2004-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004
Autograph Letter Signed, “Ernest D. Martin U.S. Powhatan, S.P. Squadron,” 12p. octavo, addressed to his brother in Philadelphia, May 30, 1868, and continued on June 5, 1868, Inquique, Peru, with a good description of the area, in part: “...We arrived here yesterday, Iquique, pronounced Equeque, is sand hill at base of the Andes, containing some buildings called houses, composed of mud and sticks, one story high, and horribly dirty, town is noted for its exportation of saltpetre, nitrate of Pobash, and its silver mines, both of which are situated some twenty miles inland over the mountains. The saltpetre and silver are transported on backs of mules and come into port on large trains of mulese....Turkey buzzards, which are quite large and numerous, flying about town or perched upon the house tops, screaming and howling making a small pandemonium of the place, they are very tame, the people are not allowed to disturb or kill them as they act as scavengers. The women are ugly, most emphahicaly so, and they wear large Panama hats, drive mules and waterfalls are myths to them, their hair, which is intensly black, is parted at back of the head and plated into two thick coil, hanging down to their waists, which does everything but improve their beauty...” Much, much more. VG.
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