The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-09-07

| of coast land that European blood and
culture have made themselves most
strongly felt.
To the east rise the three towering
ranges of the Andes, their slopes,
peaks and intervening valleys and
plateaus constituting the Sierra" the
second of the three great geographic
divisions of Peru. In this lofty region
the Inca civilization held sway with
marvelously intricate but efficient
governmental machine, before the
Spanish came. CuzcO, the capital Of
the Inca empire, was situated in fer
tile, protected valley of the Sierra re-
gion. and remains today one Of the
important Peruvian towns. Its popu-
lation now, however, Is only 5000,
about one-tenth that of the city when
1t was the Babylon of the western
hemisphere.
In the almost inaccessible country to
the northwest of Cuzco, and less than
so miles distant, hidden away among
the mountains, was Machu Picchu, the
secret city where the forerunners Of
the Incas, almost destroyed by bar
barians, nursed their civilization and
culture for centuries before going out
into the valleys and founding their
great empire. This old city, whose
existence had been only a tradition
for hundreds of years, was discovered
in 1911 and uncovered in 1912 by ex-
petitions of the National Geographic
society and Yale university.
The Sierra. or region Of mountains,
valleys and plateaus, is still the land
OF the heirs of the Incas. In this por-
tion of Peru lives the largest single
element in the population, the civil
lied Indians, descendants of the Incas.
Though the population Of Peru is not
known accurately, it is estimated to
be about 100000. The Indians of
the Sierra number close to 100000.
immense Mineral Resources.
In the Peruvian Sierra, too, are the
mining developments. Peru's mineral
resources are almost inexhaustible,
Gold and silver are the minerals on
which most emphasis was placed by
the Spaniards. Fortunes in both were
removed from the country, but rich
deposits remain. In recent years COP.
per has led other minerals in the value
of production. The copper mines at
Cerre de Pasco are among the richest
In the world. Almost every mineral
substance known Is believed to have
been compounded in natures great
Andean laboratory. The list Of prod
ucts from Peruvian mines covers much
of the alphabet from anthony to
vanadium. OF great importance are
the petroleum wells Of the northern
coast. whose production Is next in
value to the country's copper output.
To the east Of the Andes, cut of
from the more developed portion OF
the country, lies the third geographical
division, the region known as the
Montana. Peru's land Of the future.
This part Of the republic is made I'D
of the wooded landward slopes of the
Andes. grassy foothills. and the heavy
little-known jungles and forests that
spread out 10 the east for thousand
miles or more along the broad valley
OF the Amazon and its tributaries. Be-
cnuse of the heavy rainfall the growth
Of vegetation In this part of Peru Is
believed to he as heavy as anywhere
else In the world. Even at midday IN
some Of the forests the light Is no
brighter than at twilight in open
country. In glade, with dense
vegetation on all sides, one feels that
he has been dropped down into the
bottom Of deep green-lined pit.
The country on the eastern slopes
Of the Andes and on the foothills be-
fore the dense forest is reached has
been settled very sparsely; but over
thousands of square miles of the
jungle the foot Of civilized man has
never trod. A few tribes of uncivi,.
lied Indians roam through these for
est depths.
Many large rivers rising on the east.
ern slopes of the Andes, flow across
the Montana region of Peru. into Bra.
zil, and finally find their way into the
Atlantic 1000 miles away, through the
mighty Amazon. Ocean vessels ascend
the Amazon to IquitOs. the metropolis
of eastern Peru. nearly 200 miles with
In Peruvian territory; and by rive,
boats the journey may be continued t.
within 200 miles Of the Pacific. Alons
many of the rivers in eastern Peru art
towns Of some Importance, which ar,
the outpOsts Of Peruvian civilization
commerce and government in this lso
lated trans-Andean empire.