The South American Tour

In Short

Published in 1913, this work is a comprehensive guide to the grand tour of South America, designed for adventurous travelers during a period of rapid modernization. Annie S. Peck leads readers along a grand circuit that spans the Panama Canal zone, the Andean highlands of Peru and Bolivia, the Chilean coast, the metropolises of Argentina and Uruguay, and the vast landscapes of Brazil. Grounded in her extensive explorations, the book blends rigorous practical data—train schedules, hotel tariffs, cable-car mechanics—with historical background, agricultural statistics, and observations of local customs. It stands as an invaluable snapshot of a continent undergoing dramatic transformation on the eve of world war.

The Story

The book charts an ambitious, continuous circuit around South America, systematically introducing each region through its geographical features, transit options, and civic amenities. The journey begins at the Isthmus of Panama, where the author examines the massive engineering feat of the Panama Canal. She reflects on the initial French enterprise under Ferdinand de Lesseps, noting both its tragic financial collapse and the substantial foundation it laid for the subsequent American effort. Leaving the Canal Zone, the route moves south along the rainless Pacific coast toward Peru. Here, the landscape alternates between arid coastal deserts and lush river valleys, dotted with ancient ruins such as the pre-Inca city of Chimu, where vast adobe mounds, complex workshop enclosures, and intricate ceramic artifacts bear witness to forgotten civilizations.

Ascending into the interior, the narrative detailedly charts the dramatic rail routes that breach the Andes. The Oroya Railway carries passengers from the coast to altitudes surpassing Mont Blanc, opening access to the high plateau or puna, as well as the vast, forested eastern slopes known as the montaña. Moving further south through Arequipa and over the pass to Lake Titicaca, the route crosses into Bolivia. A descent into the deep canyon housing La Paz reveals a city framed by snowcapped peaks, reached by steep rail lines where passengers glimpse winding paths, herds of llamas, and indigenous Aymará travelers.

From the high Andean centers, the itinerary turns back toward the sea, detailing the steep rail links down to the Chilean port of Valparaiso. Rebuilt after a devastating 1906 earthquake, Valparaiso showcases a resilient urban life, complete with double-decked streetcars operated by female conductors. A short trip inland leads to the capital, Santiago, where grand public institutions, Italian-style opera houses, and bustling street markets flourish. Crossing the continental divide via the Trans-Andine route, travelers reach the cumbre, where the monumental bronze statue of the Christ of the Andes stands on the border between Chile and Argentina as a symbol of peaceful arbitration.

Descending into the vast plains of Argentina, the tour reaches Buenos Aires, a booming metropolis defined by luxurious hotels, private art collections, and European-style boulevards. Navigating the river systems northward takes the reader through Paraguay and Uruguay. In Asunción, the text recounts the turbulent history of sixteenth-century Spanish conquistadores like Irala, alongside the nineteenth-century conflicts that shaped the region. In Montevideo, attention shifts to spacious public parks like the Prado, modern wholesale agricultural markets, and pristine seaside resorts.

The final leg of the circuit explores the expanse of Brazil. Beginning with the dramatic cable-driven ascent of the São Paulo Railway up the steep coastal range of the Serra do Mar, the journey highlights the engineering triumphs required to connect interior coffee lands to the sea. The narrative culminates in Rio de Janeiro, guiding readers through its historic plazas, imperial relics, and the breathtaking panoramic ascent of Mount Corcovado via cog railway. The tour closes with an assessment of the continent's agricultural, mineral, and industrial potential, offering practical advice on business opportunities and regional trade.

How It Unfolds

Crossing the Isthmus The tour opens in Panama, detailing the immense effort to construct the canal while recounting the historic struggles and ultimate failure of the early French company under Ferdinand de Lesseps.

** Exploring Peruvian Antiquities** Traveling along the Pacific coast, the narrative pauses to inspect ancient ruin complexes, such as the grand palace and burial mounds of the Chimu, highlighting their elaborate pottery and urban planning.

Climbing the High Andes The route ascends the steep Andean slopes via the Oroya and Southern Railways, transporting travelers from rainless coastal deserts to altitudes over fourteen thousand feet.

Descending to La Paz After crossing Lake Titicaca, the train reaches the brink of a vast canyon, revealing the red roofs of La Paz nestled more than a thousand feet below the high plateau.

Traversing the Chilean Coast Reaching the Pacific again, the guide surveys the rebuilt streets of Valparaiso following the 1906 earthquake, noting its distinct double-decked tramcars and bustling commercial quarters.

Crossing the Andean Divide Promoting the transcontinental journey between Chile and Argentina, the text highlights the mountain pass at the cumbre, home to the famous Christ of the Andes monument erected to commemorate international peace.

