ty to passing travelers which is common
to sugar estates all over the world, but gave us real assistance
in our explorations. Senora Carmen's estate covers more than
two hundred square miles. Huadquina is a splendid example of the
ancient patriarchal system. The Indians who come from other parts of
Peru to work on the plantation enjoy perquisites and wages unknown
elsewhere. Those whose home is on the estate regard Senora Carmen with
an affectionate reverence which she well deserves. All are welcome to
bring her their troubles. The system goes back to the days when the
spiritual, moral, and material welfare of the Indians was entrusted
in encomienda to the lords of the repartimiento or allotted territory.

Huadquina once belonged to the Jesuits. They planted the first sugar
cane and established the mill. After their expulsion from the Spanish
colonies at the end of the eighteenth century, Huadquina was bought
by a Peruvian. It was first described in geographical literature by
the Count de Sartiges, who stayed here for several weeks in 1834 when
on his way to Choqquequirau. He says that the owner of Huadquina "is
perhaps the only landed proprietor in the entire world who possesses
on his estates all the products of the four parts of the globe. In
the different regions of his domain he has wool, hides, horsehair,
potatoes, wheat, corn, sugar, coffee, chocolate, coca, many mines of
silver-bearing lead, and placers of gold." Truly a royal principality.

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FIGURE

Huadquina
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Incidentally it is interesting to note that although Sartiges was
an enthusiastic explorer, eager to visit undescribed Inca ruins,
he makes no mention whatever of Machu Picchu. Yet from Huadquina
one can reach Machu Picchu on foot in half a day without crossing
the Urubamba River. Apparently the ruins were unknown to his hosts
in 1834. They were equally unknown to our kind hosts in 1911. They
scarcely believed the story I told them of the beauty and extent of
the Inca edifices. [10] When my photographs were developed, however,
and they saw with their own eyes the marvelous stonework of the
principal temples, Senora Carmen and her family were struck dumb
with wonder and astonishment. They could not understand how it was
possible that they should have passed so close to Machu Picchu every
year of their lives since the river road was opened without knowing
what was there. They had seen a single little building on the crest
of the ridg