Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: ... Foolish Fears. n solutely no means of feeding them, for there is no available food for man or beast that can be secured. All the food supplies, as well as means of transport, are entirely and absolutely in the hands of Chili. By all, I mean that there is not a patch of potatoes on the whole coast of Peru that could be got at by a Peruvian force--there is no stream of water that is not guarded, no field nor farm, however big or little, that could be made to yield a handful of grass or alfalfa to ass, or mule, or horse, or Peruvian man, without the consent of Chili. It is, therefore, idle to doubt the ability of Chili to hold to her conquests as long as she pleases, or to believe that Pierola or any other guano Peruvian is equal to rising from the dead. The fear to be apprehended most, and the only one, is that the Chilians will begin to quarrel among themselves. This, of course, would reduce everything to hopeless chaos. But there is not the slightest ground for supposing anything so foolish. It is indeed simply impossible, for there is nothing to quarrel about. The revolutions, as they are called, so common in Peru and to all other South American Republics, are all but unknown in Chili. Peru has had more S than a hundred revolutions, where Chili has not had two. On the other hand, Peru cannot be united. You shall as easily combine salt with water and make it into a hard and compact mass, as combine the present race of Peruvians, and make them as compact as their conquerors are. This is a study in history--not merely a groundless opinion--it is a statement founded on facts that can be set forth with the clearness and compactness of the multiplication table. And it is worth doing. Although Peru can, if it likes, boast of its Age of Guano, ..
