Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-11-12
The WAY Guano is Loaded.

| A letter from the Chincha Islands thus des-
cribes the process of loading guiana on the
ships:
| The Islands are from one hundred to one hum
bred and fifty feet high. The south one the
lowest, and these covered with guiana, the north
one to the depth of one hundred and twenty five
feet. This seems almost incredible but as
sure you it is no exageration. The middle one
has about eighty feet of guano, and the south
one but little upon it. None of the other isles
or main land have any on them-Few birds are
seen here in company to what one would sup
pose. 1t is still question with many what this
guano is. cannot believe it is wholly the ex-
crements of the birds. On the very top of the
middle island are rocks completely bare, of tons
and tons in weight, beautifully polished, appar-
emily by the birds feet, but not one particle of
guano upon them. There are also on the very
tops of these mountains caves that go down to
depths yet unknown. They have been explored
one hundred and twenty-five feet. The mouths
or entrance resemble very much the crater of
volcano. Vessels all load at the lee of the
island. At this time the guano has been re-
moved from the edge of the island in places,
say one thousand feet. Rails are laid and cars
are used to bring it to the edge of the rocks and
dump it into large bines or shutes made Of long
poles interviewer with ropes and chains to sup.
port them, wide at the upper ends and narrow
at the lower. These hold from one hundred to
five hundred tons. At the lower end are gates
or scuttles, and from these gates are canvass
bags of about two feet in diameter, leading down
to the ships and boats below. The ships are
hauled closed to the rocks and are moored off
and on. The hose are led at once into the hatch,
the gates above are hoisted, and you can ina
CINE how swiftly it comes down through this
hose OF one hundred feet A thousand ton ship
can be loaded in forty-eight hours. Smaller
bins are used by the boats, which all prefer, as
We have much less dust A ship under the
spout or hose is completely enveloped in a cloud
of dust, making it almost impossible to exist on
board. The guano is trimmed away in the hold
by natives with oakum tied over their mouths
and noses this lets in air and excludes the dust
and wells over their eyes, They can only stay
below from twenty to thirty minutes. They
are in gangs of eight or ten, and relieve each
other as above. Every part of the vessel is
penetrated with this dust 1t goes where smoke
will. l can compare it to nothing but so much
dry ashes. The guano abounds in hartshorn,
and is said to be very healthy and beneficial to
some complaints.
The vessels are all one color from truck to
water. Not spear of grass, rush or reed is to
be seen anywhere, no Vegetable matter of any
kind on the islands. Where the guano is now
removed, is perpendicular bank of about one
Aundfeu Ieet. In IL are FOUND dead DlrdS some
even on their nests with eggs in them. have
one Of them perfect in shape, still pure guano.
Most of them crumble to dust when exposed to
the air. Layers of reeds and twigs are to be
found through the guano, said to be brought
there from the main land by the birds for their
nests. AS we walk over the islands we find
holes innumerable. These are the habitations
Of the birds. With daylight they go seward
for food, and return with darkness to spend the
night on the islands. They are of various
kinds, pelican, penguin, many of the duck spe-
cies, &c. Seals and sea-lions are seen in thou
sands sporting among the rocks and ships and
basking in the sun. Methinks hear you say
what a place for cunning; and you will no
doubt be surprised when tell you have not
discharged my gun since left New York The
laws here are very rigid, not gun or pistol is
allowed to be fred on or around the islands or
on board ship at all. A penalty is exacted for
every bird killed. We find eggs at times in
abundance, yet these we are not allowed to
touch. The laws are strictly enforced, not even
the seals or sea-lions are we allowed to shoot,
but am hard tempted at times. sometimes
use my harpoon as they swim around the ship,
but when fast it is impossible to hold on, as
lookouts are stationed all round, and scarcely a
day passes without trouble in some quarter.