Omaha daily bee., 1914-05-03

tween the two ranges OF the
I'D Andes This plateau runs
NQt1lof north and south for thou-
t8 sand or more miles through
Ecuador and Peru am now at
the southern end OF IT, several hun
dred miles south OF the region 1 have
described in my letters from Cerro de
Pasco. To reach Cerro 7 had to cross
the mountains at an altitude OF 1900
feet The pass by which I came here Il
only 1000 feet lower. and II was through
q driving snowstorm that ] slid over the
mountains from the Pacific slope to the
Atlantic.
It took me three days by rail to get
here from the ocean My road was the
Southern Railway OF Peru. which Is one
Of the best managed IN the republic. Its
trains start on time and get there. The
ride here was compa ratively comfortable.
although part Of my journey was not on
the express. BY the fast trains Il Is pos
sible TO reach Cuzco from the ocean In
side OF three days. ! am taking four IN
order that / may better see the country
and people. The first stage Of my travels
was up the mountains from the port Of
Moliendo 10 Arequipa. That city is the
metropolis OF southern Peru Il is 1900
feet above the sea, and in/reachng u
you cover only little more than half Of
the altitude TO the top OF the Andes.
stayed there for a day or so. and then
went on TO Jullaca, a town q short dis
tance from Lake Titicaco. The latter
journey requires a full days railroad
travel During II / crossed the pass u
Crucero Alto, and in coming down Ia
Juliaca fell TO height OF little less
than 1900 feet. The high altitude af-
fected me, and I felt a slight touch Of
soroche at the hotel where we stopped
over night Juiaca Is the juctlon where
the Southern railroad divides; one branch
going southwark 10 Puno ON Lake IT.
tlcaca, and the other northward over
the great plateau to the valley and
ancient city OF Cuzco. This journey Is
made by the express in one day. The or
dlnary trains take two days and there
fore after nine hours from Jullaca have
10 stop over night at Sicuani Tomorrow
! shall resume my journey to the famed
city Of the Incas, which Is about 100 miles
further on.
Journey is Wonderful.
have already described the ride over
the Peruvian desert from the ocean to
Arequlpa. The journey from there TO the
top OF the mountains Is even more won
derful. You start from the level OF
Mexico City and wind your way around
Mount MIsti, which is more than 1900
feet high, and at the same time you can
see other mountains, such as Chachacani,
which are more than four miles above
the sea and which are covered with snow
all the year round. Higher still there are
mountains covered with glaciers and on
the way up the valley TO Cuzco at La
Raya you see glaciers In far distance,
which must cover many square miles.
The greater part OF the way Is through
extinct volcanoes. The slope OF Mount
MIST 10 covered with great blocks OF
black lava and the mountains that wal!
this high valley in the region whore
now am have Niagarss of lava which
seem 10 have been frozen as they flowed
from the craters above down the slopes.
In places you look over the wallis OF such
rock a thousand feet high. and above
thom see glaciers on mountains that are
more than four miles in height At times
these mountains rise up like a great
white rampant of irregular shape, kiss-
ing the sky; and again they extend in a
saw-tooth construction as far as your
eyes can reach.
VegetatiOn IN spotted.
The vegetation changes tho moment
YOU near the top OF the Andes. As you
climb the western slope at an altitude OF
two miles or more the grass begins to
sprinkle the semi-nrld htlaides, and when
you cross the pass and come down TO the
plateau you are in region of sod COW
cred with TUFTS of wiry grass which are
too coarse for anything but the llamas
The plateau Itself Is covered with flocki
OF sheep and alpacas. There are herds OF
cattle, and you see drovee Of ilamas loaded
with goods OF one kind or another be-
ing driven along. There ara Indian VII
lages at every few miles, and in places
the pampa is spotted with low mud hut
rooted with straw, each OF which is th'
homo OF an Indian who grazes his al
pacas and llamas nearby. Everywhere Of
the sides OF the valley are the remsin
OF the cultivation OF the lncas. Their
are terraces that run from the platea'
for thousands OF feet up the mountain
These terraces were walled with stone
and where possible the water was car
ried from level to level In many place
the terraced farms had no water and th
crops grown depended upon the seant
rainfall.
Farming in she sky.
And just here I want 20 give you a