The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-23


Of the year, even In this tropical latitude
the former being, 10000 feet to the high
est peak, and the latter smouldering
volcano. being 1920 feet. During my
months OF residence in this part OF Peru
] saw these wonderfully picturesque
mountains at all times OF night and day.
by moonlight and sunset when the Units
and shades could only be described with
the artists brush ] came to look upon
them as old friends before 1 LETT the
country. As we approached Arequipa,
the second city of Peru. the view be-
comes more and more picturesque. The
valley widens and the great snow clad
mountain peaks tower over the quaint
old-fashioned city. whose buildings have
walls many feet thick and arched roofs
Of sun baked bricks 20 resist tho shak-
ing OF the frequent earthquakes Those
who continue tho journey up to Lake
liticaca stay overnight in Arequipa.
which. being q city of 5000 inhabi-
tants. has ample hotel accommodations
The train leaves ArcQuipa at Z A. NJ,
and pulls on hour after hour. rising hum
dreds Of feet TO the milo. After a seven
hour pull we Cross the highest point on
the Southern Raifway of Peru, 1866 feet
above sea level. Most OF the forenoon
three snow-capped peaks are visible At
various points on the line. In the next
one hundred miles to Lake Titicaca there
way following n great fiat bottomed val
Icy most of the way 70 the shores Of the
great mountain lake, which is reached
nj ?. NJ, after n very firing twelve
hour ride. Some travellers arc affected
by tho rarified atmosphere at these high
attitudes, and are troubled with nose
bleeding and vomiting. ''sirochc." or
mountain sickness. Passengers for Boz
livia pass straight on 10 the lake steamer.
/ was fortunate TO catch the finest OF the
four lake steamers. the new steamship
Inca 4 beautifully fitted up little steam
or. go feet long by 80 feet beam. with
every modern convenience. and capable
Of carrying 600 tons Of cargo. Her speed
is ten to twelve knots per hour. and she
Is fitted with twin screws.
Bottomless Lake.
The steamer sailed about P. n. and
hv daylight had covered half her voyage
across this extraordinary lake. whose
waters are 1850 feet above the level
of the sea. and whose bottom in places
has never been found Il was from The
Island Of the sun here that legend
saws tie first % tho Ereat Inca rulers
of ancient Peru came. From the lake
ON a clear day one OF the most wonder
fui scenes in The world can be- eeen.
The great chain Of snow-cappcd peaks
90 the Bolivian Andes reach from over
ono hundred miles from great Solata. IN
this country tho highest mountain.
10 Dlman. almost as high. and ANNA
Poyosj. being the third great peak in
sight 81 over n 900 feet In height All
this range, and. in fact. the whole Bo
liviau Andes are vastly rich i'm minerals.
silver. copper and tin. Properties are
being taken mp by European and Ameri
can capitalists. and as tho new railways
with American locomotive Company's
ensines) are opened up. great things may
be expected OF this rich but undcvcloped /
country.
7 arrived at Guaaui the Bolivian port
on tho lake at 1890 A NJ. after passing
some fleets Of extraordinary straw-boats
a. popularity Of this strange locality
After waiting an hour or 50 for a train
I started ON four hour run on tho narrow
gauge GuaqM La paz railroad shortly
after leaving the station the train passes
through the famous ruins of Liaqua-
naco which are prehistoric. There are
not even legends to give clue TO these
extraordinary old stone temples and
ruined city Of some wonderful old ciVili-f
zati7n of thousands Of years ago. Sev-
cral miles from la Paz. which is now tho
virtual capital of Bolivia. passengers
transfer from the steam railroad TO an
electric line recently completed 70 go th,
last siN miles which is = steady drop Of
SIX per cent. down into the city. on ar
rival at tho edge Of the plateau which
suddenly stops az the beginning OF the
LimEaS Valley. the view thBt presents
itself 70 the travellers eye Is indescr1ba-
bic thousand feet below us lies =
great city laid out like d map Steep
hills and cliffs enclose IL on three sides
the FAR side being the continuation OF the
grcat valley that continues on To tropical
attitudes below Ulimam raises his
majestic head thousands of feet into the
sky and seems Il few miles behind the city
but II is in reality about nifty miles
away. We arrived in la Paz about p 20
F. NJ. on the third day after leaving the
seaport Of Moliendo. Peru. Hotel accom-
mediation here is very fair and the price
reasonable considering the distance from
the markets Of the world After a day 81
Sightseeing and curio hunting ! returned
as ] came and arrived at Mollendo few
hours before the fine Pacific steamer
Panama left for the North
our engines are now earning good mon
cy for the Southern Railway Of Peru.
and the men have returned to their
homes. Some Of the engine runners came
down 70 the pier to wish us Bon voy-
age and hope we may return With
eood-bys shouted above the roar Of the
surf we shot out into the darkness
rowed by staiwart Peruvian sailors to
get our steamers homeward bound. OF
the return little remains to be said We
made n good voyage TO Panama and a
good connection at Colon with the Pan
anna Railroad Steamer Alliance" with
q few of tho jolly crogd we started with
from the far South. We continued our
yovaga north through the hot and stormy
Caribbean. past cuba and the Indies. past
Cave Hatteras where I sent an aerogram
wireless telegram TO warn dear ones at
home OF my near approach
L. T. SLAUGHTER
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