Peru as It Is, Volume 2 (of 2): A Residence in Lima, and Other Parts of the Peruvian Republic, Comprising an Account of the Social and Physical Features of That CountrySmith, Archibald
History
Peru as It Is, Volume 2 (of 2): A Residence in Lima, and Other Parts of the Peruvian Republic, Comprising an Account of the Social and Physical Features of That Country
Smith, Archibald
Peru -- Description and travel
On the other hand, in the valleys and on the coast, where the heat
is sufficient to enable the various members of the body to develope
themselves freely, those very quadrupeds are of good size, spirited, and
showy. The donkey[51] is strong, and in Lima the most serviceable of
the domestic animals; as he is also at the sugar-works, where he carries
on his back a great weight of cane from the field to the mill: the horse
is graceful and spirited: the bulls are powerful; and in the valleys of
Chincha and Cañete, where a certain wild breed are carefully reared for
the bull-ring, these animals are most ferocious.
The black cattle of the Sierra do not endure the climate of the coast:
immediately that they descend from their native mountains, to use the
vulgar expression, they become _touched_; that is, they become stupified,
and die with amazing rapidity. On examining the entrails of cattle thus
cut off, the liver, which has a broiled appearance, is observed to be
indurated. I conceive that these animals are affected by transition of
climate in the same manner as the human species; for, as soon as bullocks
from the high and cold regions of the Andes arrive on the warm coast, the
circulation of their blood is unusually accelerated and directed to the
surface; but, as the skin which covers them is too thick and unyielding
to allow of proper transpiration, the consequence is that there arises
an ardent fever which destroys them. In beeves this fever is more
violent and burning than it is in the paco or alco, because the skin
of the latter, being of thinner texture than that of oxen, offers less
resistance to the outlet of the humours; so that in the animals of finer
skin there comes out a salutary eruption, which saves them; while in
black cattle nothing of this sort occurs, and therefore they perish with
incredible celerity.[52]
The butchers have not yet found out a remedy for this disorder. They only
know from experience that the mortality among the cattle is greater in
summer than in winter: a fact confirmatory of our conjectures as to the
nature of the distemper: and therefore it is during the winter, or misty
season on the coast, that cattle are driven down from the mountains to
supply the Lima market.
Should we compare the dogs reared in this city with those allowed equal
freedom in the cities of Upper Peru, it will be found that the former are
most indolent and indifferent to everything, so that any one, though an
entire stranger, may step over them without the least molestation; but
the latter surly curs it is necessary to approach with caution, because
they attack all persons with whom they are not well acquainted and on
friendly terms.
These animals are subject, especially in spring, to catarrhal epidemics
which are peculiar to themselves; and they are also liable to influenzas
by which mankind are affected, it being among them that the fatal
epidemic commenced in the Trojan army.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account