Part 9 (1/2)
”I've never been to Peru,” Tom remarked shortly before lunch ”What sort of country is it?”
”Quite a wonderful country,” Mr titus answered ”I have been very much interested in it since my brother and I accepted this tunnel contract
Peru seems to have taken its name from Peru, a small river on the west coast of Coloraphically, itudinally The coast region is a sandy desert, with here and there rivers flowing through fertile valleys The sierra region is the Andes division, about two hundred and fifty ?” asked Tom
”Yes And beyond the Andes (which in Peru consist of great chains of h, interspersed with table lands, rich plains and valleys) there is thedown to the valley of the A,” co,” declared Mr titus ”For it is froion that your quinine cohten out your affairs I think you can do better bargaining with the officials in Lima, or near there”
”Are there any wild animals in Peru?” Tom inquired
”Well, not many Of course there are the llamas and alpacas, which are the beasts of burden--alentle Then there is the wild vicuna, the fleece of which is made into a sort of wool, after which a certain kind of cloth is named
”Then there is the taruco, a kind of deer, the viscacha, which is a big rat, the otoc, a sort of wild dog, or fox, and the ucumari, a black bear with a white nose This bear is often found on lofty mountain tops, but only when driven there in search of food
”The condors, of course, are big birds of prey in the Andes You must have read about theions of the air, ht of some dead animal far down belohen they sweep toward it with the swiftness of the wink There is another bird of the vulture variety, ings of black and white feathers The ancient Incas used to decorate their head dresses with these wing feathers”
”Well, I' to Peru,” said To country But I don't suppose we'll have time to see much of it”
”Oh, I think you will,” commented Mr titus ”We don't always have to work on the tunnel There are numerous holidays, or holy-days, which our Indian workers take off, and we can do nothing without the if you wish”
”Good!” exclaiet a chance to pop over one of those bears with a white nose Are they good to eat?”
”The Indians eat theet them, but I wouldn't fancy the meat,” said the contractor
Luncheon over, the three travelers departed with their baggage for the Chicago Limited, which left from the Pennsylvania Station at Twenty-third Street As usual, Koku attracted much attention because of his size
The trip to San Francisco ithout incident worth narrating and in due tio aboard their stea which ti the first powder shi+pood luck, for the explosive, having been sent on ahead by fast freight, aiting them
”So we can take it with us on the Bellaconda,” said, To the vessel on which they were to sail
The poas safely stoay, and our friends having brought their baggage aboard, putting anted on the voyage in their stateroo cast off
A bell clanged and an officer cried:
”All ashore that's going ashore!”
There were hasty good-byes, a scramble on the part of those who had come to bid friends farewell, and preparations were s were slowly pushi+ng against the Bellaconda to get her in motion to move her away from the wharf, there was a shout down the pier and a taxicab, driven at reckless speed, dashed up
”Wait a er for you!” cried the chauffeur
He pulled up with a screeching of brakes, and a man with a heavy black beard fairly leaped fro toward the plank which was all but cast off