Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06

and the stars and stripes nuttering in our faces,
mingled with the red, white and red Of the Pc
| ruvian bandera-
TrABLR-DowN Town,
IL Callao looks tumble-down and shabby
when viewed through q veil of mist at miles
distance, how much more disappointing is Q
closer inspection in the full glare of the sum-
somebody has well described It a. Quilt gener-
ally OF canes, plastered over with mud and
painted dirty yellow. its dimsy houses stand
askew with scarcely perpendicular or hori-
zontal line among them. and look as IL they were
trying to straighten themselves up after grand
ueDauch, In vain endeaver to toe the line of
the street. As there is considerable swell even
In the mildest weather. long mole. or break
water, has been extended out toward the an
chorage, having stairs behind, where all the
small boats and lighters receive and discharge
tneir passengers and cargoes. The stairs are
thronged with O motley and jostling crowd,
mostly ragged loafers who have no business on
hand but vagrant curiosity. who stare at the
ladies and obstruct the landing so that we have
some difficulty In forcing path through their
dirty ranks.
THE BUSY PLAZA.
The little plaza at the end Of the mole pre-
sents strange and busy scene, it being
crowded with wharf bummers and idle gentle
men in dilapidated sombreros and ragged pom
chos. We are astonished to see great piles Of
grain and other merchandise lying uncovered
IN the open air-until we remember that it
never rains here and there is no more moisture
to be feared than that from the fogs. Here are
heaps of wheat from Chill waiting to be car
ried to the mills on the Rimae-the river from
which Lima took its name; there are blocks of
salt, white and rose-colored. resembling ONYX,
brought from the salt quarries near Huacho;
gigantic pisces or red clay jars, shaped like the
Roman amphorae and filed with 'italia from
the valley of Pisco; bales of chincona bark from
forests in the far interior; pyramids Of chancaca
leaves, the course, unrefined sugar Of the coun-
try, wrapped in dried banana leaves. through
which sticky sweetness oozes. to the delectation
OF swarms OF flies and nearly naked children;
and other products del pias mixed confusedly
with familiar-looking bags, bales and boxes
from the United States and Europe.
THE POVERTY OF PERU.
Callao has population Of about $4,000, but
its glory as a great commercial shipping center
has departed. There are several modern build.
ings of considerable architectural pretensiors,
sandwiched among the mud -plastered canes, con-
spicuous among them being the branch house Of
the New York bankers. Messrs Grace 4 Co.,
and the new railway station. which is also close
to the mole. The heat ia intense, vile smells
assail ones olfactories at every turn and as
there is no drainage except such as nature pro-
vldes In the natural slope Of the soil to seward
clean, the place IL proverbially unhealthy
The poverty OF Peru since the war and the con-
sequent depression Of her trade, as well as the
enormous tariffs imposed by the government
and the exorbitant port duties charged, have
conspired to drive commerce away from Cal
lao, to the corresponding benefit of Valparaiso.
the port OF Chilli. few years ago, when the
Peruvian government was in dire need of funds
and willing to sell anything it could lay hands
on for enough cash down to keep things going.
it practically sold this harbor of CallaO to a
French company. who leased its docks and an
chorage for term OF years for the sum Of
200, 1000 per annum. The money has been
God-send to Peru, but almost death to Callao,
for the company has right to tax shipping to
any extent and has established system Of
rates and rule which no seamen who can help
themselves will submit to.
SHORT BUT STEEP ROAD.
As before mentioned. the distance be tween
Callao and Lima is six miles, but as the latter
lies 512 feet above the sea level the short Jour-
ney occupies more than half an hour There
are two lines Of road, both starting from the
same point, but arriving at different depots in
the capital city. The one we choose takes a
sweep along the shore of the harbor and around
the old yellow castle of San Felipe. which since
republican days has been rechristened la
Fortaleza de Ia Independencia.' Then we
meander slowly through cane-built suburb
and strike off in a right line past the Aldea and
the Campo Santo of Bella Vista. A good deal
OF the way runs parallel with the canine real
or royal road" of the Spaniards, once well
paved and lined with trees. but now covered
with loose stones and sand, through which the
carts of the carreteros are dragged
with difficulty by struggling mules. Evidently
these early grandees did not build as well with
all their stolen wealth as did their Inca prede-
cessors. for the roads of the latter, though
centuries older, are yet in tolerably good condi-
ton.
LUXURIOUS FOLIAGE FROM IRRIGATION.
So slow is the ascent that the traveller has
ample opportunity to view the country, which
is mainly parched waste, divided into squares
by mud walls. with here and there fat-roofed
casa or q field of bright green alfalfa but
wherever water is regularly turned on il
blossoms like the rose. The courses of the
azequias. or irrigating bitches, are marked by
long lines Of wild canes, vines, flowers and
willow trees. There are acres of gorgeous
ing everywhere in unrivaled luxuriance, cover
ing ruins, curtaining verandss and lining the
banks of the water courses.
Scattered all over the sloping plain are
mounds Of adobe bricks, mostly regular in
shape and some of immense size. Theae IRE
the ruined huacos of the ancient inhabitants,
Of whom we shall have something to say BY and
by. They have supplied vast numbers OF ex-
cellent sun-dried bricks, ready made, for the
construction Of the modern city and adjacent
villages, but 1t il doubtful il those who used
them have ever bestowed q thought upon the
dead Indians whose careful workmanship has
saved their conquerors 30 much labor.
RICH FRUITS AND vEaErABLEs
Nearer to the capital numerous fruit and
vegetable gardens, surrounded by high adobe
walls, above which peer orange. agnacate fig,
mango and banana trees. present their pleas
ing contrast Of green and gold. Then the
great gas works are reached, and passing
has been demolished right here, we enter Lima
by the street Of San Jacinto. This is one of
the shabbiest, dirtiest and least attractive of
lie avenues; but We do not know that until
later on. and are conscious of no little disap-
pointment in the midst Of our excitement con-
sequent to attaining our hearts desire in visit
to THE City Of the Kings" The noisy train
whisks Us into castle-like structure, half fort,
half church, which used to be the monastery OF
San Juan de Dios, but il now used for a rail-
way station; and here we will bid you goodbye
for today. FANNIE b. WARD.
A Mississippi Incident.
From the Detroit Free Press.
On road in Mississippi We met young lady
-