Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EQUINE STUDY OF A MONOLITH
At Tiahuanacú. The horses stand on the floor of
a prehistoric temple.
From Tiahuanaco we went north over the sandy plain until we came to a hill, from the top
of which I had the first sight of Lake Titicaca. Its deep blue reflected the mountains in the
distance, and the dazzling white peaks to the east made a glorious background against the del-
icate blue sky.
We halted in a village called Guaqui, where the steamers arrive from Puno, the Peruvian
portatthefarextremeofthelake.HewhocasuallyglancesatamapmightthinkLakeTiticaca
to be very small, but suffice it to say that modern steamers take twelve hours to make the trip
fromoneendtotheother.ThesesteamerswerebuiltinEngland,andafterhavingsailedallthe
way to the Pacific port, Mollendo, they were dismantled and transported by rail up to Puno.
Here they were re-assembled for service on the lake, which is the highest navigable water in
the world, being some 11,400 feet above sea level.
A Bolivian regiment was stationed in Guaqui, and I spent a happy day as their guest. The
officers did everything to make my stay a pleasant one, and my horses were well looked after,
and in the evening a dance was arranged to which the few white girls of the village were in-
vited.
Lateintheeveningaglobetrotter,whohadarrivedonalakesteamer,appearedatmydoor.
He wore a kind of boy scout uniform and on his left arm he had pinned an American flag.
Having saluted me in an exaggerated military style, he handed me a card on which his photo-
