Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-10
THE BOLIVIAN ANDES
Lecture by G. M. Pepper Be-
fore Geographic Congress.
THE REGION OF SNOW
PEOPLE WHO LIVE $4,000 FEET
ABOVE THE SEA.
Mountain Peaks of Great Height--Bo-
ivia Called the Roof of
the World.

A lecture by Mr.. narles M. Pepper, on
the Bolivian Andes, was principally what
occupied the attention of the international
geographic congress last night Mr.. Pep
per outlined briefly the official mission
with regard to the Pan-American railway
which caused him to spend some time in
the Bolivian Andes, and which took him,
by means of pack animals. railway trains,
stages and steamboats,, from one end of the
country to the other
The great continental range of the Andes,
he said, forks northwest of Lake Titicaca.
In south latitude ii degrees. The Occi-
dental Cordilleras trend from northwest to
south of the Pacific coast, and are igneous
or volcanic. The Ori@ tai or Royal Cordil-
leras extend in a general direction from
northwest to southeast, and are of more
ancient origin, geologically silurian and
devonian, or, in popular terms, granite
and of sandstone character.
The Royal Cordillera is marked by three
series of peaks known as Cololo, which Is
in Peru, Illampu and Tres Cruces, or Three
Crosses The greatest of these Cordilleras
are the Illampu. They extend from the tow
ering glacier peak of Sorata to the section
known as the IEimani These. according
to Mr. Peppers description, form an ice
region of perpetual snow. which in this
latitude begins at about 1900 feet above
sea level.
The Roof of the World.
1t is this region, Mr.. Pepper said, which
entities Bolivia to be called the roof of the
world. The peaks of the Illimani vary from
21,25U to 21.750 feet Sorata Is variously
estimated from 21,.O0 to 5000 feet, but no
accurate measurements are known.
The water system of this Andean region
is threefold. The water courses are from
the Occidental Cordillera to the Pacihc
from the slopes of both great Cordilleras
through the central basin or plateau into
various lakes and from the eastern slope
of the Royal Cordillera to the Atlantic
Near the city of Sucre are two dominating
peaks. From the side of one of these b.
rivulet starts, and, flowing north, ultimately
reaches the Atlantic through the waters or
the Amazon. The other peak Is the source
reaches the Atlantic through the La Plata
Mr.. Pepper gave in detail the features or
the southern section of the Royal Cordll-
leras as he had observed them coming
north from Argentina with pack mules. Inc
course is up the great ravine of Humahuaca
and is the old Spanish trail that has been
followed for centuries. This ravine Is like
a double funnel 1t widens and leads across
a series of roller-top mountains, the pass
being known as the Three Crosses Gate
way, 1926 feet above sea level. Thence
there is a descent to the valley of Tupiza,
nearly 10000 feet above sea level. The Cor
dllleraS, known as the CnlCndS, anu the
Sierra of San Vincente are crossed. The
mountains lie in irregular masses, with
many canyons and sashes.
Pixies Peak of Bolivia.
The dominating summit in this region
visible at the greatest distance is known as
Guadalupe, and is sometimes called the
Pixies Peak of Bolivia. The geological for
nation is of red sandstone and limestone
There is series of conical peaks, Cho-
rolque, Ubinas. Cotaigata, whose heights
range from II COO feet upward and whose
tops are covered with eternal SHOWS. The
pass which leads to Uyuni is known as Por-
A pass further to the south is that known
Santa Fe, and is nearly 10000 feet.
Mr.. Pepper took the town of Uyuni as the
basis for description of the great table
land or central plateau of Bolivia. The ia
bleland lies between the Occidental and the
Oriental Cordilleras. and it's surface is
broken by many small sierras, presumably
volcanic eruptions. 1t was once the bed
immense salt plains. The railroad runs
from Uyuni to Oruro along the mountain
range known as the Cordillera of the FriarS,
and from there a stage route is followed to
the city of La Paz. 1t is along this route
that the best view of the Illimani is had,
while the grandeur of Sorata is most ap-
parent from Lake Titicaca.
Lake System Described.
The lake system of the central plateau
was described by Mr.. Pepper as consisting
not only of Lake Titicaca. but also of Lake
Poopo. Titicaca is 1880 feet above sea
level and is the highest body of water in
the world on which there is steam naviga-
ton. Its greatest length is 1873 miles, and
greatest width sixty-nne miles. Titicaca
itself Is not an evaporating pan, as its
waters are drained by the River Desagua-
POODO. which a
tenth the size of Titicaca. Lake Poopo,
however, only has about one-hundredth part
of the volume of water 1t receives carried
off by other streams.
With relation to the climate of the An
dean region, Mr.. Pepper said that the great
attitudes were modified by the tOrrid zone
which includes almost the entire area, as
Bolivia's geographical extension Is from
south latitude z degrees to "a degrees.
general statement was that between 1900
and 1900 feet a mean annual average of
50 degrees Fahrenheit is experienced, while
above that altitude the mean average is
approximately AZ degrees Fahrenheit. The
configuration of the mountains had marked
modifying influences, and the attitudes are
not always an indication of the tempera-
ture. In this region tuberculosis is IN
known, but there are other diseases of a
climatic character. Until acclimated new
find the greatest inconvenience from
the siroche or mountain Sickness which is
akin to seasickness and from the acceI-
Grated heart action.
Life at High Altitude.
Referring to the Inhabitants of the Bo-
livian Andes, Mr.. Pepper said that the
chief centers of population were above
5000 feet, and most of them above 1900
feet. He cited number of places in which
people were congregating in settlements
more than 1900 feet above sea level, and
referred to the belief that the aboriginal
were much more numerous
than the present ones. He also recalled
that after the Spanish conquest a much
larger population was sustained in the
mining regions than at present. He cited
the district of Oruro, which now has 10000
inha bitants, and which the Spanish annals
credited with 10000 people in the early
part of the sixteenth century, while Potosi
which now has 1900, according to the
Spanish figures at one time supported 16O,-
600 people.
A census was taken In 1900 and It showed
a total population of l, $4,000, of whom 215,-
600 were whites, 5000 of mixed blood and
OBS 600 belonged to the Indian race without
the intermixture of other blood. OF the In
dams the two great divisions are the Ava
maras and the Quichuas. The bulk of this
Indian population is within the Andean re-
gion. The Ayamaras are the most numer-
GUS and occupy the central tableland and
much Of the puma or mountain region The
in ha