GUANO 205 



subsisted entirely upon an income derived from 

 natural resources. 



Alas, all the geese proved to be swans ! Chile 

 was jealous of the good fortune of her neighbor 

 across the border. Chile owned no guano islands. 

 Her own income was dependent upon her saltpeter 

 beds, and these were insuflScient to supply her 

 needs. The iniquitous Peru had secured more 

 than her proper share of the spoils. And, to make 

 it worse, her largest nitrate beds were situated 

 close to the Chilean border. These should belong 

 to Chile ; Peru ought to be satisfied with the guano 

 deposits alone. 



The inevitable war between the two countries 

 broke out in 1879. After a considerable period of 

 desultory fighting, Chile claimed the victory. In 

 compensation for the real or fancied wrongs in- 

 fiicted upon her, she annexed the rich province of 

 Tarapaca and all the nitrates it contained. 

 Thereafter she rested upon her laurels, more or 

 less satisfied. 



4 



The Search for Guano by the United States 



Although never deeply interested in the salt- 

 peter beds, the United States was among the 

 leaders in the pursuit of guano — a position into 

 which she was forced by her economic situ- 



