The Ordway new era., 1921-08-26

epared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. d. C)
Peru, which has been celebrating
hundredth anniversary of it's in
pendence from Spain, in the pres
re of commissioners officially repre-
fling the United States and other
lions, is far enough out of the
ten path of most North Americans
be but vaguely known to them. 1t
often thought of, no doubt, as a
BE republic clinging to the sides of
lofty Andes lest 1t slip and be
h in the Pacific. But in area and
eerest Peru is by no means neg
ible and If 1t has failed to take
il important place in world affairs,
1fher commercial or political, it may
I'll be TINT that fact is due, not to
1fk of size and resources and poten-
~ wealth and power, but rather to
&maturlty
Peru has every climate under
nyen, together with many of the
pducts and conditions that go with
em 1t has the sand dunes of the
hara; the fertile, sun-bathed, irri-
fed valleys of California; the dry
zing lands of Australia; the pro-
Etiye mountain valleys and uplands
Kashmir; the bleak plateaus of
Yet; the snowy peaks of SwltZer-
d; and the tropical jungles of Cen
Africa and Brazil. And off its
res, tropical in latitude but mild in
perature, the waters, so cold that
fn they are uncomfortable for bath
are alive with the sea life of the
r-antarctic.
duch of Peru is occupied by the
fering Andes, with few passes less
$1,000 feet high, and with numer-
peaks exceeding 21,OOO feet.
ese great ramparts are chiefly re-
nsible for the diversity of Peru's
patio conditions. They precipitate
moisture of the Atlantic winds
so create the tropical jungles that
etch from their bases toward the
rior of the continent; thrust slopes
pateaus up into the cool regions
me upper air; and cut off the Pa
coast section from the moisture
N winds, making much of 1t
ert.
|st Strip Has Rivers but No Rain.
Though the strip of Peru between
faciiic and the western foothills
me Andes is devoid Of rain and
eiy desert, many streams from the
htains break across this region to
sea, and the relatively narrow val
irrigated from their. waters, con-
ote the most fertile land of the
htry.
ost OF the desert land between the
nllel rivers Is not SO from lack of
lty but because of the absence
ie-glVing water. This Is n most
eual region lying within the tropics
adJolning the sea, where normal
eeetable growth would be abund-
II 1t could be viewed from a
ahce of thousand miles through
'escope 1t would probably appear
as the supposed canals of Mars
oeen described MS appearing to
ooservers-dark, roughly parallel
or vegetation on drab, verdure-
background. Some of the bench
nave been reclaimed for consid-
" Instances from the rivers, and
ects have been considered to i'm
" the waters that rush down from
netting Andean SHOWS and bring
cuitiVation practically the whole
region.
fu mas an area of about 100000
re miles and is therefore only
'iy smaller than Mexico and well
quarter the size of the United
- exclusive of Alaska. If Peru
oe iaid down on the surface of
0hi'ed States so that its southern
point coincided with the SOUTH
ost projection of Texas its north
~ corner would lie near Peoria,
anu Its northwestern extremity
cheyenne, Wyo. The rough tri-
would cover practically all of
,, oklahoma and Kansas, half of
sha' parts Of Illinois, Missouri.
auo' Iowa and South Dakota.
ming.
'"e'e the ineas FIourished.
US the United States was set
ION the Atlantic coast and de-
ea nrst Its coastal strip, leaving
unknown region for generations
Suntry to the west beyond Its
sa ANS and deserts. SO Peru has
pped In the reverse direction.
.uropean conquerors Of its Inca
entered the country from the
coast and u y Elqns thiA strip