The Diary of Heinrich Witt

The Diary of Heinrich Witt Volume 2 Edited by Ulrich Mücke LEIDEN | BOSTON Ulrich Muecke - 9789004307247 Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:30:38PM via free access [1] [2] Volume the second Commenced in Lima October the 9th 1867 Tuesday, 24th of January 1843. At 10 Oclock a.m. I started for Mr. Schutte’s silver mine of Orcopampa, my party was rather numerous; it consisted of course of myself on mule back with a led beast for change, the muleteer Delgado, his lad Mateo, both mounted, an Indian guide on foot named Condor, and seven mules laden with various articles for the mine as well as some provisions for myself, two or three fowls, half a sheep, potatoes, bread, salt, and sugar, also some sperm candles, and a metal candlestick. The mules carried each a load from eight to nine arrobes, besides four arrobes the weight of the gear and trappings. I may as well say en passant that I carried the above various articles of food because I had been assured that on this route I should find few eatables. I, accustomed to the ways and habits of the Sierra, saw nothing particular in the costume of my companion, nevertheless I will describe it, the muleteers wore ordinary woollen trowsers, and jackets, a woollen poncho over the shoulders, Chilian boots to the legs, shoes to their feet, but with only a single spur, on the principle that if one side of the animal moved the other could not be left behind; their head covering was a Guayaquil straw hat, underneath it Delgado wore a woollen cap, also round his neck a piece [_] jerga, for the purpose of blind folding his beasts when loading [_] a second piece round his waist the two ends of which [_] [3] and preserved his trowsers. The Indian’s dress was still more simple: his shirt breetches were of the common bayeta, made in the country, the breetches were open at the knees reaching half way to the calves, thence to the ancles another piece of striped bayeta wrapped round answering for stockings, the upper part of the feet bare, the soles protected by sandals called “usutas” or “yanques”, over his shoulders a small poncho, woollen, and another piece of coarse woollen stuff tied round his back, in which he carried some provisions and his pipe, la quena, made out of a hollow reed. Our road led over the bridge straight north towards the province of Cailloma, soon did we leave behind the houses of Yanaguara and Caima to the right, the road of Sachaca and Tiavaya to the left, then cultivation ceased and we found ourselves on the barren Arequipa surrounding plain, the way was not unknown to me. I had travelled it more than once in 1830 or 1831 when she whom I am so fortunate now as to be able to call my wife resided for several weeks in the quebrada or narrow valley of Yura, whither we were now tending. In this valley are some mineral waters of ferrugenous and sulphurous qualities of great efficacy – much frequented by the Arequipa © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ��6 | doi ��.��63/9789004307�47_00� This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the prevailing CC-BY-NC License at the time of publication. Ulrich Muecke - 9789004307247 Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:30:38PM via free access 2 the diary of heinrich witt people. The dwellings around the sulphurous spring or bath owe their origin to an honest Gallego who for a long time was the exclusive seller of ices in Arequipa, he invested all his profits in building these houses, from the poor he exacted no rent, from those whose means could afford payment, a moderate one. I then by myself used to start from Arequipa on a Sunday morning at 3 or 4 Oclock reached Yura before breakfast, remained the day, again leaving at the same hour was back in Arequipa in good time for daily counting house work. The ride over this plain offers nothing of interest, both on the right and on the left it is bounded by chains of arid hills, the former not far off, the latter several leagues distant, before me the horizon unconfined, when approaching Yura the ground undulates a little in [_] [4] ascents and descents, there are some narrow passages and when these are left behind, the road divides; to the left it leads to Yura, to the right, which we took, to a few houses called Totora passing which we came to the quebrada of Yura; somewhat higher up than the baths, the soil is highly impregnated with salpetree, nevertheless Alfalfa grows plentifully. Two further ascents we had still to overcome, the second called “Sal si puedes”, get out if you can, is very bad, steep and stony, irregular steps are cut into the rock, so that the mules had to climb up like goats; on the other side, a short descent brought us to the houses of the hacienda of Uyupampa built of the sand stone of the Arequipa quarry; without asking leave of any one I took possession of an empty room, had my mattress spread on the floor, dispatched a chupe cooked by my muleteer, and lying on my bed commenced reading Cooper’s Bravo. The owner came in of course quite accustomed to such unceremonious entrances into his premises, he began to converse with me, he told me that he grew alfalfa, bred cattle, and sent for sale to Arequipa firewood, of which large heaps were piled up, the distance to be traversed nine leagues. Wednesday, 25th of January 1843. My breakfast was a drink of cold water, some bread and cheese, at half past six my party was on the move, immediately on leaving Uyupampa we turned abruptly eastwards, leaving to our right the snowy ridges of Chachani, the country through which we passed was as arid as yesterday’s, not a vestige of cultivation or vegetation anywhere. After occasional ups and downs we came to a hollow road, undoubtedly the bed of a river, which must have rolled its waters many centuries back in this course, the traces of which in the sides of the rock were everywhere distinguishable. We followed the bed until it became too narrow for further progress, we then gradually ascended one of its sides, the ground cov[_] with the coarse grass of the cold mountain re[_] [5] not so tall as that in the northern parts of Peru, stunted trees grew here and there. Having reached the summit we found ourselves on a level road confined on the right by a ridge of mountains, the highest point of which goes by the name of El Rayo. Quinoal trees with their Ulrich Muecke - 9789004307247 Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:30:38PM via free access Volume 2 3 red trunks and particularly small leaves, which I had not seen since my visit to Mr. Pfluckers copper mine in Conchucos Altos, abounded here. I, certain of not losing my way rode ahead and at half past three Oclock reached the chapel called del rayo twelve leagues from Uyupampa a small yard in front, near it three huts covered with straw, their doors so low that I could not enter without stooping. Both chapel and huts stood empty and deserted; here I was overtaken by two Gentlemen, one a Curate, the other a miner of the neighbourhood, next came my Indian on foot, lastly the Muleteers with their train – we continued our ride and at a short distance stopped for the night on a plateau at a great elevation over the sea, this place was selected, for close by grew good pasture for the beasts, here were a few indian huts constructed of the branches of the quinoal trees found in plenty round about and covered with straw, only the door way, so low that I could not enter upright, consisted of stone. From the one I took possession of I ejected the inmates, giving them a small recompence in money, stretched my mattrass on the floor our common mother earth, so small were these huts that when my couch was spread there was hardly more than a foot and half space left uncovered all round. The temperature was chilly and I prepared myself for the cold expected next day, by taking out my warmest clothing, a chupe and Cooper’s Bravo concluded the day. Thursday, 26th of January 1843. When I arose at 5.30, it was a clear cold morning, the Indian population of the few huts consisting of some ugly old women with their babies slung behind them in a piece of common woollen stuff were already stirring, so were the muleteers loading [_] [6] beasts, which during the night to shelter them from the extreme cold they kept covered up with jerga and sheepskins. I watched attentively this intricate progress, in the first place they stretched a long piece of jerga from the neck to the tail of the animal smoothly on the back, on the middle they placed five or six sheepskins, some cut out in the centre, this done they folded back the jerga from both ends and on it they put the “lomillo” consisting of two pieces of thin board, sewed up in jerga, and connected together with narrow strips of the same stuff. Each board is placed on one side of the animals back, upon this the real “Aparejo” which consists of two flaps made of cane, sewed up, covered with jerga, and fastened to each, a duplicate on a large scale of the Lomilla, once more on this are heaped up two or three sheepskins.

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