The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-01-29
prepared by the National Geographic
Gnnlnt,. W. aLlnnLnn II u

prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington, y. c.
Peru, which has been celebrating
the hundredth anniversary Of its in
dependence from Spain, in the pres
ence Of commissioners officially repre-
senting the United States and other
nations is far enough out of the
beaten path Of most North Americans
TO be but vaguely known to them. 1t
is often thought Of, no doubt, as a
/ little republic clinging to the sides of
/ the lofty Andes lest Il slip and be
lost in the Pacific. But in area and
interest Peru is by no means neg
! ligible; and If 1t has failed to take
an important place in world affairs,
! either commercial or political, 1t may
well be that that fact is due, not to
lack of size and resources and poten-
tial wealth and power, but rather to
immaturity.
Peru has every climate under
heaven, together with many of the
products and conditions that 90 with
them. II has the sand dunes Of the
Sahara; the fertile, sun-bathed, irri-
gated valleys of California; the dry
grazing lands of Australia; the pro-
ductive mountain valleys and uplands
Of Kashmir; the bleak plateaus of
Tibet; the snowy peaks of Swltzer-
land; and the tropical jungles Of Cen
trail Africa and Brazil And off its
shores, tropical in latitude but mild in
temperature, the waters, so cold that
often they are uncomfortable for bath
ing, are alive with the sea life of the
near-antarctic 3
Much of Peru is occupied by the
towering Andes, with few passes less
than 5000 feet high, and with numer-
Gus peaks exceeding $1,000 feet,
These great rampartS are chiefly re-
sponsible for the diversity Of perus
climatic conditions, They precipitate
the moisture of the Atlantic winds
and so create the tropical jungleS that
stretch from their bases toward the
interior Of the continent; thrust slopes
and plateaus up into the cool regions
Of the upper air; and cut of the Pa
ciiic coast section from the moisture
laden winds, making much of 1t a
desert.
Coast Strip Has Rivers but No Rain. |
Although the strip Of Peru between
the Pacific and the western foothills |
of the Andes is devoid Of rain and |
largely desert, many streams from the /
mountains break across this region to .
the sea- and the relatively narrow val
leys. irrigated from their waters. con
stitute the most fertile land Of the
country.
Most Of the desert land between the
parallel rivers is not so from lack of
fertility but because Of the absence
Of life-giying water. This is most
unusual region lying within the tropics
and adjoining the sea, where normal
" vegetable growth would be abund-
ant. II il could be viewed from
distance Of a thousand miles through
4 telescope IL would probably appear
much as the supposed canals Of Mars
have been described as appearing 20
some Observers-dark, roughly parallel
ines Of vegetation on . drab, verlure-
ess background. Some Of the bench
ands have been reclaimed for consld- ,
,rable distances from the rivers, and
Projects have been considered 10 inn
,Ound the waters that rush down from /
he melting Andean SHOWS and bring ,
lnder cultivation practically the whole ,
ouSt region.
Peru has an area n about 10000 d
quare miles and Is therefore only u
lightly smaller than Mexico and well 2
yer a quarter the size Of the United 4
'tates exclusive Of Alaska. If Peru
ould be laid down 0u the sJTface of a
he United States 80 that It's southern r
lost point coincided with the south :.
nmost projection ~ Texas its north Il
astern corner would 70 near Peoria. q
H.. and its northwestern extremity n
ear Cheyenne. wyo. The rough Fri :,
ngle would cover practically an ~ o.
exas. Oklahoma and Kansas. half ~
.ebrasl,a. parts Of illinois. Missouri 81
dorado. Iowa and south Dakoa. !,
nd fragments OF New Mexico and y
wyoming /.
Where the Incss Flourishsd. p
Just as the United States was set n
81 from the Atlantic coast and De- "a
.l0ped first its coastal strip. leaving ir
, an unknown region for generations . Dol
.e country % Toe vest beyond its 81.
ounfains and desserts 80 Peru fns u
atrloT.ed in tie reverse direction. 30
le Eurorrun couqufrHrs af is ira fi
rrsrc entered fhe country from iae o
lr-fc r and 5f o. along fle strip a