Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
speak she told me there was a large snake in the roof of her hut and that the reptile had tried
to attack her, and she implored me to come to her rescue as her husband was out in the
monte
(bush) and would not be back until night. When we arrived near the hut the children were
there, shrieking as if the very devil were after them. I poked the roof with a large pole, but not
a trace of the snake could be seen. Presently the husband appeared, and as we could not locate
the reptile we set to work boiling water in tins, and when all was ready I climbed on the roof
and poured the boiling water over it, the woman handing me the tins whilst the man waited
with a stick to kill the snake should it come out. No sooner had I emptied the second tin than
I heard shouts below, and the woman ran away with the children. I at once jumped down, and
there saw the man chasing a large blackish snake around the hut until he finally succeeded in
killing it. At that very moment I heard a hiss, and a similar snake passed right between my
legs. I almost believe that I beat the world's record for high jump without a run whilst the rep-
tile made good its escape.
Nothing would induce the woman and her children to sleep in the hut that night, for she
was convinced that the snake that had escaped would return to avenge its mate.
About halfway through the
despoblado
the scenery changed completely. We travelled
through semi-tropical forests where I saw many aigrettes, but, although their tail feathers are
highly prized, nobody shoots them here, and in consequence they are very tame and one can
approach quite close before they fly away. After several journeys I came to a fence, and by
following it finally arrived at a
hacienda
. Here I might remark that one rarely finds comforts
on the average Peruvian estate, rich as the owners may be, for they live but little better than
the Indians and mestizos who slave for them.
A short distance before reaching a village at the northern end of the
despoblado
we had to
cross a wide river.
Chimbadores
have the concession for this particular river, and even if the
traveller takes his animals and cargo from one side to the other without their assistance they
havetherighttomaketheirusualcharge.UnderthecircumstancesIhadmypacktakenacross
in their canoe whilst the horses swam behind.
The local authorities treated me with every consideration, and as I had to go to Piura, a
town near the coast, they offered to take care of my animals whilst I was away. Very much
against my principles I had to accept their offer, and I did not forget to promise a good tip to
the policeman who was put in charge of them, if he looked after them well.
This district is very different to the rest of the Peruvian coast. Heavy rainfalls are frequent
and the houses are roofed with round tiles or with the tough bark of a certain tree. The roof
considerably overlaps the side of the house facing the street, in order to give shelter during
heavy downpours. Most of the houses and huts are built on ground raised between one and
three feet higher than the road as this is transformed into a regular stream when it rains.
In this village I saw a pathetic sight that has its amusing side. Throughout most South and
Central American countries it is common to see men and women sitting outside their huts
pickingcertaininsectsoutofeachother'shair,actingmuchlikeourfriendsthemonkeysatthe
