Evening star., 1947-09-19

per hour, Whlcn 0o"i'
meant that a blown tire, skid,
or a meeting of an upcoming We
hicle would hurl us into eternity.
We finally made it, and the sight
that greeted us made the hazards
of the trip worth while. Little II
anything-we got there on a Sun
day morning-was changed from
the time of the Spanish conquerors.
We first went to the cathedral to
watch the Indians at mass. AS Tar
as historians know, the church was
built the year the Spaniards came,
and the rites are curious mixture
of Christianity and Inca. The mass
is sung N Latin but the sermon Is
preached in Quechuan, which is
the first language Of the Incas.
14th Century Organ.
1t is worth trip to Pisac and its
church to see the old organ and
the youngster who operates its an
cient bellows. The organ, q vast,
crude affair is homemade and dates
back to the 14th century. The
sounds that it gives out are like
nothing any one ever heard. TO
keep it working there are two giant
bellows, one on either. side, much
like the bellows of a blacksmith.
A boy works the bellows. He works
a. mile q minute during services,
running behind the organ from
bellows to bellows in an effort to
keep them inflated. He makes
quite a sight in his ancient-type
clothes, which feature a bright
poncho, brighter hat all spangled
with silver, and clog-type shoes
decorated with silver. During an
ordinary service this youngster will
cover mile in distance.
After services, which last until
1880 or thereabouts, the Indians
gather in the square for day of
shopping, talking, and getting slight
ly cockeyed. The textiles they sell
are the same hand-woven alpaca
and llama that have been sold in
the square for centuries. So are the
and-turned sticks for weaving.
One of the biggest sellers is the
leaf of the coca tree, from which
cocaine is made. The Indians love
this leaf. They chew it from the
time they are in their early teens
until they die. 1t never makes ad-
diets of them. It just gives them
a pleasant jag which fortifles them
against the cold, the heat, hard work
and various minor ailments.
Mayors Come to Town.
In midafternoon the local mayors
come to town, led by procession
Of conch shell players. The
mayors are hot stuff, each one being
head Of a village. To show author
ity, each bears a giant staff Of pol
ished wood, ornamented with heavy
bands of hand-worked silver. Each
staff Is a museum piece, but nc
mayor would think of selling one
The stats have been handed down
for generations and to sell one
would be treason. @s
In midafternoon the Indians, In
honor of the mayors, start cooking
foods of all sorts. Around each
little fire gather dozens Of natives
and, around the central fire on
which a pig is roasting, hundreds
gather. AS the shadows lengthen
and darkness settles, food Is served
and songs are sung. Long after
dark the Indians, most Of whom
have llamas to carry their freight,
start the long climb into the noun
tains. It is not rare for an Indian
to cover 40 or more miles to his
home, with his llama and wife with
a baby strapped on her back trot-
ting alongside.
bought Is pounds of coca leaves
in Pisac. Monday, If able, I will
tell you about chewing 1t and the
effect it had on me.
| distributed hv McNauEht Syndicate, 1nc.)