HISPIRIA
LIBROS HISPANICOSl
PUTA LOS SITIO31O
Trade & Travel
m
South America.
BY
FREDERICK ALCOCK, F.R.G.S.
SECOND EDITION.
LONDON :
GEORGE PHILIP & SON, LTD., 32, FLEET STREET, E.C.
LIVERPOOL :
PHILIP, SON & NEPHEW, LTD., 45 TO 51, SOUTH CASTLE STREET.
1907.
efyrii-ht.} [Entered at Stationers' Halt.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PACK
Indians Straits of Magellan . . . . Frontispiece
Sailing- Vessel . . . . . . . 6
Cargo Boat . . . . . . ... 7
Liner .. . . ... . . . 9
R.M.S. 'Oropesa' . . . . . . .16
Boat Drill . ... . . . . . .22
New Brighton . . . . . , .25
Bilge Keel, Merchant Pattern ...... 25
,, Government Pattern ... 26
French Pilot Boat ....... 32
La Pallice ........ 33
La Rochelle . . . . . , . . ,34
Corunna ......... 35
Vigo . . 49
Oporto . . . . . . . . 51
,, River Douro . . . . . .52
Cintra (Pefta Palace) ....... 54
(Moorish ,,)..... 55
Cricket on board ..... 56
Emigrants ,, ...... 57
,, . . . . . .61
St. Vincent (shewing Napoleon's head) .... 62
,, Boys Diving ... .... 63
,, Natives ....... 64
Visit of Neptune . . . . . .91
Dolphins ......... 93
Sports on board :
Egg and Spoon Race ..... 95
Potato Race ....... 95
Trial by Jury ....... 96
Fernando Noronha ....... 97
Whale disappearing . ..... 98
Catamaran ....... 100
The Reef, Pernambuco . . . . . 101
Landing Passengers in a Chair ..... 102
Lingueta, Pernambuco ..... . 103
Native Town, ,, ... . . . . 104
Palms, ,, ..... . 106
Street in 108
iv ILLUSTRATIONS.
PACK
Brazilian President (Dr. Campos Salles) .... 109
View of Bahia ........ 142
The Barra Entrance to the Bay of Bahia .... 144
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio . . . . . . 158
Bum-boats, Rio Harbour . . . . . .158
Mount Corcovado, ...... 166
llha de Paqueta ........ 170
Pelota Cesta ........ 173
,, Court ........ 173
Bullock Cart . . . . . . . .180
Praia Jose Menino (from water colour sketch) . . .182
Trolley Cart .... ... 184
Immigration Dep6t Sao Paulo . . . . . .187
Plaza Victoria, Buenos Aires . . . . . .210
Valley del Inca, Transandine Route . . . . .219
Camp Scene, Argentina ....... 232
S. E. General Julio Roca (President of Argentine Republic) . 235
Street Scene in Buenos Aires ...... 237
A Gaucho . . . . . . . . . 247
Racecourse, Buenos Aires ...... 248
Bahia Blanca, Port ....... 254
He and She Moon . . . . . . . 260
View near Buenos Aires . . . . . . .261
Fortaleza del Cerro, Monte Video ..... 263
Ranches, Monte Video ....... 265
Monte Video Lighters ....... 266
S. E. Battle y Ord6nez (President of Uruguay) . . . 267
Church at Caacupi, built in 1770 ..... 268
Sailing Ship in Mid-ocean . . . . . .271
Port Stanley, Falkland Islands ...... 284
Punta Arenas, Straits of Magellan ..... 294
Yahgan Indians ........ 305
Alacaloof Indians ........ 306
Indians coming alongside steamer in Magellan Straits . . 307
Ona Indians ........ 308
Tierra del Fuego ...... 309
Araucanian Chief and Wife . . . . . .314
Mount Sarmiento, from Ultima Esperanza . . . 3ip
Balmaceda Glacier, Ultima Esperanza . . . . .321
Steamer in the Straits of Magellan ..... 323
Smyth Channel . . . . . . . . 325
327
Glacier Bay ...... 333
Penguin Bay . . . . . -3*5
View of Steamer's Market ...... 359
ILLUSTRATIONS.
v
PACK
Ruins of a Church near Corral ....
Corral . . . . . . . . . 3 6 2
William Wheelwright ...... -370
A. W. Bibby, Chairman P.S.N. Co. . . . 373
R.M.S. 'Mexico* ....... 373
Market on Deck ...... 374
C. S. A. de V. ' Palena '..... ,380
Lake Llanquihue, near Port Montt ..... j85
Port Montt ...... . -86
Near Port Montt ...... . 387
Valdivia ......... 390
......... 391
Lota
Cousino Palace
394
395
Talcahuano . ... . . . . . 397
After a ' Norther,' Valparaiso ...... 400
Valparaiso Bay, Passengers' Landing Mole .... 405
Valparaiso ........ 406
Floating Dock, Valparaiso Bay . . . . . . 406
Valparaiso . ....... 407
,, . . ..... 410
Huasos at the ' Barra ' . . . . . . .412
Farming Scene, Chile ....... 413
Cerro Santa Lucia '...... 422
O'Higgin's Statue, Santiago ...... 423
Santiago, Plaza . . . . ... . . 424
Coquimbo ........ 428
Peruvian Indians ........ 443
Natives of Bolivia . . . . . . . . 444
Cathedral at Puno ....... 445
Ruins of Inca Monument, Cuzco . . ... . . 446
Balsas on Lake Titicaca . . . . . . 449
Exmo. Senor Don Jerman Riesco, President of Chile . . 451
Nitrate hole ........ 456
Bone of Mastodon, found in Chile ..... 458
Descending from the Alto to Caleta Buena Port . . . 460
Caleta Buena ........ 467
Surfatjunin ........ 469
Arica ....... 470
S. E. Don Eduardo L. Romana, President of Peru . . . 473
Llamas . . . . . . . , 475
Death of Atahuallpa ....... 479
Mollendo port ...... . . 485
The Misti (19,000 feet) . . . . . . .487
Arequipa ......... 488
xi ILLUSTRATIONS.
PACK
The Plaza in Arequipa after an Earthquake . . 489
Church in Arequipa . . . ' . 490
German Consulate, Arequipa . . . . . . 491
Old Doorway, Arequipa ..-.'. . 492
Donkeys carrying- Blocks of Lava, Arequipa . ' . 492
Bath, Tingo . . . . . . . 493
Heaving the Lead . . . . . . . . 495
Callao Street Scene ....... 499
Lima . ' 5 02
Llamas at Casapalca .... " 506
Landing- by means of Tub Salaverry . - 510
Cathedral, Trujilio .... . . 510
View in Trujillo . . . . - 5 11
Huaco . ' 5 11
Paita Native Town , . . . . . .516
Street in Paita . . ... . -5*7
- 5'7
S. E. Leonides Plaza Gutierrez, President of Ecuador . . 522
Alligators . . . . - . . . . 5 2 ^
Loading Taguas, Manta . . . . - . . . 534
Cleaning Taguas . . . . . . . . 53^
S. E. Don Jos Manuel Marroquin, Vice-President of the Republic of
Colombia . . . . . . 540
Tumaco (from -water colour sketch) . . . . 542
Street, Tumaco . . ..... . . . 544
. -544
Rising Generation, Tumaco . .... . 545
Freak of Nature, Tumaco . . . . . . 547
Landing Place, Sona . . . . . ' . . 563
S.S. ' Taboga ' at Sona Port . . . . . .566
Start for Sona Town . . - . . . . 567
Pedregal . . . . . . . . 570
Stree in David . . . . . . . 571
Punta Arenas (Costa Rica) . . . . . . 571
,, 572
Bound for 'Frisco . .-.. . . . . 573
MAPS AND CHARTS.
South America.
Coffee District Brazil.
Transandine Railway.
Bahia Blanca Port.
Straits of Magellan.
Smyth Channel.
Nitrate District and Railway.
Guayaquil and Quito Railroad (proposed).
( vii. )
INDEX.
PAGE
Abing-er, Lord - - -371
Aconcagua - 368-431
Adobe Huts - - - - 178
Agua Santa .... 453
Agua Dulce .... 563
' Aire ' 494
Alacaloof Indians ... 306
Alagoinhas 147
Alausi - 522
Albatross ... 196, 339-40
Albicore - 538
Alegre Porto - - - 107, in
Alligator Shooting Expedition - 523
Almagro, Diego de
Almanza
Almirante Brown -
Alpaca
Alto
Amazon
377. 479
- 273
- 273
- 300
- 459
107, 109-10, 508
Ammonia, Sulphate of - - - 464
Ancud --.- 378, 381-2
Ancon ----- 500, 508
Andes - ... 218-221, 418
,, Traffic route ... 448
Anecdotes see Yarns.
Anglo-Chilian Nitrate Railway - 459
Antofagasta - - 365-6, 378, 439, 551
Araucanian Indians - - - 302
Araucanians ----- 377
Arauco 366
Arauco Coal Mines - - - 395
Arequipa - 443, 550
,, Journey to Description
of City Population - - 486-94
Argentina - - 30, 212, 215, 222
Cattle ... 226
Butter trade - - 227
Camp ... 251
Coasting Service - 254-5
Grain trade - 227-9
Jockey Club - - 238
Land Tenure - - 273
Meat trade - - 226-8
Men-of-War - - 251
Military System - - 236
Republic area - - 251
Trade with Canada - 357
Trade with Chile - - 367
Wool trade - - - 227
Arias de Avila Don Pedro - - 553
Arica
378, 470, 551
Ascope
Astronomy ...
Asuncion ...
Atacama ...
,, Desert
Atahuallpa ... 477-
Atlantic to Pacific
Atlas Point ....
Australian Lamb
Average particular and general
Ayacucho -
PAGE
3, 549
93
268-9
- 437
9 5o
508
275
227
156
53
Babahoyo - 523, 530
Bacalao 358
Baggage - - - - 15, 65
Bahia - 109-141
Bahia Upper and Lower Town - 143
Bay .... 143
Cargo working & launches 145
de Caraquez - - 529, 537
Repairs to Steamers - 145
Exports - - - 145-6
Kilos to freight ton - - 146
Railways H6-7
Service to small ports in-
side Bay - - - 148
Bahia Blanca - - - 218-227
Bahia Blanca Journey to Port
Mole Imports Exports
Frozen Meat Works Steamers
using Port Railways to Punta
Congreso Punta Belgrano
Barracas de Fruitos - - 252-60
Bahia Blanca North Western
Railway ..... 257
Balboa ' 553
Ballenita .... 529, 533
Balmaceda Glacier - - - 3-i
Bamboo Hedges, &c. - 167, 193
Bancroft, H. H., on Trade Winds 150
Bancroft's Work ' New Pacific ' 341-54
Banda Oriental .... 265
Bandeira de Mello - - 147
Bank of Liverpool, Ltd. (Advt. ) i
Barbacoas ..... 546
Barra 147
Barranco .... 500, 508
Barry ...... 24
Bathing ..... 184
Battle y Ord6nez, S. E., President
of Uruguay .... 267
INDEX
Belgrano (Buenos Aires) - - 236
Bells, Ships' - - - - 53
Kori'slord, General ... 212
Bibby, A. W. ... 373
,, Line ... - (Advt.) ix
Bijao thatch .... 526
Bilandres ..... 533
Bill of Lading .... 155
Bills of Health - - - 23
Bilge Keel - - - 25, 98
Birds, Tierra del Fuego - - 312
Birth on board ship - . 287
Boa Vista - - - - 104
Board of Trade - - - 20-22
Boat Drill . - - - - 22
Boca del Rjo .... 514
Bodegas 523
Bogota 546
Bolivar .... 529, 532
Bolivia - 358
,, Railway - - - - 551
Bolivia Shipments Ports for
Representation La Paz Lake
Titicaca High Lands Mineral
Districts Beni Province Popu-
lation Imports and Exports
Port wanted Brazilian Terri-
tory ceded to Outlet on the
Atlantic .... 440-7
Bom Jesus ..... 148
Bongas 533
Bonito ..... 92
Bordeaux 30
Brazil Discover}' Republic
Areas Chief ports ... 109
Brazil President
,, Population - - - 1 10
,, Resources - - in, 113
,, Trade with Canada - - 357
Brazilian Coal Co. 160-1
,, Railway - - - . 177
,, Trains .... 183
Brazilian Coasting Lines - - 107
,, Cotton Factories - - 108
.. Courtship ... 174
British Columbia Trade - 350, 352
British Commerce 2, 3/1/1, 355
British Government and Shipping
Bounties ... 40, 344
British occupation of Buenos Aires 212
Bubonic " peste " - ... 176
Buchepureo 398
Buckland Mt. r _ . '1 . 321
Buena Esperanza - - - 551
Buenaventura .... ^g
Buenos Aires Great Southern Rail-
way - - ... 254-5
Buenos Aires Population City
Houses Politeness British Oc-
cupation Tides Channels
Docks Warehouses Tugs
Railways (Argentine) Imports
and Exports Meat Butter and
Live Stock Trades Streets
Military Display Army (Argen-
tine) Ladies Suburbs Reser-
voir Jockey Club - - 209-238
Buenos Aires Province Area - 250
Buenos Aires Racecourse - - 247
Burney Mt. - . - - - - 33 2
Butterflies 166
Butter trade River Plate - 222-227
- 268
- 275
- 66
- 539
- - - 55'
- 148
- 47 8 5 '4. 549
- 55i
- 549
- 378, 381, 383
- 378, 426, 436-7
- 552
378, 466
- 459
- 520
Caacupe^ ...
Cabo Rasa
Cable Station, St. Vincent
Cachair
Cachinal - - - .
Cachoeira ...
Cajamarca
I ' a iama
Calasnique
Calbuco
Caldera
,, Railway
Caleta Buena
,, Inclined plane
Caleta Gran
Cali -
Callao 426, 495
,, Railways .... 550
,, Docks Bathing Resorts
Exports and Imports Coaling at
Want of a Lazaretto -Tugs
Population ... 497-500
Camarones - . - - - - 276
Campana - - . - 218, 225, 231
Canada - - 350, 352, 354-6, 561
Cape de Verde Islands 62
Cape Pigeons - 196
Cape Virgins 290-1
Espiritu Santo ... 290
Boqueron - - - 290
St. Vincent (Straits) - - 291
Negro ----- 292
Pillar 324-5, 339
Froward . . - 322
Blanco .... 520
Cara Indians .... 537
Cardiff ------ 24
Cargoes Out and Home South
American - 17-18
Cargo Manifests 23
Carmen Alto .... 493
Carnegie, A. Story - - - 198
Carrizal ..... 552
Carrizal-Bajo ... 378, 437
Casapalca - - . - 503-6
INDEX.
PAGE
Casma - 509
Catacaos ..... 519
Catamaran - ... 100, 195 |
Cattle, Argentine Republic - 226 ,
Cattle Shipping West Coast - 392 j
Cauca Valley . . . 546 I
Cavendish, Thomas ... 277
Cayaoas - 539
Cayo ------- 529
Cerro Azul ----- 497
,, Blanco .... 552
,, de Hoja - - - - 537
,, de Pasco - ... 507
Chacaras - - - - - 193
Chala ------ 495
Chanaral - - - 378, 437, 552
Chanarcillo ----- 552
Charqui - 295
'Chatas' ----- 518
Chepeu - - _ - 514
Chicama - - - - 513
,, Valley - 549
Chiclayo - ... 515, 549
Chilcaya Pampa - - - - 471
Chile Want of Population
Farmers Republic : Extent
North, Central and Southern
Zones Manufactories Imports
Exports Inca Influences
Rivers Minerals Nitrate
Cordilleras Climate Trade
with Argentina Peru - 364-8
Chile Seasons - 369
,, Army and Navy - - 370
,, Earthquakes - - 426-7
,, Population Area - 376
,, Treaty with Ecuador - 540
Chile History Currency Ports,
Major and Minor Freights
Railways Imports Exports-
Industries _ - _ 378-80
Chilian Grain Trade - - 230-1
,, Land Tenure ... 273
Chilian Port Dues - - - 364
Chilian Independence - 377
,, Names for Foreigners - 416
,, Steam Ship Co., Cia Sud
Americana de Vapores
380 and (Advt.) xi
Chililaya .... 449, 550
Chilian - 370, 396
Chilled Meat see Meat.
Chiloe Island 381-3
Chimborazo - 528
Chimbote .... 509, 549
Chimos - .... 507
Chincha and Islands - - 482, 497
,, Alta - 550
Chinese Labour - - - 130, 482
PACK
V 9
562-72
- 513
500, 508
- 54
- 436
55'
557
557
533
Chira River
Chiriqui District -
Chocope ....
Chorillos ...
Chosica
Christmas at sea -
Chuquicamata ....
Cia Trasatlantica de Barcelona -
Cie Gle Transatlantique
Ciera ------
Cies Islands -
Cintra -
Clark & Co. Transandine Rail-
way -
Cloue Island ....
Coal
Coal Admiralty List -
,, South Wales Collieries
Coal History Origin Coal
Measures Ventilation Bitu-
minous and Cannel - - -
Coal Uses ....
,, Countries producing -
,, Consumption, Statistics
,, Values - ...
Coal Scotch Newcastle North
Wales Yorkshire Lancashire
Staffordshire
Coal Cost of, used on a Steamer
Economy in usage
Principal points in good
North American
South American -
Brazilian ....
Argentine - - - -
Chilian -
Peruvian -
Ecuadorian
Australian
Insurance
Duration of Supplies -
Versus Oil
Coaling arrangements, St. Vin-
cent
Coasting Laws (Cabotaje) -
Cobija 378, 441, 449
Coca 506
Cochabamba - - - 444, 453
Cocoa Pods Packing Tree
Culture History Fruit Sea-
son Butter Statistics - 53-2
Coffee Introduction Sao Paulo
Plantations Number of Trees
in the Brazils Preparation for
the Market Plantations Culti
vation Principal sorts History
Exportation Stowage Im-
port Duties in Principal Coun-
tries of the World - - 113-21
5
54
218
335
67
68
68-9
7-3
73-4
74-5
76
77-8
78-9
79
80
80
81-2
82
83
84-6
87
87
86
87
88
88-9
66
347
INDEX.
Cokernuts ----- 533
Colico S9 6
Colina 37
Colombia - 359. 5 J 9
,, Revolution Currency
Coastline, &c. Ports
540-1, 546-8
Colon .... 548, 555
Colquhoun ' The Mystery of the
Pacific' 35 1
Columbe - - - - - 5 2 3
Commerce see nationality.
Concepcion 366, 396-7, 507
Concepcion Channel - - - 3 2f >
Concerts - - - - 61, 95
Condor .... 300, 332
Conference of Nations on Lan-
guage Difficulty 4
Constitucion - - - 398, 414
Consular Documents, &c.
23, 163, 223, 264
Consules Ambulantes - 445
Conway, Sir Martin
318, 320, 324, 328, 338, 363, 368, 447
Copiapo - - - 437. 53. 55 2
Copper Barilla Ores Mines
Native Exports Object of
Smelter Regulus Smelting-
World's Production How sold
Visible Supply Price Con-
sumption 43O-5
Coquimbo - 366, 378, 416, 427-9, 431
,, Railways - - - 552
Corbina 253
Corcovado - 165-6
Cordilleras - 292, 342, 368, 370, 421
Cordoba 548
Corelli, Marie - - - - 421
Cormorants ----- 288
Coronel . - - 378, 396
,, Railways - - - 552
Corral - 362-4, 378, 381, 382
Corral Ruins of Church - - 361
Cortes ----- 476
Cortes, Conquest of 341
Corunna - - 35-7
Costa Rica, Republic of, - - 351
Cosulich Fratelli Line - - 557
Cotton ----- 148
Cotton Factories Brazils - 108
Courtship in the Brazils - - 174
Cousino, Madame 393~5
Cricket on board Ship '- -56
at St. Vincent - . - 65
Crooked Reach - ... 322
Cross, Southern - 206
Cuevas - - - 220
Curanilhu ----- 396
Curanipe ----- 358
Currency see Money.
Cycling in France - 34
Cuzco - 448, 473-4-7-8, 486, 494, 550
Dance on board Ship - - - 195
Darien ----- 553
Darwin ... - 318, 320
David 570
Dawson Island - - - - 308
Decoy Sheep - - - - 234
Dedication - 572
Depth of Water see separate ports.
Desaguadero River - - - 483
Diaz Juan ----- 262
Distances see separate ports.
Dog-watch ----- 496
Dog-wind - - - - - 196
Doldrums - - - - 149
Dolphins - - - - 92-3
Dominion of Canada see C.
Drake, Sir Francis ... 222
Duck-Steamer .... 287
Duncan, Fox & Co. - - - 519
Duran 522
Earthquakes 423, 426-7, 429
Ecuador - - - 358, 519-22
Ecuadorian major and minor ports 529
,, Staple exports - - 530
,, Gold mining - - 539
,, Treaty with Chile - 540
Eden Harbour - - - 332, 337
Edward VII., H.M. King - - 543
El Dorado - - - - 341, 47 8
El Fuerte 383
Elizabeth Island - 292
Elkington & Co., Ltd. -(Advf.) xii
El Salto 422
Emigrant Ship ... 20
Emu ----- 299
English Narrows Smyth Channel
route - - - - 327, 337
English Trade System - - - 3
Equator ----- 537
Esmeraldas ... 537"9
Estancias - ... 232
Eten - - - SH-JS. 549
I Eyre Channel - ... 335
Falkland Islands - 220, 272, 280, 283-6
,, Distance to Straits
of Magellan - 289
Falkland Islands Co. - - - 283
Falsifications - 248
Farquhar Pass - - 326
Feira - - - - - 147
Fellow Travellers 29, 30
i Fernando Noronha - - - 96
! Ferranaje ----- 549
INDEX.
PAviK
Festas - - . . . 107
Fish, Flying - - 60, 92, 171
,, Snoring - - - - 179
Fish in Warm Waters - - - 102
Fitton Harbour - - - - 321
Fitzroy, Captain R., of H.M.S.
Beagle - . - - - - 308
Flamenco Island - 547
Flores Island - - 59, 200, 202
Forest Fire ----- 192
France - - - . - 30
French Exports to South America 33
French Shipping Bounties 32,38-40,42-46
French Trade System 3
,, Travelling Consuls - 445
Freirina ----- 552
Frey Bentos - 265
Frozen Meat see Meat.
Gabriel Channel -
Gallegos -
Gap Peak -
Gardner, Allan -
Gatico -
Gaucho -
Geography of the Sea
- 320, 322
279
290
305
378, 441, 449
246-7
150,280
German Shipping Bounties - - 41
,, Trade System - 3, 164
,, Travelling Consuls - 445
Gilbert, J. S , on Panama - - 554
Glacier Bay - - - - 333
Gold Mining, Ecuador - - 539
Gold Washings - 295, 315
Government Advice to South
American 111-2
Government Bounties - 40, 126-7
Governments Want of recogni-
tion - - - - 14, 355
Grain Trade - 228-31
Grant's Argentine Commercial
Guide - - - - - 215
Gringos - 416
Guadalupe - - - - 514, 549
Guamote ..... 523
Guanaco .... 299-300
Guano ------ 482
Guanape 1 Islands ... 482
Guaqui - 550
Guatemala - - - - - 351
Guayacan - ... 378, 430
Guayaquil Population Handling
of Cargo Imports and Exports
Railway to Quito Currency
Journey to Babahoyo - 522-8
Guayaquil - ... 529-30
Guayas River - - - - 521
Gulf Line, Ltd. - - - (Ad-vt.} v
Gulf Stream ----- 280
PAGE
Hacienda Sugar - - '-130
Hamburg-American Line - - 557
Hanover Island .... 326
Harrison, Elijah & Co. - (Ad-vt. ) xvi
,, Line - - 557, (Ad-vt. ) v
Haslam's Refrigerators - 225
Health reports,. Chile - - 370
Hinde,A. D.
Hingley & Sons, Ltd.
Honduras, Republic of
Horse latitudes
Huacachma
Huacho District
Huacos -
Hualgayoc ..
Huanacho -
Huancayo -
Huanchaca Mines
Huanchaco
Huascar -
Huasco
,, Railway
Huasos
Humboldt Current
- 374
(Ad-vt.) xiv
- 35 1
- 149
- 497
- 59
- 511
- 549
- 299
- 507
- 44
- 549
- 477
378, 435-6
- - 552
- 411,429
- 480
iiabits at Table
27-29 i
Iberia ..... 551
lea - - 497, 550
Icy Reach - ... 327, 335
Ihlers & Bell, Ltd. - (Advt.) xvii
Ilo -..-.. 472
Immigration - - in
Immortelle Tree - - - 531
Inca Influence, Chile - - 367
Language ... 3
Gold .... 34!
Empire - - 447
Relics 500-4
del Oro - ... 552
Incas - - - - - 474
Indian Reach .... 337
,, Hut - - - - 336
Indians Straits ... 301
,, Patagonians 301
,, Smyth Channel - - 330
,, Cara tribe - - 537
Indians Tierra del Fuegians
Yahgans Onas Alacaloofs 305-10
India Rubber see Rubber.
Innocentes Channel ... 326
Insurance Baggage - - 15
,, by Shipowners - - 21
,, Policy - - '55-6
Iodine ..... 458
Iquitos - - - - 1 10
Iquique 378, 551
Iquique City Population Banks
Imports--Port Appliances 45'- 2
Itapaca ..... 141
INDEX.
PAGE
PAGE
Itapagipe ... 147
Leixoes ..... 50-1
Itaparica - - - - 148
Leone Island .... 564.
Ivory Nuts - - - 530, 535-6
Leopoldina Railway - - - 192
Leyland Line .... 557
Japanese Labour ... 130, 482
Light Dues .... 346-
Jequetepeque River - - -514
Lighters see separate ports.
jipijapa 537
Lights
Joazeiro - - - - J 47
Lima ... 426, 479-80
Jose Menino, Praia - - - 181
,, City Cathedral History
Journey to Sa3 Paulo and Santos 178,191
Climate Origin of name - 500-
,, Campana - - 231
Lima, Province - - - - 122
,, La Plata - - - 238
Limache - - 411, 413, 422
,, Rosario de Santa Fe - 244
Limones ..... 529-
,, Bahia Blanca - - 252
Line, Crossing the - - 537
,, Loreto Coal Mine and
Lisbon Distance Imports and
Rio de la Mina Gold Washings 295
Exports 53-4,
Journey to Tierra del Fuego - 304
Liverpool Landing Stage - - 20
,, Sheep Farm and Salt
,, Pilots 24
Lagoon, Tierra del Fuego - 310
Live Stock Trade, River Plate - 222
Journey to Limache ... 413
Lizards - 172
,, Constitucion - - 414
Llama - 300, 474, 505
,, Chiriqui district - 562-72
Llanquihue .... 384, 386
Talca - - - 415
Llico 39&
Santiago - - - 419
Lockett Bros. & Co. ... 452
,, Arequipa ... 486
Locusts, Giant .... 548
,, Babahoyo - 523
Lomas ..... 496
,, Sona - - - 566
Long Ship 20-
,, over the Pampa - - 452
Lontue^ River .... 420-
,, on the Oroya Railroad to
Loreto Coal Mine - 294
Casapalca .... 503
Los Andes ----- 370
Juliaca 550
Los Pozos ..... 552
Junin - - 378, 468, 551
Los Vilos - 378
Lota - - - - 378, 393.
Keel, Bilge ----- 25
,, Coal Mines - - - - 393.
,, Railway - - - - 552
Lake Todos los Santos - - 386
Lottery - ' - - - - 167
Lamport . Holt - 142, 180
Lumper - - 16
- (Advt.) iv
Language, Universal 3
iviaceio .... 109, f 23.
Machado Portella - 147
,, Quichua 3
Machala .... 532
La Pallice Rochelle - - - 30-1
Machalilla - - - 529, 533
Distance to Liverpool 32
Mac Iver, David, Line - (A^vt.) vii
La Pataia .... - 279
Madero Docks ... 213, 239-
La Paz ... 442-3, 486, 550
Madre de Deos - - - - 148
La Plata 218
Magdalena .... 500
,, Journey to Docks
,, Sound - - - 320
Channel Moles Depth of Water
Magellan ----- 289-
Cargo accommodation City
,, Straits see S.
Population, &c. - - 238-43
Magellanes Fernando de - - 277
TVf n i TwIanH I C*7
Larangerias - - - 171
1.11 IS!,IIK1 ~-- i
Maipu Plains .... 425
La Rochelle .... 30-3
Mairo - 508
Las Animas .... 552
Manaos - - - - - 107
La Serena .... 429
Manta .... 529, 534
Las Palmas Produce Co. - - 223
Manuel Marroquin, S. E. Don
Last Hope Inlet .... 302
Jose 540
Lebu - - 378, 393
Mapocho ----- 420
Lehman* (Smyth Channel Indians) 330
Maquehua ----- 417-
INDEX.
Xlll,
PAGE
Maranon River - - - 549
Maritime Insurance Policy - 155
Markham, Clements - - 447, 482
Master Porter, Stevedore and
Lumper ----- 16
Matte^ see Yerba.
Matucana - 504
Maua - - - - -192
Maule River .... 473
Maury on Trade Winds - 148-9
,, Physical Geography of
the Sea - - 280
Maury Sea breeze, Valparaiso - 369
,, on Humboldt Current - 480
McKenna, V. .... 425
Meal times on board - - - 27
Meat Trade River Plate - 222-7
,, Bahia Blanca - - 256
Medenas - - - ... 493
Mejillones - - 4^0 446
Memory .... 1^3
Mendoza .... 218-21
,, Valley ... 447
Mercantile Marine their due - 151
Messageries Maritimes, Cie des - 239
Messier Channel - - 3 2 7-37
Mexico, Republic of - 351, 355, 357
' Mexico ' R. M.S. - 373
Mihanovich Tug's at La Plata - 240
Mihanovich Steamer Service to
Rosario .... 245
Mihanovich Service to Bahia
Blanca ..... 254
Milk how sold - - - - 172
Minas Geraes - - - - 114
Miraflores ----- 500
Miramar - 407
Missionaries ... 305-8
Misti 486
Mollendo .... 443, 550
,, Imports and Exports
Population, &c. 485-6
Money Brazilian - - 108, 171
,, Argentine ... 250
,, Ecuadorian - - - 523
,, Peruvian - - ' - 483
Money Chile .... 377
Montecristi - - - 537
Monte Video .... 2 o8
Monte Video Projected Docks
Cerro City Railways Im-
ports Salederos Steamer
Service, &c. - - - 262-9
Mont Serrat, Point ... 147
Moore, Sir John 36
Moqueg-ua .... 472
Moreno, Dr. .... 447
Morgan, Buccaneer - - 341, 554
Morro Island ... 547
c ,
Moths -
Mutis see port.
Mylodon
,66, 180
302
Nazareth ..... ,48
Nelson & Co. (Las Palmas Pro-
duce Co.) .... 223
Nelson Line - - (Advt.) viii
Negreiros ..... 453
Neptune Visit .... 90
.... 537
New Brighton - - - 25
Newton Island .... 326
New Zealand Lamb - - - 227
Nicaragua, Republic of - - 351
Nitrate Journey over Pampa
How discovered Process of
Manufacture Theory Bi-pro-
ducts Pulperia Mule branding
Statistics Price, Regulation
of Uses of 453-64
North, Col. J. T. - 338
O'Higgins, General - - - 377
Oil versus Coal - - - 88-9
Oil Use on the railways - - 516
Oleron Islands - - - 31
Ollague - 551
Onas Indians ... 305-10
Operations on the Quay - 17
Oporto ..... 50-1
Orchids - - - 167, 178, 180
Organ Mountains - 169
Orient-Pacific Line - - (Advt.) v
Osorno - 392
Oruro - 440-4, 471, 551
Oroya Railroad - - 484, 503-8
Otter, Sea - - - 299, 301, 332
Outfit - 5
Ovalle - - - - - 552
Pacasmayo - 513, 549
Pacatnamu .... 514
Pacific, Lay of the Old - - 375
,, to Atlantic - - - 508
Pacific Ocean 324, 326-7, 339-41, 352
,, Commerce . - 344, 352
,, British Possessions in 352
Pacific Steam Navigation Co.
'3. 3, 255, 336, 351, 364, 370, 384, 547
Pacific Steam Navigation Co.
(Advt.) iii, xii
Pai Island .... 157
Paita 516-19
' Palena,' C.S.A. de V. 380
Palermo ----- 236
Pallice see La Pallice.
Palmira Pass 522
JCIV
INDEX.
PAGE
Pampa Tamarugal - 452
Pampero - - 196, 203-4
Panama Route .... 372
Panama, Isthmus of 349
Railroad Co. - 351, 548, 555
Hats - 515, 533-5
Gulf of - - - 546
Wharf - - - 548
History - - - 553
Old ... 554
Customs ... 556
Population ... 556
Trade - - - 556
Through cargo - - 557
Wharves ... 557
Imports and Exports - 558
Port Appliances - - 558
Canal 352, 555
Canal History Money
spent Influence Alternative
routes De LessepsCo. Dimen-
sions Benefits Bay Gulf 558-64
Panimavida
Paqueta Island
Para
Paraguay
Paraguasu River -
Paraiba (Cabadello)
Parana River
Partings
Passengers Mode of Conveyance
Passports
- 3. 2 7 2 -3
- 370
- 169
109, 447
- 268
209,
Patagonia
Patagones
Patapo
Pauillac
Paypay
Paysandu
Peacock, Capt.
Pedrarias
Ped regal
Pejerey
Pelota
Pena Blanca -
Pena Palace
Penas, Gulf of
Penco
Penguin Bay -
Penguins
Peregrina .... 55 i
Pernambuco - 90, 98, 102-*, 123
Peru 358
,, Trade with Chile - - 367
.- History Population, &c.
Climate Humboldt Current
Guano deposits Labour Sugar
Industry Imports and Exports
Currency * - 472-84
Peruvian Sheep .... 300
123
246
24
5
176
301
- 274
- 549
- 3
- 549
- 266
- 482
- 553
. 570
- 253
173-4
- 378
- 54
327, 339
37, 396
- 324
- 287
Peruvian Corporation
483-6, 5 '3-4, 5 l8 > 55
,, Major and minor ports - 508
Petropolis (City of Peter) - 192-3
Peumo 396
Philip Bay - - - - 291
Phillips, J. A. , Treatise on Ores - 433
Phosphate 97
Pigeons, Cape - - 196, 339-40
Pilotage 24
Pilots Liverpool - - - - 24
,, La Pallice 31
Pimentel - - - - 516, 549
Pineapple ----- 548
Pipe How to light one - - ' 30
Pisagua - - - 378, 452, 468
,, Nitrate Railways - 551
Pisco - 496, 550
Pitrufquen 392
Pizarro, Conquest of 341
- ' - 476-9, Soi-3, S^i
Plate see River.
Playa Blanca Copper and Silver
Smelting Works ... 439
Pocitas - 267
Population see separate ports.
Poncho 252
Porpoises ... 94, 185
Port Charges - - - 17
Porter, Master ... 16-17
Port Famine ... 290, 319
Port Grappler - - 333, 335, 338
Port Madryn - 274
Port Montt - - 378, 382, 384-8
Port Mutis 564-5
Porto- Alegre - - - 107-11
Portoviejo - - - - 537
Port Stanley 283-6
Portugal Imports and Exports - 53
Port William - - - - 284
Porvenir .... 304-17
Potosi - - - - 444, 53
Praia Jose Menino - - - 181
Prat, Don Arturo - - - 451
Prescott Allusion to Chile - - 377
,, on Peru - 47,">
,, on Lima ... 501
Prescott's Books - - - 476
Progressive Whist 94
Protest 154
Pueblo Nuevo - - - - 5'4
,, Hundido - - - 55 2
Puemape - - - - 5 '4
Puerto Bolivar see B.
Puerto Cook - - - - 279
Puerto Deseado - 276
Pugas ..... 533
Puma 3
Puna (Mountain Sickness) - - 368
. INDEX.
xv.
PAGE
Puno - - - 449, 486, 550
Punta Arenas (Straits of Magellan)
208, 272, 287
,, Port Appliances 293
,, Wool Shipments - 293
,, Salvage Appliances 293
,, Population - - 293
,, Coal Mine (Loreto) - 294
,, Distance from Cape
Virgins - .... 294
Punta Arenas History - - 294
,, Town and Factories 295
,, Gold Washing's, Jour-
ney to - - 295-300
Punta Arenas Indians - - 302
,, Excursions from 302-36
,, Costa Rica - 570-2
Punta Belgrano ... 258
,, Congreso ... 258
Punta de las Vacas - - - 218
Punta del Inca - 220-1
Puquios - 552
Purches, Samuel - 341
Pyramides - 275
Pyrenees 34
Quarantine ... 191, 200
,, How to avoid it - 208
Quay operations 16
Queer Street - - - 17
Quichua 3, 368, 506
Quichuans - 473
Quilca - - - - - 494
Quillota Valley - - - - 421
Quilpue ... 411-422
Quinine, When to use - - 516
Quito
- 447. 473, 477, 5 22 -
Rada Tilli 276
Railways Argentine - - - 215
Pernambuco - - 106
Bahia - 147
Rio - - 164, 177, no- 1
Uruguay ... 263
West Coast - 548-52
Ranches .... 232
Rankin, R. .... 368
Rata Island 96
Rat Island - - - - 159
Raza Island - - - - 157
Recife see Pernambuco.
Re Island 31
Remedies .... 569
Remolinas 564-5
Repairing Establishments see separ-
ate ports.
Richard ..... 30
Richardson, Sons & Owden, Ltd.
(Advt.) xv
Rimac River - - - 501
Rio de Janeiro Bay - 157, 168, 170
,. Exchange - 171
Rio de Janeiro Area Population
Harbour Loading and Dis-
charging Dry Docks Repair-
ing Shops Tugs Salvage
Appliances Lighters Cranes
Revenue Imports Trade
Exports Railways City, &c.
158-65
Rio de la Mina - .
Rio Maule -
Rio Vermelho
Rivadavia
River Parana
River Plate
. 295
415
. 147
225
- - 209, 262
,, Fresh Meat Co. 222, 225, 231
,, Meat Trade Steamers
engaged in .... 225
River Plate to Sandy Point - - 272
Robinson Crusoe - - - 341
Roca S. E. General Julio - - 235
Rocumbor .... 94
Rosario - - - - 218
Rosario de Santa F - - - 122
,, Sugar Refinery - - 131
Rosario de Santa Fe Steamer
Service to Cargo Traffic Ex-
ports Port Town 2 44-6
Ross's Mineral Waters (Advt ) xviii
Route of traffic over the Andes - 448
Royal Charters ... ^.4
Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.
i3 I4 1 . 2 39. 37 2 557
(Advt.) ii
Rubber - - - - 133, 507
,, Uses to which put on
board ship - - - 133
Rubber Other uses - - - 133
Trees - - - - 134
Where obtained - - 134
Collection - - 134
Properties - - - 135
Cultivation Area - - 135
History ... - 136
Value and Markets 136, 140
Denominations - 136-7
Quality and Value how
fixed ..... 137
Rubber How treated in Manu-
facture ..... 137
Rubber Resin, per centage - 140
,, Vulcanising - - 138-9
,, Sulphur in - - - 138
,, Hose and Belting and
other Manufactures - - 139
INDEX.
Rubber Compounds
,, Argentine
,, Uruguayan
PAGE
- 138
- 215
- 263
Salado ..... 552
Salaverry - - 483, 509-12, 549
Salvador, Republic of - - 35'
Salles S. E. Senor Don Campos
109, 235
Salto ..... 266
Salto del Soldado - 220
Samanco - 509
Samson's (John) Work : ' In the
Dictator's Grip ' - - - 212
San Antonio - 104, 274, 398, 552
San Bias .... 273
Sandy Point, Straits of Magellan
see Punta Arenas.
San Francisco - 349, 351, 560
San Isidro - 322
San Jose^ de Maipo ... 370
San Julian .... 278
San Nicholas .... 549
San Pedro de Lloc - - - 514
San Sebastian - 279
Sansinena Co. - - 223-4, 256
Santa Ana 537
Santa Cruz - - - 278, 444
Santa Elena - 533
Santa F< Wheat .... 229
Santa Isabel - -
Santa Lucia Hill ..
Santa Maria - -
Santa Maria Island -
Santa Rosa de los Andes
Santiago - -
,, de Veraguas -.
,, Ecuador -
Santo Amaro - -
Santo Antonio de Barra
Santo Estavao - -
- - 551
. 424-5
- 147
- 99, 393
- - 220
220, 419-21
- 565
- - 539
- - 148
- - 147
148
Santos in, 113, 176, 179
Santos Dock System - - 181
,, Coffee Season - - 181
,, Rise and Fall of Water - 185
,, Custom House Charges
Dues and Dock Charges Tow-
ing Hulks Banks Steamer
Lines using the port - - 185
Santos Population - - 187
,, Dock Rules - - 187-90
,, River '.. - - 190
Sao Paulo - 113, 176, 178-9
,, Immigrant Dep6t - - 187
S5o Felix .... ^7
Sao Marcello ... 147
Sarmiento .... 319
PAGK
Sarmiento Channel ... 326
Seafarers All honour to them - 150
Seaforth 25
Sealskins - - - 300
Sea Sickness - 381
Sea Snakes - - - - 537
Sebastian Cabot - - - - 262
Sechura - - - 519-20
Serena see La Serena.
Seward, W- A. - - - - 360
Sharks - - 58-60, 538, 541
Sheep Farming - - - 310-17
Sheppard, E. E. Report on South
American trade - 357
Ship and Steamer see Vessels.
Shipments to Chile ... 378
Sholl Bay ... 333
Shooting Expedition ... 315
Sicuani 550
Siroche .... 368
Sleeping Giant ... 158
Smyth Channel 220, 272, 306, 325, 326-40
Sona 565-8
Southern Cross .... 206
South Reach - - 327
Spain : Ancient glory Coastline-
Area Exports - - 36
Spain Army 37
Spanish Line - 557
Staten Island .... 273
Steamer Duck - 287
,, connections, Colon - . 557
Steerage - - - 57
Stevedore ... - 16
St. John Consul General Report
re Callao 498
Straits of Magellan - - 220
,, Distance to Falk-
land Islands - 289
Straits of Magellan Discovery - 289
,, , Voyage through - 290
,, Cape Virgins - 290
., Cape Espiritu Santo
290-1
,, First and Second
Narrows - 290-2
,, . Port Famine - 319
,, . San Isidro - 320-22
,, Mt. Sarmiento Mt.
Buckland -, 320-1
,, Gabriel Channel - 320
,, Magdalena Sound 320
,, Cape Fro ward
Mt. Victoria
Crooked Reach - 322
., Western Arm - 324
,, Cape Pillar - 324
,, Sea Reach - 339
,, Trade via Chap, xviii.
INDEX.
PAGE
St. Vincent - 56, 62-4
Subsidies, Steamship 13, 14, Chap, xviii.
Suchiman .... 549
Sucre ----- .444
Sud Americana de Vapores, Cia
(Advt.) xi
Sugar 109
Sugar How exported Freight
Quantity produced in the Brazils
Brazil Sugar Belt Stowage
Grape and Cane Sugar : Where
grown Creole, Batavia and
Otaheite Cane How planted
History of Sugar Discovery of
Beet Sugar - Countries where
Beet Sugar grown Bounty
Question Imports, 1901 Im-
ports, British Possessions, 1897
and 1901 West Indian, South
American, East Indian, and
European : How and when
Shipped Refining Factory
Hacienda Rosario Refinery
Uses to which put Import
Duties Testing ports Market
Denominations Polarisation
Test ... - 122-33
PAH
Titicaca Lake 443, 449, 474, 483, 550
Toasts Dinner on the coast - 381
Tobacco - - - - 148
Tocopilla - - 378, 450, 551
Todos los Santos - 386
Tome" - 378, 552
Tongoy - - - 378, 430, 552
Totoralillo 378
Trade, How to improve - - 162
,, diminishing - - 163
Trade with South America - - 17-8
Trade Winds - - 96, 148, 150
Transandine Railway - - - 218
Tres Puentes .... 302
Tres Palos - 549
Trolley Ride - - - - 183
Trinidad Channel - 326
Trujillo or Truxillo - 511-12,549
Trumag ..... 392
Tugs see separate ports.
Tumaco
Tumbes - 519-20
Tumebamba 477
Turner, T. A., re Pamperos - 204
Twain, Mark, Stories - 198, 206
Tyne ports - - - - 24
sugar Loal Mt.
Supe" . - - -
Supe-Puerto
'57-
- 59> 549
- 549
Ucayali River - - - 508
Ultima Esperanza - - 302, 321
United States Meat trade - - 227
,, Trade with Pacific 350-5
Taboga Island
Tacna
Union - 392
5 ^ 7 Uruguayan Government, Quaran-
365,471,551 t j* e ' - - - 201
Tact
Tagua see Ivory Nuts.
Uruguay River - 209
Grain trade - - 210
Tagus, River
- 53
,, Trade with Canada - 365
Talara
Talca District
,, Wines
Talcahuano - - -
Taltal
Tambo de Mora -
- 5i5, 5'9
- 366
- 366
415, 418-9
37 8 > 396-7
- 378, 438
- 497
Uruguay Population Areas
Railways Exports Wool Clip
Imports Saladero Climate,
&c. President 263-8
Uspallata Pass - - - 218
,, Valley - - - 447
TTvViiiain ... - 27O
Tarapaca -
365-6, 45i
Tarma -
- 57 I
Tehuelches -
- 301 Vacas ..... 448
Teneriffe
60 Valdivia 363, 366-7
Thackeray W. " Ribbons
Thresher Shark
- ico Pedro de- - 377,421,429
. 60 (Port of Corral) - 378-88
Tierra del Fuego
298, 304, 318 City - 388
,, Fuegan ports
-Tigre River
- 273, 308
236, 260
Population - 388
Industries ... 389
Port .... 389
Tilly Roads
iuy
- 276
Exports - -39"
Time, Ships'
5 2
Appliances - - -391
,, Differences in
198-200
Railways - - 392, 552
Tingo
493
Vallenar - 552
Tips
- 172 Valenca ... - 148
INDEX.
PAGE
Valparaiso - 24, 218, 220, 378
,, sea breeze - - 369
,, Bay Northers and other
features City Appliances
Depth of Water Floating Docks
Customs Suburbs Sports 399-414
Valparaiso, Huasos to- Santiago 421, 426
,, Railroads - 552
Valuables 65
Vancouver ... 355, 561
Veloce Line .... 557
Variables - - - - - 149
Vessels Sailer - - - - 5, 6
,, Cargo Boat - - - 5, 8
,, Liner - - - 6, 8
,, Lines from Europe to
South America 10-13
Vessels Long Ships 20
,, Liner's Crew - - 21
,, Clearance 23
,, Draught 24
,, Bounties see Nationalities.
,, Ship's Time 52
Cricket on board - - 56
,, Repairing Establishment
see Port.
Vessels Coal 79
,, Brazilian Coasting Lines 107
,, Steamers in River Plate
Meat Trade - ... 225
Vessels Steamer Lines on West
Coasts of South, Central and
North America and British
Columbia 342-3
Vessels Lines plying between the
West and East Pacific Ocean 353
Victoria Mt. .... 322
Victory Pass
Vicuna
Vigo
Vina del Mar
Vincent, Frank
Vultures
PACK
- 326
- 3
- - 48
407, 411, 422
- 330
- - 185
Watches Port and Starboard - 52
Water, Depth see separate ports.
Whales 98, 148, 150
Wheelwright, W. - 370
Whist - ... - 94
White, E. W., on Patagonians 301
Wide Channel ... 326
Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd.
145, 160, 191, 215, 240
,, ,, - (Advt.) xix
Wind Dog - - - - 197
Wool, Argentine - - - 227
Wrecks - - 288, 332, 337, 384
Xauxa Valley
53
Yahgan Indians - 305
Yarns 27, 47-8, 57-8-9, 96-7, 99, 103,
118-9, 150, 152-3, 158, 166-72, 179,
183, 197-200, 205-6, 243-4, 2 49> 259-60,
287, 322, 330, 336, 339-40, 368, 389,
401, 408-9, 411, 416, 428, 435, 439, 466,
471, 473, 480, 482, 496, 517-8, 541, 562
Yerba Buena ... - 552
Yerba Matt .... 267
Yungas District - - - - 550
Zamborondon
Zana Valley
Zorritos
525
549
5'9
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION.
Owing to the rapid sale of the first edition of
"Trade and Travel in South America," and to the
demand for a Second Edition at a popular price,
I am glad to say that I have been able to make
arrangements which render it possible to meet the
public demand.
In re-publishing the Work, I have endeavoured,
as far as practicable, to bring the information up-to-
date, and where statistics are not given for recent
years, these have not, in some cases, been available,
whilst in others they approximate so closely to those
of later date that an alteration was unnecessary.
The public interest in Trade is growing to such
an extent, and the demand for facts which are helpful
in securing and augmenting our share of the World's
Commerce is increasing both in our Commercial
Schools and in the arena of actual contest, that I am
hopeful the re-publication of the Work will serve a
useful purpose, and may prove a factor in the
enlargement of the trade of that Greater Britain to
which I am proud to belong.
FREDERICK ALCOCK.
TRADE AND TRAVEL
IN
SOUTH AMERICA.
CHAPTER I.
OBJECT. HOW TO MEET COMPETITION. SUBSTITUTE FOR UNIVERSAL
LANGUAGE. PROPOSED JOURNEY. OUTFIT. COMMERCIAL RELATION-
SHIPS BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND SOUTH AMERICA. HOW TRAFFIC
IS CONVEYED SAILER CARGO STEAMER MAIL AND PASSENGER
STEAMER-CONNECTING LINES WANT OF GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION.
BAGGAGE. MASTER PORTERS, STEVEDORES AND LUMPERS. QUEER
STREET. OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD CARGOES. THE BOND OF
TRADE.
T REMEMBER, when a school boy, I had a great
horror of anything in the shape of a "preface," a
feeling generally shared in by my schoolfellows, as
often in playfulness, and occasionally with a tinge of
derision, we would exercise our ingenuity in framing
sentences with the letters of the word, an ingenuity
which not infrequently led to trouble in school and at
home, and certainly did not enhance the artistic merits
of the book. That horror has long since changed into
a keen relish for that part of the book where the writer
generally gives the reason of its production, and often
an insight into his own character, thus adding the
charm of friendly intercourse however restricted and
giving to the work an increased interest and lucidity.
2 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
As I still believe that prefaces are more frequently
passed over than read, this book has no preface, but it
has a distinct object which will soon be manifest; and
as facts, shipping-, commercial and geographical, may
be regarded by the majority of Britons as dry and
uninteresting, I desire to so intermix those contained in
this volume with the story of my travels round South
America, and some of the stories one hears en voyage,
that the facts, being food for the mind, may come as an
agreeable and delightful solid after a light and pleasant
entree. To ask you to credit all the yarns re-told
would be to make too great a demand upon your
credulity. Some are true, others you will judge of, and
all I trust will be found entertaining 1 , tho' the keen wits
of my readers may discover some fossils amongst them.
The one great fact I have had seared into my mind
as with a branding- iron, in a journey covering 50,000
miles by sea and land, in intimate touch with the trade
and commerce of a large and important continent, is,
if Britain is to continue to hold her place in the fore-
front of commerce and commerce in a sense rules the
world she must grapple with the difficulties presented
by the confusion of tongues and exchanges, and do what
the ever aggressive and competitive foreigner is doing,
viz. : studying how to make business easy to those
with whom he comes into commercial relationship, and
having learnt the lesson, puts it into immediate
practice. It is our enterprise, courage and wealth as a
nation which has won for our country the position she
holds, but the systems of conducting trade, successful
in the past, are fast becoming obsolete and require
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 3
revision. Other nations are gradually getting- up to
and passing her in the race for commercial supremacy.
In daily practice I find, for example, if I write to a
business house in Germany, my answer almost invari-
ably comes in English, and the same system is growing
in France, and whilst the English may not in every
case be of the denomination known as 'the King's,'
it is understandable and shows an indomitable spirit in
the overcoming of the language difficulty and a keen-
ness for business which, if we want to surpass, we shall
require to amend our methods. It is reputed of us, and
the reputation is difficult to eradicate, that our system
has been to require other nations to adapt themselves
to our methods and modes of doing business instead of
following the opposite course and making business
easy to others, troublesome work at the outset, but
work almost invariably crowned with a success in the
end, more than compensating for the pains of accom-
plishment. If one could have a universal language
so much talked of a few years ago business and travel
would be simplified somewhat, but with an ultimate and
irreparable loss to literature, the realm of thought-
thought varying as vary the nations and the climes
they inhabit. Still there might be a language like that
of the ancient Inca, Quichua, which bound the several
races together, or, at all events, if not a language of
elegance and fashion, a modified code to facilitate
business and travel, if a concert or conference of nations
could be arranged, and could be induced to look at the
matter from the standpoint of general convenience
without any admixture of national pride. It may be
4 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
that some nations, like a certain colony in a remote
quarter of the globe suspected of preferring" to be with-
out telegraphic communication for the reason that
rapacious bargains in the case of vessels in distress can
be enforced, would elect to retain the language difficulty,
knowing the apathy generally existing, and that
difficulty limits the number of competitors.
Should this book have the good fortune to come
under thf notice of the ' powers that be,' or some future
statesman, for who knows what my reader may
become, I would venture to suggest as a preliminary
step that an effort be made to bring about such a
Conference as indicated, and that, once summoned, its
first efforts should be directed to the fixing, in any
single language selected, of one denomination for :
Afi articles of food, beverages, dress, and
All staple articles of commerce.
There should also be :
One system of weights and measures, and
One money standard.
There are many difficulties to be surmounted to
bring about the change advocated, particularly in
regard to the uniform money standard, but difficulties
are met with in every phase of life, and when initial
difficulties are overcome, the advantages and saving of
time resulting, not to speak of the pleasure of success,
far outweigh the cost and trouble expended to that end.
In company, I now propose to travel with you to
South America, to travel with our eyes wide open and
minds in their most receptive condition. It is wonder-
ful what an amount of pleasure and instruction is lost
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 5
to the casual observer, he generalises too much and
misses a thousand and one charms in nature, and, shall
I say, points in business, through the neglect of parti-
cular examination and enquiry. Life is too short, no
doubt, to master the details of everything which may
come under our observation, and in this work we can
only in many cases touch lightly upon subjects which,
if thoroughly dealt with, would each require a separate
volume. No one, however, if he wishes and will
take the pains, need be without an intelligent grasp of
his surroundings, and a masterful knowledge of the
special business he may choose to make his own.
As our journey will take some months, and we
shall have to pass through the Tropics and later through
the cold but beautiful Straits of Magellan, our first
care will be to provide a suitable outfit of thick and thin
clothing, and our next to select the line of steamers by
which we will travel. The first accomplished, we pro-
ceed, by the aid of newspaper advertisements and
Shipping Guides, and the worrying of friends and
acquaintances, to get information in regard to the
second. As one of the objects of our journey will be
to enquire into the commercial relationships between
Great Britain and South America, we are brought by
our enquiry face to face with the modes of conveying
passengers and cargo between the two countries. These
can, for our purpose, be conveniently put into three
classes :
First The sailing vessel.
