New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-10
ALONG A RAINLESS COAST
A sTUPENDoUs NATURAL PHENOMENON.

A STCPENDOUS NATURAL PHENOMENON.
TWO THOUSAND MILES OF srABoAHD SAHARA
FLOATING MARKETS HUMAN ACTIVITY
UNDER UNNATURAL. coNDIT1OSs-MoUN.
rA1Ns FILLED WITH TREASURE
tynoM Stay ooanrsroxDkSr OF rnE TRIBUNE
Taltal. Chill. February IL.
In calling northward from Valparaiso along the
CHILEAN coast the traveller is confronted with u
stupendous natural phenomenon. lie enters rain
less zone without vegetation or resources Tor sus-
tainino human life At Coqunlbo, the hlst an
.horage in the voyage from Valparaiso, he is wei
within the southern edge Of this bleak ana aria
district Thence for over 1000 miles nc is 10
follow n mountainous coast bare aud desoia'e,
where rain L. virtually unknown, and where AN
finishing plants ard shrubs can only be kept awe
hy constant watering. This zone extends from
the coast inland 10 the slopes OF the Anaes' ana
varies in width from twenty TO eighty mics ~
includes one third Of the CHILEAN seaoo"rd aua
the entire coast Of Peru to the Gulf of Guayaquil.
There the seaboard Sahara ends abruptly with
change in the trend Of the coast There is the
sb,rnest possible transition from bleak mountain
hcallands to a coast clad with VcrduTc, nourished
by vspor- laden atmosphere.
The causes Of these astonishing phenomena are
exp,aiped more or less adequately by scientific
writer's 1t is evident that the chief agent IN
producing this belt Of 1000 miles OF desert sea-
board is the Andes range. The southeast trade
winds strike northern Brazil loaded with Atlantic
yapor and currents of air continuing in an obhquc
westward drift across the continent supply the
Plate and tie Amazon river systems with apuh-
dant rainfalls When these currents beat against
tie ramparts OF the Peruvian and Northern Chii-
ian Andes, the remaining moisture IS wrung lTo"
them by the condensing power OF low 'chpci"-
lures at extreme attitudes From the crest OF
the range there are no sources OF evaporation I'M
ill the TRANQUIL levels OF the Pacific are reached
The air currents in their pass &c to the coast are
Ni,hout moisture The SHOWS on the eastern
slopes and central SUBMITS Of the Andes are final
6eposi,s of vapor which exhaust The water supply
Of the Atlantic trades. There is nothing III re-
scrve for the strip of seaboard and the inter
veninc mountain slopes. The mountain breezcs
east never bring rain Cooperating with this
primaI cause is anothcr-the prevailing south wind
on tho Pacific from TERRA del Fuego branch
If the Antarctic current follows the northern
trend of the west coast, and winds
accompany it to the equator, absorbing
moisture all the way, but not swerving
eastward after passing the Southern CHILEAN coast
These aerial currents in the latitudcs OF Northern
Chilli and Peru have gained by heat addl'iosi"'
power Of absorption, but carry their ample supplies
Of yapor northward, without being diverted to
the coast with its mountain buttresScs. Inc
air. coming from the Andes SUBMITS has been
squeezed dry by those mighty condenscrs. Rain
storms from the west never blow inland Ihe
rainlcss zone is thus deprived Of all means OF
water supply. except tie few mcagre streams
tumbling down the western slopes from the upland
suow-drifts.
These are the scientific explanations Of this STU
pcndous phenomenon. What remains to he account
cd for is the extraordinary transition from rainy
70 a rainless coast at the Gulf Of GuayaqulI.
The Corlileras extend from Panama 10 Peru in
continuous lines Of lofty Andcan wall. These
SUBMITS in Ecuador and Colombia ought 10 have
condcpsing power equal to that Of the CordiIleras
in Perm and Northern Chilli. The humboldt ocean
current, moreover, carrying with 1t the prevailing
winds from tie south, is DETECTED from its course
when il reaches the equator. IL meets IN that
quarter q current coming from the NORTH ana
both diverce westward from the coast. The
yapor- laden winds are also DETECTED from the
coast The same causes which combine TO pro-
duce a rainless zone for 1000 miles are counter
acted By various agencies in Ecuador and Colon
bia Those regions of copious rains, the con-
t,asts in the coast scenery and the conditions
of vegetation being sharply defined. Various en-
plapa,ions have been offered, based upon changes
in the trend Of the coast at Caps AJUl!o and
Parinas the shrinkage Of the Andcan area III
diameter throughout Ecuador and the inadequate
barrier offered by tie lSthmuS mountains 10 the
moisture-adcn Caribbean broezes which are car
ricd along the west coast 10 the equator These
theories are discussed by Professor Bell in his
interesting Notes Of Naturalist but while
admitting the plausibility of each one, he does
not consider their combined weight sufficient 70
account for the most abrupt and complete change
of climate and the conditions Of vegetable life
known anywhere on the globe. In Central Chill
the transition is made less suddenly aud more
naturally. The Andean streams are more IRE
ouent there but between them lie arid stretches
which cannot be cultivated Agriculture from
Coquimbo to Valparaiso is confined TO valleys,
ond is largely dependent upon artificial lrFl5a-
ton At Valparaiso there is no ram
for nine months OF the WE'VE
and during the remaining three showers are light
and infreouent IL is not until the 55th parallel
Is passed and southern Chilli and Patagonia are
reached that the normal conditions Of rainfall
IN tine temperate conc are restored. Ihere 'he
westward currents OF air in their drift from the
Atlantic pass over narrow sections Of land area
and arc not wrGng dry in passing over the Andes
The sea. brcezcs from the south and west bring
rain and oil the physical conditions are changed.
THE NORTH FED By TIE SOUTH.
The traveller cmbarking on steamer at Val
paraiso al once discovers that he is bound for
intermediate ports which derive all their food
supplies from Central and Southern Chilli There
are drOves Of cattle on the lower deck to pro-
vide fresh meat for tie towns OF the raincss
zone. TIE sftcrpsrt Of the vessel is largely oc-
cupicd b. vendors OF vegetables fruits, butter.
eggs chickens. ducks and hams. They are
allowed to display tlcir wares in small stalls and
big baskets, and when the steamer arrives in
port, magkct-dcalers swarm out in small boats
" Obtain supplies from these rc1lcrs. Every
steamer OF the English and Gillian lines is con-
vcrtcd into a floating market all tho way from
VALPARAISO 10 IquiQue where the stalls are