Travels in Peru, on the Coast, in the Sierra, Across the Cordilleras and the Andes, into the Primeval Forests

von Tschudi Johann Jakob

Description

The Work from which the present Volume is translated consists of extracts from the Author's Journal, accompanied by his recollections and observations. The absence of chronological arrangement will be sufficiently accounted for, when it is explained that the zoological investigations for which the journey was undertaken frequently required the Author to make repeated visits to one particular place or district, or to remain for a considerable time within the narrow circuit of a few miles; and sometimes to travel rapidly over vast tracts of country. Disclaiming any intention of making one of those travelling romances, with which the tourist literature of the day is overstocked, the Author has confined himself to a plain description of facts and things as they came within the sphere of his own observation. But though Dr. Tschudi lays claim to no merit beyond the truthfulness of his narrative, yet the reader will no doubt readily concede to him the merit of extensive information, and happy descriptive talent. His pictures of Nature, especially those relating to the animal world, are frequently imbued with much of the charm of thought and style which characterizes the writings of Buffon

Sujets

• América del Sur
• South America

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819905813
• Langue: English

Extrait

PREFACE.
The Work from which the present Volume is translatedconsists of extracts from the Author's Journal, accompanied by hisrecollections and observations. The absence of chronologicalarrangement will be sufficiently accounted for, when it isexplained that the zoological investigations for which the journeywas undertaken frequently required the Author to make repeatedvisits to one particular place or district, or to remain for aconsiderable time within the narrow circuit of a few miles; andsometimes to travel rapidly over vast tracts of country.Disclaiming any intention of making one of those travellingromances, with which the tourist literature of the day isoverstocked, the Author has confined himself to a plain descriptionof facts and things as they came within the sphere of his ownobservation. But though Dr. Tschudi lays claim to no merit beyondthe truthfulness of his narrative, yet the reader will no doubtreadily concede to him the merit of extensive information, andhappy descriptive talent. His pictures of Nature, especially thoserelating to the animal world, are frequently imbued with much ofthe charm of thought and style which characterizes the writings ofBuffon.
Lima, the oldest and most interesting of the citiesfounded by the Spaniards on the western coast of South America, hasbeen frequently described; but no previous writer has painted soanimated a picture of the city and its inhabitants, as thatcontained in the following volume. After quitting the capital ofPeru, Dr. Tschudi went over ground previously untrodden by anyEuropean traveller. He visited the Western Sierra, the mighty chainof the Cordilleras, the boundless level heights, the deep mountainvalleys on the eastern declivity of the Andes, and the vastprimeval forests. Whilst recounting his wanderings in these distantregions, he describes not only the country and the people, butevery object of novelty and interest in the animal, vegetable, andmineral creations.
Those lovers of Natural History who are familiarwith the German language, and who may wish to make themselvesextensively acquainted with the animal world, in those parts ofPeru visited by Dr. Tschudi, will find abundant information on thesubject in his work, with plates, entitled "Untersuchungen über dieFauna Peruana." The present Publication, though containing a vastdeal to interest the naturalist, is addressed to the generalreader, and will, it is presumed, gratify curiosity respecting thehighly interesting and little known regions to which it relates. Itmay fairly be said that no previous writer has given socomprehensive a picture of Peru; combining, with animated sketchesof life and manners, a fund of valuable information on NaturalHistory and Commerce. T. R.
CHAPTER I.
Embarkation at Havre – The Voyage – Arrival at theIsland of Chiloe – Landing – The Gyr-Falcon – Punta Arena – TheIsland of Chiloe described – Climate and Cultivation – Cattle – TheBay – San Carlos – The Governor's House – Poverty and Wretchednessof the Inhabitants of the Town – Strange method of Ploughing –Coasting Vessels – Smuggling – Zoology – Departure from Chiloe.
On the 27th of February, 1838, I sailed fromHavre-de-Grace on board the "Edmond." This vessel, though a Frenchmerchantman, was freighted with a cargo of Swiss manufacturedgoods, suited to any commercial transactions which might be enteredinto in the course of a circumnavigatory voyage. It was aboisterous morning. A fall of snow and heavy clouds soonintercepted our view of the coast of France, and not one cheeringsunbeam shone out to betoken for us a favorable voyage. We passeddown the British Channel, where the multitude of vessels, and theflags of all nations, presented an enlivening picture, and wefinally cleared it on the 5th of March. Favored by a brisk northwind, we soon reached Madeira and came in sight of Teneriffe, thepeak being just perceptible on the skirt of the horizon. Easterlybreezes soon brought us to the island of Fogo, which, having passedon the 35th day of our voyage, we received the usual marinebaptism, and participated in all the ceremonies observed oncrossing the equator. We soon reached the tropic of Capricorn, andendeavored to gain the channel between the Falkland Islands andPatagonia; but unfavorable winds obliged us to direct our courseeastwards, from the Island of Soledad to the Staten Islands. On the3d of March we made the longitude of Cape Horn, but were not ableto double it until we got into the 60th degree of south latitude.In those dangerous waters, where it is admitted by the boldestEnglish sailors that the waves rage more furiously than in anyother part of the world, we encountered great risk and difficulty.For twenty-two days we were driven about on the fearfully agitatedsea, southward of Tierra del Fuego, and were only saved from beingburied in the deep, by the excellent build and soundness of ourship.
