The district around Pisco is famous for its variety of tropical fruits, including bananas and paltas, or alligator pears. The Pisco watermelons also are noted. In the markets of Lima they are what the Georgia watermelons are in the markets of New York. I never tasted finer ones. The whole of the surrounding country, when it can be watered, is of enormous fertility. A vast irrigation scheme has been projected for the region which extends south. There is a high range of blue-veiled, cloud-shrouded mountains, and then the plain of Noco, which spreads down to the gentle bluffs that overlap the sea. This plain parallels the coast as far as Tambo de Mora, and all of it is capable of irrigation. Tambo de Mora has some ancient tombs or burial-grounds and high mounds marked with crosses right on the edge of the village. Its shipments are cotton in bales, and liquors in casks and barrels.
Mollendo, which is the railway outlet of southern Peru and of northern and central Bolivia, is one of the three worst ports on the West Coast. Iquique and Antofagasta farther down dispute the claims, but it is impossible to see on what grounds. They are positive and comparative while Mollendo is simply superlatively worst. Seen from the sea, the town looks well enough, spreading on the flat slope of the hill, with its party-colored houses glistening in the sunlight. On a feast day or national holiday the many foreign flags flying indicate the presence of numerous consuls, which is a sure indication of commercial importance. It is the getting into the port through the open roadstead that is terrifying. There is a causeway, and in order to land it is necessary to pass through this rocky opening. Sometimes the vessels have to wait several days before they can transfer their cargo to the lighters.
View of Mollendo Harbor and Railway Yards
For voyagers there is only one way, and that is to risk life and the hope of further voyaging to the care of the strong-armed native rowers. Long practice has enabled them deftly to grab the passenger from the ship’s ladder and stow him or her in their craft. The manœuvres are repeated until all who are courageous enough are in the boat. Then it is a question of breasting the breakers. The first time I went ashore there were three Peruvian women aboard. One was an old lady who made the trip to Lima twice a year; the others were wives of local merchants. The dame began her “Ave Marias.” The younger women were less devout. Every moment they exclaimed, “Jesu Maria” and “Madre de Dios,” but in the tone of a man swearing. A huge breaker swept over the boat and gave us all a bath. Then the craft danced on the crest of the next one like a cork. The aged lady became more calm, though she continued to pray. Later, when we were safely ashore, she confided to me that she always was terrified till the first ducking, and after that she felt that the shore would be reached.
The sea is not always quite so bad, but it cannot be counted on two hours in succession to be what the natives call “consolodora.” By that they mean, not tranquil or consoling, but comparatively calm. “Comparatively” is the difference between a raging sea and a roaring surf.
Around the point from Mollendo is the Bay of Islay, calm, sheltered, and deep. It was once a place of importance. Now its population consists of a few fishermen. Everyone inquires why it was not made the port, to which one answer is that when the railroad was built the land-owners became exorbitant in their demands, and there was no way for the line to secure terminal facilities except by paying more than the road was worth. Another explanation is that the property-owners of Mollendo, by liberal subsidies and other inducements, persuaded the railway to stop at the causeway. Whatever the reason, Mollendo now has vested rights as a port, and the change could not be made to Islay without encountering the most strenuous opposition. Consequently it will not be made. Recognizing this, the government in 1905 undertook harbor improvements for Mollendo at an initial expense of $500,000.
Mollendo has a kind of double-jointed custom house, the first for imports into Peru, and the second for imports which are to be carried through Peruvian territory up to Bolivia. The exports which come from the interior are chiefly alpaca and other wool. The last year for which figures are given, these amounted to 71,000 Spanish quintals, or approximately 7,200,000 pounds. A considerable quantity of borax and minerals are exported and a small amount of coffee. The shipments of crude rubber amount to 500,000 pounds. Mollendo is second only to Callao in its exports and imports, the total commerce averaging $5,000,000 annually according to the figures of the Peruvian officials. When the Panama Canal is opened, the major portion of the shipments from this district, which are light freight, will have the benefit of competitive ocean rates through the waterway with the tolls added, or around Cape Horn without tolls but with heavier coal bills and longer time in transport. The traffic will tend toward Panama.
CHAPTER VI
LIMA AND THE CORDILLERAS