El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-26
.-By-
Frank C. Carpenter
Copyright 1914, by Frank
G. CarDenterO

they are Diack, and now white as snow.
Here they are composed of old red
sandstone and there they are ivory
while further on they may be as yell
low as gold. They have every fOrma-
ton known to man. There are great
forts without number, there are spires
which reach TO the Sky, and ptnnacles
fit for the pulpits of gods.
The life of the Andes is unlike that
of any other region on earth. This IS
so Of the plant and animal world. The
semi-arld plains Of the highlands have
a vegetation like moss, there are
strange wild flowers and the high pla-
teauS are as barren of trees as the
Sahara. Still they grow potatoes and
corn, barley and quinua and other crops
The people are different There have
never BEEN any indians like the Incas
and there are none like their descen-
dants today. They have their own GUS
toms and traditions and folk lore ready
for the scientist Of the future. 1 might
fill a page Of this newspaper with
stories Of strange superstitions.
could tell you of the gods and devils
of the high Andes and of fairies and
witches.
Perpetual Youth from Liznrd.
Aymara believe that the flesh and
blood of certain lizard will give one
perpetual youth. 1t will cure all sorts
of diseases and even mend broken
bones As the story goes, the indian
kills the lizard and wraps it round the
fracture and the break becomes well.
1t is also good for stomach trouble and
the wife of an American miner tens
me how she was cured by using It.
The lizards came from an old indian,
who prescribed the raw flesh chopped
up with the blood in it. This was to
be drunk with the addition Of little
chiCha, the common beer OF the country.
Chicha Is the Common Beer.
Chicha is the common beer of the
az
ing up grains Of corn in the mouth.
/ The natives have chicha parties, where
the young girls come together and SIT
down in a circle. In the center IS a
basin of wood. AS soon as they are
seated they begin chewing the IN
cooked grains of a certain kind OF
I indian corn. They masticate this until
it is reduced to pulp and IS saturated
! with saliva when they spit the cud
out into a basin. At the end OF the
party there is a great bowl OF the
mixture. It is left to ferment ana
with the addition of the water soon
turns to an excellent beer.
Domestic Animals of the Andes.
The fauna of the high Andes is IN
teresting and the domestic animals are
I especially so. I never grow tired OF
| studying the namas, alpacas, Vlcunas
| and guanacuas. They all belong to one
! family whose home is the high Andes.
The llama is the beast of burden. II
! is numbered by millions and IL carries
! the most of the freight Of the high
| lands.
: The alpaca is of the same shape, only
] smaller. Its wool is among the finest
J softest and silkiest known TO the
| world Alpacas are kept in great HOOKS
! watched by shepherds and cared Tor as
| we care for sheep. They are clipped
once in two years, when each should
| Weld about five pounds Of long Wool
| The animals are quiet and easily nan
! died.
! The vicuna looks not unlike an al
| Daca. except that it is smaller and
! more delicateIy formed. In habits 1t Is
| more like a deer than a sheep, and its
! flesh tastes like venison. 1t cannot
I be domesticated, although it will some
| times come down from the mountains
/ and craze with the alpacas. 1t is otter
! killed for its wool and skins The WOO
] is golden yellow. 1t is finer than thai
| Of the alpaca and so soft and firm
! that clothing made Of it is practically
! waterproof. The supply is limited, anc
| at the present time it brings SOU
| mound whereas the common alpaca
| wool sells for less than 25 cents pei
pound and llama wool and Sleeps wool
| are much lower.
Vicuna skin rugs when well tanned
| with the fur on are like silk plush, ahC
they bring from $40 to 800 apiece.
There are millions of sheep on tht
| high Andes, but they are poorly KEEP
| and have been ruined by inbreedinB
The native sheep does not produce more
| than a pound and a half or two pounds
to the fleece, and some farmers sheal
their sheep only once in two years