48 Historical 



by the way, is terrible in this city; these bulls, I say, showed energy 

 only in fleeing before base toreadors on foot who tried to hold them 

 back by pulling their tails. The angry people rushed into the arena, 

 'and by dint of tormenting these unhappy animals, finally obtained the 

 desired result, that is, the death of two or three Indians. (P. 376.) 



One of the travelling companions of Castelnau, Weddell, climbed 

 the volcano of Arequipa in October, 1847. He expresses thus the 

 sufferings which he felt on this ascent: 



The difficulty in breathing which our animals experienced com- 

 pelled us to renounce their assistance. ... In advancing we had to 

 tack, and even so we could not advance ten steps without stopping, 

 so as to let the oppression which had seized upon our lungs pass. As 

 we mounted higher, not only did this oppression increase, forcing us to 

 make longer pauses, but weariness of the limbs was also added: a 

 symptom more distressing than the soroche, because a halt was not 

 enough to check it ... . 



The last strength of my companion was exhausted and he had to 

 leave me. Alone I continued my journey, panting; ... I could hardly 

 advance more than two or three meters without stopping to get my 

 breath. (P. 449.) 



In May, 1846, de Castelnau left Lima for Cuzco. He therefore 

 had to cross high mountains. At the pass of Vinda (4720 meters) , 

 the soroche attacked him very severely: 



Vegetation, even the stunted thistles, disappeared. M. d'Osery 

 complained bitterly of the soroche, and he was forced to pause con- 

 stantly, as was Florentino. Here this disease is called veta, and people 

 believe that it is due to the presence of veins of antimony. . . . 



Hardly had we reached the little settlement of Casacancha when 

 as I dismounted I was attacked by the soroche, the effects of which I 

 had not felt until then; I vomited bile abundantly, and felt all of the 

 symptoms of seasickness to which I am very subject. 



When in the morning, after a very bad night, I wished to mount, 

 I felt the absolute impossibility of it. M. d'Osery could hardly drag 

 himself along; Florentino, a former sailor, was stretched out on the 

 ground; little Catana alone was playing as usual, and seemed to feel 

 no effects of the soroche. At last, understanding how indispensable it 

 was to reach less inhospitable regions, we succeeded in mounting in the 

 afternoon; but after going less than one league, we literally fell at the 

 door of a farmhouse, where we were well treated. (Vol. IV, p. 194) . . . 



The altitude of Cerro de Pasco is estimated at 13,673 English feet 

 (4166 meters) . . In spite of the burning rays of the sun, one is chilled 

 as soon as he is in the shade, and he is constantly under the painful 

 effect of the soroche. . . . The climate is so fatal that priests try to 

 keep their pastorate for only three or four years, in spite of its enor- 

 mous benefices. . . . The population, in 1845, was 18,000 souls ... It is 

 only to the silver mines that this population is due. . . . Barley will not 

 go to seed there. (P. 196.) 



