The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-01-28

| OF CuZcO, is little changed since In
long ago. The people are the Quichuas
| the remnant of the once mighty peopl
who prospered in this highland coun
| try. They are now of Roman Catholi
faith and a church tower marks tn,
site Of each village, oxen and othel
domestic animals have been intro
duced; but the crude huts, the home
spun dress. the primitive method Of
agriculture, belong to centuries lonl
past. At harvest time farming In this
esting to the traveller. In threshing the
grain the men drive the oxen about In
a circle, encouraging the poor animals
by yanking their tails; in winnowing,
the grain and chaff are blown out
through horn, that the wind may
separate them. A crooked stick Is
used in blowing, but what the Quichua
farmer lacks in modern machinery he
makes up in the decorative headdress
of his oxen.
In costume these mOuntaineers
are most picturesque. Throughout the
Andean highlands the headcovering
changes with the locality. and on the
road to Cuzco 1t consists Of a large,
fiat hat, usually Of homespun, dyed
bright blue or red, bedecked with tin
sci Ga modern innovation). Both men
and women wear this headgear. The
men are attired in knee breeches, short
jackets, and ponchos the women in
short skirts and low cut blOuses.
They are bare-legged and seem scan
tily clad at an altitude of 1000 feet
above the sea.
In the villages the huts are built of
mud and thatch, untanned hides cover
the doorways. Within are no furnish
ings save the few crude cooking uten-
sils. The head Of the household. one
gathers, sleeps on the mat with the
dog and the cat, the rest Of the family
close by, no better cared for than his
llamas in the nearby corral.
The graceful llamas, little cousins to
the camel, are closely associated with
the Andean highlanders. Domesticat-
ed long ago, they are the best friends
Of the mountaineers, furnishing wool
for clothing, fuel, bearing burdens pa
tiently, calling for little or no care, as
they Craze by the wayside and require
little water. AS In the days of
so today train of laden
lamas slowly journeys toward Cuzco;
n the rear a Quichua boy and girl,
10Th spinning as they walk using prim-
tive implements, baby strapped to
he young mothers back. The llamas
urn their heads quickly to right and
eft, their curious eyes ever shifting;
he young man and woman constantly
.hew the dried cocoa leaf, which dead
ms hunger, cold, fatigue, and watch
or the nag which cheers. which waves
on this ancient highway
he little, white flag which marks Z
tut where chicha Is sold.
Fiesta Days Arc "We" Days.
Chicha Ia the Peruvian drink made
rom fermented corn. 1t is highly in |
oxicating and its victims are legion on
esta days. There are about seventy
east days celebrated annually in Peru.
nd the cholos. and Quichuas mark
hese days less by religious fervor than
y an all consuming passion for chicha.
t is evidently an acquired taste; it is
s bitter as the Mexican pulque. An
Their Peruvian drink is aguardiente, 4
trong native brandy.
The fare of the highlanders is
leager, consisting Of maize, chuno, the
-ozen potato, cholona, dried goat or
luton, and quinua. cereal which
lrives at high attitudes. The many
tile fields are frightened near har-
est time by the reddening quinua. Its
I'll stalks waving like corn. The val
VS. are narrow, bordered on either
de by steep mountain walls. High
D on the hillsides are cultivated
atches. little farms which seem in
anger of falling over into the swiftly
owing river below. This river is the
ilcanota ct is born back in the SHOWS
the Pass Of La Raya): beyond Cuzco
Is called the Yucay: farther on. the
and it Is the longest formative
'anch of the Amazon. The road fol-
WIS the rivers winnings ana crosses
'idges laid by the Colonial Spaniards
/ old Inca foundations.
The travellers first view Of the mas
We stones of Inca handwork Is al
e ruins Of the Temple Of Viracocha
tout half mile from the highway.
ne great wall alone remains of this
ice splendid edifice. said to have
zen erected by the eighth Inca ruler.
On this main highway Spanish Is
w the universal tongue, although the
cling to their own express
We language. and their sullen de-
eanor shows their hatred for the
hite man and the half-breed. They
eak Spanish when they must but
ost ungraclously.