The Sportsman, the Grand, the Majestic, the Albion.
After climbing the mountain side, an hour more over a rolling
country brings one to the station called Luz, in the city of _São
Paulo_, said to be the largest and most costly railway station in
South America, and one of the finest in the world. The tracks are
arranged below the street level, hence there are no grade crossings.
This city, the second in Brazil, and with its about 400,000
inhabitants taking third position among the cities of South America,
will be a surprise to most travelers. Located on the Tropic of
Capricorn, its elevation gives it a healthful climate which in
combination with other advantages has produced men awake to the
spirit of progress and eager to develop the astonishing resources of
this richly endowed State. The city is not only the capital and the
seat of State Government, but a notable center of education and
industry, and the home of many men of great wealth. It is an ancient
city, going back to the middle of the sixteenth century, 1554, its
name São Paulo, which had been previously applied to a Jesuit
college here, being transferred to the new settlement by the
Governor-General of Brazil, Mem de Sá. Though of greater age than
any city in our own country, for three centuries it made small
progress. In 1872 it was a town of 26,557 people. But within the
last forty years it has shown amazing growth, which few of our
cities can parallel, an increase of nearly fifteen fold. Although on
the edge of the tropics, from its elevation of 3000 feet, it has a
climate like that of Southern Europe. From the neighboring mountains
it receives an excellent water supply, while its site on rolling
ground affords excellent drainage facilities and in places a
splendid outlook.
[Illustration:
LUZ STATION, SÃO PAULO
]
[Illustration:
MUNICIPAL THEATRE
]
The hotel accommodations are unfortunately inadequate for the rapid
development and business of the city. They are fairly comfortable,
though apt to be over-crowded. It is well if possible to engage a
room in advance. The _Sportsman’s Hotel_ on the rua São Bento is by
some called the best; the _Grand_, the _Albion_, and the _Majestic_
are not far distant. The prices are all about the same, from $3.50
to $5.00 a day, American plan. A new hotel is now being constructed,
large and modern. The main streets of the business center, naturally
the old part of the town, are rather narrow and not all checkerboard
fashion as in most of the cities visited. This, no doubt, is due to
the fact that the surface is irregular, with hills and valleys such
that in one place a viaduct 800 feet long and 50 wide, called the
_Viaducto Chá_, forms a curious street leading from the rua Direita
over an old part of the town, once a tea garden, to a hill in the
newer section, where the handsome _Municipal Theater_ is situated.
This imposing edifice, with streets on all sides, recently erected
at a cost of a million dollars, compares with the best in Europe and
surpasses any in the United States. The seating capacity is a trifle
less than that of the Paris Opera House. The seats for the orchestra
are, according to the Wagner system, placed below the general floor
level.
The commercial center of the city, not far from the hotels
mentioned, is a triangular plaza called Tiradentes. The rua São
Bento, the Quinze de Novembro, and the Direita are the principal
shopping and business streets. The _Largo de Palacio_ is a square
near by, on which is the fine _Palace of Congress_; the handsome
_Agricultural Building_ of the German style; the _Treasury_,
covering 700 square meters, the work of a Brazilian architect, Ramos
Azavedo; and the _Judiciary Building_ of the Roman Doric order.
Other noteworthy buildings are the _Post Office_, the _Exchange_,
the _Chamber of Commerce_, and the _Public Library_. Some of the
finest streets are the Avenidas Tiradentes, and the Rangel Bestana
passing the Largo de Concordia with the always interesting Market
Place, the ruas da Liberdade, Santo Amaro, da Consolação. The last
three lead to the splendid Avenue Paulista, with shaded parkway
along the center, the finest boulevard of the capital, on which are
many of the handsomest residences. Of course the city has electric
lights and cars, and many miles of fine asphalt pavements, though in
the outskirts, on account of the city’s rapid growth, there may be a
few streets yet unpaved, which should be avoided. Automobiles and
fine carriages are numerous, and delightful drives may be taken to
see the fine public buildings and the multitude of charming and
splendid private residences. From a residential point of view few
more attractive places will be found anywhere. The many churches one
writer calls magnificent, another says only the modern ones are of
artistic merit. The _Cathedral_, the churches of _São Pedro_, _S.
Gonçalo_, and _Remedios_ are among the most important.
[Illustration:
YPIRANGA MUSEUM
]
[Illustration:
HOTEL OF IMMIGRANTS, SÃO PAULO
]
Many of the fine buildings of the city are devoted to educational
purposes. The city takes especial pride in its _Polytechnic School_,
said to be the best in Brazil, in view of its fine laboratories, the
practical character of the studies, and its imposing edifice opened
in 1894. Instruction is given in architecture and in civil,
industrial, agricultural, mechanical, and electric engineering. Also
it has a School of Chemistry, with courses in dentistry and
obstetrics. The Government maintains a _Law School_ having a five
years’ course. Its library of 50,000 volumes is free to the public.
About the same size is the general _Public Library_. The fine large
_Normal School_, overlooking the Praça da Republica, occupies a
whole square near the center of the city. With a library of 12,000
volumes, with laboratories, museums, rooms for manual labor,
gymnastics, and military exercises, it is said to be equal in
equipment and installation to any in America. A kindergarten, equal
to the best in any part of the world, occupies an annex. A
_Commercial School_ for training bookkeepers and tradesmen, is
included in the educational system. A spacious building east of the
Jardim Publico is occupied by the _Lyceum of Arts and Trades_, where
various trades are taught, such as tailoring, carpentry, printing,
and many others. This institution, with towards 1000 pupils, is
supported by a private association. Especially noteworthy by
Americans is the famous _Mackenzie College_, opened in 1892 on the
corner of rua de São João and Ypiranga. Schools of lower grades were
established in 1870 by Presbyterians, gradually becoming a complete
graded system from kindergarten to high school. On this model the
government schools were largely planned and on the floor of the
Brazilian Congress the school system was said to have been the
greatest factor in their educational development of the last twenty
years. The college was the first of American fashion in Brazil.
Coeducation is followed, though the girls live elsewhere. The
Chamberlain Dormitory was erected in 1901 for the boys. The
President of the College is Dr. H. M. Lane, and the institution is
affiliated with the University of the State of New York.
One of the most important points of interest in São Paulo, though on
the outskirts of the city, at the same time a monument and an
institution of learning, is the _Ypiranga_, a splendid edifice
erected in 1885 on the spot where, in 1822, the Independence of
Brazil was proclaimed. As it is regarded as one of the finest
structures in Brazil, the name of the artist, Caviliere Tomaso G.
Bezzi, is given. The building, which fronts on a broad open space,
houses a museum with treasures of historical and scientific
interest, many curious and valuable relics, and fine paintings by
Brazilian artists. The beautiful Park, the _Jardim Publico_ or
Jardim da Luz, will naturally be visited by every one. Directly
opposite the Luz Station, created by Royal Charter in 1790, it was
first opened in 1825. Adorned with a profusion of flowers, trees, a
pretty lake, and other decorations, it is a delightful resort for
resident and stranger.
Well worthy of a visit is the _Hotel of Immigrants_, a large
establishment fitted up in the most sanitary and appropriate manner.
Thousands of families from Europe are here welcomed annually, and
entertained free of charge for a short period. A Government agent
speaking their language meets the strangers on their arrival in
Santos, and escorts them to this Hotel. Later they receive free
transportation to wherever in the State they desire to go, and their
interests are looked after by a board. This State is the only one
with its own especial department of immigration and active
propaganda.
High-grade institutions of a sanitary character are numerous in the
city, as a Bacteriological, a Sero-therapic, a Pasteur, and various
other Institutes. Fine large hospitals for general and special
diseases, and for colonists of various nationalities, will be
observed in an extended drive.
=Coffee.= If time permits, the tourist will surely enjoy a visit to
a great coffee plantation. There are none in the immediate vicinity
of São Paulo, but it is a pleasant journey of 80 miles to the city
of Campinas, in the vicinity of which are _fazendas_ galore. This is
one of the oldest and most flourishing towns of the State, with a
population of about 50,000, modern and prosperous, well paved and
lighted, with good schools and a fine large Cathedral.
The State of São Paulo now furnishes one-fourth of the world’s
coffee supply and this section is one of the largest producing
districts in Brazil. Near Campinas, the great _fazenda_ of Baron
Geraldo de Rezende will charm the favored visitor. A magnificent
house and gardens, with a splendid collection of rare orchids and
800 varieties of roses, are a not unnatural possession of the owner
of half a million coffee trees. A much vaster estate but too remote
for many travelers to inspect is that of the coffee king of the
world, Col. Francisco Schmidt. Coming as a colonist to this state he
has achieved a success of which one might well be proud. Of the
700,000,000 trees in the State, Col. Schmidt owns more than one per
cent, 7½ million. On the various plantations live 8000 people,
contented and prosperous; a school is provided for each village. The
soil and climate of São Paulo are so well adapted to this industry
that the crop is several times as heavy to the acre as in most other
coffee growing countries. A family of three or four persons can take
care of 10,000 trees and by cultivating other agricultural products
at the same time could live on the proceeds.
[Illustration:
COFFEE FAZENDA
]
[Illustration:
COFFEE TREE
]
In 1817 the first shipment of coffee was made from Brazil, about
6000 bags; in 1906, 13 million bags were exported, 10 million being
the average. The consumption of coffee in recent years has
wonderfully increased. Though generally considered less injurious
than tea, both should be utterly tabooed to children and young
people. To persons of mature years who have not taken it earlier to
their injury, its moderate use may not be harmful, in some cases may
even be beneficial. In humid climates it seems to be used freely
with less ill effects than in a dry and bracing air, where habitual
stimulant of any sort may be undesirable.
Although famed for its coffee, São Paulo can produce almost anything
else: rice, sugar, cotton, tobacco, tea, cocoa, wheat, corn, sweet
potatoes, other vegetables, and fodder plants are among its
products. Of these, the _marmallade de cavallo_, is called the most
nutritious of fodder plants known.
From São Paulo to Rio the journey may be made by land or sea. If
going by rail, one may be advised to take the night train, on the
ground that there is nothing to see, that it will be dusty, and that
the ride of 12 hours is a long and fatiguing day’s journey; the
distance is about 310 miles. Also a day is thus gained to spend
either at São Paulo or Rio. On the other hand, some persons who have
made the trip by daylight speak of it with enthusiasm. In the early
morning one passes on gentle slopes fields of glossy green coffee
trees, groves of oranges, jungles of palms and bananas, with
enormous clumps of feathery bamboo, and little towns on the
hillsides. At the stations are women selling fruit, and negro boys
with trays of tiny cups of black coffee, hot and sweetened. After a
while an alluring stream is passed, with pleasant towns. Midday is
hot and dusty. Farther on are reddish grassy slopes and in climbing
the wooded ridge many cattle may be visible. Higher ascends the
train, the valleys are blue below: delightful scenes are on every
hand, mountains abrupt and fantastic appear. Yet ever there is soft
rich verdure; at last comes swift descent towards a panorama of
wonderful loveliness. At dusk the train rolls into Rio, where, says
the _Involuntary Chaperone_, “All the dreams come true.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXIX
RIO DE JANEIRO—BAY AND CITY
Nearly all tourists, whether from the north or south, will arrive at
Rio by water. Leaving Santos in the late afternoon, on a fairly
swift steamer, one is liable, unless an early riser, to find the
ship at anchor in the harbor when he comes on deck in the morning.
But if never at other times eager to see the sun rise, or impatient
to behold beauties which are permanent in character, let every one
who has the smallest appreciation of glorious scenery be awake to
enjoy the entrance into the harbor of Rio, which to many will be the
culminating joy of the whole delightful journey. With the good
fortune to approach at daybreak under propitious skies this
magnificent harbor, unrivaled upon the globe, one will rejoice in a
vision of splendor surpassing his highest conceptions of beauty,
forever to be treasured among his choicest memories. One who is
loath to lose his early morning nap may fancy that to view the
spectacle towards sunset as one sails away homeward will answer just
as well; but such is not the case. It is the morning light on the
triple range of hills behind the city, which lies west of the
entrance to the bay, that enhances the ever charming scene to a
spectacle of unparalleled loveliness.
From a distance, if heaven send no veil of mist, will be seen on the
landward side a row of incomparable titans guarding the city;
islands also appear: on the right, a large flat rock, Ilha Raza,
bears a lighthouse with double electric lights, red and blue, and if
one is coming from the north, the Itaypu Point is rounded with the
pretty little Father and Mother Islands near; approaching from
Santos these appear farther away at the right. The lofty hills or
mountains at the left attract the most attention. In the distant
blue or purple, a gray bald head called Gavea is noticeable, a
famous landmark of the harbor, in the profile of which some fancy a
resemblance to Washington. While still outside the harbor we see
other summits, the less known and less sharp peak of Andarahy, more
distant, Tijuca and the Organ Mts., and nearer, at the right of
Gavea, the world famed _Corcovado Needle_, with the city at its
foot, or perhaps we should say head, since the point of the needle,
the smaller end, is quite obviously above. Whatever else in Rio be
neglected, the Corcovado must be known and visited. Other cities
have boulevards, if less beautiful, fine buildings and parks; but
there is one Corcovado in all the world. Still approaching the
narrow harbor entrance we have glimpses of the city close to the
portal, and notice that its suburbs even stretch to the ocean and
along splendid beaches quite to the foot of Gavea; while on the
opposite shore also are many dwellings. Long before, we have admired
the celebrated _Pão do Assucar_ (loaf of sugar), a striking and
enormous conical rock over 1300 feet high, standing forth boldly
into the channel entrance, which it guards upon the left, while
opposite on the right a rough rock promontory, together with the
Assucar, forms a splendid gateway.
Not merely rock protection has Rio but in these days of jealous
strife she must needs possess grim fortresses also; on the right
Imbuhy and Santa Cruz, on the left São João and Mallet. The
multitude of peaks and heights around the city a Brazilian writer
speaks of as “a lively guard produced by the contortions of a
cataclysm.” To him everything seems dancing. In truth when the
heavenly tints of sunrise are added to the wondrous shapes and hues
of ordinary day, the picture has an unearthly beauty which no tongue
or pen can describe.
As we pass the Assucar close at hand, we perceive that while the
other rock faces are smooth, bare, and practically perpendicular,
this side is rough and shows a bit of green, no doubt the slope
where once the ascent was made, so the story goes, by a hardy
Englishman who planted on the summit a British flag. A great hue and
cry followed this daring act. A reward was offered to any one who
would fetch the banner down. The bribe was vain, till at length the
culprit, detected, himself removed the offending colors from the
staff which long remained above.
Just beyond the Assucar, on the curving shore, we see a part of the
fashionable residence district. On the edge of the first deep bay, a
large building devoted to the Ministry of Agriculture may be
distinguished, and close by, the Benj. Constant Institute and the
National Hospital for the Insane. On the eastern shore of the bay is
Jurujuba, the hospital for epidemic diseases, the pretty beach of
Icarahy, then Nictheroy, a pleasant town, capital of the State of
Rio; for the _City_ of Rio de Janeiro is a Federated Capital like
Washington.
This wonderful bay, opening towards the south, contains an
extraordinary number of fascinating little ones of graceful outline,
with which acquaintance should be made later. Attention is now
directed to the wooded slopes and rock cliffs of the serried peaks
and mountain ranges, to the smiling city, to the blue waters thickly
sprinkled with ships, and dotted with islands. The bay has the name
_Guanabara_, as well as the more familiar one, Rio de Janeiro; the
former an Indian name, arm of the sea, now more frequently applied
to the inner and larger portion of the gulf; the latter given by
mistake when it was first visited January 1, 1502, by Gonzalo
Coelho, who without sufficient exploration, supposing it to be the
estuary of a great river, called it Rio de Janeiro, River of
January. From this the people later were called _Fluminenses_ or
River Folk.
In 1531 the French took possession of the bay, to be driven out
soon after by Alfonso de Sousa who erected a small fort. The
French returning in 1555 under the command of Villegaignon
effected an entrance to the bay, fortified an island and
established a colony largely of Huguenots who maintained very
friendly relations with the Indians; but in 1560, Mem de Sá, the
Governor-General of Brazil in Pernambuco, which was earlier
settled, established a fort on the peninsula in front of the
Sugar Loaf, São João, and captured the island stronghold of the
French, who, retreating to the mainland, there remained with the
support of the Indians. In 1565 Estacio de Sá, nephew of Mem,
arrived with reinforcements. After much fighting, concluded by a
fierce battle between the Morros (hills) da Gloria and da Viuva,
when the French and Indians were routed, the site of Rio fell
into the possession of the Portuguese. On the death of Estacio
from a wound received in the last battle, Mem de Sá founded a
city which he called São Sebastião. This he left in charge of
his nephew Correia de Sá on the Morro do Castello.
Once more, in 1710, the French returned. They entered the town,
but in the streets were assaulted so fiercely that they
capitulated. After their commander Du Clerc had been
mysteriously assassinated, another French fleet arriving
defeated the Portuguese; but after taking possession of the city
later withdrew on receiving a heavy indemnity.
In 1762 or ’63 Rio was made the Capital of Brazil and the
residence of the Viceroy in the place of Bahia; partly through
the efforts of Gomes Freire de Andrade, Count of Bobadella.
During his administration a notable work was achieved, the
construction of the great aqueduct of Santa Theresa, by which
water was brought from the Carioca River to the center of the
city. It crossed a part of the town on a double archway, which
now bears a tramway. Other improvements followed, including the
draining of the great marshes, in the section near the present
Mangue Canal. By the close of the eighteenth century Rio was not
only the chief city of Brazil but the largest and most important
of South America. Not so favorably located as to back country as
some others, especially São Paulo, its fine harbor gave it
commercial importance, greatly increased by the discovery of
gold and precious stones in the State of Minas, as by this port
most of the adventurers entered, thence following a long Indian
trail.
When the Royal family arrived from Portugal in 1808 the city,
the largest in South America, had forty-six streets, nineteen
open squares, many churches, and the usual public buildings. Its
growth, though continuous, has been hampered until the last
decade by the unhealthfulness of the city, especially the
scourge of yellow fever, also by wars, extravagance, and other
troubles. With the reorganization of the finances of the country
and the establishing of its credit during the Presidency of Dr.
Campos Salles 1898-1902, the regeneration of the city under the
later Presidents was made possible and the expenditure of
$100,000,000 for improvements in the Federal District within the
last ten years. On the most charming site imaginable a new and
splendid city has been created which, still in the process of
transformation, soon will even better compare with its uniquely
beautiful surroundings.
To one entering the bay, which is nearly 100 miles in circumference,
its great size is not apparent, as the large inner sea is cut off by
points and islands in such a way that the shape and magnitude of the
entire gulf is undisclosed. Its configuration as a whole is
remarkably like that of the country, roughly triangular with the
apex at the south. Among the numerous islands, three close to the
shore may be particularly noticed: the Island Cobras with a fort
where political prisoners have been confined; the Fiscal Island upon
which is a pretty Gothic structure, headquarters of the Custom House
inspectors, hence the name; and Villegaignon, named for its first
settler, also bearing a fortress.
Your ship may sail past the greater part of the city to the new and
splendid docks where you may step ashore at your ease, or pause at a
common anchorage in front of the main business section of the city,
where you have the advantage of landing at the Caes dos Mineiros
close to the Custom House. All about are ships of every size and as
usual of almost every nationality except our own. Once indeed I saw
here the Stars and Stripes, floating above the deck of a schooner
from Maine, on its annual visit to bring ice and apples from that
cooler clime. Yachts and launches, pretty and plain, gasoline and
rowboats flit about, among ships of larger size, at anchor or
sailing, two of these probably the great Brazilian warships, the
Minas, and São Paulo, a few years ago the scene of serious
unpleasantness due to a marine insurrection.
The city, stretching for miles along the curving shore, presents a
most attractive sight. With corresponding depth its size would be
immense, but its width is barred, as effectively as is New York’s by
its two rivers, by the high steep range which leaves small space
between its foot and the sea; indeed, it thrusts forward several
sharp projections quite into the water, and chains of modest hills
over which the dwellings climb. Thus the city is subdivided into
many sections, to which one may proceed only in a roundabout manner.
Straggling in a charming way over the level patches of ground and
part way up the lower slopes of some parts of the lofty rearward
rampart, it affords room for a population now practically a million,
with plenty of space for more. The second city in the Southern
Hemisphere, the fifth in all America, though older than any in the
United States, its modern growth and development have been brief and
rapid.
But without more ado we must hasten ashore and have a closer look at
the beauties spread before us. If at the docks, a few steps out,
through the fine warehouses or around them, bring one to a broad
splendid avenue where passing cars will in twenty minutes bear its
occupants to the center of the city, and to the Alfandega or Custom
House. Also carriages may be in waiting, a trifle dearer than in
Buenos Aires, but with modest fees as compared with New York. From
the anchorage, one must take a boat to the steps of the Caes dos
Mineiros, where men and boys wait to conduct you to the Alfandega
for the examination of baggage. This may be a tedious operation
which a judicious tip is liable to accelerate. As the office is
closed from 11 to 1, it is important to be early on shore, else you
may be compelled to return in the afternoon for your heavy baggage,
or even to wait until the next day. Officials and underlings are
usually polite, but here often slow.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
HOTELS. The _Avenida_, Avenida Rio Branco; _Estrangeiros_, Praça
J. de Alencar; _International_, Sylvestre; _America_, Cattete;
_France_, Praça 15 de Novembro; _Allen’s_, Rua Humaytá; _Tijuca_
(Tijuca); _Grande_, Lapa; _Globo_, Primeiro do Março; _Pensão
Suissa_, Largo da Gloria.
_Restaurants._ _Frankiskaner_, Avenida Rio Branco, 152; _Heim_,
Assemblea, 119; _Londres_, Assemblea, 115; _Paris_, Uruguayana,
41; and others.
_United States_ Consulate and Embassy: Avenida, 117. British
Consulate: Rua General Cámara 2.
_Churches._ British, Rua Evaristo da Viega; American Methodist,
Rua Conde de Baependy.—Y. M. C. A. Building, Rua da Quitanda 47.
_Money._ A milreis is 33 cents; 100 reis 3⅓ cents; a conto is
1000 milreis, written 1000$.
_Carriages._ Four wheels, for two, first hour, 6$; second hour,
3$; two wheels, for one, 4$, first hour; 2$, second hour.
_Taxis._ (For one or two persons), first hour 8$; second, 4$.
Course about a mile 1.$400, for each quarter mile after, 200
reis.
_Postage._ Two hundred reis to the United States or Europe.
Language spoken, Portuguese; also often French. Spanish
generally understood.
CHIEF POINTS OF INTEREST
Avenida do Rio Branco, the National Library, the Fine Arts
Museum, the Cathedral, and the Candelaria Church, the Praças 15
of November, and Republica, the Passeio Publico, the Beira Mar,
the Botanical Garden, the Pão de Assucar, and—CORCOVADO.
It is a great advantage to have selected one’s hotel in advance and
to have rooms engaged, as the three leading establishments are a
long way apart.
The _carregadores_ who have numbers on their hats may usually be
relied upon to bring in time your baggage to its destination. Some
haggling over the price is usual, as large fees are demanded; not
too large perhaps for those who carry them on foot, but more than an
ordinary express company would ask for the same distance. The
_carregadores_ carry suit cases and other small packages, several of
them, on their heads, at least to the cars, where they must pay
their fare. Also it must be said that baggage is not allowed in
electrics of the first class (I did once smuggle a suit case)
nor—_make a note of this_—is any man allowed without a coat, however
hot the weather. Even on the street a _gentleman_ under no
circumstances is expected to carry his coat over his arm. One
American who did so was politely accosted by a Brazilian who said,
“Man, coat put on!” in the best English he could muster. Two milreis
would be charged for two or three pieces of hand baggage to the
Avenida Hotel and four or five for a trunk, which would be pushed in
a hand-cart; double to the Estrangeiros, less to the Suissa. For the
International Hotel, the Express Company must be employed, but with
that there may be considerable delay. Each hotel has its own
especial merit, which to some minds would outweigh all others and
render possible a decision without personal observation; many will
prefer to spy out the land for themselves. It has been said that
there is no really first-class hotel in Rio, but a Ritz Carlton now
being constructed on the Avenida with accommodations for 1200
visitors, will be opened in 1914. As hotels are liable to be full,
it is wise to telephone before going to look at rooms.
