Oriental lands. Let us try and learn what we can of this
culture, and see wherein it differed from that of the civilized tribes
already discussed.

Illustration of Map of Peru.---------------

We must, first of all, acquaint ourselves with the physical features of
the country. We can never fairly judge of the civilization or culture
of a people until we know their surroundings. One of the discoveries
of late years is, that the culture of a people is greatly influenced
by their surroundings. The very appearance of a country whether it is
mountainous or plain, sea-girt or inland, influences the character of
a people. Civilization is found to depend upon such common factors as
climate, food, and physical surroundings.<2> Now if we will examine the
map of South America, we will see that the entire section of country
occupied by the tribes under consideration is very mountainous. What is
known as the Andes is in reality the most eastern of the two ranges.
The western one nearer the coast is called the Cordillera, or the Coast
Range. The summit of this mountain range often spreads out into great
undulating plains, the general elevation of which is from fourteen to
eighteen thousand feet above the sea. This series of elevated plains
forms a dreary, uninhabited stretch of country, "frigid, barren, and
desolate, where life is only represented by the hardy vicuna and the
condor."<3>

This is the uninhabited portion of Peru. The general width of this
plateau region is about one hundred and fifty miles. Passing this dreary
stretch of country we come to another still elevated plateau section,
which extends to the snow-clad Andes proper. The distance between these
two great mountain ranges is from one to two hundred miles, but as we
see on the map they come together in places. One such place, the Pass of
La Raya, fifteen degrees south latitude is of importance as marking the
northern extremity of the great basin of Lake Titicaca. This basin is
remarkable in many respects. It is of no inconsiderable size, being six
hundred miles in length by one hundred and fifty in width. It has a lake
and river system of its own. At the northern extremity of the basin is
the noted Lake Titicaca, which is given by some as the traditional
place of origin of the Incas. This lake finds an outlet in the River
Desaguadero, which flows in a broad and swift stream in a southerly
direction, where it empties into Lake Aullagas.

Of this lake we know