Second The cargo boat with, in some cases,
accommodation for 12 passengers ; and
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Third The mail and passenger steamer, also
carrying cargo.
SAILING VESSEL.
It is common knowledge that the first kind is
rapidly being displaced by the second and third, as
steamers are now being built of such large dimensions
that they can carry cargo at rates of freight which
compete with the sailer in that particular, and alto-
gether eclipse her in speed ; so that in the matter of
cargo, if we were interested as merchants or shippers,
we should hardly select a sailing vessel to convey our
goods unless w r e were not in a hurry to get them to
destination ; could effect some saving in freight and
other charges ; and desired, if need be, to make a
warehouse of the ship pending disposal of the goods.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 7
We should also scarcely care to make the voyage in a
sailer, as the comforts and conveniences of the steamer
so greatly surpass anything of the kind on her prede-
cessor. If we meant to follow the sea as a profession,
we should naturally, select a sailer, and remain in that
branch until we had passed for our master's certificate,
after which our aim would be to obtain an appoint-
ment in a steamer, where the pay and the life are
better.
It should be noticed in this connection that in the
first-class lines of steamers only officers holding masters'
certificates are appointed.
Should the sailing vessel disappear altogether, it
will be a pity, if only on the ground that our best
navigators have been recruited from that service.
CARGO BOAT.
8 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The purely cargo boat class may be subdivided
into those boats which perform a more or less regular
service on a published itinerary or time table, and those
which sail here, there and everywhere, and rejoice in
the euphonious name of 'Tramp.' This latter type
has of late years become very numerous, and consists
chiefly of low-powered boats of large carrying capacity,
and as they are continually causing fluctuations in the
freight market, they are not looked upon by the owners
of regular lines of steamers with much more urbanity
than falls to the share of the veteran of the road whose
name they bear.
Our business, however, as shippers, being as yet
shall we say small, is not with the tramp steamer so
much as with the liners, by which we can send forward
or receive in small or large consignments the com-
modities in which we have determined to deal. It
would not pay us to hire or charter a ' tramp ' unless
we could be certain of filling her at less cost than we
could ship otherwise from any port served by a regular
liner, nor would it, except on occasion, suit us to ship
by a tramp coming on the berth at irregular intervals.
The cost of insuring the cargo by a liner a course
which prudence dictates is almost invariably less than
by a 'tramp,' and there are other advantages attached
to the regular boat, such as that implied by the term
' regular,' and the custom frequently in vogue of
allowing shippers, confining their business to certain
specified lines, a rebate or reduction in the freight,
which is payable at fixed intervals, usually six or twelve
months same being known as a 'deferred rebate.'
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 9
Under the term ' purely cargo boat,' we include those
vessels which do not take more than twelve passengers,
were they to carry a greater number they would come
under the denomination of 'passenger steamer,' re-
quiring special survey by the Board of Trade, as set
forth in the Merchant Shipping Acts. The function of
the Board of Trade, when w r e speak of ships, is to
undertake the general superintendence of all matters
relating to merchant shipping and seamen. These
cargo boats form a splendid service, are worked more
economically than mail and passenger steamers, and
usually carry at a lower freight than their faster rival.
In many cases, however, the cargo line is auxiliary to
the mail service, though the mail steamer may charge
what is known as a differential rate of, say, 2s. 6d. or
55. per ton on cargo, and where quick delivery is
essential the difference is of no consequence.
As we are about to make a long voyage we
naturallv select one of the lines of mail steamers, and
10
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
if ws had business to do in any of the South American
Republics we would be wise in making such a selection
altogether apart from the questions of safety, expedi-
tion and comfort. In South America, as in other
countries, if we desire to take any standing, the steamer
in which we arrive had better not be a 'tramp,' or a
cargo steamer, if our means will admit of our making
the journey in one of the first-class lines, the fares by
which to South America are really very moderate,
considering the length of the voyage.
Now, in pursuing our enquiry as to the ship to
travel in, we find the following lines from Europe
connect with South America :
Name of
Company.
Nationality. Ports of
Departure.
The Pacific Steam British. Liverpool.
Navigation Co.
Do.
do. Glasgow &
Liverpool.
Royal Mail Steam do.
Packet Co.
Do.
Do.
Do.
do.
do.
South-
ampton.
London.
South-
ampton.
do. London.
Class of Steamers
Employed.
Fortnightly line of mail
steamers to Brazils,
River Plate, Falklands
and West Coast of
South America.
Monthly line of fast cargo
boats to Brazil, Uru-
guay, Argentina, Chile
and Peru.
Fortnightly line of mail
steamers to Brazils and
River Plate.
Occasional cargo boats
to Brazils and River
Plate.
Fortnightly mail line to
Colon for West Coast
of South America, via
Panama.
Occasional cargo boats
to Colon for West Coast
of South America.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
li
Name of
Company.
Nationality. Ports ot
Departure.
Harrison Line. British. Liverpool.
Do. do. do.
Lamport & Holt. do. Glasgow &
Liverpool.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
do. do.
do. London &
Antwerp.
do. do.
do. Glasgow &
Liverpool.
Booth Steamship do.
Co., Ltd., and
Red Cross Line.
Houlder Bros, and do.
Co., Ltd.
Houston Line.
H. & W. Nelson, do.
Ltd.
Allan Line.
David Maclver
Line.
do.
Liverpool.
Liverpool,
London &
Antwerp.
do. Liverpool.
do.
Glasgow &
Liverpool.
do. Liverpool.
Class of Steamers
Employed.
Fortnightly line of cargo
steamers to Brazils.
Fortnightly line of cargo
steamers to Colon for
West Coast of South
America, via Panama.
Fortnightly line of cargo
steamers to Bahia, Rio
de Janeiro and Santos.
Fortnightly line of cargo
steamers to Monte-
video, Buenos Aires
and Rosario.
Monthly line of cargo
steamers to the Brazils.
Three weekly cargo lines
to Montevideo, Buenos
Aires and Rosario.
Monthly line of cargo
steamers to Chile, Peru
and Ecuador.
Line of passenger and
cargo steamers to
Northern Brazils and
River Amazon.
Line of cargo and pas-
senger boats to the
River Plate.
Fortnightly line of cargo
boats to the River
Plate.
do.
do.
Monthly line of cargo
steamers to the River
Plate.
Fortnightly line of cargo
boats to the River Plate.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Name of
Company.
Nationality.
Gulf Line, Ltd. British.
Prince Line. do.
Levland Line.
do. Liverpool.
New Zealand do.
Shipping Co., Ltd.
Shaw, Savill and do.
Albion Co., Ltd.
Hamburg- German.
American Line.
Hamburg-
American Line,
and ] do.
Hamburg-South
American Line.
Norddeutscher do.
Lloyd.
Kosmos S.S. Co. do.
Cie des Mess- French,
ageries Maritimes.
Do.
do.
Ports of Class of Steamers
Departure. Employed.
Glasgow & Monthly cargo line to
Liverpool. Chile, Peru, and Ecua-
dor.
London. Three-weekly passenger
and cargo service to
the River Plate.
Passenger and cargo
steamers to Colon for
West Coast of South
America, via Panama.
London. Call at Montevideo, on
homeward voyage only.
do. Call at Rio de Janeiro on
home ward voyage only.
Hamburg & Passenger and cargo line
Antwerp. to Colon for West
Coast of South Amer-
ica, via Panama.
do.
Bremen.
f Passenger and cargo
lines to Brazils or>/1
( River Plate.
and
Passenger and cargo
boats to Brazil and
River Plate.
Hamburg & Line of passenger and
Antwerp. cargo boats to West
Coasts of South, Cen-
tral, and North Amer-
ica.
Bordeaux. Fortnightly line of pas-
senger and mail boats
to Brazils and River
Plate.
do. Line of cargo boats to
Santos and the River
Plate.
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
13
Name of Nationality.
Company.
Chargeurs French.
Rcunis.
Cie Gdn^rale do.
Transatl antique.
Soc. Generate de do.
Transports
Maritimes a Yapeur.
Ports of Class of Steamers
Departure. Employed.
Havre. Passenger (3rd class only)
and cargo steamers to
Brazil and River Plate.
St. Nazaire, Passenger and mail steam-
Bordeaux, ers to Colon for West
Marseilles & Coast of South America,
Barcelona. ria Panama.
Genoa, Passenger and cargo boats
Marseilles & to Brazil and River Plate.
Barcelona.
NavigazioneGenerale Italian Genoa and
Ilaliana & La Veloce. Barcelona.
(Joint Service.)
Societa do. do.
La Veloce.
Italia S.S. do. Genoa.
Company.
La Ligure do. do.
Braziliana.
Cia Trasatlanticd
de Barcelona.
Do. do. do.
Sociedad Anonima do. do.
de Navegacion
Trasatlantica.
Spanish. Barcelona.
Passenger and cargo boats
to the Brazils and River
Plate.
Passenger and cargo boats
to Colon for West Coast
of South America.
Passenger and cargo line to
the River Plate.
Passenger and cargo service
to the Brazils.
Passenger and cargo line to
Montevideo and Buenos
Aires.
Passenger and cargo line to
Colon for West Coast of
S. America, via Panama.
Passenger and cargo line to
the River Plate.
Passenger and cargo service
to the River Plate.
Zuid Amerika Lijn. Dutch. Amsterdam,
Dunkirk &
Boulogne.
Being Britons, we naturally select a ship of 6ur
own nationality, and our choice, as we prefer to travel
in a first-class liner and our first port of call in South
America is Pernambuco, is limited to The Pacific Steam
Navigation Company and the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company, both old established lines working under
Royal Charters, enjoying subsidies from His Majesty's
H TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Government for the conveyance of mails, and both
established about the year 1840, the former being the
first line on the West Coast and the latter on the East
Coast of South America. It is a question whether,
except in the matter of prestige, a Royal Charter is an
advantage to a Company, as it limits and circumscribes
the powers of the Company, but there can be no doubt
that a * subsidy, ' or payment for the conveyance of
mails, generally affords an appreciable income to the
liners. We use the word 'generally,' as in these days
of cheeseparing by the Government, and looking at
the conditions as to speed, regularity of service under
penalty, and other obligations attached to the subsidy,
shipowners may doubt whether it would not be better
to be free and without the fixed annual mail payment.
It is a short-sighted policy which seeks to burden the
means of transportation between its own and other
countries, and one which, if not broadened, may leave
an open field to our foreign rivals, whose Governments
are alive to the importance of supporting the Mercan-
tile Marine in every possible way, and whose highest
dignitaries in some cases will even go out of their way
to wire their congratulations to the owners and builders
of new steamers likely to enhance the reputation of the
country and improve its trade with the world at large.
It is not often that a British shipowner's services to the
State are recognised unless he spends his spare cash
if he has any, pretty freely in support of the political
party he favours, or in some way altogether foreign to
the good progressive work he is doing, work of
national importance.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 15
Having made up our minds that we shall com-
mence our travel in one of the mail steamers of the
lines named, we find on enquiry that the passage
business of the two great companies has been combined,
and that as the tickets are interchangeable we can have
the great privilege of breaking our voyage, if we wish,
without extra payment at any of the ports of call between
Europe and the River Plate. We decide, however, in
favour of The Pacific Steam Navigation Company,
and shall now take our heavy baggage down to
the Alexandra Dock, Liverpool, and embark later
at the Prince's Landing Stage, Liverpool, when the
steamer comes alongside.
We might send the baggage down instead of
taking it, but as we want to see what kind of cargo
the steamer takes outwards, and find out whatever else
of interest we can in the short time at our disposal, we
prefer to go personally. We have already made ar-
rangements for the insurance of our baggage, as the
steamship company is not liable for same, and we find
on enquiry that only 20 cubic feet of baggage is allowed
to first and second-class passengers and half that
quantity to steerage. 40 cubic feet measurement usually
represents a ton weight in regard to cargo, we are told,
though in some trades and for particular articles this
varies. As we have more than the quantity of baggage
we are entitled to carry free, we pay the excess charge,
say is. 6d. per cubic foot, to the East Coast of South
America, and get a printed receipt. Our trunks have
been specially made to fit under the sleeping berths, so
we have no further trouble or arrangements to make
it;
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
regarding- them, and our large packages go into the
baggage room.
R.M.S. "OR
There are, fortunately, two Pacific steamers along-
side the quay when we arrive, one discharging, and the
other which we are going in, the 'Oropesa, ' loading,
so that we are able to get some idea of the exports
to and imports from South America. The work of
discharging and loading, we find, is done by parties
licensed by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board,
called 'master porters,' 'master stevedores,' and
'master lumpers.' It is the duty of the 'lumper' to
discharge, the ' stevedore ' to load, and the ' master
porter ' to perform the several operations on the quay,
such as receiving, sorting to bill of lading marks,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 17
weighing, measuring, marking, examining for damage,
trucking, watching and delivering to carts or railway
wagons. In the case of steam vessels, the owner or
one of his officials, if qualified by license, is the master
porter, but in all other cases the consignee bond fide
paying the largest amount of freight is entitled to be
the master porter, if qualified.
Each port has its own customs, and of course the
fore-going remarks must be taken as applying to the
Port of Liverpool, but mention is made of the several
operations as a charge is made for master porterage,
and there are similar charges at other ports, as well as
charges for dues and forwarding. These we must be
careful to ascertain if later w^e embark in business as
merchants, as otherwise we may find ourselves in . a
street known as ' Queer Street, ' in which are assembled
people who buy goods for ^"5 per ton and have to sell
for less and 'live on the profits.' Before we can as a
general principle safely sell merchandise we must be
able to calculate to the last farthing, or approximately,
what the cost of same will come to, and we must further
make use frequently of the cables between the two
countries to keep in touch with markets which are con-
stantly varying, prices going up and down according to
the demand and supply of the several commodities, and
frequently from extra'neoas causes, such as rumours of
war, revolution, quarantine on account of plague, or
yellow fever, Exchange 'canards,' &c.
Both outward and homeward cargoes, of vessels
in the South American trade, are very mixed. Out-
wards there are large quantities of railway materials,
IS TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
machinery, hardware, haberdashery, silk, cotton, and
woollen goods, bedsteads, mattresses, bagging, boots
and shoes, cables, canvas, ropes, chemicals, cement,
flour, linens, earthenware, carpets, and floorcloths, gas
meters, stoves, paints, iron and steel in axles, bars,
plates, etc., paper, pianos, pipes (iron and steel),
provisions (tinned and bottled), saddlery, sheep dip,
tools, smallwares and other articles too numerous to
detail. Coal we have not referred to, as, although the
steamers sometimes take it out on freight to fill up
vacant space, it is usually shipped in sailing vessels.
This business is a very large one.
At the discharging quay we find that the home-
ward cargo is also a very mixed one, and consists chiefly
of ores copper, silver and tin, w r ool, cotton, cotton-
seed and cottonseed cake, oilcake, sugar, hides, tallow,
skins, honey and grain, coffee, leather and charqui, the
latter being dried meat in transit for Cuba. Of course
there is the enormous meat trade from the River Plate,
but this we shall deal with later, and after we have
inspected the Saladeros together at Buenos Aires.
We have now seen sufficient to open our eyes to
the wonderful system of trade carried on. Not only is
South America engaged in this, but every part of the
habitable globe sends forth what it can spare of its
productions, and receives in return other articles useful
for support, comfort, adornment and progress. One
country sends forth the raw material, another the
manufactured, one country rich in food products
supplies the wants of others and receives in return all
else that tends to make homes and cities habitable and
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 19
beautiful, distance inappreciable, and life worth living 1 .
We need not follow this further to understand the
intimate trade relationships which exist between the
several nations, and to recognise the bond of brother-
hood which everywhere unites the human race. There
is probably no bond w r hich serves to promote and
ensure the blessings of peace more than that of trade,
which in its multitudinous ramifications touches great
and small interests alike all over the civilised world.
(20)
CHAPTER II.
START. "LONG" SHIP. TWIN-SCREWS. FOREIGN CLERANCE. CONSULAR
FEES. PARTINGS. BILGE KEELS. " OROPESA." DIET. STUDY OF
CHARACTER. HABITS AT TABLE. STORM EFFECTS. COMPAGNONS DE
VOYAGE. LA PALLICE-ROCHELLE. CYCLING IN FRANCE. CORUNNA.
SPAIN. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. TOMB OF SIR JOHN MOORE.
SPANISH ARMY. VIGO. SHIPPING BOUNTIES. FRANCE. GERMANY.
GENERAL TALK.
" I ^HE eventful Thursday morning" on which we sail has
at length arrived, and we repair to the Liverpool
Landing Stage much before the appointed hour. The
' Oropesa ' is still anchored in the stream, but there is,
we find, a tender leaving the Stage with some fifty to
sixty steerage passengers, and as an act of grace we
are allowed to go on board by the same opportunity.
It is well we came early, as we learn on the tender from
one of the officials that the ' Oropesa ' will be a ' long '
ship, an occurrence which does not frequently happen
in steamers sailing from British ports for South America.
A Board of Trade officer who is on the tug informs us,
in answer to our enquiry, and we are never ashamed to
ask from any false feelings in regard to our own
ignorance, that the term ' Long,' or ' Emigrant ' ship
is applied to all foreign-going vessels having fifty or
more steerage passengers. These ships require extra
surveys, which generally occupy about two days, and
include the measuring of the ship and accommodation,
inspection of machinery, boilers, lifebelts, and life boat
capacity, general seagoing outfit, etc., and the examin-
ation of the stores and water for the use of passengers
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 21
and crew ; so that we see the Board of "Trade acts the
part of a dear old grandmother in seeing that proper
provision is made for our safety and well-being.
There is no doubt though that this motherly old body-
is sometimes too officious, often very unreasonable, and
more frequently than is at all necessary interferes and
worries the shipowners about absurd requirements and
matters which they are quite as capable of dealing with
themselves, and far more concerned about for the sake
of the lives in their custody, their property, reputation
and the prestige of their line. It must not be forgotten
that all large shipping lines take the risk, or at least a
great portion of the risk, on their own ships, that is to
say, they insure a large proportion of the value of each
ship in their own books, and therefore any accident to, or
loss of, their property falls upon themselves. What is
the result ? They make for safety in every possible
way. The steamers are built stronger than' they need
be to meet the Board of Trade requirements, they are
fitted in many cases with twin engines, so that if one
breaks down, or an accident happens to a propeller
or shaft, the other engine is available, and an accident
to both engines on the same voyage, rendering the ship
unmanageable, is practically a thing unknown. Fur-
ther, each of the four navigating officers holds a captain's
certificate as well as the commander ; there are six or
seven engineers, with the needful complement of
greasers, trimmers and firemen, deck hands, and
stewards, etc. There is also for our comfort and
satisfaction a doctor and a barber. There were about
1 20 (officers and men) all told on the ' Oropesa,' so that
22 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
we felt quite happy when we got on board, and had not
a shadow of uneasiness on any ground.
As the steerage passengers stepped off the tug's
gangway they were examined by the medical officer of
the Board of Trade, and one or two were rejected on
the score of ill-health. This over, the officers, engineers,
and crew were mustered on deck, the roll was called,
and after medical examination, the emigration officer
BOAT DRILL.
requested the commander to exercise the crew at ' boat
drill.' Each boat has its appointed crew, and each
man his place. At the word of command these are
rapidly taken up, the boats are lowered, and if this
manoeuvre is efficiently carried out, the inspection is
completed. Then the numerous documents detailing
the passengers, crew r , stores, etc., are signed, and as
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 23
the shipping clerk has come on board with the ship's
clearances, the steamer is ready for sea. It is quite a
complicated piece of business, the clearance of a steamer
for foreign parts. There are the Consular bills of
health required by the French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Brazilian, Uruguayan, Chilian, and Peruvian Govern-
ments, manifests or lists of cargo for the several South
American republics, ship's register, articles, and Customs'
clearance, passenger certificate, and list of passengers
and stores, and other documents. If the steamer failed
to have the requisite papers on board, she, i.e., her
owners, would be subjected in foreign ports to fines,
delays, and other inconveniences. Now, all Consular
documents have to be vised, that is to say, bear upon
their face evidence in writing that the Consul of the
country concerned, located at the port of departure, has
seen them and exacted the authorised fees. These
fees in many cases amount to considerable sums, and
we can well understand that the appointments are
eagerly sought after, apart from the social standing
which a Governme'nt appointment confers, and the
knowledge of the expansion and contraction of trade
\vith his native land, and which from time to time he is
called to report upon for the guidance of the home
government. He is like a sentry guarding the pass
into his own country, and if we fail to give the pass-
word, or in other language to comply with the require-
ments of his government, our ship will not be received
when she arrives at any of his country's ports.
The ' Oropesa ' is now berthed alongside the
Liverpool Landing-stage, all the passengers are on
24 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
board, the bell is rung- for ' all friends ashore,' the pilot
is on the bridge with the captain, and we move away
into the stream and out to sea. Many have been the
tender partings, for numbers of our fellow-passengers
are bound for Valparaiso, some 9,799 nautical miles
away, and who knows what hands have pressed for the
last time, or what joys and sorrows may brighten or
sadden the lives of those we watch, or it may be our
own, in the interval of separation, and when the sweet
solicitude of those we love, far distant, is but a memory.
Tis a sad sweet time this parting, sad because of the
separation from our home and friends, and sweet for
the revelation of friendships, the depth of which we
have not hitherto suspected, and for that deeper love
which surrounds and protects us in our homes, and
which goes out to us in these supreme moments of
separation in a never-to-be-forgotten fulness, the efful-
gence of which will remain with and gladden us as long
as life lasts.
Three parting cheers and we are off ; and until we
have passed through the channels of the Mersey we are
navigated by the pilot. Pilotage at Liverpool is com-
pulsory, as in most other British ports ; but in a few,
such as Barry, Cardiff, and the ports of the Tyne, it is
optional. Rates of pilotage vary with the draught of
the ship and the mileage piloted. The draught is
ascertained by the scale painted on the stem and rudder-
post, and is the depth to which the ship is immersed in
the water. The harbour authorities at any port will
supply us, if we desire it, with the local rates. Liverpool
has about 184 pilots.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
25
We now pass down the Mersey between the
Batteries at New Brighton and Seaforth, which guard
the entrance, and
out to sea. We
are somewhat sur-
prised at the
steadiness of the
steamer, as some
of us have not
been to sea before,
and when we re-
mark upon the fact
to one of the officers, he laconically replies, ' Bilge
keels !' Of course we all know what a keel is, but
what is a bilge keel ? A bilge keel is best exemplified
thus :
NEW BRIGHTON.
BILGE KEEL MERCHANT PATTERN.
and is fitted on either side of the ship at the turn of the
bilge, and they are of various lengths and sizes. The
bilge keel projects usually from 12 to 16 inches from
the side of the vessel. In His Majesty's Service the
_><> TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
keels run to 28 inches deep, and they are built
thus :
BILGE KEEL GOVERNMENT PATTERN.
This form would not suit an ordinary steamer, as
in case of striking anything it might tear a plate out
instead of bending as the ordinary bilge keels will do.
There are opponents to bilge keels, but these are ship-
builders and not passengers, to whose comfort they
add materially, and whilst on cargo boats carrying a
homogeneous cargo bilge keels might not be needed,
most passenger steamers carry mixed cargoes ; and
further, the conditions of stowage are constantly alter-
ing by the discharging and taking in of cargo at the
different ports on the voyage, that the addition of the
bilge keels has undoubtedly tended to steady the vessel.
It is important for the cargo as well as for the passen-
gers that the vessel should have bilge keels, as constant
and heavy rolling may easily cause damage to the
cargo. Another objection to the bilge keel is that it
may cause a reduction in speed, but from experiments
which have been made, this has been found to be quite
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 27
inappreciable when the keel has been correctly placed.
This is in fine weather, in roug'h weather it is the
opinion of experts that owing to the greater steadiness
the bilge keels impart to the ship, they must tend to
improve her speed.
We now proceed to settle down, unpack our
baggage and make a tour round the steamer. We
might almost fancy ourselves in a hotel with luxurious
drawing, dining and smoke rooms all lighted with
electricity and well ventilated, plenty of promenade
room and excellent baths and sanitary arrangements.
In fact, everywhere we turn we find evidences of thought
for our comfort, and the table offers so much variety
that we are frequently puzzled what items to choose,
the long bill of fare containing South American as well
as English dishes.
Meal times on board ship are usually regarded as
the events of the day, and the interest taken in them is
generally enhanced by contact with our fellow pas-
sengers. There is the interchange of thoughts and
opinions, the sharpening of one mind by contact with
another, and the never failing and appreciated anecdote
or reminiscence which serves to pass a pleasant hour or
more. Then there is the study of character, always
interesting, and more easily followed at dinner time
than possibly any other, when minds expand and open
under the genial influences of pleasant fare and good
company. ' How do you manage to get your husband
into a good humour ? ' said one lady passenger to
another who was known to have been rather unfor-
tunate in her selection of a bad-tempered partner.
28 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
' Feed the monster,' was her immediate reply, and her
answer set our party thinking and discussing. Now
most of us remembered that one of our old copy book
headings, and which we had to do over and over again
ad nauseam was " Eat to live, live not to eat,' and we
fell to speculating how many reversed the maxim, and
made eating their principal end in life. How we did
abuse the folks who over-ate themselves, and came to
the unanimous conclusion that more than half the
people in the world practically committed suicide by
eating to excess, and how we then, with appetites
sharpened by the bracing sea air and the discussion,
did possibly more than ample justice to the repast and
gave the negative to our own arguments.
It is undoubtedly more pleasant to sit opposite
someone who knows how to eat properly and with
discretion and enjoyment, than to have for a vis-a-vis
a traveller who is for ever quarrelling over his food.
Nothing is good enough for him, and though he has
twenty things to choose from, and eats as much as two
or three ordinary mortals, nothing is satisfactory. He
has ' travelled,' you know been down from London to
Margate a few times, has lived on the proverbial fat
of the land, in the east end of the beloved city, and
knows what's what at least that is how he wishes to
impress us better than any other man alive.
Habits at table when one meets, as on these
South American steamers, four or five different nation-
alities, may readily form a separate study, as it is
astonishing in how many different ways the knife,
fork, spoon and serviette may be used. A Mr. Deakin,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 29
who recently published an excellent work on Morocco,
writes, apropos to national methods of eating, that the
Moors, preferring their 'natural forks and spoons,'
would consider our habits clumsy and vulgar. He
says :
' When it is remembered that the fingers of the
' eater do not actually enter even his own mouth, and
' are scrupulously washed before and after the meal,
' the objection to the fingers of another in our pie
' disappears, especially as our own food is so much
' handled in the kitchen before we see it. Moreover,
' the exceeding gracefulness with which a well-bred
' Oriental conveys the food to his mouth, is not to be
' approached with spoon and fork, and a little ex-
' perience in a well-ordered native house soon dispels
' the prejudices in which we have been brought up.'
A foreigner at our table invited one of his friends
to partake of a bottle of wine with him, and then helped
himself to half a glassful first. This seemed strange
to us, but we found out the reason was that possibly the
first wine poured out might contain some dust from the
cork, and so the act was really delicately considerate
and polite. But here the chief steward interrupted our
moralising by saying 'Lights out at eleven, gentlemen,'
and we made for the deck for a ' turn ' before retiring.
We were somewhat troubled during the night by
the heavy weather which set in, but it was astonishing
in the morning what a sociable effect the night's
experiences had upon the company. There was
envy for the good sailor, and possibly genuine sym-
pathy for the bad one. However the coldness of
30 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the previous day's critical calculations respecting- each
other, had taken on a warmer and more friendly tone.
And there were many in our company from whom we
might learn much by judicious cultivation. There was
the man who had travelled well-nigh all over the world,
and was making the trip for the second time ; there
were young men going out to try their success in
the camp in Argentina and Patagonia ; there was
the 'gintleman from Ireland,' as eloquent and full of
fun as his famous ancestors, and who would amuse
the youngsters by starting his pipe in the morning
by concentrating the sunlight on it through a large mag-
nifying glass ; and there were others, young and old, of
both sexes and of many nationalities, from most, if
not all, of whom there was something to learn if
only cheerfulness. It is not to be wondered at,
therefore, that we looked forward to many pleasant
days before we reached our destination.
We saw nothing of the land all day, but the next
morning we were oft the coast of France, and making
for our first port of call, La Rochelle-Pallice. La
Rochelle we had heard of before, but La Pallice we
did not know, being a port created to a large extent
by The Pacific Steam Navigation Company.
Formerly that Company's steamers used to call at
Pauillac, river Gironde, and passengers were conveyed
thence by river steamer or tender to Bordeaux, but
owing to the shoaling of the anchorage, about the
year 1894, a change had to be made. At first the
steamers called at Richard, which is 18 miles nearer
the mouth of the Gironde, or 50 miles from Bordeaux.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 31
The inconveniences attending- the long- passage by
tender were so great that this had to be discontinued
in favour of La Pallice. La Pallice, which forms a
part of the maritime establishment of La Rochelle,
and is distant about four miles from that place by
road, and five miles by rail, adjoins a sheltered road-
stead of the same name, and is easy of access at all
times of the tide and in any weather : the Islands of
Re and Oleron forming a great natural breakwater.
The port comprises a tidal basin or open dock (295
feet wide at the entrance) having a w r ater area of 31
acres, a lock fitted with sluicing chambers, a wet
dock and two graving docks. There is a landing
stage 650 feet in length on the eastern side of the
tidal basin, and free and bonded warehouses, moveable
steam cranes, and electric lighting apparatus, complete
the appliances of the port. Numerous lines of rail-
way have been laid down along each side of the
dock. The call at La Rochelle-Pallice, instead of
Pauillac or Richard, not only lessens the distance to
and from the Spanish itinerary ports, but also shortens
the distance by railway to and from the French capital
and many other towns in the interior. The journey
to Paris is through a beautiful country.
We were met at some distance from the port by
the pilot, and there was a race between two pilots
for the work, as, whilst pilotage is compulsory at La
Pallice, the first pilot signalling the ship claims the
pilotage. If it be dangerous to stop and take him
on board, and the steamer picks up the second man
offering and she must have one or the other double
32 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
pilotage has to be paid, a system truly iniquitous.
We are soon placed alongside the quay in dock, and
on the quay and in the hangar or shed opposite, we
PILOT BOAT.
see the cargo waiting to be shipped. There are also
a number of passengers who have come from Paris
and elsewhere, and after these had embarked we found
that we had at our table a French gentleman who was
fully posted in all matters pertaining to French ship-
ping, and who was going with us as far as Lisbon.
We determined to cultivate his acquaintance later, with
the object of finding out what the French Government
does in the way of supporting and encouraging the
shipping interests of the country.
The journey to La Rochelle-Pallice, a distance
of 605 nautical miles from Liverpool, occupied about
42 hours, and owing to the quantity of cargo to be
loaded at La Pallice we found it was necessary to
stay there about twenty-four hours. After examining
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
33
the cargo, which we found to consist chiefly of
cognac, liqueurs, wines, silk, woollen and cotton
tissues, millinery, leather goods, hats, toys, feathers,
LA PALLICE.
Paris goods, etc., we took the train to La Rochelle,
and found agreeable occupation for a couple of hours
in looking at the old city, which is somewhat re-
miniscent of Chester ; the entrance to the port, the
Cathedral and the Hotel de Ville being particularly
interesting. One might fill pages with a description of
the Sailor's Chapel in the Cathedral alone, with its
numerous votive offerings indicative of the terrible inci-
dents through which the votaries had passed, some
works of art, others deeply pathetic in their sincere
though crude rendering of painful catastrophes, and all
34
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
works of loving labour. Some of our fellow pass-
engers stayed all night at La Rochelle, but we
preferred to go back to the ship. It was not our
LA ROCHELLE.
first visit to the town, as we had passed through it
previously on our bicycles on the track of a well-
known school principal and a number of his pupils.
We had read the account of their run down to the
Pyrenees, and we found the pleasure of the journey
along beautiful roads and through the charming
scenery of the South of France quite equal to the
encomiums which have been passed upon it. France
is certainly a paradise for cyclists and motorists.
There is a large business done between Great Britain
and France, but as this book concerns South America
chiefly, we do not deal with it.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 35
We left La Pallice with some regret, as we had
enjoyed the run on shore, and had also been much
amused by watching the bourgeoiserie, who came
down from the surrounding country in large numbers
to see the steamer. Every facility is given them for
thfe purpose, and it is pleasant to catch their surprised
looks as they enter the saloon and drawing room,
and to speculate upon their opinions on all they see.
They are an honest, simple folk, very much like our
own peasantry, but somewhat differently attired.
CORUNNA.
Our next port of call was Corunna, some 362
miles from La Rochelle-Pallice, where we arrived on
Monday, and, like all true Britishers, we went on
shore to see 'the grave where our hero was buried.'
Everyone is familiar with the lines written by
30 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Rev. Chas. Wolfe on the burial of Sir John Moore T
who was killed nearly a century ago in defending"
the embarkation of the British troops at Villano.
Corunna is an interesting place, and it was
doubly so when we were there, owing to the visit
of the King of Spain. His Majesty was quartered
on board the 'Giralda,' a handsome yacht purchased
from an Englishman, and capable of steaming 18
knots per hour. The Spanish war vessel ' Infanta
Theresa,' and a gunboat were also in the port.
When one thinks of the ancient glory of Spain, and
contrasts it with its present decayed condition, one
cannot help feeling sympathy with the nation which
has done so much in the discovery and the civilising"
of the continent to which we are journeying. Two
or three battleships and a few small craft are all
that represent their Navy at the present day. Spain,
however, occupies no unimportant place in the com-
mercial world. Her coast line extends 1317 miles,
712 formed by the Mediterranean, and 605 by the
Atlantic. With the Canary and Balearic Isles she
has an area of 196,173 English square miles. The
country is rich in minerals, but not well developed
owing to the scarcity of capital. She exports wine,
copper, copper ores, lead, iron ores, olive oil, cattle,
raisins, oranges, cork, wool, salt, quicksilver and
esparto grass, and imports raw cotton, spirits, fish,
wheat and flour, sugar, coal, timber, woollen manu-
factures, machinery, railway material, etc. We com-
pete with France and Germany for the trade.
After visiting the market, which was full of
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 37
excellent fruits, and quite gay with the varied
coloured head shawls of the market women, we went up
the hill to Sir John Moore's grave. The tomb is
in the centre of a small garden, containing one other
British memorial, a tablet in memory of the loss of
H.M.S. 'Serpent,' close to Corunna harbour, about
ten years ago.
The streets and houses in the town were decorated
with bunting, the Spanish colours, red and yellow,
predominating. The streets are narrow and paved with
a. kind of concrete slab, and are more like parapets
than roadways. A military review in honour of the
King's visit was in progress, so that we got some
idea of the Spanish soldiery. The scene on the
review ground was most interesting, there being,
apart from the soldiers, a vast assemblage of ladies
in their mantillas and bright coloured dresses, each
one shading her face from the hot sun by a fan of
varied and brilliant hues. For the most part the
people were good looking. There were, however,
amidst all this spendour, great evidences of poverty,
for hands seemed to be open to receive wherever
we turned, and no effort was made to conceal
deformity.
The Army is raised by conscription, but ex-
emption from service may be purchased. The terms
.of service are three years with the colours, and six
with the second reserve. On a peace footing, the
Army consists of three annual contingents of 40,000,
or 120,000 men in all ; on a war footing, owing
to conscription, of 1,800,000 men. The uniforms
38 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
are elaborate, and the manoeuvres were carried out
with great precision. We were more than interested
in the mule brigade, on account of the recent war
in South Africa, and the facility with which the
mules were loaded, with guns and ammunition, for
mountain service, was much admired. Accidents
will happen, however, and one or two mules were
overbalanced by improper loading, and rolled in the
dust. Altogether we were about three hours on>
shore, and enjoyed the run exceedingly.
After re-embarking we sailed for Vigo, and
were soon engaged in an animated discussion with
our French friend. Shipping bounties ('Prime a la.
Navigation) he said, had been in force in France
since January, 1893, and are quite distinct from
postal subsidies also granted by the French Govern-
ment. The bounties are intended to protect the
French shipbuilder as well as the shipowner. The
bounty paid to the shipbuilder under the law of
1893 was :
For vessels built of iron or steel, whether steamers
or sailing vessels, 65 francs per gross register
ton.
For wooden vessels of 150 tons and upwards, 40-
francs per gross ton.
For wooden vessels of less than 150 tons, 30 francs
per gross ton.
The engines, boilers and all auxiliary machinery
receive a bounty of 15 francs per 100 kilogrammes-
(= at 25 francs 25 centimes per ;i=,6 os. 8d.
per ton of 20 cwt.).
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.' 39
The bounty paid to the shipowner is based on the
tonnage of the ship and the length of the voyage
performed in accordance with official tables of
distance drawn up by the Ministry of Marine.
This bounty was paid for international coasting
voyages as well as for ocean voyages, but it was not
paid on French coasting trade, that being reserved to
national vessels, which are thus fully protected ; nor
was it paid for short international voyages when the
distance from the French port to the foreign port was
less than 120 miles.
To be entitled to the bounty the vessels had to be
French built or jnust have been naturalised before the
29th January, 1891. Those naturalised between the
date named and the first of January, 1893, were only
entitled to half the bounty. Subject to these con-
siderations, the bounty could be claimed by all sea-
going vessels sailing under the French flag which were
more than 80 tons register (gross) if propelled by sails,
or more than 100 tons gross register if propelled by
steam.
The bounty was calculated at the following rates
per 1,000 miles run :
Fes. i ice. per gross register ton for steamers, with
a yearly decrease of 6 centimes per ton for wooden
vessels and of 4 centimes per ton for iron and steel
vessels.
Fes. i yoc. per gross register ton for sailing vessels,
with a yearly decrease of 8 centimes per ton for
wooden vessels, and of 6 centimes per ton for iron
or steel vessels.
40 TRADE AN'D TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The maximum rates were only due to new ships, the
yearly decrease being calculated from the date of
the completion of the ship.
The bounty disappeared altogether at the end or 19
years for a wooden steamer, of 28 years for an
iron or steel one, of 22 years for a wooden sailing
ship, and of 29 years for an iron or steel one.
Looking at the foregoing, we see that the State
largely contributed towards the building of its tonnage,
and the encouragement was such that some shipowners
built their own vessels, notably the Compagnie des
Messageries Maritimes. Then the bounty to the ship-
owner was such that he could afford to carry at a low
rate of freight, one which he could not live upon
were it not for the bounty, and were he in like position
with the generality of English shipowners
No doubt, said our friend, whenever a bounty is
granted to national vessels, foreign vessels are bound
to suffer, and they suffer the more when, as in France,
they are subjected to port dues which are in reality
appropriated to the payment of bounties to French
vessels. There is much in the foregoing for our
Government to consider, and there is happily some
evidence at the present time that the question is to
some extent being gone into (a Report having been
made which we will discuss in a later chapter), but
that does not necessarily mean practical result. That
may only come when our trade has passed into the
hands of other countries, and when the help will
probably be wasted in fruitless attempts to recover
what has been lost. These are days of keen com-
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 41
petition, not amongst individuals alone but nations,
and a nation which leaves its individuals not only to
combat with other States, but does all it knows to
increase the cost of building and working its ships,
and hampers every movement of its shipowners by
burdensome charges, levied for purposes quite foreign
to the shipping interest, must expect to decline.
A German who sat near us, and who had been
silent thus far during the discussion, now volunteered
some particulars in regard to the position which his
Government took in relation to the first and foremost
interest of the country, viz., its connecting links with
foreign trade. He said that so far as the services
to the east and west coasts of South America were
concerned, the German lines received no special help
from their Government. They were paid, however, for
the mails carried, and goods passing to and from the
steamers over the German State Railways were accorded
special terms under the Sea Export Tariff. The
German lines running to South America, for the most
part, he added, ran also to the East and received a
mail subsidy for this latter service, so that as the cash
went into one general till, it did not matter very much
which of the services received the payment, as the whole
benefited. The lines receiving the largest mail pay-
ments, he averred, were the Hamburg Amerika Linie,
the Norddeutscher Lloyd, and the line to East Africa
(Deutsche Ost-Africa Linie). The German steam ship
company which plies to the west coasts of Southj
Central, and North America, he added, gets concessions
from the Belgian Government for calling at Antwerp.
BI
42 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The conversation re Bounties took place prior to
the alteration made in the French law in 1902, but as
this again has been modified by the " Loi sur la Marine
Marchande," of the igth April, 1906, I have thought it
desirable to insert the following resume of the new law :
This law provides for a bounty to French ship
builders, " Primes la Construction," and a bounty to
French ship owners, " Compensations d'Annement."
The bounty paid to ship builders is as follows:
i. VESSELS OF IRON OR STEEL.
(a) Steamers, 145 francs per gross register ton.
(b} Sailing vessels, 95 francs per gross register ton.
These bounties are reduced annually by Fes. 4.50
per ton for steamers, and by Fes. 3 per ton for sailing
vessels, during 10 years from the application of the
law, and at the end of that period they remain fixed
at 100 francs per gross register ton for steamers, and
65 francs per gross register ton for sailing vessels.
Consequently, a shipbuilder would only receive Fes.
140.50 per ton for a steamer built a year after the
application of the law ; Fes. 136 per ton two years
after, and so on, and in the same way for sailing vessels.
2. WOODEN VESSELS, WHETHER STEAMERS OR
SAILING VESSELS.
(a) Vessels of 150 tons or more, 40 francs per gross
register ton.
(b} Vessels under 150 tons, 30 francs per gross
register ton.
When vessels are altered so as to increase their
tonnage, bounties on the above scales are paid ac-
cording to the number of tons added.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 43
A bounty is also paid to the builders of the engines,
machinery such as steam pumps, dynamos, winches, etc.,
for steamers and sailing vessels alike, and boilers and boiler
tubes for steamers, at the rate of Fes. 27.50 per 100 kilos.
This bounty is reduced at the rate of 75 centimes
per annum for 10 years until it gets down to 20 francs
per 100 kilos ; it then remains fixed at that rate.
A bounty of 20 francs per 100 kilos is paid on the
new portions of machinery which is altered or repaired,
or on new machinery, boilers, etc., fitted to a vessel.
Seven-tenths of the above-named bounties are paid
as soon as the vessel is registered, if she is to sail under
the French flag, or as soon as she is cleared at the
Customs if she is to sail under a foreign flag.
The remaining three-tenths are only paid to vessels
registered under the French flag (two-tenths one year
after registration, and one-tenth two years after registra-
tion). Consequently, for a vessel built to sail under a
foreign flag, the builder only receives seven-tenths of
the bounty. Exceptionally, wooden vessels get the
whole of the bounty immediately, whether they are to
sail under the French or under a foreign flag.
So far as regards vessels which are intended to
benefit by the "Compensation d'Armement," the ship
builders' bounty is limited annually to 50,000 tons (gross)
of steam tonnage, and to 15,000 tons (gross) of sailing
tonnage, until the expiry of the law of 7th April, 1902.
The bounty is restricted to vessels of which the
engines and boilers, as well as the hull, have been built
in France, and of course applies only to vessels for the
merchant service.
44 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The bountv will not be paid to ship builders having
more than 10 per cent, of foreigners amongst the work-
men employed in their factories, yards and workshops.
COMPENSATIONS D'ARMEMENT.
The following bounties are paid on vessels sailing
under the French flag on ocean voyages or in the
international coasting trade.
STEAMERS.
4 centimes per gross ton and per day up to 3,000 tons.
3 centimes per additional gross ton and per day
from 3,001 to 6,000 tons.
2 centimes per additional gross ton and per day
from 6,00 1 tons and upwards.
SAILING VESSELS.
3 centimes per gross ton and per day up to 500 tons.
2 centimes per additional gross ton and per day
from 501 to 1,000 tons.
i centime per additional gross ton and per day
from 100 1 tons upwards.
The bounty is paid on vessels of 100 tons and
upwards, whether they are French or foreign built, except
that a foreign built vessel must be less than two years
old at the time she is naturalised.
The allowance is made during the period for which
the vessel has her full crew engaged, barring accidents,
that is from the time all hands have signed on until they
are paid off, and is reserved exclusively for vessels
which can prove an average daily run of :
90 miles for steamers whose speed on their official
trial (half loaded) was 14 knots and upwards.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 45
85 miles for steamers of an official trial speed of 12
to 14 knots.
65 miles for steamers of an official trial speed of 1 1
to i 2 knots.
55 miles for sailing vessels.
Further, it must be proved that the vessel has
carried from the time of leaving a French port to the
time of returning to a French port, cargo equal, in
freight tons, to a third of the nett tonnage of the ship,
and this for at least a third of the whole voyage.
The bounty is reduced by 10 per cent, for vessels
which have not carried cargo equal, in freight tons, to
at least half their nett register tonnage during at least
half the whole voyage.
It is reduced by 15 per cent, for steamers whose
>peed on their official trial was less than 10 knots but
equal to, or above, 9 knots.
No bounty is paid on vessels whose official trial
speed was under 9 knots.
The bounty is increased by :
(#) 10 per cent, for vessels whose official trial
speed was at least 14 knots.
(b) 20 per cent, for a speed of at least 15 knots.
(c) 30 per cent, for a speed of at least 16 knots.
The bounty is reserved for vessels whose port of
registry is situated in France.
O J
The bounty is paid on all ships coming within the
scope of the present law until they reach the age of 12
years, and the law has been passed for a period of 1 2 years.
The great difference between this law and the law
of 1902 is. that under the law of 1902 a bounty entitled
46 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
"Prime a la Navigation" was paid on French-built vessels,
and a separate bounty, at a different rate, entitled "Com-
pensation d'Armement," on foreign-built vessels, though
French-built steamers could choose between the two.
Under the present law there is only one bounty,
"Compensation d'Armement," and this is paid on French
and foreign-built vessels alike.
Another difference is that the "Compensation
d'Armement" under the law of 1902 was limited to a
maximum of 500,000 tons of steam tonnage and ioo,coo
tons of sailing tonnage, whereas there is no maximum
under the law of 1906.
Vessels built or naturalised under the previous laws
still profit by them for the periods specified therein.
The law of 1902 was more advantageous to steamers
up to 6,000 tons than that of 1906, but then the tonnage
participating in the bounty is limited under the law of
1902 and unlimited under that of 1906.
The total bounty to shipbuilders under the new law
must not exceed two millions sterling, which will allow
of the building of 50,000 tons of steam tonnage yearly, and
15,000 tons of sailing tonnage yearly, this in addition to
vessels already laid down before I3th March, 1902. As
regards ownership, the standing French laws require
that at least half the property in any French merchant
vessel shall be vested in persons of French nationality.
The new law stipulates with regard to joint stock
or other companies owning ships, and claiming the
advantages of the law, that the majority of the Board
of Directors, the Chairman or General Manager shall be
of French nationality.
CHAPTER III.
YARNS. VTGO HARBOUR. MARKET. LEIXOES. SHIP'S TIME. PORTUGUESE
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. ARMY AND NAVY. LISBON. CINTRA. LIFE
IN THE STEERAGE. CRICKET. PLEASANT TALK. SHARKS. MORE
YARNS. OBJECTS OF INTEREST. TENERIFFE. MUSIC. ST. VINCE' T.
THE CRICKET MATCH. COALING AND CABLE STATIONS.
TT was only natural next morning that after so much
tall talk we should be inclined to take things easy, and
as we were somewhat silent at breakfast, strange how
quiet we get at this meal as we get older, one of the
American ladies facetiously remarked that we were not
quite so smart as we were the evening before. Talking
of smartness, she said, reminded her of a friend of hers
in New York who wanted to put an end to the visits of
a rather tiresome but pushing lady acquaintance. After
submitting to her visits for a time, and wanting to stop
them, she determined that on the next occasion, she
would not offer her a chair. When the lady called she
apparently took no notice of the incivility, but a fort-
night later she came again and brought a camp stool
with her They were good friends after that. 'That
was a smart act,' said the gentleman opposite, and it
reminded him of a smart reply made by one of the old
Cunard skippers. He was a petulant, caustic old
fellow, who could not bear to be spoken to on duty.
One day he was endeavouring to take his regular obser-
vation of the sun, but after several attempts, rendered
ineffectual by the intervening clouds, he got angry, and
after easing his mind in alleged seamanlike fashion, he
4S TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
shut his instrument up with a bang and was moving
away, when a lady sitting near mischievously said,
'You failed to make your observation to-day, captain.'
The old fellow tartly replied, ' Yes, madam, but you
have not failed to make yours.'
As the fish came on the table, an Englishman who
was bound for Vigo, and who said there was some good
fishing to be had in the neighbourhood, commenced to
yarn, and when fishermen begin the rest of the company
may just as well be silent, as they will not have what
is familiarly styled 'the ghost of a chance.' He had
been fishing in the neighbourhood last summer, and
had caught such a large trout that after landing it the
water went down two inches, and, as we smiled some-
v/hat, he said he was prepared to take his ' davey '
(affidavit) . on it. 'I quite believe the story,' said
our Hibernian friend in his most serious vein, 'for 1
remember a tale of one of your countrymen who
trained a fish to come out of the stream and walk over
the bridge, crossing it on its fins, until one day it
fell between the planks and was drowned.' The
doctor, who happened to hear the last yarn, said it
was on a par with that of the lady who tried to drown
a cat in a bucket of water. As we had not heard the
story, he went on to say, ' Well, she tied a brick to the
cat's neck and placed it in the bucket, with a slate on
top. Next morning, when she went to take the cat
out, she found it sitting on the brick, having drunk all
the water.'
Meanwhile we had come to an anchor in the fine
harbour of Vigo, having performed the run of 133
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
50 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
miles from Corunna in 12 hours, The Bay of Vigo is
almost landlocked, the islands of Cies protecting- the
entrance, and the surrounding mountains looked beauti-
fully green and fresh in the morning sunlight. Boats
from the shore, laden with fruit, came off very early,
and a good business was done with the steerage
passengers. A large trade is done at the port in
sardines, and a small one in wine.
We went on shore, and found the town decorated
in anticipation of a visit from the King. It was market
day, and in a Spanish town the sight is well worth
seeing, and always full of variety. The fish market
was literally packed with sardines, large and small,
some mackerel, and a fish very much like an octopus.
The fruits and vegetables were in abundance, but the
finest sight of all at Vigo was the cattle, sheep, and pig
market, occupying several fields on the hillside behind
the town. The Spanish cattle looked splendid with
their large horns and tawny skins. The peasantry, in
their picturesque costumes, bargaining with the towns-
folk, the horsemen with their gay trappings, and the
beggars innumerable mingling together, made a living
picture not readily forgotten. One of our company
tried to bargain for a number of lambs to send home to
his wife, but judging, from his remarks, that his wife
had enough already, we intervened, and having got
him back in safety to the ship, started him on a game
of * bull board ' to work off his superabundant energy.
At 3 p.m. about six hours after leaving Vigo
we made the port of Leixces, but had no time to travel
to Oporto. It takes an hour to go and come from
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
51
there, by any of the three means of communication,
viz., train, electric and steam tram. There certainly is
not much to see in Leixces, the harbour is a bad one to
OPORTO.
' make ' on account of the exposed condition of the
entrance, and the anchorage inside is very limited.
We shipped a quantity of port wine, but lost a couple
of our passengers who thought they had time to run up
to Oporto, and we then steamed away for Lisbon, our
last port of call in Europe, and where our lost passen-
gers re-joined the ship, having come on by rail. As
the man in the crow's-nest sounded three bells (9.30
p.m.), and sang out, 'all's well,' we deemed it a good
time to settle down to our letters for home, as we
wished them to be sent off with the mail in the
morning.
62 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
With regard to ship's time, I ought to say that the
twenty-four hours are divided into seven parts, and the
ship's crew is divided into two parts, called the ' port '
OPORTO (RIVER).
and 'starboard watches.' Each watch is on duty four
hours, excepting between four and eight p.m., when the
time is divided into two watches of two hours' duration
each, called 'dog' watches, by-means of which the watches
are changed every day, and each watch gets a turn of
eight hours' rest at night. First watch, 8 p.m. to mid-
might ; middle watch, midnight to 4 a.m. ; morning
watch, 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. ; forenoon watch, 8 a.m. to
noon ; afternoon watch, noon to 4 p.m. ; first dog
watch, 4 to 6 p.m. ; second dog watch, 6 to 8 p.m.
The watches of the senior officers in charge of the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 53
steamer's bridge are each of two hours' duration, giving
every officer two hours on duty and four hours off.
Bells are sounded every half-hour, commencing at
12.30 a.m. with one bell, and so on until 4 a.m., which
is 8 bells. 4.3 a.m. is one bell again, and these
periods of 8 bells continue in rotation until 4 p.m. We.
then have two periods of one to four bells during the
dog watches, and then resume i to 8 bells again.
At 5.30 a.m. we were at anchor in the Tagus, off
Lisbon, having performed the run of about 175 miles
from Leixces in 12 hours. As we did not wish to go on
shore until after breakfast, we made some enquiries as
to the imports and exports of Portugal, and found that
the former consist of manufactured goods, hardware,
cotton and woollen stuffs, machinery, wheat, sugar,
dried fish, coal, &c. ; and the latter, to the extent of
one-half, of wine, which is the principal product of the
country, the other moiety being made up of cork, cattle,
copper ore, fruits, oil, sardines, and salt. The country
is not in a good way financially, as the revenue is less
than the expenditure, the national debt amounting to
about 31 per head.
The King of Portugal was on board his yacht not
far from the town, and the ' Oropesa ' saluted by
dipping her flag as she passed. Portugal has an army
of about 34,000 men when at peace. In war time she
can raise about 1 74,000. She has a navy of about 40
steamers, but many of the boats are old and of little if
any use.
The city of Lisbon is particularly interesting with
its fine squares, and large public buildings. * Roly
ol TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Motion ' Square is possibly the best of its kind, and it
would, we thought, be somewhat amusing to see a
ship's fireman walk across it after a day on shore.
The flag work of the Square is laid in suchwise that
to the eye it presents an uneven appearance, although
perfectly flat. Scarcely anyone can walk on it at
first without hesitation, the optical delusion being
perfect.
The thing, however, to do, if time permits, is to
take train from Lisbon to Cintra. This is a delightful
run through a charming country, beautified by its
orange and lemon groves, its forests of oak, chesnut,
pine and cork. Quite an extensive business is done at
Lisbon in oranges, limes and cork. The cork can be
stripped after the tree is ten years old without injury to
the tree.
The drives round Cintra, when that delightful
spot is reached, are perfect in fact the place is a
small Paradise. The Pena Palace, standing on the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
oo
pinnacle of a hill some 1,800 feet in height, looks
quite romantic and commands a magnificent vista ;
unfortunately we were unable in the short time at
our disposal to inspect it.
All things, however, good and bad, come to an
end, and we had to hurry through much we would
have liked to enjoy leisurely, in order to rejoin
our steamer : her
overland mails
were expected to
be on board by 4
p.m., when the
anchor would be
weighed. The
third-class passen-
gers were having
a good time when
we got on board,
singing and danc-
ing in their own
Galician fashion,
and cracking their
fingers in imitation
CINTRA.
of the castanets.