First may be mentioned the _Hotel Avenida_, American Plan $5 up, not
because it is the best, but as being in the center of things, right
on the main business street, the new Avenida Rio Branco. Many lines
of electric cars start from beneath its portico and nearly all the
others pass within one or two blocks. Naturally it is noisy but
persons accustomed to our city streets will hardly mind. This hotel,
having a restaurant with all night service and music every evening,
is the largest in Brazil. Many English-speaking tourists, however,
prefer one of the other two. The _Hotel dos Estrangeiros_, the
Strangers’, is a large establishment facing the Praça José de
Alencar, a charming ride of 20 minutes from the Hotel Avenida in the
direction of the Assucar, mostly along the boulevard by the sea
called the Beira Mar. The hotel is not far, about two blocks, from
the water, which may be visible from the upper windows in the rear;
in front several lines of cars diverge in various directions. The
table is no more than fair, though perhaps as good as any; the
price, 12 to 15 or more milreis daily being sufficient for what is
provided. Opportunity for sea bathing is near; also for hot and cold
baths in a hydropathic establishment. The _International Hotel_,
which seems more out of the city, though reached in about the same
length of time from the Avenida, is recommended as cooler in the hot
season, from October to April, and is by many preferred at any time,
on account of its delightful situation 1000 feet above the sea on
the way to Corcovado. Though the ride is but five minutes longer,
the cars do not go so often as to the Estrangeiros, which is served
by all the cars of the Jardim Botanico Co., these passing in an
almost continuous row under the Hotel Avenida. The cars to the
International set out once in 20 minutes from the farther side of
the Praça de Carioca, a Square just behind the Hotel Avenida; the
invisible starting point is around at the back of a certain
building. This line, called the Santa Theresa, goes by the rua do
Aqueducto over the arches which once bore the aqueduct, across a
portion of the city from a hill, the Morro de Sto. Antonio, to that
of Sta. Theresa, the latter being rather a ridge extending from the
peak of Corcovado. On the steep slope of the ridge the International
is situated, where the nights are ever comfortable, while the
journey to and fro is always a delight. The hotel has many suites of
rooms and bath with hot and cold water, and is a favorite resort
with many. At these three hotels the rates are much the same.
Should one prefer a more modest establishment with lower prices, a
finer outlook than any save the International, and more conveniently
located than any but the Avenida, he may go to the Pensão Suissa,
kept by a motherly German Frau, only ten minutes from the Avenida by
any of the Jardim Botanico lines, and looking out upon the bay, the
Gloria hill, the lovely Beira Mar. The rooms are as neat as
possible, so that I was able to reply to a gentleman’s query as to
red ants that I had seen none, which seemed to him a great surprise,
as he supposed that every dwelling in Rio contained them. The
various other hotels and pensions are not without merit and patrons.
One may generally get settled in his hotel in time for the noon
meal, though the luggage is not likely to arrive before the middle
of the afternoon. Yet the time should be improved, either by
sight-seeing in the middle of the city, or if one is tired by a ride
to some of the suburbs. A few tourists, caring little for the
commercial and business section of the city, devote their entire
time to the wonders of the jewel’s marvellous setting. The center of
the city should not, however, be ignored. Yet a ride in car or
automobile, according to the length of the purse, will be a
delightful beginning for the eager tourist. In an auto one may skim
over a great part of the city’s boulevards in a single afternoon.
Our admiration for these magnificent drives and parkways,
unsurpassed in the world in their opportunities for delightsome
hours, will be heightened if we are mindful of the astonishing
transformation which has here been wrought within the last decade.
In 1903 Rio was a dirty, not to say filthy, city of narrow streets,
a place to be shunned, as often a hot bed of yellow fever. For its
regeneration various plans had previously been proposed, but
President Rodriguez Alves was the man who put one of these into
execution.
[Illustration:
AVENIDA DE RIO BRANCO
]
[Illustration:
BOULEVARD BEIRA MAR FROM PENSÃO SUISSA
]
The slowness of Latin Americans (in fact of every one but
themselves), so favorite a theme in the talk of their northern
neighbors, does not appear in this instance. It would puzzle us, I
think, to find in the United States any city, save San Francisco
when necessity compelled, where by works of such magnitude a great
city has so speedily been metamorphosed through the destruction,
replanning, and rebuilding of some of the most compact and important
business and residence sections. Nearly $60,000,000 was devoted to
this great transformation.
The plan which was approved in September, 1903, included the
construction of a great quay arranged for ships to come alongside,
furnished with storage warehouses, railways, and electric lights,
with a parallel avenue 125 feet wide and 2 miles long; the improving
of a cross canal to the sea by making it a solidly walled stream,
with on each side an avenue shaded with palms; the lifting of the
railroad from street level to a viaduct 16 feet above; the
construction of a broad avenue straight to the Quinta of Boa Vista,
residence of the late Emperor; the increase of the water supply; the
renovation of the sewerage system with all modern improvements; the
removal of several hills; the filling in of large sections; the
widening of a number of streets; and the formation in the heart of
the city of a new avenue a mile and a quarter long and 120 feet
wide.
The inauguration of the great work of the Avenida Central, as it was
originally called, a broad thoroughfare crossing, from one side to
the other, the shallow peninsula occupied by the commercial
district, on the front of which is Caes Pharoux, occurred March 8,
1904, with the participation of the President and other officials
and with much enthusiasm on the part of the people; as a broad
outlet for the future traffic of the port was seen to be an absolute
necessity. The foundations of the building numbered 2, 4 and 6 being
then begun, the great task was swiftly advanced. Day and night was
the work pushed; 600 buildings within three months were, by 3000
workmen, utterly demolished, opening a space 230 feet wide: 65 feet
each side for the new buildings, 120 for the central paved roadway,
and 20 for each sidewalk. Along the center of the avenue a row of 53
Pão Brazil trees was planted in beds 16 feet long, and 55 posts bear
each 3 electric lights. On the sidewalks are more trees, and posts
for illumination by gas. As the trees grow larger the beauty of the
avenue will be increased. Most of the new buildings, which mark the
introduction into Brazil of American steel frame construction, are
of fine types of architecture in a variety of styles.
In other sections 1200 old buildings were sacrificed to open or
widen a dozen other streets, these now from 55 to 100 feet wide,
paved with asphalt or in a few cases with fine granite blocks. On
all sides new buildings sprang up by magic.
Of still greater magnitude and requiring more time was the
improvement of the port, now approaching completion. The stone quay
more than two miles in length, with sufficient depth of water to
allow ships of any draught to come alongside, is provided with the
most modern machinery for hoisting, loading and unloading ships, and
with two stations supplying electric power for these as well as for
lighting already in service. Back of the wall, a space where
formerly were bays and islands has been for the most part filled in,
at some points for a width of 800 feet. Then along the quay a broad
avenue was opened. A width of 80 feet for railroad tracks, of 110
feet for storage warehouses (called _armazem_) and for
administration offices, is followed by the broad well paved avenue
125 feet wide, bordered with trees and with double tracks for
electric cars. To fill in this great space sand was dredged from the
bay, and earth was brought from Senado Hill, now completely leveled.
While these great matters were undertaken by the general Government,
the new Mayor of Rio, Dr. Francisco Passos, attended to the
broadening of other streets, repaving with asphalt or with granite
blocks; to the embellishing of the city with gardens, etc., and to
the construction of the beautiful boulevard four miles long and 110
feet wide along the water front towards the Pão do Assucar. Even the
resurrection of San Francisco in one way seems less wonderful than
Rio’s transformation, in that the former was compulsory, the latter
voluntary. The greatest work in Rio was more in preparing anew the
foundations than in the actual construction. It was, says the
Brazilian writer from whom I have already quoted, “the work of an
enterprise.” He modestly says that there is nothing especial to say
about the buildings of Rio. As to those of a residential character
he asserts that some are nice, “but the majority of them is an awful
sight reminding antiquity.” To me they did not so appear, the many
being pretty and tasteful, if unpretentious, while the dwellings of
the poorer classes are less hideous than those inhabited by the poor
in our own country.
While the most delightful of the hours spent in Rio may be those
devoted to excursions to the suburbs, one should visit also the
commercial section, the public buildings, the shops, the market; and
traverse some of the streets, wide and narrow, where the life and
business of the city go on. A day or two may profitably be spent in
the busy marts of trade.
One may set out from Caes Pharoux, to which suitable attention will
hardly be given when landing. Here is a great Square or Plaza, in
Portuguese a _Praça_, that of _November 15, Quinze de Novembro_. At
the right as you face the waterfront is the _Ferry House_ for the
boats running across to Nictheroy. From here also depart excursion
boats on Sunday for a trip around the bay. The Praça has the usual
pretty garden in the center, with a bronze equestrian statue of
_General Osorio_, _Marquez do Herval_, one of the commanders in the
Paraguayan War, and also leader of the State forces of Rio Grande do
Sul in an insurrection against the first President of Brazil. On the
right hand side of the square, as one faces the water, near the
Ferry House, is a four-story building more than 150 years old, of
typical colonial architecture, once the residence of an aristocratic
family, now a lodging house. The large terra cotta building is
devoted to the _Ministry of Transportation_. The two-story pink
building, higher in the center, is of greater interest. Erected in
1747 and now occupied by the _Department of Telegraphs_, it was
first the home of the Colonial Governors; on the arrival of Prince
João it became his residence, and later served as the _Imperial
Palace_. It was here that the Princess Regent, Isabella, signed the
Emancipation Decree, May 13, 1888, as a tablet on the wall sets
forth, and from here the Emperor Dom Pedro was taken, Nov. 17, 1889,
to be placed upon a warship and banished to Europe, after the
proclamation of the Republic, Nov. 15.
On the street, rua Dom Manoel, which separates these two buildings,
next to the Ministry of Transportation, is a large green edifice
which houses the _Naval Museum_. This Museum, founded by imperial
decree in 1868, was opened to the public in 1884 with inaugurating
ceremonies by the Emperor. On the anniversary of the battle of
Riachuelo, an important naval victory in the Paraguayan campaign,
the museum was first opened in its present quarters June 11, 1898.
Free entrance daily, from 11 till 2, except Sundays and holidays.
The first section of the museum contains 29 oil paintings of
Brazil’s great naval battles, 15 of these by the celebrated marine
artist, Chevallier E. de Martino, a protégé of Dom Pedro II, and
later named by Queen Victoria Marine Painter to the Court of
England. Picture number 5, of the battle of Riachuelo, is considered
one of his best works. In the second section are portraits and
photographs of the Ministers of Marine and naval heroes, including
the British Admiral Cochrane, who also helped the Spanish Americans
in their struggle for independence. Becoming Marquez do Maranhão he
received a grant of land now held by his heirs. The third section
contains models of vessels, from the new Dreadnoughts down to canoes
and fishing boats. The fourth contains flags and standards, the
fifth, samples of artillery, cannon, and projectiles, the sixth,
hand weapons, such as spears and rifles, the seventh, naval and
Indian relics and curios, the eighth, medals, souvenirs, etc.
The large Praça has a smaller continuation at the west, facing
which, on the corner of rua 7th of September, is the _Cathedral_, to
which a great tower is now being added. On the other side is a
larger church which might be mistaken for the official building.
Neither is especially handsome, inside or out, both interiors being
in an ornate rococo style which may be admired by some. The
Cathedral, however, has as a feature of historic interest a slab set
in the wall at the left of the altar bearing an inscription in
memory of the discoverer, Pedro Álvarez Cabral, whose remains were
brought from Portugal and interred in the wall of the tower in 1903.
The Cathedral, founded in early colonial days, with this tower is
less overshadowed by the larger Igreja (Church) do Carmo on its
right. When the tower foundations were sunk, a stratum of sea sand
was struck containing fragments of ancient sea craft, showing that
the shore is now greatly advanced. The completed tower will be the
highest structure in the city. With clocks on three sides it will
carry a chime of bells, the largest of which, weighing 2½ tons, was
cast in Portugal in 1621. In the interior of the Cathedral is a fine
main altar, back of which is a painting of the Italian School.
Sub-altars to the Virgin are on each side of the nave, and one to
Santa Rosa de Lima, Patron of South America. Near the main altar is
the throne of the Cardinal Archbishop, and formerly there was in
front of this a chair of state for the use of the Emperor. A flag
carried in the Paraguayan War by the regiment of Volunteers of the
country is near the high altar. In the second niche on the right, to
one entering, is a “Christ of the Jury,” torn by a mob of
Anti-Clericals from its place in the Jury Court. Later a new one was
there placed with great pomp and processions.
On the other side of rua 7th of September is a large white building
where the _Commercial Museum_, open from ten to four, may be
visited. Business men and others are welcome, and a Bureau of
Information is at hand for the service of commercial men and
manufacturers. Here may be studied the coffee grades of the world’s
great markets, the decisions of the Tariff Commission, 229 varieties
of Brazilian vegetable products, including dyes, inks, aromatics,
gums, resins, and foods, with many medicinal plants, used among the
natives but unknown to the scientific world. Here also are 50
varieties of fibres, 2000 varieties of Brazilian wood, ten of
cotton, an exhibition of the process of rubber making, etc.
In the same building is the _Instituto Historico e Geographico_, a
society founded in 1838 with a membership from among the most
intellectual men of the country. There is a large collection of rare
books and manuscripts, also busts of bronze and marble, and relics
of various kinds, one of these the old Roda or wheel used to receive
children at the Casa dos Expostos. This hollow wooden cylinder with
an opening at the side was fixed in the wall. A baby might easily be
deposited within and the wheel pushed around carrying the baby
inside, when a bell would ring in the convent summoning the Sisters
to receive the child, which was taken charge of and brought up with
_no questions asked_.
To the south of the Praça beyond the Ferry House, and close to the
water, is the ever interesting Market Place. Fruits, flowers, birds,
meat, vegetables, and people, all merit attention, as do the well
constructed booths and the attractive cleanliness of the place.
From this square many lines of electric railways lead in various
directions, but it is only a short walk to the Avenida by the street
at the corner of the Cathedral, or by several parallel streets. It
is better perhaps first to turn to the right and follow the
important street, Primeiro de Março, parallel to the bay front. On
this street is the _Post Office_, the _Bolsa_ or Stock Exchange, of
Italian style, one of the finest buildings of the city, the _Bank of
Commerce_, and the _Supreme Court_ edifice of beautiful rose-colored
stone and marble, sumptuously decorated without and within. The
Alfandega or Custom House, of a green color, may be seen from this
rua, nearer the shore, on a street of the same name. From the
Primeiro de Março many narrow streets lead to the Avenida, which
some of them cross, among these the _Ouvidor_, long the most famous
thoroughfare of Rio and still the fashionable shopping street. Now
alas! it has received another name, Moreira Cezar, so you may look
in vain for the Ouvidor, though every one still calls it by its old
appellation. This fascinating little street is hardly 20 feet wide.
The narrow sidewalks are almost too smooth and slippery with
variously colored tiles. No carts or carriages are allowed in the
street, the center of which, well paved, is used by pedestrians. The
street is the rendezvous of high life, as well as of idlers,
students, politicians, and tourists. Here are the most elegant
shops, jewelry, book stores, dry goods, etc., with cafés and
clubhouses, some fine buildings, and others poor.
But before crossing by this to the Avenida, the _Candelaria Church_
a little to the north, on a narrow street of the same name, should
be visited. This, called the richest church in Latin America,
deserves a better location on a broad plaza, rather than here on
this little street. The edifice, planned and built by a Brazilian
engineer, Evaristo da Veiga, has three finely carved bronze doors,
and a rich and elaborate interior. Fine marble columns, a beautiful
ceiling with mosaic decorations, and fine paintings by the best
Brazilian artists, excite admiration.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXX
RIO DE JANEIRO—CONTINUED
The Avenida do Rio Branco, so called since the recent death of the
famous Baron of that name, formerly the Central, is claimed by
Brazilians to be the most beautiful street in the world. Though,
from one or another point of view, other partisans may dispute its
pre-eminence, there is no question as to its splendid construction
and imposing edifices, which for variety and beauty it would be
difficult to match within the same distance in any other city. Every
style of architecture is represented, Moorish, Gothic, Italian,
etc., with varied and lovely coloring. Minarets and towers, unusual
mosaic sidewalks, the welcome shade and friendly green of trees, the
dashing automobiles, fashionable and beautiful women, men from
almost every clime contribute to the wonderful Avenida. Made to
order, so rapidly as to take one’s breath, it is indeed a notable, a
marvellous achievement: begun in 1904, finished in 1906; and not
this only, but the beautiful Beira Mar as well. It seems a
transformation by magic. To mention the various attractive buildings
is impossible. Many banks and important commercial houses may be
found here, buildings of the leading newspapers, the _Jornal do
Comercio_, the _Jornal do Brazil_, the _O Paiz_, and conspicuous
near the south end, the _National Library_ and the _Art Museum_ on
the left, the _Municipal Theater_ on the right, and at the very end
on the right the _Monroe Palace_.
[Illustration:
NATIONAL LIBRARY
]
[Illustration:
SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS
]
The _National Library_, called the most valuable in South America
and, with more than 400,000 catalogued numbers, the largest south of
the equator, is housed in a handsome building of the best modern
equipment. This was designed and constructed by the Mayor, General
Souza Aguiar, after an inspection of the libraries of Europe and
America. It contains its own departments for printing and binding.
The famous Ajuda Collection, which was brought over by Prince João
in 1806, when Napoleon’s army invaded Portugal, was the nucleus.
From the old Carmelite hospital in the rua Primeiro de Março it was
moved to its own quarters in 1810, when it already numbered 60,000
volumes. All schools and periods of typographic art may here be
found, examples of Johann Fust and Peter Schoeffer, Aldins and
Plautius, Ibarras, Elsivers, and many others. A permanent exhibition
has been arranged of Books, Manuscripts and Charts, Engravings and
Prints, Medals and Coins. In the rarity of some of its treasures, if
not in number, the collection compares with the famous ones of
Europe: a perfect copy of the Mazarin Bible printed in 1462, the
first from movable type, the first edition of the New Testament by
Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1514, a Novus Orbis Regionum with map of
Brazil, 1532, a Roycroft Bible, London 1557, and many other
rarities. Among the 300 engravings and prints are works of Dürer,
Cranach, Rubens, etc. With over 100,000 prints and above 30,000
(many rare) numismatic specimens, a treat is afforded to the
specialist.
The reading room, where it should be, on the main floor, is
furnished with comfortable leather-covered armchairs and individual
desks. In the side galleries around the rotunda are arranged in
glass cases many of the especial gems of the rare specimens. In the
great stack rooms, I observed many books in English, noticing the
names of Mark Twain, Macaulay, Dickens, and others. The finest
editions of the various works in handsome bindings seem to have been
selected.
The library is open from ten a.m. to nine p.m. with the usual
exception of Sundays and holidays.
Other libraries which only the specialist will be likely to visit
are the _Fluminense_ with 90,000 volumes, on the Ouvidor, the
_Libraries_ of the _Army_, and of the _Navy_, that of the _Medical
School_ with 70,000 volumes, of the _Polytechnic_ with 70,000, the
_Senate Library_, the _Congressional_, the _Gabinete Portuguez de
Leitura_, occupying a beautiful building in the rua Luis de Camões
near San Francisco Square, the _Commerce Library_ in the Stock
Exchange Building, and others.
Next to the Bibliotheca Nacional on the Avenida is the _Escola de
Bellas Artes_, the Art School and Museum. Again the collection of
Prince João was the nucleus to which many accretions have been made
by Government grant and by private donations. Among original works
of the old masters of various schools which are here to be seen are
canvases of Caracci, Correggio, Greuze, Guido Reni, Jordaens, Lucas,
Murillo, Poussin, Rubens, Snyder, Jan Stein, Teniers, Tintoretto,
Van Dyke, Velasquez, Veronese, Wouvermans, and many others, besides
more than 100 never positively identified. Among fine pieces of
sculpture is one by Rodolpho Bernadelli of _Christ and the
Adulteress_. A large number of productions of Brazilian artists is
also included in the collection, which is said to be the largest and
most important in South America.
Opposite the Fine Arts Museum is the _Municipal Theater_, a splendid
edifice, facing a small triangular park, with one side on the
Avenida.
The theater, like the Colon in Buenos Aires, is fitted up with every
modern improvement, mechanical and electrical devices above and
below the stage, which seems almost as large as the auditorium, with
rows upon rows of floor drops to give the depth desired. A power
plant, an air filtering and cooling plant, and what is called the
most beautiful restaurant in South America, minister to the comfort
of the audience. The restaurant of Assyrian style in details follows
Babylonian originals in the Louvre of Paris. The leather-covered
armchairs in the auditorium, of unusual width and well spaced, are
especially comfortable. The President, of course, is provided with
an elegant box, communicating with private salon and dining-room on
the floor below. Modelled after the Paris Opera House, though a
trifle smaller, it is richly decorated. Designed and built by Dr.
Francisco Oliveira Passos, son of the great Mayor Passos, during
whose administration the grand transformation of the city was
largely effected, the theater was inaugurated in July, 1909, with
Rejane and an all star French company. It is now leased to an
impresario who must produce each year a number of standard plays,
some in Portuguese translation, and some plays by native dramatists,
further encouraging national art by conducting a dramatic school.
Visitors may be admitted at the rear entrance between ten and four
on working days.
At the very end of the Avenue, not far from the Theater and close to
the sea, with open space on every side, stands the _Monroe Palace_,
which at the St. Louis Exposition served as the Brazilian
headquarters, and here, in 1906, as the meeting place for the second
Pan American Congress. It is of a rather florid type of
architecture, the most ornate of the buildings on the Avenue.
The Monroe Palace has one entrance on the Avenida and one on the
opposite side towards the _Passeio Publico_. This most ancient of
the public gardens of Rio, founded in 1783, contains vegetation from
this epoch, hence 130 years old. It has the usual beauties of
tropical parks, trees, shrubbery, flower beds, and vines, also
several statues, and a pretty building, entrance 1 milreis, housing
a collection of native fishes. This _Marine Aquarium_, installed in
1904, has 20 sections with 35 different species; among these, flying
fish, feather fish, turtles, moon fish, crabs, sea-horses, varieties
of lobsters, and of marine plants. A pavilion, affording opportunity
for rest and the purchase of refreshments, supplies also music and
moving pictures. The garden, which is much frequented, was designed
by a native artist, Valentina da Fonseca e Silva, more familiarly
known as _mestre Valentim_. The artistic decoration includes two
statues, Apollo and Mercury, the arms of Luiz de Vasconcellos, then
Viceroy, the bust in the fount of the jacarés, and two granite
pyramids inscribed 1783, _A’ saudade do Rio e Ao Amor do Publico_.
Busts of the poets, Gonçalves Dias, and Castro Alves, and of the
journalist, Ferreira de Aranjo, founder of the _Gazeta de Noticias_,
have been placed in the garden. At the main entrance is a gilded
bronze medallion of Queen Maria and her consort, Dom Pedro III.
