The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-02-27
The Destruction Of Lima and CaIlao.

Lima is painted by those who visited
it in the last century, when it was vet
slumbering under the Spanish rule, as
one of the fairest of cities. Its climate
was as soft and balmy as the breath of
an Arabian paradise. No SHOWS, nor
ice, nor any chilling cold ever visited it's
people. Rain never fell there, but in
stead gentle fog assembled every day
and hung like veil between the tropic
sun and the dewy earth and thus shell
tered beneath the friendly cloud, the
people seldom felt more than a temper
ate heat. 1t was only at rare intervals,
when the fog was dissipated, that the
climate was excessively hot and onl V
when wandering blast escaped from
the frozen tops of the Andes and came
down to the sea-shore, that it showed a
trace of northern cold at was ter
restrial paradise said an observer,
" except for the earthquakes" Seated
in the midst of gardens, orchards, and
groves of orange trees, Lima looked
upon landscape of wonderful fertility.
1t was Oh plain about six miles from
the sea. The fields around it teemcd
with tropical fruits and flowers; the
heavy 'dews and the sheltcring fogs
kept the country pcrpetually green; the
earth poured forth profusely all that its
people required; and the rich planta-
tons of the rural districts were man
aged with singular success. None OF
the choicests gifts of nature were want
ingt happy Peru.
The city was built with broad, straight
streets, and had been laid out with taste
and care. 1t was the most splendid
city in America. Here was the palace
of the Viceroy of all the Spanish pos
sessions, who ruled with an almost I'M
restricted sway over his South Ameri-
can subjects Lima was therefore the
centre to which flowed the wealth, the
beauty, and the fashion of the land. 1t
was rich with the spoils of the Incas
and with the product of the mines OF
Peru. Its plaza was adorned by the
magnificent palace of the Niceroy, by a
cathedral of rare splendor, whose tow
ers rose high in the air, as if defiant OF
the earthquakes; by u fountain sup.
ported by brazen lions, and range OF
public buildings unsurpassed in the
capitals of Europe The churches
shoae with golden ornaments and gilt
tered with gems; and so devout or so
penitent were the languid Peruvans
that nearly onc-quarter of the city was
given I'D to converts and mOnasteries.
Never was there gayer people
Their houses were low adobe buildings
of great extent, built round court filled
with tropical flowers Here the dance
went on necessarily in the soft evenings
that were never unpropitious the fail
Peruvians dressed with a magnificence
of lace and silk, besides diamonds and
rare jewels, that often proved the ruin
of their lovers and their husbands di.
vorce was common at Lima, produced
perhaps by the extravaganza of the
fair; and Notwithstanding that divorced
persons frequently married again, q
hospital was built for divorced women
In fact, the moral tone of Lima does
not seem to have been high. The
priests were gay; the nuns not free
from levity; but the professions, the
music, and the figures of the Virgin ar
rayed in cloth of gold and bright with
gems, the pomp of the churches. the
glory of the Roman ritual, made Lima
one of the most pious of cities. Be
sides, the Holy Inquisition flourished
with great lu1uriance in the capital, and
within it's grand offices its secret
charges, its sudden arrests, and ready
tortures flowed on necessarily in tran
quill stream, and no hereto of native
blood escaped the dungeon, the rack,
and the Auto da Fee. 1t was plain that
Lima was most devout city.
A road about six miles long ran down
to Callao, the port of Lima. Callae
was seated on the low shore, not raised
far above the level of the sea. 1t was
gay and busy town of about five
thousand inhabitants. Its harbor was
excellent, but the sea was SO calm and
gentle that harbor was scarcely re
quired. Nostorms nor gusts disturbed
the still Pacific, and the languid waves
scarcely rippled against the shore
Along the sea ran long low range o
stone bastions sufficient to repel the at
tack of wandering cruisers; in front
was the roadstead where the ships lay
at anchor; and behind the ramparts
spread out the town, rising on gentle
slope, and gay thpalaces and churches
The road that ran back to Lima was
surrounded by gardens and villas, anc
was usually filed with merry muleteer:
and the Weather citizens of the CAPT
tai driving in their caIashes drawn by