It was amusing to watch them, and they apparently
enjoyed the plaintive music. They were a merry lot,
though their tunes seemed sad. Their hopes ran
high, no doubt, when turned towards the vast and
resourceful country to which they were emigrating,
and these gave warmth and motion to their dance.
We were soon under weigh and passing by
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the Moorish Tower of Belem out into the broad
Atlantic. The sea was almost as blue as the Medi-
terranean, calm as the proverbial millpond, and
there was just enough breeze to temper the heat
of the day. The boys talked of cricket for the
CRICKET ON BOARD.
morrow, and getting out their linen suits. Now for
cricket on board ship one wants, I think, more
craft than science, and some of the old stagers
next day, after the nets had been put up and the
teams selected, looked out wilily for awkward places
to knock the ' tow ' balls into. The companionway
leading to the main deck belo\v, and a corner where
the net did not come low enough to stop the ball
from getting on to the steerage deck, proved to be
favourite spots, and in spite of close ( fielding ' a
good many runs were made by the canny batsmen.
The bowling was fast and furious, the batting
scientific and otherwise principally ' otherwise ' and
the match keenly contested in every way. So satis-
factory was it that the talk was that we could
easily beat the fellows at St. Vincent, who regularly
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
57
challenge the officers and passengers of the Liners,
and almost as regularly thrash them. Daily practice
was at once enthusiastically resolved upon, and the
determination made to redeem the position.
The chief officer and doctor entertained the
company in the evening with a magic lantern perform-
ance on deck, and both being expert photographers,
some exceptionally good and rare plates were shown.
After that some pleasant talk was indulged in, and
amusement obtained by getting some of our Spanish
friends in whose language the aspirate is silent, to say
in a breath, sounding every 'h,' the well-known
imposition : 'tis not the hunting with the hounds that
hurts the hoofs of the horses, but the . hammer,
hammer, hammer on the hard, high road.' One man
said it reminded him of a * Dicky Sam ' (Liverpudlian)
who used to say ' I never 'ave an 'oliday but I go to
'Oylake, its 'ealthy and its 'andy, and its within 'ail
of 'ome.' Then
the steerage set up
their never-ending
*Ta ral a la,' and
their castanets
commenced to
crack, their guitars
to tinkle, and over
all the noise made
by the water swish-
ing against our
ship's sides as she
was pushed rapidly
forward, mingling
EMIGRANTS ON BOARD.
68 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
with music, created a feeling too much akin to per-
petual motion or the bagpipes, and we were fain to
seek the repose our bunks afforded.
Next morning someone casually remarked that
he had seen a shark, and the conversation then
turned upon these and other monsters of the deep.
One or two stories were told which interested us
and which may bear repetition.
The skipper's yarn :
'Some years ago,' said the captain, 'I sailed
on board a barque with a chum who had a pet
monkey. Jacko was always up to pranks, and kept
the whole ship's crew in good humour with his
mimicry. . One day, however, sad to relate, he took
ill and died. Well, we had all become so fond of
Jacko that we determined to give him Christian
burial, so we sewed him up neatly in canvas, read
the burial service over him, and committed his
body to the deep. Next day, noticing a large shark
following the ship, we baited a line with a piece
of pork, and very soon succeeded in catching and
hauling the monster on board. Cutting it open, to
our great astonishment we saw the monkey just
as we had thrown it overboard, and some fifty
small sharks besides. Sharks, when they get fright-
ened,' continued the captain, Mike snakes, swallow
their young to protect them from danger, and vomit
them later when the danger is past ! ! '
Some of our party were inclined to be very sceptical
as to the truth of this story, and the captain had to put
up with a good deal of chaff as to the number of small
TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA. 59
sharks found. He held his ground, however, and
strange to say, when we were put in quarantine later,
on Flores Island, at the entrance to the River Plate, a
fisherman brought a large male shark on shore which
he had just caught, and cut it open, and we had
evidence to support the captain's statement. Inside
there were found the female and three young sharks.
The barrister's story : ' Your story, captain,' said
our Irish friend, ' reminds me of a lawyer who once
sailed with me on a yachting cruise. We had been on
shore, and my friend had changed a five pound note for
gold. Being doubtful as to the genuineness of one of
the sovereigns, he placed it between his teeth to bite it,
but by a strange mischance, some sudden lurch of the
vessel, or through one of the stewards falling against
him, he swallowed the gold. We at once got him an
emetic, but after many attempts all we could get back
was 135. 4d. He couldn't part with his usual fee of
6s. 8d.'
Another man apropos of sharks said it was
a curious fact that a shark's liver increases and
decreases with the moon. When the moon is at the
quarter the shark is very voracious and will eat any-
thing, having very little liver, but when at the full his
liver is enormous, and he is as particular and fastidious
as children are in these days of choice and plenty.
4 Moral ' said the skipper ' Don't fall overboard
when the moon is at the quarter unless you want to be
quartered like the monkey. 1
There are several kinds of sharks, but the blind shark
seems to be the most useful to mankind, as he is har-
00 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
pooned when his liver is at the full in order that it may
be reduced to so-called ' cod ' liver oil. The skins of
sharks are now being used to make ' chagreen, ' a tough
binding for books, &c. The shark which interested us
most, however, was the thresher, the great enemy of the
whale, and on which it feeds. It has an enormous tail,
which it lifts high out of the water, and brings down
upon the whale with terrific force. We were privileged
off the Brazilian coast later to witness a fight between
these monsters, and we fancied we heard the thud as
the thresher struck the whale, although we were at least
a mile away. The thresher usually keeps up the fight
until it stuns and kills the whale. Every day we saw
something to interest us. Now it was a flying fish
which, attracted by the light on board at night, had
flown through an open port-hole and been captured,
and again it was some bird w r inging its flight across the
sea. A bird very much like a dove settled on the
boat deck and remained with us for the night, and it
frequently happens that tired birds alight on the ship.
In the Mediterranean flocks of swallows migrating,
alight at times on some passing ship for a temporary
rest, covering both decks and spars. It seems strange
how birds can find their way. They must be gifted with
marvellous instinct and sight, or may it be that atmos-
pheric influences have to do with the direction of their
flight ? The most pleasant sight on the third day
out from Lisbon was Teneriffe, and although we did
not call there, the land seemed pleasant and restful
to look upon, gladdening to our hearts and inspiring
to our friends in the steerage, who recommenced
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
61
twanging their guitars and dancing to some rapid
measure.
The weather was constantly getting warmer, and
there were ru-
mours of a grand
concert to be
held on the quar-
ter deck in* the
evening. There
were some musi-
cal people on
board, and at sea
music is always
much apprecia-
ted, shutoffasthe
small commu-
nity is from the
many pleasures obtainable on shore, and even though
the talent may not be up to the professional standard, it
always meets with a kindly welcome.
On our ship we had a musical captain, * quite
English you know,' and he soon roused the spirit of
enthusiasm in the passengers, the result being an
excellent concert, thoroughly enjoyable to all ; the
deck being beautified by an excellent arrangement of
flags and electric light. There was considerable tact
shewn in the placing of the flags, and none of our
foreign friends could take umbrage at the positions
assigned to their national emblems. How careful
one has to be in small and trivial things to avoid
offence just an injudicious placing, or the omission ot
EMIGRANTS ON BOARD.
62 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
one of the flags, and a schism would have been created
which might have marred the rest of the voyage.
Five days had now passed since we left Lisbon,
and we were counting the hours when we should put in
to St. Vincent, Cape de Verde Islands, and run up our
flag of victory. Practice had been vigorously main-
tained, and the older men had got their legs into
running order by prosecuting energetically that coolest
ST. VINCENT (SHEWING NAPOLEON'S HEAD).
of all games in the Tropics, ' tip and run.' The tipping
and running were all very well in their way, but the
throwing at the wickets was quite another matter. The
question was where to hide oneself, as in the wild excite-
ment of the game the ball went flying about in all
directions, and more often hit the cricketers than the
wickets.
TRADE AND TR VVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
At last the wished-for day arrived, and in the early
morning' we dropped anchor in St. Vincent Bay. Soon
a flotilla of boats surrounded the ship, and numbers of
negro boys, as one of the officers said * in their birthday
suits,' were offering coral and other articles for sale,
and also to dive into the sea for coins. Copper would
not tempt them, but they dive for any silver coin and
secure it before it can reach the bottom. These negroes
seem to live in the water, although there are plenty of
sharks in the vicinity, and some of the boys had lost
limbs in consequence.
The Bay of St.
Vincent is almost land-
locked, the harbour
being nearly surroun-
ded by low mountains
of the volcanic order,
very bare looking in
fact, more like moun-
tains of mud, with here
and there a reddish
tint as if some metal
existed, but without a
vestige of green. At
the entrance to the
harbour there is a soli-
tary rock about 180
feet high, called the
4 Bird ' rock, and on the top of this a light-house has
been built.
St. Vincent is a great coaling port and cable
BOYS DIVING.
64
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
station. All cables from Europe for the east coast of
South America and for Africa pass through this station,
which divides the distance of transmission too great
o
for a direct line and tends to greater security so far as
NATIVES OF ST. VINCENT.
the cable itself is concerned. The town viewed from
the ship presents a picturesque appearance, with its
fort, its white houses, and patches of green garden.
There are a few trees, principally Acacia bearing a
yellow flower some cokernut trees, palms and bellas
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. (T,
sombras (beautiful shadows), so called on account of
the pleasant shade afforded by their thick foliage. The
wharves and streets were populated principally by
negroes and negresses, wearing- all kinds of nondescript
garments, the children for the most part being naked.
When we went on shore we w r ere careful to hand
over all our valuables to the ship's purser, so that we
might get them again when we returned. Had we not
done this we would have locked everything up, as in
port all kinds of people get on board and they cannot
all be watched, and the shipowner is not responsible for
our baggage it is in our own custody.
Well, our team had been got together, and in
exuberant spirits started for the shore. Some of the
cable station fellows were already on the ground waiting 1
for us, and we became unusually silent after inspecting
them. Fine athletic men they were, and whatever tall
talk we had left, they soon took out of us. The cricket
ground was perfectly bare of grass, and cocoanut
matting abo-ut five feet wide was stretched over the
pitch. The 'Oropesa' team won the toss, and elected to
bat. Had we decided otherwise we might have made
a braver show, as none of our men having ever played
on matting before, did not know it was much easier
to step off the matting and run on the hard grourd
than attempt to run on the matting. After our first
two batsmen made the attempt of running on the
slippery matting, and tumbled continually, to the
merriment of the nigger boy spectators, who hurled
all sorts of remarks at them in broken English-
Portuguese being the language of the natives we
fiG TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
found out that, to keep the team on its legs, running
on the matting, must be abandoned, and the succeed-
ing batsmen gave better results. Soon the ship's
team was placed hors de combat with only 30 runs
to their credit, and then commenced the St. Vincent
innings. The ' W.G.' of the island was put in to bat,
and sino-le-handed raised the score, to our qreat discom-
o o
fiture, dangerously near our total. However, he
was well caught in the slips, but the next two men
soon put the score on the far side of 50. We were
fielding (or rather 'grounding') under great difficulties
and a blazing sun, and when any of our men did
occasionally ' butter ' a good chance, there was an
encouraging outburst of derisive shouts from the crowd
of scoffing niggers a most critical audience indeed.
The play continued until the score reached the century,
and then the home team most considerately agreed to
draw stumps. Somewhat wiser, though sadder, our
team plodded back to the club-house, where, thanks to
the kindness of their competitors, they soon recovered
their spirits. We then inspected Wilson, Sons & Co.'s
coaling arrangements, which are extensive. The coal
is stored on shore under sheds to protect it from
deterioration from the sun, and it is then shipped on
lighters, of which there is quite a fleet, and taken
out under tow to the steamers at anchor in the Bay.
There are three or four coaling firms of good stand-
ing in St. Vincent, and there are also one or two small
repairing establishments and stores, so that vessels
requiring same can be accommodated. We next
visited the Cable Station, and were much interested in
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. G7
what we saw, particularly the appliance for discovering
breakages in the cables, which is most ingenious, and
has, when occasion required, proved its accuracy.
Naturally, at St. Vincent, our minds turned prin-
cipally to- the subject of coal, and as coal creates an
enormous trade with our own country, and forms he
chief item of expenditure to the shipowner, we propose
to make it the subject of our next chapter.
( 68 )
CHAPTER IV.
COAL.
\lt 7"E had noticed at St. Vincent special lots of coal
marked as set apart for the Admiralty, who
discriminate, like most shipowners, as to the class of
coal to be supplied to His Majesty's ships, and whose
discrimination is to a large extent due to experiment.
Unless compelled by force of circumstances, the
Admiralty will only purchase coals of the kind named on
their published lists, and which, although somewhat
more expensive at first cost than other coals not listed,
generate steam more freely, are of slow combustion,
leave less ash and clinker, give less smoke, and are less
liable to damage the furnaces. It is acknowledged that
South Wales coal is the best in the world for steaming
purposes, hence the preference given and the higher
price paid for it. The following are the coals on the
Admiralty List, supplied to the British Navy :
Albion Merthyr. Insole's Cymmer.
Cambrian Navigation. Lewis Merthyr.
Cory's Merthyr (Penrikyber, Lockett's Merthyr.
Pentre and Gelli only). Maclaren Merthyr.
Cyfarthfa. National Merthyr.
Dowlais Cardiff. Naval.
Dowlais Merthyr. Nixon's Navigation.
Ferndale. Oriental Merthyr.
Great Western. Ocean Merthyr.
Harris's Deep Navigation. Penrikyber.
Hill's Plymouth Merthyr. Powell Duffryn.
Hood's Merthyr. Standard Merthyr.
Imperial Navigation. Rhymney Merthyr.
Insole's Merthyr. Ynysfaio Merthyr.
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
69
The undermentioned South Wales collieries also
supply large quantities of coal for shipping purposes.
These coals, though not so well known as those in
the Admiralty list, in some cases are no doubt quite
equal to their more favoured competitors, and may
later also be listed :
Ebbw Vale.
Griffins.
Nantyglo.
Lancaster's Navigation.
Powell's Tillery.
Blaenavon.
Vartig.
Vipond.
Abersychan.
Llanerch.
Llanithel.
Tyrpentwys.
Cwm Bran.
Risca Black Vein.
Caerphilly.
Rudry Merthyr.
Llanbradach.
Tynsfand Merthyr.
Fernhill.
Glyncorrwg.
Tylacoch.
Rhymney Merthyr.
Elder's
Craig.
Skyborwen.
Abernant.
Werfa.
I.letty Shenkin.
Maritime.
Tylors Merthyr.
Blaengawr.
Wayness Merthyr.
Bwllfa.
Nantmelin.
Cwmamman.
Dinas.
Tynbedw.
Rhondda Merthyr.
Dunraven Merthyr.
Bute Merthyr.
Ffaldan Oriental.
International.
North's Navigation.
Tredegar.
Newport Abercarn.
Navigation.
The subject of coal is so interesting, and of such
great moment, that some reference to its history and
70 TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
formation may be of service. The earliest mention of
what we know as coal being" used as fuel occurred
towards the close of the twelfth century, and there is
undoubted proof of the systematic raising of coal in
Newcastle in 1239, when a Charter was granted by
King Henry III. for that purpose. Coal was raised
also in Scotland and Wales in 1291, when a grant
was executed in favour of the Abbot and Convent
of Dunfermline.
Coal, which is admitted to be of vegetable origin,
is usually found in beds or seams, divided from each
other by strata or beds of shale, sandstone, or grit, and
hardened clay of varying thicknesses, the whole being
collectively termed the coal measures. The total thick-
ness of the coal measures in Shropshire and South
Staffordshire is from 1,000 to 1,600 feet, in North
Staffordshire it reaches 5,000 feet, and in South Wales
14,000 to 15,000 feet, and encloses 80 to 100 seams of
coal, each with its underclay, and separated from those
above and below by beds of sandstone and shale. It is
quite safe to say, therefore, that coal in Great Britain
will never be exhausted, as, owing to the temperature,
which is said to increase one degree Fahr. for every 60
feet below the surface, starting at 50 degrees Fahr.,
coal, even with an improved system of ventilation, is
not likely to be obtained from a greater depth than
4,000 feet The natural temperature of a coal mine
1,000 yards deep from the surface would be 100 degrees.
At a colliery in Lancashire coal is now being worked at
a depth of 1,100 yards from the surface. The question
of temperature is occupying the attention of the Royal
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 71
Commission which is now sitting for the purpose of
investigating the coal supplies of Great Britain. Coal
varies in specific gravity from about 1.25 to 1.33, or as
from one and a quarter to one and a third times as
heavy as an equal bulk of water. A cubic yard of solid
coal weighs 2,103 ^ s - to 2 > 2 43 an ^ since 2,240 Ibs.
equal one ton, it is quite exact enough to say a cubic
yard is a ton weight. A coal seam gives a million tons
of coal per foot thick per square mile, though a
deduction of at least 10 per cent, should be made from
this for loss in working and faults. Seams are of very
different thickness and quality some workable and
some unworkable. Seams of less than 18 or 24 inches
do not repay the cost of working.
'Nature,' says Professor Huxley, 'is never in a
hurry, and seems to have had always before her eyes
the adage "keep a thing long enough and you will
find a use for it." She has kept her beds of coal many
millions of years without being able to find much use
for them. She has sent them down beneath the sea,
and the sea beasts could make nothing of them. She
has raised them up into dry land and laid the black
veins bare, and still for ages and ages there was no
living thing on the face of the earth that could see any
sort of value in them, and it was only the other day, so
to speak, that she turned a new creature out of her
workshop, who, by degrees, acquired sufficient wits to
make a fire, and then to discover that the black rock
would burn.'
Coal may be conveniently classed for our purpose
into three kinds anthracitic or stone coal, bituminous,
and cannel coal.
-> TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Anthracitic coal, which in colour is black with a
black streak, does not soil the fingers when touched,
and is less easily kindled than any other kind of coal.
It contains from 90 to 95 per cent, of carbon and
hydrogen though the percentage of carbon is very
larg'e in proportion to the hydrogen oxygen and
nitrogen in small quantities. It is believed by some
that hard coal, i.e., anthracitic, and bituminous as it
approaches the quality of anthracitic, is formed of the
remains of hardwood forests, such as oak or elm, though
Professor Hull, in his admirable work The Coalfields
of Great Britain, attributes the difference between
anthracitic and softer coals to the agency of a high
internal temperature, and also to pressure. The softer
kinds of bituminous coal are doubtless the remains of
softer woods, such as firwood, and also of ferns and
other plants.
Bituminous coal, a black coal of various shades
containing a streak of greyish black lustre, is calculated
to be composed of 73 to 90 per cent, of carbon. The
term ' bituminous coal ' is somewhat deceptive, as it
does not mean that any bitumen or mineral pitch is
contained in it, but that the gases oxygen, hydrogen
and nitrogen enter more largely into its composition
than in anthracitic, and give it a more flaming character
in burning. The varieties of bituminous coal recognised
are named after their chief properties, viz., free burning,
steam or smokeless coal, non-caking coal. These in
varying grades approach the anthracitic, and are prin-
cipally valued for engine and smelting purposes.
Cannel is commonly considered a variety of bitu-
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN 'SOUTH AMERICA. T:*
minous coal. It is frequently found in layers parallel
to those in which the bituminous coal occurs. Some
experts consider that cannel should be separated from
coals proper, as there is a general absence of vegetable
fibre in its structure. Its name from cannyl a candle
is derived from the readiness with which it lights and
gives off a steady flame.
From the twelfth to the eighteenth century coal
was valued only for its heat ; but in the beginning of
the latter century the advent of steam gave an added
value and usefulness to it, viz., the generation of force,
a force which \vas to revolutionise the labour market
of the world, bring into close relationship distant
countries, and be turned to account in the raising of
coal itself from depths, and under circumstances, pre-
senting difficulties hitherto unsurmountable. Early in
the nineteenth century another channel of usefulness
was found for coal in the production of gas or Hghtj a
blessing of incalculable greatness, not only to the
individual in the matter of comfort, but also in that
of enabling work and discovery to be carried on under
conditions which previously rendered such impossible.
Warrington Smyth, in his work on coal and coal
mining, says :
' Many new and striking applications of coal have
within the last few years rewarded the exertions of
chemists. The once useless and fetid products of its
distillation have been made to yield sweet scents and
savours. From its naphtha are obtained the parafine
oil and the brilliant translucent solid parafine, which in
brilliancy and purity excels wax itself ; and from its
ci
74 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
analine are obtained a galaxy of brilliant colours,
among- which need only be named the popular mauve
and magenta to prove the varied forms under which
the products of coal have found their way into the
useful arts.'
'Coal,' says Jevons, 'as fuel, or the source of
fire, is the source at once of mechanical motion and
chemical change. As the source of steam and iron,
coal is air powerful.' 'Perhaps,' he continues, 'the
most wonderful mode of employing coal is in the ice
machine. By such machines we may make fire in
the hottest climate produce the cold of the Polar
regions.'
The five principal coal-producing countries of the
world are the United Kingdom, Germany, France,
Belgium, and the United States, and the production
during the year 1900 approximated to the following
figures :
United States - - 245,422,000 tons of 2,240 Ibs.
United Kingdom - 225,181,000 ,, ,,
Germany - - 109,225,000 ,, ,,
France - 32,587,000 metric tons.
Belgium - - 23,352,0^0 ,, ,,
The quantities for 1900 are in all cases greater
than in any preceding year, though the production of
the United States has exceeded that of the United
Kingdom only during the years 1899 and 1900. The
official figures for 1901 have not yet been compiled.
The production of Germany represents less than half,
and that of France and Belgium together about a
quarter of that of the United Kingdom.
NOTE. The production in 1905 shews the enormous increase of over
100,000,000 tons in the United States, whilst the United Kingdom only shews
an increase of about 11,000,000.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 75
The total known production of the world is about
650,000,000 tons per annum, of which the United
Kingdom produces rather more than a third, and the
United King-dom and the United States together
account for nearly three quarters.
It is interesting, and instructive also, to mark the
production of coal in the principal British Colonies and
Possessions in the year 1899.
New South Wales - 4,597,000 tons of 2,240 Ibs.
Victoria 262,000 ,,
South Australia - nil
Western Australia 54,000 ,, ,,
Queensland - 494,000 ,, ,,
Tasmania - 43,000 ,, ,,
Total Australia - 5,450,000
New Zealand - 975,000 ,, ,,
Canada - 4,506,000 ,, ,,
Cape Colony 186,000 ,, ,,
Natal - 329,000 ,, ,,
It will be seen that New South Wales, with an
output of four and a half million tons, furnishes over
five-sixths of the total coal production of Australia.
The output of Australia as a whole, that of Canada
and that of Cape Colony were in 1899 higher than any
previously recorded. In Natal there was a falling
off, presumably owing to the outbreak of the war in
South Africa. The Transvaal is not included above,
nor are the figures obtainable for 1899. In 1898 its
coal production amounted to nearly two million
tons.
76 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The three principal exporting countries are the
United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.
The figures are-
Tons.
United Kingdom - 58,405,000
Germany - 18,055,000
United States - 7,558,000
The coal-producing countries which import coal in
excess of the amount they export are Russia, Sweden,
France, Spain, Italy and Austria-Hungary, whilst the
British Colonies and Possessions w r hich do so are
Canada, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia,
Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Cape
Colony and British India.
The consumption of coal per head of population in.
1899 in the countries named below is as follows :
United Kingdom 4'5 tons.
United States - 3'oo ,,
Belgium - 2 '83 ,, metric.
Germany - i '66 ,, ,,
France - i'io ,, ,,
Anstria-Hungary - '39 > >
Russia - o-i2 ,, ,, in 1898,
Apart from the demands of steam shipping, the
consumption of coal per head of population is found in
the highest proportion in those countries where steam
traction and machinery worked by steam are mostly in
use, such as the United Kingdom, United States and
Belgium ; and the lowest in those countries where
machinery is (comparatively speaking) but little used,
such as Russia and Austria.
The above statistics have been compiled from the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 77
statement furnished by the Commercial Labour and
Statistical Department of the Board of Trade to the
Honourable the House of Commons in June, 1901.
It may be taken for granted that every colliery owner
praises his own coal, and whilst the price may be taken
as an index, to a certain extent, of the comparative value
of the coal, popularity with consumers and the con-
sequent increased demand enhances the price some-
times beyond the intrinsic value. In addition to the
quality of the coal there are other circumstances which
affect the cost, viz., nearness to the surface, improved
machinery, cost of labour, &c.
There are naturally great differences of opinion as
to the relative values of the coal taken from the various
South Wales collieries above enumerated, and any list
put forward would be open to a certain amount of
question. The best known probably are :
Albion. Standard.
Dowlais, Cardiff (Abercynon), Hill's Plymouth.
Penrikyber. Lewis Merthyr.
Ferndale. Insole's Cymmer.
Ocean. Cyfarthfa.
Nixon's Navigation. Powell Duffryn.
Cambrian. Insole's Merthyr.
Locket's Merthyr. Great Western.
National. North's Navigation.
Hood's Merthyr. International.
Naval.
Dowlais Merthyr.
There is no doubt it is very difficult to arrive at a
true estimate of the value of the several coals used for
steaming- purposes, as the conditions as to the ship's
78 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
draft and the weather are constantly varying" at sca r
though fairly accurate results may be arrived at in
stationary engines on shore. Some coals, those of a
flaming" character, are distinctly bad for furnaces and
boilers, and should be avoided. Large quantities of
Scotch, Newcastle, North Wales, Yorkshire, Lanca-
shire and other coals are used for steaming purposes,
but the opinion of the steam trade hitherto has been
that it is better and cheaper in the end to pay the
higher prices current for South Wales coal. It may be
that in the past sufficient attention has not been paid
to the fact that different coals require different methods
of consumption. Steamers as at present constructed
are adapted for the consumption of the very best South
Wales coal, which requires a fierce draught. Softer
coals might produce results approximating to South
Wales if proper conditions as to draught can be arrived
at. Some lines forced to use Lancashire and Stafford-
shire coals during the strike in South Wales obtained
such good results that they have never gone back to
the South Wales coal, the difference in price more than
compensating for the small extra consumption. Given
proper conditions as to combustion not too much
cleaning of fires, and a proper arrangement of fire bars,
it is contended by Lancashire colliery owners that the
extra consumption over South Wales coal would not be
more than 8 per cent., and by South Staffordshire
owners that there would be no difference at all.
North Wales steam coal may be taken to be from
10 per cent, to 15 per cent, inferior to South Whales
coal. The principal collieries in North Wales are the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 79
Westminster Brymbo, Vauxhall, Llay Hall, Broughton
and Plas Power, Gatewen, Brynkinalt, Bersham,
Wynnstay and Black Park.
Scotch coal is certainly not looked upon favourably
by the steam trade. Those principally used are
Aitken, Glencraig, Gartshore, Denny, and Herbertehire
Navigation. Some of these coals it has been found
desirable to mix, say in the proportion of two-
thirds Gartshore to one-third Denny, and in others the
colliery proprietors have deemed it desirable to issue
instructions as to firing-. There is, of course, an art in
stoking as well as in the arrangement of the draught
previously named, which shipowners have found to their
cost when compelled through strikes or from other causes
to employ unskilled men. Some advocate ' thin ' and
frequent firing, i.e., not more than a few shovelfuls of
coal ought to be put on at a time, and no fresh coal
added until the white heat developed by the previous
firing has begun to die away. It is advocated that
' thin ' firing reduces the consumption and the per-
centages of ash and clinker. Some coals also burn
better if slightly wet.
The best descriptions of coal obtainable for bunker-
ing at Newcastle-on-Tyne are from the Mickley,
Townley and Priestman's Collieries. Durham coal is
also supplied.
The cost of coal represents 25 to 49 per cent,
of the outlay in running a steamer, and it we take the
consumption of one of our first-class Atlantic liners,
say a Cunard or a White Star steamer, at 500 tons a
day, and say she steams on an average 182 days in the
80 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
year, her coal bill, using exclusively South Wales coal
delivered at Liverpool (which as a matter of fact they
do not do on the homeward trip, buying instead a
North American coal nearly equal to South Wales), at
the present* ruling price for such coal, viz., 225. per ton,
her coal bill will amount to ^100,100 per annum.
It will not, therefore, surprise any of my readers
when I say that the question of how to economise in
the use of coal is one which is ever engaging" the
attention of engineers, shipbuilders, and shipowners.
Power is frequently wasted, and it has been found that
engines of the old-fashioned and low-pressure type,
consuming about 6 to 7 Ibs. of coal per indicated horse
power, have been superseded by the present multiple
cylinder expansion type with much higher boiler pres-
sures, and these have reduced the consumption to about
a fourth of that of earlier times.
Fuel may readily be wasted by an improper know-
ledge as to its use ; for instance, if the intensity of the
heat be too great, the earthy parts of the fuel combine
with some portion of the carbon and fuse, forming
clinkers, and by this means some combustible matter
is lost. Engineers consider that this effect takes place
at 1,500 degrees. It is therefore inferred that the heat
should not exceed 1,200 degrees. As deep an ashpit as
possible is also needed in order that the fire may be
supplied with sufficient oxygen to aid combustion.
One foot of grate surface is usually allowed for about
ten indicated horse-power, with natural draught, to
about 15 with forced draught.
The three principal points in good coal are rapidity,
* August, 1907.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 81
duration of action, and resistance to breakage. There
is also a further point, viz., its density or capacity for
being stored in a small space. To get thoroughly
efficient firing, it is considered that the coal should not
be greater in size than an egg, and therefore every coal
that will not pass a ring of about two and a half inches
diameter should be broken and freed frequently, thinly,
and equally over the surface of the fire.
The North American coal which holds the best
reputation at the moment is Pocahontas. It is a good
steaming coal with about 15 per cent, of white ash and
clinker, and is considered to be within 5 to 10 per cent,
inferior to South Wales coal. It is a very small coal.
There are a number of good North American coals,
but our American cousins believe in combination, and
they have therefore agreed to sell at the same prices.
Those in the combination are :
Collieries or Brand of Coal. Loading- Point.
Pocahontas - Norfolk.
Eureka Philadelphia.
New River - Newport News.
Do. West Virginia - Do.
Pennsylvania Philadelphia.
West Virginia Steam - Baltimore.
Do. Philadelphia.
Merchants (Pennsylvania) Baltimore.
Tunnelton - Do.
Coals supplied at Pensacola Harbour have also a
good reputation.
The same steamer, running at 11.5 knots per hour,
burnt 55 tons per day of Newport News coal as against
58 tons of Lancashire.
82 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
An analysis of the coals from the Merchants coal
mines gives the following- results:
Moisture '67 per cent.
Non-combustible volatile matter - 1*52 ,,
Combustible volatile matter - - 16*78 ,,
Fixed carbon - 74'7
Ash - 6-33 ,,
Total - - 100 'oo ,,
Sulphur - '85 ,,
Another of the New River coals gives the fol-
lowing:
Moisture - - 1*71 per cent.
Volatile matter - - 25*74 >
Fixed carbon - - 70*65 ,,
Ash - - 1*90 ,,
Total - loo'oo ,,
Sulphur - -53 ,,
This is an excellent coal, the ash being exceptionally
low and the volatile matter high. The sulphur is also
below the average amount found usually.
These two examples will suffice to give a fair idea
of the better classes of North American coal supplied on
the Atlantic seaboard. There are many others, of
course, of inferior quality, and there are also good coals
supplied at the Pacific North American ports.
We are, however, in this work more concerned
with coal as it affects South America, to which country
large quantities are exported yearly from the United
Kingdom.
Coal is found in South America in limited quan-
tities, but that country depends mainly for its supplies
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 83
upon the United Kingdom and Australia. It is
impossible in the space at our disposal to enter upon
the question of supplies from Australia, except in the
brief way in which we do later ; but this chapter would
be sadly incomplete were we to omit such particulars
as are at our command respecting the coal resources
of South America.
It was my privilege and pleasure to visit a number
of coal mines in the south of Chile, and there is no
doubt we shall witness in the near future some important
developments in the production of this commodity.
Coal has not as yet been discovered in the Brazils
which will bear the cost of working. Coal deposits
were, some years ago, found at Tubarao, in the States
of Santa Catharina, and at Aroya dos Rabos, in Rio
Grande do Sul. Quoting from the Iron and Coal Trade
Review, the first caused the construction of the Railway
' Dona Theresa,' but after the mine was opened and
a cargo shipped to Monte Video, it was found that it
would not sell for a price sufficient to pay the freight;
and the railway, after many and various experiences,
now burns Cardiff coal instead of using the local mine.
That of the Aroya dos Ratos is considered somewhat
better, but for many purposes it is entirely useless, pro-
ducing a thick coating of soot on the boilers, and
giving a large quantity of ash and clinker. In fact it
is of such poor quality that it is considered of no
importance ; and this is said to be the best coal deposit
that Brazil has yet found.
Coal has not up to the present been found in
Aro-entina, although the Government has offered a
c"> O
84 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
considerable reward (some ,4,000) to the fortunate
prospector.
Chile, on the other hand, produces some very good
coal, the best known and the most highly valued being
that from Coronel, the Schwager and Lota Company's
mines. The total output of the Schwager and Lota
mines amounts to about half a million tons per annum ;
but this is insufficient for local consumption.
Coals have been found in the neighbourhood of
Punta Arenas on the Straits of Magellan at Loreto,
but the mine, which we inspected, was only being
worked to a small extent near the surface, and the coal
produced, whilst used for household purposes, is
scarcely fit for steamers. Possibly if the mine assum-
ing that there are deeper seams were properly
exploited, by means of modern machinery, harder and
better coals might be found which would very materi-
ally conduce to the prosperity of this thriving Chilian
colony. Coal has also been found in Tierra del Fuego,
in close proximity to the Straits of Magellan, and a
company is in process of formation for working it. If
the coal should prove to be suitable for steaming pur-
poses, it will be of great value to ships passing through
the Straits, as the nearest Chilian ports at which coal
can be obtained are Lota and Coronel. There is a
coalfield in the Province of Valdivia, at Catamatun,
near the River Tutu, but the results of working were
unsatisfactory, and the mines have been abandoned.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Company, and the
native Chilian Steam Ship Company (Compania Sud
Americana de Vapores), which works in conjunction
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 85
with it on the west coast of South America, as also all
other steamers running to the West Coast, are large
consumers of Chilian coal, but naturally the largest
consumer is the Government, for the use of its railways,
&c. Coals from the Lota, Arauco, Rojas, and Buen
Retiro mines are also well known, but they are not
generally considered as good as Schwager's for steam-
ing purposes. They are all, however, suitable for
locomotive and stationary engines, and are bought
largely by the Chilian Government.
Through the courtesy of the Arauco Coal Co.,
Limited, the writer had an opportunity of visiting the
Peumo, Colico, and Curanilhue mines. The coal
from these mines is bright and clean, but light, and
possibly of very quick combustion. The Peumo mine can
be worked very cheaply, as good coal is found near the
surface in fairly large quantities ; but as it is some dis-
tance from the seaboard, the long haulage materially
affects the price, say to the extent of about three
shillings per ton, and makes it somewhat difficult to
sell in competition with the Lota and Schwager coals,
which are found close to the ports of Lota and Coronel.
The officials of the Arauco Company were of opinion
that the Peumo coal, mixed with that from the Colico
mine, would make an excellent coal for steaming pur-
poses. The total output of the Arauco Company's
mines is about 200,000 tons per annum, and they
supply the Chilian Government with some 20,000 tons
yearly for the use of their locomotives.
The Curanilhue mine was discovered through a
simple act of kindness. An Indian one day was
86 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
watching the operations at the Peumo mine, and as he
was given a little tobacco and some food, he said he
could point out, many leagues away, a large hole in
the mountain from which smoke proceeded, and which
was held in great awe by the Indians. In fact, it was
their custom to make a wide detour to get out of the
presence of what they regarded as the evil spirit. After
some further talk with him he agreed to lead an expedi-
tion to the spot, and the result was the opening up of
the Curanilhue mine, about 40 miles by rail from
Coronel.
It may be useful for reference if I give the analysis
of several Newcastle (N.S.W.) coals, as set forth in the
Government Blue Book, as a considerable quantity of
Australian coal is now consumed on the West Coast of
South America. The coal preferred for steamer use is
undoubtedly the Southern coal, which comes from the
district about 100 miles south of Newcastle. The
reason for this is the amount of fixed carbon, and the
fact that it does not fiare. The following are some of
the best of the Newcastle coals :
Burwood. Co-operative. Dudley.
Duckenfield. Newcastle Seaham. Wallsend.
West Wallsend. Waratah.
The analysis of coals specified below are
Moisture.
Volatile
Hydro-
carbon.
Fixed
Carbon.
Ash.
Sulphur.
Coke.
Burwood
i '62
35-58
57-90
4'9
62-80
Co-operative
2*45
34.38
58-24
4'2O
73
62-44
Duckenfield
2 '59
33-S7
5 6 '49
5-61
1-44
62*10
Seaham
173
36-01
57-14
474
38
61 -S3
Wallsend
275
34-17
57-22
4-64
1 '22
6 1 -86
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 87
In Peru, in the neighbourhood of Chimbote, the
coal deposits are said to be large and easily worked, as
both anthracitic and bituminous coal exist on the
surface and in ridges above the surface. The coal has
not as yet come under the notice of the steam trade, and
I doubt if it has been worked at all, as no reference is
found in any of the Consular Reports to it.
Coal has also been recently discovered in Ecuador,
at a distance of about 116 miles from Guayaquil, and
six miles from the Guayaquil and Quito Railway at
Columbe. The coal has been tested on the railway
(not yet completed) with very good results. There
are a number of seams varying from one foot to six>
and the quantity is said to be practically unlimited.
An analysis of the coal has been made, and is as
follows :
Moisture - 15 '9 P er cent-
Volatile and Combustible Matter - 47-1 ,,
Fixed Carbon 30-2 ,,
Ash - 6'8 ,,
With the exception of six miles the entire haul of
this coal to Duran (opposite Guayaquil) is downgrade.
This coal will shortly compete with Chilian for West
Coast consumption.
In shipping coal or chartering a vessel to carry
coal on freight, it is always well, as a matter of pre-
caution, to ascertain the rate at which same can be
insured, as owing to the risk of fire in certain classes of
coal, underwriters will, in some cases, not insure at all,
and in others demand a high premium.
The great question in regard to our coal supplies
88 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
in general is how long they will last at the present rate
of consumption, and from time to time experts have
been very much concerned in answering it and fore-
shadowing trouble in the future. Its disappearance
will certainly not come in our time, and as oil is now
being brought more freely into use as a substitute for
coal, and fresh coalfields are being continually dis-
covered in various parts of the world, I think we can
very well, though opposed to my general principle,
leave the future in this matter to take care of itself.
There is no doubt that liquid fuel has many advantages
over coal for steamship purposes. It can be carried in
the ballast tanks of the steamers, though these may
require extra plating to resist the action of the oil, and
as 100 tons of oil will do as much work as 162 tons of
coal, though the initial cost of both is about the same,
there is a great saving in the time required to put the
fuel on board and in the freight-carrying capacity of
the steamer by taking oil instead of coal, and also in
the wages account, as no coal trimmers are needed,
and the stokers can be reduced by two-thirds. If a
continuous supply of oil at a reasonable price can be
assured the near future will see a great transition from
coal to oil, especially as the furnaces can readily be
adapted to the altered circumstances, though the con-
struction of suitable places to carry the oil in old
steamers is no doubt a difficulty, as the ordinary coal
bunkers are not oiltight.
The Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Co.,
Limited, have fitted at their works at Wallsend-on-
Tyne about 100 vessels with liquid fuel-burning installa-
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 89
tions, and they draw public attention to the special
feature of the installation whereby coal or oil can be
burned at will, so that an owner has the option, in
whatever part of the world the steamer may be, of
taking either coal or liquid fuel on board, whichever he
may find to be most economical, provided, of course,
the latter is obtainable.
One of the objections to using oil is the alleged
danger of fire, but as it has been proved by actual
experiment that residuum oil, i.e., crude oil robbed of
its benzine and a portion of its kerosine, can be used,
there is absolutely no danger.
CHAPTER V.
NEPTUNE. CROSSING THE LINE. FLYING FISH AND DOLPHINS. ASTRO-
NOMY. WHIST. CONCERT. FERNANDO NORONHA. PERNAMBUCO.
WHALES. CATAMARANS. A SCENE. TRADE OF PORT. POPULATION.
RAILWAYS AND TRIPS. FESTAS. CURRENCY. DISCOVERY OF BRAZIL.
AMAZON RIVER. RUBBER. MINERALS. IMMIGRATION. COASTING
TRADE. TRADE POSSIBILITIES.
"\ ^ 7E finished coaling at St. Vincent at about three
o'clock in the afternoon on the day of our arrival,
and steamed away at once for Pernambuco, some 1,620
miles distant, and where we expected to arrive in five
days. The talk was that we should cross the Equator
in less than four days, and that it was fully expected
Neptune, accompanied by some of his satellites, would
come on board to hold his accustomed revel, and
baptise those who had never previously crossed the
line. There was great excitement in consequence ; but,
alas, we were doomed to disappointment. One of the
passengers said it was due to the fact that we had so
many handsome ladies on board, and the mermaids
down below were too jealous to allow the Sea King to
come aboard, and possibly he may have preferred the
peace of ages to a momentary pleasure. We should
certainly have welcomed him, and there were quite a
number of men who were searching for collars for the
occasion, and who had ceased shaving for a time in
order to put to test the well-known keenness of the razor
used in the ceremonial rites, so they said, and we
make a point of always believing what we are told.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA. 91
Then, of course, there would be the great bath, for
Neptune insists upon complete immersion ; but he
never came, and the reader can quite as well imagine
VISIT OF NEPTUNE CROSSING THE "LINE."
the reason as the writer. He certainly had visited the
' Oropesa ' on her previous voyage, for the captain
held the following account of the proceedings, which
had been duly published :
' Up from the vasty deep came the Sea God,
* with crown on head and trident in hand. With
1 Amphitrite then came her attendants to receive
' tribute from those who had crossed the line
' before, in the shape of pleasant goods to vary
' the monotony of the fishy diet on which they are
4 obliged to feast. So they sat in solemn state on a
92 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
4 throne built for their majesties, and presided over
' the shaving process, for which a huge sail was filled
4 with water, and the men having been blindfolded,
4 were presented each in turn to his majesty, with a
4 few remarks as to the' character given him by his
4 messmates. His majesty, having graciously spoken
' a few words to his new subjects, directed his attendant
4 barber which of the great razors to use for the
4 shaving. Another moment and they were covered
' with soapsuds, yet another and they were tilted off
' the platform on which they stood into the sail,
' where they were ducked and ducked again by each
1 of the ' bears ' who came with Neptune for the pur-
4 pose. How they spluttered, and how they gurgled,
' as they went down and then came up, whilst the
' greatest good humour and merriment prevailed, and
' laughter held both her sides, for in Neptune's court
' all is ever mirth and jollity.'
If we missed Neptune we at least saw plenty of
flying fish, one of which found its way into a lady's
cabin at night time, and fluttering around, startled
her considerably. It was very much like a small
herring, in appearance, with tiny wings. We some-
times took them for birds as, frightened at the ship's
approach, they would get up out of the water and skim
along its surface for a considerable distance. At other
times they leave the water because their enemy, the
4 bonito, ' or dolphin, is after them, and they require to be
very quick to escape. There were numbers of 4 bonitos '
to be seen, and the ease with which they passed
our ship, which was making at least fourteen knots at
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 93
the time, gave us some idea of the speed at which
they can travel. Several sailing vessels passed quite
close to us, and the crew of one, a German boat, gave
us three cheers.
-
DOLPHINS.
What glorious sunsets we had every night, would
that I could depict them ; and what astronomers we
became later when the heavens were ablaze with stars
innumerable ! A knowledge of astronomy is necessary
in the case of the navigator, and to the ordinary tra-
veller the subject is one full of interest and surprising
delights. A dispute arose at dinner as to whether the
Sun, Moon, and Venus were ever visible together, but
it was settled the same night in the affirmative. Whe-
ther as the result of the Sun and Venus being seen
together, and the old lady Lunar becoming angry, I
!U TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA,
cannot say, but certain it is we had a gale next morn-
ing, which somewhat interfered with our comfort. In
fact it was so bad that my vis-a-vis had to leave the
breakfast table, and when asked the reason replied that
he, too, had been studying the copy book heading
4 Eat to live,' &c. The captain called out to him,
' Tell us another ' ; but he hurried up on deck without
further remark.
It was interesting later to watch the waves, moun-
tains high, striking our vessel, and, after breaking over
her bows, bound away from her in clouds of rainbow
spray. It was refreshing also as we were experiencing the
full heat of the tropics, and it was difficult to keep cool
even when not moving. Then there was a great shout
from the steerage passengers, and looking over the side
we saw the cause of their excitement, as the sea
appeared to be literally alive with porpoises, jumping
out of the water and having a merry time generally.
A progressive whist party was proposed as a
counter attraction for the evening, and after invoking
the aid of the various nationalities on board, the rules
were produced in four languages, the whole of the
passengers invited, and a pleasant evening spent.
The Barber managed to provide the prizes, and the
' Boobies ' were interesting and caused considerable
o
amusement that for the lady was a handsome black
doll, and for the gentleman a large wooden spoon, with
the phrase ' You can beat with this ' neatly attached to
it. The foreigners proved themselves to be very keen
players, especially the Chilians, who play a native
game (Rocumbor) very much like whist, but said to be
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
EGG AND SPOON RACE.
more difficult. Entertainments of all kinds are very
acceptable at sea, and when the Brazilian passengers
came for-
ward with
the sugges-
tion that a
grand con-
cert should
be given in
honour of
the captain,
there was
general re-
j o i c i n g .
The concert
came off in due course, and there was also much
rejoicing later. k Honor to whom honor is due.' We
had an Ita-
lian poet on
board who
managed
to weave
the names
and attrac-
tions of all
the ladies
present into
his speech,
which took
the form of
a poem, but as he likened one lady to a full-blown
rose, signs were not wanting of another storm.
POTATO RACE.
96
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
TRIAL BY JURY.
Then we got into the south-east trade winds, which
made thing's cooler and more pleasant, and it was not
long- before
we came in
sight of the
island 'Fer-
nando No-
ronha/used
as a penal
settlement
for the State
of Pernam-
buco, also
as a quar-
antine and
cable station. It is about 300 miles north-east of
Pernambuco. The island presents a very barren but
still an imposing and pleasant appearance from the
sea, and is of peculiar formation. Formerly there were
1600 convicts on the island. One, a political prisoner,
endeavoured to escape in a small boat, but he was
picked up by a New York steamer, landed at that port,
re-arrested by the Brazilian Consul, and sent back
to the island. The late Emperor, however, pardoned
him, for his courage, after twelve months' imprisonment.
By a recent State concession the island was granted to
some private individuals for a coaling station, but so
far nothing has been done in that direction, and as the
facilities for coaling are not good, it does not appear
likely that the scheme will be carried out. On the
neighbouring island (Rata) a French firm is working,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 97
and shipments of phosphate have been made thence to
Genoa and Nantes. The loading berth between the
islands is said to be perfectly safe, and steamers can
load at from 100 to 150 tons of phosphate per day.
FERNANDO NOKONHA.
Shortly after passing the island we experienced
heavy weather, but it certainly was productive of some
amusement. There is, unfortunately, a tendency in
recounting experiences of rough weather to use language
of too explicit a character, but one of the many stories
we heard will bear repetition. Children often pass very
trite remarks, and have a happy fashion, due possibly
to their limited vocabularies, of mixing up ideas quite
foreign to each other,, and of expressing them in quaint
but telling ways. The youngster on this occasion was,
with a number of the other passengers, thrown down on
the floor of the saloon, and they were all so unwell as
not to be able to get up again for some time. The
gloom of the occasion was, however, relieved by the
little one remarking, ' Oh, Mammie, do stop it
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
walking.' She was only about four years old, and
when the storm was over she remarked, ' It wouldn't
stop walking although I holded the floor.'
On the morning of the fifth day after leaving St.
Vincent the Brazilian coast was sighted. It was a
beautiful morning, and, as usual off this coast, a high
sea was running. At 2 p.m. we anchored off Pernam-
buco, and were charmed with the general appearance of
the town, its red-roofed houses, the palm trees, light-
house and fort ; and the Olinda Hill in the distance
formed a fitting background to the picture. We were
welcomed by a large whale, which had evidently come
into shallow
water for a
scrub down
against the
coral reefs
which exist in
this neigh-
bourhood.
There were
quite a num-
ber of whales
' spouting ' in
our vicinity,
so it was evi-
dent there. was something of importance going on.
As bearing upon this, and as illustrating the usefulness
of bilge keels for purposes other than those named in
Chapter II, the writer cannot do better than repeat a
story told to him by the captain of the R.M.S. 'Orissa,'
running in the South American service.
WHALE DISAPPEARING.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 90
'The whale,' he said, 'is not a fish, that is why
* he wears a horizontal tail, he took to a sea life
4 when land animals began to be too intelligent for
* him, and, like most sailors, has regretted it ever
4 since. He cannot even sleep serenely now, owing
4 to the traffic in ships, and is sometimes run into,
1 when asleep, and cut in two. But he has other
4 annoyances : insect pests tickle him, and barnacles
4 make a home on a large part of his body. I have
4 seen whales rolling on a sandy beach to displace
* these pests, the rocks, as a rule, are too smooth
4 with weed to be of any use. On one occasion, during
4 a dense fog, off Santa Maria Island, in the Pacific,
4 my ship was stopped some few miles off the shore
1 waiting for a clearance. The coast being dangerous,
4 an anchor was lowered down sixty fathoms under the
4 ship for safety, and the ship was allowed to drift in
4 the smooth w r ater. About 6 a.m. I heard some
4 heavy whale ' blows' or 'spouts ' apparently close to.
4 Shortly after a continued tremor of the ship caused
4 me to seek the reason. It was too gentle for an
4 earthquake, and was varied with bumps. Soon a
4 huge whale, quite 150 feet, rose slowly out of the
4 water, and floated alongside like a barque bottom
4 up.' It again descended, and the tremors recom-
4 menced. We noticed barnacles and shellfish coming
4 to the surface, and these were actually scraped oft the
4 sides and underparts of the whale by means of the
4 bilge keels. When one side of the whale was clean
4 he went to the other side of the ship and started
4 business there. Indeed the keels were the verv
103 TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
' things required for the purpose. Not caring to
' have him so near, in case he should smash some of
' the boats, we pelted him with potatoes and coal.
' He took no notice of this until a piece of coal went
* into his mouth, and was swallowed in mistake. He
' then drenched us enough to frighten us, steamed
1 off, and presently an immense tail in the air shewed
t he was disappearing for ' divers ' reasons.'
We were also much interested, when approaching
Pernambuco, by the 'catamarans,' which were leaving
the port for sea. The ' catamaran ' is a small boat, or
rather raft, constructed by the tying of a few logs
together. These logs are pointed at the forward end,
and through the centre is inserted a centre board to
steady the structure. There is also a mast with a
three-cornered sail. The fishermen sit behind the mast
to steer, and paddle when needed, and a large bag is
fastened to the mast to hold the fish. It appeared to
be extremely risky, as in most cases the water washed
over the structure, and we expected momentarily to see
the fishermen washed off, and caught by the sharks
which abound in the locality.
CATAMARAN
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
101
I
102 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Fish at Pernambuco is very dear and very scarce.
Dried cod is imported from Newfoundland. Warm
waters are never good for fish, and the kinds to be had
at the port are insipid, and very dear, as much as
35. 4d. per Ib. being" asked for common sorts.
We could see the ocean breaking in great rollers
against the Recife (old name for Pernambuco mean-
ing Reef), which is of coral, and forms a natural
harbour.
Pernambuco is not a nice port to land at from a
large steamer outside the reef. Only small boats can
LANDING PASSENGERS IN A CHAIR.
go alongside owing to the heavy swell. At times
passengers have to be lowered to the boats in a chaii
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 103
specially provided for the purpose. Fortunately we
were able to use the ladder, but it meant jumping at the
right time, and there were some very interesting snap-
shots taken during the process. We landed, after being
passed at the Customs Depot, which is in a hulk near
I.INGfETA PERNAMBUCO.
the quay, and after a small entertainment given gratuit-
ously by a French artiste. It seems the lady in question
had her jewellery with her, which she had declined to leave
with the purser on account of the small charge made
for safe custody on board. When her boat came along-
side the Customs' hulk the officer in charge demanded
her jewellery box, and insisted upon the payment of
duty on the contents. As she merely meant to spend
an hour on shore she did not quite see the force of this,
and an exciting scene ensued, to the detriment of the
French idiom. The language evidently was strong
enough, or the jewellery of no value, as in the end she
got away triumphantly. She created a further diversion
104
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
on her return to the ship, and her ascent of the ladder
was photographed by all the youngsters on board for
transmission in due course to their fathers.
Inside the reef there is accommodation for the
largest vessels afloat, but they cannot get inside, or
into the harbour, if drawing more than 23 feet of water.
The coral reef borders the shore from Bahia to
Maranham, a distance of nearly a thousand miles.
Pernambuco consists of three divisions, viz.,
Recife, San Antonio, and Boa Vista, the first two of
which are situated on sand banks, and connected with
each other
RH^BHHIHiHRSi^MMB!
by means of
magnificent
iron bridges
There are
no piers.
The e m-
bankments
of the River
Capibaribe,
which runs
through the
city and forms the inner harbour, have been reclaimed
and built up. The depth of water in the inner harbour
varies from 1 6 to 25 feet, and the rise and fall during
spring tides may be taken to be from six to seven feet.
Passengers are landed both inside and in the outer
roads by means of boats.
The principal exports of the port consist of sugar,
cotton, cotton seed, hides, goat skins, and rum. The
NATIVE TOWN PERNAMBUCO.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 105
facilities for the discharge of cargo are very limited,
there being only three cranes on the Custom-house
wharf, viz., two small steam and one hand crane ; and
in addition a few hand cranes on the quays. The
imports consist of general and dry goods, iron work,
groceries, cement, flour, codfish, &c., from England,
Germany, France, and North America.
There is a lighthouse at the entrance to the inner
harbour fitted with a revolving light, shewing red and
white alternately every minute. This light can be seen
for a distance of 18 to 20 miles. There are two other
lights which serve to indicate the port, viz., the Olinda
light, some five miles distant on Olinda Point, and
Cape Santo Agostinho light, about 18 miles distant.
In the roads there are buoys on what is known as
the English Bank, at both the northern and southern
extremities. A buoy also denotes the entrance bar
to the harbour. There are about 180 lighters in
the port, principally constructed of wood, the total
tonnage of which is close upon 15,000 tons. Some of
the lighters are covered. The lighters are principally
owned by the Companhia S. Maritimos, Wilson, Sons
& Co., Ltd., Moreira & Co., and J. A. Fonseca.
There are thirteen tug boats large and small, and
of this number two (large steel 100 horse-power) are set
aside for the towage of vessels and lighters in the roads.
