The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-18
UNITED STATES COAST SURVEY STEAMER
uASSLER,

last century declared the bay OF CallaO to be 1.-THE
greatest, the finest and the safest In all the South
Sea. There is anchorage everywhere in as much
depth OF water any one likes, on an olive color
Owse, without danger OF any rocks or shoals" The
harbor at the present day deserves at least por-
ton Of his commentator, for the solve color
owse" Is as abundant and as widely distributed as
ever. II consists chiefly Of vegetable mould and
clay but contains In addition small proportion Of
various sulphides The decomposition OF these in
gradients doubtless explains the exhalation OF sui
phuretted hydrogen which discolors the paint work
Of vessels lying In the bay and has, consequently,
long been known as the "Callao painter.n A per-
ceptible Quantity Of this gas is held in solution in
the water, together with an excess of sulphates.
CALLAHAN UNATTRAcrIvE CITY.
The town Of Callao is small, dirty, irregularly
built and almost devoid Of attractions and visitors.
II is situated on spit OF land extending out into
the sea toward the island Of San Lorenzo There
seemed to be lower grade OF morality and greater
prominence OF the more disreputable clements
OF the population than In other cities along the
coast, although 1t is perhaps unfair to generalize
from such hasty gmpses There are few, If
any, fine houses or even comfortable dwellings,
and the habitations Of the poor are often mise
rable novels, and almost always noisome and un-
cleanly.
A REpEEMINa POINT.
The majority OF the public buildings are unworthy
Of mention; but one Of them the City Hospital is
an institution of which 1t is pleasure to speak. 1t
stands in the suburbs opposite end Of the main
street; quadranguar building, covering quite
large space Of ground and partially enclosed by an
iron railing inside Of which several Peruvian SOL
diers, in Respondent uniforms mount guard. A
request to see the padre superior was speedily fol-
lowed by the appearance Of that gentleman-joly,
rubicund, brght-eyed and clear-voiced, evidently
nnh nnftr not ubnca nncic
be uniavorable either in corporeal or spiritual
diseases. He was an attentive and enter
tanning cicerone, and seemed to take o justifable
pride In showing the system and arrangements OF
the hospital. The wards spacious, scrupulously
Clean and admirably ventilated, and are presided
over BY quiet Sisters OF Charity, whose womanly
care was visible in the white bedding, snowy win.
dow curtains and numerous little contrivances for
the comfort or pleasure OF the patients They take
entire charge during the absence of the visiting
physicians, and administer the medlcines dispensed
BY one Of themselves, for they have no other
apothecary. The Sister who filed that position
was evidently no novice and was as fully cognizant
Of the essential difference between the two chorides
OF mercury or between "black dropn and ''black
araught" as are most druggists apprentices.
SCIENCE
The visit was especially interesting from tho
opportunity 1t afforded OF observing some we'll
marked cases OF verrugas peculiar disease,
which, as far as we have been able to ascertain,
has only made its appearance withln o few years
and is untouched in medical literature II is said
to originate principally within the limits Of O GER
tain mountain district, through which railroad
has recently been built. 1t sometimes commences
with fever Of typhoid type, rarely becoming
remittent or intermittent, but often the first indi
cation Of the disease is the appearance Of the
eho ctp
tumors varying from the size of pea to that OF a
walnut, usually on the cutaneous surface but not
lnfrequently Affecting the pulmonary and Intestinal
mucous membranes. Death sometimes occurs from
hmmorrhage and convalescence is always tedious
and prOtracted. The subject Ia not, perhaps one
Of general interest, but 'the Ills we have" are
already sufficiently numerous and the advent Of q
new one is not to be disregarded.
LIFE IN LIMA.
Lima presented many more attractions than
Callao and the facility of communication enabled
to pay frequent and pleasant visits to the quaint
old .City OF the Kings" It Is about seven miles
nom the seaport, at an elevation of 500 feet but
the ascent is SO gradual that 1t Is hardly noticeable
The road runs through cultivated fields not remark
able for their fertility, but luxuriant when con-
trasted with the sand wastes of Pisco and Paraca.
In the centre Of many OF them are huge piles Of
stones, gathered from acres Of the surface SO as to
render IL more arable-tne WOrk OF tne naive
Peruvians before the conquest.
Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro In 1885, and
was called by him Cug1d dc los Reyes. IL stands on
q plain and Is sheltered on the northeast by spurs
from the great chain OF the Andes. At the foot OF
one OF these the River Rimac enters the city AM
handsome bridges. The streets are poorly paved
with small cobble stones, are not especially clean
many charms about the ely itself which more than
compensate for these disadvantages Its tropical
climate, its fruits and flowers, the musical bells
NJ Ito mn
highly ornamented houses, noddng towards
each other across narrow footways until their
pageantry Of its streets, where every possible shade
Is represented, In the costumes and compile xons OF
Su que and he coz conquered immense pacards
nouncing on approaching "Corrida de Toros' at
the Alameda dc Acho, the largest bulring In Peru;
the coquettish manic chitend or the women, Just
limiting at the conceament Of lovely faces and
forms; all these and many more made q stroll
through the city interesting In the highest degree
Then. In addition TO this lie OF the present, are
historic associations immortaliZed IN the pages OF
pre Of the Incas extended over forty degrees ofiati
tude when their subjects were countless and their
treasures overlooked with the wealth of CONT
nent Then, later, when the simple, conhding natives
were betrayed and massacred by the invading
Spanards, their last sovereign put to death after
the payment OF q more than royal ransom, and
their childike alteration Of the sun replaced by the
nameless horrors OF the lnquisiton. Then three
MES, OF irresponsible government, of medieval
manifestations of submission and allegiance such
az the paving VI WHOie stlettS Win silver on the
o1atrce Of new governor. Following this period
of anarchy, extending over about forty years.
during which there were more chiefs Of state than
there had Ueen In all the long years since the foun.
dalton OF the city; and then, and finally, the en-.
trance OF Peru as q new star In the galaxy OF re.
publics" and its present progress towards wealth
and prosperity.
PRESENT AND FUTURE.
II is still question whether such progress Is now
taking place, and whether the resources OF The
country such as TO enable IL TO look forward
confidently to a time when its national credit vii
firmly established III
among the Powers Of the world The sea he o
Peru, though presenting the most forbidding ap
pearance, with its parched and sterile shores ant
Jagged preciptous Cliffs is yet through Its depos
Its OF eatpetre and guano the chief source Of rev
enuc TO the State. The interior, susceptible Of thu
highest cultivation where sugar cane, RICE cotton
CONGO and many other useful plants nigh