Among the important streets running from the Praça 15th of November
across the Avenida, a little north of the Hotel Avenida, are the
Assembléa leading to the Praça da Carioca, a short distance from the
Avenue, and the rua 7th of September leading to the _Praça
Tirandentes_ farther west. The Garden contains an admirable statue,
by the French sculptor Rochel, of Dom Pedro I, founder of the
empire. Continuing in the same direction, one will reach the large
and beautiful _Parque da Republica_, in a Praça or Square of the
same name, of unusual size for a park near the heart of the business
section. Here are woods, lakes, and streams with aquatic birds,
black and white swans, islands and rustic bridges, a grotto with a
pretty cascade, 66,000 varieties of plants, many birds and animals,
and some statuary.
All of the parks are characterized by luxuriant tropical verdure.
On the Praça, south of the Park, is an immense building, the
Firemen’s Barracks.
To the northwest, facing a paved square, is the great _Station_ of
the _Central Railway_, with tracks running into three different
states and to forty or more cities, including São Paulo. Its revenue
is more than $10,000,000 a year. On another side of the Praça facing
the Park is the Senate House, and the _Mint_ with an imposing façade
and some fine ornamentation in bronze. Other buildings on the sides
of the Praça are the Ministry of War, the Barracks, the Normal
School, the Foreign Office, the Law and the Medical Schools, and the
National School of Music.
From the northwest corner of the Park two parallel streets run
westward, the Visconde de Itauna and Senador Eusebio, to the Square
Onze de Junho, whence they continue at the side of the _Canal do
Mangue_, forming a grand boulevard with two rows of royal palms on
each side. This double and channeled avenue has one sharp bend,
turning in the direction of the new docks, where the canal empties
into the harbor. It is a mile and a half in length, has two tracks
for electric cars, paved ways for wagons, and broad asphalt for
automobiles, to which the central stream of water with its massive
stone embankments and the superb rows of palms add an unusual
beauty.
The _Zoological Garden_, admission 1$000 is reached by electrics of
the Villa Isabel line from the Praça 15 de Novembro, a pleasant
ride. Some interesting animals are on view, but if time is limited,
it may be better employed elsewhere.
From the same Square, cars marked São Christovão go to the _National
Museum_ in the _Quinta de Boa Vista_. The Quinta, a fine large park,
deserves a visit, the Aquarium (free) also, even should the Museum
be closed, as has long been the case, for the purpose of extensive
alterations. The Museum, with other objects has a good collection of
archæological and ethnographical specimens. A famous meteorite of
unusual size, named Bendigo, was formerly in the vestibule. The
great building was earlier the winter palace of Dom Pedro II. It has
been proposed to transfer the Zoological Garden to this handsome
park.
The various hills remaining in the center of the city, a few have
been completely leveled, give variety and picturesqueness to its
topography, although interfering somewhat with ease of locomotion
and traffic. Of considerable height and steepness, they are slender,
so that the way around is not over long; thus in the opinion of the
tourist who has an eye for scenic beauty they are not to be
regretted. The energetic person with a little time to spare should
enjoy the ascent of the four hills which are near the Avenida, and
of one or two of those along the Beira Mar. Near the south end of
the Avenue, a little back of the Hotel Avenida, is the _Santo
Antonio_ hill surmounted by a convent of that name. The main
entrance is from the rua 13th of May, in a narrow passage between
the Santa Theresa Tramway Station and the Government Printing Office
on the left. The ancient and massive structure of the _Convent_,
built rather to defy the ravages of time than to excite admiration
for its beauty, has outside walls on the ground floor 4 feet 9
inches in thickness. The vast corridors are poorly lighted. Begun
June 4, 1608, the construction was finished in 1615. The hill,
originally Morro do Carmo, later took its name from the convent. Of
the Franciscan Order, the convent is poor, but the fine sacristy is
worth visiting. Here is antique and artistic furniture, such as is
rarely seen, carved from jacarandá, one of Brazil’s most valuable
woods. Here, too, is a remarkable wainscoting of blue tile,
representing incidents in the life of St. Anthony, paintings on
wood, a staff done in gold and precious stones presented by the
Prince Regent, another from the Governor of Sacramento, now Uruguay,
and other curiosities. In 1855 an imperial decree suspended the
novitiate of religious orders; by 1886 but one member of the
community remained; in 1889, with the establishment of the Republic,
religious liberty was ordained, other friars were admitted, and the
work of restoration began. In a large saloon of the convent is a
stone slab marking the burial place of John Forbes Skellater, native
of Scotland, who served the Kings of Portugal as General and
Councillor, accompanying H. R. H. to Rio de Janeiro, where he died
April 8, 1808, at the age of 76. In an old chapel of the cloisters
is a tomb containing the remains of the Prince Pedro Alfonso, son of
the Emperor, Dom Pedro II. Several pictures by unknown artists
remain from ancient days.
[Illustration:
AVENIDA DO MANGUE
]
The hill on the other side of the Avenue, also south of rua
Assembléa is _Castello_, at the top of which is the Astronomical
Observatory with ruins of an ancient church. The easy climb by a
narrow paved roadway is well worth making for the delightful view
from the summit of the city and harbor below, and the more distant
mountains in the rear.
Near the foot of Castello on the east side, facing the bay on the
Praia de Santa Luzia is _Misericordia Hospital_, largest of the kind
in South America: a great institution with 57 doctors, 88 nurses and
many assistants. In 1910, 12,171 cases were treated besides 154,600
outdoor patients. Among other numerous and notable philanthropic
institutions is the admirable Institute of Protection and Assistance
to Infants, on rua Visconde do Rio Branco 12, founded by Dr.
Moncorvo Jr. in 1901; accomplishing a great work in the surgical and
medical treatment of children and mothers, and in propagating
information as to hygiene. It received a Grand Prize at the
International Exhibition at Rome 1912. Equally if not more
distinguished is the Pathological Institute Oswaldo Cruz, also
founded in 1901. This, outside the city at Maquinhos, reached by
rail or water in 45 minutes, is called the most completely equipped
in the world for such work: the study of disease germs, the
preparation of serums, etc. Its publications number nearly 100. The
smallpox microbe was here discovered.
Near the north end of the Avenida on the same side as the Castello
is the _São Bento_ hill, at the extremity of the rua Primeiro de
Março, the enclosure of the Benedictine Monastery above being
entered by a large gateway at the bottom of a flight of stone steps.
Founded in 1591, the existing church was built between 1633 and
1642; the present monastery was begun in 1652. During the French
invasion in 1711, the buildings were seriously damaged, and the
Order contributed liberally for the French to leave the town. Nearly
half the building was in 1732 destroyed by fire. The property, till
1827 belonging to the Portuguese Congregation, was then transferred
to the newly organized Brazilian Congregation. In 1909 São Bento
became _Abbadia Nullius_, equivalent to an Archbishopric. It had, in
1912, 20 monks in residence and 6 in the Rio Branco Mission to
Indians in the Amazon region. The monastery has, since 1858,
maintained a free school for boys, primary and secondary, with 400
pupils now in attendance, and with 500 in a night school. Lay
professors assist and many distinguished men have here received
their early education. The Order is very wealthy, owning much
property in the middle of the city. It formerly owned the site of
the Marine Arsenal and the Ilha das Cobras, which was purchased in
1589 by the founder of the monastery for 15 milreis, about $5.00. In
the revolt of the Naval Brigade, December, 1910, on the Cobras
Island, the Government forces made use of the monastery, which
suffered seriously from the return fire. The church, rich in carved
and gilded decorations, is worth a visit. It contains some rare
furniture, and an ancient organ valuable only as a relic. The
sacristy and corridors preserve a large number of old paintings. One
of the cells, containing fine specimens of wood work, with a bed
formerly used by D. João VI, is for the especial use of the Papal
Nuncio when he descends for a few days from his residence in
Petropolis. The library of 15,000 volumes comprises many valuable
theological works, both in printing and in manuscript.
On the west side of the Avenue, near the same north end, is the
_Morro da Conceição_, easily ascended from rua Acre by a paved way
with steps. There are many dwellings on this hill, with the _Palace_
of the _Cardinal Archbishop_ at the top. He prefers, however, to
live below in a residence in the rua do Bispo. Offices adjoining the
Cathedral, in the 7th of September street, are used for the official
work. Adjoining the Palace grounds on the hill top is the
_Fortaleza_, built in 1715. Formerly one of the chief points in the
defense of the city it is now used as a barracks for an infantry
regiment. The watch towers, old sentry boxes, and the dungeons are
of interest. The last have been in use, even since the founding of
the Republic, for the imprisonment of political offenders; in
1893-94, British subjects, among others, were here immured. The view
from this hilltop over the city is the most comprehensive to be
obtained from any central point.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXXI
RIO DE JANEIRO—CONCLUDED
Too long, mayhap, have we lingered in the heart of the city, longer
I fancy than any tourist will do, despite the attractions in the
busy marts of trade, and the stately edifices devoted to
governmental, artistic, and intellectual purposes. The great charm
of the city, the feature which makes it incomparable among the
capitals of the world, is the number of delightful excursions
practicable to its enchanting suburbs. Some of these may be visited
by electric car or automobile, as the length of one’s purse
prescribes, others by boat, and one by cog railway.
Most persons will be tempted to improve the very first afternoon by
a ride along the front of the bay, on the unrivaled _Beira Mar_,
from the Monroe Palace on the Avenida to the foot of the Pão do
Assucar, a ride without parallel, even on the shores of the
Mediterranean. This magnificent boulevard invites also to a
promenade, for a broad walk guarded by a handsome railing tops the
massive sea wall, which rises 15 feet above the wave-sprinkled rocks
below. Rarely, indeed, the waves rise higher. July 12th, 1911, a
heavy wind blowing from the south not only dashed breakers high
above the wall, but with these sent stones weighing a ton over upon
the boulevard. Next to the promenade come two wide asphalt spaces,
separated by a strip of grass and a row of trees, for automobiles
going in opposite directions, thronged towards evening with swiftly
moving machines. A garden strip of varying width follows, beautiful
shrubbery, brilliant coleas, and other plants with leaves of varied
hue, gorgeous red salvias, geraniums, and other showy flowers. Now
comes the wide paved street with ample space for ordinary vehicles
and for the double tracks of the electric cars.
A few minutes from the Monroe Palace, and almost in front of the
Pensão Suissa is the Praça da Gloria where Cattete street branches
from the Beira Mar. The very pretty Garden contains two notable
monuments: one of these to Pedro Álvarez Cabral, discoverer of
Brazil, by Rodolpho Bernadelli, Director of the School of Fine Arts.
This monument inaugurated in 1900, the fourth centenary of the
Discovery, represents with Cabral the chronicler, Pero Vaz Caminha,
and the Franciscan, Henrique de Coimbra, who celebrated the first
mass on the soil of South America. The other monument, dedicated in
1902, is a statue of Visconde do Rio Branco by the French sculptor,
Charpentier. The ascent of the Gloria hill close by is worth while
for the splendid panorama from the summit, if not for the little
church above where on the 15th of August is a festival.
Beyond the Gloria hill are finer residences with pretty gardens,
distracting attention from the view of the Sugar Loaf in front, the
silvery waters on the left, the city of Nictheroy on the opposite
side of the bay, and the curving inlets of both shores. On account
of a projecting hill the car tracks leave the water’s edge for a
space, passing back to the _Largo do Machado_, where the offices of
the railway are situated, the place to go for lost articles. After
passing the Hotel dos Estrangeiros, the boulevard is soon regained
on the _Botafogo Bay_, a lovely geometrical curve. Again leaving the
shore the car marked _Ministro de Agricultura_ alone returns to the
_Praia de Saudade_, on which the great _Hospital for the Insane_ is
passed, the _Institute Benjamin Constant for the Blind_, and the
imposing building of the _Ministry of Agriculture_, the cars at
length pausing in front of the _Military School Building_, which
stands by the ocean shore; we have now passed beyond the splendid
Sugar Loaf, so that in the rear of the School Building we should
find the Praia Vermelha, a beach on the great ocean. An _Aerial
Railway_ now serves for a trip to the tip top of the pinnacle, _Pão
do Assucar_, whence a delightful view is obtained of city, bay, and
ocean. The same Praia Vermelha car passes the base station whence an
electric basket cable car accommodating twenty persons goes, first
to the Morro da Urca, return ticket 2$000, then on to the top of the
Pão do Assucar, return ticket probably 4$000. The journey to the top
is made in twelve minutes. The distance is nearly a mile.
Other rides partly along the front, or on Cattete street parallel to
the Beira Mar, should be taken to the various suburban ocean beaches
of _Leme_, _Copacabana_, _Ipanema_, and _Gavea_, backed by
picturesque hills, through which a tunnel or two has been bored for
more direct access. Some of the beaches, though rather dangerous for
bathing, are more or less patronized. Many people wander along the
shore, or in pavilions regale themselves with beer or coffee. Villas
of the wealthy and a sprinkling of poorer houses, with several
hotels and restaurants, show provision for all classes. Everywhere
in the residential districts outside of the more crowded central
portion, attention will be continually drawn to the charming homes,
some of quite palatial dimensions and elegance, the majority more
modest but generally with some pretty ornamentation, all apparently
freshly painted in varied and delicate shades of color, pink, blue,
green, lavender, pearl, buff, Alice blue, etc., embowered among
vines, shrubbery, and palms: an unceasing source of pleasure.
On the way to the beaches by the rua Cattete, before reaching the
Strangers’ Hotel, the _President’s Palace_ may be observed on the
left. The large garden extends through to the boulevard along the
Praia de Flamengo, but the entrance is from Cattete. The exterior of
the Palace, which was constructed by the Baron of Nova Friburgo and
later purchased by the Government, is not noteworthy, but the
interior has magnificent decorations; the garden would be a fitting
accessory of a royal palace. Next to the Palace is the beautiful
school building, Rodriguez Alves, a suitable monument to the great
President of Brazil, in whose administration was inaugurated the
tremendous undertaking by which the city has been transformed.
Not far from the Hotel Estrangeiros, a beautiful avenue lined with
royal palms, half a mile long, leads to a fine mansion, which in
1911 was the residence of the President.
In a long afternoon of four or five hours the entire circuit of the
city may be made by automobile along the Beira Mar on the shore of
the bay, then past the ocean beaches to the mountains and by a
splendid road along the mountain-side past Gavea and Tijuca, thence
across to the waterfront, and by the docks returning to the Avenida
Central; a circuit with varied panorama such as no other city of the
world affords, to which an entire day might better be devoted.
[Illustration:
RESIDENCE OF THE PRESIDENT
]
[Illustration:
BOTANICAL GARDENS
]
The _Botanical Garden_, long celebrated as possessing the finest
collection of tropical plants among the parks of the world, was
founded in 1808 by Dom João VI when Prince Regent of Portugal. At
the Avenida Station, a car marked Gavea may be taken about once in
ten minutes. The route is at first a familiar one, near the shore of
the bay, but turns at length to the west, passing presently under
the steep walls of Corcovado on the right and near the shore of a
considerable lake, the Lagõa Rodrigues de Freitas on the left, a
ride for which the three-quarters of an hour required is none too
long. Within the gateway, flanked by small office buildings, one is
confronted by a splendid avenue of superb palms, 150 in number,
extending in a straight line nearly half a mile. The tree trunks, a
yard in diameter at the base, are straight shafts 75 feet high, ere
they are topped by their leafage crown. Some distance up, this
avenue is crossed by another of 140 palms, a fountain adorning the
square of intersection. These palms, with all those forming
colonnades in other parts of the city, are descendants of the
ancient tree which was planted by D. João VI. The story goes that
some Brazilian officers, shipwrecked, were carried to the Isle of
France, where was a fine botanical garden. One of the officers, Luiz
de Abreu, after gaining possession of several choice specimens,
managed to escape with them. Returning to Brazil he presented them
to Dom João, who, transferring them to the Garden, planted with his
own hands the seed of the _Royal Palm_. The tree still standing, 130
feet high, apparently destined to flourish for some time longer, is
marked by an inscription, and will be pointed out by an attendant if
overlooked. It is not, of course, in any of the rows. Besides
hundreds of varieties of Brazilian plants, the Garden contains as
many from all parts of the world; it maintains close relations with
other Gardens, sending to them hundreds of thousands of seeds, as
well as making extensive distribution in various parts of Brazil. A
delightful section at the left of the entrance is called the _Bamboo
Salon_, where a walk under the feathery archway recalls the aisle of
a Gothic cathedral. Of great interest is the _traveler’s tree_,
somewhat resembling a banana plant, of which the sap is like pure
cold water. The gentleman who showed me about, kindly cut the stalk
with his knife. I drank as the sap spouted forth, and found it
indistinguishable from clear water. If the tree would grow in desert
regions, what a godsend to the thirsty traveler! The _victoria
regia_ with its great leaves, four or five feet in diameter floating
on the water is always noteworthy, even if it is not the flowering
season, there May or June. Naturally rubber trees of many varieties
are to be seen, coffee shrubs, tea plants, and others in profusion,
both useful and beautiful, a wealth of vines, but fewer orchids, at
least in blossom, than I had hoped. The _candelabra tree_, so called
from its shape, and the _cow tree_, which supplies a kind of milk
better for making cement than for drinking, are of interest. An
especial curiosity is one tree growing inside of another, the trunk
of the palm being almost completely surrounded by the trunk of
another tree of entirely different character, both trees now 30 or
40 feet high.
A number of pretty pavilions, a lake, grottoes, and cascades
contribute to adorn the Garden, also several monuments and statues.
One of the monuments is in memory of the real founder of the Garden,
_Frei Leandro do Sacramento_, Professor of Botany in the Faculty of
Medicine, a distinguished scholar, who on his death in 1829 left the
Garden in a flourishing condition. At the end of the central avenue
of palms, the monument, _Dea Palmaris_, was inaugurated in 1906.
There are various statues of nymphs, a temple of Nike, a Belvedere,
a colonial portico, and the _first statue ever cast in Brazil_, this
in 1783 by Valentim da Fonseca e Silva. In one of the buildings by
the gate is a _herbarium_ of great value, as also a library. Even
unscientific persons with no especial interest in botany may enjoy a
long afternoon wandering in the delightful walks, the charm of which
is increased by the wooded steeps and grim cliffs of Corcovado just
above, seeing here the side of Corcovado precisely opposite to the
one visible from the center of the city. One may leave the Garden in
time to continue the short distance to the end of the line to Gavea,
where there is a noted spring of water of excellent quality. From a
spot called Boa Vista, a short climb, the panorama is superb. The
headlands, Dous Irmãos, are at the left, the shores ever beaten by
angry waves; in front is the broad ocean dotted with islands, one
named Rosa bearing a lighthouse; on the right imposing _Gavea_, on
whose face near the summit may be distinguished lines believed to
have been traced by some primitive people. The name Gavea, meaning
topsail, is derived from the shape of the summit. Its ascent is
possible from the side towards Tijuca and has several times been
made.
=Corcovado.= Most delightful to many of all the days to be spent at
Rio will be that which is devoted to the _Ascent_ of _Corcovado_;
nor should it long be postponed. The first clear day or afternoon
should be improved, as at some seasons clouds are frequent. Even
setting out with a cloudless sky, one may find the goal shrouded in
mist, or spread out below a mantle of softest sheen concealing in
part or whole the glorious prospect beneath. There is a choice of
two routes to the summit: both I strongly recommend; every one
should go twice; but with time so limited that a single trip may be
made it is desirable to go one way and return the other. The
Sylvestre route begins by electric car, starting every half hour
from the Largo da Carioca back of the Avenida Hotel. The other,
longer or shorter, according to the point of departure, is all by
cog-wheeled railway; but the base station is 35 or 40 minutes from
the Avenida. One takes here or farther out a car marked Cosme Velho
or Larangeiras to the pretty station among the Santa Theresa hills,
passing on the way the familiar Estrangeiros and Largo Machado,
there turning to the right on Larangeiras, a street as yet
unfamiliar. Near the end of the line on the left is the station,
return ticket 3 milreis, where one enters a car open at the sides
with sufficiently comfortable seats if you face upwards. The track,
one meter wide, about two miles long, crosses the valley of the
Sylvestre stream on an iron viaduct of three arches, each 80 feet
wide, supported on iron pillars with a masonry base, then enters a
deep trench, later crossing two more bridges.
At the first station, _Sylvestre_, those board the train who have
come by electrics to this point. The latter, after a few rods of
steep grade from Carioca, wind along the side of San Antonio Hill in
gradual ascent, then cross on the picturesque double arches of the
old viaduct to the outlying hill of the Santa Theresa ridge. Swiftly
speeds the car affording but fleeting glimpses of the busy streets
and the houses below. Winding along the hillside, soon passing the
International Hotel, with many level stretches and moderate
inclines, the outlook above or below is enchanting. Any description
must fall far short of the reality. The conjunction of a great city
with picturesque scenery, pellucid bays, ragged cliffs, and tropical
vegetation is unparalleled. One sits enthralled with the vision of
loveliness. One’s entire vocabulary of adjectives such as exquisite,
entrancing, magnificent, sublime, crowd upon the mind. A short
distance away towers the massive Sugar Loaf, its cliffs so steep and
smooth that apparently even a fly would find no foothold, unless
with a liberal supply of Spalding’s glue upon his little toes. My
cry was not “O for the wings of a dove!” but for the pen of my
gifted friends, Aked or Gifford, to attempt the glowing description
the scenes deserve. Here are trees with great bunches of yellow
flowers, somewhat resembling wistaria, but with a very artificial
look. Many trees bear large scarlet flowers. One below is covered
with white blossoms. Pretty villas and gardens are passed, the
dwellings, pink, blue, green, and terra cotta. In bright sunshine
smoked glasses may seem desirable to eyes not especially strong. As
we skirt the hillside in many curves, the city below is now on our
right, the gleaming bay, and curving shore; the next moment the
steep slopes or cliffs above; and now we move through a dense and
quiet forest. A good carriage road is here by the side of the track.
A happy couple is occasionally seen strolling on a sequestered path.
In January it was too warm to enjoy a climb, but a leisurely descent
would at any time be a pleasure. In winter, June, July, and August,
the ascent would be equally agreeable, and the opportunity to pause
and enjoy the charming vistas no one could fail to appreciate.
[Illustration:
CORCOVADO FROM THE BOULEVARD BEIRA MAR
]
[Illustration:
THROUGH THE CLOUDS, FROM CORCOVADO
]
At Sylvestre, about 700 feet altitude, where the transfer is made to
the cog-wheeled railway, there is a little hotel where a cup of tea
may be enjoyed and a short walk taken, unless close connection is
made. In this case you must run across the track to the booth where
tickets are sold, buying for the round trip unless minded to walk
down; an excellent idea, as the time allowed above is short.
Descending on foot to Sylvestre a car may there be taken every half
hour. The hours of the train on the cog railway should be carefully
investigated, as they are few, and vary with the season; on week
days formerly 10 and 2, on Sundays nearly every hour but the last
descending at 5. Now on the cog-wheeled road, the grade is at times
so heavy that if riding backwards you must brace or hang on, lest
you slip from the seat. The train is run by electricity with four
cables and an engine. Six kinds of brakes may be relied upon in case
of accident; they never occur on this line, but occasionally on the
tramway. Thick woods and a tangle of vines now mostly shut out the
distant prospect, but these are fascinating. Mosses, ferns, and
lichens, forest palms, tendril-draped trees with every shade of
green, orchids, begonias, and other blossoms, trickling waters,
narrow forest paths, sudden glimpses of the shimmering bay, of dark
tree-tops, of massive cliffs below, or of craggy peak above, make
every moment a delight. At the station _Paneiras_, alt., 1500 feet,
is the Hotel Corcovado, with restaurant service at all hours and
comfortable rooms, a resort for convalescents and others. It has a
temperature 15° or 18° lower than in the city and delightful shady
walks. At a little distance a clearing affords a wonderful outlook.