Repairs to shipping are undertaken by several
firms, but principally by Messrs. Wilson, Sons and
Co., Limited, who have shops and all the needful plant
wherewith to undertake marine repairs. There are
no slipways available.
DI
106
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The population of Pernambuco and suburbs may
be reckoned at from 150,000 to 180,000 ; the foreigners
being estimated as follows : Portuguese, 15,000 ;
Italians, 1,000 ; British, 400 ; Germans and Swiss,
100 ; French, 50.
There are several railways running from and into
Pernambuco, viz., the Great Western of Brazil Rail-
way (about 80 miles) in the direction of Parahyba, and
through the principal cotton districts. The Central de
Pernambuco Railway (70 miles), which runs due west
PALMS PERNAMBUCO.
into the interior, and touches both sugar and cotton
districts. The Recife and Sao Francisco Railway (80
miles), running south, and connecting with the Alagoas
Railway (80 miles) to Maceio, altogether a distance of
200 miles from Pernambuco. This latter journey takes
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 107
twelve hours, and there is one train a day each way.
Many pleasant trips may thus be made from Pernam-
buco through fields of sugar cane and pineapples.
Orchids, birds and plants of endless variety can be
obtained in the interior, so that if one had the time to
spare, there would be ample scope for an intellectual
holiday.
This is a good port to start from for a trip on the
Amazon, as there are lines of national steamers running
to Manaos three times a month.
The several coasting lines running north and south
from Pernambuco are :-
Cia Lloyd Brazileiro.
Cia Navegacao Costeira (Lage Irmaos).
Cia Pernambuco de Navegacao.
Cia Navegacao Gram Para.
Cia Navegacao do Para.
The ports of call embrace all ports in the north up
to Manaos, on the River Amazonas, and in the south
down to Porto Alegre, in the State of Rio Grande do
Sul. We were only a short time in Pernambuco, most
of which was occupied by business, so that we had not
much opportunity to see the town, added to which the
day of our visit was a ' Festa, ' which means stoppage
of all work in the port except under increased charges
and by special permission. These ' Festas ' in South
America generally are a perfect nuisance and hindrance
to trade, disorganising the labourers, delaying steamers
and adding to the expenses of the port.
The streets of the town of Pernambuco are narrow,
dirty and 'smelly,' but the houses look very gay, being
108
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
painted principally in primary colours. There were
many interesting figures in the streets, a great many
negroes and
negresses,
but there
appeared to
be an entire
absence of
vehicles ex-
c e p t i n g
mule trams.
There is
water all
round, one
part of the town being on an island, and it is com-
plimented by the title of ' the Venice of South
America.'
There are in the Brazils about 150 cotton factories,
and the fabric naturally is made from the native article.
Gold, silver and paper money is issued, and the
following may be taken as the approximate value :
Gold 20 Milreis (Rs. 20,000)
10 ,, (Rs. 10,000)
5 ., ( Rs - 5.)
2}^ ,, (Rs. 2,500)
Silver 2,000 Reis
2s. 3d.
per milreis.
1,000
500
200
IOO
50
About is. 3d.
per milreis.
Paper of various denominations, about is. per milreis.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 109
The season of shipment for sugar from the Brazils
is October to May the chief months of shipment being-
January to March. Sugar is imported into Europe
from South America in various kinds of packages, and
this important article of commerce, as also coffee and
india rubber, are dealt with more fully in the following
chapter. Brazil is the most extensive State in South
America, and was discovered by a Portuguese navi-
gator, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, in the year 1500. The
Republic was founded on the
1 5th November, 1889, by a >.--
bloodless revolution, which
drove Dom Pedro from the
throne an act which we be-
lieve most Brazilians have
regretted ever since. Brazil
is 2,600 miles from north to
south, and 2,500 miles from (Dr~Ca m pos~Saiie S ~)
east to west, and has a coast ^Q 2 -
line on the Atlantic of 3, 700 miles. It contains an area
of 3, 218, 1 66 square miles, and a population of about
18,000,000. There are 20 states, 16 of which lie along
the coast and four in the interior. There are 42 ports,
the principal being Para, Maceio, Pernambuco, Bahia,
Rio de Janeiro and Santos. With Pernambuco we
have already dealt, and we shall treat later of Bahia,
Rio de Janeiro and Santos, all of which ports the writer
visited. It was a matter of regret that our business
did not admit of an inspection of ports north of Per-
nambuco, and also of a trip up the Amazon River.
We heard, however, from travellers who joined our
BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT.
110 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
steamer, something of the vast regions in the north
awaiting development, though the pioneers will have to
be of a very hardy character to stand the trying climate,
and to combat the many difficulties imposed by hostile
Indian tribes, of which there are many in the interior.
The rubber trade done through Para is one of very
great importance, and capable of much development.
Rubber from this district is looked upon by the trade as
inferior to none in the world, though collectors up river
have to be on their guard against the malpractices of
the natives in the matter of weight. Stones and other
make-weights are inserted, and to be on the safe side
the rubber should be cut through before being accepted.
The rubber industry is one of continual growing
importance, as new markets are constantly opening up,
and rubber is being used for purposes to-day w r hich our
forefathers never dreamed of. The Red Cross and
Booth lines form the British connection with the
Amazon, and there are small steamers plying up that
river and its tributaries for more than 2,000 miles.
The steamers of the lines referred to are able to steam
up river as far as Iquitos.
The natural resources of the Brazilian States are
enormous, but, like other South American Republics,
the great want is population. There are about six
souls to each square mile in the Brazils, and as the
population centres in the larger towns, the outlying
districts are practically untouched. A more progres-
sive movement has prevailed in the southern coffee
districts, and in the neighbourhood of Sao Paulo con-
siderable efforts have from time to time been made to
NOTE. The Hamburg- America Line also now serve the Amazon.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. Ill
induce immigration. Further south still, around the
provinces of Santa Catharina and Rio Grande, Ger-
mans have commenced to operate and ship their
produce through Santos and Porto Alegre.
The mineral resources of the country, including
gold, silver, and iron, which are considerable, have
scarcely been touched ; but Brazilian diamonds and
topazes, and other precious stones are well known
throughout the world. Vast forests of mahogany and
other valuable timber abound, and wait only for enter-
prise to exploit them ; enterprise which most assuredly
will be followed by success.
Our North American cousins, who bid fair to
capture the steam and other trades of the world, had to
my knowledge a representative exploring in the rubber
districts bordering on the Andes, and within easy
distance of the great Oroya Railroad, the idea being
to convey the rubber to Callao, on the Pacific Ocean,
and ship thence to San Francisco. We shall have
something more to say respecting the railway alluded
to when we travel by it later.
Meantime what we say to the Brazilian Republic,
as to all other South American Republics, is put
your immigration schemes on a business basis. Not
only offer inducement to the immigrant, but see when
he arrives that he gets all that is promised, and some-
thing more to encourage him to bring out his friends
and relations. Make your contracts direct with the
steamship lines, and pay them for the conveyance of
the immigrants on embarkation, as by this means a
cheaper rate can be had, and further, give the steamers
112 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
every facility in the way of cheap dues, if not entire
exemption, and do not hamper their working and
increase their expenditure by any ridiculous restrictions
as to overtime, working on ' Festas, ' or by quarantine
restrictions, which drive the public and commerce from
your doors.
A Government can, roundly stated, always protect
itself, but it must to speak in general terms and
without reflection upon any Government be large-
minded, open-handed, exact in its financial operations,
and truthful in all its dealings, if it is to encourage
outside business and internal development.
The absurd law which ties the coasting trade of
the Brazils to local enterprise in the matter of steamers
hampers, as it must hinder in every country where
such a law exists, the natural instinct to development,
and imposes on the Brazilian subjects services inade-
quate to the requirements of the Republic, and rates
inimical to business. What would the Republics on the
western shores of South America have done had it not
been for their wise policy of allowing steamers from
every part of the globe to ply along their shores, and
bring wealth and advancement within the reach of all ?
The valleys of the Brazils may be filled with
sugar, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, india rubber, and
its fields with maize, beans, wheat and other cereals,
but what good results from all this dormant wealth if
the policy actuating the statesmanship of the country
be narrow, unprogressive, and wanting in that spirit
which would wake to life the sleeping giants of activity
of a land flowing with more than the proverbial ' milk
and honey ' ?
aisin ixoKjqB aril &ni wade p W!
tr^~i
d
CHAPTER VI.
COFFEE. SUGAR. INDIA RUBBER.
T T is impossible to visit the Brazils without being-
struck with the importance to the country of the
coffee, sugar, and india rubber industries. Brazil is
the greatest coffee-producing country in the world.
Coffee was first introduced there by a Franciscan monk
named Vellosa, who cultivated the plant in a garden of
the Convent of St. Antonio, near Rio de Janeiro. The
general cultivation was commenced in 1774 as the
ships on an average about 10,000,000 bags of coffee
per annum, each weighing say 130 Ibs.* The sterling
value of this coffee is about ^15,500,000. The principal
shipping port for coffee is Santos, Rio de Janeiro
comes next in importance.
As an indication of the extent to which coffee
cultivation is carried on in Brazil, we give the following
extract from a report of the Secretary of Agriculture of
the Sao Paulo Government:
'There are in Sao Paulo 15,075 plantations, of
'which 11,234 have from 50,000 trees downwards;
' 1,844 possess from 50,000 to 100,000 ; 999 between
' 100,000 and 200,000 ; 597 from 200,000 to 500,000
'trees. On these plantations 1,703 machines are to
' be found for cleaning coffee, 1,243 of which are moved
' by steam, and 460 by water. The registered mort-
*The Brazil coffee crop for the season 1906/7 was 19,000,000 bags.
114 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
'gage debt on these plantations is computed at
' 240,000,000 milreis, say ,8,000,000, at the exchange
' of 8d. per milreis.
* In Minas Ger'aes it is said there are 2,739 coffee
1 plantations, of which 1,234 have less than 50,000
'coffee trees each, 844 with over 100,000 trees each,
'and 64 with over 500,000 trees each. Of these
' plantations 500 use water power to move machinery,
'and 1,243 use steam power.'
It was estimated a few years ago that there were
530,000,000 coffee trees flourishing in the Brazilian
Empire.
The scale for valuation of coffee plantations, when
offered for sale, is about i milreis per coffee plant.
The chief market for Brazilian coffee is New
York. The coffee is shipped in jute bags, and is sold
in the Brazils at so many milreis per arroba (32 Ibs.),
according to the ruling market price.
Of course every one knows what coffee is as an
article of diet, and all can recognise it in the shops ; but
we would possibly not recognise it growing unless
pointed out. The fruit of the coffee tree resembles a
cherry in size and a plum in form. When the flesh is
taken off a plum, a stone is revealed in the middle, which,
when broken, reveals the seed, and very much the same
thing happens if the fruit of the coffee plant is similarly
dealt with, though the flesh is not as well flavoured as
that of the plum. The centre of the fruit is not hard
like a plum stone, but the seed is surrounded by a
natural skin, or membrane, known as 'parchment,' and
beneath this is a very delicate semi-transparent jacket,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. lla
termed the ' silver skin.' Coffee is shipped in this skin
and without it ; when shipped in the skin, it is called
4 Pergamino,' and when without 'Oro.' Inside the skin
are usually two seeds, and these seeds are the coffee of
commerce. There are, of course, machines for ridding
the coffee of its outside coverings, and the processes
are interesting. The coffee is then dried, and in some
cases coloured artificially to meet the demands of
different markets,- that for South Africa being tinted
by a mixture of charcoal and whiting. It is then
bagged and shipped to destination. The appearance
of a coffee plantation in full bloom is simply charming.
The trees, with their dark green leaves, appear to be
bedecked with snow, and the air is laden with a sweet
fragrance. The plantation is mostly divided into
halves by the chief roadway, which is wide and straight
and planted with fruit trees. A ditch, which runs
parallel with the alley on either side, divides this chief
way from the 32-feet wide coffee beds which extend at
right angles from it, and from this ditch trenches two
feet wide are extended, which carry off the collected
water to the side canals. Each bed contains three to
four rows of coffee plants, each tree standing from 8
to 9 feet away from the next (an acre contains about
350 trees), and these are sheltered, by two rows of large
knotty Erythrinen, from their two greatest enemies,
viz., the sun and the north wind, both of which,
are most felt during the blossom period. If this
blossom endures through a damp temperature of from
75 to 85 degrees Fahr., followed by dry sunny weather,
the wishes of the planter will be fulfilled, and he may
116 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
reasonably expect to obtain from each full-grown tree
(say six years old) \y 2 Ibs. of clean coffee on poor land,
3 Ibs. on medium land, and 4^ Ibs. on superior land.
One man can comfortably look after two acres of
ground, and also gather in the harvest. Berries are
ready for picking when they assume a dark red colour,
and the skins shrivel up. When the coffee plant reaches
a height of from four to five feet, it is pruned for the
convenience of gathering the crop. The cost of con-
verting an acre of bushland into coffee beds ranges,
according to the nature of the land, from 12 to ;i6.
When commencing a coffee plantation it is better
to obtain young plants about two feet high and two
years old from several other coffee beds, though one
can commence simply by sowing" the seed. The
greatest care must be taken of the plants, and they
must not be cut or placed nearer to each other than
from five to eight feet. In the second year after
transplantation the plants reach a considerable height,
so that one can reasonably expect a small harvest in
the third year. Corn and mandico are frequently
grown between the rows till the fourth year. The
duration of a coffee estate rarely exceeds 30 years,
and if the soil be light, eight to ten years is generally
the limit. The regions said to be best adapted for
the cultivation of coffee are well watered mountain
slopes at an elevation ranging from 1,000 to 4,000
feet above sea level, in latitudes lying between 15
North and 15 South, although coffee has been success-
fully cultivated from 25 North to 30 South of the
Equator, in situations where the temperature does not
fall beneath 55 Fahr.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 117
The principal sorts of coffee may be put under
the three headings 'Levant,' * East,' and 'West
Indian.' According tfl the quality of the mass, one
and the same kind may come under the following
denominations : fine, fine medium, good medium,
medium, small or low medium, and 'triage' (broken
and damaged) ; fine ordinary, good ordinary, ordinary
or entire ordinary. In every case one must be careful
in purchasing that the beans recommend themselves
by their hard, dry, fresh, smooth and weighty quality.
They must be free from adulteration and impurities
such as small stones and dust, and in the mass must
possess no other smell than that which is customary.
The colour, which not infrequently is artificially made
as already indicated, cannot by itself be regarded as
an infallible test.
The true home of coffee is said to be the high-
lands of Abyssinia, where still on the banks of the
Blue Nile, to the North near Kaffa, it may be seen
growing wild, and possibly the name ' coffee ' finds
its origin in Kaffa. In 1534 it was known in Con-
stantinople : in 1645 it was introduced into Italy,
and in 1652 the first coffee house was opened in
London. It was grown in Arabia in the fifteenth
century, in 1690 in Java, and in 1718 in Jamaica
and Martinique. Hewitt tells us that an Eastern
legend ascribes the discovery of the berry to a
Dervish named Hadji Omer, who in the year 1285,
being driven out of Mocha, was induced in the
extremity of hunger to roast the berries which grew
near his hiding place. He ate them as the only
US TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
means of sustaining 1 life, and steeping" the roasted
berries in water to quench his thirst, he thus dis-
covered their agreeable qualities, and also that the
infusion was nearly equal to solid food. His per-
secutors, who had intended that he should die of
starvation, regarded his preservation as a miracle,
and he was accordingly transmuted into a saint.
Amongst the very best kinds of coffee, Mocha
(after the town of that name) takes easily the first
rank, not so much on account of its appearance as
of its fine flavour. It does not follow that all Mocha
coffee is of equal good quality, as the position of
the plantation and numerous other incidents, includ-
ing the voyage to Europe, may affect it prejudicially,
especially in the matter of aroma, and it must not
be forgotten that coffee from other countries (India
and South America) is frequently sold under the
name of Mocha. The excellence of coffee depends
in no little degree upon the care and skill exercised
in roasting it, and when prepared for drinking, upon
the knowledge and care shewn in its preparation.
It should never be boiled, as the aromatic oil which
produces the flavour and strength is lost in boiling.
Coffee was first known by the name of Kauhi, an
orthography which reminds me of a story concerning a
certain town councillor, who, when preparing a bill of
fare for a public breakfast, contrived to spell coffee
without employing a single letter occurring in that
word, thus, 'kawphy.' Coffee was regarded as ai
intoxicant by the ancients, and the Koran forbade its use,
and it is no doubt slightly inebriating, but as a brail
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 119
stimulant it is almost unequalled. Sydney Smith said:
4 If you want to improve your understanding, drink
coffee.' Pope was a confirmed devotee, and would call
his servants at all hours of the night to prepare coffee
for him. He used to grind and prepare his own. This
is how he describes what he did :
' For lo, the board with cup and spoon is crowned,
' The berries crackle and the mill turns round.
'On shining altars of Japan they raise
' The silver lamp, the fiery spirits blaze.
' From silver spouts the grateful liquors glide,
' White China's earth receives the smoking tide.
' At once they gratify their sense and taste,
' And frequent cups prolong the rich repast.
' Coffee which makes the politician wise,
' And see through all things with his half-shut eyes.'
A pinch of salt is frequently added by South Americans
to their coffee, and with good result, as any harshness
which may exist is thereby removed.
Anyone proceeding to South America for the pur-
pose of cultivating coffee would be well advised to
obtain a copy of C. G. Warn ford Loch's work, entitled
'Coffee its Culture and Commerce.' ' The points,'
he says, ' which determine the value of a plot for coffee
culture are (i) elevation, (2) aspect, (3) shelter from
wind, (4) shelter from wash, (5) temperature, (6) rain-
fall, (7) proximity to a river, (8) character and richness
of the soil. Flat land must be avoided, and a wet soil
is fatal to coffee.' He draws attention, also, to the
maladies to which the coffee shrub is liable, the prin-
cipal of which are leaf blight, fly, borer (worm), bug
and canker ; and he explains in detail the operations
120 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
needed to prepare the coffee for market, such as pulp-
ing, fermenting to remove saccharine matter without
which the beans would not dry, drying in the sun,
lulling or pecking (this operation consists in the
removal of the parchment and the silver skin). After
this, comes the further process of drying and then
'sizing,' i.e., separating into various sizes for the
market.. After the planter has prepared his coffee he
sends it to an agent, who sells it to a dealer. The
latter bags and exports it through a broker. Then
comes' the cost of transport and various other charge?
and profits before the coffee comes into the hands of
the consumer. Coffee is now about is. 8d. per Ib
to the consumer in England, so that if we were to
deduct the expenses of all the middlemen employed we
should find that the planter's share is not a large one,
and we should see further how much the public would
gain if so many middlemen were not employed, In
this age of large combinations, and the merging of
numerous interests into one great corporation, it would
not surprise the writer if one day the general public
were startled by an announcement of the formation of
a great Brazilian Coffee Trust. Competition with other
markets naturally levels the price, and possibly in the
present day there is, if anything, over-production,
which also tends in the same direction.
Coffee requires careful stowage on board ship, as
it readily imbibes exhalations from other bodies. It
should never be placed near sugar or salt. Freight is
charged at so much per ton weight for shell and for
clean coffee, and not on the measurement.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
121
IMPORT DUTIES ON COFFEE.
The following- table shows the approximate Import Duties
levied on Raw Coffee in the principal countries of the World.
Raw Coffee.
Rates of Duty.
English Equivalents.
( General tariff
FRANCE - Minimum tariff
,, by treaty
Imported from European entre-
pots, a surtax of
RUSSIA
frs. cts.
ioo kilogs. 300 oo
,, I3 6
3 6
rbls. cop.
pood 5 85
kron. ore.
kilog. o 1 2
o 50
,, 3
pund o 12^
inks. pf.
ioo kilogs. 40 oo
. Free
frs. cts.
ioo kilogs. 10 oo
kilog. 1 80
pes. cts.
ioo kilogs. 140 oo
), 4 5
lire. cts.
,, 150 oo
,, 130 oo
tls. kr.
37
,, 40 oo
frs. cts.
). 3 50
Free.
...
s- d
6 i ii cwt.
335
2 15 3
o i 5S
i 18 5 ,.
069,,
i 8 3
o 16 10 ,,
o 14 i
104,,
Fr
o 4 f
2 II 2 ,,
2 l6 II ,,
O J IO ,,
310,,
2 12 IO ,,
i 17 7 ,,
208,,
015..
Fr
o 14 o ,,
13-06 Ib.
6-So ,,
5'9 2 ).
0*16 ,,
4' 11 ).
072 ,,
3' 02 >
i -80 ,,
2-18
ee.
o'43 ..
6*09 ,,
5^6 ',',
0-15 ,,
ee.
SWEDEN .
NORWAY \,' '" ' H,-
(Minimum tariff
DENMARK
GERMANY
HOLLAND
BELGIUM
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
Additional duty when imported
from, or transhipped in a
European port
ITALY
Special duty on Brazilian Coffee
AUSTRIA- /Imported by Sea ...
HUNGARY (Imported by land...
SWITZERLAND ...
UNITED STATES
UNITED KINGDOM
AUSTRALASIA.
pe
New South Wales ... ... ... F
Victoria .. ... ... ... F
cwt. per Ib.
ree
ree
8 o 3 d.
8 o 3 d.
ree
74 4 d.
8 8 2d.
8 8 2d.
South Australia ... ... ... i
Northern Territory... ... ... i
Western Australia ... ... ... F
?ueensland ... .. ... I i
asmania ... ... ... o i
New Zealand ... o
CANADA Direct free ; otherwise 10 per cent. ad. val.
When coffee is imported direct to Canada from the country of production,
or is purchased in bond in the United Kingdom, the article is admitted free of
duty, otherwise 10 per cent, ad valorem is levied.
122 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
SUGAR.
We were not able, in the time at our disposal to
visit a sugar estate in the Brazils, though we did so in
Peru and in Central America, and we also inspected
refineries in Rosario de Santa Fe, and in the province
of Lima. The industry, and the mode of prosecuting
it, is, however, the same in the Brazils, though the
system of packing for export varies somewhat. Sugar
is exported from the several countries in either hogs-
heads, tierces, barrels, bags, baskets, or mats, and
naturally the freight and charges vary according to the
package and the nature of the sugar, whether wet or
dry, grainy, syrupy or concrete. The freight on cane
sugar, owing in a measure to the competition with beet
sugar, rules very low, that from the Brazils to a United
Kingdom port being (as I write) 125. 6d. per ton.
From 200,000 to 300,000 tons of Sugar per year is
produced in the Brazils, according to favourable or
unfavourable climatic conditions. Of this about
100,000 to 150,000 tons is exported to the United
States, 20,000 to 25,000 tons to the United Kingdom,
and the balance provides for home consumption and for
small exports to Spain and Portugal. The Bounty
Question largely determines the distribution of the
Brazil crop. Beet sugar exported to the United States
is handicapped to the extent of the bounty allowed on
it in the country in which it was grown, an extra duty-
equivalent to the bounty being imposed in America on
all bounty-fed sugar. Hence the reason for such a
large proportion of Brazil sugar finding its way to
America. The Brazil sugar imported into the United
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 123
Kingdom is principally of a low testing quality. It
is largely sold to breweries and to refiners who do not
use beet sugar.
The Brazil Sugar Belt is a strip of the coastline
between 3 to 10 degrees south of the equator, and the
principal ports of shipment are Paraiba (Cabadello),
Pernambuco, Maceio, and Bahia, the sugar being
shipped in bags.
The process of refining the sugar has altered the
conditions of shipment, as formerly sugar was so heavy
that a vessel could not take a full cargo, i.e., could not
be properly filled. Sugar requires very careful stowage
on account of the drainage. It should consequently be
stowed in the bottom of the ship, and brown sugar
should not be stowed on top of white. As sugar
ferments very easily, good ventilation is also needed.
Sugar is one of the most widely-spread substances
in the kingdom of plants, and may naturally be divided
into two kinds, viz., grape (largely used for making
glucose, which is much in demand by brewers), and
cane sugar, the latter being more properly the stalk of
the plant, and the former the fruit. What is known as
cane sugar is found in the sap of the birch, palm and
nut trees, in maize and sugar cane grape sugar in the
sweet sap of nearly all fruits grown in temperate
climates, and what is known as beet sugar properly
comes under the denomination of 'grape.' The sugar
cane is a perennial plant of the family of grasses
Saccharum Officinarum, of which many varieties are
cultivated. It is grown largely in North, Central and
South America, the West Indies, in Natal, Mauritius
124 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
and Australia, in Fiji and in India, Java, Philippines,
and the East generally, including 1 Egypt. In appear-
ance it is like a gigantic reed, the stalk of which is from
one to two inches thick, and grows to a height of 120
to 160 and even 200 inches, with numerous knots, and
a cluster of blooms at the top. The canes in the
plantantions inspected by the writer were not more
than from 60 to 100 inches high, but this may have
arisen from the fact that the plants were not young,
and the ground not sufficiently marshy.
The three principal kinds of cane are :
CREOLE, having dark green leaves and thin knotty
canes. This kind reached South America from India
through the Canary Islands and the Antilles.
BATAVIA, or striped sugar cane, with thick purple
striped foliage, originated in Java, where it is used to a
great extent for making rum ; and lastly,
OTAHEITE, which grows the strongest, contains the
most sap, and is the best of all with the greatest
produce. It has spread all over the West Indies and
South America.
In the West Indies planting takes place between
June and October, and the Creole canes are ready for
cutting about the beginning of January in the second
following year. Twenty tons per acre is said to be a
good average crop.
The sugar cane is originally a marsh plant, and
requires a hot tropical climate and a very strong damp
earth. Its propagation is effected by means of shoots
about two feet long, with stalks regularly covered with
buds, and which require from 9 to 16 months to ripen.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 125
These are planted in rows three feet apart, and at
intervals of two feet from shoot to shoot. Many
colonists cut the reed off before, but the most after, the
blossoming period, and they regulate the cuttings in
such wise that the different fields ripen one after the
other, and not altogether. The value of the cane in
sugar depends upon the culture and climate, but the
general percentage is about 18.
The custom of sweetening food is much older than
the knowledge of sugar, and in the olden times honey
took its place, yet the cane from which a vegetable
honey exuded \vas known as early as the first century
after Christ. In the twelfth century the culture of the
sugar cane came from Asia to Cyprus, and at the com-
mencement of the i6th century it was planted in the
West Indies. The art of extracting syrup from the
cane has been understood since the middle of the i5th
century, but the art of refining it was discovered much
later by a Venetian. In the year 1597 there was a
sugar refinery in Dresden, and for the purpose of refin-
ing the syrup, lime \vater and the white of egg were
used ; sugar candy was also known at this period. Up
to the end of the iyth century sugar was so dear that
syrup and honey were chiefly used. The use of sugar,
however, increased side by side with the ever-increasing
consumption of coffee and tea.
After sugar had been known for several centuries,
and was still refined only in the north of Europe, a
German chemist, Magraf by name, discovered sugar in
several roots, especially in beet. Forty-nine years
later sugar was actually produced from beet ; but at
125 TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
first, through the continental embargoes and the pro-
tective duties, the art of extracting" sugar from beet was
much hindered, and only survived through the arduous
exertions of those engaged in it. The formation of
sugar in beet seems to be mainly due to the leaves, as
it has in practice been found that the quality of beet for
sugar manufacture improves with the number and
weight of its leaves. Beet, it is said, can be grown
with satisfactory results in all land found above latitude
38. The best known sugar beets and their yield, I
understand, are as follows :
White Silesian - - yields about 16 per cent, of sugar.
Magdeburg - ,, 14 ,, ,,
Imperiale - .. 13^ ,,
Breslau Electorate - ., 13 ,. ,,
Improved Deprez - .. 16 ,, ,,
The best growing countries are Germany, Austria,
Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Russia, and
North America. A great impetus to beet growing for
sugar manufacture is afforded by the bounties given by
the governments of the countries named, North America
excepted, on all sugar exported from the several
countries, bounties which enable the producer, in
some cases, to dispose of his sugar in England at a sum
actually ,\ per ton less than the cost of production, and
yet leave IDS. per ton profit. Beet sugar is now, by the
improvement in the processes of culture and refining,
produced of equal quality with cane sugar ; but the
actual cost of cane sugar is less than beet, so that, were
it not for the bounty system, the sugar which costs the
least to produce would be used in the United Kingdom,
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 127
and British dependencies, largely relying upon the
production of sugar for their existence, would not be
suffered to fall into decay, as the West Indies apparently
are now doing. The British Government in 1902, we
are glad to observe, decided to help the West Indian
sugar planters to the extent of ^250,000. Of course it
might be argued that we in the United Kingdom get our
sugar cheaper than we would otherwise do, but in
looking at the question from this standpoint, we must
not forget that charity begins at home. The countries
exporting beet have to pay considerably more per Ib.
for their own sugar than we do in order to support the
industry, and our own sugar refineries have had to be
closed, and our dependencies are being undoubtedly
weakened by the continental bounty system. At one
time the bounties were such in France that sugar could
be sent to England and re-shipped to France and sold
there for less than the same sugar which had not been
exported, and still leave a fair profit. A surtax would,
however, now be charged on sugar imported to Eng-
land and reshipped to France, which would make the
reshipment prohibitive. There is nothing sacrosanct
about free trade. It cannot be set up as a fetish ; and
our fiscal system must be dealt with from a purely
business standpoint, and brought up to date. Free
trade has had its day. No doubt many advantages
have accrued from the system in the past, when com-
peting nations were not educated up to the trade
standard they have now arrived at, and had not studied
how to circumvent the many weaknesses in our system.
We are losing our ships fast through the want of a
128 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
broad, enlightened, progressive policy in the adminis-
tration, and we shall lose some of our colonies and
prestige if we do not wake up to a sense of our own
national requirements, and to the fact that protection
should precede pusillanimity. Generosity to others, in
the advancing spirit of the age, may, like the sword of
Goliath, be used for our own decapitation. Free trade
is not ' vested with the abstract sanctity of a religious
dogma,' and signs are, we are glad to observe, not
wanting that our country is awakening to the fact.
Let us hope that the remedy may not come too late.
Something has, however, been done for India as it now
imposes an extra duty on sugar, bounty fed, to the
extent of the bounty given. This strengthens the posi-
tion of English refiners, and enables them to compete
successfully with their continental rivals.
It has been affirmed that continental countries do
not give bounties, and whilst this may literally be the
fact, so far as the name ' bounty ' is concerned, in actual
practice a bounty is given. The duties are levied on
the beet as it -goes into the refinery on the amount of
sugar it is estimated it will produce, and when the
sugar is exported a drawback is received as if duty had
been paid upon the whole quantity. The beet may be
only lightly pressed when first put through, and may
consequently be put through a second time. I have
seen this operation performed on cane with very good
results.
The House of Commons some time ago, when
this question was inquired into, reported that the
most effectual mode of stopping bounties was the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 129
manufacturing and refining of sugar under excise
supervision. This naturally means that duty will
be paid on all sugar consumed either on issuing from
the factory, or on import. There must be a regular
and systematic conference of nations, and an import
duty should be levied against those nations which
will not conform to the decisions arrived at for the
general good. A sugar bounties convention was
recently agreed to in Brussels, but will not take
effect until September, 1903. If the convention
comes into operation it will possibly solve the West
Indian problem. The present prices for sugar, the
committee states, are leaving a loss of from 2 to
^3 per ton on sugar produced, and they affirm
that unless the British Government can see its way
to relieve the strain by at least 2 per ton, there
will be a material reduction in the cultivation of
sugar in the West Indies. The committee adds : 'We
believe that these Colonies are at the breaking point,
and that immediate relief is absolutely necessary to
prevent what we believe would be a serious calamity.'
In 1906 the imports of refined sugar were
18,107,832 cwts, and of unrefined 15,248,912 cwts;
11,088,661 cwts beet sugar, and 1,962,817 cwts from
British possessions. In 1897 the imports from British
possessions were 1,679,113 cwts.
West India sugar is shipped from March to end
of August, and the packages may be either hogs-
heads, tierces, barrels, trusses, casks or boxes.
South America. Brazil, October to May, though
anuary to March are the principal months.
130 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
East Indies. The season varies, but December
to February are the principal months. Shipped in
mats, bags, double gunnies, double mats, and baskets.
Europe. (Beet) October to March in bags and
casks.
It is not always necessary to have a crushing
and/or refining factory on the plantation, as in Peru
we found there was a central factory to which the
sugar grown on the surrounding ' haciendas ' was
sent, and payment was made in kind for the crush-
ing, etc., i.e., a certain percentage of the sugar so
manufactured is claimed by the owners of the refinery.
Each hacienda sends a representative to the factory,
who remains there to watch the process in the interest
of the grower. In the factory the operation of crushing
is first performed, and the juice is then led to a trough,
whence it is carried by pipes to a number of iron
vessels, where the liquid is clarified. The boiling-down
process follows, in a range of three to five copper
pans heated by direct fire, and in which the sugar
is concentrated down to the crystallising point. The
skimming from these pans is collected, and is used
for making aguadiente or rum. The molasses are
drained away into tanks. The cane, after being
crushed, was placed in the sun to dry, and then
used as fuel to work the machinery. This plantation
and refinery was chiefly run by Chinese and Japanese
labour, and as the two races have a great antipathy
to each other, they had each their separate villages
on the estate, with joss house, shops, etc. The
shops or stores belong to the Company owning the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 131
plantation, etc., and all the employes have to pur-
chase their requirements from them, their wages for
the most part being paid in fichas (answering to our
coins), and which are as a rule only accepted on the
hacienda or oficina in which they are issued. A
separate account is kept in regard to the several
stores which are found to be very remunerative.
We were much interested also in the refining
process which we saw in Rosario, and the particular
establishment we visited holds the monopoly from
the Government of the whole province of Santa Fe
for crystals. We proceeded to the top of the establish-
ment first, where the raw sugar is melted and passes
by natural gravitation to the next floor, where it is
strained through cotton bags. After this, it passes
through beds of animal charcoal for decolorisation.
The sugar is then passed into tanks and boiled to
grain. Most modern machinery is employed, and
the sugar produced is excellent.
The great question as concerns coffee is how to
find fresh markets and uses to keep pace with the pro-
duction, but sugar, in addition to being an article of
diet, is used largely in manufactures, such as the
distilling of wine, in jam, beer, soap, aerated waters,
drugs, varnish, condensed milk, crystallised fruits,
malt extracts, etc.
Import duties on sugar which have been charged
since the iQth of April, 1901, are:
Sugar of a polarisation exceeding 98 per cwt.
45. 2d.
Sugar of a polarisation not exceeding 76 per
cwt. 2S.
132 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
and intermediate duties varying between 45. 2d. and
2s. on sugar of a polarisation not exceeding 98
and exceeding 76, in accordance with a fixed table
published by the Customs. Sugar is tested at the
following ports, viz. London, Southampton, Bristol,
Liverpool, Greenock, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Leith
and Hull. Sugar may be shipped from bond as
ships' stores under the usual regulations, but not
exceeding four ounces per day for each person on
board. The like quantity is applicable also to con-
densed milk and preserves.
Brazil sugar comes under the following denomina-
tions on the market, viz.:
Bahia.
Nazareths.
Pernams, Maceio and Rio Grande.
Centrifugals.
Good refining
Fair.
Low.
Parahiba.
Good Brutos.
Rappadura
Ceara and Maranham.
Good refining'.
Fair.
Peruvian is sold as
Crystals.
Good grainy.
Low grainy and semi-grainy.
Syrups, fair to fine.
,, low to medium.
Chancaca and concrete.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 133
The polarisation test, indicating the percentage of
crystallisable sugar, regulates the price in conjunction
with the supply and demand, as also the anticipated
production for the oncoming season.
INDIA RUBBER.
In Chapter V. some reference is made to the con-
tinual fresh markets springing up for rubber, and it
will be interesting to those who have nothing directly
to do with ships to know to what uses rubber is put on
boardo In the engine department there are rubber
reducing valve discs, sheets, strips, best oil resisting
valves for air pumps, valves for circulating pumps and
refrigerator compressors, rubber sheets with cloth and
brass wire gauze insertion, rubber joints and packing,
and hose for steam suction and delivery purposes.
Then for the deck department there are rubber and
canvas delivery hose, stair treads, mats, rubber tiling,
squeegee strips, and foot warmers for the passengers.
The use of rubber also for cycles, motor cars, rail-
way and electrical purposes, and carriages has given a
great impetus to the trade, and is resulting in the
formation of companies for the production of rubber,
the protection of the trees, and the creation of fresh
plantations. Formerly, w r hen the uses to which rubber
could be put were only very partially known, the
natives, when the trade commenced to be opened out,
very improperly cut down the trees in order to get a
large quantity of the milky juice forming the rubber
with the least trouble. This was a most iniquitous
method, but happily, with extended knowledge, it is
134 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
rapidly dying out. The trees from which India rubber
is obtained are of the bread-fruit order. Those indigent
to South America and Guiana are principally of the
class Siphonia Elastica (Hevea Caoutchouc), those
pertaining to Sumatra and Java Naceela Elastica, those
belonging to the East Indies Ficus Elastica, and Arto-
carpus Incisa in the West Indies. A large quantity of
rubber also comes from the West Coast of Africa,
Central America, and some from Ecuador, and it is
obtained from various kinds of trees and shrubs. It
is readily discovered by rubbing the milk or juice
between the fingers, and, if this coagulates into an elastic
fibre, you may be certain that it contains globules of
rubber. It is collected in South America chiefly by
Indians in the service of planters, each man being
supposed to attend to 100 trees, and he is paid, in order
to ensure his constant labour, according to the quantity
of rubber brought in.
August to February being what is called the dry
season, are the principal months for collecting the
rubber. Incisions are made into the trees, some near
the base, where the rubber is trained into small clay
dishes, and some four or five feet from the ground,
when the juice is allowed to run down and dry on the
bark of the tree. About one-third of the juice is pure
india rubber, and a tree will yield about two ounces of
juice per day. The juice is white and tasteless, and has
a not unpleasant smell, with which, no doubt, all are
in these days familiar. The old-fashioned method of
reducing the juice to rubber, and which is still to some
extent followed, \vas to dip a clay mould, in the shape
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 135
of a pear, into the juice, dry the coating so obtained
over a specially prepared fire of palm nuts, &c., and to
keep on repeating- the process of dipping and dryirg
until a strong covering is formed over the mould. The
clay is then washed out, and the form well known in
trade as the bottle is the result. Sometimes this is
suspended in a chimney to ensure complete drying, and
this imparts also the dark colour with which we are
familiar. This colour, however, is only a covering, as
if one of the ' bottles ' be cut it will show a perfect
white in the centre. India rubber is also made in the
form of cakes two feet long by one foot wide and two
to three inches thick ; and it also comes into the
market as balls or negroheads, scraps and biscuits.
Other and improved methods of extracting the rubber
are now followed, and machinery is brought into
requisition.
The chief property of rubber is its elasticity, and it
is much prized on this account, and also for its flexibility
and the strength to which it will hold to other bodies ;
and likewise to its own cut pieces if these are fresh.
When cold it is hard and stiff, when warm soft and
supple, and it melts in heat. It is also impenetrable by
gases and fluids. It is insoluble in water, but is readily
damaged by oil, which first softens it, then it hardens
and loses its virtue by becoming hard and brittle.
Rubber may readily be cultivated over the entire
tropical zone, but it requires a moist and steamy
atmosphere, and flourishes by the side of rivers and in
a temperature ranging from 89 to 94 at noon, and is
never cooler than 73 at night. The extensive valleys
136 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
of the Amazon and its tributaries, covering many thou-
sands of miles, afford a splendid area for the cultivation
of rubber trees, and there is a vast future in store for
the Brazils, even had that naturally wealthy land
nothing else to depend upon.
Unfortunately we had no time in our journey to visit
any rubber plantations, but we heard much respecting
the industry from explorers and travellers, and it was
not difficult to conclude that its future will be a rapidly
progressive one.
Rubber, or ' elastic gum ' as it was first called, was
discovered and brought to Europe in 1735 as a curiosity.
Some travellers found the natives of the Brazils wear-
ing shoes, and using utensils, made with rubber, and
also playing with rubber balls. It soon came into use
for rubbing out blacklead pencil marks, and so got its
name of rubber. It is also known to commerce as
1 caoutchouc,' which is the French name, and is derived
from a Central American word, ' cachucha, ' the name of
a dance.
The value of rubber depends firstly upon its
elasticity, secondly its light colour, and thirdly the
absence of foreign substances, such as bark, stones,
water, -&c. The best markets are Great Britain,
Germany, France, and the United States.
American rubber is known as Para, Ceara, Pernam-
buco, Maranhao, Cartagena, Guayaquil, West Indian,
Guatemala and San Salvador. African : Madagascar,
Mozambique, Angola, Benguela, Congo, and Gaboon.
Asiatic or East Indian : Assam, Borneo, Rangoon,
Singapore, Penang, and Java.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 137
Para rubber, as previously stated, is considered
the best, Ceara comes next, and all American qualities
are fair. East Indian rubber is also a good quality,
but is much adulterated.
The export trade in rubber manufactures from
Great Britain is enormous, and the processes of manu-
facture of the several articles most interesting and
instructive.
The quality ot rubber is judged and its value
fixed in the saleroom, when it comes from some new
source ; however, after it is listed, it rises and falls
with the market fluctuations, subject to sample being
over or under the standard, there not being the same
uniformity about the lower grades as there is with
Para rubber. Most of the African grades are gone
over before being shipped, and all not up to standard
are thrown aside, and sold at a lower price as re-
jections. The rubber, which mostly arrives in cases
from South America, and in casks and bags from
Africa, is first taken to tanks of warm water, where
it is heated, and then cut up and placed between the
rollers of a washing machine, with a stream of water
pouring over it, which removes all foreign matter
such as sand, clay and bark. It is then rolled into
thin sheets, which are then taken to the drying stove,
where they are kept for about a week to ten days.
The exposure to the atmosphere during the process
of drying changes the colour from white to dark
brown. After the rubber is taken from the stove
it is weighed off into batches and placed in the
mixing mill, between rollers heated with steam, which
EI
13S TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
considerably softens it, and allows the compounds
to be added.
The compounds are various, but the one that is
absolutely essential is sulphur, which, when heated
with the rubber to a temperature equal to thirty or
forty pounds steam pressure, causes the chemical
change known as vulcanising, upon which the use-
fulness of rubber for mechanical purposes depends.
Other chemicals commonly added are zinc oxide, lead
oxide and whiting. Zinc oxide, which is the principal
ingredient specified by the Admiralty, enables the
rubber to be vulcanised with rather less sulphur,
which is a considerable advantage, as an excess of
sulphur has a deletereous effect on the rubber, owing
to the sulphur efflorescing, and on coming to the
surface forming an acid, and causing the surface to
crack, especially in hot climates. Another method
of preventing the bad effect of the sulphur, is to
vulcanise with sulphide of antimony, instead of free
sulphur, which is largely adopted for goods for the
Indian market. The lead oxide is principally used
to render the rubber oil-proof. Whiting is used
for cheapening the rubber, also for hardening it.
After mixing, the rubber is taken to the calender,
where it is run out with a loose interlayer of cloth,
to prevent it from sticking. It is then taken to the
mechanical department, where it is shaped as required,
and prepared for the last process of vulcanising.
There is also another calender called the friction
calender, with three rollers, the lowest of which re-
volves at a slower speed than the others. It is used
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 139
for pressing- the rubber into the cloth for making
hose and belting. The rubber is fed in between the
two upper rollers, and the cloth between the two
lower. After the cloth has been coated in this manner,
it is taken to the spreading machine, where it receives
a further coating of rubber which has been dissolved
in naphtha, by being run between a roller and a
knife gauge, then run over steam chests to evaporate
the naphtha. For making gas tubes, tyres, etc.,
the rubber is run out of a forcing machine, similar
to that used in making lead pipes. The process of
vulcanising, which is the last process, consists of
exposing the rubber to a considerable heat, which
must be greater than the melting point of sulphur.
For shaped goods, such as valves, horse-shoe pads,
railway carriage body blocks and window cushions,
it is placed in iron moulds and clamped together,
then placed in a vulcanising pan, which is a large
boiler, the lid of which is then screwed up, and the
steam turned on. Insertion and thin sheets are also
vulcanised in the vulcanising pan, rolled on a cylinder
with an interlayer of cloth ; thick sheets, however,
are vulcanised between steam chests with planed
surfaces. There is another process of vulcanising by
chloride of sulphur, known as the cold cure for water-
proof textures, and, although this process had great
disadvantages, it was universally used, as the steam
destroyed the woollen fabrics. However, it is now
almost entirely abandoned by the introduction of the
dry heat process, which consists of hanging the
waterproof cloth in a chamber lined with steam pipes.
140 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The amount of resin present in the various rubbers
of commerce differs a good deal. The following- table,
published by H. L. Terry, F.I.C., in the Journal of
the Society of Chemical Industry, for 1889, shows
how greatly the rubbers vary in this respect. The
figures refer to washed rubber.
Name of Rubber. Per cent, of Resin.
Para i '2
Ceara - i '3
Virg'in - 2*5
Colombian - 2^5
Mozambique 3*0
Rio Janeiro - 5 '8
Madagascar 6'i
Sierra Leone - 7*4
Borneo - 7 '9
Assam - 9'3
Mangabeira - 10*5
African Ball (i) 18-5
African Ball (2) 22-8
African Flake 41 "2
It is also stated as generally true that the value of
a raw rubber, as far as tensile strength is concerned, is
inversely to its contents of resin.
( 141 )
CHAPTER VII.
BAHIA. PORT FACILITIES. EXPORTS. HOW FREIGHT CHARGED. RAIL-
WAYS. LIGHTHOUSE. PLACES OF INTEREST IN VICINITY. COMMU-
NICATION WITH OTHER BRAZILIAN PORTS. WHALE INDUSTRY.
TOBACCO AND COTTON. TRADE WINDS. VARIABLES. HORSE LATI-
TUDES. DOLDRUMS. GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. SEAFARING RISKS.
STILL MORE YARNS. MEMORY. CARGO LOST OVERBOARD PROCE-
DURE. BILLS OF LADING. INSURANCE POLICY. GENERAL AND
PARTICULAR AVERAGE.
OHORTLY after leaving" Pernambuco we passed
the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's steamer
* Danube,' and exchanged the usual compliments.
The weather was intensely hot, but towards evening it
became cooler, and we were privileged to see a most
lovely sunset. The sky overhead w r as of a beautiful
violet colour, blending into a reddish purple, and
beneath this, light pink and yellow, with deep orange
on the horizon. It was a brilliant scene, and the
passengers one and all gazed at it until the day merged
into night, which, as the reader will know, rapidly
follows the sunset in the tropics.
The distance from Pernambuco to Bahia is 400
miles, and we covered it in 37 hours, coming to an
anchor in Bahia Bay at six in the morning. Bahia, or
'All Saints' Bay, is one of the finest in the world, and
is sheltered by the island of Itapaca. It was discovered
in the year 1503, by Americus Vespicus, under the
patronage of the King of Portugal, Don Manoel. We
were followed into port by a German steamer, ' San
Nicolas,' and also a Brazilian steamer, the ' Braganza.'
142 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
A Lamport & Holt boat and three of H.M's cruisers
came in shortly afterwards. It was quite cheerful to
see the British * handy ' men rowing over to us for their
mails. We went ashore at 7.30 a.m., as there is no
VIEW OF BA1IIA.
time like the early morning for getting about. Bahia,
being built on the side of a steep hill, presented a
striking appearance in the morning sunlight, with its
glittering domes, its church towers, and its red-tiled
roofs. The streets through which we passed were,
however, narrow, dirty, smelly, and very crowded,
principally with negroes and negresses, and plenty of
naked children. The negresses are, for the most part,
very large and picturesque, in their turbans, neatly
arranged shawls and skirts of many colours. The
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 143
negroes were very scantily attired, in most cases only
wearing loose trousers. The houses were painted in
the same gaudy colours as in Pernambuco.
The city of Bahia consists of an upper and lower
town, and we reached the former, which is built on the
cliffs, by means of an elevator. The upper town we
found very interesting and beautiful, many of the
houses having their fronts completely tiled peacock
blue being apparently the favourite colour. There
were also some fine old churches and some good shops,
though the lackadaisical way in which the shopkeepers
attend to their customers surprised some of our North
American friends, who hinted that they had not come to
take up their residence in the quarter. The market is
the place to visit, if you have a good supply of eau-de-
cologne with you, as you will be much interested there
with the parrots, cockatoos and birds of all kinds, and
the several varieties of monkeys. The fruits also
excited our curiosity, as we found many kinds we had
not seen before. We bought a few ' sapetos, ' as the
name seemed somewhat akin to the schoolboy name for
apples, and it occurred to us at the time that it would
be a work of some interest to trace out the origin of
many words used in common parlance which come
under the denomination of 'slang,' and which, of
course, should never be employed. Our 'sapetos,'
however, were very different from the apples we
pictured. They looked exactly like potatoes, and when
eaten tasted something similar to a mixture of fig and
plum.
The entrance to the bay is much wider than that
144
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 145
of Rio de Janeiro, but not so picturesque. It is what
is more to the point, easy of access at all times, there
being ample depth of water for the largest steamers
afloat. The rise and fall of the tide is about seven feet
(spring tides).
There are a number of jetties used forthe loading and
unloading of lighters, but there are no piers alongside
which steamers can go. The quay wall is so shallow
that only small boats (saveiros) can be brought along-
side, and passengers going ashore hire these from the
natives at a small cost. There are plenty of wooden
launches in the port, ranging from 35 to 180 tons, and
also a number of tug-boats.
Repairs to ships and steamers which can be per-
formed afloat, can only be undertaken, as no dry docks
or patent slips exist capable of taking any vessel over
80 feet in length. There are several good engineering
shops ashore where repairs, unless of an exceptional
size, can be undertaken. We visited that of Messrs.
Wilson, Sons & Co., Limited, and found it a much
more extensive establishment than their Pernambuco
branch.
In 1899 the exports were :
Coffee 14,938,500 kilos.
Cocoa 9,185,160 ,,
Tobacco - 11,348,190 ,,
Skins 34 6 .5 I 7 >i
Piassava - 71,186 packages.
Wood 7>9 12 pieces.
Of these quantities the following were exported to
the United Kingdom :
140 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Coffee - - 989,700 kilos.
Cocoa - 3,095,080 ,,
Tobacco 1,601,250 ,,
Skins - 37>7 6 5
Piassava 46,601 ,,
Wood - 3,028 ,,
The Bahia Mercantile Association publish the
following list, showing" the number of kilos, to the
freight ton :
Wood in cases, boxes or barrels - 1,000 kilos.
,, bags - - - 1,150 ,,
Coffee in barrels 900 ,,
,, bags - - 1,050 ,,
Tobacco Leaf in bales 600 ,,
,, in mangotes or rolls - I > O 5
Dry Hides - 650 ,,
Hides salted - 800 ,,
Green Hides - - 1,000 ,,
Cotton 400 ,,
Cocoa in bag's - 800 ,,
Tapioca in bag's or barrels 700" ,,
Wood - 1,000 ,,
Piassava pressed 600 ,,
India rubber - ' 700 ,,
Bones 600 , ,
Hoofs - 500 ,,
Fish oil - - 1,000 ,,
Rum - 1,000 ,,
Palm Oil - - 1,000 ,,
Molasses - - 1,000 ,,
There are three railways in the State of Bahja,
viz., the Bahia and Sao Francisco, the Bahia Central,
and the Estrada de Ferro de Sao Francisco. The first
two are under English management, the third is in
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 1-17
native hands, and is an extension of the Bahia and Sao
Francisco Railway. The Bahia and Sao Francisco
runs to a small town called Alagoinhas, 123 kilometres
distant from Bahia, and the journey occupies about six
hours. From this point the native railway starts, and
has its terminus in Joazeiro, two days' journey distant.
The Bahia Central Railway starts from a town
called Sao Felix, about seven hours' voyage by steamer
up the Bay and Paraguasu River from Bahia, and after
a run of 244 kilometres, reaches the end of the line on
one side at a place called Machado Portella, and on the
other Bandeira de Mello, 254 kilometres. There is
also a small branch line to a market town called Feira,
45 kilometres.
The lighthouse of Santo Antonio da Barra stands
at the entrance of the bay, and the light is visible in
clear weather at a distance of 15 miles. Inside the bay
there are three small beacons, on the Fort of Santa
Maria, at the Barra, on the Fort of Sao Marcello (or
do Mar), inside the port, and on MontSerrat Point, the
promontory to the north of the town.
There are many places of interest in the vicinity of
Bahia, such as the Barra, Rio Vermelho and Ita-
pagipe, but our time in the port was so short that
we were unable to visit any of them. The inter-
changeable steamer tickets referred to in Chapter I.
will now make all these possible without much
additional expense.
The communication with other Brazilian ports
is good, as besides a weekly foreign mail steamer
north and south, there are continual calls by both
148 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
national and other boats. The service to the small
ports inside the bay is in the hands of a national
Company, called the Cia Navegacao Bahiana, which
runs small, shallow-drafted steamers three times a
week to the ports of Nazareth, Cachoeira, Santo
Amaro and Valenca, and also maintains a daily
service between Bahia, Itaparica, Madre de Deos,
Santo Estavao and Bom Jesus. The fares rano-e
J O
from one to five milreis.
We saw quite a number of whales after leaving
Bahia, which, as previously stated, come up from
the South in order to clean themselves on the coral
reefs. Whilst so engaged they are frequently cap-
tured, and hence it is that the whale industry is
an important one at Bahia, whence a considerable
quantity of whale oil is shipped each year.
Tobacco and cotton, as will be seen from the
statistics given above, form very important indus-
tries, and the tobacco is really very good.
An interesting conversation took place at table
shortly after leaving Bahia, on the subject of the
trade w T inds, and the benefits to shipping which
resulted from the discovery, as they became properly
understood and utilised. There are, it seems, two
zones of perpetual winds, or atmospheric currents,
arising from the action of temperature and the diurnal
motion extending round the earth, from the parallel
of above 30 north and south, viz., the zone of the
N. E. trades on this side or north of the equator,
and of the S. E. on the other side, and these with
but little interruption blow constantly. Maury, who
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 149
seems to have been the first to record the existence
of these winds, writes: 'Our investigations shew
that the S.E. trade wind region is much larger than
the N. E. (Atlantic Ocean only) ; that the S. E.
trades are fresher, and that they often push them-
selves up to 10 and 15 of north latitude, whereas
the north-east trade wind seldom gets south of the
equator. The zone of the north-east trades extends
on an average from about 29 north to 7 north.' He
also goes on to say that seafaring people have, as if
by common consent, divided the ocean off into regions,
and characterised them according to the winds, e.g.,
there are the ' trade wind ' regions, the ' variables, '
the 'horse latitudes,' the 'doldrums,' etc. The 'horse
latitudes ' are the belts of calms and light airs which
border the polar edge of the north-east trades. They
were so called from the circumstance that vessels
formerly bound from New England to the West Indies
with a deck load of horses, were often so delayed in
this calm belt of .Cancer, that, for the want of water
for their animals, they were compelled to throw a
number of them overboard.
