IN OLD PERU.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1921, Page 10

IN OLD PERU.

A'/EALTH OF THE ANDE&.

MELTING-POT OF RACES

LIMA LIFK.AND COLOR.

“Survey of tlie world from China to Peru,” said old Dr. Samuel Johnson in his Vanity of Human Wishes, but the exigencies of rhyme probably induced, the erudite lexicographer to put China first. Why should not the survey commence from Peru? In Wellington for a few days was a gentleman who is doing it; he has begun well by thirty-seven years spent in Peru; now he is on his way westward to Australia and beyond, surveying the world as he goes.

PIONEER OF BRITISH TRADE.

One fears that Peru is little more than a geographical term to most New Zealanders. There Is not much, if ny, trade between the Dominion and Peru, and Peru seldom figures in the cable news of the world’s events. It is .n out-of-the-way place, this ancient State of South America, but exceedingly interesting, as Mr. Robert Saunders, the old resident in question, has found it. It is chiefly famous in history as the scene of the conquest of Francisco Pizarro, who, with a handful of Spanish soldiers, brought down the Empire of the Incas, and founded in that region the Spanish-American civilisation. Remains of the Incas lie scattered all over Peru, and the bones of the conquistador, Pizarro, rest in one of the chapels of the Cathedral of Lima, the capital of Peru, which, he founded. When Mr. Saunders arrived in Lima, in the year 1884, the city had just been evacuated by the victorious Chileans, after an occupation of over two years. He has resided there and in other cities of Peru ever since, representing British commercial interests in the South American Republic. During his thirty-seven years there Peru has had its political and economical vicissitudes, but to-day is sound and prosperous under the able administration of President Augusto Leguiva, an expert financier.

RICH RESOURCES UNDEVELOPED.

In the course of an interview'prior to his departure for Sydney, Mr. Saunders, who describes himself staunchly, after all his years abroad, as “a Briton from Scotland,” told a Post reporter many interesting things about Peru. It is still a country of extraordinary mineral wealth, after centuries of exploitation. Its silver mines are famous the world over, and its copper deposits are said to be the richest on earth. A new copper smelter has been erected at Oroya, in the Andes, by an American company, on the very latest lines, and the town has pracftcally been shifted holus-bolus to furnish a site. Good anthracite and bituminous coal is available for the furnaces. Among the other metals mined is vanadium ore, one of the chief constituents in high-grade steels, used in the manufacture of motor-cars. Apart from mining, there are the valuable guano deposits in the Peruvian islands, cocoa plantations, cotton fields, and vineyards in the valleys, and much rice and maize. Peru also exports the valuable wool of the alpaca and vicuna, two indigenous animals like the llama, which is the camel of the Andean regions, used for the transport of all kinds of goods in and over the mountains. Beyond the Andes is the Peruvian Amazon, with its rubber and other tropical forest produce. The Putumayo, where the late Roger Casement first made his name, by his exposure of atrocities among the natives in the collection of rubber, is in the territory of Peru.

“GRINGOS” AND THE CAPITAL.

For many years Mr. Saunders lived in Lima, the capital, which, though an old place, dating back four centuries to Pizarro, has electric light throughout and a fine electric light tram service, with a branch running down to Calao, the port of Peru. Power is furnished by a hydro-electric station, on the River Raniac, on which Lima stands. Lima is the home of a considerable “gringo”— European and American—colony, as it is the trade centre for Peru. Among some of the large firms mentioned by Mr. Saunders were Dunean, Fox and Co., Graham Rowe and Co., Milne and Co., H. M. Beausire and Co., and the American house of W. R. Grayson and Co. Britain still holds the pre-eminence for trade in goods of the highest quality, but during the war the United States made great strides, and filled the place of the German interests,, which were large, and also cut into British trade. The Peruvian Corporation, which controls several large, commercial and mining concerns, has its headquarters in London. There are two important oilfields—Talara and L'obitos—in the hands of American and British interests respectively. There is room for great development still in Peru, and the opening of the Panama Canal has given considerable impetus to trade, especially with the Atlantic coast of North America, which is brought nearer many thousand miles by the canal.

CUSTOMS AND COSTUMES.

Peru has the greatest motley of races on earth, according to Mr. Saunders. 1 here are large numbers of Chinese and Japanese there, and intermarriage with the native and mixed races is common Then there is a big population of negroes, who with the native Indians form a cross, known as the Zambo. The Indians themselves are not increasing, as they are addicted to the vices of chewing cocon leaves for the cocaine in them, and to drinking aguordiente, the strong sp’irit made from the sugar-cane, which is one of the staple industries of Peru. Out of this medley of races, which include many Italians—sober, thrifty, industrious people, says Mr. Saunders—will come the new Latin-American race of the future. The population of Peru to-day is about four millions, and does not increase rapidly. The climate varies according to situation, but Lima is not unhealthy, if due precautions are taken. Mr. Saunders himself has enjoyed the best of health.