New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-14
PERU.

Exas, from letter from yopps gentleman IN Peru to his
Tumbes ia a small fertile valley Of some 10 or 90
miles in length and or in breadth, though for
want Of irrigation and the degree Of civilization
enjoyed by the Indians before the Spanisrds con-
quered this country, only narrow strip of the
land close TO the shores of the river is under cult
walton. IL lies 81 2V south Of the equator, con-
sequently about q north Of Payta. The River Of
Tumbes empties into a deep and very wide bay
We, sells have 70 anchor outside of the mouth and
only boats can ascend the stream. AS you 20 up
you find the current extremely rapid, say FIVE
miles an hour. For the frat three miles the shores
are lined with an impenetrabe thicket generally
overhsnging the water. Here and there, however,
you see few feet Of bank, and on it in the latter
part OF the day an alligator summing himself, who
slowly and sullenly sinks of into the water as the
boat approaches. As you get higher up, however,
beyond the influence of salt water, you find clear
ings and see orange trees, plsntsins the cocoa
nut, or palm, the sugar-caRe, the lemon, the cot
ton-tree, figs, tamarinds, sweet potatoes, DC.
Here the oleander grows wild and blossoms with
o luxuriance that would have sstOnished my good
mother in those days when we cultivated this ex-
otto In pots away down East In the State OF
/" Maine" as Jack Downing used 70 say. AS you
leave the river and proceed inland you ind, Just
now. the ground arid and the vegetation scanty
because the Winter has passed away without rain,
which usually falls in abundance every Winter.
Tumbes is the first point on this Continent
touched at by the vessels of Pizsrros party of dis
covery and conquest after leaving Panama. Then
this whole valley was in a state OF high cultivation,
and the ground was kept as moist as required all
the year round by means of aqueducts conducting
the water along the hill sides which skirt this
beautiful plain. Their ruins still exist a few
leagues from here but the stupid race of Spanish,
Negro and Indian, which has succeeded has
ii, he IF fla
wise though arbitrary rule of the Incas to pass
away and become useless Only the runs remain
monuments Of shame to the present inhabitants.
The country back from Tumbes is generally
desert Of barren hills with occasional cases in the
valleys. The land is divided between few great
landholdeTs, in immense estates. One OF those
near here would be considered decio eddy respect
able farm 10 the United States its front line being
serenty leagues, its back line fifty leagues, and the
two sides forty and thirty leagues respectively.
Rivers, ranges of mountains and the ocean are
the usual boundaries of farms here.
The houses in Tumbes are generally built of
canes of ii to inches diameter wattled together
no cloeely that you can scarcely thrust your
finger through To this is generally added
q coating of mud for the better class of
houses. The floors are made of canes
laid close side by side, or of the large
Guayaquil canes split open and laid flat
from which you will infer that our rooms
are well ventilated But these floors are only
for the second story, or in cases where the ground
is 80 liable to overflow from the river that it ne
cessary to raise the "grOundnOOr" some six or
eight feet ADORE the ground. But the temperature
is so high Seldom less than so Fahr.,) that less
ventilation would be disagreeable. The roofs are
either 0ftbe fashioned tile matched
with very long but fine species of flag. And al
though rains very heavy, yet they fall perpen-
dicularly, as there are never winds at the same
time with them; and thus slight projection of
the roof protects the walls from the water
In commercial and political point Of view
Tumbes is below zero. 1t has cOmmerce-a
little trade with whalers, in which the traders ex-
change sweet potatoes and wood for oil, candles,
and the other barter which whalemen usually
carry, supplies it with all of foreign luxury it mas
ever known and yetit is perfectly capable of ex-
porting large quantities of sugar, coffee and cocoa;
or would be if it had different population. How
ever, do not believe that even Yankee enterprise
could make any money out of this place for want
of wOrkmen. Yankees cannot labor in the field,
and natives wiu not work sufficiently long, however
well paid to enable the planter TO calculate either
on seeding or securing a crop.
There is United States Consulate here, be-
cause by treaty negotiated through our excellent
Minister the Hon. j. Randolph Clay, peculiar and
liberal privileges are conceded to whaling vessels
which induces large numbers of them to touch
here for wood and water. But the legislation of
Peru is so uncertain that thess privileges are liza
BILE to be taken away any day in spite of the treaty
by means of false constructions for which
they will apologize after this trade is driven
away and the mischief done and such, am
sorry to say, is the reputation well de-
served) of our Government for weakness in the
Department of Foreign Affairs that the willy and
false Peruvians feel confident they can do this or
similar act with impunity, whenever their short
sighted policy induces them to change their rela-
tons Dispatches are at this moment on the way
to our Government conveying information of an
order of the Government of Peru, promulgated
through ignorance the most stupid, which, but for
the prompt and intelligent measures of our Consul
would have closed this port against whaling ves-
sels; and no other class of vessels is allowed to
eall in here from without first calling at some
port of entry and getting permission.
In my next, l may give you some particulars Of
the state Of society and domestic habits of the
sylvan and agricultural inhabitants of this country