The ' equatorial doldrums ' is another of these
calm places. Besides being a region of calms and
baffling winds, it is a region noted for its rains and
clouds, which makes it one of the most oppressive
and disagreeable places at sea.
A vessel bound into the southern hemisphere
from Europe or America, after clearing the region
of variable winds and crossing the 'horse latitudes,'
enters the N. E. trades. She then gets into the
150 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
region of calms the doldrums and thence into the
S.E. trades.
There is no doubt that a knowledge of the geo-
graphy of the sea is of great advantage to the mariner,
and particularly so to those in command of sailing
vessels. 'The world's trade winds are,' H. H. Ban-
croft points out, ' broken by the Continent of the two
Americas interposing its whole length across the world's
expanse of waters, where otherwise the two greatest
of oceans would be thrown into one, as indeed the
fifteenth century cosmographers thought them to be.
In the South Pacific the trade wind springs up some
distance from the shore of South America, and blows
towards Australia.'
One of the passengers, w T ho seemed to ever want
to be in the throes of a joke, said that he knew we had
got into the ' horse latitudes ' as we were to have a con-
cert that night ; but no one heeded the interruption.
The concert was a great success notwithstanding.
We had a strong breeze the next day, and were
glad to find warm clothing to put on, although we
were so near the equator. Then we were nearly run
into by a grampus (a species of whale), but he took a
fright, and just got away in time to avoid our ship, and
to give us a good view of his proportions. This little
incident gave rise to some general talk respecting the
risks our seamen run every day ? the more especially in
regard to those incurred in making port, which
reminded the writer of the story on ' Ribbons,' told by
William Thackeray in his 'Roundabout Papers,' and
where, in describing a voyage he made to North
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 151
America, he alludes to the anxiety of the captain to fix
the light. Then, as by a sudden inspiration, he
(Thackeray) voiced the sentiment of the entire world ;
but as the world is apt to forget and undervalue ser-
vices which, by their frequency become common, it is
well that it should be reminded, lest that spirit of
callousness should give cause for discouragement in a
band of the most worthy men that ever worked for
King, and the welfare and advancement of his dominions.
' The daily round and common task ' brings out heroes
in every phase of life, and it is not merely our army and
navy that should gather all the praise. Our mercantile
marine though threatened in its supremacy- is and
has been the builder up of the great British nation, and
battles, though bloodless, are daily fought and won by
it in the arena of commerce. Now, let the mariner
have his due, and let us listen to Thackeray for a while.
He writes :
4 And so through storm and darkness, through fog
4 and midnight, the ship had pursued her steady way
' over the pathless ocean and roaring seas so surely
4 that the officers who sailed her knew her place
4 within a minute or two, and guided us with a won-
' derful providence safe on our way.' Then alluding
U the fixing of the light, he continues: 'By this
' little incident (hourly, of course, and trivial to sea-
' going people) I own I was immensely moved, and
4 never can think of it but with a heart full of thanks
4 and awe. We trust our lives to these seamen, and
4 how nobly they fulfil their trust. They are under
4 Heaven as a Providence for us. Whilst we sleep,
152 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
; their untiring" watchfulness keeps guard over us.
* All night through that bell sounds at its season,
1 and tells how our sentinels defend us. It rang when
1 the ' Amazon ' was on fire, and chimed its heroic
' signal of duty, and courage, and honour. Think
1 of the dangers these seamen undergo for us ; the
1 hourly peril and watch ; the familiar storm ; the
4 dreadful iceberg ; the long winter nights, when the
1 decks are as glass and the sailor has to climb
* through icicles to bend the stiff sail on the yard.
* Think of their courage and their kindnesses in cold,
4 in tempest, in hunger, in wreck. "The women
' and the children to the boats," says the captain of
4 the ' Birkenhead,' and with the troops formed on the
1 deck, and the crew obedient to the word of glorious
4 command, the immortal ship goes down.
4 The Nile and Trafalgar are not more glorious to
* our country, and are not greater victories than those
1 won by our merchant seamen.'
Many other instances of later date could be added
to those quoted by Thackeray, but why gild the gold !
Long voyages are responsible for many things, and
there was a good deal of 'chaff' amongst the bachelors
of our party at the mess they had made of life in having
resisted the charms of the fair sex until, as someone
/
expressed it, they had grown old and ugly, and love
could no longer play a part. Two of our Hibernian
friends got rather warm on the subject, one being
married and the other single, and the discussion
ended thus : ' Be jabers a bachelor is only the small
part of a man'; to which the retort rapidly came,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 153
* Well, then, a married man is only the small
part of a woman.' The captain, however, who is
always the champion of the ladies, soon quelled
the dispute, which then resolved itself into a story-
telling episode. Now, the proverbial modesty of
seamen in putting forward their claims for recogni-
tion, and which we have alluded to above, brought
forth a story connected with the fraternity whom our
American cousins say 'suffer from swollen heads,' and
have a great deal of * hot air ' about them. The claret
was being served at dinner at the time, and reminded
our barrister friend of the occurrence, which he related
as follows : ' A young barrister, who was present at a
lunch in Dublin, on one occasion very haughtily and
loudly remarked that he could not drink port as his
family, for six generations past, had suffered from gout
through drinking port wine of the very finest vintages.
Another barrister present, thinking his confrere was
boasting, rejoined in rich brogue, * Shure that's strange,
for I can't drink claret, for my family, for six genera-
tions, have drunk nothing else, and have always
suffered from spasms.'
Now, this was not in disparagement of the ship's
free claret, which was praised on all sides as sound,
wholesome, and refreshing, but it served its purpose as
a ' reminder.' What a strange storehouse the memory
is. Facts and stories heard long ago, and apparently
forgotten, come out quite fresh at the sound of a voice,
a gesture, a word or a look, as though culled a few
hours previously. It is just a question whether what
is once stored away by the memory is ever quite effaced,
154 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
that is to say, if we have mastered and grasped a fact
or a circumstance, it is open to argument whether it
ever really leaves us. We may have impressions which
time effaces, and a good thing it is that it should be so,
as much bad is wiped out with the good, but all we
learn thoroughly, and all our thoughts which are
worthy the name, and all we hear and have done, which
the mind takes in, require but the right key to be
touched to awaken the sleeping chords of memory.
Matters maritime formed a perpetual subject of
converse, and in this connection I should perhaps have
recorded earlier that when re-embarking at Pernambuco
we noticed a steamer, which had put out from the inner
harbour to complete her loading outside on account of
the depth of water on the bar. This is naturally an
expensive operation, on account of the high sea always
running at the port, and is attended with considerable
risk to the cargo. Several packages were lost over-
board whilst we were watching, but no doubt the
captain entered his protest before the British Consul
4 aq-ainst all losses and damages owinq- to the launches
o o &
surging heavily consequent upon the high sea,' and
reserved the right to extend the protest at the first
convenient opportunity. This action is necessary, to
free the ship from liability for accidents which cannot
be controlled, and the shipper secures himself from loss
by insurance. These extended protests are signed by
the captain, chief officer, and a member of the crew, in
the presence of a notary public, and they protest that
all and whatever damage or loss hath arisen to the said
o
vessel, her tackle, apparel, or cargo, or to the owners
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. lyi
thereof respectively, hath been wholly owing to the
circumstances before stated, and to the dangers and
perils of navigation, and not to the negligence, mis-
conduct, want of skill, or attention of the said
declarants, or any of the said crew of the vessels, or to
an insufficiency of the said vessel, her tackle, apparel,
or furniture. This occurrence gave rise to a discussion
as to the contract for the conveyance of cargo, and
which is embraced by the bill of lading.
Naturally, at the very cheap freights ruling in
every trade at the present day, consequent upon ever
increasing competition, shipowners cannot be respon-
sible for losses arising from causes beyond their con-
trol, and it is scarcely to be wondered at, therefore,
that the bill of lading should have grown into a
formidable document. Every shipper should make
himself conversant with his bill of lading, and should
cover his risks by insurance. The bill of lading, how-
ever, is a simple document when compared with an
insurance policy. This has developed, through litiga-
tion principally, into a most abstruse form ; in fact, I
think it would take a committee of underwriters,
average adjusters, and Philadelphia lawyers combined
to explain some of the policies. There is a growing
disposition on the part of underwriters, it seems to me,
to evade claims, instead of encouraging business by
paying without a grumble. Premiums are not paid for
amusement. Naturally, every business must have its
safeguards, and unfair and improper claims must be
resisted ; but surely some simple, short, plain policy,
shewing to what extent an insurer is covered without
lf>(i TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
too many technical phrases, can be evolved, which
would benefit the shipping world, make things easy for
new shippers, and simplify and expedite the settlement
of claims.
The subjects of bills of lading and marine insur-
ance must, however, if the reader desires to study
them, be followed in other works than this.
Of course, there are times when the ship has to
contribute towards the loss of or damage to cargo, and
she herself requires to be insured, and we therefore find
insurances against all risks, total and partial loss,
inclusive and exclusive of general or particular average.
For instance, on occasion some part of the ship or
cargo has, for the safety or preservation of the whole, to
be sacrificed, and this loss is made good to the party
on whom it falls by an average contribution upon all-
termed a general average upon the amount of the ship,
cargo and freight. A particular average may shortly
be said to relate to occurrences which do not apply to
the general interest, such as damage by fire, water, or
other substance, diminution of quantity, deterioration
in quality, and both diminution and deterioration.
( 157 )
CHAPTER VIII.
RIO BAY. SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. SLEEPING GIANT. CITY OF RIO. DRY
DOCKS. REPAIRING SHOPS. TOWAGE FACILITIES. LIGHTERAGE AND
FACILITIES FOR HANDLING CARGO. TRADE STATISTICS. CONSULAR
REPORTS. IMPORTS. CAUSES TENDING TO DIMINISH TRADE WITH
GREAT BRITAIN. EXPORTS. RAILWAYS. RUA DO OUVIDOR. CORCO-
VADO. MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. TREES, ETC. LOTTERY. EXPLORA-
TION OF BAY. ISLAND OF PAQUETA. YARNS. LARANGERIAS.
LIZARDS, ETC. " PELOTA." COURTSHIP IN THE BRAZILS.
T JNFORTUNATELY the day upon which we
arrived in Rio Bay was misty, and what may
justly be termed one of the finest views in the world
was spoilt. But we saw it later with the advantage
of a clear sky and brilliant sunshine, and were con-
vinced that all which has been written respecting
this ' miniature summer sea, upon whose bosom
rest a hundred fairy isles, and around whose shores
dimple a hundred bays,' can but imperfectly describe
its beauty. The surrounding mountains are clad in
tropical verdure, and with the ever changing hues of
sky and mist, present a picture of incomparable
beauty. The harbour is one of the largest and
safest in the world, and the entrance, which is about
a mile in width, is from a southerly direction, with
the islands of Pai and Mai on the right, and Ihla
Raza (with its lighthouse) and a number of other
semi-barren islands on the left. The entrance to
the harbour is overlooked by the Sugar Loaf mount-
ain, and the coastline forms a huge resemblance
158 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
of the human figure, and has thus come to be named
the 'Sleeping Giant.'
An English 'middy,' so the story goes, on one
occasion caused a great sensation by climbing to the
top of the
Sugar Loaf
mountain
a feat which
looks im-
possible
and plant-
i n g the
British en-
sign there.
This caused
SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN, RIO HARBOUR.
great an-
noyance to the authorities, especially as no one could
get the flag down, until, so it is said, an American
girl came along and dipped it.
The harbour, after passing between the guardian
forts, opens out into a wide, handsome bay, dotted
about with forts and islands, having built upon them
handsome Customs and military establishments.
The City of Rio de Janeiro covers an area of
from eight to nine square miles, and had a popula-
tion, according to the last ,census (December, 1890),
f 5 : 5>559) f which 322,290 were white, and 193,269
were coloured. These figures are, however, held to
be erroneous, the general idea being that the total
population is about 800,000. The city is most pictur-
esque, rising in terraces right up to the mountains,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 159
and stretching- out along the south side of the bay
for a great distance. The roofs are of the red tiled
order, the houses are of all colours, and jutting out
against the sky-line are handsome domes, turrets,
pinnacles and a tropical foliage. The harbour has
an area of over thirty square miles, and there is
practically no bar. At the shallowest part of the
entrance there is 33 feet of water during 'neaps.'
BUM BOATS, RIO HARBOUR.
The anchorage is good (abreast of Rat Island), with
muddy bottom, with the exception of one bank-
marked by buoys where there is only 21 feet of
water. The depth of the bay varies from 30 to 130
feet, and the largest vessels afloat can enter the bay.
Spring tides rise 4 feet, neaps 3 feet.
We were conveyed from the steamer to the quays
160 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
in small boats, as there is no wharf alongside which
a steamer drawing more than 21 feet of water can
go, though docks are contemplated. All loading and
discharging is done by means of lighters or barges
from November to May, when vessels must lie, on
account of sanitary reasons, 300 metres from the
shore. From May to November, some of the small
vessels may go alongside the 'trapiches,' i.e., bonded
warehouses, which belong to private parties. The
depth of water alongside these varies from 12 to 21 feet.
There are five dry docks at present in Rio de
Janeiro, viz. :
Length.
Width.
Depth.
I.
Dique
Santa Cruz.
423 ft.
70 ft.
24 ft.
2.
j >
Guanabara.
258 ft.
55ft.
20 ft.
3-
> >
da Saude.
520 ft.
70 ft.
24 ft.
4-
de Mocanfgue.
405 ft.
45 ft.
i8i ft.
5-
T"
230 ft.
74 ft.
24 ft.
it/) i
Besides the docks there are several repairing shops
fitted with the most modern machinery, and owned by
the following firms:
Wilson, Sons & Co. , Ltd. - Ilha da Conceicao.
Brazilian Coal Co. - Ferreiros Island.
Augusto Gomes de Moraes Saude.
Silva and Grilla - Saude.
Messrs. Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd., have a slipway
220 feet long and 80 feet wide, with lifting power avail-
able up to 400 tons. They have also sheer legs for
lifting up to 20 tons.
On the subject of towage facilities, I may say there
are two owners of seagoing tugs, viz.: Messrs. Wilson,
Sons & Co., Ltd., and the Brazilian Coal Co., Ltd.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 161
The former own three tugs, one 107 feet long by 18
feet wide, and 120 horse-power, and two of 80 feet by
1 6 feet, and 40 horse-power. The largest tug is fitted
with a salvage pump capable of pumping 1,000 gallons
of water per minute. The Brazilian Coal Company
has one tug of about 45 horse-power. In addition, the
Brazilian Government owns two tugs of 85 and 70
horse-power respectively, which are fitted up for salvage
purposes. There are also a number of small steam
launches suitable for harbour service. The charge for
towage is according to agreement.
The lighterage accommodation at the port is equal
to about 25,000 tons, and is made up principally of
lighters of 80 to 100 tons capacity. The majority of
the lighters are closed, kennel-hatched, opening on one
side only. When the lighters are closed, tarpaulins
are used to cover the moveable hatchways, thus making
them watertight.
There are three floating cranes at this port capable
of lifting heavy weights, the largest of which belongs
to the Arsenal of War, and will lift up to eighty tons.
This, being a government crane, can only be obtained
by petition, an exceedingly slow process, and very
uncertain.
The second belongs to the Marine Arsenal, and
was originally constructed to lift 60 tons, but owing to
its age and neglected condition, it is generally con-
sidered that it would be dangerous to attempt anything
over 40 tons on it. All risks of damage, whilst it is
employed, is for account of the hirer, and would have
to be made good. For these two cranes there is no
162 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
fixed charge, and terms would have to be made as the
occasion arises. The third and smallest crane belongs
to a private company, and it can take up to 30 tons, and
is always for hire. This company charges the following-
rates: Rs. 100*000 to Rs. 300*000 per lift. Journeys
Rs. 100*000 to Rs.25o*ooo. Hire of ropes and chains
extra. One lift generally costs from ^25 to ^,30.
There is also a fixed crane on Ilha das Cabras,
belonging to the Marine Arsenal, which can lift 80
tons. Steamers of light draught can go alongside.
The revenue derived from import duties in Rio has
diminished during the three years ending with 1900, as
follows:
In 1898 it was 219,900,000 milreis.
,, 1899 ,, 199,900,000
,, 1900 ,, 160,400,000 ,,
and exchange has been down as low as 8d. per milreis.
Anyone embarking in extensive business in any of
the foreign Republics, would naturally take the pre-
caution to refer to the diplomatic and consular reports,
which are annually issued, and which deal pretty fully
with the financial condition of the several countries,
and furnish other very valuable information. They do
not, however, in many cases give as valuable informa-
tion as they might in the direction of shewing how the
trade with Great Britain can be best improved and
strengthened as against competition, and the consuls
should be allowed extra remuneration by the govern-
ment to enable them to take expert opinions on the
conduct of trade in all branches, and to employ
travelling agents where necessary.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 103
No doubt the constant fluctuations in the value of
the milreis are detrimental to trade, as well as the
continual alterations in customs tariffs, etc.
The chief items of the British supplies to Rio de
Janeiro, and which, I am glad to record, represent
about one-third of the whole, greatly outdistancing all
competitors, consist of: Rice, cotton textiles and yarn,
coal, iron and steel metals and manufactures, machinery
and tools, dried Canadian cod fish, sewing thread,
cotton laces and manufactures, woollen goods, silks,
manufactures of linen, hemp and jute, jute yarns, boots
and shoes, cutlery, chemicals, provisions, thread, pre-
pared leather, flour, cement, etc.
The rice comes nearly all direct from British
India, the value of the shipments in 1900 amounting to
,920,000.
The British Consul, in his annual report, goes
straight to the root of one of the causes which tends to
diminish trade. He says: 'One matter in particular
deserves fuller consideration on the part of the British
manufacturer, and that is the necessity of his making
personal acquaintance with the markets he is interested
in. Unlike his continental colleague, he is, judging
by Rio movements, too much disposed to neglect
travelling to distant countries, under the impression
probably that local British merchants may be con-
sidered to hold a brief in his special cause, and that
his interests are perfectly safe in their keeping. He
forgets that the British merchant has not always a free
hand to buy where he pleases. No doubt, all things
being equal, the British merchant is desirous of giving
164 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the preference to his own nationality, but too often the
requirements of his constituent leave him no option but
to buy from non-British sources. It therefore behoves
the British manufacturer to learn by personal experience
just what he has to compete against in the market.'
Germany comes second in the list of importers to
Rio, and is making rapid headway. The German
will make just what the country demands, not en-
deavour to make the country adapt itself to what he
has been in the habit of producing.
The chief exports from Rio de Janeiro are
coffee, gold ingots, manganese, rosewood, hides, rubber,
tapioca and old metals. In 1890 the value of the
exports amounted to ,6,620,000, exclusive of coined
specie, the value of the coffee alone being .5,670,000.
Of the countries receiving the exports, the United
States gets 45 per cent., Germany 20 per cent., Holland
8 per cent., France 7 per cent., Austria Hungary 6 per
cent., United Kingdom 4 per cent., Belgium 3 per
cent., other countries 7 per cent.
The principal railways running out of Rio de
Janeiro are the Central Railway in connection with
the States of Sao Paulo and Minas Geraes.
Connecting with the Central Railway at various
points are the following : -
Minas and Rio Railway (English) runs from
the station of Cruzeiro, in the State of Sao Paulo,
into the State of Minas Geraes.
Oeste de Minas. A native Company in connection
with the States of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Geraes
and Goyaz. This railway is in receipt of an annual
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 163
subvention from the Federal Government and the
State of Minas Geraes.
Sapucahy Railway. A native railway which joins
the Central at the station Barra de Pirahy, in the
State of Rio de Janeiro.
Leopoldina Railway (English) runs into the State
of Minas Geraes, and has a daily service to Petro-
polis, the journey across the bay being made in well-
appointed steamers.
Melhoramentos do Brazil, runs to Parahyba do
Sul, in the State of Rio.
Rio do Ouro, belongs to the Government, and
runs into the interior for a distance of about 100 kilo-
metres.
Rio de Janeiro, although the streets are, with one
or two exceptions, narrow and malodorous, is an ex-
tremely fine city. The Rua do Ouvidor is no doubt
the most attractive street for the traveller, as it con-
tains the finest shops, and in some of these are sold
most beautiful humming and other birds, and imitation
flowers made from bird feathers. We had determined,
as a matter of precaution, to stay outside the city, and
we therefore took up our quarters at the International
Hotel, which is situate about half-way up the Corco-
vado (Hunchback) Mountain. The pathway to the
top of this mountain, from which the finest view of
the harbour is obtainable, is interesting and beautiful,
though those who wish for little fatigue will more
appreciate the funicular railway. It is a work of con-
siderable engineering skill, and passes through most
charming localities, whilst here and there views of the
160
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
harbour and the mountains beyond, bathed in soft atmos-
pheric blue are presented, which cannot but perpetually
live in the memory, amongst the choicest of scenes
ever witnessed. And then the sunsets, as seen from
* Corcovado's ' heights, beggar all description, and
vie with the
finest Tur-
n e r e v e r
painted. A
critic once
said to Tur-
ner, 'I never
saw such
sunsets as
those you
Daint, ' and
he at once
replied, 'No! don't you wish you could.' Well, you
can if you go to Rio.
Never have I seen in Nature such a wonderful
variety of butterflies and moths, both large and small,
as flitted in and out of the woods, and over the path-
way up the Corcovado, most brilliant in colour, scarlet,
yellow, orange, tipped greenish blue and grey, some
spotted on the upper wing, and some beneath, and all
of a rich, velvety appearance. In a day or two, with
a suitable net, one might readily make an excellent
collection.
It takes almost an hour to get into the city from
the International Hotel, and the route by electric tram-
car is very picturesque and interesting from a botanical
MOUNT CORCOVADO, RIO HARBOUR.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 167
point of view. There is the most lovely vegetation all
round, the banana trees looking- for all the world like
huge ferns, with the golden-coloured fruit hanging
down in great bunches, each with its purple seed pod
at the end. Bamboo hedges and there is no more
beautiful hedge than a bamboo one, with its feathery
fronds huge trees covered with red flowers, and orchids,
what we know in England as hothouse plants growing
like weeds by the roadside, cacti and palm trees every-
where, prickly pear and cokernut trees, trees with red
leaves looking like huge bouquets, and here and there,
in this environment of colour, pretty chalets, or < cha-
caras ' as they are called, with domes and minarets,
thrust themselves out into the open and add a charm,
if such be possible, to the blue expanse of bay beyond.
Flowers are most abundant and beautiful, but they fade
very rapidly when cut, on account of the heat.
Everything for sale in Rio de Janeiro seemed very
dear, and the principal business, one might readily
imagine, is the lottery, which, not only in Rio, but in
every town of importance in the Brazilian and Argen-
tine Republics, forms the favourite method of gambling.
There is the ' state-supported ' lottery, and others
formed by private syndicates. Lottery tickets are sold
everywhere, and strangers are readily induced to try
their fortune by the story which is well known, at all
events in the Brazils, of an English captain who was
pestered by one of the i gamin ' class to buy a ticket.
He repulsed the ragged urchin several times, and then
went into the English Club. When he came out again
the boy was waiting for him, and renewed his solicita-
168 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
tions until the captain, weary of him and them, bought
the ticket. What was his surprise and pleasure when,
in a few days, he found himself to be the winner of the
equivalent of ^10,000, can easily be imagined. He was
a man of heart as well as head, and he therefore sought
out the boy who had brought him his good fortune,
educated him, and gave him a good start in life.
Another story told me was to the effect that a gentle-
man was so bothered one day by an urchin to purchase
a ticket that he lost his temper, and struck him
somewhat harder than he intended. He was sorry for
this and bought the ticket, and found later that he had
secured a prize of ,5,000. There are blanks as well
as prizes chiefly blanks ! !
The way to explore the bay thoroughly and in
comfort is to go in a steam launch, and we were
fortunate in receiving an invitation to make up a small
party for the purpose, and probably most of us then, as
expressed on the occasion, spent the best day of our
lives. We left the quay at n a.m., and after boarding
the Pacific Company's ' Liguria, ' which lay at anchor,
to proclaim our nationality and shake hands with the
captain, we proceeded for a five hours' cruise. The
day might have been created for the purpose, it was
simply beautiful, and the reader can readily imagine
the pleasure we experienced in visiting a number of the
small bays and islands, each possessing its own indi-
vidual character and charm. The time was far too
short, we would have liked to extend it to a fortnight
at least, and that period could readily be spent on such
an expedition. There was a cool, refreshing breeze on
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 169
the water, and in whatever direction we looked, whether
at the Sugar Loaf, the heights of Corcovado or Tijuca,
or the lofty Organ Mountains shooting up their organ-
pipe-shaped summits far into the sky, the view was one
never to be forgotten ; and the strangeness of the
foliage to European eyes gave a foreign piquancy and
relish to the varied scenes. Talking of piquancy and
relish reminds me of the excellent lunch we had on
board, and I refer to it on account of certain curiosities
we had to eat, viz., green peas and oysters, both grown
on trees. This sounds somewhat like a fairy tale, and
even our world-wide traveller, who was on board,
4 winked the other eye ' at the statement. It was none
the less true. The peas tasted very much like what we
were accustomed to at home, but they are cooked in the
shell which is very tender, and in fact regarded as the
best part of the vegetable. The oysters attach them-
selves to the branches of trees, which dip into the water
on the margin of the bay, and we found them to be
excellent eating.
After lunch, we landed on the island of Paqueta,
which is a favourite summer resort for the elite of Rio
de Janeiro. The president of the Brazilian Republic
was staying there at the time of our call, and the island
proved to be worth the visit. Along the beach were
tall cokernut palms with plenty of cokernuts visible,
but difficult to get at. The black boys, however, find
it no trouble to get the nuts, as they climb the trees
with their hands and feet just like monkeys. A green
cokernut, milk and pulp together, is considered a great
delicacy by the Brazilian ladies. There were fruits
FI
170
TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
growing in abundance, oranges, lemons, figs, guavas,
and a kind of small melon of a pale yellow colour,
grown on low trees called ' mamao ' (pronounced
maman) fruit. The mamao is a great favourite with
the blacks.
Then, there
were large
aloes, coffee
trees with
their beau-
tiful bright
red berries,
and whilst
these made
a charming
ILHA DE PAQUETA. picture, WC
knew that the coffee trees are seen at their best
in the blossom period. Rio is a wonderful place,
and as the conditions of health are very much
improved, and little if any danger is run, especially
in the winter and spring, say from June to November,
if proper precautions are taken in the matter of
food or drink (never touch the native water,
drink imported mineral water or claret, or whisky
and soda sparingly), it ought to become a popular
resort, especially as one can make the voyage out
and home which is in itself most interesting and
healthful in a little over six weeks.
A young sailor, on his return home from Rio de
Janeiro, recounted his experiences to his mother, telling
her he had seen mountains of sugar (sugar loaf), rivers
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 171
of rum, and flying fish. The old lady looked at him
thoughtfully for a while, and then she said 'Well, I
can believe there are mountains of sugar and rivers of
rum, but "flying fish " are quite out of the question.'
Our return journey was somewhat rougher, as we
had the w r ind and tide against us, and we shipped
several 'seas.' This reminded one of the party of an
incident which, he said, occurred when he crossed the
Atlantic in stormy weather. It seems there was a
clergyman on board who was of a very timid nature,
and who was constantly asking if there was any danger.
On the third day out, when the storm was at its height,
he went to the commander and put his question to him,
and the reply he got was, ' As long as you hear the
sailors swearing, you may be certain there is no
danger.' However, after retiring, he became very
much alarmed at the movement of the vessel, and he
therefore went up on deck, and made his way forward
to where some of the ' black squad ' were taking the
air, and as they were ornamenting their language pretty
freely, he put his hands together with fervency and
thanked God that the men were still ' smiling.'
After landing, we took the tram to Larangeiras,
the aristocratic quarter of the city, and the ride is a
good one, as the principal streets and square are
traversed, and one can see the Presidential Palace, the
gaily coloured houses of the rich, the Brazilian beauties
reclining in the windows fan in hand, and the ' Coast
of Africa, ' where the negroes reside.
We found no difficulty in the matter of the money,
1,000 reis or one milreis was equal to rod. at the time
172 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
of our visit, though as I write it is nearer one shilling.
The milreis can be had in notes from 500 reis upwards.
Less than 500 reis can be had in 100 and 200 i^eis
pieces. 100 reis, it will be seen, was equal to id.
During- our tram ride we were surprised to see the
milkmen taking the cows round and milking them at
the doors of their customers. The calf usually accom-
panied the cow, but was muzzled to prevent it from
suckling. The milking of the cow as named, how-
ever, we were told, did not prevent the ' watering ' of
the milk, as some of the attendants carry under their
blouse an india rubber bag filled with water, with a
tube running down the arm, and they manage to
squeeze water into the can whilst milking. The
bullock carts were also interesting, as well as the mules,
which take the place of the horse in this mountainous
district. I have never seen finer animals anywhere.
Lizards are very numerous outside the city, and
one species, the white lizard, should be particularly
avoided. One of these crawled over a man we met,
and when it touched his skin it exuded something"
which burnt him like caustic, and caused severe pain
and irritation for a month.
Of course there are mosquitos and other insects
equally vicious, also grasshoppers as large as our
ordinary butterfly, to add to our pleasure and disturb
our slumbers (one species made a noise in the
morning exactly like what one hears from a smithy),
and it may be noted that in this country when one
has to give a tip and this is not infrequent it is
customary to say 'Para matar o bicho,' i.e., 'for
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
173
killing- the insects.' There are beetles of all hues and
shades, some extremely beautiful, and there are ants
quite half an inch long. These are very destructive.
They attack a tree in the' night time, and snip off
the whole of the leaves before morning, carrying them
away to their nests as provision for the winter.
The great game in Rio is ' Pelota, ' which has
been imported from Monte Video, and originally came
from the Basque provinces of Spain. It resembles
rackets. There are several halls in which it is
played in Rio, the largest holding at least 5,000
people. There are single and double games. In the
singles two men play at a time, though there are six
men in the game. The man who loses the point
makes room for the next, and so on until 6 is scored,
which completes the game. The player, or pelotar,
has on his right hand, fixed to the wrist with a
glove attachment, a bas-
ket shaped thus, and in
which he catches the
hard, gutta-percha ball,
and flings it back against
the court wall. The bas-
ket is called a cesta, and is nearly 3 feet long. The
wall is a three-sided one, i.e., two ends with a long
stretch of wall between.
End
Wall.
Net.
I
1
End Wall
on which
play
commences.
2. 1.
Audience.
174 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The ball, at the lead-off, has to be struck on
first bounce, and must ' let ' between the first and
second floor marks. The game is fast and furious,
and it is difficult to follow the ball, the players
being usually professionals brought up from the
River Plate. There are many tricks in the game ;
one is to get the ball to shoot out from one end
wall to the other, and the player has then to hit
it without turning his body back to the wall first
played against. Another is to hit the side wall near
the corner, so that the ball strikes the end wall
afterwards, and shoots out at an angle difficult to
play. Naturally there is a great deal of betting on
the game, the hall being like a racecourse fitted up
with betting boxes. The company running the hall
gets 20 per cent, out of all bets, the balance being
divided amongst those who have won, according to
a scale which is exhibited. The players are paid
as much, in some cases, as ,100 per month. The
system of betting is usually on two men to win first
and second, each man gets a number, and the score
is put up on a large board.
There are very few ladies visible in the streets
of Rio de Janeiro, as they do not care for walking ;
and the only carriages to be seen are ' Tilburys, ' with
the driver sitting inside, and room only for another
person.
It was not my intention, in any shape or form, to
introduce Cupid into this work, but the fascinating
period of courtship in the Brazils can hardly be passed
over in silence. The rule is that the young people
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 175
shall not meet until engaged therefore, when a
man sees a lady he admires looking" down upon
him from her window, he stations himself beneath it
for hours at a time, and gazes fondly in the hope of
getting a secret smile or a much more coveted w r ord.
After he has done this repeatedly for a week or two, he is
invited into the house, and then, if he be a foreigner in
the country, he will, to his surprise, find a feast pre-
pared, and a number of guests assembled. The father
of the young lady, during the dinner or supper,
announces to the company that his daughter is engaged
to the young man who smiled at her through the
window, and although he has not spoken a word on the
subject of marriage, he has to acquiesce or get into
serious trouble, and be probably severely handled.
After marriage, if the husband does not go to live with
his father-in-law, but fits out an establishment for
himself, he is liable, under Brazilian law, to support
the whole of his wife's relations. Marriage, therefore,
in the Brazils, is not lightly entered upon except by
young men out of employment, a circumstance which
does not always seem to weigh with the fair sex.
Thoughts of matrimony are possibly good ones to
close with, and we will therefore leave the recital of
our further experiences in the Brazils for the next
chapter.
( 176 )
CHAPTER IX.
BUBONIC PESTE. RAILWAY TRAVELLING IN BRAZIL. JOURNEY TO SAO
PAULO. RONCADOR. SAO PAULO. IMMIGRANTS. SAO PAULO TO
SANTOS. SANITARY STATIONS. SANTOS. DOCKS AND WAREHOUSES-
FACILITIES FOR HANDLING CARGO. COFFEE TRADE AND SEASON.
PRAIA JOSE MENINO. TROLLEY ESCAPADE. BATHING AT SANTOS.
CHACARAS. PARTICULARS RE PORT AND CHARGES. TOWAGE. BANKS.
STEAMSHIPS USING SANTOS PORT. DOCK RULES. INSPECTION OF
RIVER. RETURN JOURNEY TO RIO. PETROPOLIS.
A S our business necessitated a visit to Santos,
^^ which, up to recently, has borne the most evil
reputation of all the Brazilian ports on account of
the prevalence of yellow fever, we did not, as the
reader may readily imagine, altogether relish the idea
of going there. We were, however, to be agreeably
disappointed with the city and port, so great have
been the improvements made there during the last few
years ; and we were to have the pleasure of a journey
through the interior to Sao Paulo, about fourteen
hours by rail, and then to Santos, another two hours
distant. Bubonic ' peste ' was said to prevail in Rio de
Janeiro, and we had, consequently, to be at the
railway station an hour before the published time of
departure in order to get our luggage fumigated, and
to obtain passports, which are issued in the station,
containing a full description of our appearance, which, I
am bound to say, was of a kind conducive to humility.
These passports had to be presented at another part of
the station, in order that our names might be wired on
in advance to enable the authorities to watch our
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 177
movements for ten days, after which time, having 1 in the
interval developed no symptoms of the dreaded disease,
we would be free from further restriction. There were
many houses in Rio shut up with a ' peste ' notice
affixed to the door, giving- silent witness of the existence
of the plague, which happily has now been stamped
out.
In the matter of railway travelling- even Brazil is
in certain respects ahead of Great Britain. We use the
word ' even ' not in disparagement of the country, but
merely to express the fact that railways are but a
recent institution in the Brazils. The sleeping car-
fiages are after the North American pattern, though
not as up-to-date as those which run between New
York and Chicago, with dining, smoking and toilet
rooms, and well-supplied library attached. The diffi-
culty in the Rio car was the undressing, there being
no separate compartment for ladies, and the car open
from one end to the other. There are two tiers of
berths on either side, with loose curtains for privacy,
but if the occupant of the lower berth retires first,
the candidate for the upper one has either to pub-
licly undress, to retire to bed dressed, or to wriggle
out of his clothes by a species of gymnastics after
getting on to his shelf. It is somewhat amusing in the
early morning early rising being insisted upon to
see a row of heads emerging from the curtains, and
looking for all the world like those in Bluebeard's
O
chamber of horrors ; the facial expressions resulting
from the difficulty of getting into certain garments
without the appearance of doing so, affording much
178 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
food for study, certainly not of beauty but of panto-
mimic effect. But even the dressing, after a few
nights, becomes a matter of habit, and the traveller
learns exactly how to twist his legs under his back and
slip into or out of his clothes without sitting up or
raising a lump on his forehead by contact with the roof
of the carriage.
We left Rio de Janeiro at 8 o'clock in the evening,
and at 5.30 next morning were aroused, in order to
change, half an hour later, to a narrow gauge railway
carriage, and in which we remained until we arrived at
Sao Paulo. We were glad to be up early to see the
country, and whilst not of the kind one would call
grand, the scenery was certainly interesting. There
were trees covered with blooms like huge azaleas,
palms of various kinds the fan-shaped being perhaps
the most beautiful and huts with surrounding walls of
mud. Two kinds of sand, a red and a light brown are
mixed together, the first named having adhesive
qualities, and the mud so made is built up in the shape
of walls. The houses or huts have a trellis work of
bamboo or other wood, the interstices being filled in
with the mud. Certainly these are not built to last,
and there must be a great deal of waste when showers
of rain come on, though in the district through which
we were travelling, these were not over frequent. Our
track lay through some virgin forests, and we could
distinguish many orchids amongst the creepers whicli
literally covered the trees.
At 10-30 a.m. we arrived at Sao Paulo, and
proceeded to the Grand Hotel de la Rotisserie, where
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 179
\ve had secured rooms in advance, there not being
a great choice of hotels in the city. I mention
the hotel principally because we had a fish there fcr
breakfast known as the Roncador (Snoring Fish), and
which, we were told in all earnestness, and with the
evident feeling that we must of necessity be impressed
to believe it, comes to the surface at intervals round
the islands outside Santos, and makes a noise exactly
resembling the snore of a heavy sleeper. This sounded
more like a fairy tale to us than anything else, but
then I must tell you that even the fish was 'stuffed.'
The State of Sao Paulo is possibly one of the
most progressive in the Brazils, as a system of im-
migration is supported, and what seemed to us very
fair arrangements are made for the reception of the
immigrants, and their distribution amongst the nu-
merous coffee plantations and farms in the district. A
large, comfortable reception house is provided, and
the immigrants are quartered and supported there
until work is found. This, no doubt, accounts in a
great measure for the rapid strides Santos, the port
of shipment for the produce of the district, has made.
Sao Paulo is a well-situated and healthy city, having
a population of about 280,000 inhabitants, and most
of the principal merchants and factors of Santos reside
there in handsome 'chacaras.' The train to Santos
leaves at six in the morning, in order that business
may be commenced at 8 o'clock, and the journey
thither is through a beautiful country. On leaving
Sao Paulo, the train gradually ascends to the top of,
the Serra, where the engine is detached, and the
180 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
carriages, after being- affixed to a wire rope, are allowed
to descend by natural gravitation, the speed being-
regulated by the weight of another train, which is
in this wise drawn up from the plain. The scenery
en route is of a wild, tropical kind, there being
plenty of virgin forest, looking like a botanical garden.
Some of the trees were covered with white and red
orchids, and others with white and purple blooms,
presenting a picture of extreme beauty, in the dark
green setting of the forest. Here and there were
rough tracks on which one might see low bullock
carts lumbering along. Each cart had a team of six
oxen, and the wheels were simply solid discs of
wood, the whole structure being light and strong,
and adapted to the rough country.
Gigantic moths, light brown in colour, quite hid
from view the walls of some of the stations through
which we passed, and there were also plenty of
4 bichos ' of all vicious varieties to keep us lively
when we reached the level ground.
Along the line we noticed sanitary stations, erected
by the principal steamship lines using Santos, those
to which our attention was particularly drawn having
been erected by Messrs. Lamport and Holt and the
Prince Line. To these stations the entire crews of
the steamers discharging and loading at Santos, during
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 181
the yellow fever season, were sent. Santos is now,
however, quite as healthy as Rio de Janeiro, if not
more so. Formerly whole ships' crews were stricken,
down w r ith fever and died, and the ships being left
without the slightest protection, ran ashore, and their
skeletons are in evidence at the port at the present
day.
After reaching* the level, houses become more fre-
quent, and the land looks like a low-lying black and
dismal swamp. Fortunately this is soon passed and
Santos is reached, though not without some slight
feelings of fear.
There are many points of interest in Santos apart
from its excellent dock system, and trapiches or ware-
houses. These we thoroughly inspected, in company
with the dock engineer, and took note of the manner
in which the coffee shipments were conducted. The
warehouses and cranes, a more particular account of
which we give later, are of the most modern description,
and goods can be discharged and dealt with in the
sheds with a minimum of manual labour. Goods arc
discharged on to trolleys, which pass over rails into and
along the inside of the shed ; and then by means of
overhead travelling cranes they are stowed awaiting
delivery. During the coffee season August to January
about 2,500 to 3,000 tons of coffee are shipped per
day, principally for the United States.
As previously stated, some of the principal mer-
chants of Santos reside at Sao Paulo, but others also
live at the seaside Praia Jose Menino, which is
about 40 to 50 minutes' ride from Santos on the
182 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 183
tram, or 'bond,' as it is called in the Brazils. The
name ' bond ' is really a term of reproach owing to
the failure of one of the first tramway companies in
the Brazils, the share bonds of which were in the
end sold for about one shilling" apiece, and were dear
at that, not being- worth the paper upon which they
were printed. This circumstance gave rise to the
name. Our l bond ' was a two mule affair, and the
animals had to be changed at half distance. There is
a good hotel at the Praia (the Internacional), and the
place is not wanting in interest. It is right on the
Atlantic, and is sheltered by the mountains surrounding
the bay. There are several islands opposite the hotel,
one beautifully covered with palms. A fair number of
English people were in residence at the Praia during
our visit, and the chief amusement in the evening was
' trolley riding ' on the sands. Naturally, we did the
correct thing, and took a trolley ride. The night was
a very dark one, lighted only by a few stars and the
phosphorescent gleams from the sea. It seemed like a
mad freak to go tearing over the sands in the dark, in
a springless cart drawn by a team of galloping mules.
On a moonlight night, no doubt, it is a most exhilara-
ting pastime, and even on our night it proved fearfully
enjoyable, spiced as it was with the ever present
likelihood of a spill, or a collision with other trollies,
which ever and anon loomed up in the dark, and passed
like flying phantoms. Then, on we went to the turn
of the bay, splashing through several small streams en
route, in much trepidation. Then turning, we dashed
back along the edge of the tide, the trolley wheels
184
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
being at times partly immersed, though this was less
risky than further up the shore, as the phosphorescence
of the water clearly marked the track. The trolley is
built to accommodate four passengers and a driver. Ii
appearance it is like the sketch below.
THE TROLLEY.
Next morning we were much amused at the waj
in which some of the natives took their sea bath, if
merely standing in a few inches of water merits that
designation. They were attired from head to foot in
what looked like mackintosh suits, as if that which was
most to be avoided was getting wet ! Invariably the;;
made the sign of the cross on entering the water ; then
they stood gazing out seawards, and with evident
wonder, at the antics of my fellow travellers, who were
disporting themselves in the waves like so many por-
poises. The native ' bathers ' would then carefull;
stoop down and sprinkle a little water over themselves,
gaze once more seawards, and then hurry off to theii
vans.
The same old ' Bond ' took us back to Santos
which we must say is a cleaner city than we expectec
to find, and is almost free from unpleasant smells.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 185
Improvements are being" daily made in the drainage of
the city, and beautiful * chacaras ' are springing up all
round the neighbourhood. The heat, however, at the
time of our visit was simply stifling, and we were glad
to accept an offer to inspect the river from the docks to
the entrance. There were plenty of vultures to be
seen on shore, and plenty of 'sea pigs,' or porpoises,
in the river. It is a crime to destroy either, both
being looked upon as sacred. They are the natural
scavengers of the Republic, and no doubt there is still
plenty of work to be done in and around Brazilian
ports, where the inhabitants are only now awakening
to the necessity for perfect sanitary arrangements.
The hot season lasts from December to April.
The ordinary rise and fall of tide at the port is
from four to five feet, and at exceptional times as much
as seven feet. It is the invariable custom for all
steamers to take pilots, but the system is not com-
pulsory. The usual charge for liners is Rs. 200*000.
Tramp steamers pay about Rs. 100*000 extra.
The Custom-house charges on all vessels entering
the port are :
Hospital dues - Rs. i -920 for each member of
the crew.
Tax on vessels - Rs. 6*000 per mast.
Light dues, which have to be paid in gold,
amount to Rs. loo'ooo, which, at the exchange of 2yd.,
= jCii 55. There are no harbour dues levied on
steamers which do not make use of the Dock Com-
pany's quays. Steamers going alongside the quay
pay a wharfage charge of 700 reis per metre space of
1S6 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
quay occupied per day, and Rs.2*5oo per ton of cargo
discharged or received. The charge for stevedoring
ranges from Rs. 1*500 to Rs. 2*000 per ton.
The charge for towing steamers from quay to
stream, or vice versa, is Rs. 150*000 to Rs. 200*000,
according to the size of the steamer. Movements
of hulks, Rs. 50*000 each. The cost of hiring
hulks is Rs. 50*000 per day, but these cannot always
be obtained, as, owing to the facilities afforded to
steamers making use of the quay, there is very little
lighterage business done, and there are only two or
three hulks left in the port.
There are five European banks in Santos, viz. :
London and Brazilian Bank, Ltd.
London and River Plate Bank, Ltd.
British Bank of South America, Ltd.
Brasilianische Bank fur Deutsch'land.
Banque Fran9aise du Bresil.
and two native banks.
Quite a number of steamers visit the port, the-
following lines being represented from time to time,
viz. :
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
Lamport and Holt.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Company.
Hamburg- South American S.S. Co.
North German Lloyds.
Sloman Line.
Norton Line.
Socie'te' Generate du Transports Maritimes a Vapeur.
La Veloce Line.
Navig-azione Generate Italiana.
Prince Line.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
187
Chargeurs Reunis.
Austrian Lloyds.
Compania Trasatlantica de Barcelona, etc.
Immigrants arriving at the port are taken charge
of by the Immigration Department, and sent up
country to the depot at Sao Paulo already referred to,
or to some other district.
IMMIGRATION DEP&T SAO PAULO.
Santos has a population of about 45,000 inhabi-
tants ; it is the only sea outlet for the State of Sao
Paulo, and the shipping port for Sao Paulo, Campinas
(population 30,000), and other smaller towns up
country, of from 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants, such as
Jundiahy, Sorocaba, etc.
Vessels go alongside the quay to the berth
appointed by the docks company, and during the
time they remain alongside are subject, as well as their
crews, to the strict observance of the following rules,
188 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
a. Vessels are made fast alongside the quay in the
presence of an employe of the Company, and
are moored fore and aft. Particular care is to
be taken to see that ropes are slackened at
high and low water in such a manner as to
never have them so tight as to cause damage.
b. Ships are responsible for any damage done in
berthing.
c. All vessels are obliged to leave the quay when
ordered by the Company, even before they
have completed their loading or discharging,
in the following cases .
1. If by excess of shipping it is necessary to
bring one vessel alongside another, and
the one on the inside berth will not allow
the cargo of the other to pass over her
decks.
2. If it is necessary to bring any vessel along-
side which has preferential cargo, such as
urgent material for the Government,
Dock Company or Railway Company,
or in any special case.
d. When ordered to do so by the Company, vessels
are obliged to immediately slacken their ropes
to make room for another vessel coming
alongside or leaving the quay.
e. No vessel, which is not either loading or dis-
charging, will be allowed to anchor in front
of the quay within a distance of 150 metres,
the said space being reserved for the move-
ment of vessels coming alongside or leaving
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 180
the quay. This space is marked by a series
of buoys.
f. To receive ballast, vessels must produce their
respective licenses and documents proving
payment of duties. They must take care not
to let any portion of this material fall into the
water, and they will be fined Rs. 100*000
should they persist in the non-observance of
this rule.
g. Vessels are not allowed to throw overboard any
cinders, sweepings, or anything which can
affect the depth of water and health of the
port, under a fine of Rs. 100*000.
h. The dock premises are closed from 6 p.m. to
6 a.m. the following morning, and no one is
allowed to pass except in places appointed by
the Custom House, and in the presence of
the Custom House and Dock Company's
guards.
Sundry other regulations as to the commence-
ment of discharge, documents to be furnished, cranes,
despatch, etc., exist, but a pamphlet is given to the
captain of each vessel on coming alongside the quay,
in which these are set forth in detail.
There are no actual docks at Santos, the quay
before referred to being a continuous wall, abutting
on the river. This quay is fitted with a large number
of hydraulic cranes capable of lifting weights up to
five tons, and there is a special crane for lifts not
exceeding 30 tons. Vessels are loaded to a depth
of 26 feet alongside the quay. Between the quay
TJO TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
wall, which extends for 6,000 feet, and the bonded
warehouses of which there are 13 there are two
lines of railway, so that cargo may be loaded and
discharged direct into the railway trucks if necessary.
The quay and sheds are lighted by electricity. The
sheds are constructed of galvanised iron with pro-
jecting roofs, are well ventilated, and fitted with a
large number of travelling cranes, capable of dealing
with weights of one and a half tons. The dock
company can discharg-e cargo at the rate of 150 tons
per hatch per day.
Attached to the dock system there is a large
engineering establishment, which is fitted with power-
ful machinery, and in which the dock company do
all their own repairs.
Dredging operations are continually going on,
the dock company having two dredgers, and nine
steam hoppers for conveying the material to sea.
They have also a graving dock on the north side of
the river, but this is capable of dealing with small
craft only. The dock company purposes extending
the quay for a distance of nearly half a mile, to
take in the shallow water below the town.
Between Santos and Sao Paulo there is a good
railway service performed by the Sao Paulo Railway
(an English Company), and which is provided with
excellent rolling stock,
The river, we found, is not buoyed, excepting at
the entrance and on one of the shoals, but it presents
no serious difficulty to navigation, as there are plenty
-of landmarks, and a pilot is available at the entrance
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 191
The lowest depth of water on the bar is four and a
half fathoms, and in the channel five fathoms. The
Cia Docas do Santos are under an obligation to re-
move all obstructions to navigation.
Messrs. Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd. have a coal
and ballast depot on the mainland, opposite the docks,
and can ship 200 tons of coal per day. They have
four lighters, a large hulk and two steam tugs, both
handy vessels. In making the port, commanders
should hug the lights.
There is a fairly large passenger traffic between
Rio de Janeiro and Santos, but the railway is prin-
cipally used on account of the quarantine restrictions
which the one port imposes against the other. The
majority of the passengers would prefer to travel
by steamer, as the railway journey of sixteen hours,
with a change of carriage in the early hours of the
morning, and a stay over at Sao Paulo, is a very
tedious one to residents, especially in the hot season.
Under the improved conditions of both ports, it is
to be hoped that some w r ay out of the quarantine
diffievilties which are the bane of all South Ameri-
can ports will be found. If the Governments will
take the pains to discover who it is that reaps a
profit out of the restrictions and there must, we
think, be someone and then cut off all such emolu-
ments, the public will be benefited, the ports popu-
larised, and the Republics enriched.
Returning to Rio by rail, we had to commence
the journey from Sao Paulo on the narrow gauge
railway at night time, and found the carriages most
19-2 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
inconvenient, stuffy and ill-lighted, candles only being-
used for the purpose. It seems the railway company
contemplate laying- down a broad gauge line, antf will
not in consequence spend any money on the existing
line and equipment. Shortly before changing into
the broad gauge sleeping car, we were privileged to
witness a magnificent forest fire. It extended for
about a mile, close to the track, and burnt most
fiercely, sending up into the dark sky huge masses
of flame, intensified at intervals by the fall of some
of the forest giants. It was truly a grand sight.
The lurid glare in the sky could be seen for miles
after we had passed from the vicinity of the fire,
and the loss of valuable timber must have been con-
siderable. In all probability, however, the fire was
intentional, as this method of clearing the ground
for coffee culture is resorted to.
Shortly after our return to Rio we had occasion to
visit Petropolis, or the 'City of Peter,' so named
because it owes its foundation and development to
Emperor Pedro II. The city has about 20,000
inhabitants, and is the seat of government for the State
of Rio. During the days of the empire it was the
residence of the court.
There is an excellent service of steam ferry boats
across the harbour from Rio to the Leopoldina Railway
station of Maua, whence the ascent to Petropolis by the
Leopoldina Cog Wheel Railway is made. Short of a
steam launch, these ferry boats afford the best means of
seeing the harbour.
In Rio itself the National Parliament meets, but
the city is considered neutral territory.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 193
Petropolis is about 2,000 feet above sea level, and
the journey both up and down, including the trip across
the bay, occupies about two and a half hours either
\vny, and is most interesting- and beautiful.
We had never seen so great a variety of trees
together, and the only regret we had was that we could
not give names to them all. The bamboos were of
great height, and at some of the ' chacaras ' in Petro-
polis we noticed the cane was used to form shady and
pleasant avenues. There was quite a profusion of
trees in flower and fruit, some with both on, and we
cannot satisfactorily express our admiration of the
many charming views this short journey afforded us.
Starting from Rio there is only one train per day (at
4 p.m.), so that, excepting on Sundays, when the boat
leaves for the station at 7 a.m., passengers for Petro-
polis have to stay there overnight. The city is situated
in the midst of the Organ Mountains, and is 45 miles
from Rio de Janeiro. It is quite German in appear-
ance, has a large population of that nationality, and
some of the Pensao and hotels are under German
management.
There are rivers running through the main streets,
with trees along their banks ; and the place, being so
well supplied with water, is beautifully fresh and
clean. Flowers grow in abundance, and the most
lovely hedges imaginable of roses, honeysuckle and
wistaria were formed round the villas. The whole
city seemed remarkable for the number of its beautiful
houses, or one might reasonably say small palaces,
built in the most ornate fashion, some with silvered
194 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
railings and illuminated decorations on the outer
walls.
It would have been a pleasure to stay at least a
week at Petropolis, but the ' Oravia, ' by which steamer
we were to sail to Monte Video, having 1 arrived in the
harbour, our visit was brought to an end.
195
CHAPTER X.
CATAMARANS. LIFE ON BOARD " ORAVIA." "WIND DOG." ALBATROSS.
CAPE PIGEONS. MORE STORIES. DIFFERENCE IN TIME. CARNEGIE,
MARK TWAIN, AND OTHER YARNS. FLORES ISLAND. QUARANTINE
RESTRICTIONS. PAMPEROS DUCIE Y SECA. SOUTHERN CROSS.
FLORES TO MONTE VIDEO AND BUENOS AIRES. RIVER PLATE.
left Rio de Janeiro in the ' Oravia, ' at about
two o'clock in the afternoon of the 26th of
September, the weather being fine, but with a high sea
running". There were several ' catamarans ' outside the
bay, the occupants of which were busily fishing. They
did not seem to mind how rough the sea was, their
rafts being perfectly safe, though to an onlooker they
appeared very dangerous. At times, when a heavy wave
passed over the catamaran, the heads of the fishermen
only could be seen, and we frequently thought the men
had been washed off their small perch, but, when the
wave had passed, they were there, as an Irishman
might say, like a fixture, but serenely following their
>ccupation.
On board the ' Oravia ' there was quite a merry
party of British passengers, some bound for the River
Plate, others for the Straits of Magellan and the west
coast of South America. There was something plea-
sant going on each day : sports, tournaments of one
:ind and another, and in the evening music and dancing,
'he dance on the second night out from Rio was very
veil got up. The quarter deck was decorated with
lags of all nations, and the electric lights were
1% TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
ingeniously arranged, Chinese lanterns being fixed
round the several lights. All the passengers, both
British and foreign, enjoyed the evening immensely,
and it closed with the good old-fashioned dance of ' Sir
Roger.' There was a fairly strong sea running all
evening, and the difficulty of keeping one's legs gave
rather a zest to the dance than otherwise.