The track ends at the foot of a cliff whence a good path of rather
steep grade leads to the summit 100 feet above, crowned by the usual
pavilion. This stands quite 2200 feet above the surface of the bay.
One hardly pauses here, but descending a few steps goes on to the
very end, the brink of the perpendicular cliff on the south side,
with a sheer drop of 1700 feet, well protected by a substantial wall
with a seat for the feeble or the loiterer. And who would not loiter
here, with this beautiful vision spread out beneath! A panorama of
surpassing loveliness! Oh, read Miss Cameron’s _Involuntary
Chaperone_! and you may gain some small idea of the enchanting
scenes. In afternoon light, in sunset glow, in the quiet evening
with the twinkling lights below and the serene moon above, this is a
paradise for lovers, a fairy land for all.
The view from _Tijuca_ more beautiful! Who at Corcovado can believe
it? Not I! But so some have said. Therefore to Tijuca must one go if
possible. The electric cars marked Tijuca, which run from Praça 15th
of November along rua Assembléa to the suburb, may be taken for the
excursion. The ride is through a very different section, by the
Canal do Mangue, then through clean streets, lined by comfortable
dwellings of the middle class, some more pretentious with pretty
gardens, nearly all painted in delicate shades of gay colors. In the
really suburban section are many fine villas, and after a gradual
ascent among the hills one descends 6 miles from the Avenida, at a
park, alt. 1000 ft., called _Boa Vista_, on one side of which is a
hotel; also an establishment where saddle horses may be procured,
perchance an automobile, for the continuance of the journey. These
are rather expensive; a carriage for an hour costs 20 milreis,
nearly $7.00, an auto of course more. Walks, however, may be taken
to many pretty spots. A few steps from the Square is a charming
outlook over city and bay. At the farther side of the Square begins
the Tijuca forest, and following the road one soon reaches (perhaps
ten minutes) a picturesque little _cascade_. This road may be
pursued on foot or horseback in 3 or 4 hours to the top of the
mountain; alt. 3300 feet, from which is the superior view above
mentioned. Other pretty spots to be visited in a drive of two or
three hours are the _Grotto of Paul and Virginia_, the _Grand
Cascade_, the _Chinese View_, the _Emperor’s Table_, the
_Excelsior_, the _Solidão_, etc. The _Furnas_ at a distance of two
miles is a fantastic arrangement of rocks and boulders, where an
interesting garden has been established. The road which passes the
Vista Chineza and the Emperor’s Table leads down to the Botanical
Garden through the rua Doña Castorina. Best of all is to make a day
of it by automobile from the city, ascending the peak on foot or
horseback, visiting all the points of interest, and taking the
glorious ride around by Gavea and the Botanical Gardens on the
return.
PETROPOLIS
HOTELS. Europa, Rio de Janeiro (German), Pensão Central,
expensive. Braganza Hotel, Meyer’s Pension, moderate.
An excursion to _Petropolis_ (return ticket 4$) should not be
omitted, a city of 25,000, the residence of the diplomats, formerly
the summer home of the Emperor. Once it was necessary to cross the
bay to Mauá to take the train; the road from this point to the foot
of the mountains, opened in 1856, is the oldest in Brazil. While the
steamboat ride was agreeable, it is more convenient to take the
train at the Leopoldina Railway Station in the city, rather far out,
indeed; and at least three-quarters of an hour should be allowed to
reach it. Almost, in spite of a sharp run, I lost my train, which my
companion did quite. After some miles over the plain, the rack and
pinion system is employed for the climb, almost to the city; when
ordinary motors are again used. The ascent is delightful, with an
ever charming outlook, better perhaps on the right, but there should
be observation cars in order to look both ways at once. The sea is
occasionally visible, oftener only the luxuriant vegetation,
trailing vines, feathery ferns, brilliant blossoms, great trees,
splendid rocks, and mountain streams. An occasional factory is
rather a surprise, but with all this water power, why not? This
Serra da Estrella is a part of the Organ Mts. and of the Serra do
Mar or Coast Range of Brazil. Among the hills around, orchid hunters
find many treasures. Petropolis, in the social season from December
to May, is a resort of wealth and fashion, a scene of gayety, the
many beautiful homes filled with guests. Founded in 1845 as an
agricultural colony by 2000 Germans, it became the headquarters of
the Diplomatic Corps on account of the yellow fever epidemics at
Rio. The residence of twenty foreign diplomats has made the place
important for its size. Now that the sanitary conditions of Rio are
of the very best it is possible that the diplomats may resume
residence in the capital below. A pretty and unusual feature of
Petropolis is the stream flowing in several of the principal
streets, crossed by graceful bridges of wood or of iron, with stone
embankments partially vine-clad, and beautiful overhanging trees.
There are delightful drives, both in the town and in the mountainous
region about. The wide streets of the town, often fringed with
magnolias, are bordered by many handsome residences amid lawns and
gardens with rich tropical verdure. A bronze monument to Pedro II
was dedicated February, 1911. The American Embassy is housed in a
fine old mansion on beautiful grounds. The former summer residence
of Dom Pedro II, property of the Countess d’Eu, is now a College of
St. Vincent de Paul. The city has unusual educational advantages and
many commercial enterprises. There is much social gayety in the
season, but during the months of the rainy weather the fashionables
depart. The City Hall is noted as the best in the state.
* * * * *
Another city on the mountains, of slightly greater elevation, is
_Nova Friburgo_, three hours from Nictheroy. With an elevation of
about 3000 feet it enjoys a perfect climate. The oldest immigrant
colony in Brazil, it was founded by 1700 Swiss in 1819. This also is
a famous summer resort and is the center of a productive coffee
district.
Another interesting mountain city is _Therezopolis_, also 3000 feet
above the sea, commanding delightful views of the ravines and
cascades of the Organ Mts. and of the beautiful bay far below.
An excursion to _Nictheroy_, the capital of the State of Rio de
Janeiro, should not be omitted. It is easily made from the Caes
Pharoux, by ferry every half hour. With a population of 35,000, it
is a nice quiet town, with well paved streets and pretty squares.
From the ferry landing electric cars may be taken to the charming
beaches of _Icarahy_ and _Sacco do São Francisco_, the latter with a
beach rivaling Trouville; the ride around by one of the promontories
is thoroughly delightful. The return may be made through the town of
Nictheroy, which has some handsome public buildings.
Equally if not more desirable is a sail into the inner harbor. From
Caes Pharoux boats go four times daily to the Island Paquetá, also
to the Governador; (fare to either 500 _reis_ each way). The former
island is especially picturesque, with charming embowered chalets.
On Sunday afternoons, a three hours’ sail may be taken; fare 1$500.
[Illustration:
UNITED STATES EMBASSY, PETROPOLIS
]
[Illustration:
STREET WITH RIVER
]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXXII
NORTHERN BRAZIL—HOMEWARD
The large majority of tourists will embark at Rio on one of the fine
large steamers of the Lamport and Holt Line for New York. Return may
also be made by way of England on a Royal Mail boat. A few may
desire a more extended acquaintance with Brazil. Some facts are
therefore presented in regard to other States of this immense
Republic and the facilities for visiting them.
=Minas Geraes.= One inclined to journey into the interior, to the
rich gold and diamond region in the State of _Minas Geraes_, may go
by the Central Railway 400 miles north to the capital of Minas,
_Bello Horizonte_, a made-to-order city, not twenty years of age,
but with a population of 30,000, already a fine town for its size.
While this State has no seaboard, no rubber, and no city of 50,000
inhabitants, it has a larger population than any other State of
Brazil and than most of the countries of South America. This is due
to its good climate and excellent waters, as well as to its rich
resources. The author Diaz says: “In this State what doesn’t hide
gold contains iron; what does not contain coal spreads diamonds.”
Here for a century 80,000 men toiled to supply gold to the kings of
Portugal. Discovered in 1699, the output of the _gold mines_ at the
middle of the eighteenth century was at its height. Five thousand
pounds weight is said to have been panned in one year in the area of
one square mile; in another place 100 pounds in one night; 360,000
pounds weight were registered in Rio in 1792. The entire output has
been about one billion dollars. In the nineteenth century less was
produced on account of a heavy tax, new methods, and uncertainty as
to property rights and mining laws. At present there is a revival
and a good outlook. The oldest producing gold mine in the world is
said to be the Morro Velho, between Ouro Preto and Bello Horizonte,
yielding one ounce to the ton and 80,000 ounces a year.
The _diamond mines_ of Jequitinhonha Valley, famous for two
centuries, were discovered in 1729. The Regent diamond, weighing
nearly an ounce, found by three convicts in 1791, secured their
pardon. The Estrella do Sul, now belonging to the Rajah of Baroda,
picked up by a slave who gave it for his freedom, was the highest
ransom ever paid for liberty. Weighing uncut 250 carats, about half
that when cut, it is worth $15,000,000. The center of the industry
is the town _Diamantina_ (population 10,000), 600 miles from Rio.
Black diamonds are found, also amethysts, tourmaline, topaz,
aquamarines, garnets, chrysolites, etc., in many places.
_Ouro Preto_, the center of the manganese industry, yields annually
250,000 tons of 55 per cent ore. Iron, found in every part of Minas,
for lack of fuel, is not exploited. Platinum has been found and
there is a great variety of granite and marble, agates, onyx, and
rock crystal, mica, graphite, cinnabar, and asbestos. Ouro Preto,
the former capital, has a mining school, organized in 1903, said to
be one of the best in the world, with instruction free; the museum
contains a rare collection. The State is thought to have a future
rivaling that of Australia and Kimberley.
The old capital, of which Diaz says: “In six squares everything is
in the horizontal plan, but the 52 streets and lanes go through
tortuous and accidented places as if they were acrobats,” was at
length deemed unsuitable; the State was investigated for a new one;
the site of a hamlet in a beautiful valley was chosen, and a branch
line was built 10 miles from the Central Railway. In 1894 private
houses began to be erected. _Bello Horizonte_ has fine wide streets,
with arborization said to be the most artistic of any South American
city. It has water supply, sewerage, illumination, and electric
tramways, of the best type, a _Government Palace_ which cost half a
million, the finest of the State buildings of Brazil, the
_Department of the Interior_, of _Finance_, and of _Agriculture_,
each with handsome buildings, also the _City Hospital_. A small
river with pretty cascades running through the valley forms the
vertebra of a beautiful park, which with great trees, shrubs, and
vines, a broad driveway, and picturesque paths rivals in extent and
natural beauty all others in Brazil.
An _Agricultural School_ with a model farm is an important
educational feature on account of the great fertility of the region.
Sugar cane, corn, rice, bananas, tobacco, fruits, cotton, cereals,
and many other things are here cultivated, with coffee as the chief
product, the State being second to São Paulo in its culture. A
concession was made to a North American Company for growing hemp and
other fibres, one million trees to be planted within four years.
Viticulture and the silk worm industry are suitable to the region.
Vast pasture lands support great herds of cattle, nearly 300,000,000
head being exported in a single year. The dairy produce of butter,
cheese, and milk, is very important, and eggs also. It is thus
evident that Brazil possesses other industries beside rubber and
coffee, and regions with agreeable climate. The San Francisco River
flowing north through this section, while navigable at intervals,
has a series of cascades, among the most picturesque in the world.
Also there are famous mineral springs at Caxambu, altitude 3000 ft.,
with waters resembling those of Baden and Spa, with chalets, hotels,
and sanatoria, in summer crowded with guests; and other springs in
various other resorts.
The next _Coast_ State to Rio is _Espirito Santo_, though small, the
third coffee producer, raising also sugar cane, rice, and splendid
tropical woods; a good climate up on the plateau. The capital and
seaport, Victoria (20,000 pop.), has an excellent harbor, now being
improved with docks, warehouses, etc., soon to be a port of call for
large steamers. The next State, Bahia, will be mentioned later in
the chapter.
Following Bahia is _Sergipe_, smallest of the States (a little
larger than Maryland), 15,000 square miles, but the most thickly
settled. Another small State is _Alagoas_; then comes the large and
important _Pernambuco_, its capital so called, but more properly
Recife; with its population of 150,000, the fourth city of Brazil,
it is of great commercial importance. The name Recife arises from a
substantial reef off shore forming a fine natural breakwater, to
which the Dutch made some artificial addition, also erecting at its
extremity a strong lighthouse tower, the light visible for 20 miles.
The city, built on marshy ground, by quays and filling in redeemed
from the sea, from its canals and peninsulas, is called the
Brazilian Venice. Founded in 1536 by Duarte Coelho, it was in the
seventeenth century occupied many years by the Dutch, who were
finally expelled in 1654 by the patriotic Portuguese. From the
pretty bridges are many lovely panoramas. Several fine markets, two
theaters, a handsome Congress Hall, and the Governor’s Palace on the
foundations of that of the Prince of Nassau facing the Praça de
Republica are noteworthy. Two handsome churches are those of Nossa
Senhora da Penha of the Corinthian order of architecture and the Boa
Vista. The chief exports are cotton and sugar; the imports exceed
those of any Brazilian city except Rio.
The next State on the north is _Parahyba_, reputed to have vast
mineral wealth of coal, iron, gold, precious stones, etc., as yet
lying tranquil in the soil. Then comes _Rio Grande do Norte_, whose
enormous saline deposits along the shore partly compensate for its
barren stretches of land and frequent droughts. The following state,
_Ceará_, is closely connected with the rubber industry, for the
reason that on account of the barren sands along the coast, and the
inland droughts the male portion of the inhabitants is in large
numbers driven to the rubber districts of Amazonas. Seasons not
visited by drought are characterized by immense crops and bountiful
dairy products. _Fortaleza_, the capital, with over 50,000
inhabitants, among other nice buildings possesses a great public
market of cast-iron. Waterworks, planned on a large scale to
alleviate the effects of the droughts, will be highly beneficial.
The adjoining state of _Piauí_, with similar low and melancholy
shores, also suffers from lack of rain. A town is spoken of as
“having taken the name of a river that was so poor it ought not to
have one to give away.” _Maranhão_, the last state before reaching
_Pará_ and the Amazon, with a large population of negroes, like
Bahia, and of Indians in their primitive condition, has as its
capital _San Luiz_, a city founded by the French, and, like Bahia,
noted for its literary taste and culture. An indication of this is
that the squares, in other cities named after military events and
heroes, are here called after poets and other writers.
PARÁ AND THE AMAZON
The great Amazon River, we all know, is the largest in the world,
yet its immensity is hardly realized. In size of basin and volume of
water it far exceeds the Mississippi. For a distance of 180 miles
from shore the Atlantic is freshened by its waters, which vary in
depth in the estuary from 90 to 900 feet. Among its 1100
tributaries, great and small, there are seven more than 1000 miles
long, not counting the Marañon and Ucayali, by which it is formed.
One, the Madeira River, has a length of 3000 miles. In the great
region which it drains there are 1200 varieties of birds and 8000
animals not found elsewhere, to say nothing of the plants. The soil
is so rich that corn is returned 800 fold.
The best time to visit the Upper Amazon is in the dryer season, from
June to the middle of October, or in January; the worst is from
February to June. The climate of this section is attractive only to
those who enjoy heat and rain; the heat is not excessive, but
continuous; the rain is often 200 inches annually. Still the climate
is called fairly healthy for the most part, with small sections very
bad.
=Pará=, the most important in wealth, population, and commerce of
the northern States of Brazil, is a name familiar to all, to many
simply as rubber, to others rather as a city than a State:
improperly so indeed, as the city by its residents is termed Belem.
Founded at the mouth of the Amazon in January, 1616, it is younger
than the other important coast cities, while the State, formerly a
part of Maranhão, is little more than a century old. The date of
July 31, 1867, when the great river, previously closed to all but
Brazilian steamers, was opened to the navigation of the world, is
that of the beginning of Belem’s prosperity and wonderful growth.
Today a city of 150,000, it lies on the edge of a tranquil lagoon
called Guarujá Bay, formed by the Pará River, one of the several
mouths of the great Amazon. Along the city front is a forest of
masts and smokestacks, and vessels of every size and character pass
to and fro. Fine docks and warehouses have recently been
constructed, the work, begun in 1907, to be continued by the Port of
Pará Co., according to the requirements which are rapidly
increasing, since facilities must ultimately be provided for a
traffic from an area of the more than three million square miles
embraced in the Amazon Valley. A channel 30 feet deep leading from
the outer river to the port is marked by 26 modern buoys, illumined
by acetylene gas, with lights of 120-candle power intensified by a
lens. The port works are equal to the best at Liverpool and Hamburg,
having three-quarters of a mile of quay wall with water 30 feet deep
for ocean steamers, 722 feet of wall with 12 feet of water for river
steamers, and 1500 feet more for smaller boats with 9 feet 6 inches
of water. The wall of huge blocks of concrete is of the most
substantial character. On a roadway 60 feet wide are electric cranes
and railways, back of which are large warehouses. Beyond these is a
granite-paved boulevard, then the city itself, with the Custom
House, market, banking houses, stores, and all forms of commercial
activity.
On the large square, _Frei Caetano Brandão_, in the center of which
is a statue of the bishop after whom the square is named, the
founder of the first hospital in the city, stands the _Cathedral_
erected in 1710, elegant and harmonious, of rather severe exterior,
but within brilliantly decorated in high colors. On the bay side of
this square are the ruins of an old fort called _Castello_,
preserved for historic interest. The principal plaza is the
_Independencia_, adorned with flower beds, with lawns, bushes, and
trees; but the people here loving nature and flowers, no one ever
steps on the lawns or plucks a blossom, which indeed is the case in
the other cities of Latin America. In the center of the square is a
monument to General Gurjão, a superb bronze statue of a soldier who
died fighting, while he exclaimed, “See how a Brazilian General
dies!” At the side of the plaza, Parque Affonso Penna, is the
_Government Palace_ erected in 1776, and near by the blue tinted
_City Hall_ of colonial days, containing in the main hall a
beautiful painting of the death of the great musician, Carlos Gomez,
who died here.
In the square, _Visconde de Rio Branco_ on a marble base is the most
artistic monument of the city, a bronze statue of the Brazilian
patriot, _José da Garma Malcher_, with the figure of a beautiful
young girl below writing the name of the hero. Another garden,
_Baptista Compos_, is a little paradise with fountains, lakes,
bridges, plants, etc.
A unique public recreation ground at the other end of the city is a
tract of primitive woods, called _O Bosque_, dense and somber with
great trees which as the city grew in that direction was with
wonderful foresight preserved by the Municipality. Driveways were
opened disclosing its poetic beauty, greenhouses, cascades,
fountains and other embellishments added, making it a resort of
which the people are proud.
The usual _Praça da Republica_ contains a beautiful marble monument
with bronze figures commemorating the proclamation of the Republic.
On this square, the heart of the city, is the _Paz Theater_ of white
marble, imposing and austere, of the Corinthian order of
architecture, with a tranquil grandeur unlike any other in South
America. The interior is decorated with paintings by De Angelis
surrounded by high gold reliefs, contains a foyer with a beautiful
inlaid floor, and has everything in lighting and mechanical devices
of the most modern type. The Paz Hotel is near.
Notable churches are _Santa Anna_, built in 1761, and _Our Lady of
the Carmo_, about the same date, and _Our Lady of Nazareth_, built
in 1802, where seamen especially bring offerings, wax miniatures of
boats and other objects of maritime life, forming a curious museum
of nautical art.
The greatest interest and admiration may be excited by the _Goeldi
Museum_, one of the most famous in South America, and now under the
direction of Dr. Jacques Huber. The building is surrounded by fine
specimens of the Amazonian forests with the finest collection in the
world of the _Hevea brasiliensis_, the best of the many varieties of
rubber trees; and the experimental garden probably contains every
species of rubber known, with many other plants of commercial value.
Of equal or greater interest are the archæological, ethnological,
and zoological departments. Here are collections of pottery of
extinct Indian tribes inhabiting this region at the time of the
Portuguese discovery, with funeral urns and pottery from mounds of
the Island of Marajó. Weapons and utensils of the Amazonian Indians
are shown. The collection of Brazilian fauna comprises a complete
series of Amazonian monkeys, a great variety of birds, the larger
mammals, as the tapir, jaguar, etc., and insects. Many living
creatures, aquatic birds, parrots, toucans of gorgeous plumage,
alligators, anacondas, boa constrictors, electric eels, and many
others, safely caged, enchain the attention.
The _Lauro Sodré Institute_ for industrial and agricultural
training, a _School of Commerce_, a _Fine Arts Academy_, and other
establishments for education, for the sick, and the poor are
liberally provided. A fine new _Market_ is not of small importance.
The broad, clean, well shaded streets are often lined with beautiful
villas and gardens; though but a degree and a half from the equator
the heat is not excessive, rarely above 90° Fahr.
=Manaos.= The visitor to Pará, is likely to be on his way up the
Amazon to Manaos or Iquitos; if a bit of an explorer, perchance to
Bolivia by the newly practicable Madeira and Mamoré route, or to the
rubber regions in any one of five countries. The city of Pará, is
about 80 miles from the pilot station Salinas; and a further journey
of 24 hours, nearly 200 miles, is required, across a bay, then for
nine hours through a narrow channel, before one really enters the
broad stream of the great Amazon. Along the narrows the landscape is
charming; clearings with huts and children are frequent; canoes with
fishermen, and small steamers calling at the _barracas_
(plantations) for rubber or to bring provisions are numerous. The
luxuriant vegetation is fascinating. But from the remoteness of the
shores, on the immense wide river the four or five days to _Manaos_
may be somewhat monotonous. The greater will be the surprise of the
uniformed traveler when after 900 miles through the enormous
wilderness of forest he arrives at this new city, with a population
of 80,000, truly a wonder of wonders. Its location is at the
junction of the Rio Negro with the Amazon; one writer says on a
large bay, another that it is on the left bank of the Negro eight
miles from the Amazon. At all events it has a safe and quiet harbor
with excellent port works arranged to fit the rise and fall of the
river, about 50 feet. A floating roadway extends into the river, a
platform and pontoons supporting warehouses; and ocean steamships
come alongside. Hills have been lowered, shallow places filled in,
and waterworks and drainage systems supplied; so that a remarkable
city indeed is here in the forest. It is said to be the best lighted
city in Brazil. The _Municipal street_, 100 feet wide, is lined with
handsome buildings. The _Eduardo Ribeiro avenue_ in the afternoon
and evening is thronged with people of wealth and fashion. The
_Amazonas Theater_, on this avenue and S. Sebastião Square, is of
astonishing magnificence, having cost $2,000,000; its beautiful
colored dome is a conspicuous feature from the harbor. The interior
compares with the splendid exterior, allegorical paintings by De
Angelis, the celebrated Italian artist, ornamenting the ceilings of
foyer and auditorium. The _Palace of Justice_, a white marble
building in Roman style, with a bronze and marble staircase, is also
imposing. The _Cathedral_ is a vast temple of simple architecture.
There are excellent school buildings, a public library, a museum
with curious Amazonian specimens, a spacious market cool and well
ventilated, and a public garden with music from six till midnight.
Electric fans are everywhere in evidence, ice here manufactured is
supplied in abundance, and excellent sanitation makes the capital
surprisingly free from sickness.
=Iquitos.= By ocean steamers, the Booth Line from New York and from
London, the journey may be pursued up the Amazon as far as _Iquitos_
in Peru, a city of 15,000 population, where the Amazon, over 2000
miles from its mouth, still has a width of nearly three miles and an
average depth of 25 feet, twice that in the rainy season. The city
is a few leagues below the junction of the Marañon and the Ucayali,
by which the Amazon is formed. Iquitos is quite cosmopolitan with
representatives from various European and American nations. It has
many warehouses, and commercial and other modern buildings of brick
and iron. One hundred and fifty feet above the river and surrounded
by dense forests, the climate is not so bad as it might be, though
the temperature averages 85° to 90° all the year around; as a rule
the place is not unhealthy.
