Travels in Peru, on the Coast, in the Sierra, Across the Cordilleras and the Andes, into the Primeval Forests — Reading Notes

Geological Evidence and Riverine Change

Tschudi's account of the Rio Seco near Lima exemplifies his method of reading landscape as a record of past events. He traces the former course of the Rio de Chillon, now dry, and describes how a 'chain of hills has been upheaved diagonally across the valley and the river,' damming the water to form a lake that later emptied when the stream broke a new path. The point of junction is given with precision: 'a quarter of a mile from the Hacienda Cavallero.' This is not a casual observation; Tschudi explicitly frames it as evidence of a 'remarkable fact'—that the river once flowed northwest from Alcocoto to Cavallero. He corroborates his finding by referencing Mr. Darwin's mention of a similar instance near Casma, though Darwin relied on the engineer Mr. Gill's report. The passage demonstrates Tschudi's commitment to grounding his narrative in observable, verifiable phenomena, even when those phenomena require inferring deep-time processes from present-day topography.

Altitude, Climate, and Cultivation

The excerpts show a consistent interest in the relationship between elevation and human activity. Cocachacra, at 5386 feet above sea level, is described as 'picturesquely situated' but poor; its name, meaning 'coca-field,' indicates that coca was once grown there, though Tschudi notes that 'at present that plant is not grown in any part near the coast, as it requires a damp and very warm climate.' He also corrects a previous traveler's altitude estimates: Maclean had fixed San Pedro Mama, Santa Olaya, and Cocachacra all at 5331 feet, but Tschudi points out that the latter is 'about 2400 feet higher' than Llanga, which lies at the same distance from Lima. Such corrections are typical of his approach—he does not simply report what he sees but actively engages with prior accounts, using his own barometrical observations (or their absence) to refine geographical knowledge. The reader is thus invited to follow a working naturalist's process of verification and revision.

Unexpected Habitats and Animal Behavior

Tschudi's zoological eye catches anomalies that challenge general rules. He records his surprise at finding parrots 'inhabiting the barren rocks,' since the parrot 'always dwells in woody regions, and is found in other places only when on its passage.' He identifies the species as one that 'permanently nestles on mountains,' claiming to know no other member of the family that does so. This observation is embedded in a travel narrative that otherwise moves through diverse terrains—coast, sierra, cordilleras, and primeval forests—and it signals the author's attentiveness to exceptions. The translator's preface praises his 'pictures of Nature, especially those relating to the animal world' as reminiscent of Buffon, and this passage bears out that judgment: it is concise, specific, and grounded in a comparative framework. Tschudi does not merely describe; he situates each creature within its ecological context, noting when behavior deviates from expectation.

Readers approaching Travels in Peru should expect a work that prioritizes accuracy over narrative flow. The journal-based structure means that episodes are not arranged by date but by region or topic, and the text frequently pauses for geological or zoological exposition. Tschudi's voice is that of a field scientist who values correction and corroboration, making the book a valuable primary source for nineteenth-century natural history. Those interested in the human geography of Peru will find incidental details about villages, roads, and cultivation, but the core of the work lies in its patient documentation of the physical and biological world.