rough
search of geographical literature failed to reveal anything regarding
its depth. The only thing that seemed to be known about it was that it
had no outlet. General William Miller, once British consul general in
Honolulu, who had as a young man assisted General San Martin in the
Wars for the Independence of Chile and Peru, published his memoirs
in London in 1828. During the campaigns against the Spanish forces
in Peru he had had occasion to see many out-of-the-way places in the
interior. On one of his rough sketch maps he indicates the location of
Lake Parinacochas and notes the fact that the water is "brackish." This
statement of General Miller's and the suggestion of Sir Clements
Markham that a bathymetric survey of the lake would be an important
contribution to geographical knowledge was all that we were able to
learn. Our arrieros, the Tejadas, had never been to Parinacochas,
but knew in a general way its location and were not afraid to try to
get there. Some of their friends had been there and come back alive!

First, however, it was necessary for us to go to Cotahuasi, the
capital of the Province of Antabamba, and meet Dr. Bowman and
Mr. Hendriksen, who had slowly been working their way across the
Andes from the Urubamba Valley, and who would need a new supply of
food-boxes if they were to complete the geographical reconnaissance
of the 73d meridian. Our route led us out of the Chuquibamba Valley
by a long, hard climb up the steep cliffs at its head and then over
the gently sloping, semi-arid desert in a northerly direction, around
the west flanks of Coropuna. When we stopped to make camp that night
on the Pampa of Chumpillo, our arrieros used dried moss and dung for
fuel for the camp fire. There was some bunch-grass, and there were
llamas pasturing on the plains. Near our tent were some Inca ruins,
probably the dwelling of a shepherd chief, or possibly the remains
of a temple described by Cieza de Leon (1519-1560), whose remarkable
accounts of what he saw and learned in Peru during the time of the
Pizarros are very highly regarded. He says that among the five most
important temples in the Land of the Incas was one "much venerated and
frequented by them, named Coropuna." "It is on a very lofty mountain
which is covered with snow both in summer and winter. The kings
of Peru visited this temple making presents and offerings .... It
is held for certain [by treasure hunters!] that among the gifts
offered to this