Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-04


| tween Peru and Bolivia, Custom-house
( is located at each end of the bridge. II
there were any hunters hereabouts they
would find plenty of sport in these reedy
marshes where myriads of waterfowl find
shelter. among them black and scarlet
| ducks, snipe, herons, etc. These, together
with a variety of fishes, contribute largely
toward the support of the population in a
region so cold that the corn crop is preca-
rious, wheat will not ripen at all and pota-
toes, shrunk to their smallest size. are Bit
ter as so many green olives, and where the
only indigenous animals fit for food are
the biscatcha rabbit, the llama and the
vicuna, the latter becoming yearly more
scarce, having been hunted nearly out of
existence for its valuable fur.
There are eight habitable islands in
Lake Titicaca, viz: Titicaca, Loati. Soto,
Amantene, Taqueli, Aputo, Campanario
and Toquare. The largest of them is Tit
icaca, six miles long by about four miles
wide, high, bare and rugged in outline.
| This is the celebrated "Sacred Island" of
the Incas, to which we shall make a spe-
cial journey before many days. Another
Of the islands, which is also about six
| lullCS lOllS, Out DOb 81 ulOdo DIS 1ltISdCd,
was formerly the Siberia, or Dry Tortugas
| of Peru, to which criminals were banished
for life, or for stated periods. Besides a
large colony of prisoners, there was, and
still is, an Indian village at one end of it.
This cramped but bleak and barren space
must have been perfect sheol upon earth
in those days when criminals of all sorts,
young and old, male and female, were
crowded here together. A few cents per
capita were distributed every morning
among them, with which they might pur-
chase food enough to sustain life from the
Indians, paying the highest price for
everything. They were allowed to build
huts for themselves, the rudest materials
being furnished, but no provision for fires
was made at this freezing altitude, and as
nothing grows on the island, fuel for cook
ing purposes had also TO be bought of the
Indians.
1t is said that scenes of robbery, murder
and violence were of daily occurrence, the
young and weak having little chance of
retaining the pittance given by the Gov
eminent. Sometimes number pooled
their issues and cooked over one fire, but
more frequently it happened that the
strongest did not buy fuel at all, but drove
away those who needed it most from the
little blaze they had scrimped themselves
of food to purchase, so true it is that COM
mon suffering does not tend to make good
companions, nor wretchedness soften the
human heart. So great was the penalty
for assisting prisoner from the island
that it was never attempted, and to swim
any distance in these icy waters is i'm
possible.
On the main land nearest to this Tortu-
gas is an Aymara village, which few
years ago numbered nearly 1000 Indians
A philanthropic English physician, filled
with desire to elevate the condition of
the Aymaras, went, with his wife and
family, to live in this settlement. The
latter, however, resented the intrusion, and
! one night caused the whole family to be
murdered in their beds. The atrocity was
not discovered for some weeks-not until
distant friends, failing to hear from the
good doctor, came over to see how he was
getting on. As the most diligent search
| failed to discover the identity of the MUIR
derers, the Government sent a body of
troops who massacred more than half the
people of the village, to teach them better
manners in the line of hospitality and as
warning to the other Indian settlements.
The saddest of all the islands in Lake
Titicaca is one very near to Puno, called
San Estevan Saint Stephen, which has be-
come Protestant graveyard. Many years
| ago, from some unknown reason, a Spaniard
who fell during the war for independence
was buried here. A queer old monument
marks the spot, built up of small, rough
stones, in shape of short, fat Cleopatra s
needle. Close beside this is the grave of
Captain Pemberton, an English skipper
who commanded the first boat on the lake,
and who, being a hereto, could not be
buried in consecrated ground. 1t is said
that even this barren rock was begrudged
him for burial place, the pious natives
of the vicinage threatening to dig him up
and scatter his bones abroad, which they
doubtless would have done had he laid in a
more accessible place.
The latest addition to this desolate GEM
etery was made when Professor Orion died.
| The well-known author and scientist, from
Poughkeepsie, n. Y, died of consumption,
| brought on by over-workand the inhos-
pitable climate of this PARKWAY land, and
when he knew that the end was near re-
quested that his remains be laid on the
| top of San Estevan. We made pilgrim
age to the spot in honor of his memory,
! going out from Puno in canoe, against
the protests Of the villagers, who assured
us that we could not possibly land any
where on the island, it being completely
surrounded by an impossible marsh.
Padding all around it, we found a place
where the swampy soil was somewhat
| firm, and using thick growth of reeds
for improvised bridges, by dint of consid-
cradle leaping and the trifing inconyeni-
ence of going overshoe in the ooze, we
succeeded in passing the barrier. The
island is nothing but high, rocky hill,
rising so precipitously out of the water
that hardly goat could scale it, except on
the farther side, where the ascent is not
very difficult, though winding and path
less, and one is often compelled to stop and
recover breath in the thin air.
To this day, poor Orton's resting place
is unmarked. Not long ago friend and
professor, from Rochester, n. Y,
came here and inquired the cost of put
ting up plain slab, or at least cairn OF
cemented stones, like those which mark
the graves of Captain Pemberton and the
Spanish soldier. He was told that the
lowest cost would be $500, not including
the tablet, which must be sent, engraved,
| from the United States. The latter might
never reach here; if it did, would proba-
bly, never be placed unless somebody made
the long journey to see it done-all Of
which would bring the actual cost up to a
very large sum. The memory of Pro-
fessor Orion does not need to be kept alive
by such means. He lives in the hearts Of
his countrymen, and a more enduring
monument was wrought by himself in the
books and scientific researches which he
has given to future generations.
Standing on the lonely island, with the
graves at our feet, and the mysterious lake