The same evening there was visible in the sky
what to all appearances was a square piece of rainbow,
but the captain gave it its technical name of ' wind
dog.' He said it was regarded as a sure sign of heavy
weather, and he was of opinion that we would have a
' pampero ' before morning. It certainly did commence
to blow before midnight, and shortly afterwards it
rained heavily, but the real article did not meet us
until we arrived at Flores Island. It became colder
also, and necessitated a turning over of boxes in the
search for warmer clothing.
Hovering over the stern of the * Oravia ' was
a splendid albatross, the first the writer had seen, and
there were also a number of Cape pigeons closely follow-
ing, and ready to pick up anything eatable which was
thrown overboard. Some of the officers were of opinion
that the albatross measured about 12 feet from tip to tip
of its wings.
We were making too much speed to attempt to
catch the Cape pigeons or the albatross with a hook
and line. This is often done from sailing vessels, and
indeed in the case of the smaller bird no hook is
needed. A piece of stiff card at the end of a thin line
is sufficient, as the card becomes entangled with the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 197
wings and the bird is easily drawn on deck. Once
arrived there, it immediately becomes seasick.
The albatross surpasses all other birds in power
and gracefulness of flight. It glides rather than flies,
scarcely ever flapping its wings but sailing on ever, as
Mark Twain observes, ' by the sole act of its unlorded
will.'
Children at home, sometimes, are in the way and
troublesome, but at sea, when one has the leisure to
watch their antics and listen to their un-ending and
puzzling questions, they are an interminable source of
pleasure. One bright little youngster puzzled the
captain by asking him what ' annoyed an oyster most ?'
and as he 'gave it up,' she replied with a twinkle, 'a
noisy noise annoys an oyster most'; but the captain
got his turn in asking, ' When did the fly fly ?' This
troubled the little mind somewhat, but it brightened up
when the captain replied, 'when the spider spied her.*
This small incident served to bring out a story from
one of the adults. He had, he said, been down to
Coney Island, on his recent visit to New York, and
was induced by a friend to try his luck at ' Aunt Sally.'
Aunt Sally herself, however, he said, must have gone
out shopping, and left the babies to mind the house,
they were the most ' slippery ' children to catch imagin-
able. They were bobbing up and down on wires the
whole time, and both he and his friends used up all the
sticks in the neighbourhood in the vain attempt to
knock one of them over.
In the evening, in the hotel, his friend was writing
a letter, and, as he looked very sad, he enquired as to
198 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the cause. ' Writing to the wife, dear boy, to say how
I missed the children,' was the answer.
Just then eight bells sounded, and our New York
friend, who carried two watches, took them out of his
pocket and gave us the local and Greenwich time. At
Rio de Janeiro there was a difference of three hours
(slow), and the further west one goes, the loss of time
increases until the iSoth degree of west longitude, or
the centre of the globe, is reached, when a whole day
is lost. Going east there is a continuous gain, and the
day lost by those going west is picked up by those
going east.
An amusing story is told by Mr. A. Carnegie of
some clergymen who were returning to America from
the east, and in which case it is necessary, as a day is
gained to have two days of the same date. The iSoth
meridian was crossed on a Sunday, and the captain,
without thinking, called out to the chief officer to make
another Sunday to-morrow. One of the clergymen was
Scotch, and as Mr. Carnegie remarks, ' a Presbyterian
at that,' ' Mak a Sawbath ! mak the holy Sawbath !
ma conscience ! ' The order had, however, gone forth,
and two Sundays were observed, but the scandalised
Scotch minister could never be reconciled to the captain
who had presumed to have a ' holy sabbath of his ain
making.' More amusing still is Mark Twain's descrip-
tion going west. 'To-morrow,' he writes, 'we must
drop out a day, lose a day out of our lives a day never
to be found again. We shall all die one day earlier
from the beginning of time we were foreordained to
die. We shall be a day behindhand all through
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 199
eternity. We shall always be saying to the angels
"Fine day to-day," and they will always be retorting
"but it isn't to-day, it's to-morrow." We shall be in a
state of confusion all the time, and shall never know
what true happiness is. Sure enough it has happened.
Yesterday it was September 8th, Sunday to-day per
bulletin board at the head of the companion-way it is
September loth, Tuesday. There is something un-
canny about it and uncomfortable in fact, nearly
unthinkable, and wholly unrealisable when one comes
to consider it. While we were crossing the iSoth
meridian it was Sunday in the stern of the ship where
my family were and Tuesday where I was. They were
there eating the half of a fresh apple on the 8th, and I
was at the same time eating the other half of it on the
loth, and I could notice how stale it was already. The
family were the same age that they were when I left
them five minutes before, but I was a day older now
than I was then. The day they were living in stretched
behind them half way round the .globe, across the
Pacific Ocean and America and Europe : the day I was
living in stretched in front of me around the other half
to meet it. They were stupendous days for bulk and
stretch, apparently much larger days than we had ever
been in before. All previous days had been but shrunk-
up little things by comparison. The difference in tem-
perature between the two days was very marked their
day being hotter than mine because it was closer to the
equator. If the ships all moved in the one direction-
westward I mean the world would suffer a prodigious
loss in the matter of valuable time through the dumping
200 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
overboard on the great meridian of such multitudes
of days by ships' crews and passengers. But, fortu-
nately, all the ships do not sail west : half of them sail
east, so there is no real loss. These latter pick up all
the discarded days and add them to the world's stock
again, and about as good as new, too, for, of course,
the salt water preserves them.'
One of the officers on our ship told us a story
drawn from his own experience when sailing from
'Frisco to the Antipodes. It seems there was a mis-
sionary on board, who ventured to ask one of the
navigators how he knew when to put on a day and
when to take it off. The officer, who was quite equal
to the occasion, promptly replied that the spot was
properly buoyed, and he promised to show the mis-
sionary the next buoy. In the night time the joker
painted a barrel red, threw it overboard later, and got
the missionary up in the very early hours of the morn-
ing to see it. The latter duly entered in his notebook
an encomium on the wonderful progress science was
making, and the admirable manner in which its
followers were, at all costs and risks, mark-ing out
paths of light in the trackless ocean, by which even the
ignorant wayfarer might be guided and instructed.
As plague existed at Rio de Janeiro when we left,
we quite expected that we should have to pass from 24
to 48 hours at the lazaretto on Flores Island before
being allowed to land at Monte Video, and we were
not disappointed. We arrived there on a Saturday
afternoon, and the island, with its lighthouse and group
of buildings, looked almost pleasant from the ship, and
NOTE. Quarantine has now been done away with by the
Uruguayan Government. ,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 201
i we went on shore in bright sunshine with the feeling
that the discomforts of the place must have been very
much over-rated. The building-, or ' hotel ' as it is
called, is divided into three ' cuerpos ' or divisions for
first, second and third class passengers. We were
quartered in No. 3 the first class division though in
the sheds in the courtyard a ship's crew was housed.
The sailors slept on benches, with no covering but
their own clothing, and the windows of the buildings,
for the most part, were filled in with old sacks. There
were two floors in our cuerpo. On the ground floor
there were a number of bedrooms and a rough dining
room, the walls being covered with common plaster,
and the floors with dirty boards, and there were plenty
of rats and ' bichos ' for company. Above were the
best bedrooms, and sanitary arrangements of the most
primitive order. Now, it seemed to the writer that by
a little expenditure on the part of the Uruguayan
Government, the visit to Flores Island could easily
be made a pleasant episode instead of being the
reverse. A fair rate is paid for the accommodation and
food, and the majority of passengers would willingly
augment the payment if the existing discomforts were
done away with. There is plenty of room on the island
for the accommodation and good treatment of pas-
sengers, and it is quite time, if these antiquated and
annoying quarantine restrictions cannot be dispensed
with altogether, that some action should be taken to
bring about a better state of affairs. The opening of
one's packages in the field adjoining the fumigator,
whether during rain or shine, and in the presence of
GI
'20-2 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
one's fellow passengers, is, to say the least, trying. It m
was more than that on the day we went through the
process, as we had a ' pampero ducie ' to contend with,
and some of the ladies sat down on their trunks and
\vept. Now, a light shed would have obviated this
difficulty, and something requires to be done to improve
the system of fumigation, if indeed it cannot be im-
proved altogether off the face of the earth. There
should be no spoiling of clothes and boots, and if these
are spoiled the government should pay for the damage.
The pleasures of the island are found in fishing from the
rocks ; watching the army of umbrella ants, marching
in regular order ; catching rats, and evidently in
writing what goes by the name of poetry. Sorrows,
equally with joys, seem to affect the poetic muse and
compel her to action. The following specimen we found
the ladies of our party copying out for their albums,
and you can judge of its merits. Whatever it may lack
in poetic conception, it possibly makes up in truth.
ISLA DE FLORES.
If you want to be cheery and gay,
Just go to M.V., via Flores :
The hotel makes a charming display,
And the guests are full of ' bright ' stories.
There's hunting for sport, but its \/7<?#-ting,'
And other such kindred delights ;
And the sheets for damp take some beating,
Not to speak of the comfort of lights.
The walls are adorned with white plaster,
Bedecked with the weepings of rain,
And the waiting really is faster
When enlivened by prospective gain.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 203
When your wits get sharpened by waiting 1
Your portmanteaux and boxes to see
Unspoiled by the long- fumigating-,
You may possibly learn how to fee.
The ' Official helps ' are not greedy,
You need not pay more than gold tips
To get them to work bland and speed}',
Their famed records for speed to eclipse.
To these charms add a rain squall or two,
To wet your room and your baggage ;
And to give you a taste of the ' flue,'
And add to your choice of good language.
Fairest Isla de Flores ! sweet name,
Sweet as the charms you discover ;
I am longing for leave to go home,
And remain in charge of my mother.
There are two hospitals and a cemetery on the
Island, but these are well removed from the 'hotel.'
Given fine weather, however, clean quarters and an
improved diet, the stay on the Island would be rest-
ful instead of irritating, and the authorities should
have outside Governmental pressure put upon them
to rectify the existing evils, and give a good first
and lasting impression of the Republic of Uruguay.
The Governor was as attentive to us during our stay
is his power admitted, but we believe that he would
agree that an establishment of the kind in question
will never be satisfactorily conducted unless all idea
of profit, at all events large profit, is done away
with.
We, unfortunately, were treated, as already named,
to a 'pampero ducie' during our short stay on the Island.
04 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The rain came down in sheets, flooding the whole of
our 'cuerpo, ' bedrooms included. We had never seen
anything to equal this, and the thunder and lightning
accompaniment was both awful and grand. This was
followed by a 'pampero seca,' and the violence of
the wind was such that we feared some serious damage
to our sheltering building, and possibly worse to our-
selves. Happily nothing beyond the blowing down
of a few doors, and some resultant bruises, can be
recorded.
The ' pamperos ' come from the pampas of South-
America, where the hot air accumulates, and is re-
lieved by violent rain or windstorms. Of course we
had a good expanse of water between us and the
mainland, or we might readily have suffered worse
than we did. T. A. Turner, in his ' Argentina and
the Argentines ' writes :
' Who has not heard of that scourge of the plains,
' that scavenger of the towns, the life-giving, death-
' dealing pampero? That mighty wind which sweeps,
' unopposed by mountain or hill, over the dreary
' wastes of Patagonia, over leagues of tall grass
' of the Pampas, over the desolate plains of Buenos
4 Aires ; gathering force with its increasing velocity,
'driving before it myriads of insects and queer-
' winged things, and clouds of dust that sometimes
'turn day into night; sweeping down in all its
' fury upon the great, shallow Rio de la Plata,
' delving into its broad bosom, banking up its
4 waters, driving this way and that ; flooding the
' Boca, the Ensenada, the Tigre, the Northern,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 205
' the Southern, the Pacific, the Rosario Railways ;
' tearing up the port works, and undoing in an
' hour the work of months ; arresting the flow of
' the mighty Parana, forcing back upon the littoral
' that overflow greater than the Mississippi, and,
' lashing the widening river till huge steamers rock
' like corks, speeds on to Monte Video and the
1 mouth of the Plate, without harbour or even break-
' water to oppose its terrible power; down upon
' the unprotected shipping, dashing the lighter craft
' shorewards, making matchwood of some, com-
' pelling larger vessels to cut their cables, and scud
'under bare poles for hundreds of miles before it;
' and so sweeps over the ocean, till it meets and
' spends its last force against the Trades.'
We witnessed something of this, and I think we
were all glad to be in the refuge of Flores Island,
rather than on board the Steamer. On shore the
'pampero' is quite as much dreaded as at sea, and
the destruction of cattle which follows is enormous.
During the 'pampero,' the ' Oravia,' bound for Val-
paraiso, stopped off Flores Island to enable the purser
to bring our letters on shore, and a kind-hearted pass-
enger managed to come with him, wrapped up in a
suit of sailors' overalls, in the ample folds of which,
despite the teeming rain, he managed to conceal a
couple of bottles of prepared 'cocktails' for the benefit
of one or two of his friends in durance vile. The
eyes of the whole of the inhabitants of the Cuerpo
were on those bottles, and as the recipients went out,
braving the tempest, for, a few moments to see their
206 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
friend off, something mysterious happened to the
cocktails, as the empty bottles only could be found
later. Meanwhile an order came in for all the
baggage to be reopened, as one of the passengers
had given notice to the Governor that he had lost
his trousers. They were, I believe, his Sunday ones,
as he was certainly not going about in kilts, and
he made such a hullabaloo about them. We don't
know if he ever found them, but some of the pass-
engers offered to subscribe for a pair rather than go
to the trouble and annoyance of opening all trunks
again in the pouring rain. At Flores we got our
first sight of the celebrated though much derided
Southern Cross. Certainly one is disappointed at
first. Why, it is difficult to say exactly, unless it
be that the X is not quite a X, but requires a little
imagination to fill up the figure. Mark Twain is,
however, a little severe on it when he says it does
not suggest a cross nor anything in particular, unless
a line be drawn from star to star. He even goes so
far as to suggest it should be called the Southern
Kite. He describes the cross thus. ' The cross is
not large. It consists of four large stars and one
little one. The little one is out of line, and further
damages the shape. It should have been placed at
the intersection of the stem or crossbar.'
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 207
He has, however, missed the point, and I might
also say the 'pointers.' Of course he may have done
so intentionally, to give point to his joke, but as
a matter of fact it is not the perfection of the cross
or its brilliancy which gives it its notoriety. For
a North American, or a voyageur from Northern
Europe to say that he has seen the Southern Cross
denotes that he has travelled, don't you know, as the
famous cross can only be seen in southern latitudes,
and further, what is of real importance and value is
the fact of its unmistakeability. It has two pointers
which cannot be mistaken, and therefore it is of great
service to the manner. To us on Flores Island it
appeared :
G
During the many nights w r e spent at sea in
southern latitudes, the cross was always a source of
pleasure to us. We were naturally continually chang-
ing our position, but we could always find the cross.
Sometimes it appeared to be just emerging from the
sea, at others it was directly overhead, or to our left or
right, according as we moved from port to port. It
became to us like an old friend, and seemed to relieve
the solitude of the wide, wide sea, the mere name of
' cross ' being linked with our earliest memories with
thoughts of fellowship, love, and safety.
20S TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
We landed on Flores on a Saturday afternoon, and
shortly before four o'clock on the Monday afternoon we
p~ot our conge. A steam tuo- was in readiness to con-
o o o
vey us to Monte Video, sixteen miles distant, and we
were not sorry to embark, although it is somewhat of a
rough journey on a small tender. On account of the
heavy weather frequently prevalent in the River Plate,
off Monte Video, it is not possible to get alongside a
steamer in a large tender without risk of damage, and
so one has to put up with the inconvenience of a small
one.
When the projected docks at *Monte Video, how-
ever, are completed and these are now making fair
progress all this inconvenience will be obviated, and
no doubt some up-to-date and comfortable arrangements
on the mainland, or within the precincts of the port, will
be made for those who may have to undergo quarantine.
Usually, to obviate quarantine, a ship must have left
the infected port eight days previously, and the Pacific
Company have wisely arranged, when quarantine is
imposed though this is of less frequent occurrence
than was the case a few years ago, and as the steamers
carry a sanitary inspector, the time has been reduced
to a day to take passengers, for a small additional
fare, on to Punta Arenas, in the Straits of Magellan,
and transfer them there to the homeward steamer.
They can then land at Monte Video without trouble,
and will have had in addition a view of a portion of
the famous Straits really one of the most beautiful
parts of the world.
As our more important business lay in Buenos
*The P.S.N.C. Steamers now make use of the inner harbour at Monte
Video, so that passengers can be landed at Monte Video or tran-
shipped for Buenos Aires in smooth water.
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. :>0'J
Aires, we determined to go on without delay from
Monte Video by one of the river steamers which leave
there every evening. These river steamers are really
splendid, simply floating hotels, well managed, and
very comfortable. The saloon of the ' Eolo,' by which
boat we travelled, was beautifully decorated with
llowers, and there was a ' buttonhole ' for every passen-
ger. The dinner was well chosen and equally well
served, and the staterooms were all one could wish.
The one regret we had was that we were compelled to
make the journey at night time.
The width of the estuary, from Monte Video to
Point las Piedras on the Argentine coast, is 53 miles,
whilst at its mouth, say from Cape St. Mary in Uruguay
to Cape St. Anthony in the province of Buenos Aires,
the width is 150 miles. In fact, the River Plate can
scarcely be called a river, it being, more properly
speaking, the broad estuary formed by the waters of
the rivers Parana and Uruguay.
We arrived in Buenos Aires early on the Tuesday
morning, and proceeded straight into dock, the
troublesome system of landing which obtained a few
years ago being now entirely done away with.
We were up betimes to catch a first glimpse of the
Empress City of the South, the ' Athens of South
America,' extending for four miles along the right bank
of the river, and covering an area of about six square
miles, and were not disappointed in our expectations.
We must, however, leave our impressions of Buenos
Aires itself, what we learned as to its trade and future
prospects, and its docks, &c., for another chapter.
( 210 )
CHAPTER XI.
BUENOS AIRES. SOUTH AMERICAN MANNERS. PART PLAYED BY GREAT
BRITAIN IN ARGENTINE HISTORY. FACTS AND IMPRESSIONS KE PORT
AND DOCKS OF BUENOS AIRES. RAILWAYS. TRANSANDINE RAILWAY.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS MEAT BUTTER LIVE STOCK. GRAIN
PRODUCED IN ARGENTINA, URUGUAY AND CHILE. VISIT TO
CAM PAN A.
A T the time of our visit Buenos Aires was reputed
~^^ to have *i,coo,ooo inhabitants, or, say, one-fifth
of the entire population of the Republic, and there is
always in addition a large floating population. The
city is beautifully clean, although the outskirts are
badly paved, and the roads leading to the city, being
devoid of stone, are very muddy and disagreeable.
PLAZA VICTORIA BUENOS AIRES.
All stone used in the city is imported from a consider-
able distance. The streets, excepting the Avenida de
Mayo, which is like a Paris boulevard, are very
*The population in March, 1907 was 1,095,411.
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 211
narrow, but arranged in a regular fashion similar to
those in a North American city. Handsome shops
and elaborate private houses, adjoining each other,
line the streets, and there is an excellent system of
tramways, both horse and electric. The houses each
have a 'patio,' or courtyard, open to the sky some
with a fountain in the centre, and all more or less
ornamented with plants and the patio always forms a
cool and pleasant retreat. South American houses
have so often been described that we do not purpose
entering into detail regarding them. They are built,
naturally, to suit the climate and habits of the people,
and are the result of experience. We may prefer our
own style most people do but surrounding condi-
tions and traditions have to be respected, and really if
we had to move into a foreign country, and settle
clown there, we would soon learn to appreciate and
prefer \vhat we might, on shorter acquaintanceship,
possibly consider inferior to what obtains in our own
country. The natives we had the pleasure of meeting
were extremely polite, in fact it is but the natural
Spanish custom to be so. A steamer was placed at
our disposal for a survey of the River Uruguay, and a
four-in-hand to drive about in, and in these cases
undoubtedly the offers were bond fide. We, however,
declined with thanks, as we had no time for the one,
and the other, not being experienced 'whips,' might
have got us into trouble. When, however, one is
presented with a house and other valuable property,
the politeness, viewed from a British standpoint,
becomes extreme, and whenever anything takes that
'21-2 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
form it loses, we think, its reality and charm. We
mean no offence to our kind friends by this, but arc
simply contrasting the different views which one nation
takes of the mannerisms of another. One thing in
particular we regretted to notice, both from press
statements and otherwise, was the fact that the British
are not liked at Buenos Aires, though the St. Andrew's
Society there seems ever to give a good account of
itself, and to keep ' merry ' under all circumstances, no
matter how depressing these may be. We don't think
we merit any hatred from any of the South American
Republics, considering what we have done in the
matter of providing capital for the development of
their resources, and ships for the exchange of com-
mercial commodities. Possibly the recollection that
the Argentine Republic was within an ace, at one
time, of falling under British control, may have some-
thing to do with the feeling, though the fact that the
British were defeated in that object should have effaced
any bitterness in a nation which has so many charming
manners. We must confess that we had no idea of the
part Great Britain had played in the history of Buenos
Aires until we read Sampson's interesting work
entitled 'In the Dictator's Grip.' 'General Beres-
forei,'' he says, 'landed on June 25th, 1806, a little to
the south of Buenos Aires, with only about 1,600 men,
and marched upon the city. Next morning, at day-
break, they met the Spanish forces, which hsd come
out during the night to defend the place, but they were
easily routed, and the next day they took the place.
The yist Highlanders led the van.' 'The Spanish
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 213
flag", ' he adds, * was first raised on the same spot as
the British in the same month 226 years before. The
British secured booty to the amount of ,300,000 in
gold and silver. Buenos Aires had then about 60,000
inhabitants. Beresford reduced his garrison by send-
ing home about two hundred marines with the
treasure, and on the nth of August he heard that an
army of 4,000 men was marching against him. On
the 1 2th- they opened fire, and the British were
defeated.'
Our business, however, is not to write or quote
history, unless it be of trade, and we must therefore
return to our own special task.
There is very little rise and fall of tide at Buenos
Aires, so that the outer basin is always open to the
river, but ships often -ground prior to arriving at the
port, as the water is cut considerably by north and
north-westerly winds, which frequently prevail. The
South Channel is said to have 18 feet of water, and the
North Channel 21 feet at ordinary low tides. The
cutting of the water, however, by the winds referred
to, varies this. Ships drawing more than 21 feet have
often to wait many days for sufficient water to enter or
leave. Constant dredging is going on, and it is hoped
that a deep channel will be soon maintained in order
that the docks may be used to their full extent. There
is a depth of 23 feet of water in the docks, and- since
writing the foregoing it has been announced that a
23-feet channel has been dredged.
The Madero Docks have an average length of
over 2,000 feet and a breadth of 325 feet, with a depth
214 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
of 2$y 2 feet ; the locks have a breadth of 66 feet.
The South Basin has a length of 3,600 feet, breadth
385 feet, and the North 1,465 feet and 1,135 ^ cet
respectively. On the North Basin there is a 30-1011
crane. The dry docks (two) are entered from thi^
basin, and are of the following dimensions : The
large dock, length 585 feet, breadth on bottom 89 feet
6 inches, breadth of gates on top 65 feet. The small
dock, length 477 feet 6 inches, breadth 64 feet 3
inches, depth on sill at zero 20 feet. Nos. i and 4
docks, on their east sides, have cattle berths, where
all live stock is shipped, and the whole of the docks
on the west side have good warehouse accommodation.
They are connected with all the railways, have
hydraulic cranes for discharging and loading cargo,
and electric light on the quays to facilitate night
w r ork. The South Basin, on the west side, has
good warehouses, alongside of which river passenger
steamers are berthed.
The Boca commences from the west corner of the
South Basin, and has quays on the north side as
far as Barracas Bridge. Abreast of the quays are
large warehouses and deposits for timber (foreign and
native), coal, iron, &c., also steam sawmills. On
the south side, near the entrance, adjoining Dock Sud,
there is a large engineering and ship repairing yard.
On the wharf of the Southern Railway there is a
grain elevator, and for a mile further various ship-
building and repairing works, and timber deposits.
A little below Barracas Bridge stands the great
Produce Market, one of the largest in the world.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 215
Above Barracas Bridge is the large frozen meat
establishment of the Compania Sansinena de Carnes
Congeladas. There is another dock, known as the
South Dock, and which was commenced some seven
or eight years ago, but is not yet completed.
Every trader or merchant in Buenos Aires must
annually pay the licence corresponding to the class of
business in which he is occupied. Those about to
commence business in that city, or to make use of the
port, should refer to ' Grant's Argentine Commercial
Guide,' which contains excellent notes on the laws,
customs, charges, etc., of Buenos Aires.
Our personal impression of the docks after steam-
ing through them was that they were well equipped,
and though very empty, the warehouses on the quays
were substantial and well arranged. There are plenty
of tugs, lighters, and some excellent coaling depots, one
of which, belonging to Messrs. Wilson, Sons & Co.,
Ltd., we inspected. Their wharf is on the north side
of the south basin of the dock system, and they have
accommodation for the storage of some 50,000 tons of
coal, and facilities for the shipment of same into flats
and steamers alongside, though steamers are usually
coaled from lighters whilst discharging.
Tugs are necessary when docking from the south,
as there is an awkward corner entering Dock No. i.
There is no doubt that the Argentine Republic is
bent upon extending its trade and commerce. There
are nineteen railways, all of which, either directly or
indirectly, communicate with Buenos Aires. The
number of miles now open is about 10,000, and the
216 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
railways are being continually extended. These lines
are :
(<?). ARGENTINE GREAT WESTERN. From Villa
Mercedes to Mendoza and San Juan. Connects with
Buenos Aires and Pacific Line (d), National Line (i),
and Transandine.
(b}. BUENOS AIRES GREAT SOUTHERN. From
Buenos Aires to Bahia Blanca and Neuquen. Con-
nects with ports La Plata, Bahia Blanca, Necochea
and Mar del Plata. Connects with Western Line (e)
and Bahia Blanca and North Western (k).
(c & f). BUENOS AIRES AND ROSARIO.- From
Buenos Aires to Santa Fe and Tucuman. Taps the
ports of Campana, Zarate, San Pedro, Boradero,
Ramallo, San Nicolas, Villa Constitucion and Rosario.
Connects with Central Argentine (_/"), and is really
now united with it, National Provincial Lines and
all others running into Rosario.
(d). BUENOS AIRES AND PACIFIC. From Buenos
Aires to Villa Mercedes, where it joins the Argentine
Great Western (a), and National Andine (i). Also
connects with Villa Maria and Rufino and Central
Argentine (/).
(e). BUENOS AIRES WESTERN. From Buenos
Aires to Toay. Connects with ports La Plata and
Bahia Blanca. Also connects with Bahia Blanca and
North Western (h) at Toay, with Central Argentine
(/) and Great Southern (b).
(f & c}. CENTRAL ARGENTINE. From Buenos
Aires to Rosario and Cordoba, touches ports of Rosario
and San Nicolas. Connects with Oeste, Santafecino
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 217
(/), which they have just bought, Buenos Aires
Western (e), Buenos Aires and Pacific (d\ Santa Fe
and Cordoba Great Southern (g), Central Cordoba (;//)
and others running into Rosario (see c}.
(g). SANTA FE AND CORDOBA GREAT SOUTHERN.
From Villa Constitucion to La Carlota. Forms
feeder to the Buenos Aires and Rosario (<;),. to whom it
now belongs.
(/*). BAHIA BLANCA NORTH WESTERN. From
Bahia Blanca to Toay, where it connects with Buenos
Aires Western (e). At Bahia Blanca connects with
the Great Southern (b}.
(z). NATIONAL ANDINE. From Villa Mercedes to
Villa Maria. At former place joins Buenos Aires and
Pacific (d) ; at latter Central Argentine (/).
(/). OESTE SANTAFECINO, SANTA FE WESTERN
RAILWAY. From Rosario to Santa Fe Colonies.
Now forms part of Central Argentine System.
(/'). EAST ARGENTINE. From Concordia, River
Uruguay, along the river to Monte Caseros and Paso
de los Libres. Branch line to Mercedes.
(/). CENTRAL ENTRE RIANO (ENTRE Rios CEN-
TRAL). From port of Parana (River Parana) to
Port Uruguay (River Uruguay), with branches to
Gualeguay and Gualequaychu.
(m to q}. CORDOBA LINES. Practically one sys-
tem and offshoots. From Rosario to Cordoba and
Tucuman, junctions with Central Argentine (f) and
Buenos Aires and Rosario (c\ also with National
Provincial Lines.
(r). CENTRAL NORTHERN. Is a National line.
218 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
From San Cristobal to Tucuman. Connects with
National Provincial Lines.
(s). ARGENTINE DEL NORTE (NORTH ARGENTINE).
Forms part of Central Cordoba system.
We travelled over the lines to La Plata, Bahia
Blanca, Campana and Rosario, and found the train
services well conducted, and the dining" and sleeping
arrangements almost as good as in the United States.
There appeared on all sides to be ample room for
the development of trade, especially on the southern
route, but we propose to deal with these journeys
later, when treating of the ports mentioned.
In naming the Argentine Railways as above, we
have intentionally omitted the Buenos Aires and
Transandine Railway as meriting a special reference,
not on account of its present importance, but of the
great future awaiting its completion. The intention
is to connect Buenos Aires with Valparaiso, and for
this purpose concessions were obtained by Messrs.
J. E. and M. Clark & Co., from the Argentine and
Chilian Governments, for the construction of a metre
gauge line from Mendoza to the summit of the
Cordillera de los Andes, via the Uspallata Pass, to
Santa Rosa de los Andes in Chile. The works were
begun in 1887, and early in 1891, the first four
sections Mendoza to Uspallata, situated in the cen-
tral valley between the main Cordilleras and the
Paramillo range, 92 kilometres were opened to public
service. In 1892 the fifth section was opened to
traffic to within i*/ kilometres of Punta de las
Vacas, 143 kilometres from Mendoza. On the Chilian
NOTE. The Argentine Railway system in 1904 had a length of 12,000
miles. The extent of new lines under construction is 1529.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
219
220 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
side the works have been carried up to Salto del
Soldado, 27 kilometres from los Andes. To make
the through connection some 73 kilometres of line
remain to be constructed. From Mendoza to Punta
de las Vacas, the journey is accomplished in about
eight hours, including a stoppage at the Rio Blanco
for breakfast. From Punta de las Vacas the journey
may be continued on mules, and partly by coach, tc
Puenta del Inca or Cuevas, from which places Val-
paraiso or Santiago can be reached on the following
day, the journey between Mendoza and Santa Rosa
de los Andes occupying a couple of days. The whole
journey between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso may,
in this way, be done in about four days. The total
length of the Buenos Aires and Valparaiso Trans-
andine Railway is no miles, and of the corresponding
Chilian line, 43 miles. We decided not to make use
of this route, as to do so meant that we should have
had to give up a voyage to the Falkland Islands,
and through the famous Straits of Magellan and
Smyth Channel, and subsequent experience proved
that we had made a wise choice.
The Andes route is open from November tc
April, i.e., during the South American summer. A
good supply of warm rugs is a necessity for the
journey, as, whilst the days are warm, the nights are
invariably cold. This route is, of course, quite avail-
able for men who can rough it, but for women and
children it will not, from all we learned, be suitable
until the entire line is completed. Only a small
quantity of luggage should be taken, as each pack
NOTE. The Chilian section is now completed to Portilla the
mouth of the tunnel.
ck pa;
Z
par
on and otht
mom;
be v
of the corn '
rugs is a nect
re warm, the
is, of cours
it, but
;i implored.
"
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IX SDUTH AMERICA. 221
mule load is limited to 50 kilogrammes. Whilst at
Buenos Aires we heard a great deal about Mendoza
as a health resort, especially for those suffering from
pulmonary disease. There is scarcely any rainfall,
and the distance from either the Atlantic or the
Pacific Ocean, ensures dryness of atmosphere. There
are also thermal springs at Puente del Inca, cele-
brated for the cure of rheumatism and skin diseases,
so that the district should, in course of time, become
renowned, especially when it is borne in mind that
visitors from Europe have the advantage of an
excellent and most interesting sea trip. Next time
we go to South America, if ever that should be, we
mean to travel via the Andes, though we shall
endeavour to fix the time to avoid the snowstorms
and other troubles, w r hich at intervals make that
route both difficult and dangerous.
Owing to the large population of Buenos Aires,
and its importance as a distributing centre, the import
trade of the district is Sg'2 per cent, of the whole
import of the Republic, and the export trade 69-5 per
cent, of the total export.
The imports consist principally of live animals
(for stock purposes chiefly), foodstuffs, tobacco, drink-
ables, textiles, oils, chemical products and drugs,,
colours and paints, wood and wooden articles, paper,
leather, iron and other metals, stones, minerals
(including coal), glass and china, &c. The coal
imported amounts to about 1,000,000 tons per annum.
According to the Consular Report for the year
1901, the export trade to the United Kingdom was
222 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
valued at ,5,984,150, and consisted of horses, cattle,
sheep, bones, frozen beef and mutton, hair, hides,
skins, wool, tinned tongues and other meats, glycerine,
butter, tallow, bone ash, guano ; also cereals such
as canary seed, oats, barley, rye, linseed, maize, hay,
turnip seed, wheat, pollards sugar, bran, oilcake,
cedarwood, quebracho, &c. Except to South Africa,
there is no trade to the British colonies. The export
to South Africa has consisted of animals and cereals,
and was in 1901 of the value of ,578,251.
We now come to the important question of ship-
ments of meat, butter, and live stock. Owing to the
importation of live stock into the United Kingdom
having been stopped, in consequence of foot and mouth
disease, the trade at the time of our visit was under-
going considerable change, and attention was being
paid to the questions of chilling and refrigeration.
During 1899 1,934,564 frozen wethers were shipped
to the United Kingdom from Argentine ports. Live
wethers shipped during the same period were 406,808,
and live bullocks 88,717. There were apparently no
shipments of beef during the year, although several
experimental shipments have been made since, some
with satisfactory results, and others the rever
The difficulty in regard to beef is that chilled bee
brings a higher price than frozen, and it has not been
considered possible to carry chilled beef for more than
eighteen days without serious risk. Chilled beef has,
however, been carried for the River Plate Fresh Meat
Company, and has turned out in perfect condition after
a voyage of twenty-six days. There is no doubt that
NOTE. The total value of the imports into the Argentine Republic i"
1904 was ;37>4 6l >'93> and of the exports 54,831, 505.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 223
the River Plate will, before long-, prove to be a very
serious competitor of the United States, as the South
American cattle appear to be finer and better fed than
those from North America.
The three principal firms in Buenos Aires engaged
in the frozen meat trade are Messrs. Sansinena & Co.,
The River Plate Fresh Meat Company, Ltd., and
Messrs. Nelson (Las Palmas Produce Company).
We visited the establishments of the two first-
named companies, the one situated at Barracas on the
Riachuelo, and the other at Campana, and the feeling
prevailed that there would be a change in the mode of
CDnducting the trade, and that much greater promi-
nence than hitherto would be given to the shipment of
frozen mutton and beef, and chilled beef. In the
Consular Report for 1901, it is stated: 'Amongst
new branches of trade inaugurated last year has been
that of chilled beef. The idea aimed at in this is to
maintain the atmosphere in which the meat is kept
at such a temperature that the meat will keep fresh
until placed on the market, avoiding, however, actual
freezing. It appears that the freezing of beef reduces
the juices to particles of ice, and the solid matter is
incapable of re-absorbing the juices when subsequently
thawed. Consequently, the liquid resulting from
particles when thawed drains away, and the meat
deteriorates. The chilled meat process, when employed
on board ship, requires more attention than the old
process. The first regular shipments commenced in
August, 1891, from which date up to the end of 1901
24, 700 quarters have been sent. The results obtained
224 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
have been satisfactory, the chilled meat selling at about
y 2 &. per Ib. more for fore-quarters, and id. per Ib. for
hind-quarters than the frozen article.'
There is a tax of 0*85 cents, per carcase in Buenos
Aires, if slaughtered for home consumption, but no
tax is imposed if for export.
Chilled beef has to be hung up in the steamers'
holds, and there must be a certain free space around it,
i.e. , it cannot be stowed in the same manner as
refrigerated meat, and, consequently, the question of
lost space is a most important one to the steamshi]
owner. The ratio of space required to carry chilh
beef as against refrigerated meat is as seven is
three.
River Plate mutton brings about ^th of a peni
per pound more in the market than Australian muttoi
but it is not equal to the New Zealand meat.
The Sansinena Company are the largest killei
and exporters of meat in the Plate, and they expectec
at the time of our visit, that their figures for the ye;
would reach the respectable totals of 1,000,000 shee
and 25,000 bullocks. When working at full pressui
their slaughtering capacity is 100,000 sheep per monl
and 150 bullocks per day, which, after being dresses
are passed into the large refrigerators pending shi]
ment for Europe. The Sansinena Establishment
situated about two miles from the docks, and to conv<
the carcases from the cold stores to the Boca, whei
the ocean steamers are berthed, the Company has ti
steam lighters fitted with refrigerating plant, eac
capable of taking nearly 2,000 sheep carcases. It
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 225
most instructive, though somewhat repulsive at first, to
go through the slaughtering establishment and witness
the several processes, which are carried out with the
greatest cleanliness and regularity, each man having
his own particular work assigned to him, and the whole
building being fitted with appliances for the rapid
handling of the carcases. Nothing is wasted. There
is machinery for extracting stearine (used in the manu-
facture of candles), and oleo palmitina, a form of
dripping used for culinary purposes, and in which a
large local trade is done, also an export trade to the
Brazils.
The works of the River Plate Fresh Meat Com-
pany at Campana, we found, were very similar to the
Sansinena premises, though newer. The company has
a wharf on the River Parana adjoining their works,
and the steamers go alongside. This company favours
Haslam's system of refrigeration.
On the 3 ist December, 1906, there were fifty
steamers engaged in the River Plate trade fitted with
refrigerating machinery, having a total capacity for
3,039,000 carcases of mutton of 561bs. each, and the
number has since been somewhat augmented.
River Plate frozen beef is a little over i^d. per
Ib. less in value than United States chilled beef.
The meat trade of the several supplying countries
fluctuates on account of drought, though this applies
principally to Australia, and no doubt the Australian
supply will be largely drawn upon by China in the
near future.
It is said that the grazing lands of the River Plate
226 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
can produce stock more cheaply than North America
on account of the great advantage of a more temperat
climate extremes of heat and cold being practicall
unknown no hand feeding being required during tl
winter season, and no droughts of long durati<
occurring, as in Australia, to cause unexpected have
amongst the herds and flocks.
The docks at Buenos Aires and La Plata are n<
provided with the needful appliances for loading tl
animals on shipboard quickly.
The total number of cattle in the Argentine terri-
tory is estimated in round figures to be 33,000,000 and
sheep 85,000,000.
The demand for frozen meat in the United Kinj
dom slackens off in the autumn.
Liverpool is the head-quarters for the distributioi
of River Plate meat imports, though London, Cardif:
and Newcastle are freely availed of, and occasional!]
Hull, Southampton, Manchester and Glasgow.
The River Plate mutton trade shewed only
increase of 21,040 carcases in 1899, as compared witl
the previous year, or less than one per cent., while the
normal rate of increase on previous years was 10 to 15
per cent. Three facts were given in explanation of
this, viz. : First, mishaps to steamers ; secondly,
increased output of beef ; and thirdly, freezing works
under repair.
The three River Plate Companies already referred
to have a total freezing capacity of about 13,000
56-pound carcases daily, and a storage capacity of
285,000 carcases, or say a freezing capacity in the year
illy
Uh
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 227
of 4,745,000 carcases. Other companies have been
and are being formed, so that there should be a great
development in the trade.
There is practically no trade in lamb, New Zealand
taking the lead, the figures for 1906 respectively
being :
New Zealand - 2,386,829 carcases.
Australia 1,173,896
River Plate - 120,106 ,,
The River Plate frozen beef trade has, since 1890,
increased from 5,950 quarters to 1,314,703 in 1906,
but it cannot compare in any way with the United
States chilled beef trade, which has reached the
magnificent total of 2,756,796 cwts. The importation of
chilled meat from the Plate into Great Britain has risen
from 10,337 quarters in 1890 to 454,613 in 1906. The
one great advantage which the Argentine possesses
over its Australian and New Zealand competitors in
the meat trade is that of being nearer the final
market.
In addition to refrigerated meat, we may add that
46,751 cases of butter were shipped from the Argentine
to the United Kingdom. It is shipped usually in
boxes of about 50 to 60 Ibs. each, and during the
Argentine summer months only, as the local demand
in winter exceeds the supply.
The foregoing facts and statistics will give some
idea of the magnitude and importance of the meat and
mtter trades, and naturally there is also a large and
important business in wool. There are magnificent
warehouses in Bahia Blanca, and periodical sales
228
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
are held there, which are attended by buyers from all
parts, though, from what we could gather, chiefly
from France.
The grain trade of this agricultural and pastoral
country is one of very great magnitude, though it is
attended with many vicissitudes. The success or
otherwise of the trade depends so much upon fortuitous
circumstances, drought, heat, cold and too much
moisture, owing to the violent climatic changes which
are experienced, and the plagues of locusts and other
' bichos, ' which devastate the country not infrequently,
that cereal growing is not followed to the extent it
otherwise would be. It is estimated that in a period of
fifteen years ending with 1901, there were only five
successful years in wheat crop.
Notwithstanding the difficulties which have had to
be contended against, the exports of wheat, maize,
linseed and flour have increased in ten years as
follows :
1891 -
Wheat.
Qrs. 480 Ibs.
1,821,000
Maize.
Qrs. 480 Ibs.
303,000
Linseed.
Qrs. 416 Ibs.
66,OOO
Flour.
Sacks 280 Ibs.
55.
1901 -
- 4,500,000
5,242,000
I,97I,OOO
579,000
The largest quantities ever exported in a single
year were, wheat and flour together, 9,000,000 quarters
in 1900, maize 7,200,000 quarters in 1896, and linseed
1,971,000 quarters in 1901.
The area in the chief provinces in which wheat and
linseed are sown is as follows :
WHEAT Acres sown 1900 :
B. Aires. Santa Fe. Cordoba. Entre Rios. Others. Total.
2,268,000 3,663,000 1,546,000 694,000 177,000 8,348,000
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
WHEAT Acres sown igoi :
B. Aires. Santa Fe". Cordoba. Entre Rios. Others. Total.
2,403,000 3,417,000 1,440,000 695,000 185,000 8,140,000
LINSEED Acres sown 1900 :
269,000 859,000 224,000 145,000 1,497,000
Acres sown 1901 :
475,000 1,078,000 218,000 163,000 1,934,000
Maize area statistics are not obtainable. The
other cereal crops comprise 30,000 acres under oats and
16,000 acres under barley. Santa Fe wheat is regarded
by millers as the best River Plate wheat. The yield
per acre rules highest in the province of Buenos Aires,
average about 14 bushels per acre for wheat and
linseed. The wheat crop is usually sown in the months
of May and June, and the reaping commences in the
north of Santa Fe, in November, and finishes at the
end of December in the south of Buenos Aires. Maize
is planted in October and reaped in February-March.
During the cereal year ist August, 1900, to 3ist
July, 1901, the quantities of wheat and maize exported
by Argentina to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ger-
many, and France were as under :
U. Kingdom. Belgium. Germany. France.
Wheat (qrs.) - 2,896,400 1,398,000 1,435,000 112,000
Maize ,, - 1,501,900 567,000 347,000 426,000
Brazil also takes a large quantity of Argentine
rheat and flour, the figures approximating 300,000
quarters of the former, and 400,000 sacks of the latter
mnually.
We cannot attempt to go into the world's pro-
luction of grain, nor yet its consumption, but proof is
lot wanting that our North American cousins attempt
NOTE. The total shipments of Wheat and Flour, Maize and Linseed from
the Argentine Republic in 1906, were as follows :
Wheat and Flour ... ... ... 1 1,304,000 qrs.
Maize ... ... .. ... 1 1,550,000 qrs.
Linseed ... ... ... ... 2,760,000 qrs.
230 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
at times to 'corner' the market, and control this, as-
other trades, though sometimes with disastrous results
to themselves.
The only other grain-producing Republics in
South America which can export at times are Uruguay
and Chile.
The following quantities were exported from
Uruguay in 1900, viz. : -
Wheat 184,000 quarters.
Maize - 2,000 .,
Flour 140,000 sacks.
These figures shew considerable diminution as
compared with those for 1894, viz. :
Wheat 506,000 quarters.
Maize 225,000
Flour 261,000 sacks.
Uruguay ships also small quantities of barley and
linseed. The flour is chiefly sold to Brazil and Chile.
The official agricultural census of 1894 gave the
following particulars :
Wheat. Maize. Barley. Beans. Linseed.
Acres - 503,000 310,000 6,872 27,000 2,191
Product (bush) 8,640,000 5,091,000 112,000 154,000 22,170
Shipments of these cereals are made from the
port of Monte Video, chiefly to Brazil, England and
Belgium.
Chile used to produce some 2,000,000 quarters of
wheat, of which about 500,000 quarters were available
for exportation to Peru and Europe. The largest
quantity of wheat ever exported from Chile in a single
year to all places was 856,000 quarters in the year
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 231
1893, in which season, in addition, there were exported
15,000 sacks of flour and 135,000 quarters of barley,
but of this last-named cereal there were far greater
exports in the year 1896, when 310,000 quarters were
exported. Chile, however, has now to import as she
does not grow enough wheat for her own needs. This,
it is thought, is due to the fact that the ground has
been worked out, i.e., it has not been sufficiently
manured, and the system of agriculture followed has
been one which has tended to impoverish the land
generally. This seems strange in a district within easy
reach of the great nitrate and guano deposits. The
farmer, however, will spend little, possibly from the
uncertainty of his tenure and the process of putting up
the farms every ten years, whether tenanted or not, to
the highest bidder. There is, however, another factor
contributing to the reduction in the wheat crop, viz. :
the cultivation of the vine in what was formerly the
wheat district, and the forcing of the wheat-growing
into the rainy region further south.
We cannot close this chapter, which possibly for
some may be too full of dry iacts and statistics, without
alluding a little more in detail to our visit to Campana,
the small town on the River Parana, where, as already
stated, the premises of the River Plate Fresh Meat
Company are situated. The journey thither afforded
us a view of the 'camp' or country, and which we found
for the most part to be flat and uninteresting in itself.
It, however, grows upon one, and there is undoubtedly
a feeling of freedom created by the immense vistas
which are opened out, and which look like seas .of
232
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
grass, rising and falling with a wave-like motion a I
tlie will of every breeze that blows. Here and there
' estancias ' (large farmsteads) may be seen, th<
buildings in many cases being of a substantial kind,
and here and there are 'ranches' belonging to the
labouring classes, which are simply mud huts.
is much to interest a stranger in a journey over the
CAMP SCENE ARGENTINA.
camp. First and foremost are the large herds of
cattle and 'tropillas' of horses and sheep innumerable.
Then there are the birds, of which there is an infinite
variety martinellas (a kind of partridge), wild duck,
water hens, cranes and large birds of prey, being
amongst those chiefly seen. There are certainly plenty
of dead horses and cattle for the birds of prey to
feed upon.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 233
Vast quantities of water lay on the country ; in
fact it appeared from the train in some places, as if
we were crossing over lakes, there being water on
either side of the track, in some parts extending for
a quarter of a mile. Thousands of sheep, and we
might possibly with more accuracy say millions, had
been drowned by the recent inundations, and com-
munication between the estancias was being carried
on by boat.
Another thing of interest is the cart usually em-
ployed for conveying loads over the camp and across
the seas of mud which are known as roads. The cart
runs on two very high wheels, the body being almost
the size of an English wagon. There are usually three
horses abreast at the shafts and nine horses abreast
leading. Twelve horses seem a large number for a
man sitting on a cart to drive, but nothing appears to
be thought of the feat in Argentina. On arriving at
Campana we were driven to the Saladero, and were
soon over our axles in mud and water. However, we
got to our journey's end without accident, and were
soon investigating the mysteries of the slaughter-
house. We have already given a general description of
the thoroughness in which the work is done, the only
waste being the blood. Even that when freights were
lower was made into manure and sent home for agricul-
tural purposes. It is astonishing what a small place the
world is ! This is not an original remark, as all my
readers will know, but we kept on meeting people here
and there, in all sorts of out of the way places, who
knew us or our friends, that we had the fact brought
HI
234
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
particularly home to us and a pleasant fact it always
proved. There was, of course, a Liverpool man al
Campana trying his luck in the camp.
Thousands of cattle and sheep are passed through
the Fresh Meat Company's premises each day, and are
then shipped frozen to Europe to feed the masses.
Some of the cattle we noticed were hornless, havin<
had their horns taken out when young so that they
will, when being sent by train to the Saladeros, not
damage one another. There are two kinds that
naturally have no horns, viz. : the Polled Angus an<
the Galloway, both importations from Scotland, am
these have a high reputation, the meat being deeme(
the best in the world. At the slaughter yard a
'decoy sheep' is used to bring in the sheep from the
fields, and it is a somewhat painful sight to witness
this scene. The 'decoy' is well trained, and of course
is never touched.
After the inspection we were kindly entertained on
board one of the ' Z ' line steamers which was lying
alongside the wharf, and an instructive visit was thus
brought to a close.
( 235 }
CHAPTER XII.
BUENOS AIRES. ARGENTINE ARMY. JOCKEY CLUB BALL. ARGENTINES.
RESERVOIR. JOCKEY CLUB. JOURNEY TO LA PLATA. LA PLATA PORT
PILOT AGE- PORT APPLIANCES DUES. CITY OF LA PLATA. SCORPION
STORY. WEATHER. RETURN TO BUENOS AIRES. MORE STORIES
ROSARIO DE SANTA FE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH BUENOS
AIRES. ROSARIO EXPORTS. RIVER PARANA. GAUCHOS. AMUSE-
MENTS, BUENOS AIRES. RACES. FALSIFICATIONS. CURRENCY. PRO-
VINCE OF BUENOS AIRES. CREDIT SYSTEM. ARGENTINE NAVY.
\ 7[ 7"E were fortunate in seeing Buenos Aires at its best
the plazas, streets and public buildings being
beautifully decorated with flags and floral wreaths, and
in the evening with innumerable electric and coloured
lights arranged in fantastic and ornamental designs, and
in many cases outlining the buildings on which they
were fixed. The sight at night time was the nearest
approach I have seen to the Street of Nations in the
recent Paris Exhibition, a veritable fairyland when
viewed from the river. The occasion of all this display
was the visit of His Excellency Senor Don Campos
Salles, the popular President of the Brazilian Republic,
in return for that paid him by the President of
Argentina. Calle Florida and the
Plaza de Mayo, in front of the
State Buildings, were particularly
splendid, and the Brazilian Presi-
dent must have felt flattered at the
royal reception he received.
There was a grand military
display, and it seemed to us that s. E. GENERAL JULIO ROCA,
President o/ Argentine
the whole army had been re-clad Republic,
236
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
for the occasion. They certainly made a handsome
display, and the march past was quite equal to an 1
we had previously witnessed in our own countn
though limited somewhat numerically. The reguh
army consists of about 12,000 officers and men, an<
there is a national guard of about half a millic
men.
A compulsory military system prevails in the
Argentine Republic. Men between the ages of 17 an<
45 are liable to be called out for two or three months
in the year, but I am told that, as a rule, they do n<
make good soldiers, being too lazy to learn.
Foreigners resident in Argentina endeavour t(
arrange that their children shall be born out of the
countrv, to evade the law.
./ '
The ball which followed at the Jockey Club was
quite worthy of the great occasion. It was a brillianl
scene. The ladies of Buenos Aires certainly know
to dress, and the display of gems was magnificent. Th<
ladies for the most part are extremely stout, as they take
little or no exercise, and are very partial to sweetmeats
A drive in the Calle Florida at four o'clock in th<
afternoon on certain days, or to the suburbs of Belgrane
and Palermo (Belgrano is certainly the fashionabl<
quarter, and the park at Palermo is well worth visiting
represents about all the exercise usually taken by th<
fair sex, though possibly some of the younger ones ma]
indulge in a little boating at Tigre, a charming place
for the purpose and an ideal spot for a picnic.
One building in Buenos Aires which particular!;
took our fancy, is used as a reservoir, and was full ol
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 237
tanks and pipes instead of art of every description.
Externally it is a temple of art, and must have cost an
enormous sum to erect. Its outer walls are constructed
of Doulton ware, principally terra cotta and marble,
STREET SCENE IN BUENOS AIRES.
and the most beautiful designs are seen at intervals all
round the building. Its use as a reservoir seemed to us
a desecration. When we contrasted the amount of
money which must have been expended in this fashion
with the little spent on the roadways in the outskirts of
238
TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
the city, \ve could not resist the conclusion that th<
money might have been laid out to better purpose.
In the outskirts, the streets and roads are for th<
most part unmade, and in wet weather almost
impassable. (
Another building which we much admired was that
in which the Jockey Club is quartered. This is th<
principal club in the Argentine Republic, and it is
fitted with every imaginable convenience. The club is
a very exclusive one.
As we had determined on a visit to La Plata,
journey occupying about two and a half hours, th<
distance from Buenos Aires by rail being 63 kilo-
metres, say 40 English miles (by water the distance
is 30 miles), we started early in the morning in ordei
to pass a long day there. The country between th<
two ports is quite flat and uninteresting, excepting foi
the large troops of horses and herds of cattle. Ii
one field we saw quite a number of ostriches, but the]
were not native to this part of the country, havin<
been imported from Patagonia. All along the railwa 1
route could be seen skeletons of horses and cattl<
which, dying in the fields, had been left there to rot
and taint the atmosphere. These are gruesome things
to see, but the natives do not consider it worth th<
trouble to remove the carcases. The horses in th<
country were excellent animals, and a first-rate saddl<
horse could be bought for about 10. Of courst
everyone rides, and were it not for the occasional
restrictions against the importation of live animals intc
Great Britain, a cheap supply of good horses woul<
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 239
always be forthcoming from the River Plate. The
horse, however, in Buenos Aires city, as in our own
country, is rapidly being superseded by electricity and
other motive powers. Our visit to the town or city of
La Plata we left until after we had inspected the docks
and depots and some of the steamers then frequenting
its port, the principal of which belong to the Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company and the Cie des Messageries
Maritimes, and which were, really the only two mail
lines terminating there. These, we understand, have
now removed to Buenos Aires, owing to increased
depth of water in the channel leading to the Madero
Dock.
