The South American Tour

by Annie S. Peck

La Raya, the highest point between Juliaca and Cuzco, with an altitude of 14,150 feet, is on the dividing line of the watershed between the Amazon system and that of Lake Titicaca. Here is the knot of Vilcanota where the Coast and the Eastern Cordilleras unite, and where the sacred river, Vilcamayu, takes its origin in a little sacred lake lying at the foot of a snowy peak visible from Cuzco. Now, leaving the bleak plateau region, the train descends the Vilcamayu Valley to a milder region.

Sicuani, 2500 feet below, the most important place along the road, was for some years the terminus of the railway line. It boasts therefore of a good hotel, the Lafayette. Here the night was formerly spent, the remainder of the journey to Cuzco being by diligence, certainly an advantage as far as enjoying the scenery is concerned. The Sicuani market place is noted for its extraordinarily picturesque appearance, the Indians coming for miles around to make their purchases, largely by barter. Journeying by accommodation train, which has some advantages, one spends the night here and arrives the next afternoon in Cuzco.

The train passes many historic sites and ancient ruins, just out of view the famed Lake Urcos into which, the story goes, was thrown the wonderful gold chain of the Prince Huascar. This was said to be long enough to encircle the great plaza of Cuzco, with each link weighing 100 lbs. Projects have been formed to drain this lake in the hope of finding here much ancient treasure, but though small the lake is very deep and no real effort has been made.

Cuzco

At last the railroad leaves the main valley to follow up a tributary on the left, the Huatanay. At the head of this side valley, it reaches the ancient city of Cuzco, once the metropolis of a vast realm surpassed in extent or in wealth by few in the world’s history, probably equaled by none in the number of people living, contented and peaceful, under a single sway.

From the station half a mile from the center of the city, an attractive boulevard is being laid out, on which a tram car runs to the central plaza, or by this time electrics. Carriages too may serve and boys are eager to carry hand baggage. The hotels, alas! leave much to be desired. Slow, indeed, are the people to realize the necessities which must be supplied if the town is to advance, to attract tourists and business men. The residents have not seemed to care whether there was progress or not, but the Central Government is interested, the Prefect who comes from Lima is endeavoring to work a revolution, and the cultivated inhabitants have begun to realize their condition and to remedy the evils which have long been a reproach.

The Hotel Comercio may be endured for a night or two, since it is in a very worthy cause. The other hotel, the Royal, is no better. Another, the Central, is spoken of, opposite the church, La Merced. One does not go to Cuzco for the luxuries of New York or Paris, but if unhappy without these he must postpone this part of the journey a while longer. One writer says that the Comercio affords reasonably good meals and decent bedrooms. Other opinions are less favorable, but conditions may have improved by now. On the spur of a hill which closes the head of the valley, at an altitude of 11,500 feet, is situated the ancient imperial city. Some knowledge of the history of its rulers, the greatness of its domain, the development of its civilization, the magnificence of its temples, the power and riches of its princes, and the terrible tragedy of their downfall gives a keener interest to the massive ruins, the delightful prospect, and to everything in this remote valley which is connected with the unique and wonderful empire of world-wide and immortal fame. At the time of its capture, four centuries ago, few if any cities in the world could rival Cuzco in the magnificence of its temples, and their treasures of gold and silver, and none in the massive fortifications and other constructions of which the remains are still a marvel.

In the history of this ancient city there are at least four periods: the prac-Inca age; the glorious epoch of the Inca dynasty; the merciless, mournful days of bloodshed and destruction, followed by the brilliant reconstruction and the relentless rule of the Spanish invaders; and the slow progress of the modern republic. From the earliest period date the megalithic ruins of Sacsahuaman and elsewhere, regarded as belonging to the same age as those of Tiahuanaco and a few other places, their origin alike involved in mystery. Sir Clements Markham, the most careful student of this early civilization, believes it to be an indigenous growth of great antiquity, though there is a tradition of an early outside influence from the south.

The great empire of the Incas was of comparatively short duration; according to commonly accepted tradition, it existed for about four centuries. The most current and approved legend of the Incas’ origin is that they were the children of the Sun, who pitying the sad condition of his creatures sent to their aid two of his offspring, Manco Ccapac and Mama Oclla, brother and sister, also husband and wife. These first appearing on the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca thence came to Cuzco and established their dominion. Manco seems to have been a great and wise ruler, probably of Quichua origin, and to have lived in the twelfth century. His successor Sinchi Rocca was a peaceful ruler, but the third Inca, Lloque Yupanqui, subjugated some of the neighboring peoples. The fourth, Maita Ccapac, was a greater warrior, extending his kingdom over most of Bolivia, and to Arequipa and Moquegua. The fifth Inca, Ccapac Yupanqui, who was called avaricious, employed his reign in subduing insurrections in regions already conquered. His successor, Inca Rocca, was an eminent warrior and statesman, who built great palaces, founded schools for the education of the nobility, and made strict laws for the welfare and protection of the people, with severe punishment, even death, to murderers, incendiaries, and thieves.

The seventh Inca, Titu Cusi Hualpa, was less successful. An invasion by the tribes of Chinchasuyo caused him to flee in alarm, but his son, collecting an army, defeated the invaders and was then crowned, with the name of Viracocha. During his reign eleven provinces were added to the empire, and a magnificent temple was erected twenty miles south of Cuzco with an altar to Viracocha, a deity who had appeared to the prince to warn him of the coming invasion, informing him that he was the creator of man, the world, the sun, and all else. A remarkable engineering feat of this reign was the construction of an irrigating canal nearly four hundred miles long and twelve feet deep to convert some plains below into green pasture lands. The eldest son of Viracocha, who was of small account, was presently succeeded by his brother Pachacutec who brought still greater glory to the empire. With the excellent armies organized by Pachacutec, his son Tupac Yupanqui made conquests along the coast from Pisco north including Pachacámac, the realm of the Grand Chimu near Trujillo, and the valley of Cajamarca. These cities were not destroyed, but were left under the dominion of their former rulers as vassals to the Inca, the worship of the Sun being associated with their former religion; but the learning and use of the Quichua language was made compulsory. Every government official and soldier was obliged to speak this language.