We suffered much, and were long delayed by thisstorm; but when it subsided, a smart breeze sprang up from thesouthward, and we held our course along the Pacific to the coast ofChile. After a voyage of 99 days we cast anchor on Sunday the 5thof June, in the Bay of San Carlos. Like the day of our departurefrom Europe, that of our arrival off Chiloe was gloomy andovercast. Heavy clouds obscured the long-looked-for island, and itspicturesque shore could only be seen, when, at intervals, the winddispersed the dark atmospheric veil. We had no sooner cast anchorthan several boats came alongside rowed by Indians, who offered uspotatoes, cabbage, fish, and water, in exchange for tobacco. Onlythose who have been long at sea can form an idea of thegratification which fresh provisions, especially vegetables, affordto the weary voyager. In a couple of hours, the harbor-master cameon board to examine the ship, the cargo, and c., and to give uspermission to go ashore. The long-boat being got out, and wellmanned, we stepped into it, and were conveyed to the harbor. TheBay of San Carlos being shallow, large ships, or vessels, heavilyladen, are obliged to go three English miles or more from thelanding-place before they can anchor. Our boat was gaily decoratedand newly painted; but this was mere outside show, for it was in avery unsound condition. During our passage through the tropics, thesun had melted the pitch between the planks of the boat, which layon the deck keel uppermost. In this crazy boat, we had scarcely gota quarter of a league from the ship, when the water rushed in soforcibly through all the cracks and fissures, that it was soon morethan ankle deep. Unluckily the sailors had forgotten to put onboard a bucket or anything for baling out the water, so that wewere obliged to use our hats and boots for that purpose. Fourteenpersons were crowded together in this leaky boat, and the watercontinued rising, until at length we began to be seriouslyapprehensive for our safety, when, fortunately, our situation wasobserved by the people on shore. They promptly prepared to send outa boat to our assistance, but just as it was got afloat, wesucceeded in reaching the pier, happy once more to set our feet on terra firma .
Our first business was to seek shelter andrefreshment. There is no tavern in San Carlos, but there is a sortof substitute for one, kept by an old Corsican, named Filippi,where captains of ships usually take up their quarters. Filippi,who recognized an old acquaintance in one of our party, received usvery kindly, and showed us to apartments which certainly had noclaim to the merits of either cleanliness or convenience. They werelong, dark, quadrangular rooms, without windows, and were destituteof any article of furniture, except a bed in a kind of recess.
As soon as I got on shore, I saw a multitude ofsmall birds of prey. They keep in flocks, like our sparrows,hopping about everywhere, and perching on the hedges andhouse-tops. I anxiously wished for an opportunity to make myselfbetter acquainted with one of them. Presuming that shooting in thetown might be displeasing to the inhabitants, who would naturallyclaim to themselves a sort of exclusive sporting right, I took mygun down to the sea-shore, and there shot one of the birds. Itbelonged to the Gyr-Falcon family ( Polyboriniæ ), and was oneof the species peculiar to South America ( Polyboruschimango , Vieil). The whole of the upper part of the body isbrown, but single feathers here and there have a whitish-brownedge. On the tail are several indistinct oblique stripes. Theunder-part of the body is whitish-brown, and is also marked withtransverse stripes feebly defined. The bird I shot measured fromthe point of the beak to the end of the tail 1 foot 6-1/2 inches.Though these Gyr-Falcons live socially together, yet they are verygreedy and contentious about their prey. They snap up, as food, allthe offal thrown out of doors; and thus they render themselvesserviceable to the inhabitants, who consequently do not destroythem. In some of the valleys of Peru, I met with these birds again,but very rarely and always single and solitary. I continued myexcursions on the sea-shore, but with little satisfaction, for thepouring rain had driven animals of every kind to theirlurking-holes. After a few days, I went on board the "Edmond," forthe purpose of visiting PUNTA ARENA, a town on the side of the bay,whither our boat used to be sent for fresh water. The groundsurrounding the spring whence the ships obtain supplies of water,is sandy, and it becomes exceedingly marshy further inland. Afterwandering about for a few hours, I found myself quite lost in amorass, out of which I had to work my way with no littledifficulty. The whole produce of my hard day's sport consisted ofan awlbeak, a small dark-brown bird ( Opethiorhyncuspatagonicus ), and some land-snails. On our return, as we werenearing the ship, we killed a seal ( Otaria chilensis ,Müll.), which was rising after a dive, close to the boat.
On the 22d of June, all our ship's company were onboard by order of the ca