The Argentine Metropolis Arriving in Buenos Aires, the narrative outlines the city's grand avenues, opulent hotels, and private art galleries containing masterworks from European and local artists.

Up the River Systems The journey turns inland along the La Plata river basin to Paraguay and Uruguay, contrasting the tragic colonial history of Asunción with the modern parks and civic markets of Montevideo.

Ascending the Brazilian Escarpment In Brazil, the tour details the engineering marvel of the São Paulo Railway, which utilizes inclined planes and endless steel cables to scale the steep coastal cliffs of the Serra do Mar.

The Panoramas of Rio The circuit concludes in Rio de Janeiro with visits to historic imperial palaces, tropical botanical spaces, and the dramatic peak of Mount Corcovado overlooking the bay.

The People

Annie S. Peck The author and main guide, a mountain climber and scholar whose extensive personal travels across Latin America grant her writing absolute authority. She seeks to provide North American and European tourists with a rigorous, practical, and highly detailed itinerary, aiming to foster greater international travel and economic engagement.

Ferdinand de Lesseps The famous promoter of the Suez Canal who spearheaded the initial, ill-fated French attempt to build a sea-level canal across Panama. Though convicted of fraud late in life after financial collapse and rampant disease crippled the project, he is treated sympathetically in the text as an visionary whose early labor paved the way for subsequent engineering success.

Domingo Diaz Leguía The President of Peru who faced a violent coup attempt in May 1909. When armed insurgents invaded his palace, killed his secretary, and dragged him to a public square demanding his abdication at gunpoint, his resolute refusal to yield preserved constitutional order until loyal troops rescued him.

Domingo Martínez de Irala A sixteenth-century Spanish conquistador whose persistence and resilience shaped the early settlement of Paraguay. Left behind while his leader Ayolas marched into the interior, Irala waited for months, navigated hostile native territory, and eventually founded the colonial stronghold of Asunción after learning of his chief's death.

In Its Own Voice

"A remarkable, astonishing, and delightful ride is before you."

This line captures the sudden, breathtaking transition as the train plunges over the rim of the high plateau down into the canyon of La Paz.

"The circumstance of its erection, the sentiment involved, as well as the unique position of the monument, make it the most remarkable in the world’s history."

Here the text reflects on the symbolic weight of the Christ of the Andes, erected on a high mountain border to seal a historic peace treaty between Chile and Argentina.

"Thick woods and a tangle of vines now mostly shut out the distant prospect, but these are fascinating."

This observation describes the lush tropical foliage lining the cog railway track as it climbs the steep, craggy slopes of Mount Corcovado high above Rio de Janeiro.

What It's Really About

Beneath its surface as a practical guide for ocean liner passengers and railway tourists, the book is an earnest argument for Pan-American connectivity and mutual respect. Writing at a moment when South American nations were rapidly expanding their infrastructure, the author seeks to demystify the continent for northern readers. She stresses that stability, civic investment, and technological innovation are actively transforming these nations into modern states.

The text constantly weighs the tension between natural obstacles—towering mountain ranges, impenetrable forests, and extreme shifts in altitude—and human ingenuity. Whether detailing the steel cables that pull trains up the Serra do Mar or the arbitration treaties that prevented border wars, the narrative celebrates order and progress. At the same time, it insists on cultural literacy, urging visitors to appreciate indigenous archaeology, local political histories, and regional civil engineering rather than viewing the continent through sensationalized or patronizing stereotypes.

Why Read It Today

This work offers modern readers a vivid, unfiltered portal into early twentieth-century travel, written at the exact moment when steamship lines and transcontinental railways first rendered South America accessible to global tourism. What makes the book remarkable is its precise, technical eye. Rather than relying on generic descriptions, the text details the exact mechanics of cable-driven mountain trains, the daily tariffs of grand hotels, the architectural layouts of pre-Inca ruins, and the operational quirks of urban transit systems, such as the female streetcar conductors of Chile.

Readers interested in historical geography, transit development, and Latin American studies will find a wealth of contextual detail. The prose is clean, matter-of-fact, and remarkably grounded, carrying the confident tone of an experienced explorer who has personally walked the streets and climbed the passes she describes.

The book does present certain period difficulties. Modern readers will encounter outdated racial terminology and colonial perspectives when the author discusses indigenous populations or labor conditions in remote agricultural districts. Furthermore, the sheer volume of logistical data—list after list of hotel prices, passenger schedules, and mineral statistics—can slow the narrative pace. Yet for those willing to engage with a historical document on its own terms, the guide remains a fascinating, highly detailed portrait of a continent on the cusp of the modern age.