The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
WHERE THE INCAS DWELT.
RELICS OF BOLIJIAN GRANDEUR ON
IITICICi ISD COAT.
Tho seat of the Oldest Civilization In the
Western Hemisphere-Ruina OF Palaces
and Baths-The Incns' Island Barem.

CHiLIAIIYL Bolivia, Aug 2S.-The island OF
TIticAca famous as the birthpla Of the Oldest
civilization in America. Is now the prop
erty OF Mr.. Miguel Ghrces OF Puno. who mas
handsome hacienda there. village oil 100
or 800 Indians are living In mud huts and
raising wheat. barley and potatoes among
the ruins OF an age and culture which the
erchTologistS OF the world have found a
most fascinating problem. The Island lies q
mile or 40 from the main shore. from which II
10 separated by bottomless channel. The
nearest mort is the little town OF Gale. There
10 no communication except by balsas. the
curious craft which are older than history and
were used by the Incas. as they arc used BY
tho Indians to-day, for transportation. They
are built OF barley straw. tied together in
lunches and then bound by wisps 10 the shape
OF a double or treble gondola.
The body OF the hasa is three or four feet In
thickness. The ends are turned up In rather
artistic manner aud ornamented with consid-
cradle taste. They are very light. and one OF
the largest size can easily be lifted bytwo men.
but they are SO buoyant that two or three tons
OF freight can be easily TRANSPORTED by them.
and as many passengers as can find room
aboard. The Indians navigate them both with
ears and with large sails made OF woven
straw In a curious and ingenious manner. On
the coast Of Ecuador and Peru the baisas are
made Of a porous timber almost as light as
cork. but there Is no tinner OF any Elnd In me
Andean basin except a few stunted pines that
grow in a most unaccountabe manner among
the rocks.
A caballlto is a small bal ga or canoe made Of
straw. which 10 propelled by padd Is. and the
navigator. sitting astrids his craft. sends It
across the water with great skill and speed
These cabaliitos were used in the days OF the
Inca empire for the transportation Of couriers
along tho lake. The balaas are the best OF life
boats, because it is Impossible to sinE or even
overturn them although they are 20 light as
and IArsDDa unacCuStDme ed to uAiDR them be-
come deathly seasick even In moderate
breeze.
The Indians who lnhabit the island are
usually docIe. industrious and are compelled
TO wiring scanty living from the unwilling
vegetables feel the warmth OF the MONDAY
priest, and the Indians are very assiduous
retain many Of the rites OF their aboriginal
religion.
formerly covered this sacred place have been
the object OF investigation by archHoloEists for
stroyed by the spanish invaders-and much OF
the material used in their construction. which
Spt in the nsSf1GSSrns
infinite patienGG,, and labor, has been carried
i've island and The mainland. it is re,
lnarkabe that even one stone has been left
npon another during the 800, years since
he place Tor they destroyed everything they
laid their hands upon. and during the last
out tho secrets of the extinct civilization have
made extensive excavations and overturned
IL we are to believe one half Of the reports
hat were made, by the knights and chroniclers
palaces were Of g most extensive and sumptu-
GUS character. To the 1ncas the island was u
Zeal Jursicton. the T resdeHce Of the most
exalted prclates and priests, who spent their
r1nn "a la wi in N q NM
elaborate manner by early spanish writer's.
The templesand palaces and nd monasteries were
which f It came and The method by which It It
was Brought are still unknown., although
except the llama. and none upon tho water
the material for their buildings was moved
from the quarries to the shore. OF the lake
tive boats by which 1t was carried across
the channel. and then transported up the steep
IMAM manual labor. Tor the spanard. learned
that Thousands OF Indians we're detailed an
nually Tor empoymeRtupon the public works
When the spaniards came these buildings
were Allied with enormous accumulations Of
gold and silver for both ornamental and usei ul
PURPOSES The walls were covered with beaten
sheets OF gold and the affairs OF the idols were
adorned with objects and vessels OF the same
the primitive processes OF that period. Tap:
heauti,ui designs added beauty to the int.
Ilors. and upon the floors were spread the
the eastern N slopes Of the Andes. Millions Of
dollars worth Of treasure was carried away by
snlendld edincss rooiess and dismantIed.
The Emperor. or the Inca as he was called. is
9 %as 0n nn ID
reserved for his use, and the romans that still
Sd Ca the sTtsnt Sf o.
say that viewed externally they did not present
nj itnt n raj al "A ~ h.
walls We're admiTaole Tor the stiil Of their con- NJ
strpction. but they lacked columns, eornices
america. The Internal arrangements orer
interest There, wers several large salons
that were probably used as audience cham
purposes Of coTrtly ceremoniss and Religions ns
worship. but most of them had but one door.
The walls were often carved With INCONSISTENCIES
eommemGfsting events In The history Of the
some Them have een pkcred BY H
skill 1t is asserted that Tho massive walls OF
s. Min Na
was the principal cause Of their destruction. In
others the floors were adorned with raysmen,s
OF ma ribs of different colors Ike mosaic work,
and in the inches the Spanlaris found statues
OF gold and silver renresenting gods and all
The inconsistencies were also large edinces con-
tanning similar apartments and innumeIahe
the priests and their attendants. and some OF
them were spacious enough to furnish accom-
modations for 1000 persons
Among the best preserved OF tho ruins ere
the royal baths. which were as sumptuous as
those OF Italy or Greece at similar pNriod. and
their exposure has suggested that there must
have been change In the climate since the
time Of tho Incas. or else the abort
aineS were a much more enduring race
Than their posterty. The baths were
built OF carved marble. The bottoms were
carefully covered wi tn a mixture OF small
stones and species Of cement. and the water
was received through figures OF animals. lions,
IFa al thAr ID
in marble or wrought in gold or liver, which
threw the water from their mouths from pipes
Of metal or stone. The baths. which lie upon
the open hillside. arc surrounded by ruins OF
small apartments. which seem to have been
used as dressing-rooms. and were also orna-
mented wi h statues Of stone aud metal
Among the golden ornaments carried away
by the Snaniards were hollow statues repre-.
senting animals birds trees and bushes OF
natural size, limitations Of sacks. baskets and
sticks Of gold that were in the torn OF hllets Of
wood collected for burning. and both the baths
and the palaces were surrounded by gardens
in which we're growing trees and plants that
were evidently brought from the forests Of
lower lAtitudaR