Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-04-15
Letter Fro m South America.

PIURA PERU, s. A., March 25, 1875.
Editor Rutland HerGld:-A month
ago to-day, with my wife and three of
my children, left Clarendon with its
pleasant valley and hills and many
friends. Stopping over night in Troy,
we rode along the Hudson by day.
There were on the river several ice
boats propelled by wind. Ice was be-
ing taken out in great quantities. At
New York we took passage in the
"Henry Chauncey" for Aspinwall. AT
ter we had been three days out, we laid
aside heavy wooden clothes, and by the
time we had reached Aspinwall the heat
was oppressive. The ship had nearly
500 passengers, In a voyage of ten
days some pleasant acquaintance are
formed. We were sea-sick much of
the way on the Atlantic side, and were
heartily glad when we reached the
Isthmus. Although feeling miserably,
l preached one Sabbath and delivered
lecture on Chill one Saturday. At AS
pinwall l met F. G.. White, from Ben
nington, now superintendent of the
Panama railroad. He is a staunch,
good man. By his example and man
agement he is doing an important work.
Some of the employees had become dis
sipated, and Mr.. White had no work for
such men. 1t is of great importance in
these places to secure men of unim-
peachable characters and of special
qualifications for their positions. AS
pinwall is tropical swamp, containing
some 5000 inhabitants, mostly Jamaica
negroes-a very unhealthy place.
The ride across the isthmus was very
interesting, everything was so fresh,
luxurlant and bright. In few in
stances cattle were feeding in pleasant
pastures, but there was nothing which
looked like a farm. There were no
good houses, except the station-houses,
along the line. The cocoanut tree was
everywhere to be seen. Immense forests
were passed, and sometimes acres of trees
loaded with bright red flowers ana q
few orange and banana groves Allfthe
hills and mountains were heavily wood
ed. The trees are not generally valuable,
the wood being too soft. The tall,
white, smooth barked india rubber tree
Is prominent. Some of the tallest trees
have hanging from their lofty 's-~Ss<es
parasitic vines, reaching to the ground,
as large as cables. Having just come
from northern winter, and having left
pethod the treeless, restless, proVoklns
ocean, and ESCAPED the rolling ana pi'Ch-
inc steamer all the passengers enjoyed
Intensely the railroad ride through trop- |
fcaI vegetation. 1t was evident that |
children and monkeys are to be counted |
as productions of the tropics. But a |
fair inference from the result of the !
most casual observation. is that ''chn- |
dren's ready made clothing" is not an |
indigenous plant.
Panama isan old, dilapidated, Spanish
walled city containing some eight or ten
thousand Inhabitants. After remaining
one night at the Grand Central Hotel we
took passage in the ''Copiapo" for Payta,
Peru. The ocean was SO smooth and
the steamer so finely constructed that |
we enjoyed the remainder of the voyage.
We stopped over night at Guayaquil,
Ecuador. This lies just under the equa-
tor and contains over 90, 900 inhabitants. |
This republic is wretchedly managed |
and is virtually under Jesultical rule. |
q railroad is being built from Guayaquil |
to Quito. During the rainy season it is
impossible for a family to reach Quito.
In one day we reached Payta, the first |
Peruvian port. Here we left the steam
er. Payta is built on the sandy beach |
rNE ftnH n =.
except as it is brought some ten miles |
by mules and donkeys. A half barrel |
of water costs as much as bushel of |
potatoes with you. In Payta there is
nothing remarkable except rude paint
ing of tree on the church. We were |
kindly entertained by native family |
that gave us most excellent dinner.
We now had forty miles to traverse
across the desert to this place, which at
present is our home. We started at five
IN the morning to avoid the midday sun.
l rode horseback and my family occu-
pied two filters. These are rude boxes,
some like the top of hearse with door
on the side.
Two long poles fastened to the litter as
thills, enable two mules, one before, the
other behind, to trudge along at the rate
of three and half miles per hour
without great inconvenience to the pas
sengers. Midway we found rude no.
tel, where we rested from 10 a. m. till
p. m. The trade winds daily blow from
the south so as to refresh man and beast.
The wind plays with the sand so as to
make innumerable sand hills, which
look like flattened cones on the south
side, while on the north they have the
appearance of half moon, as to the
line the hill makes on the ground. In
the evening we reached Piura, a place
OF 1000 Inhabitants, situated in the des-
ert. We found chambers fitted up for
us. Badly jolted, we ate a good beef
steak and retired. Mrs. G. felt the
effects of the ride for day or two,
but was not permanently injured by it.
The people of Payta are contented
with their harbor. The take delight in
betting and looking upon the shipping,
steamers going and coming.
The inhabitants of Piura glory in their
beautiful climate and pleasant public
square. The thermometer seldom drops
below zoe or rise above 90o. This is
he warmest month, and since we have
been here the thermometer has been
rom 76o TO 900. We all feel languid
Turing the warmest hours. For the first
week none of US have felt quite as we'll
IS we did in Vermont. We expect, as
he weather becomes cool, we shall feel
letter. Even now, from p. M. till Z
/. M, it is not progressively warm. We !
~ TO keep cool with ice, which is man
featured here. NATH. P. GILBERT. !