=Rubber= is the principal occasion for its being and growth, and its
commerce is rapidly increasing. In all directions lie the rubber
forests, or more accurately the forests which contain rubber trees.
For these do not grow conveniently in groves, except here and there
occasionally a few trees, but scattered singly in the damp forest,
perhaps 100 or 150 trees in an _estrada_ or section of about 100
acres, an area which a single man can take care of. The _estrada_ is
really the path leading from one tree to another. The man, called
the _seringuero_, sets out early in the morning with hatchet and tin
cups or basins; he makes on each tree several incisions, 4 to 6
inches apart around the tree. By the time the round of 3 or 4 miles
is finished it is time for lunch; then the collection may begin, the
tins containing the fluid called _latex_ are emptied into a pail,
eight or ten quarts in all, producing about as many pounds of
rubber. This is finished by noon, after which the latex must be
smoked over a wood fire; it is coagulated on a sort of ladle twirled
over the smoke. Fresh coats are added when one is dry until a
_bolacha_ or biscuit is formed of from 5 to 100 lbs. The man who
does this work may be a native Indian or a resident of Ceará or
elsewhere. He works for a contractor who may employ several hundred.
Many atrocities have been committed by these contractors, who have
compelled the defenseless Indians to work for them without pay and
have inflicted cruelties, torture, and murder upon them and their
families, especially in the Putomayo district, where an English
Company has been engaged. Through recent investigations the
cruelties have been terminated for the moment; but such is the greed
and inhumanity of some professedly civilized men that close watch
must be kept by humane officials to prevent further abuses and the
extermination of harmless savages.
The rubber is collected in this way from trees called _jebe_ or
_hevea_, but there are many varieties of trees which produce rubber
of varying excellence. A kind of tree called the _caucho_ which
grows on higher land is cut down by the _cauchero_ and the entire
_latex_ is extracted, averaging about 50 lbs. to a tree; this is a
quality of less value. Brazil has a heavy export tax on rubber,
Bolivia about half as much, while Peru exacts less than a quarter.
The terrors, perils, and the fascination (to some few) of the
immense and awful forest are in many books described. Few are the
explorers who, aided by many hands wielding machetes, have
penetrated far into the jungle from the flowing river roads. For
their adventures I have no space. Yet in these days of doughty deeds
by valiant women, a far more wonderful exploit by one who doubtless
had no wish to usurp man’s functions as an explorer may here be
chronicled. Long, long ago, in 1769, when the forests were untrodden
even by the casual rubber gatherer, Madame Godin, to join her
husband in Guiana, left Riobamba in Ecuador with two brothers, a
nephew, a physician, three women domestics, a negro servant, and
thirty Indians. Having passed over the great mountain range they
embarked on a stream, one of the many affluents of the Amazon, to
meet with repeated disasters. Their boat was upset, their supplies
and baggage were lost. The Indians deserted. A raft being made, this
also foundered. Proceeding on foot, lost in the forest they wandered
until, exhausted with starvation and effort, they lay down to die.
This all the rest did, but after two days by her dead companions,
Madame Godin arose. Shoeless, her clothing nearly gone, with no food
save roots and herbs she struggled on amid the terrors of the jungle
till after nine days she met two so-called savages. These treated
her kindly, ministering to her needs till she was able to proceed,
then conducted her to a white settlement farther down. As a
white-haired woman she ultimately reached Pará and joined her
husband, a notable illustration of _the weaker sex_.
=The Madeira-Mamoré Railway.= Only the unusually enterprising
tourist, the explorer, or the business man will be likely to
investigate this new railway, but all may like to know a little
about it. The Madeira, the largest tributary of the Amazon, comes in
from the south a little below Manaos, and is the outlet and means of
access to a large portion of the state of Matto Grosso in Brazil and
of the country of Bolivia as well. Continuous river navigation has,
however, been impossible on account of a series of 19 falls and
rapids on the Madeira and Mamoré rivers within a distance of 200
miles, thus preventing earlier development of a section rich not
only in rubber, but in minerals, and in agricultural and
stock-raising possibilities. About 570 miles up the Madeira River is
the new city of Porto Velho, where the railway begins, now completed
for a distance of 202 miles to Guajará Mirim on the Mamoré, about
due south. Thus has been accomplished a work which in 1869 was
planned by an American, Col. George Earl Church, under a concession
from Brazil and Bolivia. In 1871 he turned the first sod of the
railway, but financial and other difficulties soon caused the
suspension of operations. In 1878 another effort was made, also to
meet disaster. Today the better knowledge of the causes of tropical
diseases and of methods of sanitation has caused the task to be
triumphantly concluded. Construction work, begun in August, 1907,
was carried on with such effect that in spite of many difficulties
the final section of the road was opened for traffic July 15, 1912.
As yet there is no fast express, two days being required for the
journey. Porto Velho, the northern terminus of the road, on the
right bank of the Madeira, is a town of 1500 people, with an ice
plant making six tons a day, piped water supply of two kinds, one
for internal use, and with wireless telegraphic communication with
Manaos, hence close relations with the rest of the world. To this
port ocean steamers may come during part of the year, November to
June, and large river steamers at any time. The residence part of
the city is on a hill a little back. Regular trains three times a
week leave at 8 a.m. The greater part of the journey is through the
jungle in a cut 100 feet wide, though in places the river is
visible, at Santo Antonio a picturesque view including the first
cascades. Near Caldeiro Station is one of the worst places on the
river, called the Devil’s Caldron, invisible, however, from the
track. South of Mutum are 25 miles of straight track passing through
an immense rubber concession to the company. At Abuna, 218 kms.,
where the train is due at 5.30 p.m., halt is made for the night
close to the river. Leaving Abuna at 7.30 the next morning the
arrival at the terminus should be at 3.15 p.m. Villa Murtinho, 93
kms. south of Abuna, is just opposite the town of Villa Bella in
Bolivia, and the junction of the Beni and Mamoré, the Bolivian city
being between the two rivers; the Mamoré from here south forms the
boundary between the two countries. At the terminal, Guajará Mirim,
there is another town of the same name on the opposite shore in
Bolivia, from which a railroad is now being constructed to
Riberalta, an important town of Bolivia, near the edge of the
Amazonian forest and the Bolivian cattle country. For the
development of northern Bolivia which is drained by the Beni River,
this railway will be a great motive power, as also for Matto Grosso
of Brazil. An enormous region of rubber and of many other
possibilities is hereby rendered accessible, as this great
accomplishment is to be supplemented in Bolivia by other important
connections. The formal inauguration of the road already long in use
was postponed on account of the desire of the President of Brazil to
assist in person at the ceremonies.
It is an item of interest that the head waters of the Guaporé River,
a branch of the Madeira, are so close to those of the stream
Aguapehy, tributary to the Jauru and Paraguay rivers, that they
could be connected by a canal less than 1000 feet long. Years ago
the trip across from the Amazon waters to the Paraguay-Paraná basin
was made in a canoe by hardy Portuguese explorers following this
route, which in the years to come may develop into a frequented
waterway.
Any one wishing to make the journey from Manaos up the Madeira to
the railway is obliged to pay a tax of 9 milreis, in addition to a
deposit of 50$ for hospital or funeral expenses in case he should
contract yellow fever or other serious ail, but the 50$ are refunded
on his safe return.
=On the Way Home.= Few will sail away from the matchless harbor and
city of Rio without keen regret and the determination to revisit
them at the earliest possible moment, though with these once lost to
view he may look eagerly forward to the conclusion of the homeward
voyage. This at present by the Lamport and Holt steamers occupies 16
or 18 days, which are happily spent on their large and luxurious
vessels, the several calls en route relieving any possible monotony.
The weather is generally delightful, two weeks of summer, not too
hot, followed by one never knows what, for the two or three days
before reaching New York.
A few may prefer to take ship to a European port and spend some time
on the other side before returning home, but there is no longer a
necessity for going that way in order to have a comfortable voyage.
Although the steamers of the English Line are a trifle faster, even
with the best connection at Southampton or Liverpool the time to New
York is longer.
=Bahia.= About 60 hours from Rio on the third morning of the return
voyage, the ship is likely to be at anchor in the harbor of _Bahia_,
once the capital of Brazil, and now with a population of 285,000 its
third city. It is 720 miles from its ancient rival. Founded in 1549
by Thome de Souza this is the oldest of all the Brazilian cities and
has ever been a place not only of commercial importance but of
artistic and literary culture and of sumptuous religious
sanctuaries. Until 1762 it was the seat of colonial power. The
location of the city on the east side of a deep and well protected
gulf is admirable; its beauty would excite enthusiasm if it were
seen before Rio instead of afterwards. The name of this city is
really São Salvador, while the bay is Bahia de Todos os Santos, Bay
of All Saints, the name Bahia of the State having, as in the case of
Pernambuco and Pará, by foreigners been transferred to that of its
capital city. Its appearance is indeed striking, with its upper and
lower town, the former crowning a high and almost perpendicular
bluff, the latter, looking almost as if it had been pushed over the
edge, occupying a narrow strip along the water front, both sections
charmingly variegated by dense tropical foliage. Conspicuous from a
distance are the great elevators connecting the upper and lower town
and many large buildings, towers, and churches.
In a small boat one may be rowed a mile from the anchorage to the
landing, then passing to Ribeira street, may follow this to an
elevator at the right or by a steep and narrow street on the face of
the bluff may climb to the top. By the elevator at the right 15 or
20 may be lifted in a wooden box to the edge of a pretty square
above, the _Praça da Constitucão_. At the right is the site of the
ancient _Municipal Building_, spoiled by the Dutch in 1636, later
repaired, and recently rebuilt, with a new four-faced clock tower
added; but in January, 1912, it was riddled by shots from Brazilian
warships on account of an insurrection. A large attractive building
at the rear of this square, which formerly was the residence of the
Portuguese Governors and the Presidents of the Province, has been
rebuilt from the foundations and is now used for the Governor’s
offices, his residence being in Corredor da Victoria. The American
Consulate is well located on a corner of this square. Narrow lanes
of three centuries gone, lead from here in several directions; but
some of them are traversed by electric cars which frequently leave
the Plaza for diverse sections. A pleasant suburban ride is to the
fishing village and suburb of Rio Vermelho, where a nice luncheon
may be obtained; one passes on the way out, through some of the fine
residence streets, by the side of beautiful parks, and by the
lighthouse on Cape Barra at the entrance to the bay, on the site of
an old fort. There is a fine view from the lighthouse top, well
worth the climb, and one may walk on to Rio Vermelho a little
farther.
[Illustration:
PRAÇA DE FREI CAETANO BRANDÃO, PARA
]
[Illustration:
BAHIA
]
The narrow Chili street runs from the Praça da Constitucão to the
_Castro Alves Square_, 150 feet above the bay, with a _Statue of
Columbus_ surmounting a marble fountain in the garden. On one side
is the _San João Theater_. Here also are the _Paris_ and the _Sul
Americano Hotels_, and the building of the journal, the _Diario da
Bahia_. Following from here Carlos Gomez street we may come to the
_Piedade Square_ with a pretty garden, and a marble fountain with a
symbolic statue of an Indian stepping on a serpent. On one side of
the square is the _Piedade Church_, on another the _Senate House_,
of Italian style of architecture. Passing the _Police Headquarters_,
a pretty street, Pedro Luiz, with modern buildings, leads to the
_Passeio Publico_, a delightful resting place, the largest and most
popular in the city, shaded by mango trees, containing an obelisk of
Egyptian marble, commemorating, one says, the arrival of King João
VI in Brazil, another the opening of Brazilian ports to foreign
commerce in 1808. At one side, on the Afflictos Square, the thick
walls of an old fortress have been remodeled into police barracks. A
steep street leads down from the Passeio Publico to a colonial
fortification, the _Gamboa Fortress_ at the edge of the water.
The _Largo Duque du Caxias_ contains in a pretty garden an imposing
monument of Carrara marble and bronze, 100 feet in height, named the
_Dois de Julho_, the date of the evacuation of the State by the
Portuguese troops in 1824, which sealed its independence. At the top
of the tall Corinthian Column stands the traditional Indian with
foot on a dragon, signifying the triumph over despotism. Colossal
figures of bronze represent the great rivers of Brazil, with other
accessories making this one of the finest monuments in Brazil. A
notable peculiarity of the city is that the monuments are of
symbolic character and not of individuals, no busts or statues of
heroes save one to the English philanthropist, Dr. Paterson, a
physician whose good works were many. In the Praça do Riachuelo,
which is overlooked by the handsome edifice of the Commercial
Association, another beautiful monument, a marble pillar surmounted
by a flying Victory, commemorates the triumph of Brazil over
Paraguay in the terrible war of 1864-70.
Among a number of interesting churches is the _San Francisco_, built
in 1713 with elaborate and gorgeous interior decorations. The
_Collegio Church_ of the Jesuits, now the _Cathedral_, built of
stone prior to 1572, on the Largo Quinze de Novembro, has an
imposing interior, the details of its ornamentation, from the design
of the main altar to the work in the ceiling, making it perhaps the
most curious in Brazil. A Benedictine Church, _San Sebastião_, on a
central eminence, is peculiar in being all white inside and out, the
main altar and the Saints’ images of Carrara marble, while the two
towers and the dome, the highest spot in the city, are white also.
Oldest of all in Bahia is the Church _Nossa Senhora da Ojuda_.
Bahia boasts of one of the best _Medical Schools_ in South America,
with a finer building than the School in Rio possesses; this on the
Largo Quinze de Novembro. It has also a _Law College_ and other
excellent schools, one of the most valuable, a _Lyceum of Arts and
Trades_ founded in 1872 with day and night classes, workshops, and
class rooms, and 2500 pupils in attendance. A _Public Library_ with
30,000 volumes, a _Municipal_ with 20,000, and still others are of
good service to the people. The _Poorhouse_ is an attractive looking
place and there are excellent hospitals.
In the eastern suburbs are charming vistas; and of homely; interest
are the hundreds of colored women engaged in laundry work along a
little stream with the clothing spread out upon the grass and
bushes. No machine washed and dried clothing there, but all done in
good fresh air.
Bahia is the great cocoa port of Brazil, furnishing about one-fifth
of the world’s supply; the State is wonderfully rich in productions
of almost every kind. One may ask what does it _not_ produce rather
than what it does: coffee, tobacco, rubber, cotton, sugar, nuts,
woods, etc., besides a wealth of minerals of great diversity; the
largest diamond carbonate ever discovered was found here in 1895. It
weighed 3150 carats and was divided in Paris into smaller stones.
Gold, copper, and many of the precious stones are found in various
sections. Even the sand is exported, being worth $100 a ton; some,
at least, of a deposit found by an American engineer along the
shore, called monazite, rich in thorium silicate, used for electric
lights.
The lower part of the city should not be ignored, for here are the
commercial houses, the markets, Custom House, arsenals, Post Office,
factories, and many of the stores. There is one pretty plaza, but
the streets are very narrow, and at night it is wholly deserted for
the residential section above, save for a few of the poorer classes
who live on the steep hillside.
On the boundary of this state are the _Paulo Affonso Falls_ of the
San Francisco River, worth visiting if time permits; the valley is
one of the most fertile regions of the globe. A line of comfortable
steamers subsidized by the State, running to Pernambuco, gives
opportunity to change at Peneda, about 30 miles up the river, to a
smaller boat, which ascends to Piranhas, near the foot of the
cataract, 150 miles farther, a two days’ journey. A railway runs
from Piranhas to Jatoba, 71 miles, to navigation above the Falls.
Pedras, the Falls station, is about half way. Then a ride of two
hours or so brings one to the great cañon. Men living near, for a
small fee, will act as guides. There are various rapids and one high
fall; the river first compressed by rock banks is divided into five
narrow branches through rock clefts, four of which tumbling down 15
or 20 feet become a mass of foam and rush down a steep incline, with
a roar audible for miles, in splendid rapids. The four branches soon
unite, rushing on to the great Fall, the Mai da Cachoeira, where all
five take a grand leap of 190 feet, which may best be surveyed lying
prone on a flat rock 72 feet above the Fall, too awe-inspiring a
sight to be enjoyed by every one, but to those of steady nerve a
magnificent spectacle. A visit to the Bat’s Cave may as well be
omitted.
Unless one stays over a steamer in Bahia, one may have but a glimpse
of the city’s many attractions and of course none of the unique,
solitary, yet some day to be famous, waterfalls. Five or six hours
only on shore are generally permitted to the tourist, though the
steamer is likely to delay several more after the return on board.
But it does not do to take chances on so important a matter.
From Bahia the sail is generally to Port au Spain, Trinidad, where
the hours will be a pleasure after ten days on the broad ocean. Once
more you are in a land where you will hear English “as she is spoke”
in various ways by persons of various complexions. A drive past the
_Victoria Institute_, the _Government House_, and the market place
to the reservoir, the _Botanical Garden_, and to the beautiful
_Queen’s Park Hotel_ will be greatly enjoyed; and the opportunity
for shopping in the excellent stores or from the natives who bring
wares to the boat will be improved by some whose purses are not yet
empty. On the regular steamers, there is no opportunity to visit the
celebrated Pitch Lake some miles away, a lake with an area of 114
acres, on the surface of which one may walk if he moves along
promptly. This is the main source of the supply of asphalt used in
the United States.
The next morning the steamer is at Bridgetown in Barbados, a
pleasant old town where some hours may be spent in a drive, a
stroll, or in shopping to buy a few curios or embroideries. This is
surely British soil, though 90 per cent of the inhabitants are
negroes. Near the landing is _Trafalgar Square_, with a bronze
statue of Nelson in the center, justly his due as it was he who
preserved Great Britain’s West Indian possessions in 1805. Here are
the government buildings and _St. Michael’s_, the Anglican church. A
_Carnegie Library_ and a _Salvation Army Building_ not far away may
be reminders that we are approaching home. The _Woman’s Self-Help
Association_, also on the Square, invites and deserves patronage;
for Indian pottery and other curios, lace, embroidery, and various
edibles may here be procured at modest prices. A house called
_Wilton_ at the corner of Bay street and Chelsea road is of interest
as being in 1751 the temporary residence of George Washington, the
companion of his elder brother Lawrence, who having contracted
consumption had come here in the hope of recovering his health.
Dying a year afterward, Lawrence bequeathed his estate of Mount
Vernon to his brother George.
Seven days later Sandy Hook is passed; the Statue of Liberty, the
old and new skyscrapers draw near. Every one is glad to return,
however delightful the journey. Some, if not all, of the passengers
will in future have a little broader outlook; regarding the _Other
Americans_ with somewhat more of respect; well knowing now that
there are agreeable scenes to be revisited, remote regions to be
explored, and for those who have the judgment, tact, and energy,
wonderful opportunities for enterprise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER XXXIII
SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE
Although information and advice in regard to South American trade
have been liberally proffered in many books and magazines, and in
various addresses to commercial bodies, a few additional remarks may
be of service; as from current report, cogent need still exists to
reiterate with emphasis many suggestions previously urged, some of
these in a magazine article of my own as long ago as July, 1907, but
equally important today.
Except for certain facts of common knowledge, it would go without
saying that the first and most important point for a manufacturer to
consider is whether or not he really cares to cultivate South
American trade, and will make a determined and persistent effort to
secure and preserve it; a few occasional sales certainly not being
worth while. To form an intelligent opinion on this question
conditions must be thoroughly understood.
Commercial men should by this time be aware that in the regions to
the south business opportunities are large and are rapidly
increasing, that the population of the Latin American Republics is
above seventy millions, and that their commerce, amounting in 1912
to two and a half billion dollars, is far greater than that of China
and Japan together. In fact Argentina alone has more commerce than
either of these Asiatic countries, and Brazil has more than Japan.
Further, the ratio of increase on our South American continent is
greater than in those regions of Asia.
Next, the manufacturer should realize that the longer he delays
entering the field the smaller will be his chance of success; that
the British and Germans have long been on the ground, and that, in
spite of our fancied superiority in business methods, they will not
easily be supplanted. He should understand that the South Americans
in general are not eager to trade with us, their association with
Europe, both by blood and by steamship lines, being closer and
stronger. In some countries we are really unpopular; in others they
do not care a rap about us either way. Many Latin Americans are
distrustful and suspicious of our nation from a political point of
view. They dislike the boorish and supercilious manner of some of
our half-educated traveling, railroad, and mining men, although
Americans of broader intelligence and better manners are well liked.
Even in Peru, which country, if any, is supposed to be especially
friendly, a prominent statesman, F. Garcia Calderón, in his recent
book on Latin America, expressed grave fears of the _Yankee Peril_,
more serious than that of the Germans.
Pleasant speeches at dinner should not blur the fact that Latin
Americans are more enthusiastic about _Latin_ America than _Pan_
America. Capital, to be sure, from any quarter is welcomed in
undeveloped countries and decidedly better bargains will not be
despised. Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia gladly accept our money for
internal development, but Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, as a rule,
get what they need from Europe, nearly a billion and a half dollars
being invested in Argentina by Great Britain alone. It is time to
realize that it is for our interest more than theirs to cultivate
friendly and commercial relations with South Americans. They will
not be neglected by others or suffer greatly if we do not favor them
with our presence and regard. To undertake the establishing of
commercial relations with the idea that it is a condescension on our
part is a mistake certain to interfere with the rapid extension of
business.
It is obvious that only those American goods which are exclusive or
which _require_ no tariff advantage can long compete successfully on
even terms abroad with European wares, now sold by active
enterprising business men determined to keep and increase their
trade.
An important and primary consideration is the willingness and
ability to conform to South American custom in regard to _credit_;
it is rulable to defer payment from three to six months after the
delivery of the goods, the price being fixed accordingly or interest
being added. Such credit, readily granted by European firms, must be
given by ours in order to secure extensive trade. In some quarters
an idea is current that South American credit is not generally good,
but shippers of many years’ experience assert that customers there
are quite as reliable and honest as those in Europe or the United
States. Furthermore, certain New York shippers take charge of and
guarantee the collections, so that no loss is possible. Where
results have been unsatisfactory it has often been due to the
incompetence or dishonesty of the agent rather than to the Latin
American with whom he dealt. Naturally suitable precautions should
be taken and careful scrutiny exercised, as not every one is honest
in any quarter of the globe.
As an aid in investigating credit, as well as for other reasons, the
establishment of _American banks_ in the various countries is an
urgent necessity. Rumors as to plans for these have long been
abroad, but as yet nothing has been accomplished. Few of our houses
may be capable of organizing a great chain of banks like that of
_London and La Plata_; those who might apparently do not wish to, or
they are awaiting the passage of the currency bill. But in any of
our large cities capital might be raised to organize a single bank
in Rio, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, or other cities, which would be a
valuable center of credit information as well as of exchange. Under
able and cautious management such banks would be of great service to
our exporters and repay the investors with 10 or 12 per cent
dividends if not more.
Much has been said about _American Steamship Lines_ as an
encouragement to our commerce. While it would indeed be a pleasure
to see the Star Spangled Banner now and again floating from
vessels in foreign ports, this is of less consequence than the
banks. If neither business judgment nor patriotism impels our
multi-millionaires to build up a merchant marine, our needs will
be supplied by others. Already we have excellent bi-weekly
passenger service from New York to Buenos Aires and every week
steamers to Rio. On the completion of the Canal we shall have
weekly service from New York down the West Coast by at least two
good lines of steamers. In addition a large number of freight
steamers is already plying to each side.
