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

prepared By tho National Geographic 80
cisty, Washington. D. c.
Peru has come twice into the publ
eye in recent weeks, once because o
the centennial celebration Of the Battl
Of Ayacucho, the Yorktown of Soutl
American independence; and agail
with the meeting at Lima, the Peruvian
capital, of the third Pan-American con
gress. Official ENJOYS represented tn,
United States on both occasions.
Lima cannot be considered apar
from Callao, its port, which lies on tn,
Pacific eight miles from the capital
The towns have already spread TOWARD
each other and before long will consti
tute In fact, as they do in effect, 4
single city. Ports apparently meant
little to the Incas and their precursors
so the history Of this sheltered bay
which constitutes one of the best har.
bors on the Pacific coast OF South
America, may be considered to have
begun shortly after Pizarro and his
bearded comrades entered Peru in 1892
From Callao in the years that fol-
lowed sailed constant stream of gal
Icons loaded with the gold and silver
that the conquistadOres stripped from
the nch continent ON which they had
gained foothold. Lima, only eight
miles inland, became the seat of the
viceregal government by which all
South America was ruled, and Callao
was practically the only gate through
which the treasure gathered by the
colonial agencies was poured into the
lap of the Spanish king. Close to
Callao often lowered British and Dutch
pirates to swoop down on the treasure
ships.
Callao was the first Pacific port in
South America to have completed mod
ern harbor works. Treasure Is still
being taken from Peru through Callao,
but now 1t is in the form of copper ore
from the rich mines Of the interior. 1t
Is transported to the port on a modern
railroad, instead of on the backs of
men and donkeys as in the old days,
and is loaded on great ocean freighters
Oy modern power cranes.
A half hour after boarding an cleo
tric car in the city of Callao the trav-
sler alights at one of the many plazas
n Lima, thriving city Of 100000 in
labitants. Not far away he will find
he center of the city's life and tradi-
ions-the Plaza Mayor, or, great
Iquare." All Of the city's street car
Ines radiate from this center as though
representing the influence and power
bat radlated from the same spot to all
south America when Lima was the
City Of the Kings" On one side Of
he Plaza Mayor rises the cathedral
With Its lofty twin towers. Pizarro is
aid to have laid the foundation stones.
lis mummy is now exhibited inside the
tructure.
Oldest University In Americas.
Facing another side of the main |
laza is the old viceregal palace, still
sed for governmental purposes. Not
ar away Is the oldest university in |
he western hemisphere, the Univer- !
dad de San Marcos, established more |
nan half century before the Pilgrims |
lnded at Plymouth. IN the Lima of |
ne present the classic old universidad |
hares the educational field with
modern technical colleges
evoted to engineering, medicine, and
griculture.
Lima and Callao, thought of vaguely
erhaps by many as somewhere near
le northern end of South Americas
acific coast. are approximately 1000
lies south of Panama-as far from
lie lsthmus as Key West is from Nova
Gotta. Though only ten degrees south
the equator, and therefore we'll with
the tropics, these cities, due to the
'yness of the western slopes of the
ndes and to the cold Humboldt cur
mt that washes the coast, have an
Iuable climate. The temperature in
INNER December to May) seldom
SEES above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and
winter rarely falls below go de-
ees.
The battle of Ayacucho took place in
very different part of Peru, the cool
mewhat bleak Sierra region among
e Andean tablelands and valleys.
lis is the most fascinating part Of
.ru to those Interested in the ancient
Of America, for this was
e area in which blossomed the won
rful Inca empire. 1t is worth the
lille Of the traveller bound for Cuzco.
e ancient holy city Of the Incas, to
sert the railway some rs miles
nth Of the old capital and journey
ong the Inca highway by a mule
avn vehicle.
Life Among tho ouIchuas.
This old highway was worn by the
ct Of many pilgrims and Of many {
ma trains, in the days before the !
'anish conquest. The home life in
ese bolsones, the fertile mountain
sins which are linked with the valley l