The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-24

mighty valley which in places IS 100
miles wide. running north and south
from Ecuador to Bolivia. Tho valley
SIS walled BY snow-capped mountains.
It has many peaks that are three or
four miles above the sea. mighty vol
canoes that have poured out ramparts
OF lava that has CONCEALED. rs 1t were.
In it's flow. This great valley winds
in and out.
Tho most OF 1t is over 10000 feet
above the sea, but there are great de-
pres sions here and there in which the
land slopes down to the altitude of
1000 feet, giving /. all the crops Of the
tropics and the temperate zone.
This plateau IS one OF tho most thick
L. populated parts of South America,
and it has some Of the stranTcst people
of the new world. The majority Of
them arc Indians, and several millions
nre the descendants of the Quichuas.
the SUBJECTS or slaves of the Incas The
inca empire extended from beyond
Quito to far down into Chile. and it's
people wore IL many respects more
civilized than the Spaninrds who con-
uuered and cnslaved them. When Pr
zarro came they We're numbered by
millions, and IL is said that there were
100000 of them In Peru alone. They
were civilized and Industrious. They
were excellent farmers. and they irri-
gated vast tracts which, under the
Spaninrds. soon Went TO waste. 1t is of
tho descendants of these people that l
write you to-day. BY terrible opprcS1
sions their number has been cut down
to at least one third of what 1t was in
the past. but there still in T'cru
perhaps 100000 OF them. nearly all OF
whom live on this high plateau of the
mountains.
l the Quichuas first In the
northern part OF the Andes. They
populate the high valleys of Ecuador
and are still TO TIC found ALI the way
from there south to Bolivia, where
the Aymara Indians begin. Right here
at Cuzco am in the heart of their
ancient empire, and In the centre OF
the populat ton OF to-day
| have seen the Quichuas by hun
dreds In every town ut which l have
stopped. and have photographed their
little nuts. scattered over the pampas;
I have seen them toilinE along the
trails with enormous loads on their
backs, or going barefooted, driving
their llnmas and donkcys loaded with
the crops OF their masters 10 the mar
kcts OF the cities. have watched
them rs they sat on the stone floors
of the plazas with their little stores
OF vegetables. grain or fruit spread
out before them. and have observed
them IN the streets carrying great
barrels or water and other burdens
from house To house rs the servants
OF the Cholos and whites. These In
dians. who We're formerly among the
most civilized peoples OF the world out
side of Europe, are now about the
most degraded ana miserable OF any
on earth. Stace the Spanlards came
they have been practically the servants
OF the whites and the half breeds
Their Intelligence has been ground
out of them and through generations
OF abuses ana or exploitation on the
part or their masters added to the
use OF alcohol and coca, they have
become nearer pure animals than any
race now borne a burden on the
shoulders or white men
In the short time / have been in
South America DO not pretend To pass
judgment as TO the present status OF
the Qutchua civilizat ton. The above
opinions are the sist OF those | have
gathered from men VINO have lived
in South America for manS years.
Some OF the views come from ma
Gves. and some from foreigners who
have been long in the country
Let me give YOU a few OF the talks
have had on this subject. The first
is from mining operator. who Is Mt
the head OF the company witch in the
past decade had operated quartz mines
here In the Andes. yielding more than
ST.OOU.ooo in gold. lie is a man OF
close observation and a large employer
OF Indians. He Is moreover. open
minded and fair. he really believes
what he says
The ouichuas Of to-day appear to
lack ordinary intelligence. You tell
man 10 fetch YOU broom and he
VIII bring YOU q shovel. You send
MN LOT Ratchet. and like as not he
viii come back with a glass OF water
lf you knock him over and make
him go back he then may bring wha,
YOU have asked. The shock starts
his brain 10 working, and it Is only
then that he understands believe
THAI the cause OF the deterioration
Of the Quichua IS due somewhat to
the oppression ne has had on the part
OF the whites, but more 20 the al
cohoi and coca with which his brain
is soaked from the tyne he reaches
young manhood until the day of his
death. The chewing OF the coca leaf
begins almost at birth, and hoys and
girls. young men and young women.
as well as the old must have 40 much
coca per day. Tho Indians expect to
De supplleo with q certain amount OF
coca In addition 10 their wages They
mix the leaves with tho ashes or a
certain tree and chew them The
ashes furnish the alkali that loosens
the alkaloid Of tn" coca. giving them
the full effect or tho cocaine These
ashes are made up in blocks and ara
sold in the market Every Indian
carries MS coca pouch with him ana
he chews AL the time When MS
jaws stop you can sec this cud. tho
SIZE OF .; walnut. buig!ne through ono
OF his cheeks. The coca takes away
hunger and enables him To endurA
fatigue, but il also dries up the brain.
as TO alcohol, both mon and women
drink great quantities OF aguardient.
or sugar brandy. This has an al
cchol grade Of about - per cent
Another american. who IS o large
mine operator in Bolivia. tells mo that
the Indian boys are bright untii The
age Of fifteen. Up TO that time they
have plenty of coca. but their brains
have not been sodden with liquor one
reason for this is that their parents
want the liquor themselves. 1t is only
after sixteen when they begin to work
independently OF their parents. that
they can get alcohol in any great
quantity. After that their brains ma
teriany deteriorate. and they arc on
the downgrade for ths rest of their
lives
n native Peruvian of Spanish de-