With favorable consideration in regard to embarking on foreign
trade, or even as a preliminary, some ordinary geographical
knowledge and a slight acquaintance with local conditions, easily
procured, is highly desirable. It is not a prepossessing
introduction for a gentleman to receive a letter directed “_Buenos
Aires_, Brazil or Chile,” as often happens, this being one degree
worse than if Brazil or Chile were used alone, as the former address
betrays not merely ignorance but the man’s indifference to his
display of it. The common practice of mailing letters with
insufficient postage is still more annoying, and is _absolutely
inexcusable_.
Many of our largest industries and some smaller ones already have an
excellent trade with South America, so that on the average the
United States stands third in the value of goods imported into the
various countries. Great Britain is first and Germany second. One
meets their representatives everywhere.
As from six weeks to three months will pass before an answer may be
received to one’s letter addressed to the United States Consul
resident in the various countries, it is the more important to learn
as much as possible at home of the character of the different
localities, the variety of climate and productions, the condition of
the people and their requirements; some of which information may be
found in the valuable monthly _Bulletin of the Pan American Union_,
in the excellent Semi-Monthly, _The South American_, and in the
multitude of books recently written on the various countries.
With even the slightest knowledge one might avoid the absurdity of
sending lawn mowers to Iquique, a barren desert where for the few
and expensive plots of grass not only the water but the soil is
imported; or rubber boots to Lima, where only a slight drizzle is
ever experienced and small probability exists of need in the back
country; or old-fashioned chandeliers on a three-foot stem to places
where electricity is employed or where the ceilings are 15 feet
high. If ordinary precautions had not been ignored, it would seem
foolish to say that before shipping goods one should ascertain
whether such articles are wanted in that locality.
It is well to note that except in the case of some novelty, the
people know what they want and insist upon having it. They will not
take what _we_ think they ought to want or what is convenient for us
to send. The Latin Americans are quite as fashionable and up to date
as we are; the Indians, on the contrary, want the same thing year
after year and for centuries. If their trade is desired their taste
must be catered to, for others are ready to supply what they want if
we do not.
_Permanent_ commercial interests alone should be sought. Great
injury has been inflicted upon the reputation of our merchants by
the unjustifiable conduct of manufacturers, who in dull times have
sent men abroad to take orders; then, business at home reviving and
rush orders being received, they have turned back to their old
customers, ignoring the new and leaving _their_ orders unfilled,
careless of their embarrassment and inability to supply their needs
from any local market. Such trade permanently reverts to the British
dealers upon whose steadiness they can rely.
It would seem a gracious act if some of our large manufacturers,
instead of wanting the whole earth, should cultivate the South
American trade, certain to prove profitable, and leave some of their
home market to be taken care of by smaller people not so well
prepared for the conquest of distant fields.
The _changeableness_ sometimes exhibited seems extraordinary. An
American in Bolivia engaged in a large business with Indians, after
much urging and time spent, was persuaded by a traveling man from
New Orleans to give him an order for a thousand dollars’ worth of
goods to be delivered within six months. About the time they were
expected, the American received a letter saying that the firm had
concluded not to fill any orders to Bolivia!
A difficulty frequently experienced where cash sales have been made,
and an excessive annoyance to the purchaser, is that a draft sent at
the same time with the goods if not earlier reaches the consignee a
week, a month, or more before the arrival of the merchandise. A
month’s interest is lost by the purchaser, with the goods not in
hand. When they do arrive they are often not as ordered, deficient
in quantity and quality, and naturally that is the end.
It should be superfluous to say that merchandise should be up to the
_quality_ of the _sample_, but not so. Such happenings, common at
home, will not work abroad where the tariff is level and competition
free.
Further, the goods must be precisely _like_ the sample, not even
something better. Men who order two-wheeled vehicles do not want
four-wheeled. The latter in some sections are impossible. The
assumption that people do not know what they want, or the
carelessness which permits of gross mistakes in shipping goods
thousands of miles is evidence of crude business ideas and methods.
In most sections a slight difference in price is not so keenly
regarded as the quality of the goods and the _steadiness_ of price.
It is more agreeable to them that an article should be sold for 30
cents through a period of years than that it should vary from 25 or
28 cents to 32.
_Careful packing of goods_, a matter of the greatest importance, has
for years been continually urged, without avail or with but slight
improvement. It is as true now as seven or eight years ago that
packages from the United States on the dock in South American ports
may be picked out on account of their disreputable appearance. Boxes
splitting open, bags and bales ripping apart, many goods lost or
ruined, is the continual complaint. Of course there are exceptions.
Some houses may have reformed.
A United States official, writing for goods to his New York
druggist, charged him particularly about the packing. The bottles
arriving in a pasteboard box were broken. Again he tried with
definite instructions and the same result. The next order went to
England, where it was properly filled.
The persistence in _ignoring expert advice_ is extraordinary. Agents
in South America often send explicit directions as to packing, the
size and weight of boxes, etc., without the slightest effect. Goods
are dispatched in a 500 or 1000 lb. box to a region where they must
be transported on the back of llamas, whose load is 100 lbs. The box
is left on the dock or at the railway station; the goods are never
used.
New York shippers report that much freight reaches them in a
condition impossible to embark on the long journey. It must be
refused or repacked. These are curious commentaries on the
supposedly superior business ability of Americans. The splendidly
bound boxes and bales of British goods are in striking contrast.
On the East Coast transportation by water and rail is general,
though not complete. On the West, Chile is well served with
railroads, Bolivia’s are rapidly developing, but an enormous region
remains, especially in Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, where
transportation by mules, burros, llamas, and Indians will long
continue to be the only methods.
A material factor in securing South American trade where agents are
employed is the sending of _suitable_ and _competent men_. One of
our largest houses, noted for the rather superior quality of its
salesmen, admitted that _they_ had by _experience_ discovered that
some who were very good salesmen here did not succeed there.
Precisely why Americans should be so reluctant to follow advice from
experts on subjects of which they are ignorant is a puzzle; but it
is a fact that the preaching of many men for many years seems
largely to have fallen on deaf ears. We should comprehend that South
Americans are not ignorant barbarians, that in general they have
more culture, often more education, than our business men, that
their manners are much better, and that if we desire their business
we must adapt ourselves in some degree and treat them with courtesy
and not arrogance. To speak of them as monkeys, savages, and dagoes,
even so as to be overheard, to commit other acts of unpardonable
rudeness in churches and elsewhere, boorishly to inform them that
they are half a century behind the times, are acts which might seem
incredible but are by no means rare. A man who is thoroughly
convinced of his own superiority and who regards the courteous
amenities of life practiced by Latin Americans as silly and time
wasting, as an evidence of insincerity and of a lack of practical
common sense, who fancies himself above the conventions of dress and
manners as practiced in the cities visited, and as they are in
Europe, who would rush and push his wares is likely to make an
unfavorable impression and to learn that more haste is less speed.
It should be obvious that to accomplish much a man _must speak the
languages_ of the countries visited. What success would a man
speaking no English have in the United States? Spanish is current in
all the Republics save Brazil; there it is understood by all persons
of education, and may do fairly in the large cities; but for an
extended tour or a long stay in Brazil a knowledge of Portuguese is
essential.
_Two extremes_ are noticed by the observant traveler in South
America, each of which appears objectionable. Some American goods
are sold at one-half or one-quarter of the home price; which might
cause the disinterested layman to conclude that our tariff needed
revising; other articles are sold at double or triple the price at
home (not always the fault of the duty), a practice in the long run
likely to prove unprofitable. Thus a popular sewing machine was
bought a few years ago in Arequipa at one-fourth the price in
Boston. White paper made in the United States is cheaper in Chile
than in Chicago. On the other hand, in La Paz, shoes worth $2.50
cost $5.50 to $6.00, kerosene oil sold at about $5.00 for a case of
10 gallons, a can of corned beef costs 80 cents; and ham, 60 to 80
cents a lb. The last, put up by a Chicago packer, could be purchased
more cheaply at retail from an English firm, having come by way of
London, than at wholesale from the Chicago agent on the ground; and
the home office would not take a direct order. Whether the price was
according to the plans of the home office, or the idiosyncrasy of
the agent anxious to make his fortune in a hurry, is unknown. That
some agents are arbitrary in their charges might be judged from the
fact that boots sold at Mollendo for $5.00 a pair were priced in La
Paz at $14.00.
The _sharp practice_ of some salesmen is greatly to the disadvantage
of others. The man who sold a snow-plow to some one on the coast
lands of Peru on the plea that the climate would change on the
completion of the canal no doubt prides himself on his smartness,
indifferent to the fact that he has done much to discredit Americans
in all that region. Many seem to think that patriotism consists
simply in “blowing” about their country; that they might do it a
better service by honorable conduct and courteous demeanor does not
occur to them.
I have heard that in many places on the plateau, as probably in the
interior, it is customary to charge the poor Indians who earn but 50
or 75 cents a day double the already high price which a white man is
asked for the same article, a sample no doubt of the justice and
fair dealing for which we are told that men are distinguished, but
in which women are said to be lacking.
Ten dollars a day has been allowed as a suitable sum for _traveling
expenses_, and one following the railroads and not being burdened
with heavy samples might find this sufficient. In the interior where
many pack animals must be employed, or with a large supply of
baggage to go by rail, and in Brazil and Argentina where heavy
license fees must be paid, the fifteen dollars a day asserted by a
recent traveler to be necessary may be desirable. It depends, too, a
good deal upon the skill and character of the man.
The _tax on commercial travelers_ who sell goods or who merely
exhibit samples and take orders is an item to be considered in
connection with other expenses. In some countries a separate license
must be obtained for each Province or Department, corresponding to
our States; in others for each Municipality. A few countries, more
liberal, exact no fee whatever.
Beginning with _Ecuador_, $50 is here charged for one visit.
In _Peru_ no license is required for commercial travelers, but there
are certain regulations as to samples. If they are such as would
enter free of duty no charge is made. If the articles are dutiable,
one of each kind and variety is permitted free entry, providing the
importer presents in duplicate an itemized description of packages
and articles, pays the duty in cash or with bank draft, and within
three months exports these samples, thereupon receiving back the
cash or bank draft which he has deposited. Should there be any
deficiency or substitution of articles, double duty will be exacted
and the article substituted will be confiscated.
If samples enter Peru by Mollendo to go to Bolivia, not to return by
the same route, they are dutiable, unless the Peruvian Consul in La
Paz sends a certificate that the samples have entered Bolivia. The
duty previously paid is then refunded. A fee of $12.50, U. S. gold,
is charged by the city of Arequipa as a license in that particular
section.
_Bolivia_ is a more expensive country to visit and for that reason
is omitted from the itinerary of many travelers. The policy of the
Government seems particularly injudicious in view of the fact that
their country is out of the way, that it has no great cities, and
that large sales are required to cover the additional time and cost
of the journey even without the considerable fee exacted.
Further, each municipality collects a fee for itself; there is no
general tax. The fee varies according to the class of goods but in
general for La Paz, the chief city (pop. 80,000), is 300 _bol._ or
$116.70 U. S. gold; never more. The authorities of Cochabamba are
said to charge 1000 _bol._ for the privilege of selling in their
pretty city, while Oruro demands but 100 _bol._ As to other cities
inquiry must be made in the country. There is talk of reducing the
Cochabamba fee and perhaps the Bolivian Government will soon realize
that the country will do better to adopt the more liberal policy of
her neighbors, Peru and Chile. It should be added that if two
persons go together as representatives of the same house each one is
obliged to pay the tax.
_Chile_, like Peru, is extremely favorable to the commercial
traveler, requiring no permits and no duty on the samples, unless in
whole pieces of stuff or in complete sets of objects. Six months are
allowed in which to reship samples free of duty.
The sections of the East Coast are much more exacting.
_Argentina_, noted for high prices generally, also has large license
fees; these not for the country as a whole, but for each individual
State or Province. A license covering the Federal Capital, Buenos
Aires, costs 500 Arg. _pesos_, paper, $212.30 U. S. gold, and is
good for one year. Each State has its own additional charge, mainly
good for a whole year, though a few have half rates for six months
and one or two, monthly licenses. These permit either selling goods,
or showing samples and taking orders.
Not to enumerate all of the various districts it may be said that
the fees vary from nothing in Neuquen to 1680 _pesos_, about $700 U.
S. gold, in Salta; all of the remaining fees except those of
Tucumán, Entre Rios, and Mendoza, which are 600 _pesos_ ($255),
being less than that of Santa Fé, which is 400 _pesos_, about $170,
per annum. Samples of no value pay no duty; on others the duty which
is paid is refunded if the samples are exported within six months.
In some places a difference is made in the license fee if but one
line of samples is offered.
In _Paraguay_ license fees are charged in each of the five chief
cities, varying, according to the importance of the firm
represented, from $84 gold to $385. At other points, the license is
one-third the amount in these cities. An advisory board of merchants
fixes the class to which each traveler belongs, five classes
altogether. No extra charge for representing more than one firm. No
distinction for selling without samples. No tax for samples if taken
out within six months.
_Uruguay_ is said to charge 100 _pesos_ or $103.42 U. S. gold, for
the calendar year, the license expiring December 31. Application to
the Chief of Police of Montevideo on paper with a 50 cent stamp
being made, the certificate issued must be presented to the
Director-General of Indirect Taxes to obtain the required license.
Samples entered under bond are not subject to duty. According to the
Consul General of Uruguay a license for the city of Montevideo only,
all that most persons care for, is issued for ten _pesos_, $10.35.
_Brazil_ requires no federal tax of commercial travelers but the
States and cities more than make up this deficiency. As a milreis is
practically 33 cents, or three milreis about one dollar, only one
figure need be given.
Pará charges 300$ (i.e., milreis) as a State tax per annum, and 365$
for the city on each visit. If goods are actually sold, trader’s or
hawker’s license is also required.
In Pernambuco there is no State tax, and but 53$ for the city of
Fortalezain Ceará.
Bahia charges 100$ for a yearly license, but it must be renewed if
one leaves the country and returns.
No license is required in Rio unless goods are sold, when a trader’s
license is necessary.
São Paulo State has no tax but the city has a fee of 1000$ and the
city of Santos 500$.
The State of Rio Grande do Sul has a tax of 150$ for selling in
cities, 100$ for towns, 80$ for other places. The cities of Porto
Alegre, Pelotas, and São Gabriel exact each a license fee of 200$,
Uruguayana 300$, Bage 800$, São Borga 60$.
A power of attorney is generally necessary if agents are to receive
money, this to be filed with a notary public who supplies copies in
Portuguese on request.
Samples of no value pay no duty, but if worth more than one milreis
duty is levied. The amount is deposited in the Custom House and if
the goods are checked and sent out from the same port the duty will
be returned.
The Central Railway has a mileage book and the Leopoldina Railway
gives a discount of 20 per cent on samples and on fares of
travelers.
Information on various matters may be found in the latest Exporters’
Encyclopædia; and is furnished to members by the Pan American States
Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the
American Manufacturers Export Association.
As to the resources of the South American countries and the variety
of goods which may be exported thither to advantage, these things
are set forth in detail in many books, in consular reports, and in
back numbers of the Pan American Bulletin, to be found in our large
libraries. I have here space for a few remarks only. Since the
continent as a whole is still thinly settled and largely
undeveloped, its productions and exports are chiefly mineral and
agricultural, its imports manufactured goods, as is the case
generally with young countries. Conditions in some respects resemble
those in the United States half a century ago. Everywhere railways
are being laid, and bridges built; towns are needing sewers,
electric lights, street cars, and all modern improvements. The great
cities are for the most part supplied with these, but many smaller
ones are thinking about them or have merely made a beginning.
Material and equipment for the building and operation of railroads
are needed in every country, bridge building material as well. Our
steel men, our locomotive and car builders have been wide awake to
such matters and are doing excellent business in some of the
countries. Where, as in Argentina, most of the railways are financed
with British capital, Americans have less chance in proportion than
in those countries where American capital is considerably employed,
as in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Agricultural machinery of almost every kind and agricultural tools
are in great demand on the East Coast, on the vast estates of
Argentina, to some extent in Uruguay and Brazil. They have a smaller
sale on the West Coast, where mining machinery is one of the prime
necessities. Electrical apparatus of all kinds is everywhere needed
and is largely supplied by the General Electric and other companies.
Although most of the countries have coal, the mines are not greatly
developed except in Chile; hence much is imported; a good deal of
lumber also, in spite of immense forests, as yet unavailable save in
a few localities.
In all of the countries the chief import is textiles, principally
from Europe, though the United States furnishes a good deal of the
coarse grades of cotton, canvas, etc. Industrial machinery,
automobiles and other vehicles, utensils, hardware, corrugated iron,
sewing machines, paper of various kinds, motors, scales and
balances, surgical and mathematical instruments, pianos and piano
players, petroleum, gasoline, etc., lubricating oils, typewriting
machines; canned goods, particularly on the West Coast, including
milk, meat, and salmon, especially for miners, also used in the
rubber country; leather goods, boots and shoes, watches, soap,
druggists’ supplies and medicines, lard, twine, motors, dynamite,
arms and ammunition, fence wire, pumps, pipings and fittings, tin
plate, glass, porcelain, watches, phonographs, photographic
material, and all kinds of novelties and general merchandise are
among the articles imported; a few animals, chiefly blooded stock
from Europe.
Should one desire to engage in business for himself in any of the
Republics, there are good openings for persons with capital who
speak the language. Persons without money are warned by our consuls
not to go, unless they have a definite engagement or are specialists
in certain lines where experts are pretty sure to be desired.
It is unwise to trust implicitly the stories about wonderful mines,
though these doubtless exist. If genuine, they are often impossible
to exploit without an enormous outlay of capital as was the case
with the Cerro de Pasco mines; moreover, as thousands if not
millions of people have been deceived about mines in the United
States and in regard to many other money-making schemes, it is still
more foolish to give credence to tales promising untold wealth in
those distant countries. With the best of intentions the enthusiast
is liable to be mistaken and deliberate fraud is common; therefore,
caution is ever needed. Yet with careful investigation opportunities
in almost any line may be found in some one of these rapidly
developing countries, superior to those afforded in more thickly
settled regions of the earth.
CONCERNING THE COUNTRIES INDIVIDUALLY.
=Ecuador.= In Ecuador, it may be noted, the United States stands
second among importing nations. As a place for investment,
enterprise, and residence, it has advantages and disadvantages. The
coast region, on account of excessive rainfall, humidity, and heat,
has a less agreeable and healthful climate than the rainless
Peruvian shores with their moderate temperature; malaria and yellow
fever being endemic in Guayaquil, though probably not everywhere on
the coast.
The sierra and _montaña_ regions of the two countries are quite
similar, the high valleys of the sierra district enjoying a
healthful and delightful climate. The natural resources resemble
those of Peru, although the chief exports are dissimilar. Ecuador’s
cocoa plantations are her largest source of wealth and supply her
principal export. Vegetable ivory, fruit of the tagua palm, is
another important article of production, most useful in making
buttons. The manufacture of Panama hats is an industry long
flourishing. Some coffee and rubber are exported, also hides; and
sugar cane is raised. Rich mineral resources are undoubted; gold,
mercury, copper, iron, coal, lead, platinum, and silver; these still
undeveloped; petroleum and sulphur are found. Many manufacturing
industries are carried on in a small way, but such goods are mainly
imported: textiles, food stuffs, clothing, drugs, boots and shoes,
paper, leather, crockery, vehicles, etc., are some of the
importations, with material for railroad building and rolling stock.
As the development of the country is regarded as twenty-five years
behind that of Peru, it would naturally afford better opportunities
in some directions and poorer in others. Railroads are planned in
several directions.
=Peru.= The Republic of Peru presents probably the greatest variety
of climate, soil, and productions, to be found in any portion of the
globe. Along its 1200 miles of coast may be raised in the irrigated
valleys nearly all tropical and temperate products. In the sierras
will be found practically every variety of mineral, and in one place
or another climates to suit every taste. Whatever one may desire is
therefore to be procured within its borders, although not all points
are equally accessible.
The coast lands present unique advantages for agriculture, in that
the climate may be depended upon; there is no fear of drought, of
sudden storms, or of frost, and though within the tropics there is
no excess of heat.
Of 50,000,000 acres capable of irrigation in this section but
2,000,000 now have the facilities, and of these not all are
employed; hence there is ample room. The difficulty is lack of
capital and sometimes of labor.
The chief export of Peru is sugar; and if our Louisiana planters on
account of tariff reduction feel like making a change, they will
find in Peru an ample field where four tons to the acre are produced
and a price of 1½ cts. a lb. will bring a profit.
Cotton plantations offer excellent opportunities; the best qualities
grow well, Sea Island, Upland, etc.; also the native Peruvian which
brings the highest price of all, being hardly distinguishable from
wool. Yet, as it takes several years to come into bearing (it lives
10 or 15 years), the Upland which bears in six months is preferred
by many. In southern Peru vineyards and orchards are a specialty,
fruits most delicious, figs, melons, grapes, chirimoias, olives, and
paltas, with vegetables, and with alfalfa, wheat, and maize. Tobacco
is raised in various sections and coffee in many, none finer in the
world.
The sierra country is full of minerals: gold, silver, lead, copper,
quicksilver, tungsten, cinnabar, vanadium, anything you can mention.
Every kind of coal is found, though as yet the mines are mostly
undeveloped for lack of transportation facilities; oil of fine
quality exists along the coast in Tumbes, in Puno near Lake
Titicaca, and in other sections; borax in the Arequipa district;
iron in many quarters; peat in Junín. On the plateau, besides
minerals galore, are excellent cattle lands; many sheep are raised,
Scotch shepherds and collies here looking after them; the native
breed is crossed with imported merinos, making good stock,
furnishing 5 to 8 lbs. of wool per head. Alpacas every two years
yield from 6 to 9 lbs. of better wool, while the vicuña furnishes a
smaller supply of still finer grade.
The east side of the mountains is rather difficult of access, but
not too far down, affords a delightful climate; a colony willing to
work would find pleasant homes in various localities. In valleys
near Cuzco is the finest of cocoa, in the Chanchamayo or Perené
Valley back of Lima and Oroya are millions of coffee trees, lower
down is plenty of rubber. Some is exported by way of Mollendo from
the Inambari, Timbopata districts, more by Iquitos and Pará from the
Ucayali, the Putomayo, and other sections. While men frequently say
that they do not go to such countries for their health, it is indeed
a pity that some seem to forget that they are human beings and treat
the inoffensive natives in a manner far worse than savages. In these
regions the heat and humidity are unpleasant and in limited sections
unhealthy, though the dangers are by some over-estimated. Many
papers and magazines publish sensational stories of adventure, often
knowing them to be exaggerated; all books do not justly represent
conditions. Many stories of hardship, when true, are merely evidence
of ignorance and bad judgment, utterly foolish conduct quite
inexcusable, in sections where others have experienced not the
slightest difficulty.
Persons with moderate capital not interested in mining or
agriculture might find it profitable to undertake manufacturing in
certain lines. There are now in the country a few factories for
cotton, woolen, biscuit making, chocolate, fruit preserves, cocaine,
and matches; also flour mills.
There is opportunity for electrical power in many places, for
installing electric lights, sewers, water pipes, etc.
Provisions are in certain sections extremely cheap, in others very
dear, on account of transportation difficulties. Lima is called
expensive and it would seem that eggs and chickens might be
profitably raised near by, also dairy products and other supplies.
At present the chief exports from Peru in the order of their value
are minerals, sugar, cotton, rubber, wool, petroleum, guano, Panama
hats, hides and skins, ice, cocaine, coca, coffee. The leading
imports are textiles, coal, machinery, etc. from the United States,
machinery, wood, drugs, meats, bread-stuffs, shoes, coal, hardware,
arms and ammunition, soap, vehicles, instruments and apparatus,
general merchandise.
