Peru as It Is, Volume 1 (of 2): A Residence in Lima, and Other Parts of the Peruvian Republic, Comprising an Account of the Social and Physical Features of That Country

In Short

Archibald Smith’s Peru as It Is offers an immersive, first-hand chronicle of the newly independent South American republic during the 1830s. Drawing on ten years of medical practice, Smith guides the reader through the coastal capital of Lima to the frozen peaks and mountain valleys of the Andes. Rather than offering a standard travelogue, he presents an unvarnished social and physical diagnosis of the nation. Through descriptions of urban customs, local superstitions, highland agriculture, and rugged geology, the narrative endures as a vivid, candid slice of nineteenth-century South American life.

The Story

The narrative opens in the coastal capital of Lima, where Smith establishes himself not as a fleeting tourist, but as a long-term resident and practicing physician. He systematically unpacks the daily rhythms, social structures, and domestic habits of the Limenians. From the street criers selling sweet masamora to the heavy, lard-soaked dishes that tax the local digestion, Smith examines how geography and culture shape physical health. He details the pervasive influence of local quacks, the curanderas, whose reliance on specific remedies and belief in ailments like empacho often conflict with European medical science. Beyond health, Smith observes the political and social dynamics of the city, noting the absolute sway of personal influence—empeño—exerted by women across every level of government, as well as the indulgence given to young children and the reliance on slave labor for child-rearing.

Leaving the urban confines of the coast, the narrative ascends into the dramatic interior of the country. Smith travels along narrow ravine trails, observing the transitions in flora, climate, and local agriculture. As he climbs, he documents the lives of the indigenous inhabitants and mountain curates, noting the delicate and often contentious economic relationships between them over church dues, harvests, and local festivals. High in the Sierra, he records how communities adapt to harsh environments, from the potato crops of high villages to the contented barley farmers of Tarma.

The climax of the journey occurs during the perilous crossing of the high Andes. Smith describes the sublime, stark grandeur of the Cordillera, where icy lakes mirror snowy peaks and sudden, blinding mists envelope the trail in total darkness before vanishing as quickly as they appeared. Down in the deep river valleys, he shifts his focus to the physical structure of the land, carefully recording the geological sequence of porphyry, green-stone, trap, and limestone that forms the mountain pass. Volume 1 closes in these rugged highland routes, leaving the reader with a deep appreciation for both the formidable natural obstacles of the region and the resilient, varied people who inhabit its heights.

How It Unfolds

Life in the capital Smith begins by detailing the daily routines, culinary habits, and distinct social hierarchies of Lima's inhabitants. He examines how diet, climate, and lifestyle directly impact the physical constitution of the locals.

Medicine and superstition The author explores the popular medical beliefs of the coast, focusing on the authority of local healers, universal remedies, and widespread fears regarding the harmful effects of cold air and acids.

The shift to the interior Leaving Lima behind, the narrative moves upward into the mountain valleys, passing ruined towns, roadside inns, and mountain torrents while noting local illnesses like Uta.

Life among the highlanders Smith depicts the rural inland villages, describing how indigenous farmers navigate frost and communal pastures, as well as their complex social dynamics with the village priests.

Crossing the high Andes The journey reaches its visual peak as the party traverses the snowy passes of the Cordillera, encountering extreme temperatures, sudden mountain fogs, and pristine alpine lakes.

Geology of the descent Descending through rock-bound ravines, Smith methodically catalogs the shifting rock formations—from trap and green-stone to quartz and porphyry—that define the rugged Peruvian terrain.

The People

Archibald Smith The author and narrator, an observant Scottish physician who spends over a decade treating patients across Peru. He wants to record an impartial, accurate account of the country's physical and social conditions, navigating local prejudices with professional curiosity and gratitude for native hospitality.

La Señora Dorotea The most prominent of the curanderas, or native quacks, in Lima. She represents the deeply entrenched local medical traditions that favor traditional remedies and the treatment of empacho, standing directly in the way of European medical practices.

The Mountain Curate A representative parish priest encountered in the interior, skilled in farriery and practical survival. He seeks to maintain his influence and livelihood, constantly negotiating over first-fruits and festival fees with his indigenous parishioners.

The Indigenous Mountaineers The native farmers and herdsmen of the Sierra, who manage communal pastures and cultivate potatoes and maize. They strive to maintain their traditional agricultural ways while living under the authority of Spanish employers and church officials.

In Its Own Voice

"Being disinclined to believe what he considered to be the prejudices of the natives respecting lunar influence, he insisted upon roofing in part of a house with alder and willow cut in the creciente; and after a couple of years he was convinced of his own error..."

The author tests a widely held local belief about the moon's effect on timber, only to find his own skepticism disproved by practical experience.

"The evil effects of a farrago of nostrums, or untimely and inappropriate medicaments applied by the help of the doctress, the educated physician is often called, but sometimes too late, to correct..."

Smith expresses the frustration of a trained medical professional fighting against deeply rooted domestic quackery.

"With such celerity did the cloudy curtain drop and vanish on the face of the deep dark lake of Pomacocha, that the whole scene appeared but as a vision of enchantment."

The author captures the sudden, majestic transformation of the Andean landscape during a high-altitude mountain crossing.

What It's Really About

Beneath its observational surface, Peru as It Is investigates how environment, tradition, and political independence shape a society's health and character. Smith examines the clash between European scientific rationalism and local, long-standing folk wisdom. He queries whether a newly liberated nation can overcome the entrenched habits of its colonial past—such as financial corruption, reliance on slave labor, and social indolence—to build a stable civic identity. By contrasting the fragile, indoor lives of urban Limenians with the rugged endurance of the highland Indians, Smith presents a country divided not just by geography, but by fundamental ways of existing.

Why Read It Today

Peru as It Is offers modern readers an authentic, unvarnished window into early nineteenth-century South America, written by a remarkably grounded observer. Readers who enjoy classic travel literature, medical history, or historical geography will appreciate Smith’s cool precision and lack of sensationalism. His prose feels surprisingly fresh; rather than romanticizing his travels, he writes with the sharp clarity of a clinical observer who nonetheless harbors genuine affection for the people who welcomed him.

The book does present a few era-specific hurdles. Modern readers must navigate nineteenth-century spelling, lengthy sentences, and period attitudes regarding race and class that reflect the author's background. Furthermore, the detailed geological surveys and medical discussions may test the patience of those looking for a fast-paced adventure narrative. Yet, for those willing to match its deliberate pace, the text rewards you with a rich, tangible sense of place—the damp mists of Lima, the smell of wood smoke in mountain taverns, and the freezing solitude of the Andean peaks.