Examination of the ancient andenes discloses the fact that they were not made by simply hoeing in the earth from the hillside back of a carefully constructed stone wall.  The space back of the walls was first filled in with coarse rocks, clay, and rubble; then followed smaller rocks, pebbles, and gravel, which would serve to drain the subsoil.  Finally, on top of all this, and to a depth of eighteen inches or so, was laid the finest soil they could procure.  The result was the best possible field for intensive cultivation.  It seems absolutely unbelievable that such an immense amount of pains should have been taken for such relatively small results.  The need must have been very great.  In many cases the terraces are only a few feet wide, although hundreds of yards in length.  Usually they follow the natural contours of the valley.  Sometimes they are two hundred yards wide and a quarter of a mile long.  To-day corn, barley, and alfalfa are grown on the terraces.

Cotahuasi itself lies in the bottom of the valley, a pleasant place where one can purchase the most fragrant and highly prized of all Peruvian wines.  The climate is agreeable, and has attracted many landlords, whose estates lie chiefly on the bleak plateaus of the surrounding highlands, where shepherds tend flocks of llamas, sheep, and alpacas.

We were cordially welcomed by Senor Viscarra, the sub-prefect, and invited to stay at his house.  He was a stranger to the locality, and, as the visible representative of a powerful and far-away central government, was none too popular with some of the people of his province.  Very few residents of a provincial capital like Cotahuasi have ever been to Lima;—­probably not a single member of the Lima government had ever been to Cotahuasi.  Consequently one could not expect to find much sympathy between the two.  The difficulties of traveling in Peru are so great as to discourage pleasure trips.  With our letters of introduction and the telegrams that had preceded us from the prefect at Arequipa, we were known to be friends of the government and so were doubly welcome to the sub-prefect.  By nature a kind and generous man, of more than usual education and intelligence, Senor Viscarra showed himself most courteous and hospitable to us in every particular.  In our honor he called together his friends.  They brought pictures of Theodore Roosevelt and Elihu Root, and made a large American flag; a courtesy we deeply appreciated, even if the flag did have only thirty-six stars.  Finally, they gave us a splendid banquet as a tribute of friendship for America.

One day the sub-prefect offered to have his personal barber attend us.  It was some time since Mr. Tucker and I had seen a barber-shop.  The chances were that we should find none at Parinacochas.  Consequently we accepted with pleasure.  When the barber arrived, closely guarded by a gendarme armed with a loaded rifle, we learned that he was a convict from the local jail!  I did not like to