The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-30

possessed himself of $4,000 of gold and
silver; in 1851 La Palata, the viceroy
rode from the palace to the cathedral
upon a horse every hair of whose name
and tail was strung with pearls, whose
hoofs were shod with shoes of solid gold
and whose path was paved with ingots of
solid silver. And yet there are those
who doubt the existence of the famed
Ell Dorado
But while gold and silver are stin to
be found here in abundance as personal
ornaments and ware, the currency OF
Peru is almost valueless.
One pays $40 for a shoeshine, $50 for a
lunch of cigarettes $3.50 for carriage hire
an hour and $500 per day for hotel board
You may paper decent sized room with
Peruvian currency and yet not have
months board at rooming house
Much of this condition is the result Of
the Chilian war for the soldier of the
southern republic was as ruthless as the
bandit of Pizarro and while Lima once
We'd with Madrid in treasure and art
but two famous statues and one renowned
painting survive the pillage. These are
the marble figure of Columbus handing
a crucifix to an Indian girl and Bolivar
astride champing horse and Marinis S
great painting of the Burial of Ata-
hualpa, the last OF the Incas." Even this
canvas was stolen but later returned
under the inducement of the diplomatic
corps.
The United States is not the only coun-
try where women ride astride. This
custom is the vogue in Lima, but it is
engaged in by the female milk venders
only who peddle the fluid from big cans
hanging upon either side of the horse
or mule upon which they are mounted.
Bull batting is fashionable Sunday
pastme, but the bull is never killed nor
are the horses mangled. Thetyoung men
of the city do the batting and the bellies
decorate with bright ribbons the tin darts
which they present to their lovers to
stick in the hide of the animal, a feat
requiring considerable skill and attended
with no little danger The darts are
thrown into the shoulders or face of the
bull which requires the elf-constituted
matador to stand before the horns of
the enraged beast
The sexes are kept scrupulously sepa-
rated and the only function which at all
approaches in freedom our American So
cial gatherings is an entertainment
known as Buena Noche, Good Night >,
Upon these occasions the beaux and
bellies congregate upon the public plaza
where the band plays, fireworks are
discharged and sweets sold by scores of
vendors. The latter consist of cakes,
candies, ice cream, or sorvettes and pea
nuts. Here much gossipping and more
flirting is done and the whole function
closes promptly at midnight. / once
mfstook church fete for one of these
Bueno Noches and by dim light pur-
chased some supposed sweets which when
| had filled my mouth with them found
to be candles which had been blessed
by priest. I waxed wrathy and my
expletives were / fear as wicked as the
car dies.
The architecture of Peru is unique and
not without its picturesqueness To avoid
the disasters of the earthquake most of
the houses are constructed OF bamboo or
adobe. There is no use of bricks for il
never rains there and as cyclones are
unknown bamboo is sufficiently strong.
The rooves of the dwellings, are perfectly
hat and among the poor are used as
poultry yards and COW stables. IT is de-
clared that many COW has spent its
entire life upon house top, being car
ried thither when a calf and brought
down for the butcher when dead. The
single entrance is covered by iron graf
ings and solid doors and all the win
dows are barred. Just miles from Lima
is Callao. its seaport. 1t has a popula-
ton of 35.0 souls, but just century
and half ago ii was completely swept
away by a, tidal wave and 5000 OF It's in
habltants perished Not far from Callao
. may be seen engraved upon a huge rocl;
q mammoth candeiabrum with eight
branches carved In lines foot deep and
yard vide The entire figure is 10,
feet long and half as plany across. No
cne knows when or By whom it was
carved and there is legend that THE