The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-08-20

luS llltIC ElOiS pAoul pau OA Inc sale "a
less meritorious medicines His profit
is your loss; therefore, accept no sub
stitute.
DR.. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets regulat.
the bowels.
canine reales, or royal roads" which
extended from CuZco, the Capital to
the remotest parts of their empire
One of them led to the sea, and the
other, which is followed to La paz, ran
along the crest of these cordilleras. the
combined length of both, with their
branches, being about 1000 miles.
Nothing shows more plainly the power,
ability and patience of the Incas than
these wonderful roads, considering the
topography of the country and the i'm
perfect means at command in that
early day They built broad highways
to endure for hundreds of years in
deserts, among constantly moving sands
which reflected the fierce rays of
tropical sun; they broke down rocks,
graded precipices, leveled hills and
filled up valleys, without the assistance
of powder or instruments Of iron; they
crossed lakes, marshes and rivers, and
without the aid of the compass fol-
lowed direct courses in forests of eter-
nal shade. They did, in short. what
even now. with all of modern know
ledge and equipments, would be worthy
of the most powerful nations on the
globe. In ascending mountains too
steep to admit of grading, broad steps
were cut into the solid rocks while the
ravines and hollows were filled with
heavy entertainments banked with para
pets and planted with shade trees and
fraera shrubs. The royal roads were
from eighteen to twenty-five feet wide
and paved with immense blocks of
stone. vt regular distances tandos
We're erected for the accommodation OF
travellers. Where rivers We're to be
crossed, bridges We're constructed,
ed for these rapid streams that, rush
ing down from the Andes at certain
seasons, defy the skill of modern Ell
gineers. Strong cables of twisted raw
hide were stretched from one bank to
the other, something after the style Of
the great suspension bridge at Niagara.
Poles were dashed across tranSversely,
covered with branches, and these We're
covered with earth and stones, SO as to
form a solid floor. 4 kind Of wicker
balustrade was made by extending
other cables along the sides, which
were interviewer with branches of
trees. Some of these old bridges still
exist, the newest of which are known
to be nearly five hundred years old.
Another way, yet used in many parts
of South America for crossing deep
ravines and mountain torrents, was to
suspend wicker-work basket on sim
gle cable, to be drawn by ropes from
side to side. A few years ago, when
the government extended the Inca road
beyond La Pas in the direction of
Obraies, the work was begun with re-
ligious ceremonies, presided over by the
bishop, assisted by a large number OF
priests, the President, the diplomatic
corps and other prominent personages.
In cutting through a hill close to La
Paz the Workmen came upon a num-
Der of crushed and buried houses, skel-
etons, household utensils, ETC.; doubt
less the work of an earthquake at some
forgotten period.
Along this wonderful mountain high
way the degenerate descendants of
those who built it are everywhere to be
seen, with faces which in shape and
feature closely resemble those on the
ancient water-jars dug from the Inca
tombs. At this altitude the weather is
always cold, and the Indians have a
queer way of warming themselves by
piling all available covering upon their
heads, leaving the lower extremities
entirely bare. Though nature has pro-
vided each with heavy shock of coarse
Hall llhc HALT, It uldNs a u liVeOu
cap tightly over his head and ears, and
puts folded blanket on top of that.
Both men and women perambulate the
earth with naked feet, the former with
legs also much exposed to the weather,
their short black trousers slipping up
above the knees, and the loose white
cotton drawers beneath Tapping like
patent fans when the wearer walks.
Their adobe huts, brown, solemn and
expressionless, seem off the same piece
as the brown, silent ndsolemn owners,
who cultivate their poor farms, drive
their llamas, or sit by the wayside with
eyes fixed upon vacancy, never deign-
ing to bestow passing glance upon
travellers. Alternating with acres of
stone are fields of barley, now yellow
and ready fol cutting, though at this
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