El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-02

Of all the religious edifices-the con-
vent of the Virgins of the sun, and the
gorgeous Temple Of the sun, Nth
.chapels sacred to the moon, stars, etc
Imposing Temple of sun.
The Temple of the sun at CuZcO was
in its day the most imposing structure
in an America The SpSniards wrote
that there was nothing finer to be seen
in all Europe. Rectangular IN shape,
ir enclosed a court, into which opened
q number of chapels dedicated to the
sacred objects Of Peruvian worship, and
from it fell off a series Of terraces down
to the river below, for ing the Famous
Gardens of the sun. The inner walls
were plated with gold, and at one end
OF the temple proper (Which occupied
one side of the COURT, was a huge plate
of gold, representing the sun. On the
Otner sides were the chapelS of the
Noon. Venus. the Pleiades, the Thun-
der the Lightning, and the Rainbow
There were also apartments for the
priests, and a large room Tor the su-
a Journey of about 200 miles south
ward from CuZcO brings the traveller TO
the northern shore Of one OF the largest
bodies of fresh water IN the WorlQ-
the celebrated Lake Titicaca, which, OF
a. very irregular oval shape, is 40 miles
in length. 1t has eight Islands, me
largest of which is the sacred island
of ancient Peru To 1t the meas traced
their origin. For here 1t was that Man
co Capac and Mama Ocllo, children OF
the sun were commissioned by that
arts, religion and government the saw
age tribes which at that time occupied
the country
on this island are still to be seen the
remains of temple of the sun, as well
as the ruins of a royal palace and other
once magnificent buildings At the
north end is a rOck-the most sacred
sDOt in all Peru. Upon it according to
the ancient belief no bird would alght
or animal venture, nor human being
dare to place his foot. Tradition sald
that its holloWs gave to the children or
the sun their first shelter after their
arrival on the earth. Today II bears the
aspect of nothing more than weather
worn mass of red sandstone but IN
early days it was plated all over with
gold and silver, and was covered eN-
cept on occasions Of most solemn les
tfTaI, with a veil Of cloth of richest
color and material
Remarkable Architecture.
Six miles distant is the island OF
Coat, sacred to the Moon (the wife OF
the sum, on which is the palace Of
the Virgins Of the Sun-one OF the best
preserved and most remarkable rem
nants of aboriginal architecture on TINS
continent. Within 1t are two chambers,
which, contained. respectively, the gold
en- statue Of the sun and the silver
statue of the Noon, with were unveiled
on occasions when the people came to
worship. There still remain the walls
of an interior court wherein the yes
tails wOve garments of vicuna wool for
and for themselves, as well as hangings
for the holy temples.
Coat was second only to the Island
OF the Sun (already described) as a re-
sort for piOuS pilgrims, who came from
all parts of the empire, bringing offer
iGgs of Vicuna and alpaca wool, as well
as the feathers of beautiful birds, to
be worked up by the busy virgins Also,
for the priests, who attended TO the
business Of praying for the crops, they
fetched much "chicha'-the national
drink of Peru since time immemOrial
which was made then, as IT is today,
place, this Island of the Noon. In front
of the palace Of the Virgins extends q
magnificent esplanade from which a Sc
rieS OF terraces tplauUed anclently with
fIowers) descends 10 the waters edge
Thence one may behold one Of the most
superb views in all the world, luampu,
the crown of the Andes" uplifting in
the background its SUBMITS covered
with everlasting snow
South of Lake T1ticaca is a vast plaln,
scattered over which are found the re
mains Of what appears to be a ciyiliza-
ton antedaung even that Of the meas
From some of the ruins has been Cd
tanned the bulk Of the material for the
building of the city Of La Pazs the cap
deep valley 90 miles away.
So ancient was this civilization that
il seems actually to have disappeared
before that Of the lncaS began. Lhe
Peruvian natives, indeed, told the
Spanish invaders that it had existed
before the sun shOne IN the heavens
Strangest of all, it was apparently SUI
perioT, if anything, to the Inca culture
Beautifully Cut Stones.
Nowhere else in the world are stones
to. be found cut with such mathematics
precision. Some of them are 25 feet
long and Is feet wide, and are fastened
together with pins and T-clamps OF
bronze. How they were cut or BY
what means transported and put IN
place. is a mystery. One of the most
important buildings is known today as
the fortress. The stones composing the
floor of its principal room, known as
the Hall Of Justice (Whatever its real
use may have BEEN, were so massive
that modern engineers were unable tC
remove them bodily, and so blew them
IN with gunpOWder, carrying OF many
of the deliberately cut fragments 10
pave the cathedral of La PaZ.
Tradition states that beneath the
l building are great vaults filled with
treasure, and that here begins sub
terranean passage which leads all the
way to CuZcO more than 400 miles dis
tant. Near by there was a temple, as
well as other huge edifices, comprising
architectural remains as stupendOus anc
admirable as those OF Assyria, Egypt
[ Greece, or Rome
1t is historically related that one OF
Pizarro's pilots asked him for the nal