The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-23

= is Unsuitable greed for gold has
- again led the Daleface TO defy
the gods OF the Incas.
Like the followers OF Pizarro,
the Americans and Europeans Of today
DO not hesitate TO prOfane the temples OF
the ancient Peruvisns In their quest for
fortune and now they have plotted the
boldest sacrilege OF all. They are plan
ming TO rob the old-time deities OF the
very gifts offered them In sacrifice.
a foreign syndicate has just obtained
a government concession 10 dredge the
sacred lake of Titicaca, on the bottom
OF which gold and silver vessels cast
overheard centuries ago as vOLive ofer-
ings are believed TO lie in heaps,
The task which ghese g0Id-seeIzers have
undertaken wou-u appear 10 out-HercuIes
many a famed exploit of that oId-Cims
athlete. Lake TlUcaca is the largest
inland body OF water in South America
and the deepest. 1t lies Graded ln The
Andes. nearly 18. 600 feet above the sea
and il measures 100 miles long with an
average width OF thirty miles. If pour
ed into the Hudson valley il would eX-
tend from Harlem TO Albany, and over
flow the banks OF the river basin a dis
lance OF fifteen miles on either side. IT
Is zoo feet deep in certain parts. or seven
times deeper than any diver could ven
ture.
May Drain the Lake.
In order. therefore. TO rob the lake Of
fits treasure, these modern Jas0ns must
either employ dredging machines capa-
bic Of reaching the tremendous depths
or drain The lake dry. Engineers who
have studied the problem say that the
latter is the easier way The lake oceu-
pies the lower part OF a great basin.
rF
water marks, showing that at one time
the surface Of the water was hundreds
OF feet higher than az present Titicaca.
though stiu fresh. has subsidized much
the same as the Great Salt Lake Of
Utah.
A number Of small streams pour into
the basin from the surrounding noun
tains, and their waters are discharged
from the lake through the DeuaEuacero
into Lake AulIagas, from which they
Tow 10 the southern part of the basin
70 evap0raJe m great salt marshes
when the lake was al its highest ages
ago. ITS outlet was 10 the east and form
ed a tributary or the Amazon. Iiticaca
IS al the very southern end Of Peru
where it IS bounded by Bolivia.
Find Relics in Sand.
Since the DAYS Of the IUcas the lake
must have subsidized many leefr Tor many
vouve offerings have been found buried
81 the sandy soIl of the shore. which was
al one time the 0oze OF the bottom.
some rare euecimeuz of these sacrihcial
se.icz have recently been secured for the
American Museum of Natural History
as The result OF the BaudeIier expedition.
Not few are Of great value, not only
historically but commercially One large
silver jar for example. equals half
neck measure and contains gold figures
OF the llama or camel sheep OF the
AuGes. large gold beads. silver disks anc
sold lEuriEes-
Fhe chief island il the lake was be-
Heyed Iv the aboriginal Peruviaus 10
have been the birthplace OF the Incas-
Here two children OF the sun descended.
sIiehtiug on the sacred rock" "a large
bowler cf sandstone still standing. Be
cause certain crevices iU this rock re-
sambIe "a wildcat the island. after
ward the lake. was called TUcaca, the
Indian word for this animal
Resides their mythical settlement Of
Titicscs. the Incas are automatically re-
ported no have occupied the island about
the year I451. and there they built thziF
chief shriucs 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 ia