Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-06

(where stands the modern Callao), and
defended it by castle in the form of a
pentagon, with two round towers and
curtain" on the ocean face Though
carefully built to resist human invasion,
and mounted with cannon, it would be but
a plaything for the invisible but all-potent
forces of earth, air and sea, and the people
tremble in their boots whenever terTimote
gives them never so slight a shaking.
Again in 1926 Callao had narrow escape
from total destruction and many lesser
shocks have done more or less damage.
The brief visit of the Port Captain be-
! ing at last concluded, and the nealth off,
GERS having satisfied themselves that there
is no contagious disease on board, we have
permission to go ashore, and the long-de-
layed mdrineros swarm the decks. But we
are not left to their tender mercies, for
our party includes a new minister from
the United States en- route to his
South American mission, and the fact
having been duly signaled by saluting
guns and flying flags, we were carried to
land in the gig of a man-of-war, with uni
formed ''rowers rowing in tune" and the
stars and stripes futtering in our faces,
mingled with the red, white and red of
the PERUVIAN 0d1deTd.
If Callao looks tumble-down and shabby
when viewed through a veil of mist at a
| miles distance, how much more disappoint-
| ing is a closer inspection in the full glare
of the sun! Somebody has well described
it as "built generally of canes, plastered
over with mud and painted dirty yellow,
its himsy houses stand askew, with scarce
ly a perpendicular or horizontal line
among them, and look as if they were
trying to straighten themselves up after
grand dehauch, in 4 vain endeavor to toe
the line of the street" As there is con-
siderable swell even in the mildest
weather, long MOLE. or break-water, has
been extended toward the anchorage, hay
ing stairs behind, where all the small
boats and lighters receive and discharge
their passengers and cargoes The stairs
are thronged with a 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 little plaza at the end of the mole
presents a strange and busy scene, it being
crowded with wharf bummers and idle
gentlemen in dilapidated sombreros and
ragged ponchos. 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 Chile, waiting to be carried to
the mills on the Rimae-the river from
which Lima took its name; there are
blocks of salt, white and rose-colored, re-
sembling onyx, brought from the salt
quarries near Huacho gigantic pisces or
red clay jars, shaped like the Roman
amphora and filled with italia" from the
valley of Pisco; bales of chinchona bark
from forests in the far interior; pyramids
of chancaca leaves, the coarse, unrehned
sugar of the country, wrapped in dried
banana leaves, through which sticky
sweetness oozes, to the delectation of
swarms of flies and nearly naked chill
dren; and other products del pas mixed
confusedly with iar-looking bags,
bales and boxes from the United States
and Europe.
Callao has population of about 1000,
but its glory as great commercial ship
ping center has departed. There are sew
eral modern buildings of considerable
architectural pretensions sandwiched
among the d-plastered canes, conspicu-
Gus among them being the branch house
of the New York bankers, Messrs. Grace q
| Co., and the new railway station, which is
also close to the mole. The heat is intense,
vile smells assail ones olfactories at every
| turn; and as there is no drainage except
such as nature provides in the natural
slope of the soil to seward, and smart
| oh foil M tuaSh THINGS nlaan
| the place is proverbially unhealthy. The
poverty of Peru since the war, and the
consequent depression of her trade, as well
as the enormous tariffs imposed by the
Government, and the exorbitant port du-
ties charged, have conspired to drive COM
merce away from Callao, to the correspond
ing benefit of Valparaiso, the port of
Chile. A few years ago, when the Peru
Wan 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 har-
Dor OF Callao to French company, who
leased its docks and anchorage for term
of years for the sum Of 100000 per an
mum. The money has been a 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 rules which no seamen who can
help themselves will submit to.
AS before mentioned, the distance be-
tween Callao and Lima is six miles, but as
the latter lies 512 feet above sea level, the
short journey 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 vel.
low castle of San Felipe, which since repub
lican days has been rechristened ola
Fortaleza de la Independence" Then we
meander slowly through cane-built sub
arb and strike off in right line past the
AJdea and the Campo Santo of Bella Vista
, A good deal of the way runs parallel with
the camino real, or royal road" of the
Spaniards, once well paved and lined with
trees, but now covered with loose stone
and sand, through which the big-wheelet
: carts of the cdrreteroS are dragged will
5 difficulty by struggling mules. Evidently
f these early grandees did not build as well
: with all their stolen wealth, as did theii
, Inca predecessors, for the roads of the
. latter, though centuries older, are yet il
r tolerably good condition.
e So slow is the ascent that the travele
t has ample opportunity to view the coun
t try, which is mainly parche1 waste, di
: vided into squares by mud walls, with her
and there a fat-roofed casa or field O
t bright-green alfalfa; but wherever waite
1 is regularly turned on it blossoms like tn
Y rose. The courses of the azequias, or irri
:, eating bitches, are marked by long lines 0
e wild canes, vines, flowers ami willow trees
e There are acres of gorgeous institutions
r orange, golden and ruby-red, rioting every
where in unrivaled luxuriance, coverin.
ruins, curtaining verandas, and linin
/ the banks of the water courses.
IL IL Il Il