of their knot
records, or quippos. It is a very rude attempt to assist the memory. To
the base cord are attached other threads of various colors, and tied
in various ways. We, of course, know but very little about them. It
is claimed, however, that a red thread signified a soldier, or war; a
yellow one signified gold; a white one silver, or peace; a green one
wheat, or maize. A single knot is said to have stood for ten; two knots,
twenty; a knot doubly intertwined, one hundred, etc. Also the position
of the knots on the threads was to be considered, their distance apart,
the way the threads were twisted, and many other details.<46> It is
manifest, however, that this system of records is of very little value,
and is way below the picture-writing of the Mexicans.

Illustration of Quippos, or Knot Record.--------------

Take it all in all, the Incas are indeed an interesting people. We
believe, however, their culture has been greatly overrated. Our object
in this chapter has been to give an outline of the Incas and the tribes
subject to them. It is impossible in these few pages to give more than
an outline. Should the reader, by the perusal of these pages, acquire
an interest in the culture of the Andean people just before the Spanish
invasion, and be thereby induced to continue his investigations, the
writer will consider such a result reward enough, even though the
conclusions reached should be totally opposed to those set forth in this
chapter on Ancient Peru.

REFERENCES

(1) Xeres: "Report on the Discovery of Peru," Markham's
translation, Hakluyt Society's Publication.
(2) Buckle's "History of Civilization," chap. ii.
(3) Squier's "Peru," p. 9. The Vicuna is a species of the llama.
(4) Squier's "Peru," p. 12. The quinoa is a species of plant of
the same genus as our pig-weeds. But it is a larger plant, and
its seeds give a very nutritious meal. The biscacha is about the
size and shape of the rabbit. It belongs to the chinchilla
family. The llama is the only representative of the camel family
on the western hemisphere. There were three species of this
genus in Peru, the llama, alpaca, and vicuna. These domesticated
and constituted what the Spaniards in their first reports
called sheep.
(5) Squier's "Peru," p. 12.
(6) Morton's "Crania Americanae," pp. 6, 83. Winchell's
"Pre-Adamites," p. 388.
(7) H. L. Morgan. "Systems of