Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-05-20
SACRED ISLAND or PERU.

SACRED ISLAND or PERU.
Rssns 1Ass ssspssk Ne wssAssfs
k~svtsass o. ~ fsssis.
Titicaca, the sacred island of Peru,
Is an interesting spot, covered as 1t Is
with yestiges OF the ancient Inca civ
ilization. To 1t the lncas traced their
origin and to this day II is held by
their descendants In profound venera.
ton. According to tradition Nance
Capac, his wife and sister, Mama
Della, children OF the sun and com.
missi0ned by that luminary, started
hence to reduce under government
and instruct In religion and the arts
the savage tribes that occupied
the country. Upon the island
are the ruins of many magnif.
cent structures sacred to the
worshipers OF the sun. At its north
ern end, In q repulsive part, where
cliffs are ragged and rocks abound.
where dwells neither man nor beast,
whence the eye ranges over the blue
waters Of the Pacific from the glitter.
ing crests Of the Cordilleras to those
Of the Andes, Is the spot most cele.
brated and most sacred OF Peru. Here
Is the rock on which 1t was believed
no bird would alight or beast venture,
on which no human being dared place
his foot, which was plated all over
with gold and silver and covered with
a veil OF cloth Of the richest color and
material, which sheltered the ~favorite
children Of the sun and the pontiff
priest and king who founded the Inca
Empire-the sacred rock OF Nance
Capac. This rock to-day Is nothing
more than a frayed and weather.worn
mass OF red sandstone. The part un-
covered and %protruding above the
ground is about 225 feet long and
twenty-five feet high, and there is
little about 1T to distinguish it from
many other projections OF sandstone
strata on the island. According to
tradition the earth Of this terrace was
brought from the distant valley OF the
Amazon, SO that it might nourish a
verdure denied by the hard soil of the
island. 1t was held sacred because
OF the belief that 1t was the abode of
the sun, whence 1t rose to shed its
light over the world.
At the opposite end of the island Is
the Pila, or the fountain Of the Incas.
1t Is situated In a valley between
sloping hills amidst terraces geomet-
rically laid out and supported by
walls OF cut stone The Pila is a pool
forty feet long, ten feet wide and five
feet deep, paved with worked stones.
Into this pour four jets OF water from
openings cut in the wall behind.
Over the wallis around it droop the
tendrils Of vines and the stems Of
plants, and what with the odor and
the tinkle OF the water one might
Imagine himself in the court of the
Spanish Alhambra. The water comes
through subtcrranean passages from
sources now unknown. The earth for
the surrounding terraces was brought
from the Valley OF Yucay, 400 miles
distant. by the ancient builders.
Not far away, standing on a ma
tural shelf or terrace overlooking the
lake, but much smoothed by art, is
Ell Palacio del Inca, or the Palace of
the Inca, now an imposing pile of
ruins. Its site is beautiful. On
either side are terraces, some of them
niched and supporting small depend
cnt structures. while the steep hill
behind, which bends around it like a
half moon, Is also terraced in grace.
full curves and covered by a growth Of
shrubs that I'LL the air with a most
delightful perfume. The building is
rectangular and two-stories high. 1t
Is divided into twelve rooms on each
floor and each oom contains some-
thing that tells of the wonderful
knowledge of architecture Of the in
geniOus Peruvians. The building was
originally yellow, while the inner
parts and mouldings were OF different
shades OF red. The second floor has
no connection with the first by stairs
or otherwise. The central part of the
second story forms an esplanade,
thanked by rooms opening on it. From
this esplanade may be commanded one
of the finest and most extensive views
In the world. The waves OF the lake
break at your feet. To the right is
the high and diversified peninsula OF
~Copacabana: in the center of the
view, the island Of Coati, c~onsecrated
to the moon, as Titicaca was to the
sun; and to the left the cleaning
Illampu, the crown OF the Andes, It's
white mantel reflected in the waters
that spread out in front.
Tradition assigns the construction
OF this palace to the Inca Tupac
YupanQui, who also built the temple
of the Moon and the convent of the
virgins devoted to her service in the
island OF Coati. There are many
things about it which show that the
Incas and their subjects we're our SUI
periOrs in architectural and many