Passengers to and from Buenos Aires are con-
veyed to La Plata by special trains, which are run
alongside the steamers. There were at the time of
our visit only three steamers in the dock, in addition
to several Argentine men-of-war. The depth of
water in the channel leading into the dock, and in
the dock, was 27 feet, but the published descriptions
of the port state the depth of water at the entrance
of the Moles as 23 feet, and in the Grand Dock 22
feet at ordinary low river. The distance from the
molehead to the entrance of the dock is 35 miles,
south by west, in a direct line. The dock is without
gates, and a steamer can proceed direct to her berth, or
steam to the head of the dock, where it is much wider,
for the purpose of turning round. There is some
warehouse accommodation at the dock, but almost
all cargo is taken on board direct from railway trucks,
and from lighters alongside.
240 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The entrance to the channel is badly lighted, and
should only be made in daylight. Tugs, fore and aft,
are necessary to keep steamers in the centre of the
channel. There are three tugs in the dock available
for the service, two owned by Mr. Mihanovich and one
by Messrs. Wilson, Sons & Co., Limited.
Pilotage is compulsory, the pilots being taken just
off the entrance ; and the channel, which is about 150
yards wide, is buoyed.
Just at the entrance to the dock the channel is
intersected by the Rio (River) Santiago, and at the
north-west corner Messrs. Wilson's coal wharf is
situated. They have ample appliances, and seven
barges of 1,400 tons total capacity.
According to the Consular Report, for 1891, the
La Plata dock dues are in future to be as follows :
' 10 cents paper (2d.) per registered ton for ocean
steamers, or sailing ships, which may enter to take a
cargo of live stock, to complete with grain, or in ballast
to take a cargo of products of the country for export.
' 20 cents paper (4d.) per registered ton for sailing
vessels coming in loaded and loading produce of the
country. Steamers coming in for coal only will pay
entrance and dock dues according to the quantity of
coal taken, not according to tonnage, 100 tons to be
the minimum.'
We were certainly disappointed with La Plata
port, it seemed so desolate, so very little business
being done, but since our visit the cattle business has
had a ' fillip,' and the facilities of the port for that trade
are very good. The grain shipping appliances are also
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 241
good, and there are now large deposits for export
produce. Several millions of bags can, we understand,
be stored alongside the quay wall, all under shelter,
and the loading of the grain has improved so much
that as many as 34,000 bags have been loaded in one
steamer in an ordinary day's work. Large develop-
ments in the grain trade of the port are anticipated.
The British Consul, in writing respecting the port,
states : ' The new capital of the province of Buenos
Aires, the city of La Plata and its port, has been built
too near its ancient capital, the City of Buenos Aires,
which in its new phase as capital of the Argentine
Confederation, continues to absorb the greater part of
the commercial and social movement of the Republic,
including of course, that of the Province of Buenos
Aires. La Plata port, from a commercial point of view,
therefore, serves chiefly as a port of transhipment to
and from the City of Buenos Aires. The population
of La Plata and its port is about 80,000, and the
establishment of industries has been projected since the
creation of this City in 1882, but so far, with the
exception of a few factories of small importance, none
have been realised, although reports, which appear to be
reliable, now freely circulate that a British Refrigerating
Company has been definitely formed in London to buy up
the concession of a cattle wharf in the La Plata docks.
The realisation of this scheme would constitute another
agreeable prospect for the future development of com-
mercial movement at La Plata port.'
If we experienced a feeling of loneliness at La
Plata port, we certainly became quite melancholy
NOTE. The National Government has now acquired the port of La Plata
from the province of Buenos Aires. Vessels which have paid Dues at Buenos
Aires can now proceed to La Plata and fill up without further charges. The
Dues at La Plata are now the same as at Buenos Aires.
242
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
when we saw the city of La Plata, a city which
sprang up in a commercial boom, like a mushroom,
some twenty years ago. It is replete with magnificent
public buildings, for the most part half finished,
some not even that far advanced, but left windowless
to the ravages of time, and as monuments of the
folly of pride which would erect for itself palaces
and shrines with insufficient means. If the boom in
trade had gone on year after year, all would, no doubt,
have been well, but whoever knew booms to follow
such a regular course ! As a rule there are more
' slumps ' than booms, and if we were to regulate our
expenditure by the full years, we should be in queer
street in the lean ones. This is partly what has
happened in La Plata. There is another reason, which
may be found in the reflection that it was probably the
intention to out-do the city of Buenos Aires, and
transfer the trade thence, thus creating at La Plata one
of the finest cities in the world, but the government
evidently did not wish this. So far as the planning out
of the city is concerned, with its beautiful wide ' calles '
and 'avenidas,' given ample means to keep it up, it is,
to say the least, pretentious, and, at the most, a grand
conception. Should you visit there, pray sit down on a
seat in one of its wide, grass-grown streets, with some
of the untenanted and half-finished palaces in view, and
reflect what must have been the dreams of splendour
which caused this city to rise up as it were in a night,
and the havoc done when the sickly conclusion was
borne in upon the dreamers that their aspirations could
never be realised. One might readily weave a sad
NOTE. The writer, who has just re-visited the
City >f La Plata, is glad to say that many improve-
have been made in it since his first visit seven
pears ago; the streets are no longer grass-grown
and the whole City is certainly shewing signs of
returning prosperity.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 24$
romance about this city, populating- it with the ghosts
of wealth, opulence and ambition, and concluding 1 the
work with the speech attributed by Shakespeare ta
Cardinal Wolsey.
On the outskirts of the city, there is a splendid
avenue of eucalyptus trees of great height. This
forms the favourite drive. We had come across a
scorpion in one part of the deserted city, which gave
rise to a story we can scarcely omit from our records.
Some friends of one of our party were dining, after a
gallop in the country, at a wayside ' posada, ' when the
waiter brought in a scorpion in a serviette, saying that
he would give the guests a little amusement. He
then made a ring with some ' aguardiente ' on one of
the marble tables, set it on fire and placed the scorpion
in the centre. The reptile at once began to rush round
the circle, seeking for some means of escape ; but
finding none, punctured itself in the back of the neck
with its tail (where it carries its poison), and died
immediately. It really committed suicide, giving clear
evidence that these reptiles can think, and do not act
merely according to instinct or fixed laws.
We were glad to get into the train for the return
journey to Buenos Aires, as the weather, which had
been cold and pleasant in the morning, 65 Fahr.,
became suddenly hot, the thermometer running up to
86, added to which there was a dampness in the
atmosphere which made the heat all the more difficult
to bear. We had had the south wind, which is the
cold wind there, in the morning, and this veered round
to the north, or hot wind, quite the opposite to our
2V4 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
own country. Of course, after this sudden change we
had a violent thunderstorm, which continued until
the following day. It seemed as if the city would be
washed away, and the noise of the thunder and the
flashing of the lightning were simply terrifying. But
we had work to do, and as we were soon ' up to our
watch chains in it,' according to the expression there,
we had no time to contemplate the storm. Lunch or
dinner usually comes along to relieve the monotony of
work, and each offers an opportunity for more yarns.
It seems that at the particular restaurant we patronised
that day in the Calle Florida, there were three men
who were accustomed to dine together regularly.
One of them, who presided, had the ugly trick of
always helping himself to the best cut, etc. The
other two resolved to pay him out, and they ordered
the waiter, when the omelette was served, to place it
in front of one of them. This being done, the greedy
man was asked what portion he liked best, and, being
true to his natural instincts, replied 'the middle.'
The omelette was then cut in two, each of the con-
federates retaining a half, the * middle cut ' (the plate)
being left for the man who wanted it. He had to
order an omelette for himself that day, and it is hoped
that the lesson was not lost upon him. Truly there is
a great art in knowing how to avoid, or suppress, in
oneself, everything likely to offend the susceptibilities
of others.
Our next excursion was to Rosario de Santa Fe,
the second city in point of importance in the Republic,
and the great grain shipping port. Its sugar industry
we have alluded to in Chapter VI.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
245
There are a number of small steamers employed
trading between Buenos Aires and Rosario, and the
cargo so carried amounts to about 50,000 tons per
annum. There is no regular trade between Rosario
and southern ports, and whilst ocean-going passenger
boats sometimes load at Rosario, passengers, as a rule,
join at Buenos Aires.
Mihanovich's steamers monopolise the traffic
between Monte Video and Rosario, there being a
weekly sailing. Very few passengers, however, are
carried, as the public usually prefer to travel by rail,
making the journey, as we did, in the night, leaving
Buenos Aires at 9 p.m., and arriving at Rosario at
8 o'clock next morning.
The following were the principal exports of
Rosario during 1899 :
Minerals
Wheat
Linseed
Maize
Hay -
Flour -
Potatoes
Sugar -
Bran
Wool -
Hides -
Hair -
Quebracho
Cedar -
Bones -
Sundries
713 tons.
851,184
93.53 -
226,820 ,.
32,280 ,.
8,320 ,,
I I 73 .
24,500 ,,
26,106 ,,
4 2 73 M
8,852 ,,
39 6 M
5,660 ,,
62O ,,
373 M
1,071
246 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The River Parana forms the port, and the best
way of inspecting it is by tug. The left bank being
high, vessels can, in most parts, get near to it and
load full cargoes of cereals from flying shoots stretched
from the bank to the vessel. There are several
wharves, at most of which vessels with a draft of
20 feet can usually discharge and load. A German
steamer was alongside loading grain at the time of our
visit, and was drawing 19 feet aft. During the winter
the river is, however, not safe to navigate with a draft
of more than 17 feet. The port has been much
neglected, as it was feared it might damage Buenos
Aires ; but an agitation was got up in 1900, and the
government, in consequence, passed a bill for port
improvements, and these will shortly, it is hoped, be
proceeded with.
Rosario is an interesting and busy town, built in
squares like Buenos Aires, but the streets are not well
paved. There are one or two good clubs, and, as the
country is more interesting than that immediately
surrounding Buenos Aires, it is not at all a bad place
to live in. We were sorry time did not admit of our
staying longer than a day, and also that, for the same
reason, we could not make the return journey to
Buenos Aires by water. On our way back we saw
some good specimens of the ' Gaucho ' class, and later,
an exhibition of their skill at the Palermo Cattle Show,
one of the finest shows of the kind in the world. A
bull, irritated by one of its horns, the point of which
was growing into the skull, broke loose from its
fastenings, and rushing into the open, caused great
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 247
consternation among the visitors, but, fortunately,
nothing of more serious consequence. The Gauchos
on horseback soon lassoed it by the feet and head,
threw it on its back and cut off the offending horn. It
A GAUCHO.
was the work of a few moments, and the bull,
thoroughly cowed, tamely trotted off to its quarters
after the operation.
There are, naturally, in a large city like Buenos
Aires, plenty of places of amusement both in the city
proper and in the outskirts. The river is always there
if everything else fails, and there are frequent races and
other sports, one of the principal amusements being
the game ' Pelota,' described in Chapter VIII. The
racecourse is a sight to see when some special event is
on. The Jockey Club stand and enclosure, crowded
with elegantly-dressed ladies, ever a blaze of rich
colour, the magnificent horses, and the excitement of
the keenly contested races, coupled with the specula-
tion for everyone bets, either privately or through the
248 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
organised system make up a scene of life, coloured by
the love of all that is beautiful, and intensified by the
love of sport. The roadway outside the racecourse, for
half-a-mile on either side of the entrance, was lined
RACECOURSE BUENOS AIRES.
with splendid equipages of all descriptions, and the
show of horseflesh could not possibly be surpassed.
Dress, horses and jewellery seem indeed to embody the
ambition of the true Argentine, and the money spent
to satisfy this craving must be enormous.
Money is made in many ways in Buenos Aires,
and a great deal of foreign principally British-
capital finds its way into that city for the extension
of its many schemes, some, as in other places, com-
mercially sound, and others the reverse.
Wines and spirits are more or less falsified, for
there are dishonest people everywhere, and it is an
open secret that labels of all well known brands are
shipped to this as to some other South American
ports.
TRADE AXD TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 24<J
The man who can ' sneak ' a thing, to use the
current expression in the Plate, and the man who
can defraud the Revenue, are by many secretly admired
and considered smart men of business, so that it is
quite necessary to be thoroughly awake and alert here
as elsewhere, to do profitable trade.
We heard a well-dressed man on one of the river
boats bragging that he had 'sneaked' the silver pepper
box from the hotel he had stayed at in the city, and
his companions enjoyed the 'joke' immensely, in-
stead of cutting his acquaintanceship, or doing what
he richly deserved, reporting him to the police.
An instance of the way in which the Customs are
cheated was also brought to our notice, and is certainly
instructive. It seems that the owner of one of the
numerous stores ordered from Paris six cases of gloves.
When they arrived he went down to the Customs
in the regular course to ' clear ' them, and he then
pointed out what he knew all the time that the
gloves were all right-handed. It appeared quite
natural that he should decline to pay the duty, which
is heavy on gloves, and the cases were therefore sent
into the Customs depot to be sold at the next rum-
mage sale, according to prevailing usage. When the
sale came on, the consignee of the goods bought
them for a mere bagatelle, as compared with the
total amount of the duty. A few months later he
got out the left-handed fellows to the gloves, repeated
successfully the like manoeuvres, and so escaped the
duty. A third attempt, however, was frustrated by
the destruction of the gloves.
250 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
There are so many nationalities in the River
Plate, each contending 1 with the other in the race
for opulence, coupled with a love of finery, that it
is scarcely to be wondered at if many are addicted
to sharp practices, and the fault referred to is not
confined to the Argentines. There are plenty of first-
rate, right-thinking and honest men amongst them
no doubt, but here, as in other quarters of the globe,
the shadow is more noticeable than the light.
We did not see any gold in the Argentine Re-
public, excepting the English sovereigns we had in.
our possession, the currency being almost entirely
paper, which varies in value from day to day, accord-
ing to the premium on gold. The value of the
nominal gold dollar also fluctuates from day to day,
according to the rate of exchange, but it is, roughly
speaking, always worth four shillings (English).
The paper dollar at the time of our visit was worth
about is. lod. There are silver 'pesos' worth say
is. 5d. each, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cent pieces.
In 1899, Congress passed a decree to the effect
that the nation would convert its paper money into
gold at the rate of 44 cents gold for one dollar
(paper). This gives a premium on gold of 127^27 per
cent., or say Sioo gold are equal to $227*27 paper.
Certain receipts are set aside by the Government
for the purpose, and a conversional office has been
opened, but beyond the steadying of the premium,
no change in the currency has thus far resulted.
The Province of Buenos Aires contains about
130,000 square miles, and is undoubtedly the most
NOTE. A Bill is shortly to be presented to Congress which will do away
with the present double currency
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 251
fertile of all the provinces. The Argentine Republic
contains a total area of about 1,200,000 square miles,
three fourths of which is almost level plain.
In the Argentine camp, the farmers as a rule
have little or no money, but live in expectation of
the results of their work, and borrow accordingly at
hio-h rates of interest. If there is a failure in the
o
crop, or drought or floods destroy the flocks and
herds, the money question becomes a difficult one,
and it is not an exceptional thing for debts of this
character to go on for six or seven years, and in
some if not many cases the farmer is ruined. A
man borrows to buy his farm and its equipment,
and pays in 'kind' when nature enables him to do so.
We saw some of the Argentine men-of-war, both
at Buenos Aires, La Plata, and at Bahia Blanca, and
considerable interest was taken in one of the cruisers,
the 'President Sarmiento, ' which had been for a
voyage round the world with a number of cadets,
on what might be termed an educational expedition.
There are 52 vessels in the Navy, of which nine
are armoured, and fourteen cruisers. The rest are
torpedo boats and auxiliary vessels.
( 252 )
CHAPTER XIII.
JOURNEY TO BAHIA BLANCA. PONCHO. CORBINA. PEJEREY. TRADE OF
BAHIA BLANCA. COASTING TRADE IN THE HANDS OF THE GERMANS.
EXPORTS. RAILWAY MOLE. PORT FACILITIES. FROZEN MEAT WORK- 1 -.
PORT EXTENSIONS. IMPORTS. MILITARY PORT AT PUNTA BELGRANO.
BARRACAS DE FRUITOS. RETURN TO BUENOS AIRES. MORE STORIES.
TIGRE. MONTE VIDEO. RIVER PLATE. URUGUAYAN RAILWAYS.
EXPORTS. IMPORTS. SALADEROS. POCITAS. YERBA MATTE.
CAACUPE, PARAGUAY.
r | ^HE only other town of importance visited by us
in the Argentine Republic was Bahia Blanca, a
rising port on meridian 40. The journey thither,
excepting the last twenty to thirty miles, exhibited a
flat expanse of camp as far as the eye could reach, with
but very few trees, and without any hedgerows to relieve
the monotony. Where the plain was broken, a low
range of mountains, beautifully green right to the top,
showed up to great advantage, and afforded some
relief to our wearied vision. The mountains were
passed all too soon, and we went speeding on again
over the ' pampa ' till we reached our goal. There
were again plenty of birds to be seen on the pampa, as
also 'gauchos' driving cattle into the ' corrales, ' or
exhibiting themselves, as they appear to be fond of
doing, in the railway stations, wearing their 'ponchos.'
A ' poncho ' is a kind of rug with a hole in the
centre, through which the head is thrust. There are
a great variety of these, for the most part coarse in
texture and gaudy in colour, but some are hand-woven
from vicuna wool, and are expensive. A good many
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 253
of the natives wear two ponchos, making a sort of
loose pair of trousers out of the second, which they
tuck into the waistband of their ' calzoncillos ' (linen
drawers).
The country seemed to be teeming with cattle and
sheep, and it looked fit for any kind of cultivation,
apparently all that is wanted being labour in fact it is
said the soil is so good that if one plants a walking
stick it will grow into an umbrella. The climate, how-
ever, is very variable, and a year of plenty might be
followed by a good many meagre ones. The facilities
for transport are rapidly increasing, the country is being
opened up in all directions, and if the government do
not hamper the agricultural industry with too many
taxes and restrictions, and the railways keep their rates
within reasonable bounds, the near future should witness
considerable progress in this Republic.
The journey across the pampa is usually a very
dusty and dirty one, and travellers get themselves up
in long linen overalls as a protection. Fortunately we
travelled after the wet pampero, and were not troubled
much with dust until we arrived at Bahia Blanca,
where we got quite as much as any lover of this
sort of thing could wish. We went straight down
to the port, which is some two to three miles distant
from the town, and inspected the system of working on
the Mole. We also saw the fishermen coming in with
boatloads of corbina, the favourite salt water fish of
Argentina. It is a coarse and oily fish, but of good
flavour. At Buenos Aires the only native fish in
demand is 'pejerey' (king of fish), which is something
254
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
like whiting", and, when well cooked, is very good
eating.
There is a coasting traffic between Bahia Blanca
and Buenos Aires, which was, up to recently, when a
BAHIA BLANCA PORT.
line of German steamers was established, entirely in
the hands of Miguel Mihanovich, of Buenos Aires,
whose steamers carry to Bahia Blanca rough goods,
such as lumber, fencing wire, galvanised iron, machinery,
&c., and return to Buenos Aires with produce for
transhipment. The greater part of the imports and
fine goods go from Buenos Aires to Bahia Blanca by
the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, the distance
by rail being 350 miles. The Germans obtained pos-
session of the coasting trade through their being able
to meet the Argentine demand for vessels flying the
national flag, and they have now practically a monopoly
of the trade right down the coast of Patagonia to
Punta Arenas, in the Straits of Magellan, though
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 255
whilst this is passing through the press we notice that
the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. are inaugurating a
regular service to Argentine ports. This coasting
business could readily have been secured to a British
line, with excellent concessions and a possible subsidy,
but for the flag difficulty ; and really our Government
should wake up to the fact that if its foreign trade and
coasting lines abroad are to be protected and enlarged,
it must meet the requirements of shipowners in a broad
and liberal spirit. Quite recently it was reported that
the whole of the Brazilian coasting service had been
secured by the Germans purchasing the national line.
Having done this, they will fly the national flag, thus
securing the monopoly of the coast and the coasting
trade, with all its future possibilities of development,
from the Amazon to the Straits of Magellan. Let us,
however, return to Bahia Blanca, for the more we
write on the last subject the more we become irritated,
and the John Bull spirit of holding to our trade and
advancing it is crushed within us by the weight of our
own restrictions and the sense of the liberties accorded
by other, dare we say, more trade-enlightened nations.
Wool, wheat, and sheepskins are the principal
exports at Bahia Blanca. The wool is shipped to
Antwerp, Dunkirk and Hamburg. The wheat goes
to Antwerp, Rotterdam and the Channel for orders.
Little produce of any kind is shipped direct for British
ports.
The mole, which belongs to the Buenos Aires
Great Southern Railway Company, is about 325 feet in
length, and 70 feet wide. It is too small to admit of
256 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the rapid discharge and loading of steamers ; and
although a vessel carrying 6,000 tons has been dealt
with at the mole, vessels have to wait their turn to get
a berth, and frequent serious delays have occurred one
vessel, to our knowledge, being detained for forty days.
Vessels can be berthed on either side of the mole,
there being 23 feet at low water, with a rise of about
10 feet. The bottom is soft mud, and the port does
not present any serious difficulty. The Great Southern
Railway Company were engaged in extending their
mole into the form of a long ' T ' east and west, with
approach embankments, having four lines of access as
against one at present. The new mole, which, we
understand, is now completed, has a width of 103 feet,
and the total length is about 1,960 feet. The Great
Southern Company can load several thousand tons a
day, and they have a powerful tug.
There are plenty of cattle and sheep in the neigh-
bourhood of Bahia Blanca, but no shipments have been
made owing to the want of the necessary wharfage
accommodation and facilities.
The Sansinena Company are establishing frozen
meat works a little higher up the river than the railway
mole, and there will be a development of this business
in the near future. The difficulty in the way of this,
hitherto, has been the dust, which is so prevalent
that it finds its w r ay into every nook and corner, and
turns the meat black. A means of overcoming this
has, we understand, been found ; and the works are
now rapidly approaching completion.
The number of steamers leaving Bahia Blanca in
NOTE. The Great Southern Railway Company's Mole Extension is now
completed.
.3 .O *
AQHAJ8 AIHA8
HOITAQOMM033A JAHOITIOOA
IM8S--
v \ MS^AjkVv ,
iNGE MICRO WHITE
>oo tons ha 4 -
their
s have > "
~f detained
ipn fijthe^ the
r. C. S. -
BAHtA BLANCA PORT
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION FQB SHIPPING
"* ^~
.
, having 1 four line-
:nt. The new mole, .which,
*.- 28 M? --->(
)
EARTH FILLINQ
several thou
ful tug.
-itle and
NEW TIMBCR WHARF
no shin
SECTION A
wh
'^ff
-
^ '
H
:t, the i
-orth V\
'
\
us mere!
The exports
m i '
x
X
HIGH WATER
COW WATER
ORCCGKO BOTTOi-
% T"E E L MOLE
F C. S.
BAHiA BLANCA PORT
ADDITIONAL/ykCCOMMOPATION FQ3 SHIPPING
k-
MKW TIMMft WHARF
Q O HOIT038
OftOM SCCTtO*.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 257
1 88 1 was 4, as against 63 in 1900. Building opera-
tions are brisk, and the town has now about 10,000
inhabitants.
The Bahia Blanca North Western Railway, also
running into the town, has hitherto been at the mercy
of the Great Southern for shipping facilities, but they
have in project the erection of a wooden mole two miles
further up the inlet than the existing one. As the
material for this was all on the ground at the time of
our visit, the mole should now be approaching com-
pletion. The new mole will be 300 feet in length, with
room to work on either side. There will be a raised
platform, so that cargo can be loaded by gravitation.
The North Western have two large warehouses for the
storage of wool, grain, etc.
Bahia Blanca imports iron, in various forms,
timber, cottons, worsteds, combustibles, eatables,
various merchandise and liquors.
The exports from Bahia Blanca during 1899
were :
Merchandise. Destination. Quantity.
Wool - - Antwerp - 4,548,812 kilos.
Sheepskins - ,, 174,728 ,,
Horsehair - ,, 21,458
Wheat ,, - 125,311,005 .,
Wool - - Hamburg- - - 16,906,846 ,,
Sheepskins - ,, 83,895 ,,
Wheat ,, - 12,916,365
Wool - - Dunkirk - 5,218,225
Wheat- ,, 2,000,000 ,,
Wool - - England - 6,633 '
Wheat- ,, - 33.545.347 ..
,, - Rotterdam 5,815,440 ,,
258 TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
Merchandise. Destination. Quantity.
Wheat - Brazil 2,800,000 kilos
,, - Liverpool - 519,280 ,,
Wool - - Buenos Aires - 1,498,121 ,,
Sheepskins - ,, 1,366,251 ,,
Cowhides (dry) - ,, 229,169 ,,
,, (salted) ,, 74,057
Horsehides (dry) - ,, 12,718 ,,
Horsehair - ., 58,002 ,,
Tallow ,, 76,737 ,,
Grease ,, 10,497
Ostrich feathers - ,, 6,141 ,,
Goatskins - ,, 535 ,,
The roads leading to and all around the town or
city of Bahia Blanca are terrible after rain, and difficult
to use excepting on horseback or by coach. There is
nothing attractive about the city, save its primitive
character, though there are one or two good hotels-
good in everything save their sanitary arrangements,
which are simply horrible and disgusting.
Bahia Blanca is divided into two parts, Punta
Congreso, where the town and ports are situated,
and Punta Belgrano, the site of the military port.
No one visiting Bahia Blanca should fail to inspect
Belgrano. The engineer of the port has been lent
by the Italian Government to the Argentine Govern-
ment, he being a specialist in the construction of
military ports, and the work he has done at Bahia
Blanca, not only in the port but all round it, will
remain as a permanent testimonial to his skill, his
indomitable energy, and his love of the useful and
beautiful. He has transformed what was a desert
into a garden, with chalets, well-sewered roads,
NOTE. In 1905, 1,000,000 tons ot wheat were shipped from Bahia Blanca,
and the population had then increased to 30,000
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 259
splendid docks, and what will be as they were then
unfinished large water works, hospital and batteries;
There is an excellent graving dock, capable of
taking in the largest ship in the world, and as the
dock accommodation as a whole must be much in
excess of anything the government authorities will
ever require, it is to be hoped that the day is not far
distant when this system will be thrown open to
commerce. These docks are connected with Bahia
Blanca by a short railway, and there is no reason
why the city should not extend in the direction of
the docks.
We shall ever entertain the most pleasant re-
collections of our visit to this port, made doubly
agreeable by the kindly hospitality we received. We
were privileged to pay a visit to the outlying batteries,
travelling over some thirty miles on a locomotive,
which was, to say the least, exhilarating, though we
finished up in a heavy thunderstorm.
The forts are masked, and extremely well made,
though the guns are somewhat old. The soldiers
were principally Indians, and it was remarkable how
well trained they were, and with what order and
precision everything connected with the forts was
attended to.
After an inspection of the extensive Barracas de
Fruitos warehouses for wool, wheat, &c. of the
North-Western Railway, we concluded our visit to
Bahia Blanca, and returned to Buenos Aires by the
way we had come. We were much troubled, both
c.t Bahia Blanca and on the journey thence, by
260 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
mosquitoes, which were nearly as large and voracious
as those met with up the Uruguay River. Respecting
these, we may say that the story is that a certain
captain, meeting another coming up river, was asked
about the mosquitoes, and his answer was that they
were so terrible that they had eaten all his canvas.
' Oh ! ' replied the other, * then that must have been
the swarm we met, as they all wore canvas breeches.'
But this is not quite so bad as the Irishman, who
was sleeping with a comrade in one of the country
hotels, and persisted in continually keeping the
blanket over his head. He was awakened shortly
by his companion calling out : ' Be jabers, Pat, it's
no use at all, at all ; sure they're coming to look
for yez wid a lanthorn.' Needless to remark, a firefly
had got into the room.
That night we had a 'she' moon, and as this is
a sign of bad weather, we were not taken unawares
next day, when a sudden rise in the temperature was
followed by a violent storm. In case the reader may
not know the difference between a ' he ' and a ' she '
moon, we give the following explanation :
'He' moon 'stands up,' and is a sign of
fine weather.
'She' moon 'lies down,' and indicates
storms, etc.
The bad weather usually, under these circum-
stances, comes on in the evening, and clears towards
midnight.
After a pleasant little excursion to the Tigre,
about twenty miles from Buenos Aires a small river
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
261
262 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
running into the Parana, and to which we have
previously alluded we concluded our visit to the
Argentine Republic. The Tigre is something like
our own river Dee in Cheshire, only/ prettier. The
banks are clothed with willows, looking very beauti-
ful, and there are splendid villas, surrounded with
handsome gardens, abutting on the stream. It is by
far the most beautiful suburb of Buenos Aires.
The passage down the river to Monte Video was
excellent, and we were much impressed by the vast-
ness of the River Plate, or more properly speaking,
the broad estuary formed by the waters of the Rivers
Parana and Uruguay.
The Rio de la Plata, or River Plate, was dis-
covered in the year 1515 by a Spanish navigator
named Juan Diaz, but to a native of Bristol, Sebastian
Cabot by name, is accorded the honour of having first
explored the river, and of having named it the ' river of
silver.' It seems the Indian inhabitants, along the
banks, wore massive silver ornaments ; and Cabot,
concluding there must be an abundance of this metal in
the vicinity, gave the river its appropriate name.
The bay of Monte Video is, as indicated in
Chapter X, very much exposed, and, owing to the
shallow water, steamers are loaded and discharged into
lighters two or three miles distant from the city.
The projected dock system will include an exterior
port, having deep approaches (26^ feet), so that
before long steamers will be able to do their work in
smooth water.
The most prominent object on entering the bay is
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
203
the 'Cerro,' or mount, and it is after this that the city
13 named. Monte Video means literally ' I see a
mount,' and it is said that the look-out man of the
pioneer vessel called this out when the Cerro came
into sio-ht hence the name.
FORTALEZA DEL CERRO MONTE VIDEO.
The city dates brick to 1724, and is the seat of
government and the capital of the Republic of Uruguay.
It has a population of about 180,000. The total
population of the Republic of Uruguay is about
)OO,ooo, and the area 186,000 square kilometres. The
land does not present any great elevations, nor exten-
sive tracts of level ground.
There are eight lines of railway :
1. The Ferro-carril Central del Uruguay (Central
Uruguay Railway), running between Monte Video
md Rivera, and passing through Florida, Durazuo,
ind San Fructuoso.
2. Ferro-carril a Nico Perez, passing through
Joledo and San Ramon
264 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
3. Ferro-carril a Minas.
4. Ferro-carril de Maldonado and Punta del Este.
5. Ferro-carril del Norte, between Monte Video
and the rock of St. Lucia.
6. Ferro-carril del Oeste, from Monte Video via
San Jose to Mercedes
7. Ferro-carril Midland o Mediterraneo del Uru-
guay, to Paysandu and Salto.
8. Ferro-carril Noroeste, from Salto to Santa
Rosa, with a branch to San Eugenio.
The principal exports are live stock, horses, mules,
oxen, sheep, wool, jerked beef or charqui, hides, extract
of beef, slaughter-house products, sealskins, &c.
The value of the exports during 1905 amounted to
^6,547,712 as against ^8,182,163 for 1904.
Imports in 1905 were valued at ^6,548,421 as
against ^"4,514,190 for 1904. These imports consist
of foodstuffs, cereals and spices, raw materials and
machinery, soft goods, &c., beverages in general,
ready-made clothing, live stock (nearly all from the
Argentine Republic), tobacco and cigars, timber, and
sundries.
Anyone intending to trade with Uruguay should
consult the British Consular Report, which for this
Republic is excellent, showing the countries from
which the imports are derived, and giving a com-
parison between the trade done with Great Britain
and the several other countries concerned.
In the neighbourhood of Monte Video, and on the
NOTE. A railway from Nico Perez to Centurion is now under construction.
During 1905 a Belgian Syndicate undertook the working of all the railways
in the province of Rio Grande do Sul and to connect their system with the
Central Uruguay Railway, thus extending the line right up into tropical Brazil.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
265
River Uruguay, there are a number of ' saladeros '
including, in the latter vicinity, the establishment
belonging to the Liebig Extract of Meat Company at
Frey Bentos. This employs a large number of men,
and loads at its wharves about 100 vessels a year with
its own produce for Europe.
RANCHOS MONTE VIDEO.
The number of cattle slaughtered at the ' sala-
deros ' exceeds 600,000, of which about 150,000 arc
used for Liebig's extract ; and, in addition, a large
number of sheep and 60,000 to 80,000 mares are killed
annually.
Having inspected the saladeros at Buenos Aires,
we did not think it necessary to visit those in
Uruguay. The process followed is much the same,
and really saladeros are not the most pleasant places
to inspect.
The climate of Uruguay, or the * Banda Oriental '
266
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
as it is known, is excellent, and the language spoken is
Spanish, as in the Argentine Republic.
Steamers leave almost every evening from Monte
Video for Paysandu and Salto, and, as the scenery of
the Uruguay is very beautiful, this forms a pleasant
trip.
There are extensive coaling depots at Monte
Video, and the port is well supplied with lighters.
Our illustration will shew the class of lighters used,
which, owing to the rough sea in which they are fre-
quently required to work, are of necessity very strong,
though not so convenient for loading and discharging
as ordinary lighters without masts would be.
Monte Video is a clean city, with many pretentious
buildings, an interesting cathedral, good hotels, and an
excellent system of tramways. On Sunday afternoon
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 207
all kinds of carriages are requisitioned to take the elite
out to the Prado or park. Here they alight, and the
men line the circular avenue in the neighbourhood of
the refreshment buffet ; whilst the
ladies, beautifully dressed, walk
round and exhibit themselves to the
best advantage. They did not seem
at all abashed by the ardent glances
of the sterner sex, a great number s - E - BATTLE Y
- , i i President of Uruguay,
ot whom rendered their inspection /9o6-
much more severe and trying by the use of field
glasses. There is a splendid seaside resort at Pocitas,
which is largely visited in the summer, and there
was ample evidence that the Uruguayans know well
how to enjoy themselves. There are also plenty
of cafes, in which one can drink 'yerba matte,'
or Paraguayan tea, the favourite beverage of South
America, and it seems strange that no serious effort
has been made to introduce this drink into Europe.
It is supposed to be much more beneficial than our
tea, and should be very much cheaper. It may be
that the duties on ordinary tea would be applied
to this South American counterpart, which would,
added to the freight and other charges, interfere with
the sale to any large extent. It is prepared by placing
the crushed leaves of the yerba tree a species of holly,
and the leaves, crushed, really look more like dust than
anything else into a gourd, and then pouring in
boiling water. The tea is imbibed through a ' bom-
billa, ' which is placed in the gourd, surrounded by such
large pieces of yerba as can be found before adding the
268 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
water. The gourd is then passed round the assembled
company.
Matte is shipped in bags of raw hide to Chile and
other South American Republics.
There are many places in Paraguay, within a com-
paratively short distance from Monte Video, where one
can get away from the European element altogether.
Caacupe is one of these delightful places, a sort of
South American Lourdes. Every year there is a pil-
grimage to this charming village. Caacupe has a
CHURCH AT CAACUPE, BUILT IN 1770.
population of about 3,500, and is situated in the Cor-
dillera Hills. It is approached via Asuncion, and the
great feast of the Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin takes place annually, on the 8th of
December. An Englishman we met in Monte Video,
had made the pilgrimage (we are indebted to him
for the photo reproduced), and he spoke in terms of
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. '269
great praise of the beauty of the Paraguayan scenery,
and the interest attaching" to the religious pilgrimage.
The church is quite out of proportion to the rest of the
village, and will hold about 1,500 people. There are
piles of stones outside which have been brought on the
heads of devotes not able to contribute money, and
some of the stones weigh as much as thirty pounds.
The tradition is that some years ago it was decided to
take the figure of the Virgin to Asuncion, and it was
removed in a bullock cart for that purpose by devout
priests. The first night they camped among the Cor-
dillera Hills, but in the morning, just as they were
about to resume their journey, they found to their
dismay that the beautiful image had disappeared, and on
their hurrying back to Caacupe, it was found standing
serenely in its old place in the village church. Other
similar attempts were made, but with the same result.
Over 20,000 people take part in the procession.
During festival time the floor around the Virgin is two
to three inches deep in paper money, of values ranging
rom 5 cents to 100 dollars. The pilgrims live in
;arts, or construct rude huts out of the branches of
trees.
One of our party had made the journey to Asun-
cion, and would have liked very much to have renewed
the experience, but time again intervened, and we had
to depart for the Falkland Islands instead.
We cannot close this chapter without alluding to
the kind hospitality we received both in Argentina
mcl Monte Video. Everyone we met seemed to be
ready to give us the 'glad hand,' as our North
270 TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
American friends say, and to do something to make
us forget we were in a foreign country. The table
would be decorated with roses, and the menu would
include some well-known English dish, evidencing,
in a delicate and much appreciated way, the kindly
thought and care of the host and hostess.
( 271 )
CHAPTER XIV.
TOURS BETWEEN RIVER PLATE AND STRAITS OF MAGELLAN. PATAGONIAN
PORTS SOUTH OF BAHIA BLANCA. SAN BLAS. PATAGONES. SAN
ANTONIO. PORT MADRYN. PUERTO PYRAMIDES. CABO RASA. ATLAS
POINT. BAHIA CAMARONES. TILLI ROADS. DESEADO. SAN JULIAN.
SANTA CRUZ. RIO GALLEGOS. SAN SEBASTIAN. PUERTO COOK.
USHUAIA. LA PATAIA. MONTE VIDEO TO THE FALKLANDS. GULF
STREAM. PORT WILLIAM. PORT STANLEY. FALKLAND ISLANDS
COMPANY. FALKLAND ISLANDS.
Y\/E left the River Plate by the R.M.S. ' Iberia,' on
the 3Oth of October, 1900, bound for the south,
SAILING SHIP IN MID OCEAN.
and despite the hospitable treatment everywhere
accorded to us on shore, we again felt it a pleasure
to get on British 'territory,' if we may use the term.
We had had a very busy time at the River Plate,
ind were glad to get the rest which is always obtain-
able at sea.
Considerable interest was caused in the clubs at
Buenos Aires and Monte Video, just before we left,
272 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
by the prospect ot summer tours from the Plate to
the Falkland Islands and Sandy Point, in the Straits
of Magellan, during the hot season, at low rates, and
a number of people availed themselves of the facilities
afforded. There are not wanting signs that the whole
of the beautiful scenery of the Straits, and the famous
Smyth Channel will, before long, be placed within
easy reach of the tourist from the Plate. We deal in
the next chapter with our voyage through this wild
and grand scenery, and will therefore not anticipate it
except to point out that, with co-operation at the
Plate, a regular system of tours, occupying a few
weeks, during the summer months, might be arranged
with considerable advantage to all lovers of strange
and rare sights.
The coast of Patagonia is low lying, and one
sees nothing of it on the voyage to the Falkland
Islands ; but although we were compelled to pass it
at sea, we do not think this book would be complete
without some reference to the ports of Patagonia
which are now being opened up principally by German
energy and enterprise. Patagonia is still to a great
extent in a state of nature, though, of late, land has
been taken up largely, and ' estancias ' are springing
up here, there, and everywhere. The ' largest of
birds,' and the * longest of men,' as one writer puts
it, flourish in this country, the latter loving their
native land as well as if it were a better one.
There are salt lagoons and large barren tracts
of land, but there is also plenty of land with good soil,
and capable of producing almost anything.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 273
A good many Chilian fanners have been taking
up ground in the Argentine territory, as the tenure
there is more certain than in Chile. It is certainly
unpleasant, to put it mildly, for the farmer to find
himself, at the end of every ten years, competing
possibly with one of his labourers, and paying doubly
for the improvements he may have effected during
his term of occupation.
The ports south of Bahia Blanca are :
San Bias. Camarones.
Patagones. Rada Tilly.
San Antonio. Puerto Deseado.
Port Madryn. San Julian.
Pyramides. Santa Cruz.
Cabo Rasa. Gallegos.
Argentine Tierra del Fuegan ports :
San Sebastian. Almanza.
Isla de los Estados (Staten Ushuaia,
Island). Lapataia.
Almirante Brown.
At most of these ports there are no Customs'
authorities, and no shed accommodation for cargo,
neither are there docks, wharves, nor lighters to
facilitate loading or discharging, and there are no
stevedores to engage. Steamers employed in the trade
have, therefore, to carry boats or lighters suitable for
the discharge and loading of cargo, and have a small
steam launch and a sufficiently numerous crew to work
the cargo in and out at southern ports of call. All
irgo is stored on the beach, and remains there until
claimed.
PORT SAN BLAS. Very good port for a small
274 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
steamer, there being a pier 100 feet in length, alongside
which vessels drawing 20 feet can lie. There are also
two piers for gravel boats.
PATAGONES. The bar at this place is in bad con-
dition, there being only 12 feet of water, but there are
good prospects for the port. The Rio Negro will, in
the near future, be a large producer. A small govern-
ment steamer ascends the river, and two steamers of
very light draft are being put on to develop the up-river
traffic.
SAN ANTONIO. Not a very good harbour, but
there are some lighters in the port.
PORT MADRYN. Good anchorage at about 800 to
1000 yards from the coast. A mole exists, belonging
to the railway company, where craft of light draft can
perform operations during good weather, and it would
probably be an easy matter to prolong it or to build
a new one, enabling large boats to lie alongside
with the wind off shore. When the wind blows on
shore, it raises such a high sea that loading and
discharging have to be performed with lighters. The
entrance to the port is safe, and work can be carried on
almost always unless the weather be very bad or the
wind strong from E. to S.E. There is sufficient depth
of water for any draft. Very few buildings (railway
station, sub-prefectura) can be seen from the roads.
Fresh water very difficult to obtain. Fresh meat can
be procured, but no vegetables. There are generally
one or two sailing vessels in the roads. The Chubut
railway runs from this port. Much dissatisfaction has
been felt by the Welshmen inhabiting the Chubut
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 275
district, owing to alleged improper treatment on the
part of the Argentine Government, and a number of
them have recently emigrated to Canada. There have
been frequent inundations in this district, resulting in
loss to the settlers, and this loss, coupled with too
stringent regulations and taxation, has disheartened
what was, at one time, considered to be a very thriving
colony.
j
There is no doubt that these South American
Republics all absolutely requiring immigrants to
develop the latent resources of their country do not
take a broad enough view of the situation, putting
forward restrictions and hindrances in place of facilities
and encouragement.
PUERTO PYRAMIDES. This is a good roadstead,
and a mole is being built by the principal merchant in
the district. He has a railway in connection with his
salt works, and the Salt Company has lighters. There
is much room for the development of the salt trade at
this port.
CABO RASA. Very poor anchorage about 50*0 to
yards from the coast, and much exposed to wind
from N. to E. and S.S.E. It would be very difficult to
mstruct a mole at this port to resist the heavy seas,
md loading and discharging can only be carried on
mder difficulties by means of ships' boats. There is a
,-arehouse on the beach. Water and fresh meat are
very difficult to obtain, and no vegetables exist, but fish
:an be had in abundance. There is sufficient depth of
rater for large boats.
ATLAS POINT. Very good slates obtainable here,
>ut port requires to be surveyed.
276 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
BAHIA CAMARONES. Bad anchorage about 700 to
800 yards distant, exposed to winds from N. to E. and
E.S.E., which raise such seas as would make the
construction of a mole very difficult, and operations can
only be effected by ships' boats.
There is a 'galpon ' or shed on the shore, but no
inhabitants anywhere near. The navigation between
Cabo Rasa and Camarones is rendered difficult by
strong currents and sunken rocks. Fresh water and
meat very difficult to obtain. No vegetables. Depth
of water considerable.
Imports general goods from Buenos Aires, and
exports wool.
TILLY ROADS (Rada Tilli). Very difficult to locate
from the sea owing to entire absence of buildings. Bad
anchorage 700 to 800 yards distant, exposed to heavy
seas raised by wind between N.N.W. by E. to S. Surf
is apparently always breaking on shore, even during
calms and off-shore winds; Provisions impossible to
obtain. Sufficient depth of water for any sized vessel.
Loading and discharging always difficult, and this by
ships' boats. It would be almost impossible to build
a wharf here strong enough to withstand the seas.
PUERTO DESEADO. Entrance narrow and dangerous
owing to strong current and sunken * Beagle ' rock.
Not pruclent to enter with wind from outside. Anchor-
age inside, about 500 to 600 yards from coast. Strong
current. Operations are carried on by ship's boats,
but it would not be difficult to construct a mole.
Only a few buildings visible sub-prefectura, etc.
Fresh water difficult to obtain, but meat can be had.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 277
Sufficient depth of water, but very little space. It is
believed that this port was discovered by Fernando de
Magellanes, in March, 1520, as he anchored in a bay
with a narrow entrance to the north of St. Julian, and
gave it the name of ' Los Trabajos,' on account of the
severe labour imposed on his crew by the bad weather
experienced there. The bay was next entered by the
English navigator, Thomas Cavendish, on December
1 7th, 1586, and he named it 'Desire,' after one of his
ships. On Christmas Day the sailors, who were on
shore, were attacked by the natives, and some of them
were killed with arrows. Two English navigators,
who visited the bay in 1671, declared it to be a British
possession, but neither of them left any establishment
to maintain the right claimed.
The Argentine Government, a few years ago, sent
down a commissioner to inspect the lands around this
port, with a view to the formation of a town, but what
the result of this is we are not able to say. There are,
however, about eleven families living near the bay,
possessing amongst them about 30,000 sheep, 2,000
horned cattle, and 1,200 horses. The cattle run wild,
and when it is desired to kill any,' they have to be
hunted with horses. The camps will not feed more
than 1,000 sheep per square league. The land is not
good for agriculture, except in the ravines or ' cana-
dones, ' where there is drinking water, and protection
from the strong south-west winds, which blow almost
constantly in the spring and summer. Spring begins
in September, and sheep-shearing is commenced about
October 2Oth.
278 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
According to the ' South American Pilot ' :
' The entrance to the bay is picturesque, and the
' hills, of red porphyry, contrast agreeably with the
' luxuriant vegetation, the high banks of clay and
'sand, and the pebbly beach. This slopes rapidly
4 to the sea, and at low tide is uncovered to the
' height of eight or ten metres. The bottom of the
' estuary is then seen to be strewn with reefs and
1 banks of stone.'
SAN JULIAN. Good wool port, sheltered, seven
to eight fathoms inside, but owing to bar, vessels have
to wait for the tide. Small town ; no lighters. There
are large estancias in the district, and the port is an
important one, and will improve. A mole, alongside
of which a steamer could go, could easily be erected.
The port is in a river. Lighters are required.
SANTA CRUZ. Outside bar can only be crossed at
high tide, 35 to 40 feet rise and fall of water.
Anchorage inside about ten miles, said to be good, and
at about 700 to 800 yards from the bank. Operations
difficult on account of strong current, but, mole could
probably be built without difficulty. The beach is
entirely of coarse' gravel, and at present goods are
carried by ships' crews from the boats to high water
mark, where it is customary to receive. Population
about 250. Several large business houses have been
established, chiefly from Punta Arenas, in the Straits
of Magellan. There are a number of ' estancias ' in
the neighbourhood. Wool is sent from this port to
Punta Arenas and Buenos Aires. Fresh meat and
water can be obtained. There is sufficient depth of
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 279
water for large boats. The government has made a
survey up to the lakes, and the river is navigable at
all times by barges drawing seven feet.
Rio GALLEGOS. Good port, with a tremendous
rise and fall of water ; sandy bottom ; gravel beach.
The town is situated 10 miles from the mouth of the
river, and anchorage 700 to 800 yards from the bank.
A mole exists, but has never been used, as it is high
and dry at low water. It could be prolonged, and
would prove useful for big ships. Population about
1,000, and the town is the seat of government for the
territory. There is a good business with Punta
Arenas, all wool being shipped there. Fresh water
and provisions of all sorts can be obtained. A pontoon
of 500 tons is anchored in the river. Sufficient depth
of water, but not much room.
SAN SEBASTIAN. Not very good anchorage, but a
mole might be built. Only two houses visible. Fresh
water and provisions difficult to obtain. Sufficient
depth of water and room.
PUERTO COOK (prison). Not more than 200 people
on the whole island. There is a lighthouse, but it is
not a good one. Gales and fog are almost always
prevalent round the island. Operations by ships'
boats.
USHUAIA. An excellent port, with sufficient depth
of water, but navigation in the channels is difficult.
The existing mole is old and useless. A fair quantity
of timber is exported. Population about 400. Fresh
water and meat can be obtained.
LA PATAIA. Situated about 20 miles from
280 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Ushuaia exports timber. Good port, with ample
depth of water. Government coal depot. Fresh water
to be had, but provisions difficult to obtain.
The voyage from Monte Video to the Falklands
occupies about four days, the distance being" 1030
miles, and it is very refreshing after the hot weather in
the River Plate. There was a lively company on
board the l Iberia,' and the time passed very pleasantly.
Cricket, of the * tip and run ' kind, was much indulged
in, and proved to be very amusing. There is no
doubt that this is a better game on shipboard than the
orthodox one.
There was also a good story-telling party on
board, so that when everything else failed, there were
plenty of yarns to the fore.
As we were approaching the Falklands there was
considerably discussion anent the difference in tempera-
ture there as compared with Great Britain, which is
practically in the same latitude. Of course, the theory
advanced by Maury, in his * Physical Geography of the
Sea,' was brought forward that the soft climate of both
France and England would, were it not for the influence
of the Gulf Stream, be as that of Labrador, severe in
the extreme and icebound. ' Every west wind that
blows,' says Maury, 'crosses the stream on its way to
Europe, and carries with it a portion of this heat to
temper there the northern winds of winter. It is the
influence of this stream upon the climate that makes
Erin the emerald isle of the sea, and that clothes the
shores of Albion in evergreen robes, while in the
same latitude on this side, the coasts of Labrador are
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 281
fast bound in fetters of ice.' He describes the Gulf
Stream as follows :
4 A river in the ocean. In the severest droughts it
1 never fails, and in the mightiest floods it never over-
4 flows. Its banks and its bottoms are of cold water,
' while its current is warm. The Gulf of Mexico is
* its fountain, and its mouth is in the Arctic seas. It
4 is the Gulf Stream. There is in the world no
4 other such majestic flow of waters. Its current is
4 more rapid than the Mississippi or the Amazon,
4 and its volume more than one thousand times
4 greater. '
The opinion that came to be most generally
received and deep rooted in the mind of sea-faring
people, was the one repeated by Dr. Franklin, and
which held that the Gulf Stream is the escaping of the
waters that have been forced into the Caribbean Sea by
the trade winds, and that it is the pressure of those
winds upon the water which forces up into that sea a
head as it were for this stream. The difference of
temperature is from 20 to 30 F. between its waters
and those of the ocean near by. The hottest water in
the Gulf Stream is also the lightest ; as it rises to the
top it is cooled both by evaporation and exposure, when
the surface is replenished by fresh supplies of hot water
from below. Off Cape Hatteras 80 on top, 57 500
fathoms deep.
This theory, so well expressed by Maury, and
appealing to the popular taste, was taught as 4 gospel '
for nearly half a century, but of late years it has been
vigorously attacked, and, in the opinion of scientific
282 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
men, utterly destroyed by German and other ocean-
ographers, who have proved, beyond doubt, that
the Gulf Stream ceases to exist before reaching mid-
Atlantic. In fact, it has been clearly demonstrated
by soundings that the Gulf Stream disappears as a
distinct traceable current a little to the south-east of
Newfoundland, arid altogether in mid-ocean.
On the voyage from Liverpool to New York, the
course followed by the mail steamers undoubtedly
strikes the waters of the Gulf Stream on the fourth
day out, the difference in the temperature, especially of
the bath, being very noticeable. The sea temperature
was frequently taken on board when we expected to
get into the stream, and there is also a quantity of
drift matter which indicates its presence.
An excellent article on this subject appeared in
the June (1902) number of Scribner's Magazine,
entitled, " The Gulf Stream Myth and the Anti-
Cyclone," by Harvey M. Walls, of Philadelphia, and
the writer of it shews in plain, unscientific language,
how the theory of the effect of the Gulf Stream on
British climate failed to appreciate the influence of the
drift of atmosphere in determining the nature of weather
and climate. It is not a sea current, but the prevailing
air current blowing from the Atlantic, that gives a
genial character to the climate of the British Isles.
Professor Cleveland Abbe, of the United States
Weather Bureau, sums up the modern belief as
follows :
4 i. The circulation of air in the north-eastern
' part of the Atlantic Ocean, determines the mild
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 283
' climate of Western Europe, by distributing the
' moisture and warmth of the Atlantic Ocean surface
' as a whole, and not that of the Gulf Stream, since
' there is no apparent Gulf Stream in these latitudes.
1 2. The warmth of the south-west winds of
' Europe is due to the moisture they contain, which
'gives up its latent heat when it becomes cloud and
' rain. The winds take up this moisture from the
' surface of the ocean when the latter is warmed up
' by the sunshine, and they would do the same if
' there were no Gulf Stream in the Straits of
' Florida.
' 3. The effect of the transfer of warm water to
' the shores of Western Europe by the Gulf Stream,
' is inappreciable as compared with the transfer of
' moisture, cloud and warmth by the wind ; in fact,
' observations fail to shew that there is any warm
' water transferred to Europe by the Gulf Stream.
* 4. The Gulf Stream is the result of the inter-
' change of water between the cold northern and the
' warm equatorial portion of the Atlantic Ocean ;
' but, as modified by the rotation of the earth on its
1 axis and the effect of the winds, the solid stream
' flowing past Florida is a deep-sea current inap-
' preciably affected by the opposing north-east wind
' at the surface.'
With such interesting subjects for discussion, and
a good library on board, time did not hang in any
way, and we arrived at Port Stanley, in the Falklands,
just as we were beginning to thoroughly enjoy our-
selves. It was a Sunday morning, and the cathedral
284
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
bells were ringing. Never has the sound of church
bells borne over the waters been more pleasant or
welcome. They seemed to speak to us of dear old
England, and our own particular homesteads, and all
that is implied in those well-worn though none the
less beloved terms. And a fine cathedral we found it
to be in this out-of-the-world place.
The entrance to the outer port (Port William) is
marked by a light-house on Cape Pembroke, which is
maintained by the Imperial Government. No light
dues are charged. Pilotage is compulsory, though
mail steamers are exempted. The port should only be
made in daylight, as it requires careful navigation, the
entrance being narrow and dangerous.
There are four piers in the harbour (two of which
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 285
belong to the Falkland Islands Company, which have a
depth of about 14 feet of water alongside. The rise
and fall at spring tides is seven feet. The Falkland
Islands Company has stations at Darwin Harbour,
Walker Creek and North Arm on the East Falkland
Island. The imports consist of general goods, such as
provisions, clothing, building material, ships' stores of
all kinds, and material required for sheep farming, such
as fencing, timber, dip, &c.
The exports consist solely of the produce of sheep
farms, wool, sheepskins, tallow and hides ; and during
the season some six to seven thousand bales of
hydraulic compressed wool, and one thousand barrels
of tallow, are shipped to England. The value of the
exports in 1901 was ^"108,294, and of the imports
.74, 7 6 5-
The Falkland Islands Company have a powerful
tug in the harbour, capable of towing vessels of any
size, and also a number of lighters and hulks. The
tug is fitted with salvage pumps, capable of flooding a
ship and pumping out. All kinds of ships' repairs are
effected in the port.
