Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-16
WINES OF FRANCE
Are Not Finer Than Those Of South
Americas Western Coast.
THEY ABSORB THE SEAS BREATH
And Grasp the Golden Sunbeams to Sparkle
in Mllady's Glass.
LIFE In THE SUGAR CANE DISTRICT


of Pisco, which is situated about 100 miles
south of Callao, in the broad and fertile
plain OF Canate, is a fair specimen of the
coast towns of Peru. Its charming little
plaza is surrounded by pretentious casas of
adobe, whose outer walls are tinted pale
blue. pink, yellow or gray. The smaller
dwellings of the poorer classes, who are
principally negroes and half-breeds, are one
room novels of the simplest construction.
There are whole streets where the houses on
either side are built of wild cane stuck up
right In the ground, having cross-pieces
tied on at intervals, without nail from top
to bottom, this wickerwork foundation
being plastered with mud and rooted with
straw.
Though generally windowless and often
foorless, these poor abodes, being well white
cheerful appearance; and over each doorway
a glass lamp is suspended, rendering the
streets better lighted than those of many
more pretentious cities. One side of the
plaza is occupied by very large and hand
some church, built IN the Limenean style Of
architecture, which is conspicuous land
mark for vessels far out at sea.
RETREAT FOR THE MONKS.
Near by is the old chapel of the Jesuit
Fathers, which possesses, among other in
teresting relics of departed glory, high
altar most elaborately carved and heavily
gilded. An avenue of willow trees leads to
the dilapidated FRANCISCAN Monastery which
was suppressed nearly half century ago by
order of the Republican Government. For
many years its cloisters have been deserted,
its halls empty and its pleasure grounds,
with their long lines of olive trees, allowed
to run wild with weeds and thistles.
The records tell US that this ancient gar
den was intended for a place of religious
contemplation, wherein the pious monks
might enjoy communion with nature as
we'll as with their own souls and combine
pleasant exercise with their evening
prayers. We read that countless doves
once lived in the olive trees, which were SO
tame that they wont to alight upon the
shoulders of the friars. when the latter were
pacing to and fro Sin the cool of the day"
reading or repeating their prisons.
A SAVING DITCH.
This region used to be proverbially un-
healthy and the people of Peru suffered
much from malarial fever until ditch,
eight feet deep, was dug all around the
town, few years ago, which has drained
off the moisture and made it one of the most
salubrious towns on the coast: The plain of
Canate is 13 miles long, and extends in
breadth from the cordilleras to the sea. To
the southwark are many small swamps,
where reeds are cultivated for making the
mating which supports the straw roofs of
the houses; and then barren bit, covered
with stony mounds and clumps of date
palms, stretches away to the desert. But to
north it is very different. In the immediate
vicinity Of Pisco are rich pastures
The grapes grown hereabouts are as de-
licious as those OF Southern France and
seem to have absorbed the breath of the
nearby sea, as well as the sunshine of per-
petual summer. Great quantities of wine
and brandy, called "Italia" and "Pisco, "
are exported from this place, and their man
ufacture is the principal industry of the
valley. We visited the storehouse of the
winemaker and found it to contain nearly
q thousand casks, each cask holding 300
gallons. The amount of liquor made is
marvellous, considering the limited district,
and the value of the exports are in full pro-
portion.
PRETTY STRONG BOOZE.
"Italia" is the favorite white wine oil
Peru, though much too strong for general
use; and "Pisco," though a most innocent
looking beverage, being colorless as water,
| contains more intoxication to the cubic inch
than any other known liquid, unless it may
be the mescal of Mexico. There is Portu-
guese here who produces three distinct kinds
of wine from the same grape. one an excel
lent variety resembling Madeira; another
similar to the best Bucellas, and a third
much like the nierior Rhine wines. There
is also a very fine and correspondingly ex-
pensive liquor distilled from the large white
grape, favored with chirimojas, the latter
being the most delicious fruit to be found in
the tropics. All along the beach are i'm
mense warehouses where the common
"Pisco" is stored in huge red jars shaped
much like an eggshell, waiting shipment to
the various ports of Peru and Chill.
The estates of Canate are mostly cult
waited by negroes, assisted by a few China
men. The negro population of these coast
valleys was originally imported from Porto
Beilo, the great depot for the slave trade,
which was chiefly in the hands of English
merchants during the first century after the
conquest.
THE SUGAR CANE FIELDS.
Next to grape growing the cultivation of
sugar cane engrosses the people in the
neighborhood of Pisco; and as rain never
falls, though the weather is sometimes quite
cold, the necessary irrigation requires great
care and labor. But though the cane is
backward in maturing, it is of closer tex
ture, containing more juice than in milder
regions and yielding greater amount of
sugar.
The proprietors OF the Canate haciendas
are mostly Enelishmen, and an excellent
class OF country gentlemen they are, hos
pitable, upright and much kinder to their
dependents than the Peruvians are inclined
to be. The buildings on the estates are
uniformly large and handsome, and a
description OF one applies equally we'll to
all the rest. One side o! the extensive inner
courtyard is devoted to the trapiche, or
sugar mill, the boiling house, refinery and
store rooms; while the other side shelters
the owners family, in long. lofty and airy
apartments, all on the ground floor and e1-
tremely we'll furnished. Adjoining the
house is always a chapel, and resident
priest is maintained whose duty it is to look
out for the spiritual welfare OF everybody
on the estate from the lord OF the manor to
the meanest dependent.
LIFE ALONG THE COAST.
Life in these isolated communities is by
no means disagreeable. Everybody rises
yery early. takes bit OF bread and cup of
coffee and goes about his or her especial
ayocation, the master riding over the fields
and the mistress attending to the house
servants. At 10 o'clock A. NJ. breakfast is
served; and the meal invariably consists of
soup. eggs. poached or fried and garnished
with slices of fried banana, various dishes of
meat and chocolate. At o'clock comes
dinner-soup, fish, roast, some vegetables
well earnished with ahi or sauce of red pep
pers. dulces (sweetmeats), wine and coffee.