Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-08-10
LETTERS OF A TRAVELLER.
LIMA. June 8, 1872.

LIMA. June -, 1919.
En-. STANDARD My first duty, sup
pose, before l forget it, is to correct a little
mistake in my last communication. l be.
lieve stated that the second Of May was
the anniversary of Peruvian Independence,
and was celebrated as that; but l hap.
pencd to be mistaken, as many "clever
folks" are sometimes. should have said
it was celebrated as the anniversary of the
battle o. Callao the greatest Peruvian ma
val victory over the Spanish, and the day
on which the Spanish feet was driven from
Calao Bay. With this correction, my last
communication rests.
The time of ratification of President not
having arrived yet, our country remains
quiet. Government improvements go on
unmolested; business is pushed forward
with vigor which is manifested only
when capital puts her shoulder to the
wheel !; agricultural prospects look promis-
ing, and city improvements, both in Lima
and CallaO, are going on amazingly fast.
Callao is the shipping port of Lima, and
although seven miles distant, can be count
ed as part of Lima. When Lima -four.
ishes Callao Hourishes and when Lima
receives check Calao likewise feels the
effect. The country around these two
cities is beautiful, and is adapted to the
cultivation of cotton and sugar. To the
eye it appears level, though there is
gradual elevation from the seashore back,
the rise from Callao being 400 feet. Cal
lao is situated only about forty feet above
the water level Its foundation is, l am
told, very insecure. Water can be found
in most any part of the city at the depth
offour feet. In what is now part Of the
bay of Calao was once the city. 1t goes
today by the name of Old Callao, and in
pulling from the mainland to San Lorenzo
Island, the squares of the ancient city are
distinctly visible below the surface Of the
water. Tradition has it, that at the same
time Old Callao was swallowed up, San
Lorenzo Island was thrown out from the
bowels of the deep, and a fisherman by
that name, who happened in the bay, was
carried to the summit Of the island with
his boat, aud from this circumstance the
new island took the name of San Lorenzo.
1t is many hundred feet high, and on the
summit the Peruvian Government have
erected large lighthouse.
A few days ago | had the pleasure (O
of witnessing Spanish bull fight. 1t is
nothing more nor less than savage. 1t is
torture, then murder. Were it not that it
is taken part in and patronized by so many
people, high and low, rich and poor, those
10 the church and out of the church, and
even by many of sacerdotal pretentions, !
would not waste time and space in speak
ing of it. The arena contains about two
acres of ground, and is surmountcd by
sheltered and protected seats. each one
commanding clear view of the ground be-
low. Back and little above these are
the private boxes, also extending all the
way round. When everything is arranged
for the animal to make his debut, at the
sound of the bugle two horsemen, each
with a red flag, take their stand in front Of
the gate, which is directly opend and the
animal, with bowed neck and flying tail,
comes rushing at one Of the horsemen.
The flag is Haunted in his face to infuriate
him, and at tho touch Of the spur the
steed flies from danger. This being re-
pcatcd two or three times, the bngle sounds
for another change. The horsemen retire
and some five or six footmen enter, each
supplied with flag, which they faunt in
the animals face as he rushes at them.
When this is carried on until the animal is
in the proper state of excitement and an
ger, the bugle sounds again and three
footmcn enter, each bearing two small
hooked spears. Presently one finds OPP
portunity and rushes up to the animal and
plants them in his back. Often the in-
furiated beast and footman meet, dashing
at full speed towards each other, but the
skilled bull.fghter ni,nbly springs to one
side, and leaves the two small spears stand.
ing in the animals back as he madly rushes
on aud tries to shake them from him.
The poor beast now is almost blind with
rage. He leaps and bellows and tears the
earth beneath his feet. His eyes stand
out like balls of glass, and in appearance
no seems to madly defy the thronging
multitude who salute him with the words
"Vive ell turos." The bugle sounds
again, and the gladiator makes his appear
ance with flag and sword ready to give the
| final attack. The beast is so Infatuated by
this time that he rushes at any movable
object; so the moment the gladiator puts
himself in the way the maddeued animal
makes for him. He only flounces the red
flag in his face and let's him pass on.
This is repeated. The third time the
gladiator nerves himself for the attack, and
as he and the wild beast come in contact,
he sinks the long blade down between the
animals shoulders, until it penetrates the
heart. IF he is unsuccessful in his thrust,
he repeats the same routine, and some.
times he makes the third attempt before
the vital spot Of the animal is reached.
The poor animal then makes few more
feeble efforts to reach his antagonist, sees
that his efforts are fruItless, staggers about
for a few seconds with loling tongue
streaming with blood, then falls to the
| ground overcome and lifeless. Six or