New-York tribune., 1904-09-18
SEEKING INCA GOLD.
1t Is Noe Proposed to Drain or
Lake Tihcdca.


guest for fortune, and now they have plotted
dhe boldest sacrilege of all. They are planning
TO rob these oldtime deties of the very gifts
offered them in sacrifice. a foreign syndicate
aas Just obtained a government concession to
dredge the sacred lake of Titicaca, on the bot
tom OF which gold and silver vessels cast over
board centuries ago as votiVe offerings are be-
teved to lie in heaps
The task which these gold seekers have un-
iertaken would appear to out-Hercules many
famed exploit of that oldtime athlete Lake
rIticaca is the largest inland body Of water in
South America, and the deepest 1t lies Graded
n the Andes nearly 1900 feet above the sea,
md it measures 130 miles long, with an average
width Of thirty miles. II poured into the Hud-
son Valley It would extend from Harlem 10
albany and overflow the banks OF the river
,asin a distance OF fifteen miles on either side
Il is seven hundred feet deep in certain parts
~ seven times deeper than any diver could vent
In order. therefore, to rob the lake Of Its
reasure. these modern Jasons must either en-
,Iov drsdgfng machines capable of reaching
tremendous depths drain the lake dry
engineers who have studied the problem say
hat the latter is the easier way. The lake
occupies the lower part of great baslh' inc
,pper edges Of which bear tide marks showing
hat at one time the surface OF the water
.oe hundreds OF feet higher Ihan at present
riticaca though still fresh, has subsided ihuc"
the same as the Great Salt Lake OF Otah-
aumber OF small streams pour into the Ddsl''
from the surrounding mountains ana IheH
saters are discharged from the lake thrOusH
,na U,asapuadero into Lake Aullagas. from
Shch they fow to the southern part oI INC
aasin 10 evaporats in great salt marshes. When
vas 10 the east and formed a tributary OF the
Amazon Tiucaca is at the very southern enc
- Porn where IL is bounded by Bolivia
Since the days OF the Incas the Lake must
nave subsided many feet, for many vouVe OIL
feriugs have been found buried in the sandy
soil Of the shore. which was at one time the
ooze OF the bottom Some rare specimens OK
those sacrihcial relics have recently been Sc
rured for the Amarican Museum OF Natural
History OF this city. as the result or the bahoe-
DER expedition. Not a few are OF great Va4ue'
cot only historically but commercially. one
large silver TAR, for example. equals a half peck
measure and contains gold figures OF the llama
or camel sheep OF the Andes. large gold oea0s'
oliver disks and gold hgurinea
The chief island in the lake WAS believed by
the aboriginal Peruvians TO have been the birth
place of the Incas- Here two Children OF the
Sun descended. al lghting on the Sacred Rock"
large bowlder OF sandstone still standing. Be
cause certain crevices in this rock resemble
wildcat the island, and afterward the lake, was
cal ed Titicaca. the Indian word for this animal
Besides their mythical settlement OF Titicaca.
the Incas are authenticity reported 10 have Oc-
cupied the island about the year 1850 and there
they built their chief shrines and temples
Among these structures were the palace of the
Inca, the temple Of the Sun and the palace Of
the Virgins constructed OF stone laid In adobe
mud. Some OF their floors were mosaic com
posed OF small pebbles.
As the seat of spiritual power. Titcaca be-
came a centre OF pilgrimage. and the inhab- |
ttants OF the surrounding country came 20 par |
take in great sacrificial celebrations held IN the |
open squares, where priests. pilgrims. Indian |
madeus virgins OF the and captives OF |
conquered tribes all united in the sacred chants |
and dances All who came were apparelled In
their richest garments. lavishly adorned with |
trappiugs Of gold and silver and dyed In gor-
seous colors. A glittering display OF wealth |
was a fundamental element of the Inca religion,
Tor its chief god was the ali glittering sun.
cuzco the chief capital. on the mainland, was
The scene Of like ceremonials.
In sailing to the sacred islands the pilgrims
Eere wont to propitiate their gods by casting
nto the water some sort of treasure. The kind
If craft which the votaries used closely resem-
oled the modern balza, Of which was
brought back by the Bandeller party The
0alZa is made entirely of reeds from the totara
! bamboo plant which grew in abundance