Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06
rom The Starr Travelling Commissioner.

LIMA, PERU, 1890.
"Ow DIFFERENT is this world-renowned
1lseaport from anything our imagination
had pictured-hov disappointing in one sense,
because now showing no traces of its fifteenth
century youth, nor the glamor with which
history and tradition have surrounded it. On
the contrary, II is the most cosmopolitan. COM
mon-place and matter-of-fact sort of city we
have yet found in South Americas place
where English is spoken almost as much az
Spanish and where people Of all nationalities
have crowded the easy-going natives to the
WALL so far as business is concerned. Even
the correct pronunciation of its name is a sur
prise to us, for, whereas we we're taught in
school to say Cal-lay-o. it should be rendered as
il spelled Col-yow, with the accent strong on
the last syllable.
Though the harbor is nothing to boast Of
and on our storm-swept northern coast would
be dignifed by no such name. IL is one of the
best on this side of the southern continent.
being sheltered from prevailing winds
which blow from the south and southwest by
the high, bare island of San Lorenzo and a
projecting tongue of land. But the approach
to 1t, as seen through the veil of mist that
always overhangs both sea and shore in the
early morning. Ii certainly fine.
THICK Foo.
We arrive about am. and drop anchor a
mile from the beach. in a fog which the sailors
say is thick enough to cut with knife" and
is attributable to the condensation of tropical
moisture BY the cold currents of air sweeping
northward from antarctic regions. Looming
out of the mist, in dim outlines and exaggerated
proportions, is a spectral forest of masts and
spars belonging to sailing vessels from all seas,
steamers, store ships. coke hulks and other
phantom craft, while to the right San Lorenzo
lifts to the skies light house that is said to be
more ornamental than useful, and directly in
front rise the cheese-shaped turrets that top
the famous old castle of San Felipe above
whose yellow walls and massive battleNnents
the Spanish flag waved for the last time on this
continent To the left, las through a glass
darby" we see q low shore covered with
yellowish verdure. and trees pale green for
lack Of rain, rising gradually to the foothills of
the Andes. The brown heights seem 10 stand
in close ranks. one behind another each tier
mounting higher; still beyond them all and be-
hind stratum of motionless cloud we family
discern the snowy Cordillera, blending with
the blue Of the sky. At the base of those
brown hills. only miles inland, lies the ultima
thule OF our dreams-Lima, the '1City of
kings, which Pizarro founded just three hun
dred and thirty-five years ago.
THE AUToCRAr OF THE PORT
Hardly has the anchor gone overheard be-
fore the steamer is surrounded by ciamoring
crowd of marineros. or boatmen, who ONLY wait
the coming Of the captain of the port to swarm
upon the decks and besiege passengers with
Offers OF service In rowing them and their lug
gage ashore; but until his august permission
has been given they dare not come nearer than
the law allows The autocrat of the port always
consults his own convenience about coming
He may be sleeping late from last nights revel
or chatting with friends. or taking his morning
coffee; at any rate he does not permit himself
to be disturbed or hurried. howsoeyer travellers
may rage and inpatient seamen swear and
need not be expected for hour or more
Meantime while the waiting marineros are
wrang1ng with one another and endeavoring
to secure engagements from q distance bv
shouting to passengers on the steamer, we NAV
as well possess our souls in patience ard
CLEAN what information we can concerning the
locality.
A communicative mate directs our attention
to some sea lions that are bObbing about among
the shipping. He tells US that it is great fun to
watch them and observe how they mock hu-
manity in their hirtations and jealousies, their
lovemaking and final settling down to family
hfe- Listen moment, at any time of day.
and you may hear their unmusical voices half
barking, half bowling. Astounding all up and
down this coast they have refused to be en-
tirely driven away. even from this busy harbor,
and have grown almost tame.
THE cAILAo PAINTER.
There are no end of the tales one may listen
to concerning the freaks Of the "Callao
painter" as q mysterious local phenomenon in
called-an aggravating artist, who works with
invisible brushes and confines his operations
solely to this harbor, never going inland nor
out to sea, nor more than a few miles north
and south. All sea-goers know with what care
the sailors are required to scrub and clean
every part Of Q vessel before II comes into port
till every inch Of il, outside and in, Ia spotless
and shining as soapsuds, elbow grease and
''holy-stone" can make il. After all this labor
imagine the disgust of the tired seamen when,
perhaps the very next morning after anchor
ing In Callao bay, they awake to find the ship
coated all over from stem to stern with q
greasy, sticky, chocolate-colored Aim which
penetrates every crack and seam and even
forces its way through the battened hatch
Ways! The Callao painter has been at work.
He always comes in the night without the
repulsive odor. II the slime is scrubbed while
yet damp with plenty Of soap and stiff brush
its stains may be removed, but IL allowed to dry
on nothing but scraping will bulge it, and the
cheapest and easiest way will be to put coat
or two Of paint on over 1t. OF course there
are many theories regarding this strange frost
which no sun can melt. Some say that it is a
kind Of grease forced up into the atmosphere
of this particular spot by vapors beneath the
sea, while others attribute ii to q species of
volcanic dust driven through the water by sub
terranean forces. On only one point are all
agTeed-that the sticky, sinking film, which is
found nowhere else on earth, has given just
cause for more profanity than all the storms
that ever blew into Callao harbor.
MEMORABLE EARrHQuAKEs
That the region IL peculiarly volcanic, In
common with all the western slopes of the
Andes, n proved by the numerous urh..x.,.
that have occurred here. The wo-s ~ tha.e
on record, and one of the most ter-;hle caia,,;D
ties that ever overlook any CITY, WA. ,be oraa,
tsrrimots of October -, 1I46. which went ths
old port Of Callao. which occupieJ ,bs nrp;ec, e
ing point Of land to the left with ali ~, ;nbsS;
tants, excepting one man. into the sea n vas
on . warm but perfectly calm evening. about
1880 o'clock, when . tremendous .boct ~
earthquake shook both Lima and CaIIao do;ns
great deal OF damage in the former cisy and
In nvs minutes reducing the latter 10 A nsss NJ
ruins. Then . huge wave came rollins into
the devoted port, snsulnng everything and
everybody; and 5000 people persisted In the
raging food. The waters, which a few minute,
before bad been calm as mill pond suddenly
receded 70 a great distance and then rolled
back with such tremendous force az 10 sveep
not only the town and lie Notifications and i'm
hsbitAnts out Of existence. but a .core Of ships
at anchor IN the harbor were DESTROYED. Rev
erh others we're borne far inland on the breast
OF the wave. which, instantly receding. left
them stranded high and dry. One Of these was
the spanish man-of-war 81. Firmin and the
spot whore it Was stranded, between the pres
ent Caliao and Buena Vista, IL marked by a
small monument
TIE NEW LOCATION.