Peru — Its Resources and Development 313 



teristics and products, and this consti- 

 tutes for the country the basis of much 

 of her commerce at home and abroad. 



In his work on Peru, Sir Clements 

 Markham says : ' ' This beautiful coun- 

 try, embracing every description and 

 variety of climate and scenery, produc- 

 ing, or capable of producing, in abun- 

 dance every kind of vegetable that is 

 known in the world, yielding from its 

 mines rich stores of gold, silver, copper, 

 lead, tin, coal, and mercury, and from 

 its herds and flocks an endless supply 

 of hides and fleeces of silky texture, is 

 divided into three very distinct and 

 well defined regions. ' ' 



(1) " The coast, extending from the 

 foot of the Maritime Cordillera to the 

 ocean, contains numerous successions of 

 rich and fertile valleys, separated from 

 each other by sandy deserts. These 

 valleys enjoy a warm though not op- 

 pressive climate. Rain is never known 

 to fall, but refreshing dews descend in 

 abundance during the night. In these 

 fields immense crops of sugar and cot- 

 ton are raised, while extensive vine- 

 yards produce wines of delicious flavor, 

 and a spirit called aguardiente or grape 

 whisky, which is consumed in great 

 quantities by all classes and also ex- 

 ported." 



(2) " The Sierra, including the puna 

 or tableland, the region of the Cor- 

 dillera of the Andes, is about 300 miles 

 wide, and contains the most stupendous 

 mountains, whose scenery is unequalled 

 in beauty, vast plains and pasture lands, 

 and warm and fertile ravines and val- 

 leys. The Sierra is the native place of 

 the potato, the abode of the vicuna and 

 alpaca, while in its recesses lie con- 

 cealed the far-famed and inexhaustible 

 treasures of Peru." 



(3) " Montana or tropical forests, 

 skirting the eastern slopes of the Andes 

 and extending over two-thirds of the 

 Republic of Peru, are comparatively 

 unknown, but they abound in products 

 of the greatest commercial value, and 



will in some future time be the princi- 

 pal source of Peruvian wealth." 



It might be inferred from the situa- 

 tion of Peru in the torrid zone that the 

 climate would be warm throughout the 

 country ; but, owing to differences of 

 elevation and the ruggedness of surface, 

 every climate is enjoyed, and a settler 

 may suit his taste to a nicety in choos- 

 ing his location, whether his intention 

 be to engage in agriculture, in manufac- 

 ture, or in mining. Notwithstanding its 

 tropical position, the country is healthful 

 and free from those dangerous epidemics 

 and diseases which generally prevail in 

 the torrid zone. The coast, because of 

 being a low land, should, according to its 

 latitude, be exceedingly warm, yet three 

 important factors neutralize the heat : 

 first, the proximity to the Andes, with 

 their perpetual ice ; second, the Hum- 

 boldt Stream that , coming from the South 

 Pole with icy water, washes the coast of 

 Peru, and, third, the cool, refreshing 

 breezes from the south that blow all the 

 year round. It is curious enough that 

 in a tropical latitude, and even during 

 the summer months, it should be almost 

 impossible to bathe in some spots of the 

 coast where the Humboldt Stream is 

 particularly felt. The oval shape of the 

 southern coast is due to the constant 

 washing by this stream, which is named 

 after the famous German scientist and 

 explorer, who discovered it and ex- 

 plained its metereological effect on the 

 western Pacific coast of South America. 



On the coast the sun is rarely hidden 

 by clouds, and rain seldom falls. Its 

 general physical aspect is that of a sandy 

 desert, except where irrigation b3 r the 

 streams that descend the Andean slopes 

 have turned the desert into fertile valleys. 

 These streams, dry during the winter 

 months, and then often utilized as roads, 

 become flooded with red muddy water 

 during the thaw and rainy season on the 

 Andean plateau. 



The convenience of differences of alti- 

 tude is apparent. Those who are not 



