Geographical Situation of Lima—Height above Sea level—Temperature—Diseases—Statistical Tables of Births and Deaths—Earthquakes—The Valley of Lima—The River Rimac—Aqueducts, Trenches, &c.—Irrigation—Plantations—Cotton—Sugar—Various kinds of Grain—Maize—Potatoes, and other tuberous roots—Pulse—Cabbage—Plants used for Seasoning—Clover—The Olive and other Oil Trees—Fruits—Figs and Grapes—The Chirimoya—The Palta—The Banana and other Fruits.
Lima, according to the careful observations made by Herr Scholtz, is situated in 12° 3′ 24″ south latitude, and 77° 8′ 30″ west longitude from Greenwich. It may, however, be mentioned that the longitude from Greenwich is very differently stated. In sea charts and Manuals of Geography it is often marked 76° 50′. Humboldt makes it 77° 5′ 5″; and Malaspina 77° 6′ 45″. According to Ulloa it is 70° 37′ west of Cadiz. The latitude is very generally fixed at 12° 2′ 3″ south. The height above the level of the sea is also differently estimated. Rivero, in the Memorial de Ciencias Naturales, I., 2, page 112, states it to be 154 metres, or 462 French feet. On another occasion he makes it 1844⁄5 Castilian varas (each vara being equal to 33 inches English). He gives the following account of heights, according to the barometer, between Callao and Lima, in varas, viz., Callao, 00; Baquijano, 243⁄5; La Legua, 502⁄5; Mirones, 943⁄20; Portada del Callao, 150; Plaza de Lima, 1844⁄5.
The first estimate given by Rivero is the most correct. Gay makes the height of Lima, at the corner of the church of Espiritu Santo, 172·2 Castilian varas; but most of his heights are incorrectly stated.
The conical hill in the north-east of Lima, called Cerro de San Cristoval, is, according to trigonometrical measurements, made in 1737, by Don Jorge Juon, and De la Condamines, 312 varas higher than the Plaza Mayor, or 134 toises above the sea; but one of the most exact measurements is Pentland's, who found the height to be 1275 English feet.
The average temperature during the hottest period of the year, from December to March, is 25° C. The medium temperature during the cold season, from April to November, 17·5° C. Highest rise of the hygrometer, 21·5°.
The low temperature of Lima at the distance of only twelve degrees from the Equator is to be ascribed to the situation of the town, and the prevailing atmospheric currents. The Cordilleras, rising at the distance of only twenty-eight Spanish leagues east of the city, are crowned with eternal snow; and on the west the sea is distant only two leagues. The prevailing wind blows from the south-south-west. West winds are not very common, though they sometimes blow with extraordinary violence for those regions, and breaking on the surrounding mountains, they form atmospheric whirlwinds, which diffuse alarm through the whole population. In June, 1841, I had the opportunity of observing one of these dreadful whirlwinds, which swept away huts, and tore up trees by the roots. The atmospheric currents from the north, which pass over the hot sand-flats, are not of constant occurrence, but they are oppressively sultry. There must be other causes for the low temperature of Lima, for in the villages, only a few miles from the city, and exposed to the same atmospheric influences, it is much higher.
Miraflores is a small place, about one Spanish league and a half from Lima, but it is much hotter. Among the records of the thermometer are the following:—
December 20 to 27, maximum 31·8° C.; minimum, 25·9° C.
December 28, at 6 in the morning, 26·0° C.; at 2 P.M., 32·7° C.; at 10 at night, 27·3° C.
January 1, at 2 P.M., 33·1° C., maximum of the day.