The Gavelyte, March 1912

CEDAI./.VlLLE COLLEGE 271 to a white concrete by a tropical sun. It was a beautiful village. Situated upoa the lake of Titicaca in the land of the Incas. Here, high, upon the mountain of Peru, nestling ma golden cup, this quiet lake !:) ubl.!es up from the earth, sweet, fresh and cool. Then rising and expanding, a sea of blue, it flows frnm out a silver spouc a1id dripping down and down and flowing on and on in the river of Arequipa at la1't empties its crystal burden upon the mighty bosom of the broad Pacific. From Quito, hundred of miles to the north, in the land of th e Cotapaxi, runs a white highway, winding in and out among a vir,e clad and flower crowned mountain forest, leading on and up into the very heart of the old Incas nation-to Cuzco, the capital,-a road equalled only by th e famons l<oman Highways-and from this city-"The Sun"-"The Light of the \Vorld" --" The Soul of the Empire"-"The father ot • the first R11 ler of this Great Land"-"Manco-Capa"--extended this great highway on up to the little lak e uf Titicaca. Then on its shores, in the village of Puno, was buildc:d a summer court, that rivaled the courts of Rome, or Babylon. or Jerusalem, in riches and splendor. There were palaces and driveways rnugnifice11t ly decor– ated with gold, silver alld precious tones On th e left of Puno entered the grea t highway and, encirc:ing the lake, again stretched ,tway to the North. To this spot the "Sun" sent Manco-Capacc with His wife and a bar of gold. Here he struck the earth and there came forth the Incas nati on with it wealth and splendor. But great has been the d1ange with three hundred years. The gold, silver, and precious stone -much of which has been taken for the comlort of tile Popes of Rome and for the pleasure of the lazy and corupted court of Spain. Yet, enough has been kept because of and ancient Mythi ca l Auti– pathy of the lnca Indian for the image of the "Sun.'' "This is an enonuouc, plate of gold, set with precious stone and upon it engraved the image of a face. It sits facing th!'! east and with arms outstretched lo the rising sun; and standing upon the eastern ::hore of lake Titicaca up high on the rim ot the golden cup, it makes a place o( worship, sacrifice and festivity to an unknown Cod at Rome and to a damnable glutinious Priesthood. And still the beauty of tlie place swells the oul with wonder and like the night upon the pampas, sets the mind groping and searching for the one supreme designer of it all. From the Great table lands o[ the north I traveled this road and o enrapt in its glorious lJeauty I became that I was a day late at Puno. The man Uncle Bill had sent to the land of his dream would be waiting for me. Uncle l3ill l1ad written: "You will know him," and I wondered much but always reached the same conclusion-"! have to wait and see." To make my way down the . treet was a dificult task. A great procession was in progress. Thousands of peuple thronged the streets. TlJ.ey were moving out the old highway anJUnd the south of the lake. A religious (east was to be held at the "lmage of the Sun" and many were carrying to the Pri est gifts to buy their deliver– ance from the flame o( torment. H.eaching the lnn I steped into the en– clo ·ure in front and mounting the steps gazed upon the scene before me. Hearing a step behind me I turned and scood far.e to face with Governor