The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-16
Interesting from the Chincha Islands.


We have been favored with the perusal of q private
letter from the Chincha Islands, dated the 10th February
which contains some items of public interest which
permitted to copy.
There were at the Islands at the date of the letter
one hundred and sixty vessels of various Sizes from 300
to 200 tons burhen-averagng probably 500 The
estimated average time for loading with guano forty
days.
The rate of expectation of guano from the islands is
said to be 1000 tons day, which it thought would
not exhaust the heap in ten geological survey
made by order of the United States had e
tmated that eight years would exhaust the supply We
extract from the letter as follows
There three Of the Chncha Islands lying in line,
N. and s., the passages between them being less than
half mile. The wind is always s. and E. and it is
known to rain The north island is the largest. 1t is
ter and about hundred feet high Some parts of the
coast steep high cliffs and others sandy and rocky
coves OF gradual ascent from the shore The heap of
guano continues to deepen to the highest point of the
island where it is one hundred feet in depth Fancy
large old fashioned loaf of brown bread, laid table
but little larger than the base of the loaf and you
pretty nearly the pile of guano either island The
aborers commence digging and proceed along the top of
the rock in the direction centre from all parts of
the island and therefore, in their progress shown
the in steep side from the base rock eighty
feet high and from every part it appears to be the
Every spoonful is dug with pick, and when oosened
Is as dry as powder and of course dusty If left in
pile but brief period it again becomes hard and must
again be loosened with pick From the base to the
top are found feathers eggs, and stones Of all sizes
many perfect feathers far from the top; and
upon the surface have seen what appeared to be bone
and flesh decomposed
1t is thought the pile called guano the decom
position Of animals of which there muttudes
now, and they are presumed to have been far
merous in ancient days. before the white to
destroy Sea lions of large size-a ton weigl-seals
and endless quantities of fowls have been the nhab
tants of these islands for myrads of years and the
islands have been the burial places of these animals for
II wounded they crawl up to the topso the know
ing ones Birds and bird lime go to increase the pile.
Guano is really decomposed animal matter but whether
this was the way vast pile accumulated whether
the islands were thrown up from the bottom Of the
sea with the deposit upon them, you must judge for
yourself.
The second island similar in size pile to the one
described The third has not been touched yet. 1t
is much smaller, but well loaded Guano secretes largo
quantities of ammonia, and confined as it is in a ships
hold man cannot stay than Ave ten minutes
time among it. Besides large Jumps of pure ammonia
daily found apparently decomposed bones eggs &C.
and among other items man in perfect state of pre-
seryation-the real ammonia, strong volatile salts
Now do you wish to know how all those ships load
ed and thousand tons per day dug and sent from the
islands, Well there about 100 convcts from Peru,
and about 300 Cinnamon from the Celestial Empire The
former in the right place. the latter were
that engaged passage in English ship for California,
anu Deiore they lett their own country to labor
after their arrival for limited time to pay their passage
ESQ., Instead of being landed at California the ship
brought them direct to this place. and the captain sold
them for three and six years according the men, to
work out their PASSAGE and here they slaves for life
They allowed -four dollars per month for their food
and oneeghth Of dollar per day for their labor with
pile Of guano before them which will last the next ten
years. and long before is exhausted the majority of
them will be dead Each man is compelled to bring to
is rewarded with the lash from strong negro; and such
is their horror of the LASH and the hopelessness of their
condition, that every week there or less sui.
cides In the month Of November have heard fifty Of
the boldest Of them joined hands and jumped from the
precipce into the in December there were twenty
three suicides. This IL from in authority In Janu
airy quite number; but have not learned how many
was few days since tho South island and there
two Of the most miserable starved creatures They had
swan their wheebarrows, and fully determined
to die. could not feed them, and my heart ached for
them after reached the ship boat despatched
with bread and water for their relief. Perhaps this
avaed nothing for they must either return to their task
or some one must feed them daily.
The Chinese 1t is said educated to believe In the
TRANSPORTATION of souls, and therefore think IL they
leave this life they shall return to their country II
Is thought this faith induces them TO leave their wheel
barrows and commit suicide.
thus by diminishing the number Of laborers the ex.
Poits are reduced and TO meet the demand of
SHIPS two English ships, Zone Of which been here
are soon expected with other loads passen
gers from the Chinese domnions, deceived most pro-
VIII The idea Of going to California TO dig gold
~ lact tits said, the first batch of Ccestias had dug
many days before they we're undeceived
Inc process OF loading the ships s either bv placing
the snip close to steep, rocky cliff and have the puano
run tnrough large hose from the ton Of fine
NIL INTO the ships hold. 500 tons per day ara nut on
board by TINS method and ~ there Ia seldom much
wind or swell, ship lie very we'll Boats that 90
under smaller shoots sometimes eaded and return
to the ship where is taken board in tubs made OF
barrels. s VI