Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-18
TITICACA'S SACKED ISLANDS.
VISIT TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF INCA
CIVILIZATION.
The Sun Children and Their Golden
Temples-"remple of the Moon"
and palace of the Virgins
Especial Correspondence of the REcoKD-UNIoN. |
YYYJI
PUNo, Peru, August, 1890.

XXXII
PUNo, Peru, August, 1890.
Through the courtesy of the Titicaca
Navigation Company, one of the small
steamers that ply the lake was placed at
our disposal for weeks time, that We
might visit the sacred islands and other
objects of interest in and around this
world-renowned body of water.
The name of the lake is of Quichua
origin, Tit signifying in that language
"The gate of the mountains" and cdca,
'shigh rocks of lead;" so called, probably,
because at certain place on the old Inca
highway the first glimpse of its dark blue
waters may be seen between two enormous
rocks. From about this point, little
way below Puno, we set sail early one
morning; and after few hours run found
ourselves anchored in little sheltered bay
which indents the high and rocky shore of
Titicaca island. To this largest and most
famous of the sacred group the 1ncas
traced their divine origin, and to this day
it is held in profoupdest veneration by
their descendants, becal@e tradition claims
that Manco-Capac and Mama Dello (his
sister, who was also his Wife both children
of the sun and directly commissioned by
that luminary to found dynasty on earth,
here made their first appearance.
The quaint writer, Pedro de Teon, of the
island, says: at was called sacred because
of ridiculous story that there was no light
in the world for many days, when suddenly
the sun arose Respondent out of Titicaca
Island and hence they built there a
temple to its glory, which was held in
great reverence and had Virgins and
Priests with mighty treasures belonging
to it."
Garcilasso, the most reliable of all the
old chroniclers, tells us that besides build
ing temples on the sacred island, the In
dams sought to dignity it in every way as
being the spot where their Adam and Eve,
coming straight from heaven, first planted
their feet. "They leveled its asperities as
far as possible, removing rocks and build
ing terraces The latter they covered with
rich earth brought from afar, in order that
corn might be cultivated, which otherwise
could not be grown on account of the cold.
The yield was small, but the ears were re-
garded as sacred and were distributed
among the temples and converts of the
empire, one year to one temple or convent
and the next year to another, so that each
might have the advantage of portion OF
the grain which was brought, as it were,
from heaven. This was sown in the gar
dens of the Temple of the Sun and the
Convent of the Virgins; and the yield was
again distributed among the people of the
various provinces. Some few grains were
scattered among the stores of the public
granaries, as holy things which would
preserve from corruption the food of the
people; and it was believed that every Ia
dian who had in his store-house so much
as one grain grown on the Sacred Islands
could not lack food during his lifetime"
Titicaca Island is only four miles long
by six miles wide. 1t is high and rugged
in outline and deeply indented by many
tiny bays. There is little village at one
end, where guides may be secured ifneeded
to explain the little that is known about
the various ruins From the landing place
one scrambles up very steep ascent to
this hamlet, which in itself contains
nothing of interest; but just behind it is
the first ruin where, in the golden days of
the Incas, all visitors to the island were
obliged to tarry awhile, to get through
certain ceremonies of publication, before
being permitted to enter any of the sacred
edifices. The walls of this structure are of
limestone, the huge blocks carefully cut
and set in tough clay. The upper part of
it long since fell away, but the lower por-
ton is still tolerably well preserved. The
house was formerly divided into two
parts, measuring thirty-fve feet one way
and twenty-seven the other, with broad
platform in front of it.
Climbing with some difficulty half a
mile farther up the stony ACTIVITY, one
comes to THE Palace of the Inca" which
is situated on the brow of a cliff overlook
ing the lake, with terraced hill behind
it. Its walls are very much broken, but
lecture, the forms of the windows and
doorways and the general plan of the
whole Close behind this royal palace
lies what is known as "The Bath of the
Inca" a basin of solid stone, measuring on
its surface twenty-five feet by forty-fve,
with a depth of nearly six feet. The
smooth walls around this generous tank
are over-grown with vines and weeds, and
at one end three little streams of water,
each about two inches in diameter, still
trickle into it. Though frequently
searched for, the source of these streams
cannot be found. Coming through I'M
known subterranean channels, they flow
to-day, after more than three centuries
and half of disuse, exactly as they must
have done for the convenience of the In
dian Emperors.
Immediately beyond the tank rises the
terraced hill which served as one of the
sacred gardens. 1t was evidently con-
structed with great labor and expense, the
walls being made of cut stone, as regularly
laid out as if by the most expert modern
engineers. There is also a convent for
priests upon the island, or rather the re-
mains of one and many other vestiges of
the ancient civilization. Most interesting
of all is the sacred rock, upon which Man.
CO. Capac and his consort are said to have
first placed their feet when descended to
earth. 1t lies at the far extremity of the
island and the painless walk thereto-oyer
rough stones, with bitter wind sweeping
across the lake from every side and threat
ening to take away what little breath re-
mains in ones body, is not to be envied !;
but, of course, it would never do, when so
near, to miss seeing the real birthplace of
the most interesting race on the hemi-
sphere.
After all our toll there is little to be
seen when arrived at the rock except a
high wall built around a natural dome of
red sandstone. 1t was formerly believed
that no bird could alight upon that holy of
holes and live, and that beast, reptile or
insect would never dare come near it. The
presence of mortal man was also religiously
prohibited; and to this day the natives
approach with greatest awe and reverence.
For many years none but the high priests
were permitted to come within sight of
the rock, which was plated with gold and
silver and covered with veil, the latter
being removed only on occasions Of the