It should be noted in connection with Peru, that machinery and
supplies for railroad construction and for mining are admitted free
of duty; also as an item of great importance, that the export tax on
rubber is less than one-quarter of that exacted by Brazil and a
little smaller than the one fixed by Bolivia. For this reason the
country is especially favorable for the extension of the rubber
industry.
=Bolivia.= The products of Bolivia are like those of Peru except
that its agricultural resources are as yet little developed. Hence
there is more importation of food stuffs; flour is an article of
export from the United States, as well as preserves and suet. Canned
stuffs are useful to the mining and railroad people. Cartridges,
leather goods, soap, kerosene, furniture, clothing, dynamite,
firearms, copper wire, iron and steel, vinegar, Florida water, wood,
agricultural tools, mining machinery, lard, cotton, cameras, sewing
machines, typewriters are other imports.
Bolivia presents excellent opportunities for mining. Tin of first
importance, silver, copper, and bismuth are now the chief mineral
exports, although rich deposits of gold are attested.
The _montaña_ country presents conditions similar to Peru, for the
rubber industry, for the raising of coffee, coca, quinine, and other
products. A grain called _quinua_, cultivated on the plateau, is
said to be more nutritious than wheat. The alpaca and vicuña here
flourish, the former supplying 15 lbs. of wool every other year.
Persons who find the plateau region cheerless might enjoy the
agricultural section part way down the eastern slope of the
mountains; thus a San Francisco gentleman, many years resident of
the Garden City, Cochabamba, over whose climate and future prospects
he speaks with enthusiasm. Tarija, farther south, has a delightful
climate and equal prospects.
One American living on the plateau has been doing a thriving
business by making monthly trips to the interior 150 miles to the
east, selling goods at the _haciendas_ and the Indian villages,
$10,000 worth on a trip, and bringing back fruit and vegetables to
the cities above.
The several lines of railway just completed and several more in
construction make certain the immediate development and rapid
progress of this country. The possibilities for the production of
wool are very large and also for cattle raising. The climate of a
large part of the country is healthful and agreeable, and residence
in La Paz and other cities is enjoyed by many Americans. Bolivia’s
rapid development and prosperity is assured.
=Chile.= The country of Chile, curiously unique in shape, being
excessively long and thin, extends over 2000 miles from north to
south, with a width of from 105 to 248 miles from east to west.
Although so narrow, it has each way three well marked divisions:
from north to south, the rainless, desert and nitrate region, within
and near the tropics; the temperate central section, a rich
agricultural district with considerable rainfall; and the southern
portion, with too much precipitation, rain, snow, and fogs, largely
a forest land with some swamps and grazing country. Along the entire
shore runs the Coast Cordillera with an altitude ranging from 1000
to 6000 or 7000 feet; then comes a plateau or valley, in the far
south a drowned valley with straits and fjords, and at the east the
great Andes Mts., the height of which forms the eastern boundary
line.
A variety of climate and scenery is obviously presented, agreeable
to dwellers in the Temperate Zone. Aside from the strictly tropical
productions, almost everything found in Peru and Bolivia is here
provided; minerals galore, especially copper, iron, and coal, with
gold, silver, etc., in addition to the world famed nitrates, and
iodine. Petroleum and natural gas have recently been discovered.
Noted, like California, for its fine fruits and vegetables, the
central section affords ample field to increase their production.
Here, too, the raising of grain and of forage plants is extensively
practiced; stock farming is a great source of wealth, Chilian horses
are of noted excellence, and cattle flourish. Viticulture and
apiculture are profitable, the export of honey being important. At
the south, the growing lumber business offers a fine field to
experts, as well as the valuable fisheries. The already large sheep
raising interests are chiefly in the territory of Magellan. The
canning industry both as to fruits and fish may be developed with
great profit. Manufactured goods are produced to the extent of
$130,000,000 worth a year. Railway building, which has been rapidly
progressing, will for some years continue to be an important field
of labor. The Government has planned to expend within this decade
many millions of dollars for public works, hydraulic and maritime,
for irrigation, public buildings, and railways.
The imports include such things as sugar and coffee, also petroleum
from Peru; from the United States, mineral products, especially
steel and coal, with machinery of various kinds, paper, vegetable
produce, textiles, chemicals, etc.
Presenting conditions similar to our own West Coast, including the
earthquakes, the British and German settlers in the country have as
much enthusiasm for their new home as have immigrants to California.
In scenery, climate, and opportunities, Chile offers unusual
attractions.
I had forgotten to state that valuable oyster beds exist in the Gulf
of Ancud, and that on the island of Chiloe two crops a year of
excellent potatoes may be grown.
=Argentina.= Argentina with its great plains is entirely different
from the West Coast countries. From its configuration, its
development, especially its railroad building, has been a far
simpler proposition. It was easy to raise cattle and with the
profits thus obtained to cultivate immense agricultural properties.
Almost every kind of vegetable production is to be found in this
great Republic, and the rewards of agriculture and stock raising
have been quite equal to the wealth of the mines elsewhere and far
more useful.
The plague of locusts is an occasional drawback, but not serious
enough greatly to interfere with the grand total of production. As
the boundaries on the west extend along the height of the Andes,
some mineral wealth exists on their slopes, but the possibilities in
stock and wheat raising have been too attractive for much attention
to be devoted to mining matters. The agricultural products, wheat,
oats, and linseed run up into millions of tons; the quantity of
exports of these surpasses in value those of the United States,
while that of meat exported is vastly greater. With their small
population relative to the extent of territory it is certain that
for many years Argentina will raise cattle and sheep enough to help
out the more thickly settled portions of the globe. To enter into
such enterprises today of course capital is needed, though some of
the present day millionaires went thither with nothing and worked
their way to fortune. Wages for mechanics are good, and in some
other lines, but expenses also are large. According to the number of
inhabitants Argentina has more railways than the United States,
though not in proportion to the extent of territory. Almost
everything is imported into the country except meat and agricultural
products, our share of the imports being less than half that of
Great Britain.
The northern and southern sections of Argentina still afford
splendid opportunities to the pioneer, presenting a wide choice of
climate and variety of employment. In the tropical and sub-tropical
regions of the north are immense forests for exploitation with
quebracho, laurel, palms, and woods in endless variety, lands
suitable for the culture of coffee, sugar cane, yerba mate, cotton,
rice, hemp, mandioca, and banana, and in places farther south or on
uplands, soil for barley, wheat, corn, alfalfa, tobacco, the vine,
etc.
The central pampa is of course the especial region for cereals,
wheat, corn, and flax, and this is not entirely pre-empted. In
Patagonia at the south there is a great field for raising cattle,
sheep, goats, horses, guanaco, and the ostrich, as for alfalfa,
wheat, and barley, though in the greater part irrigation is
necessary for agriculture. With moderate capital pioneers of
experience and skill should be able to amass large fortunes.
From lack of coal, if not of water power, it is probable that
agricultural and animal products will long continue to be the chief
exports of Argentina and that manufactured goods will be the
principal imports. Textiles and manufactures of these are of the
greatest value, iron and steel articles come second, railway cars
and equipment and other vehicles third, then come building
materials, earth, stone and coal, and so on, every kind of
merchandise in use in a civilized country. Goods that sell in New
York and Paris are likely to sell in Buenos Aires, only—the Pure
Food Law is strict. Chicago hams are barred, though British hams are
admitted.
Our farming machinery and tools have been largely sold, yet by some
the machinery is called too light to last and an English make is
preferred. An Australian machine, called a _cropper_, a thrasher and
harvester combined, has been received with much favor. Duties
generally are very high.
For successful competition in foreign markets, the highest grade of
our goods must be presented and business contracts strictly carried
out.
=Paraguay=, with a healthful sub-tropical climate, possesses
splendid forests with woods similar to those of the Argentine Chaco,
great plains supporting many herds of cattle, and land capable of
producing excellent cotton, tobacco, fruit, and all kinds of
tropical growths. The _yerba mate_ which grows wild, but may be
cultivated, is one of the chief exports, bound to increase rapidly,
as the beverage, more healthful than tea or coffee, is extremely
popular even with the European immigrants, and in foreign countries.
Hides, quebracho extracts, and timber are exports of still greater
value. The character of the imports is much the same as in the
neighboring countries. Railroad building is going on, and in spite
of recent war, internal development is in progress. Railway material
is free of duty as is the case also with agricultural and industrial
machinery, ship building material, wire fencing, etc.
=Uruguay=, with a fine temperate climate and a pleasant rolling
country, is attractive to settlers with an eye to cattle raising or
agriculture. Americans of this class, as well as business men and
investors in any line, are cordially welcomed by Uruguayans, and
finding the atmosphere more homelike than in some other places they
are well content to stay. While agriculture and the live stock
industry are the chief activities, there are local manufacturing
interests which do not, however, begin to supply the market. Railway
extension is in progress, and the navigable rivers are an important
accessory.
By far the greatest export is animal production, including wool,
skins and hides, meat and meat extracts, etc., while agricultural
products are a distant second.
The imports are similar to those of Argentina, including practically
everything which it does not export.
=Brazil=, like Peru, embraces within its borders an immense variety
of resources, and a considerable though smaller diversity of
climate. On the highlands of the tropics it is comfortably cool, as
well as in the south. In many quarters it is temperate and even
subject to frost, in a few places to snow.
The magnitude of its wealth in rubber, coffee, and all tropical and
sub-tropical productions is well understood; the richness of its
mineral deposits is less known. Still less perhaps is the fact that
Brazil is larger than the United States proper, and that it contains
six cities of 100,000 or more population, including one of 400,000,
São Paulo, and Rio with approximately a million.
Everything is included within her boundaries, and whatever one’s
taste in business, apart from polar exploration, there is room for
its gratification here—opportunities for the settlement of colonies
in delightful climate and surroundings on the richest soil, if
persons care to indulge in agriculture, and locations equally
favorable for entering into mining or commercial industry. Cattle
raising is a growing occupation. Food stuffs in Rio being very dear,
market gardening could be engaged in to excellent advantage in many
spots on the highlands at no great distance by rail from the
capital. A similar opportunity exists near Buenos Aires, though as
land in the vicinity is held at a high price it would be necessary
to go farther out on the railway, or across the river into Uruguay.
The coffee plantations of Brazil are already so extensive as to make
entrance into that business undesirable if not impossible, except by
the purchase of plantations already in bearing. Aside from coffee
and rubber, the chief agricultural products are rice, cotton, sugar,
_yerba mate_ or Paraguay tea, mandioca, and cacao, or cocoa. Many
manufactured goods are now produced, mainly of the ordinary
necessities of life, leaving plenty of room for importation. It is
desired to increase such industries. Inducements are offered by the
Federal Government for establishing ironworks, the State of Rio has
granted large privileges to the first flour mill, and a subsidy to a
firm making paper from the reed _papyrus_ which grows all along the
coast. Manufactures of rubber would be very profitable on account of
the 20 per cent export tax on rubber and the high tariff on imports.
Steam laundries, fruit canneries, chemical works, and other
industries may be inaugurated to advantage in various places.
From the United States is imported a great variety of articles,
railway cars and locomotives, automobiles, machinery of many kinds,
sewing machines, typewriters, apples, general merchandise, and other
articles without end.
Railways are being rapidly extended and planned for the future, and
aside from the rubber business every kind of industry and commercial
activity may be pursued amid agreeable and healthful surroundings.
* * * * *
It is desirable that one wishing to enter into business of any kind
in South America should make the tour and see for himself the
character of the country and the opportunities offered. At the very
least, he should read a number of the many books which have been
written, although some of these contain a few errors and others
which have been published ten years give wrong ideas on account of
the rapid changes; from perusing several of the latest works a fair
idea of conditions will be gained. Also the poor consuls will be
grateful, both those of the United States in foreign countries and
_their_ representatives here, if people will at least use an atlas
and a geographical reader if nothing more before writing letters, so
that they will not bother these hard-worked officials with
absolutely foolish questions. It should not be necessary for consuls
to give information which every schoolboy _ought_ to possess,
although I fear he does not.
When children and grown people are ignorant of the names of the
capitals of the various States in the Union, it is perhaps too much
to expect them to know whether Lima is on the East Coast or the
West, or whether Argentina is a breakfast food or a fish. If my
labors incite others to seek further information and especially to
make the delightful South American Tour, I shall feel that I have
performed a genuine service.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A list of some recent books on South America is appended. By no
means complete, it includes works for the most part easily
obtainable. While some of these present merely superficial
observation, and few profess to be exhaustive, all to the average
reader will be more or less instructive and entertaining. A
legitimate difference of opinion exists as to people, places, and
possibilities; other contradictory assertions arise from too hasty
judgments. Errors, however, are generally of minor importance,
although in some cases wrong impressions of people and places are
conveyed. On account of rapid changes the books published within the
last five or eight years are especially valuable; yet some of those
earlier written supply important information on particular subjects.
To gain a fair idea of the various countries several general works
should be read and a few of those on the individual Republics.
Monographs on each of these, published by the Pan American Union,
may be procured at $1.00 a copy.
The large and handsomely illustrated volumes on Peru, Bolivia,
Chile, and Brazil by Marie Robinson Wright, with some negligible
extravagance of compliment, contain much that is of value and hardly
procurable elsewhere; historical information and descriptions of the
general aspect, the resources, and the conditions of the various
countries, presented with unusual fulness, accuracy, and elegance.
SOUTH AMERICA IN GENERAL
PAN AMERICAN UNION—PEACE, FRIENDSHIP, COMMERCE. John Barrett.
Washington, Pan American Union. 1911. $1.00.
LATIN AMERICA, ITS RISE AND PROGRESS. F. Garcia Calderon. New York,
Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1913. $3.00.
SOUTH AMERICA. William D. Boyce. Illustrated. Chicago, Rand, McNally
& Co. 1913. $2.50.
ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA. W. Savage Landor. Boston, Little,
Brown & Co. 1913.
THROUGH SOUTH AMERICA. H. W. Van Dyke. New York, Crowell Publishing
Co. 1912. $2.00.
SOUTH AMERICA, OBSERVATIONS AND IMPRESSIONS. James Bryce. New York,
The Macmillan Co. 1912. $2.50.
SOUTH AMERICA. Forrest Koebel. With colored illustrations. New York,
The Macmillan Co. 1912. $5.00.
A WOMAN’S WINTER IN SOUTH AMERICA. Charlotte Cameron. Boston, Small,
Maynard & Company. 1912. $1.50.
HISTORY OF SOUTH AMERICA. C. E. Akers. New York, E. P. Dutton & Co.
1912. $6.00.
SOUTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY. T. A. Joyce. New York, G. P. Putnam’s
Sons. 1912. $3.50.
SOUTH AMERICAN PROBLEMS. Robert E. Speer. New York, Student
Volunteer Movement. 1912. 75 cents.
SOUTH AMERICA TODAY (ARGENTINA, URUGUAY, BRAZIL). G. E. B.
Clemenceau. New York, G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 1911. $2.00.
FOLLOWING THE CONQUISTADORES ALONG THE ANDES AND DOWN THE AMAZON. H.
J. Mozans. New York, D. Appleton & Co. 1911. $3.50.
THE LAND OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Charles Warren Currier. Spanish
American Pub. Society. 1911. $1.50.
ACROSS SOUTH AMERICA. Hiram Bingham. Boston, Houghton, Mifflin Co.
1911. $3.50.
GREAT STATES OF SOUTH AMERICA. Charles W. Domville-Fife. New York,
The Macmillan Co. 1910. $4.50.
PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SOUTH AMERICA. Albert B. Hale. Boston, Small,
Maynard & Company. 1909. $1.00.
THE ANDEAN LAND. Two Volumes. Chase S. Osborn. Chicago, A. C.
McClurg & Co. 1909. $5.00.
A PLEASURE PILGRIMAGE IN SOUTH AMERICA. C. D. Mackellar. London,
John Murray. 1908.
THE OTHER AMERICANS. Arthur Ruhl. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons.
1908. $2.00.
THE CONTINENT OF OPPORTUNITY. Francis E. Clark. New York, Fleming H.
Revell Co. 1907. $1.50.
THE SOUTH AMERICANS. Albert B. Hale. Indianapolis, Bobbs-Merrill Co.
1907. $2.50.
PANAMA TO PATAGONIA. Charles N. Pepper. A. C. McClurg & Co. 1906.
$2.50.
THE LAND OF TOMORROW. J. Orton Kerbey. New York, The Author. 1906.
$1.50.
THROUGH FIVE REPUBLICS (including Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina). P. F.
Martin. New York, Dodd, Mead & Co. 1906. $5.00.
A COMMERCIAL TRAVELER IN SOUTH AMERICA. Frank Wiborg. McClure
Phillips. 1905. $1.00.
THE SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS. Thomas C. Dawson. 2 Vols. G. P.
Putnam’s Sons. 1904. Each $1.50.
AROUND AND ABOUT SOUTH AMERICA. Frank Vincent. New York. D. Appleton
& Co. 1890. $5.00.
EXPORTERS’ ENCYCLOPEDIA (Information as to shipments for every
country). New York. 1913. $7.50.
PANAMA.
THE PANAMA GUIDE. J. O. Collins. Panama, Vibert & Dixon. 1912.
$1.50.
PANAMA AND THE CANAL TODAY. H. A. Forbes-Lindsay. Boston, L. C Page
& Co. 1912. $1.20.
PANAMA CANAL, WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT MEANS. John Barrett. Washington,
Pan American Union. 1913. $1.00.
PANAMA, PAST AND PRESENT. Farnham Bishop. New York, Century Co.
1913. 75c.
THE PANAMA GATEWAY. Joseph Bucklin Bishop. New York, Charles
Scribner’s Sons. 1913. $2.50.
ISTHMIAN TOURISTS’ GUIDE AND BUSINESS DIRECTORY. Isthmian Tourists’
Guide and Directory Co. 1912. $1.50.
ECUADOR.
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TRAVELS AMONG THE GREAT ANDES OF THE EQUATOR. Sir Edward Whymper.
New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons. $2.50.
PERU.
THE OLD AND THE NEW PERU. M. R. Wright. Philadelphia, George Barrie.
1908. $10.00.
PERU IN 1906 BY ALEXANDER GARLAND. Translated by George R. Gepp.
London. 1907.
PERU, ITS FORMS AND ITS PRESENT CIVILIZATION. C. R. Enock. New York,
Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1908. $3.00.
THE INCAS OF PERU. Sir Clements Markham. New York, E. P. Dutton &
Co. 1910. $3.00.
PERU OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. P. F. Martin. London, Longmans, Green
& Co. 1911. $4.20.
THE ANDES AND THE AMAZON. C. R. Enock. New York, Charles Scribner’s
Sons. 1910. $1.50.
A SEARCH FOR THE APEX OF AMERICA. Annie S. Peck. New York, Dodd,
Mead & Co. 1911. $3.50.
PACHACAMAC. Max Uhle. The University of Pennsylvania. New York, D.
Appleton & Co. $10.00.
PERU, ITS STORY, PEOPLE AND RELIGION. Geraldine Guinness. New York,
Fleming H. Revell Co. 1909. $2.50.
PERU (chiefly archaeological). E. George Squier. New York, Harper &
Bros. 1877.
THE CONQUEST OF PERU. William H. Prescott.
GUIDE TO PERU. A. de Clairmont.
BOLIVIA.
BOLIVIA, THE CENTRAL HIGHWAY OF SOUTH AMERICA. M. R. Wright.
Philadelphia, George Barrie. 1907. $10.00.
THE BOLIVIAN ANDES. Sir Martin Conway. New York, Harper & Bros.
1901. $3.00.
ACROSS THE ANDES. C. J. Post. New York, Outing Pub. Co. 1912. $1.75.
A SEARCH FOR THE APEX OF AMERICA. Annie S. Peck. New York, Dodd,
Mead & Co. 1911. $3.50.
CHILE.
MODERN CHILE. W. H. Koebel. New York, The Macmillan Co. 1913. $3.00.
CHILE AND HER PEOPLE OF TODAY. Nevin O. Winter. Boston, L. C. Page &
Co. 1912. $3.00.
CHILE; ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS. Julio Pérez Canto. Chicago,
Rand, McNally & Co. 1912. $1.00.
THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE. M. R. Wright. Philadelphia, George Barrie,
1905. $10.00.
CHILE. G. F. Scott Elliott. Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1911. $3.00.
ACONCAGUA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. Sir Martin Conway. London, Cassell &
Co. 1902. $3.00.
THE HIGHEST ANDES. E. A. Fitz Gerald. New York, Charles Scribner’s
Sons. 1899. $6.00.
ARGENTINA.
MODERN ARGENTINA. W. H. Koebel. Boston, Dana Estes and Company.
1912. $3.50.
ARGENTINE YEAR BOOK. Information as to Patents, Banks, Industries,
etc. Buenos Aires, Robert Grant & Co. London, Ledger, Son & Co.
1912. $10.00.
ARGENTINA PAST AND PRESENT. W. H. Koebel. New York, Dodd, Mead & Co.
1911. $4.00.
ARGENTINA AND HER PEOPLE OF TODAY. Nevin O. Winter. Boston, L. C.
Page & Co. 1911. $3.00.
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Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1911. $3.75.
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$3.00.
THE REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA (historical and descriptive). A. Stuart
Pennington. New York, A. Stokes & Co. 1910. $3.00.
THE ARGENTINE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (valuable as to industries,
business and resources). A. B. Martinez and Maurice Lewandowski.
Boston, Small, Maynard & Company. $3.50.
FORTY YEARS IN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. Arthur E. Shaw. London, Elkin
& Matthews.
THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC (for exporters). New York, J. P. Santamarina,
80 Wall St. 1911. $2.50.
PARAGUAY.
UNKNOWN PEOPLE IN AN UNKNOWN LAND. W. Barbrooke Grubb. London,
Seeley & Co. 1911.
PICTORIAL PARAGUAY. A. K. Macdonald. C. H. Kelly. 1911. $4.00.
IN JESUIT LAND (Jesuit Missions of Paraguay and Argentina). W. H.
Koebel. 1912. $3.00.
PARAGUAY. M. E. Hardy. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1913.
$3.00.
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BRAZIL.
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$10.00.
BRAZIL. Pierre Denis. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1911.
$3.00.
UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL. Charles W. Domville-Fife. New York, James
Pott & Co. 1911. $2.50.
BRAZIL IN 1912 (for business men). J. C. Oakenfull. Distributed
gratis by the Pan American Union. Washington.
BRAZIL AND HER PEOPLE OF TODAY. N. O. Winter. Boston, L. C. Page &
Co. 1910. $3.00.
THE SEA AND THE JUNGLE. H. M. Tomlinson. New York, E. P. Dutton &
Co. 1913. $2.50.
THE FLOWING ROAD. Caspar Whitney. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott Co.
1912. $3.00.
IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE. A. Lange. New York, G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 1912.
$2.50.
BY HORSE, CANOE, AND FLOAT THROUGH THE WILDERNESS OF BRAZIL. W. A.
Cook. New York, American Tract Society. 1910. $1.25.
BRAZIL OF TODAY. Arthur Dias (Interesting and valuable). Lanneau &
Despret, Nivelles, Belgium.
BRAZIL, THE AMAZONS AND THE COAST. H. H. Smith. New York, Charles
Scribner’s Sons. 1870. $5.00.
AMERICAN CONSUL IN AMAZONIA. James Orton Kerbey. 1911. $2.50.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEX
Abruzzi, Duke of, 217.
Abuna, 352.
Achacachi, 144.
Aconcagua, Mt., 41, 49, 150, 179, 191, 201, 202;
River, 199.
Aguapehy, R., 353.
Alagoas, 343.
Almagro, Diego de, 44, 61, 62, 118, 129, 130, 160.