Practically the whole of the land in the islands is
taken up, so that there cannot be any development in
trade worth talking about. The government were,
however, busy preparing a naval coaling depot in Port
Stanley, and the islands will derive some added
importance from this fact.
The bay is surrounded by low-lying hills, covered
with brown moss and grass, and in the back-ground,
the hills jut out, somewhat higher, in light slatev-
NOTE. The Naval Coaling- Depot, after a large sum had been expended
on it (report says 40,000 to 50,000), was abandoned, with other similar
schemes elsewhere.
286 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
coloured masses, slightly tinged with blue by the
intervening atmosphere.
The Falklands are east and west islands, and
there are about twenty-four settlements on them, the
principal being the company already named. The
total population is about 2,050. The settlements have
amongst them 700,000 sheep, which are reared purely
for the wool, and each season the old sheep are killed
off and reduced to tallow, or to use the technical
expression 'tried down.' The pasturage in the
Falklands is not very good, and about five acres are
needed per sheep. Live sheep used to be shipped from
the islands, but, strange to say, the British Agricul-
tural Board have made laws which class the Falklands
as a part of South America, a nice way to kill our own
business ! The city or port of Stanley, population
about 800, is just like a small town in the Scottish
highlands, and certainly one heard the Scotch accent
everywhere. It is a clean, treeless town, unless a few
stunted specimens may be classed as trees. In fact,
the wind is so strong continually, that if trees are to
be grown high fences to protect them will be needed.
Most of the houses are made of timber. There are
several inns with comfortable accommodation, and we
got a good dinner of what is known in the islands as
'good old 365 " (mutton every day in the year) at the
inn bearing the remarkable name 'First and Last.' A
wag on board rechristened it the ' Fast and Loose.'
Certainly we found an old travelling companion there
who made us welcome, and we had a merry and
excellent repast.
69 <?' ir-o' so' 20' /o' 68'
' '
ATLANTIC/
/ Cater /ne Pf
',*
.-.-
.--*)
(287 )
CHAPTER XV.
STEAMER DUCKS. PENGUINS. CORMORANTS. BELT OF ORION. MAGEL-
. LAN. CAPE VIRGINS. ESPIRITU SANTO. STRAITS OF MAGELLAN.
PUNTA ARENAS (SANDY POINT). RIDE TO THE LORETO COAL MINE.
GOLD WASHERS. INDIANS. EMU. GUANACO. CONDOR. PUMA. SEA
OTTER. PATAGONIANS. TEHUELCHES.
T HAVING Port Stanley we saw some 'steamer
*^ ' ducks ' which, frightened by the appearance of
our vessel, paddled through the water at a surprising
speed. These ducks can neither fly nor swim, but
use their wings as paddles, hence the name 'steamer
duck.'
A number of passengers came on board at Port
Stanley bound for Sandy Point (Punta Arenas), in the
Straits of Magellan, and, shortly after leaving there,
we had a further addition to our number, in the advent
of a little stranger in the steerage. Whether the
youngster was christened after the ship or not we
cannot remember, but certain it is that this fashion is
frequently followed under similar circumstances, and
we know of quite a bevy of young ladies who are
named after P.S.N.C. steamers. Fancy Mrs. Cor-
covado introducing the Misses Antisana, Orellana,
Oravia, and Orizaba Corcovado at a town hall
function, and what the boys would think. Poor
children the parents have much to answer for.
There was plenty of kelp floating near us,
indicating the presence of rocks, and we saw quite an
army of penguins making their way through the
288 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
water, and creating" quite a wave of their own. They
swim in pairs, maintaining 1 apparently an equal dis-
tance between each couple, and they get through the
water at a rapid pace. We hoped to see a large
gathering of them on shore, but night came on so
suddenly that we were disappointed. There are thou-
sands of them on the island, and they walk about in
pairs in a very ungainly fashion, as they are naturally
more at home in the water,
The next item of interest which favoured our
vision took the shape of a number of cormorants,
which were also in couples. In appearance they
resemble wild ducks, but they are evidently not
endowed with much ability. The fun consisted in
watching" them crossing" the bows of the steamer.
They could quite easily have gone astern, and saved
half a mile or more of flight, but they had the idea that
they must go in front. Whether it was the smoke
from the funnel, curiosity, or some other cause, we
could not tell, but invariably they would struggle hard
to catch up to us and then cross ahead.
We next came in sight of the wreck of an Ameri-
can sailing vessel which, a few years back, dragged
from her anchorage in a storm, and got across the
rocks at the entrance to the outer port. Her masts arc
still partly standing, and her hull lies waiting only for
the swelling seas to complete their work of destruction.
Her beautiful lines added a touch of pathos to her sad
picture, and told anew the sorrowful tale of the deep.
No strength, no human skill, no beauty, suffices to
avert the destruction which is the inevitable end of
all things.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 289
The day closed in with a brilliant sunset, a purple,
gold and green effect, with fine clouds and the gold
running down into the sea like a curved road of light.
The night which followed was memorable on account
of its clearness. Lighted with stars innumerable, it
was as bright almost as day, and the Belt of Orion
and the Southern Cross were readily distinguishable.
The passage from the Falklands to the entrance of
the Straits of Magellan a distance of 480 miles-
occupied 37 hours, and there was a high sea running
as usual in these latitudes.
At four o'clock in the morning, we entered the
famous Straits, discovered by the great navigator,
Magellan, in 1520. Magellan was a Portuguese, and
the honour of his achievements should have passed to
his own country had it not been so sparing in its
rewards for past services, and slow to encourage him
in the undertaking he proposed of making a voyage
round the world. Spain, however, always to the front
in those early days in enterprises of discovery, involv-
ing adventure and great hardships, was not slow to
accept Magellan's proffered services. In 1519 he left
Seville, and sailing westwards discovered the Straits
in 1520, and his discovery has left a lasting testimony
to his skill and courage, but, as Prescott says, * the
veil was not yet raised that hung over the golden
shores of the Pacific.' It is a matter of regret that
soon afterwards Magellan was to pay the penalty
>f his intrepidity in an untimely death at the hands
)f hostile natives at Cebu, Philippine Islands, whence
proceeded after clearing the Straits. The Magellan
290 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Straits seem to be a provision of heaven against the
stormy passage round Cape Horn, and as a matter of
fact it was discovered first, and was for a time thought
to be the only passage from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. Magellan's voyage through the Straits occu-
pied twenty-eight days. Now steamers go through
in 48 hours.
Cape Virgins (135 feet high) commands the north-
eastern entrance to the Straits, and is visible at a
distance of from twenty to twenty-five miles. The
south-eastern point is named Cape Espiritu Santo, the
distance between the two capes being about twenty-
two miles. Cape Virgins and Cape Espiritu Santo
have certain points of resemblance, both being marked
with white cliffs, and both having low shingle points
connected with them, which reduce the width of the
entrance to fourteen miles from point to point. In
describing the Straits of Magellan as far as the
entrance to Smyth Channel, I shall, to a small
extent, have to follow the same lines as in my chapter
in a previous work on this subject, adding, naturally,
the impressions and facts resulting from my recent
voyage. Espiritu Santo is 190 feet high, and is the
seaward termination of a range of hills, varying from
200 to a little over 900 feet in height, which extends
N.E. and S.W. at the back of the promontories
which form the Narrows as far as Cape Boqueron,
opposite Port Famine. The highest part of this range
terminates in Gap Peak, which rises 925 feet above the
sea, between the First and Second Narrows. Cape
Espiritu Santo does not show as an extreme until
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 291
inside the Straits, but if seen from seawards, its
appearance is remarkable and unmistakable as being-
the highest part of a line of white cliffs, indented by
bays which, at a distance, give it the appearance of
having had ' gaps ' cut in it.
From Cape Virgins (originally named by Magel-
lan the 'Cape of the Eleven Thousand Virgins') to the
passage known as the First Narrows, the land on the
north side is more undulating than at the Cape and
is covered with grass, though not of a green kind.
Indeed, both sides of the Straits seemed to us, in the
early morning, at this point to be somewhat uninter-
esting, and the hills and slopes were brown in colour.
The entrance to the Narrows resembles a large gate-
way. There is a rise of water here of about fifty feet
at spring tides. These Narrows are nine miles long
by two miles wide navigable.
Proceeding from the First Narrows for a distance
of eighteen miles, and through Philip Bay, we reach
the Second Narrows. These are twelve miles long,
and vary in width from three to four miles navigable,
and there is a rise in the water at spring tides of
twenty-three feet. The course through these Narrows
is fairly direct, until the point of Cape St. Vincent (so
called from its similarity to Cape St. Vincent in the
south of Portugal) is reached. From this Cape, for
some twelve to fifteen miles, the direction taken is,
owing to a number of shoals and small islands, very
circuitous. Thence to Punta Arenas (Sandy Point) a
fairly direct course is steered. In clear weather, long
before Sandy Point or Punta Arenas is reached,
292 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
indeed before the steamer gets through the Second
Narrows, the high mountains on Dawson Island and
Mount San Felipe can be seen, forming an apparent
barrier, blocking up the passage, and over the latter
the summit of Mount Tarn stands out in bold relief
against the sky.
There was a high sea running during our passage
through the Narrows, and it was curious to observe
the ' tide rips ' at various points, causing the sea to
appear as if boiling. There is always a great race of
water in the Straits, and we were carried on rapidly to
Punta Arenas. After passing the Second Narrows,
Elizabeth Island, so named by Sir Francis Drake,
came into sight. At Cape Negro, about fourteen
miles from Punta Arenas (Sandy Point), the last
southerly spur of the Cordilleras, which run along the
coast and join the main ridge beyond the port named,
came into view. All these spurs are clad with beech
forests and thick underwood of the magnolia species.
Before we arrived at Sandy Point, the Straits had
become beautiful, especially on the north side. Away
in the distance could be seen snow-clad mountains,
running up into the sky in various and picturesque
forms, and the bright sunny day with which we were
favoured shed a glamour over the whole scene. A few
small white birds (possibly slightly grey) known as ice
birds, and a number of wild ducks, crossed our bow,
whilst in the water beneath we caught at times
glimpses of marine monsters, but of too cursory a
nature to give them a name.
Our ship had now come to an anchor off Sandy
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 293
Point, where we had determined to disembark, in order
to make the journey thence through the Smyth
Channel to Corral.
There is a public mole at the port ; ocean-going
steamers cannot go alongside this, but lie at anchor
about half-a-mile off. The mole having now been
extended, coasting steamers make use of it at any
time of the tide. Its total length is about 600
feet, there are three lines of rails running along it, and
it is equipped with a small steam travelling crane
capable of dealing with weights not exceeding two-and-
a-half tons. Another pier, belonging to the Chilian
Government, is used for landing and embarking
passengers. There are several steam tugs, and a
number of launches and hulks for cargo purposes ;
also sheds adjoining the mole in which cargo is
deposited. The wool shipments from Punta Arenas
amount annually to about 25,000 bales. A large
quantity of tallow is also shipped to Chile and Europe.
For salvage operations, there are several small
steamers belonging to the port, and three pumps two
12-inch and one 1 3-inch. There are also two or three
experienced divers. Messrs. Lion and Co. have a
repairing shop, and can make castings up to two-and-
a-half tons ; but they were in hopes, when we visited
their establishment, of improving their plant, and of
casting up to five tons. They also roll small plates up
to an inch in thickness.
The population of Punta Arenas is rapidly increas-
ing, and is now about 10,000, and there is no doubt
that in the course of the next decade, it will rise
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
n
considerably in import-
ance, especially if left,
as it now is, as a colony
and ' free ' port. In Chap-
ter IV. we alkided to
the coal in the district,
and as our ride into the
country to the Loreto
Mine may be of interest,
we shall later give a
description of it. Sandy
Point is about 120 miles
distant from Cape Vir-
gins, and is officially
known by the Chilians,
to whom it belongs, as
4 La Colonia de Magel-
lanes.' It was simply
a convict settlement up
to the year 1877, when
it was disestablished, in
consequence of a revolt
of the convicts and its
great distance from Santi-
ago the seat of Govern-
ment.
Sandy Point is the
most southern town in the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 295
world. It has a number of good though small hotels,
several churches, a ' plaza, ' club, racecourse, theatre,
and numerous streets, which take right angular form,
and extend in some instances from half-a-mile to a mile.
The streets are wide, but for the most part unpaved.
There is a resident governor and a municipality with
two 'Alcaldes ' (mayors), and there are also two banks.
The houses are chiefly built of timber, with cor-
rugated iron roofs. The growing prosperity of the
port is due to the rearing of sheep and cattle, which
goes on both in Chile and in Tierra del Fuego, and it
is the centre for the wool shipments in the Straits. At
the farms it is found more convenient to use hand than
hydraulic wool presses, inasmuch as the wool has
to be carried long distances, and the men can only deal
with bales of a handy size, say not exceeding 400 Ibs.
weight. There are factories for jerked or dried beef
(Charqui), smoke-dried mutton, and soap, and it is
contemplated shortly to open up a refrigerated estab-
lishment to enable mutton to be shipped to Europe.
The sheep, like the Indians who inhabit these regions,
are of a very large kind.
Although we had a little snow at Sandy Point, the
weather was very favourable during our stay, and
selecting one of the finest days, we made a party of six
for a ride to the gold washings on the Rio de la Mina,
and to the Loreto coal mine. We were all comfortably
mounted on very good horses, and a boy was sent on
ahead with provisions.
Leaving the town, we passed through the remains
of a forest which had extended for miles around, but
296 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
which, owing to the ravages of fire, was now reduced
to a few trees scattered about here and there, whilst the
charred remains of many a g'ood tree encumbered the
path. Just on the outskirts of the town, we passed
what is known as the brewery, w r here an Austrian has
established himself and formed a veritable ' bier garten.'
The brewery supplies the town with lager beer, and has
commenced to export. After passing the brewery,
we encountered our first difficulty in the shape of
the stream, and it took us some little time before
we could find a bank on the opposite side to
mount by. Then over we went, the horses taking
to the water as to their native heath, and cantering
across a field of calafat scrub, which is prickly and
certainly irritates the horses, we reached a bullock
cart track. Then, as the greensward opened out a
little, and the road improved, we set off at a swinging
pace, which in the keen frosty air was most exhilarating.
We were soon, however, brought up by the scrub
and the river. The horses were unshod and very
sure footed, and the manner in which they picked
their w r ay over the stony bed of the river sometimes
almost up to the saddle-girth in the water was simply
splendid. At places the current was rapid, and the
bottom invisible, but the horses were used to the water,
and the simplest plan was to drop the reins upon their
necks, and let them work their own sweet will.
Indeed the South American horses resent a tight rein,
being trained to a loose one, and the slightest touch of
the ribbons is sufficient to guide them. We were all
pretty well splashed going through the river, but we
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 297
forgot this in the excitement of climbing banks and
overcoming all kinds of impediments. The trail we
followed was an extremely faint one, and we were
frequently led into impasses and boggy ground, and
had to go back upon our own tracks. Once or twice
the horses absolutely refused to progress, but as we
trusted to their instinct, we sought another way. We
crossed and re-crossed the river so many times that we
quite lost count. At last we got on to the old railway
track leading to the coal mine, and away we went at a
gallop, the horses puffing and snorting, until we were
brought up by a deep cutting. After negotiating this
in safety, we continued to pick our way further, cross-
ing and re-crossing the stream continually, the horses
occasionally refreshing themselves with a draught in
passing. The sides of the gorge through which the
river .flowed were continually closing in upon us as we
idvanced, and the low mountains were becoming
steeper and more beautiful ; the trees, which here grow
in abundance, being dressed in their rich spring foliage
and sparkling in the brilliant sunshine. Soon we
came across a camp of miners and men engaged in
making a fresh railway to the Loreto mine, work at
which was soon to be restarted under the potent
influence of fresh capital from Chile. Then, winding
round a sharp turn, we came across a gold digger's
mt, made with a framework of sticks and covered
rith sods. Here and there we met an isolated man
searching with a shovel for gold in the bed of the river.
He would shovel the sand out of the stream, then
,'ash it on the spade, and pick out what shining gold
KI
298 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
dust he could find. These diggers do not now get
very much, but we were told they earn the equivalent
of a very good wage at the business, and have, besides,
the privilege of doing as they please. The gold is
exchanged for commodities, etc., at Punta Arenas,
and occasionally a miner leaves the country with a fair
quantity of gold dust as the result of his labours.
After a ride of about two hours we readied the
coal mine, which was also the end of our journey, and
were refreshed to see a white tablecloth and a goodly
supply of provisions, spread out on the river bank.
The ride had sharpened our appetites, and we all did
justice to the repast without any moralising. Even
the lady of our party, who was ever in the van, and
had performed most excellent horsemanship, was
gladdened by the sight, and it is remarkable what a
fascination a tablecloth has after an excursion, even for
the gentler sex, who, as a rule, decry any allusion to
food. To see a dainty tablecloth spread in the wilds
of Chile, is not an every-day occurrence, and we are
not likely to forget the pleasure of our al fresco lunch,
nor the kindness of the friends who supplied it.
After lunch we climbed up the side of the ravine,
beyond the snow patches, to get a view of the moun-
tains in the background of the Straits and Tierra del
Fuego, which island we were shortly to visit, and
which presented a fair picture in front. The climb was
a stiff one, and fortified us, I remember, for a second
lunch on our return to the river. Then, handing over
the remains of the repast to some diggers, we remounted
our horses and started on the return journey. Now,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 209
we had not been on horseback, prior to this ride, for a
long time, and when we got into our saddles after
lunch, they seemed either to have hardened or to have
lost some leather ; but in any case, in warming to the
ride we soon forgot our pains, and had no time to
think of anything but our immediate difficulties.
The scenery looked almost grander going back, the
trees principally large evergreens with yellow blooms
covering the sides of the gorge from stream to sum-
mit. All kinds of evergreens grow here to the height
of forest trees, and there is plenty of beech, red cedar,
and other timber. Along the trail was what is known
as the ' Darwini ' the largest sort of which is, in the
season, covered with a reddish orange flower, hanging
down in beautiful large bunches. There are also many
coloured lichens adorning the boles of the trees, and
one creeper which floats in rich festoons from the
branches.
We made rapid progress on the return journey,
which in character resembled the outward one, and,
whenever we got a little open country, we galloped
over the soft green moss at a pace which would not
disgrace a Derby winner, and which soon brought us
to our destination. We saw one or two Indians, but
there are really very few of these left near Sandy Point.
They come in at times to dispose of skins, and pur-
chase sundry articles of food, etc. There is quite a
display of emu (ostrich) skins, huanacho or guanaco,
mountain lion, and sea otter skins in the shops, and
the prices are not unreasonable. Some of the leading
traders at Sandy Point occasionally charter a 'sailer,'
.>00 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
and send an expedition to the southern islands of Chile
in quest of sealskins. These, when obtained, are sent
to London, where they are dyed before being made up
for sale, as no two skins are alike in colour. The
ostrich is farmed in certain parts of Patagonia, and the
skins, properly dressed, make excellent carriage rugs.
'The guanaco,' Prescott says, 'roams in native free-
dom over the frozen ranges of the Cordilleras, where
not unfrequently they might be seen scaling the snow-
covered peaks which no living thing inhabits, save the
condor, the huge bird of the Andes, whose broad
pinions bear him up in the atmosphere to the height of
more than 20,000 feet above the level of the sea.' The
guanaco is one of the four kinds of Peruvian sheep,
two of which, viz., the llama and alpaca, are tame,
and two wild, viz., the guanaco and vicuna. Someone
has described the guanaco as ' having the neck of a
camel, feet of a deer, wool of a sheep, neigh of a horse,
and the swiftness of the fiend.'
The hotel beds, at least those we saw in Punta
Arenas, were each covered with a guanaco skin, which,
speaking from personal experience, are of great warmth
and comfort in the cold climate experienced there. The
skins are yellowish brown on top and white underneath,
and the Indians are very skilful in making up the rugs
from several skins so that a uniform pattern is shewn.
The puma, or mountain lion, something like a small
African lioness in appearance, is found right along the
Andes from south to north, and their continuation as
the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is a
cowardly animal, and will only fight when in a tight
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 301
corner. Its head has a very fierce appearance, which
rather belies its character.
The sea otter, which is becoming 1 very scarce, is
hunted by the Indians, with trained dogs, in the
numerous inlets and bays forming part of the Straits
of Magellan and the several channels leading from
it. Most of the Indians in the neighbourhood of
Sandy Point have come over from Tierra del Fuego,
though there are still some of the old Patagonians
left. They are not perhaps so large as formerly, or
possibly, being mostly seen on horseback, they gave
the impression of being of a more extraordinary stature
than they really were. Their lower limbs do not
correspond to the bulk of the trunk. A few years ago
chief and three of his wives were brought over for
an exhibition at Earl's Court, London, and they
created considerable interest by their extraordinary
stature, their enormous busts and fleshy features.
4 Patagon,' says E. W. White, in his 'Cameos from
the Silver Land,' 'is a Spanish word augmentative of
' Pata,' a paw, and therefore signifies 'large pawed,'
'a term applied by the early Spaniards to the Indians
4 of that region, when they first beheld them, with feet
' swathed in guanaco skins. Starting from the Rio
' Negro, its northern limit, to the Straits of Magellan,
' from the Andes to the Atlantic, this triangle (Pata-
' gonia) has an area of 372,815 square miles, into
' which Great Britain and Ireland, France, Denmark,
4 Holland and Belgium could be packed : inhabited
4 by numerous tribes of Indians, numbering perhaps
4 25,000, of which the chief is that of the Tehuelches,
302 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
' but it is very probable that all these various families
* have a common descent from the A raucanians of
* Southern Chile, whom the Spaniards were never able
4 to subdue, and whose language bears the relation of
* mother tongue to all their manifold dialects.'
Indian women are sometimes employed as domes-
tics at Sandy Point, but they soon die of consumption :
whether it be the result of wearing clothes, or is
attributable to the closeness of the houses, it is not
easy to decide, but certain it is that civilization does
not suit them and tends to shorten their existence.
Their skin is copper-coloured, their complexions high
and their hair black and matted.
When we add that at Sandy Point there is a
French cafe, 4 Mira Flores, ' and that there is an idea
of converting some of the wide streets, already lighted
by electricity, into boulevards, it will be seen that the
4 Alcaldes ' are imbued with Parisian ideas, and,
indeed, much is done in this out-of-the-world corner
to make life pleasant. There is an agreeable ride or
drive to ' Tres Puentes ' (Three Bridges), some five
miles distant, and which passes the Club Hippico,
where the races are held at intervals and are keenly
enjoyed. The drive to Tres Puentes along the Straits
in the direction of the entrance is very bracing, and
there is a good hotel there which forms a most
pleasant retreat in summer time. An interesting
excursion can be made by steamer, if time allows, from
Punta Arenas to Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope Inlet),
where the scenery is magnificent. It was in a cave
near this small port that the remains of a Mylodon
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
303
were recently discovered. The remaining few days of
our stay in this locality, we spent on the opposite side
of the Straits, in Tierra del Fuego, and our experiences
there are set forth in the following chapter.
( 304 )
CHAPTER XVI.
TIERRA DEL FUEGO. PORVENIR. MISSION STORIES. ONAS. YAHGAN AND
ALACALOOF INDIANS. RIDE ON THE CAMP. SHEEP FARMING. SALT
LAGOON. GOLD DIGGERS. SHOOTING EXPEDITION. A NARROW
ESCAPE. SHEEP "DIPPING." "SAKKARAH." PORT FAMINE. MOUNT
SARMIENTO. MOUNT BUCKLAND. CAPE FROWARD. CROOKED REACH.
SUNSET IN THE STRAITS. CAPE PILLAR.
r I "HE distance from Punta Arenas to Porvenir
('future '), the Chilian capital of Tierra del Fuego,
is about twenty miles, and, as a rule, the passage
across the Straits is a rough one. We made it,
however, very comfortably in the small steamer
'Lovart,' about 500 tons register, which is owned in
Punta Arenas, and as, the weather was beautifully fine
and sunny, the trip was most enjoyable. The entrance
to the small river or inlet on which Porvenir abuts is
not visible from the sea for a greater distance than
half a mile the land lying very low at this part ; but
after getting within the prescribed limits, we opened
up the 'Rio,' which runs down from the .mountains
some 20 miles further inland. The steamer, which
was a large one for the port, got in at high water,
but * bumped ' twice during the process, and, after
performing a circuitous route, entered a small bay
and came to an anchor off the village. We were
certainly surprised to see so large a place, there being
about fifty corrugated iron dwellings, and a population
of say 200.
We were met on landing by the governor of
Tierra del Fuego and the commissary of police, the
latter to place himself under the orders of the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
305
* alcalde, ' or chief magistrate of Punta Arenas, who
was one of our party. There w r as an interesting
engineer on board the * Lovart,' who had brought out
the mission steamer 'Allan Gardner,' and had been
all round the southern islands in her, looking for
Indians in order to ascertain their number, and also
prospecting for good camp. He told us of some dread-
ful massacres by the Indians during the last twenty
to thirty years, and of one missionary party which
YAHGAN INDIANS.
sent under sealed orders to land at a certain place
and open up a mission, which was entirely annihilated.
Some of the Indians who were present, as youngsters, at
this massacre still live in the district, and they speak
of the affair to this day with bated breath, and aver
that, ever since, ' Kushpick ' (their god) has been
angry with them. They are convinced of this because
on the evening of this dreadful deed the sky was
blood red. There are not many Indians left now,
not more, we were told, than about 200 in a wild state.
306 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
There are three kinds of Indians, viz., the Onas or
foot Indians, the Yahgan or canoe Indians, and the
Alacaloofs, also wild, undressed creatures of the very
lowest type, and who are found principally in the
neighbourhood of Smyth Channel.
The Yahgans are frequently seen in the Straits in
their canoes, each canoe apparently conveying a family,
as generally the occupants consist of a man with one
or two women, and a child or two. There is always a
fire alight at the bottom of the canoe, and there are
ALACALOOF INDIANS.
also three or four dogs. The Indians have very little
clothing on, occasionally sealskins, sometimes an old
blanket, or coat, or vest, which has been thrown to
them from a passing vessel. The women propel the
canoe with primitive paddles, and the man holds up
one or two skins for barter. When approaching a
steamer they call out 'galleta,' 'tabac,' the Spanish
words for biscuit and tobacco. The excellent illustra-
tion facing this page was taken by one of the officers
on a Pacific liner.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 307
INDIANS COMING ALONGSIDE STEAMER IN MAGELLAN STRAITS.
(Note the bag of biscuits in canoe, and also woman astern.)
308
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The Fuegians are possibly the lowest type of
savage in the world ; though since 1830, when Captain
R. Fitzroy, of H.M.S. 'Beagle,' brought four of the
natives to England, and after partly educating them,
restored them to their own country, repeated efforts
have been made to civilise them. There is quite a
settlement on Dawson Island, conducted by priests
of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Indians work
as labourers, being
taught habits of in-
dustry and the value
of agriculture. There
are also missionary
stations conducted
under the auspices of
the South American
Missionary Society,
and much good is
being done in a quiet
way in this out-of-the-
world place.
The 'Foot Indians'
are a superior race to
the Canoe Indians,
being more akin to those of Patagonia. They rarely
use canoes, but live on the sports of the chase. A
whale is a great boon to them, for they feed on the
blubber, and manufacture the bones into spear heads
and other hunting weapons, and make fishing lines of
plaited sinews. These Indians never stay long in any
locality, as they have the idea that if they do so, some
ONA INDIANS.
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
309
evil spirit will take possession of them. They, never-
theless, have some system of organisation, and the
land owes its name (which signifies ' Fireland') to the
numerous fires which were seen by the first navigators
of the Straits, and which, undoubtedly, served to warn
the various tribes of natives of unusual events, such
as the passing of a vessel, in those early days. The
Indians have ever proved themselves antagonistic to
the approach of civilisation, and the sheep farmer
ONA INDIANS TIERRA DEL FUEGO.
with whom we stayed for a few days had many
trophies as the results of Indian fights. He also
bore the marks of arrow-wounds, as the Indians are
clever at forming an ambush, and a flight of arrows
usually comes when least expected. Several of his
servants were captured Onas, and one of them seemed
to be developing into a clever sheep farmer. Our
host was a sturdy Scotchman, afraid of nothing, and
held in great fear by the Indians, who had come to
310 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
the conclusion that it was wisest to leave him and
his flocks alone. He was very reticent as to his
escapades, and he had had many, especially in the
early days> as he was one of the pioneers, who had to
rough it. No doubt a good many lives of both
Indians and white men were lost in the establish-
ment of large sheep farms and the struggle for the
ascendancy 4
When we arrived at the farm, we were told that
all hands were out in the camp, some eight miles
distant, lamb marking, and as we were desirous of
seeing this operation, it was necessary to get horses.
There were plenty of these animals running about
on the hillside, and a boy and an Indian maiden were
sent to drive them into the corral. After selecting
those we wanted, we caught and saddled them with
good old sheepskin saddles of the ancient Spanish
type, having large wooden stirrups, which we borrowed
from different parts of the town. Then mounting,
we made for the brush. The horses were young, fresh,
well trained, unshod, and able to negotiate anything.
Our way led right up the hillside, which is covered
with ' calafat ' and other bushes, w r ith here and there a
little open country, over which we cantered. Then
came some down hill work, then up again, dodging
the bushes, and holes made by the field rats, which
seem to be very numerous. Then we reached an open
stretch of camp, and left our horses with a light rein
to do their best, only pulling them up when we came
in sight of three other horsemen and a number of
clogs coming towards us. These proved to be farm
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 311
shepherds, one an Indian, in search of sheep. Then
off we went again, down hill, until we arrived at a
small lake, the margin of which we skirted ; and,
after climbing up a steep hill, we got away again at a
gallop across country covered with scrub, and some-
what difficult and dangerous to ride over. Passing
the brow of the hill, we came in sight of a large flock
of sheep and lambs some 10,000 fenced in, and a
number of men were busily engaged in the several
operations of marking. This was our destination, and
as the horses sighted some of their fellows tethered
to a camp cart, they set up a wild neigh of delight.
It was a good omen, and we were received by our
host with a 'glad hand.' The camp fire was lighted,
and an Irishman was cooking the mid-day repast,
and could find time to crack the accustomed joke.
There was little time, however, for joking, or for
eating and drinking, as the marking of some thousands
of lambs by the farmer personally as he will rarely
trust another to do this important operation, is a
stupendous business. Our host was an adept, and as
he had an excellent system of keeping the lambs
moving towards him, he could get through about
3,000 a day. Naturally, as the sheep and lambs are
collected from a large expanse of camp, and there is
no fodder available in the confined space fenced in,
the work has to be done with skill and speed, and we
witnessed both, though the sight of so much blood
was not pleasant. The lambs and sheep are forced
to run through a narrow passage with a gate opening
in two directions, and in this way the lambs are
312 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
separated from their mothers. Then each lamb was
lifted up to have a piece of its ear and of its tail cut
off. The process looked a painful one, though, no
doubt, it is absolutely necessary.
After watching" the operation for a time, we decided,
as the men were all busy, to remount and ride over
to the salt lagoon, some few miles further on, and this
we did, seeing plenty of birds wild geese, swans,
ducks, partridges, plovers, hawks, owls, etc., on the
way. We mentally determined to try some shooting
on the morrow. We rode round the margin of the
lake, after negotiating the steep incline leading to it,
and we searched for wild goose and flamingoes' eggs,
but without success. We got, however, some speci-
mens of the salt which fringed the lagoon. Then
came an experience which none of our party, I
believe, would care to repeat. The Alcalde, who
was leading, and is a partner in this farm, as well as
several others in Tierra del Fuego, selected what he
believed to be the easiest way to the high ground
surrounding the lake. There was a sort of bridle
path which ran round the lagoon, but which soon
disappeared when we began to ascend. The moment
the first horse commenced to climb, the remaining three
turned and took the ground right in front of them, and
it would have been sheer madness to attempt to stop
or turn them. We were already pretty high up, and
the remaining 20 to 30 feet seemed almost perpen-
dicular, with a slightly overhanging top. We let the
reins fall and lay right along our horses, clinging on
to the saddles, and expecting momentarily that the
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 313
horses would slip and roll with us to the bottom of the
declivity. Fortunately they had no iron shoes on, and
could cling like cats. When it came to the overhang,
there was a struggle, a moment of anxious doubt, and
then we were all safe, the horses steaming and panting
after the keen exertion and excitement. I could hear
a fervent ' thank God ' from one of the party, coupled
with the opinion that the gradient was at least one in
two. The way we had come ran up from the lagoon
so : After allowing the horses a little time
for breathing, we cantered off amongst
the scrub, and met another mounted
shepherd with a number of sheep collies. He was
gathering the sheep and lambs together, and driving
them to the marking pens. Here and there we came
across the half-eaten carcase of a sheep or a lamb which
had fallen a victim to one or more of the numerous
foxes which prowl round the camp, and which, as they
are as large as wolves, are very formidable. The camp,
as we made our way back to Porvenir, impressed us
favourably, and is no doubt improving by the constant
treading down it gets from the large flocks of sheep
it now supports.
Darwin could not have found much time to explore
the land, otherwise he would have given a better
account of it than he has done. There are miles of
country suitable for sheep and cattle, and the farmers
are doing well. It is, of course, a hard life exposed
to the depredations of hostile Indians and the extreme
wintry weather, coupled with the work of looking after,
marking, shearing, dipping, and ' trying down " huge
314 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
flocks of sheep numbering 20,000 and more. Then
there are other dangers all kinds of gold diggers go
to Tierra del Fuego, some ruffians and some slightly
superior, and life is not regarded as of much value.
There are a few policemen stationed at Porvenir to keep
order, and the miners come there to deposit their gold
and take back stores to their haunts in the mountains.
A couple of miners driving some twenty mules, which
were to carry back the stores, were coming down the
ARAUCAKIAN CHIEF AND WIFE.
mountain as we returned to Porvenir from our ride, and
we visited the store, which is also the bank, later to get
a sight of the gold dust they had brought in, to purchase
a nugget or two, and to pick up such general informa-
tion about the gold diggings as might be offered. We
were surprised at the size of some of the nuggets,
though naturally, being alluvial gold, the bulk was
more of the nature of dust, and, in some cases, some
alloy had been used to form the dust into a compact
mass. One clean nugget, however, which we had
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 315
weighed, equalled ,27, and where that came from,
there must be a rich lode. The miners followed the
Porvenir River right up to its source in the mountains,
and were making a living simply by washing for gold.
This is now done with success on the sea shores of
Tierra del Fuego, and it would not surprise me if some
day, when actual mining is commenced, that a rich
harvest of gold will be followed by a rush to the
district something like what happened at Klondike.
We were good hands at 'cleaning plate,' as out-
Irish friend in the camp said we would be, after our
ride, and we found the mutton of Tierra del Fuego
equal to that of the Falklands. Then rolling ourselves
under the guanaco rugs, we were soon asleep, dreaming
of vast gold mines with Indian diggers, until we sat
bolt upright at the sight of so much wealth. Then
falling back again, we imagined we were climbing the
side of some steep ravine, and the horses, less sure-
footed than before, had slipped at the top, and we were
rolling over and over, until contact with the bed, as we
fell backwards, finished the catastrophe and we awoke.
It was but a momentary interruption, and we were off
again, galloping over the country in pursuit of game,
or flying from some insidious ambush, until one of our
party fell on to the floor, and we rubbed our eyes to
find it was morning. After breakfast, a shooting-
expedition along the river was proposed and agreed to
with acclaim. We had two double-barrelled shot guns
and a Winchester rifle, and we expected to do great
execution. We were soon amongst the game wild
geese, duck and plover but they were very shy of us,
316 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
and 11 was most difficult to get within range. We
blazed away at a great many, but without success.
The outing was, however, very successful in another
way. We wandered over some miles of country which,
as we took the river course, was most interesting.
We had a few shots at some owls, but these birds, like
the rest, eluded us, and there seemed to be a sort of
conspiracy that as soon as we got within range and
were going to shoot, a plover would get up and alarm
the others with its note of warning. One of our guns
was somewhat of a curiosity. It would occasionally
miss fire, and when the second barrel went off, bang
would go the first, and if one was new at the trick, it
would be rather surprising, as the gun kicked terribly
after the double shot. However, the loss of a little
skin, if nothing worse happens, forms but a pleasant
souvenir, though towards the close of the day we
nearly had a serious catastrophe.
After we had had tea at the farm, a couple of
ducks flew past the window towards the shore, and our
best shot seized the eccentric gun, saying he would
redeem the bad fortune of the day. He had not been
gone long before we heard some shouting, and, looking
out of the window, we could see a policeman gesticu-
lating and rushing towards him. Seizing hold of the
gun, this officious limb of the law tried to drag it
away, with the result that the second barrel went off
between the parties, fortunately without hitting any
one. It was a very near thing, and we were all
relieved when we found no damage had been done.
Meanwhile, of course, we had run out of the farm to
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 317
find the cause of the trouble, and to be of assistance it
needed. It seems there is a law in the important city
of Porvenir against shooting on the shore, which no
one but the policeman knew of, and as our marksman
had fired one shot, the policeman jumped on him
before he could let off the second barrel. There was a
great row as the result, and marching off to the lock-up
was freely talked of. Fortunately we had the Alcalde
with us, and he sent for the chief of police, with the
result that after sundry lengthy negotiations, the blue
aggressor, figuratively speaking, was the one who spent
the night in the lock-up. We learned some months
later that he had been removed from the island, and
subsequently shot in a quarrel. After the dispute was
settled, we inspected the arrangements for ' dipping '
the sheep, which were simple but none the less perfect.
The sheep are driven into an enclosed space in batches.
At one end of this space is a narrow passage, along
which the sheep are forced, and which leads right
through the * pit ' containing the dipping fluid. This
pit is about six feet deep, and a man is stationed on
each side of the run, the one to push the sheep under,
and the other to assist them out and keep them pro-
gressing towards the raised platform. On this the
sheep drain off, and the drainings run back into the
pit, so that there is no waste of this valuable fluid.
The dipping is a tedious process, but it is very effective
in preventing scab, etc.
We rowed off to our steamer that night in the
moonlight, and next morning we awoke at Sandy
Point.
318 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Looking at Tierra del Fuego from the Straits, as
one proceeds after leaving Sandy Point, the descrip-
tion given of it by Darwin is accurate. He writes :
1 The country may be described as mountainous
land partly submerged in the sea, so that deep
inlets and bays occupy the place where valley should
exist. The mountain sides, except on the exposed
western coast, are covered from the water's edge
upwards by one great forest. The trees reach to an
elevation of between 1,000 to 1,500 feet, and are
succeeded by a band of peat with minute Alpine plants,
and this again is succeeded by the line of perpetual
snow. Level land is scarcely to be found. The
zoology of Tierra del Fuego is very poor. Of mam-
malia, besides whales and seals, there are one bat, a
kind of mouse, two true mice, two foxes, a sea otter,
the guanaco, and a deer. Most of these animals
inhabit only the drier eastern part of the country. He
does not refer to the field rats, and I do not remember
any allusion in his work to the wild fowl which exist in
great numbers, and find their homes, like the wild
swan, around the salt lagoons of the interior. In
Chapter XIV. we have alluded to other Argentine
settlements in Tierra del Fuego, and most, if not all,
the suitable land for sheep farming has been eagerly
taken up.
Sir Martin Conway, in his recent book on ' Acon-
cagua and Tierra del Fuego,' writes that 'the Fuegian
Archipelago continues the main geographical features
of the south part of the South American continent. It
is only the accident of the depression of the valleys
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
310
below sea level that forms Magellan Strait, and cuts the
land mass up into a countless multitude of islands.'
This opinion is in accord with that expressed by
Darwin. We do not, however, agree with some of the
other views expressed by Sir Martin, especially in regard
to Smyth Channel, but we shall allude to this later.
We left Sandy Point in the German steamer
'Sakkarah,' (since lost off the Chilian coast), and at a
distance to the south of about 25 miles we passed
MOUNT SARMIENTO, FROM ULTIMA ESPERANZA.
Port Famine, at which a colony was established
y Sarmiento in 1580. On his return, eight years
ater, it was discovered that nearly all the colonists
ad died from starvation, hence the name of the
rt. There is a sheep farm now established in
t's vicinity which is worked successfully. After
assing Port Famine, there is a complete change
in the appearance of the Straits. The mountainous
istrict now r comes into view, and snowclad ranges
re seen on either side, running up to 2,000 feet
in height. Proceeding onwards to a point named
320
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
San Isidro, the scenery becomes grand. To the south,
some forty miles distant, Mount Sarmiento comes into
view, the exploration of which Sir Martin Conway has
recently added to his numerous other exploits. Mount
Sarmiento and Mount Buckland form the two most
conspicuous peaks in the high mass of mountains
running along the south side of the Gabriel Channel.
The first, situated at the south-east angle of Magdalena
Sound, is 7,300 feet high, and rising from a broad
base, terminates in two peaked summits about a
quarter of a mile asunder. From the northward they
appear very much like the crater of a volcano, but
when viewed from the westward the two peaks are in
line, and the volcanic resemblance ceases. Mount
Sarmiento is the most remarkable mountain in the
Magellan Straits, but, as it is frequently enveloped in
mists, it is difficult to get a good view of it. During a
low temperature, however, and particularly with a
north-east or south-east wind, when the sky is often
cloudless, it is exposed to view, and presents a mag-
nificent appearance. Darwin, in his ' Voyage of
H.M.S. 'Beagle/' writes, regarding it Mount Sar-
miento as follows :
' In the morning we were delighted by seeing the
' veil of mist gradually rise from Sarmiento, and
' display it to our view. Its base, for about an
' eighth of its total height, is clothed by dusky
' woods, and above this a field of snow extends to
' the summit. These vast piles of snow, which never
' melt, and seem destined to last as long as the
' world holds together, present a noble and even
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
321
'sublime spectacle. The outline of the mountain
'was admirably clear and defined. Owing to the
'abundance of light reflected from the white and
' glittering surface no shadows were cast on any part,
'and those lines which intersected the sky could
' alone be distinguished ; hence the mass stood out
'in the boldest relief. Several glaciers descended in
BALMACEDA GLACIER, 4,600 FEET, ULTIMA ESPERANZA.
' a winding course from the upper great expanse of
' snow to the sea coast ; they may be likened to gTeat
' frozen Niagaras, and perhaps these cataracts of
' blue ice are full as beautiful as the moving ones of
' water. '
Mount Buckland, on the west shore of Fitton
Harbour, is by estimation about 4,000 feet high. It is
a pyramidal block of slate, with a sharp pointed apex
covered with perpetual snow. Between these moun-
tains, the summit of the range is occupied by an
extensive glacier, the constant dissolution of which
feeds innumerable cascades, which, in turn, pour large
322
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
bodies of water down the rocky precipices overhanging
the southern shore of Gabriel Channel. Proceeding
onwards from San Isidro some thirteen miles, Cape
Froward is passed. This cape, in lat. 53*33 S., is the
southernmost headland of the continent proper of
South America, and can be passed close to by th<
steamer. It is 1,200 feet high, and above it rises the
snow-clad peak of Mount Victoria, 2,900 feet. The
course now taken is in a northwesterly direction for
some 25 miles, the channel being about four mile
wide. It then narrows to about three-quarters of
mile in one part. The mountains on either side art
forest-clad up to an elevation of 700 feet, more or less,
and are always snow-capped. We now come tc
Crooked Reach, the entrance to which is formed by
narrow and circuitous channel, and, as the Reach is
approached, there appears to be no outlet, and the
steamer seems to be locked in on all sides by high moun-
tains. The scenery here is wild and magnificent.
After leaving Crooked Reach, the direction taken i
comparatively straight for a number of miles alom
what might practically be called an ocean canal, am
the scenery on both sides is of the grandest. Th(
mountain tops stand out in bold serrated forms, am
their olive-coloured wooded slopes, and numerou<
glaciers sparkling in the sunlight, make up a beautiful
picture, and one not easily surpassed. As we pn
gressed from east to west, the scenery not onl;
maintained its character, but kept on improving so
much that an old American lady on the ' Sakkarah,'
having exhausted all her terms of praise, turned round
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
323
324 TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
to her husband and said, 'John, dear, isn't it cute
Sir Martin Conway also seems to have been great
impressed with this part of the Straits. He writes,
doubt whether any steamer route, unless it be tl
Inland Sea of Japan, commands more impressive
than the western arm of Magellan Straits. This is,
partly due to its width which, while narrow enough to'
bring 1 the mountains near on either hand, is yet bro;
enough to enable their summits to be well seen aboi
their shoulders from the waterway.'
At sunset the view we got was magnificent. Tl
snow absorbed the colouring matter from the moun-
tains, and where the setting sunlight struck it, it seemed
to envelop the jagged peaks and scoriated sides like a
soft mantle of pink, green and gold, with deep purple;
folds. Far down beneath the crest the night hadj
already overshadowed the forest, and all was sombre
save where the cold bluish-green of some distc
glacier reflected the dying light.
It was time to go below, as the bell had rung
^ AbeiidbrodJ and we took our seats to a chorus
1 Maklzeits* It was quite a German supper, plenty
Woorst, Roh Schinken und Gerducherte Gans, and
fellow travellers, after the stories they had heard at Ri
of the results of eating raw meats, looked somewl
aghast and confined themselves to Brod und Kase.
The steamer now began to feel the motion of tl
sea, as we got into the sea channel and approached tl
Pacific Ocean. Had we continued our course,
should have entered the Pacific in about three hours
Cape Pillar. The distance in a straight line from Ca{
Virgins to Cape Pillar does not exceed 240 miles, but
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 32, r >
the projection of Brunswick Peninsula adds about 70
miles to this distance by water. Cape Pillar, the south
point of the western entrance to Magellan Straits, is a
high cape shewing- from the eastward as a double
nipple. The eastern and higher one belongs to a
mountain from which the cape springs, but the western
one is a kind of tower, and is of a form to which the
name ' Pillar ' is applicable. The extremity common
to the straits and to the Pacific Ocean, is a large
detached rock, which shows the disposition of the
strata of which it and the cape are formed. That part
SMYTH CHANNEL.
of the cape which is washed by the waters of the straits
presents a round hill not very high ; while the western
part, exposed to the force of the Pacific Ocean, exhibits
large excavations made by the sea. The eastern peak
is 1395 feet high and the western 1287.
Shortly after Abendbrod^ as we were to make our
entrance into the Pacific, via Smyth Channel, we
steamed into that famous strait, and after passing
some very lovely scenery, under the worst conditions,
we came to an anchor for the night.
( 3-26 )
CHAPTER XVII.
SMYTH CHANNEL ROUTE. THE LEHMAN. "COTOPAXI" BUOY. GLACIERS
PENGUIN BAY. PORT GRAPPLER. EDEN HARBOUR. PARADISE POINT
ENGLISH NARROWS. TRAVEL RECORDS. MESSIER CHANNEL. GUI
OF PENAS. MORE YARNS. THE PACIFIC. WEST COAST STEAM 1
SERVICES.
HPHE German mariners regard the navigation
Smyth Channel as they would that of a peacefi
river, and the strait gives one that impression, thougl
there are in places rapid currents and many hidd<
dangers to navigation, necessitating unceasing attei
tion to the charts which, in themselves, are imperfec
and the greatest possible care to make the passaj
in safety. The track followed, through what
known as Smyth Channel, only includes that porti(
of it from the Straits of Magellan to Victory Pass,
distance of about 45 miles. The channel really coi
tinues for about another 30 miles, and runs into tl
Pacific Ocean through Nelson Strait. Instead, hoi
ever, of entering the ocean so far south, the stearm
proceeds from Victory Pass round the east coast
Newton Island, through Farquhar Pass into tl
Sarmiento Channel, and thence into the Innocent*
Channel. From this, after steaming via the north
Hanover Island, one can again enter the Pacific
way of Concepcion Strait. We had no such intentioi
however, but proceeded north via Concepcion Channel
passing the entrance to Trinidad Channel (leading t(
the Gulf of that name) on our way to Wide Channel
ri if
ill!
. 3TUOfl J3KMAHD HTYM3
,,,,&. ,.,,
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
327
Steaming- through this we came to Icy Reach, then
traversing Indian Reach we came upon Eden Harbour,
and were soon in the English Narrows, which form
SMYTH CHANNEL.
the most dangerous part of the voyage owing to the
rapid currents. Safely through this, South Reach is
entered, and from this Messier Channel, which leads us
into the Gulf of Peiias, where we make our debut into
the great Pacific Ocean. The distance from the Straits
of Magellan by the route indicated to the Gulf of Peiias
is about 300 miles. This is a rapid sketch of what is
known, and what we shall speak of as the Smyth
Channel route, renowned for its extreme beauty, and
rendered doubly interesting by tradition and locality.
We had looked upon the snow-capped Rockies in the
north ; had followed the tortuous course of the Eraser
River along its romantic valley ; had gazed upon the
frowning peaks and giant pinnacles which overshadow
it ; had crossed the Pacific and Atlantic Divide at
an altitude of 3,ooo feet, and taken in the almost
:i28
TRADE AND TRAVEL IX SOUTH AMERICA.
dazzling beauties of the Yellowstone Canyon ; and
some of our party had made the passage to the North
Cape, and in the east had seen ' Nature as she first
began with smiles alluring her admirer Man,' yet
here was something different. Here was almost every-
thing we had seen before massed together, and
changing in appearance as change the skies in that
wild and distant quarter of the globe. We were
fortunate in the weather, as we were favoured with
most descriptions sunshine and rain, wind and snow,
and, as these changes followed each other in rapid
succession, we were able to appreciate the varying
effects.
Judging from Sir Martin Conway's description, we
gather that as he made the passage of the Smyth
Channel from north to south, it does not present the
same beauties as from south to north, and undoubtedly
he was disappointed in the weather. He says in his
recent book ' It must be admitted that the scenery o
Smyth Channel is rather monotonous ; always fine, no
doubt, but always fine in the same way. The views
are composed of the same element, a calm water high-
way, wooded islands and shores, waterfalls and cliffs
above, and large ice-rounded and bare summits reach-
ing up into a roof of heavy clouds, the whole enveloped
in sombre and solemn gloom. It is all impressive
enough when you come freshly to it, but as the hours
of each day draw slowly along, it becomes a little
wearisome, so that an effort must be made to fix the
attention and not lose the charm of change, because
the changes that do take place are within a narrow
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 329
compass.' Then, he continues, and here we see the
cause of his expression, 'a little wearisome' 'rain
seldom ceased to fall for more than a few minutes at a
time till night came on, so that no one cared to land on
the reeking shore.' No wonder he was somewhat
disappointed. The wonder is that he can say so much
that is favourable. It is quite clear that Sir Martin is
not of eastern origin, as otherwise he would not com-
plain of the monotony caused by the repetition of that
which he admits to be fine. If he had seen but one of
the many snow-capped mountains which beautify the
Smyth Channel, he would, no doubt, have dwelt upon
its excellence with his accustomed eloquence, but,
because nature here has been prolific, he loses sight of
the grandeur which can produce so many magnificent
mountains, though, like sisters, they may resemble
each other. It is the business method of the west to
lump things together, and to miss the eastern pleasure
of dwelling upon that which pleases, and allowing the
rapture to increase by the repetition of what is sublime
until the senses swell with the feeling of infinitude.
He further draws an interesting comparison
between the Norwegian inland steamboat route and
Smyth Channel, and asserts that the Chilian waterway
is, on the whole, less splendid than its northern com-
petitor. It is here that our party would join special
issue with him. It is true that the wild solitudes of
the south lack the charm and sense of comfort which
the sight of a pretty village nestling in some picturesque
environment imparts. Man is naturally a gregarious
animal, and no doubt Cowper, when he put on the role
Ll
330
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
danger also
of Selkirk, echoed the general sentiment when he wrote
the weM-known lines :
"Oh solitude! where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face ? " &c.
But we were not to reign there we were there
simply to look upon the solitudes of nature as in their
virginity, and in the solemn grandeur of their green
and snowy vestments.
Frank Vincent, in his ' Around and about South
America ' writes : * The fiords and mountains of
southern Chile, I found, excelled in grandeur and beauty
those of Norway as much as the latter in turn surpass
those of Alaska.'
There is a spice of adventure and
attaching to the voyage we are describing, which is not
present in the Norway trip, and this adds something to
its excitement and pleasure. Should the steamer by
chance get into trouble, canoes will soon be seen
gliding out from the various inlets and channels, each
containing a number of Indians bent certainly upon
plunder, if their intentions are no worse. They are
adepts at concealing themselves, but really this requires
little skill in the tangled woods which skirt the banks
on either side of the channel. The German children
on our steamer were continually on the watch for the
* Lehman,' as they call the savages, but we saw nothing
of them on our trip, not even when we came to an
anchor in Grappler port, where it is customary to sec
them. It appears the name ' Lehman ' arose through
an accident which happened to a German boat twenty
or more years ago. She was on the rocks for some
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA. 331
months, and, naturally, attracted quite an army of
Indians, who daily became more threatening. The
engineers of the ship, who were a merry crowd, induced
a number of the savages, after the ship was got off the
rocks, to go on board, including the ' Cacique ' or chief.
They then got them down into the engine-room, and
opened the furnace doors, to the great terror of the
natives, who thought they were going to be roasted.
When they had been sufficiently frightened, they were
taken up on deck again and the chief was decorated
with an old top hat with a band round it, on which the
name ' Lehman ' was painted with the number ' i.'
The other Indians had bands put round their necks
with circular pieces of bunting attached, the name
1 Lehman ' being also painted on these flimsy medals,
and the whole band was numbered consecutively. The
name ' Lehman ' in Germany is somewhat equivalent
to that of l Jones ' in Wales, and ever since this incident
the savage of the Smyth Channel has had at least one
link to civilisation. These Indians, for the most part,
go about naked, and are dreadful looking people, with
their long matted hair. If they possess or are wearing
any skins, they will readily dispose of them. Natur-
ally, from their mode of living, they are very dirty, and
it is difficult almost to conceive that they belong to the
human family. We were, nevertheless, somewhat
lisappointed at not making the acquaintance of some
)f them, though we found traces of them, and discovered
>ne of their oblong wattle-work huts when we landed,
ifter coming to an anchor, at Grappler port. It was a
fery simple erection, and, when occupied, is usually
332
TRADE AND TRAVEL IN SOUTH AMERICA.
covered with guanaco or other skins, and in the centre,
besides the remains of a fire, was a large heap of
mussel shells, and there was also a number of these
shells all round the outside of the hut. The Indians
live on the mussels and limpets, plenty of which are
found in the channel, and also on berries which they
get in the woods. There are wild geese, and possibly
other birds and animals inland, though we saw none
during our passage except a huge condor, which was
flying in the direction of Mount Burney, one of the
finest mountains in the Straits. Otter hunting con-
stitutes one of the chief excitements of the Indians
in this part, and they are evidently experts, as they
usually have otter skins for barter when they accost any
of the passing steamers. We saw a splendid sea otter
as we were landing, but could do nothi 
