The Portland daily press., 1883-12-24
A Trip 10 Perm.

| The third in the First Parish course Owen
last Saturday afternoon by the Rev. DR.. Hill.
consisted of some pertinent introductory re-
marks and exhibition of charts and DRAWINGS
mace oy MIN some twelve years ago, when one
OF the Agassiz scientific expedition to Brazil.
Bolivia, Argentine Republic, and Chill.
The Doctor stated that il was four thousand
miles from Burlington, VT, due South, to the
centre OF Peru, and that Peru was some two
thousand miles in length and four hundred to
five hundred miles wide.
AT the time OF the Spanish conquest, under
Pizarro, there was a thrifty population of
| eighty millions of inhabitants, but from MANY
causes-the principal ones being Spanish ava
rice, church fanaticism and misguided free
trade-it had dwindled to four millions.
In the subsequent reading from his ionrnal
Or. Hill gave an elaborate account, highly in
teresting' OF the numerous species of fish,
fowl, seaweeds and flowers, secured By their
party during their two weeks sojourn in thu
Northern part of the coast OF Peru. When
the anchor was dropped near Piso, where the
rich guano-producing Chiucha island was lo
Gated, they threw over their dip nets and sno
ceeded in drawing out twenty-five sharks.
many of them of unknown species. No edi-
bic fish were secured. The next dav a num-
or of the hunting party obtained seals, two
famingoes, good supply of water duck, and
pelican, alive, which measured seven feet
He had had his bin shot off, so he could not
bite his captor. The cook served up some of
the famingo meat, which was pronounced
equal to any canvass back duck ever eaten.
Ia
all kinds, and Prof. AgaSsiz eaid that IT was
the most successful two days results in obtain
ing new specimens he had ever had, The
Doctor showed an enlarged drawing of mus-
sci shell; celebrating on the peculiarity of this
species, the shells having a convex rim. Ha
gave an interesting account of the trim of the
party on the railroad up the mountains where
the grade in many places is 237 feet to the
mile, nearly double the grade of the Ogdens-
burg at the Notch. Mr.. Henry Meiggs. the
millionaire railroad builder, from California,
gave banquet to the scientific explorers.
which was attended by about seventy gentle
men and twelve ladies.
Although the natives said it never rained in
their country, water was seen running from
the scnppers of the ship in the morning and
mud-puddles were visible 10 the streets A
huge cloud, for two months in the year. May
and June, hangs over the coast, rising and
falling at stated times. Occasionally showers
fall few times 10 four or five years, and then
export business Is transacted in tho shipment
of guano and saltpetre.
The ancient town of Pisa was visited and
excited curiosity; the houses being built of
bamboo and occupied by Indians; their diet
being chiefly dried shark. The inhabitants
are indolent and shiftless, and spend nearly ali
their earnings in drinking beer made from the
crushed cane, after the sugar has been ex-
tracted.
OFF Callao rises an island, about one-half
mile in extent where seals disport Themselves
1t was so covered with seals that the posses
sion of the most powerful spy-glass was una
BILE to discern vacant spot. From the facts
set forth by the able chronioler it is evident
that under the old regime industry and pros
perity were manifest on the hills; but now the
Spaniards cultivated the lowands.
On account of the intermsrriage between
low class of Spaniards and the Indians, a
race far inferior to the ancestral one has arisen
and are mostly indolent, ignorant and de-
PRAYED. The scientists noticed fertile fields of
Indian corn, cotton, clover, grapes, etc.