Alpacas, 123.
Alto, 145, 147.
Alto Paraná, 260.
Amazon, 98, 345.
Amfato, Mt., 109.
Ancolacalla, 147.
Ancon: Panama, 33;
Peru, 87.
Ancud, Gulf, 192.
Antilla, 9.
Antofagasta, 64, 99, 156, 157, 158, 159;
R. R., 150–153.
Antonina, 293, 294.
Apostoles, 261.
Apurimac, R., 122.
Araucanians, 160, 193.
Arequipa, 99, 102–106, 109.
Argentina, 213–267, 378–380.
Arica, 65, 146, 154;
R. R. to La Paz, 146,
to Tacna, 155.
Aricoma Pass, 110.
Art Galleries: Lima, 73, 79;
Santiago, 183;
Buenos Aires, 242, 243;
Asunción, 269;
Rio de Janeiro, 322, 323.
Artigas, José, 272, 273.
Aspinwall, Wm. H., 19.
Asunción, 257, 263, 268–270.
Atacama, 157.
Atahuallpa, 44, 45, 114.
Audiencia, 62, 63, 130, 161, 218.
Ayacucho, 46, 97, 131.
Aymarás, 124, 127, 135.
Ayolas, Juan de, 217, 261.
Baggage, 4.
Bahia, 343, 353–357.
Balboa: Docks, 38, 43;
Hill, 13;
Vasco Nuñez de, 13.
Balde, 214.
Ballivián, Dr. Manuel Vicente, 139.
Balsas, 40, 125.
Banks, 362.
Barbados, 358.
Barranco, 87.
Bas Obispo, 24, 25.
Beagle Channel, 192.
Beira Mar, 330.
Belem, 345–348.
Bello Horizonte, 341, 342.
Beni, R., 140, 352.
Billinghurst, Guillermo, President, 71.
Bio-bio, R., 193, 194.
Black Range, 56, 58.
Blanco, R., 200.
Bodegas, 210, 211.
Bogota, 39.
Bohio, 25.
Bolívar, General Simon, 63, 64, 131.
Bolivia, 99, 123, 127–153, 376, 377.
Botanical Gardens: Kingston, 9;
Lima, 81;
Arequipa, 105;
Santiago, 182;
Buenos Aires, 240;
Montevideo, 280;
Rio de Janeiro, 333;
Trinidad, 358.
Botafogo Bay, 331.
Brazil, 286–359, 380–382.
Bridgetown, 358.
Buenaventura, 39.
Buenos Aires, 204, 207, 217–254.
Cabral, Pedro Álvarez, 286.
Cacheuta, 207.
Cachipascana, Lake, 109.
Cajamarca, 45, 56.
Caldera, 159.
Cali, 39.
Callao, 36, 43, 49, 59–61, 99.
Collipulli, 193.
Campinas, 304.
Canal, Panama, 13–18.
Canelones, 283.
Cape Horn, 191.
Caráz, 56.
Caribbean Sea, 8.
Casapalca, 94.
Cata, 147.
Catacaos, 47.
Cathedrals: Santiago de Cuba, 9;
Panama, 32;
Lima, 69;
Arequipa, 103;
Cuzco, 116;
La Paz, 136;
Santiago, 173;
Buenos Aires, 227;
Montevideo, 275;
Sao Paulo, 302;
Rio de Janeiro, 318;
Pará, 346;
Bahia, 356.
Caxambu, 343.
Cajabamba, 41.
Ceará, 344, 350.
Cebollullo, 140.
Cemeteries: Valparaiso, 167;
Santiago, 185–187;
Buenos Aires, 250.
Central Railway of Peru, 91–95.
Cerro de Pasco, 58, 91, 95–97.
Cerro Gigante, 13.
Cerro San Christobal: Lima, 83, 84, 85;
Santiago, 185.
Chacabuco, 161, 215, 219.
Chachani, 101, 102, 109.
Chaco, 268.
Chagres, R., 13, 22, 23, 24.
Chan Chan, 50–53.
Chicla, 94.
Chile, 154–200, 377, 378.
Chili, R., 103.
Chillan, 193.
Chimborazo, 39, 41.
Chimbote, 50;
R. R., 54, 55.
Chimu, Grand, 51, 52, 53.
Chiquián, 58.
Chiriqui, 27.
Cholos, 73, 135.
Cholula, 89.
Choquequirao, 122.
Chorillos, 65, 86.
Chosica, 91, 92.
Christ of the Andes, 204, 205.
Christobal, 21.
Chulpa, 124.
Chuño, 138.
Chupe, 135.
Chuquiaguillo, 141.
Chuquiapu, R., 129, 134.
Chuquisaca, _see_ Sucre.
Climate, 2, 46.
Clothing, 4.
Coast Range, 55.
Cochabamba, 148.
Cochrane, Admiral, 63, 162, 195.
Coelho, Gonzalo, 308.
Coffee, 304, 305.
Colastine, 265.
Colombia, 2, 39.
Colon, 12, 18–21.
Colonia, 283.
Columbus, 8, 13, 21.
Commercial Travelers, 366, 368.
Concepción, 193, 194.
Conchi, 152.
Condors, 205.
Constitución, 192.
Conway, Sir Martin, 140, 146.
Copacabana, 126.
Copiapó, 159.
Coquimbo, 157, 159.
Corcovado, 312, 334, 335.
Cordillera Blanca, 58.
Cordillera Real, 125.
Cordoba, 214.
Corocoro, 147.
Coronel, 192, 193.
Coropuna, Mt., 41, 102.
Corral, 195.
Corrientes, 257, 258, 267.
Cortez, Hernando, 9.
Cotopaxi, 39, 41.
Credit, 361.
Crucero Alto, 109.
Cruz, Oswaldo, Institute, 327.
Culebra, 14, 15, 24, 25, 26.
Cumbre, 97, 198, 203, 205.
Curytiba 293, 294.
Cuzco, 99, 106, 109, 110, 111–122.
Darien, 27.
Desaguadero, R., 124, 152.
Desolation Isl., 195.
Diamantina, 342.
Docks: Callao, 60;
Valparaiso, 163;
Talcahuano, 193;
Buenos Aires, 253;
Rosario, 264;
Santos, 296;
Rio de Janeiro, 310, 316;
Pará, 345;
Manaos, 348.
Duran, 40.
Earthquakes, 59, 70, 103, 107, 154, 165, 188, 208, 209.
Ecuador, 36, 39–42, 373.
Empire, 25.
Entre Rios, 258, 265.
Espirito Santo, 343.
Estancias, 215, 254, 255.
Etén, 48.
European Tourists, 11.
Expense of Journey, 3.
Falkland Islands, 192, 197.
Fazendas, 304.
Fitzgerald, E. A., 201.
Florianopolis, 292.
Fortaleza, 344.
Frijoles, 25.
Galera Tunnel, 94.
Gamboa, 25.
Garay, Juan de, 217.
Gatun, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24.
Geographical Societies: Lima, 82;
La Paz, 139;
Rio de Janeiro, 319.
Godin, Madame, 351.
Goethals, Col. George W., 15.
Gorgas, Col. Wm. C., 34.
Gorgona, 25.
Goyllarisquisga, 96.
Grace, W. R., 4, 61, 74, 139, 166.
Grau, Admiral, 64.
Guanabara Bay, 308.
Guaqui, 124, 125, 127.
Guarujá Bay, 345.
Guaranís, 263.
Guarina, 144.
Guarujá, 297.
Guarujá-Mirim, 351, 352.
Guayaquil, 36, 37, 39, 40.
Guianas, 2.
Harvard Observatory, 105.
History: Panama, 13, 14;
Peru, 44–46, 61–65;
Inca, 112–114;
Bolivia, 129–132;
Chile, 160–162;
Argentina, 217–220;
Paraguay, 261–263;
Uruguay, 272–274;
Brazil, 286–289, 308, 309.
Home, 353, 358.
Horn, Cape, 191, 195.
Hotels: Colon, 18, 19;
Panama, 26, 27, 28;
Quito, 42;
Trujillo, 50;
Chimbote, 55;
Callao, 61;
Lima, 66–68;
Chosica, 92;
Oroya, 95;
C. de Pasco, 96;
Mollendo, 99;
Arequipa, 102;
Cuzco, 112;
La Paz, 129, 133;
Valparaiso, 163, 164, 165;
Santiago, 170, 171;
Mendoza, 208;
Buenos Aires, 222–225;
Rosario, 264;
Asunción, 269;
Montevideo, 274, 275;
Santos, 296;
São Paulo, 300, 301;
Rio de Janeiro, 311–314;
Petropolis, 338;
Pará, 347;
Bahia, 355.
Huacapistana, 98.
Huailas Valley, 54, 55, 56.
Huaina Potosí, Mt., 145.
Huallata Pass, 145.
Huaman, 88.
Huancayo, 91, 95, 97, 122.
Huanchacho, 51.
Huandoy, Mt., 57.
Huánuco, 98.
Huaráz, 54, 58.
Huascar, 44, 111, 114.
Huascarán, Mt., 41, 49, 56–58, 203.
Huatanay, R., 111, 119.
Humaytá, 267.
Icarahy, 340.
Ignorance, 363, 382.
Iguassú Falls, 257, 258–260, 267, 290, 291.
Illampu, Mt., 41, 125, 127, 128, 144, 145, 146.
Illimani, Mt., 41, 125, 127, 128, 140.
Imports, Character of, 371–373.
Incas, Empire and Ruins, 113–116, 117–122.
Injurious Practices, 363–367.
Inquisition Hall, 75.
Inti-Karka, 125, 126.
Iquique, 155–157.
Iquitos, 97, 98, 349.
Irala, Capt. Martinez de, 261.
Island of Sun, 124, 125.
Island of Moon, 125.
Isthmus of Panama, 12–35.
Jamaica, 10.
Jamiraya Cañon, 147.
Jatoba, 357.
Jauja, 97.
Jauru, R., 353.
Jesuits, 260, 287.
João VI, Prince, 288, 317, 322.
Juarez Ines, 187.
Judiahy, 299.
Juliaca, 99, 109, 110, 123.
Juncal, 200, 203.
Junín: Peru, 95;
Argentina, 215.
Kingston, 10.
La Candelaria, 261.
La Guayra Falls, 260.
La Herradura, 86.
La Merced, 97, 98.
La Paz, 99, 128–141, 144, 150.
La Plata, 255, 256;
River, 220.
La Punta, 59, 87.
La Raya, 111.
La Viuda, Mt., 96.
Lagõa dos Patos, 291.
Lagunillas, 109.
Las Cascadas, 25.
Las Cuevas, 192, 201.
Leguia, A. B., ex-Pres., 71, 85.
Lesseps, Ferdinand de, 14, 21.
Libraries: Lima, 81;
La Paz, 139;
Santiago, 184;
Buenos Aires, 245, 246;
Asunción, 269;
Montevideo, 277;
Rio Grande do Sul, 291;
São Paulo, 302;
Rio de Janeiro, 321, 322;
Bahia, 356;
Bridgetown, 358.
Licenses, Trading, 368–371.
Liebig, 283.
Lima, 59, 60, 61, 66–85.
Limon Bay, 15.
Lircai, 178.
Llai-Llai, 169, 199.
Llamas, 123, 134.
Llanganuco Gorge, 57.
Llanquihue Lake, 195.
Lluta Valley, 147.
Loa R., 153.
Lopez: Carlos Antonio, 262;
Francisco, 262, 268, 269.
Los Andes, 198, 199.
Lota, 193, 194.
Luque, Hernando de, 44.
Lurin Valley, 87, 88.
Machu Picchu, 121.
Mackenna, 215;
Benj. Vicuña, 178, 180.
Mackenzie College, 303.
McKinley, Mt., 56, 107.
Madera or Madeira-Mamoré R. R., 141, 351, 352.
Magdalena, 87;
Channel, 196.
Magellan, Straits of, 191, 195–197.
Majes Valley, 102.
Maldonado, 283.
Malleco R., 193.
Mamoré R., 141.
Manaos, 348, 349.
Manzanillo, 20.
Mapocho R., 160, 170, 183.
Marajó, 347.
Maranhão, 344, 345.
Marañon, R., 48, 97, 349.
Mar del Plata, 256.
Markham, Sir Clements, 142, 143.
Markets: Panama, 32;
Lima, 74;
Arequipa, 104;
Sicuani, 111;
La Paz, 137;
Santiago, 184;
Buenos Aires, 251;
Montevideo, 279;
Rio de Janeiro, 319;
Pará, 348.
Matachin, 25.
Matárani Bay, 100.
Mate, _see_ Yerba Mate.
Matto Grosso, 351, 352.
Matucana, 90, 93.
Maule R., 192.
Maysi, Cape, 8.
Meiggs, Henry, 54, 91;
Monte, 94.
Melendez, 48.
Mendoza, 191, 198, 205, 207, 208–211.
Mendoza Pedroxde, 217.
Mercedario, Mt., 202.
Mercedes, 216.
Minas Geraes, 341, 342.
Mindi, 23.
Mineral Springs: Agua de Jesus, 108;
Yura, 108, 109;
Puente del Inca, 202;
Cacheuta, 207;
Caxambu, 343.
Mines: Coal, 55, 193, 194;
Copper, 51, 56, 96, 147;
Diamond, 342;
Gold, 56, 141, 341;
Silver, 51, 56, 96, 151, 152;
Vanadium, 96.
Miraflores: Panama, 16, 26;
Peru, 65.
Miramar, 169.
Misiones, 258, 260.
Misti, Mt., 101, 102, 106, 107, 109.
Mitre, B., 219.
Moche, 53.
Moleno, 147.
Mollendo, 99, 100.
Montaña, 90, 97.
Monte Lirio, 24.
Montes, President, 132.
Montevideo, 192, 274–282, 285, 289, 291.
Morgan, Henry, 13.
Moro, 58.
Morococha, 95, 96.
Morro Velho Mine, 288, 342.
Mt. Hope, 23.
Mountain Sickness, 90, 106.
Muchi R., 51.
Muñiz, 216.
Museums: Lima, 78;
La Paz, 139;
Santiago, 183, 189, 190;
Buenos Aires, 243–245;
Montevideo, 275, 276, 278;
São Paulo, 303;
Rio de Janeiro, 317, 319, 325;
Pará, 347.
Nanduty Lace, 270.
New Gatun, 23.
New Orleans, 8.
Niagara, 259.
Nictheroy, 308, 340.
Nitrates, 157, 158.
Nombre de Dios, 13.
North Americans, unpopular, 361.
Novo Friburgo, 340.
Ñusta España, 122.
Obrajes, 140.
Old Panama, 13, 34.
Ollentaytambo, 121.
Open Door, 216.
Organ Mts., 307, 339.
Oroya, 94, 95; R. R., 89–95.
Oruro, 151;
—Antofagasta R. R., 151–153.
Osorno, 195.
Ouro Preto, 342.
Pacasmayo, 49.
Pachacámac, 87–89.
Pacific Ocean, 43;
Discovered, 13.
Packing, 365.
Paita, 46, 47, 48.
Palca, 98.
Pampa de Arrieros, 109.
Pamparomás, 58.
Pan American Railway, 91, 97.
Panama: Canal, 14–18;
City, 26–34;
Republic, 27;
Hats, 47.
Pão do Assucar, 307, 331.
Paquetá, Isl., 310.
Pará, 140, 344, 345–349.
Paraguay, 267–270, 380;
River, 267, 353.
Parahyba, 344.
Paraná R., 213, 220, 257, 261, 264;
City, 265;
State, 291.
Paranaguá, 293, 294.
Pardo, Manuel, 64.
Pariña, Pt., 46, 47.
Patacamaya, 150.
Patagonia, 213.
Paulo Affonso Falls, 357.
Pedras, 357.
Pedro I, 288;
II, 289, 339.
Pedro Miguel, 16, 24, 26.
Pelotas, 292.
Penadas, 357.
Penitentes, 206.
Peña, Roque Saenz, President, 220.
Perené, 98.
Pernambuco, 343.
Peru, 44–124, 373–376.
Peru, Alto, 130.
Peruvian Corporation, 98.
Petropolis, 338–340.
Pichincha, Mt., 42.
Pichu-Pichu, Mt., 101, 102, 106.
Pilcomayo R., 268.
Pillar, Cape, 195.
Piranhas, 357.
Piauí, 344.
Piriapolis, 284.
Pisac, 122.
Pisagua, 156, 157.
Piura, 44, 47.
Pizarro, Francisco, 44, 45, 62;
Gonzalo, 129;
Hernando, 62.
Ponta Grossa, 291.
Poopo Lake, 124, 152, 155.
Port Antonio, 10.
Port au Spain, 358.
Port Royal, 10.
Port Stanley, 192, 197.
Porto Alegre, 291, 292.
Porto Bello, 13, 21.
Porto Velho, 351, 352.
Posadas, 257, 258, 267.
Potosí, 148, 151.
Prat, Arturo, 64.
Prescott, 44.
Prison, 278.
Puca Alpa, 97.
Puente del Inca, 191, 201, 206.
Puerto Bermudez, 98.
Puerto Jessup, 98.
Puerto Montt, 192, 193, 195.
Puerto Pando, 140.
Puná, 40.
Puno, 123, 124.
Punta Arenas, 192, 193, 196.
Punta Ballena, 283.
Punta de las Vacas, 206.
Pygmy City, 93.
Quichuas, 124, 127, 135.
Quito, 39, 42.
Railroads: Panama, 23;
Guayaquil-Quito, 40–42;
Paita-Marañon, 48;
Chimbote-Recuay, 54;
Central Railway of Peru (Oroya), 91;
Cerroe Pasco R. R., 95;
Southern Railway of Peru, 99, 109;
Guaqui-La Paz, 127;
Arica-La Paz, 146;
Antofagasta-Oruro-La Paz, 150;
Arica-Tacna, 155;
Valparaiso-Santiago, 169;
Chilian Central Railway, 192;
Trans-Andine Railway, 198, 213;
Buenos Aires-Posadas-Asunción, 257;
Montevideo-São Paulo, 290;
Santos-São Paulo, 298;
São Paulo-Rio de Janeiro, 305;
Madeira-Mamoré, 351.
Recife, 343.
Recuay, 56, 97.
Reloncavi Gulf, 195.
Rimac R., Valley, 46, 91, 92, 99.
Rio Blanco, 200.
Rio de Janeiro, 290, 295, 305, 306–340.
Rio de Janeiro Harbor, 306–308, 309–311.
Rio Grande do Norte, 344.
Rio Grande do Sul, 290, 291, 292.
Riobamba, 40, 351.
Root, Secretary, 71, 72, 78.
Rosario, 264.
Rubber, 349, 350.
Rufino, 215.
Rugs, 123.
Sacsahuaman, 114, 116, 119, 120.
Sajama, Mt., 41, 150.
Salaverry, 46, 50.
Samanco, 58.
San Blas Indians, 22.
San Christobal, _see_ Cerro.
San Ignacio Mini, 261.
San Juan, 9.
San Lorenzo Fort, 22.
San Luis, 214, 344.
San Martin, General, José de, 63, 64, 207, 219, 228.
San Ramón, 98.
San Salvador, 8.
Sand Dunes, 101.
Santa R., 54.
Santa Ana, 261.
Santa Catharina, 292.
Santa Fé, 265, 266.
Santa Lucia, 170, 179.
Santa Rosa, 214.
Santa Rosa de los Andes, 199.
Santiago, 170–190, 198.
Santiago de Cuba, 9.
Santos, 286, 287, 289, 290, 295–298.
São Paulo, 295–305;
City, 300–304, 343.
São Salvador, 354.
São Vicente, 287, 297.
Sapyranga, 292.
Saracocha Lake, 199.
Sarmiento, Dr., 220.
Sergipe, 343.
Serra do Mar, 298, 339.
Sheppard, T. Clive, 129.
Sicuani, 111.
Smelters, 96, 97.
Smyth Channel, 192.
Sorata, 144–146.
Soroche, 90, 106.
South American Trade, 360–382.
Southern R. R. of Peru, 99–110.
Spanish Language, 3.
Steamship Lines: To Panama, from New York, 6, 7;
from New Orleans, 8;
from San Francisco, 11;
from Europe, 11;
Panama to Guayaquil, Callao, Valparaiso, 36, 50;
Callao to Valparaiso, Montevideo, and Europe, 99, 191, 192;
Paraná River, 257, 258, 263, 264;
Buenos Aires to Montevideo, 264;
Buenos Aires or Montevideo to Rio de Janeiro and New York, 289,
290, 341;
Rio de Janeiro to Europe, 341.
Stevens, John F., 15, 25.
Sucre, 149.
Sugar Estates, 50, 51.
Supe, 51, 88.
Tabernilla, 25.
Tacna, 65, 155.
Talca, 192.
Talcahuano, 194.
Taltal, 156.
Tamarugal, 157.
Tambo Valley, 101.
Tarapacá, 64, 65, 157.
Tarma, 97, 98.
Tax on Samples, 368–371.
Theatres: Panama, 30;
Lima, 74;
La Paz, 139;
Santiago, 184;
Buenos Aires, 248, 249;
Santa Fé, 266;
Montevideo, 275, 276;
São Paulo, 301;
Rio de Janeiro, 323;
Pará, 347;
Manaos, 349.
Therezopolis, 340.
Tiahuanaco, 127, 142, 143.
Ticlio, 94.
Tierra del Fuego, 197.
Tigre R., 254.
Tijuca, Mt., 337, 338.
Tingo, 102.
Tirapata, 110, 111.
Titicaca Lake, 124–127, 155.
Toro Pt., 22.
Trans-Andine R. R., 198–208, 213–217.
Trinidad, 358.
Trujillo, 44, 50, 51.
Tucumán, 219.
Tulumayu R., 119.
Tumbes, 44, 46.
Tupac Amaru, 118, 130.
Tupiza, 152.
Tupungato, Mt., 201, 202.
Ucayali R., 97, 122, 349.
Uhle, Dr. Max, 89.
Urcos, 111.
União, 290.
Urubamba, 121.
Uruguay, 279–285, 380;
R., 220.
Uspallata, 206.
Uyuni, 152.
Valdivia, 194;
Pedro de, 170, 187, 188, 195.
Valparaiso, 36, 99, 163–168, 192.
Valverde, Father, 45.
Vedia, 215.
Venezuela, 2.
Vespucci, Amerigo, 287.
Viacha, 128, 147, 150.
Viceroys, 62.
Victoria, 343;
Falls, 259.
Vicuñas, 123, 155.
Vilcabamba R., 122.
Vilcamayu, 111.
Vilcanota, 111.
Villa Bella, 352.
Villa Devoto, 216.
Villa Encarnación, 263.
Villa Mercedes, 214.
Villa Murtinho, 352.
Villa Velha, 294.
Villazón, Eliodoro, President, 132.
Viña del Mar, 168, 171.
Virgenes, Cape, 195, 197.
Vitcos, 122.
Vitor, 102.
Wallace, J. F., 14, 15.
Waterfalls: Iguassú, 257, 258;
La Guayra, 260;
Uberaponga, 260;
Herval, 292;
Paulo Affonso, 357.
Watling’s Isl., 8.
Western Tourists, 11.
White Range, 56.
Whymper, Edward, 41.
Windward Channel, 8.
Yankee Peril, 361.
Yellow Fever, 39.
Yerba Mate, 270, 271, 294.
Yucay, 122.
Yungas, 140.
Yungay, 56, 57.
Yura, 108, 109.
Zurbriggen, 201.
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● Transcriber’s Notes:
○ Added a link to the Index from the Table of Contents
○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.
○ Typographical errors were silently corrected.
○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only
when a predominant form was found in this book.
○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores
(_italics_); text that was bold by “equal” signs (=bold=).
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