Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24
From the Stars Travelling Commissioner.

Andes and the sea and hence came by Its name,
Arequipa, tine word in the aboriginal tongue
sgnifying Place of Rest" As early as the
days of Rocca. the sixth inca, who conquered
all this part Of Peru. it was a military colony.
In 1910 Pizarro transformed il into Spanish
stronghold but with better taste than charac-
tsrized most Of his nomenclature. did not
Change its ancient name.
just back Of the town towers the lofty volcano
Mieti, quiescent now but ready TO burst forth
again, perhaps as the accompaniment Of
other tremendous earthquake. something as
Mount Etna rises behind Catanis- Nearly 49,.
OO0 feet in height perfect cone, topped with
eternal Snow with perpetual summer at its
base, Misti is one of the most beautiful noun
tains of the whole Andean system. On one
side of il stands the lesser mountain, Pichu-
pichu with foothills stretching away in the dis
lance and on the other side snow-crowned
Chsrchani; then comes Coropuna and then the
elevated Psnlpa (plainl de Arrieros, stretching
away 20 the volcano Uhnas. dimly seen toward
the Bolivian frontier.
SITUATED LIKE DAMASCUS
Modern travellers have hkened Arequipa to
Damascus, not only because of its low walls
and gray surroundings but because. like the
oriental city, il stands upon the edge Of n
desert, all It's verdure Dope nding upon river
flowing through the arid waste. The valley of
Arequipe is only about ten miles long by five
miles wide, environed every side by desert
sands and barren mountains The rapid river
named Chile. which runs through the middle
of the town, does not furnish sufficient water
for bountiful irrigation. but wherever it
be turned on the land is rendered wonderfully
productive and is worth 81 900 per acre and
upward.
BEAUTY OF THE CLIMATE.
The altitude Of Arequipa is not quite 5000
L HI
perfect weather from year 70 year. No words
can do justice to the beauty Of the climate.
never excessively hot and never cool enough
for fires. with scarcely any change between
midsummer and aidwinter. light blanket
being necessary every night in the year and
open windows whatever the season. There is "a
wet time and dry. but rains seldom fall dur
ing the day aud never 10 excess. Frost and
snow unknown except away up in the
mountains and the most beautiful roses one
can imagine blossom perpetUaliy and IN unex-
ampled profusion.
VARIETY OF FRUITS.
As an illustration Of the variety of fruits
growing hereabOuts / may mention that toward
the end of January Ia year ago. some friendly
Arequipanians gave to the writer birthday
fete in the form OF picnic The party went
by special train to point eighteen miles
more from the city. where were landed in q
sand bank. not even q house tree blade of
grass being in sight. everywhere nothing but
grav sand and broken boulders. BY dint of
scrsmbling. sliding and rolling down a very
steep bill, which foot deep in loose
sand and stones, came at last to the
level of the river. dashing noisiy along its
rocky bottom and crossed by a charming old
arch OF adobe. as quaint as the early Spaniards
could make it. Then following the devious
windings of the stream, past several bamboo
casas of local farmers. we came at length to the
dense shade of natural grove of fig trees,
rooted carpet of softest grass sprinkled with
wild flowers, the rocky wall of the lower hill
side draped with a thick curtain of golden mas
turtions and the river bank fringed with hello
trope. musk and blue-starred myrtle. There,
almost within reach OF oCr hands, grew ripe
and luscious figs. grapes strawberries. apricots,
pluns, pears and peaches, the latter three
varieties only having been planted BIZ the
ranehman. the others being the spontaneous
products of the soil
PRESENT POPULATION.
The present population of Arequipa is about
.0.OO0-not nearly great a. in times long
past Yet it is still one of the principal places
in Peru. second only to Lima and being the
capital of rich department and the place of
residence of a bishop, has always exercised
considerable influence on the politics of the
country. The Indian population of the higher
attitudes are much more courageous and turb-
ulent than those living nearer the sea and are
fully alive TO the pleasures of a revolution or
an election riot. while the higher classes are
opulent. proud. independent and prone to re-
SYST the governmental fats sent forth from
Lima Indeed the people seem tn be as uncer-
tain politically and socially, the ground
upon which their city stands. if one may Judge
by the frequency of revolutions and insurrec-
tions. During the last three centuries there
have been many as twelve severe
earthquake shocks and innumerable lighter
ones, and in the same length of time scarcely
season has gone by without one or more polit-
ical rsyolts, while plots and eounterplots
against the powers that be are constantly going
on In 1861 the city was bombarded for three
days by the president of the republic, who
Jailed to capture IL. and | doubt if there has
ever Yet been peaceable election. During our
stay here We have had several glimpses of incip-
lent revolutions and bloody sklrmishes-
POLITICAL sKIRMisH.
We had been in the habit Of going ont ON
horseback with few friends about once a
week to a suburban village called Pauearpati,
where it Is the correct thing to breakfast ON
Guinea pig and other local delicacies. But the
next day after our last visit there another party
came TO grief in a terrible manner. 1t seems
that two groups Of rival political factions hap
pened 10 meet in front Of the breakfastinx
place and. as usual at once resorted TO such
convincing arguments contained in pis-
tolls, daggers, stones and clubs. A young En-
glishman Of the visiting party received a bullet
through his bat. as shots and missiles came
u.
the landlord was wounded almost unto death
and one servant killed. The party was
compelled to remain there all day and night
FOR fighting was kept up at irregular intervals
along the road to town, though troops were
sent out twice 10 dispense the Insurgents. and
the record OF the days casualties amounted to
more than 100 killed and wounded
WORK OF THE EARTHQUAKEs.
In earlier days there was town in the in
terior Of South America 50 well built As
Arequipa. but numerous earthquakes have
taught the people the wisdom OF sticking re-
hziously TO a certain not pretentious style of
architecture. There Is a great scarcity Of tim
Der here or it would be popular in the construc-
tion Of the houses, for those made Of wood can
hold out against quaking and heavy foundations
better than others made OF more solid materials.
The very best and safest are those of the poorer
classes-a network Of frail bamboo plsstered
with mud outside and in 20 I'LL the chinks be-
tween the poles and the intervening wi,hes: bu!
these, Of course, would never do for the aristo-
Gratis The latter prefer massive structures
though seldom more than one story in height
built OF white, volcanic stone from the near D.
mountains, their yaulted roofs and ceilings be-
ing Of the same material. Thus their grea,
strength and solidity prevents them from fall
ing before the ordinary .erremote or trent bling
OF the earth. which il Of almost daily and
nightly occurrence, but have not prevented
many and many a catastrophe The worst one
within the memory OF citizens living &C.