Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
A TYPICAL CEMETERY.
How the People of Arequipa Dispose
of the Departed.
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.
The Professions to the Tomb-Dinerence Re-
tween Rich and Poor-The Foreigners Cor
ner-Bad Roads Prevent the Liability of
Being Buried In . Trance.


minerals IN lorclDle anu ratner unpiedsaht
manner. With hands full Of roses, we were
musing on the cold winter weather at home
and the beauty Of tropic sunshine amid snow
clad mountains, when we barely escaped being
Knocked down and run over by four horses
driven furiously, the foremost one ridden by
position. that came dashing around the corner
attached to a hearse. About the only thing
that goes with speed in lazy Peru is a funeral
procession; and when wheels are out "a COM
psratively rare occurrence in Arequipa) they
claim the right of way, not only in the street,
but on both pavements, invariably cutting off
all corners so closely as to Craze the houses
This ia not always the result of carelessness,
however, nor due to ''malice aforethought' on
the part Of the drivers. The city streets are
very narrow and irregular, paved with small,
slippery stones. and sloping sharply from the
middle toward a gutter on either side. Conse-
quenty clumsy wheels will slide toward the
edges. and in many places the only way to pre-
vent them from actually leaning up against the
houses ID TO drive pell-men-
NO DANGER OF PREMATURE BURIAL
Considering the fearful jolting over stones and
hollows and broken places induced by such 10
oomotion. there is little danger of being buried
IN . trance in Arequips-st least where the
hearse is employed. The poor people. Of course,
cannot afford to hire IL, but carry the dear de-
parted on their heads to the cemetery. distance
OF something more than three miles from the
central plaza Most of the latter class cannot
even afford a coffin, though the luxury Of q
wooden box, painted black, blue or yellow. may
be rented for the journey between the cathe-
dral and the place Of interment-the same cof-
nm serving the purpose over and over again,
day after day, for years. 1t is not uncommon
to meet a company Of men carrying their dead
on public bier, the latter being constructed
OF hye narrow pieces of wood, about a foot
apart, nailed crosswise TO the side poles tina.
serve for handles. the end boards stained BLACK
and showing cheerful skull and cross bones
outlined upon them with white paint
SWELL FUNERAL PRoJ:h.S.
The procession so unpleasantly encountered
was evidently that of a swell Arequipsnian. for
the coffin had silver handles on it (the gauge
of highest swelldom here). while several priests
rode next to the hearse. followed by forty or
fifty men, all on horseback The sight reminded
Us that We had not seen the cemetery; and a
few afternoons later too rode out on horse
back. accompanied by party Of resident
foreigners-fori il is utterly impossible to induce
native, of high or low degree, to escort any
stranger to the Campo Santo: fact We ceased
TO wonder at when we had visited the place
THE ONLY BURIAL GROUND.
Arequipa's only burial ground is situated on
barren foot hill, reached. after the city limits
are passed, by an uninhabited road whose deep
sands alternated by stretches Of loose
boulders. Ii is a very small place. considering
that the city is more than three centuries old
and during all that time has had population
varying between 10000 anu 10000. The front
Of il IS quite imposing. with high adobe walls
and massive iron gates set in the arches and
Just inside lie a well kept space devoted to
flower beds, which give no hint Of the horrors
to be net with few steps beyond In this end
aristocrats buried. in inches three deep in
the surrounding walls. with top and sides
Of lava stone six inches thick and adobe
foundation. Most Of the inches have no mark
except number rudsly painted on the face
corresponding to figures placed opposite the
tenants name in the church records. Some
OF them have name scratched on the dried
mortar with lead pencil. and a few have
marble slabs deliberately lettered. setting forth
not only the name and virtues of the deceased
but also advertising the fac. Of his or her
wealth and social importance. A. the top OF
these latter generally inscribed the wo.ds
nicho perpetuo, 10 indicate that the cadaver
VIII occupy the place 'for life" so to speak.
GRAVE ROBBERY COMMON.
As grave robbery is Of very common oc-
currence-not for scientific purposes, as there
is no medical college anywhere near. but simply
to secure whatever Of value may have been
buried with the corpse, even to the boards of
Its coffin, wood being scarce ereabouts-the
front OF each niche is not only firmly closed
with mortar, but further guarded by an iron
grating.
on course the ghouli-h work of the resur-
recuenist is done at night because there is
hardly an hour in the day without an inter-
ment, and innumerable CHASTITY stories are told
OF finding the pale clay of well-known men and
women tumbled ont on the ground and stripped
Of grave clothes, rings, shoes. everything that
the love of the living had arrayed them in for
the last long sleep. An incident of this kind
illustrating the Cholo character, occurred a
few months ago and is said to be directly re-
sponsible for the terrible epidemic Of small
pox that afteward carried of its victims at the
rate Of two or three hundred a week. As in
most parts OF South America isolated cases
of the disease are always to be
found In Arequipa and nobody minds
u more than measles, ague and other common
Ills very fat old woman died Of what is
known hereabouts as viruala negra, black small
pox, and her remains were hurried into the
ground without coffin. there being none in
The limited stock on hand large enough TO ac-
eommodate her build" knowing well the
tricks and manners Of their compatriots, the
plain gold ring. which they could not get of from
her swollen finger Next morning early the first
funeral procession that arrived at the cemetery
found the old lady on top Of her grave black
smallpox and all, minus her wedding ring the
swollen finger that wore il having been
cut Of close to the hand. They re-
turned the purefying corpse with all
possible speed; but for three successive
mornings thereafter she was found disinterred,
having been resurrected again and again by
other robbers who were not aware that the bit
Of gold had already been appropriated
THE ENGLISH CORNER.
Al the far end of the enclosure is that portion
ct aside for the burial Of foreigners, generally
known - ''the English corner" There was
great difficulty in securing this concession TO
Vie alien element, and 20 this day the spot is
looked upon by the natives with reproach and
contempt as il the nearness Of bones that NAV
possibly have held hereto souls were an insult
TO those who "died in the Lord" Near the
cemetery gates 10 a neat little chapel and kind
81 . receiving vault, in which corpses are placed
30 await their turn for interment when several
funerals happen to arrive at once. Midway
between the chapel and the strangers corner,
sxactly In the center Of the ground, is a tall
circular edifce Of plastered adobe, which looks
from distance like the marble walls Of
0rsek temple. A nearer view Of this ''whited
sspulchsr discloses an accumulation Of hor-
rors sufficient 20 shake the strongest nerves.
Fifteen feet Of temple above eight feet Of cellar
makes . circular vault twenty-three feet
deep; and at the time of our visit
This was nearly half filed with I'M
eomned corpses ia all stages of decay, which
had been evieted from rented graves and
pitched into II 70 await the annual cremation
time There are great port holes in the walls
and broad stairway leads down TO the bottom
Through these open spaces the passer-by NAV
have an unrestricted view Of bones shrouds
akulls, dismembered limbs and headless trunks
In such an awful tumble as, il 10 TO be hoped
WDuld be diffcult 10 I'D 49, -