. Pacific shores from Panama . redecessor. Along the steep streetsof this portion of the city extensive remains of thefoundations and walls of these palaces still remain,their giant stones and perfect masonry provokingthe constant wonder of the traveller. Pictures ofthem give but a poor impression, for the heavy rusticfinish of the face of each stone hides the perfectionof the joints, which are so finely fitted that, devoidof mortar as they are, the blade of a small pocket-knife can scarcely be inserted into any one of them. The Incas were not artists. Their buildings dis-played neither imagin
. Pacific shores from Panama . redecessor. Along the steep streetsof this portion of the city extensive remains of thefoundations and walls of these palaces still remain,their giant stones and perfect masonry provokingthe constant wonder of the traveller. Pictures ofthem give but a poor impression, for the heavy rusticfinish of the face of each stone hides the perfectionof the joints, which are so finely fitted that, devoidof mortar as they are, the blade of a small pocket-knife can scarcely be inserted into any one of them. The Incas were not artists. Their buildings dis-played neither imagination nor beauty of detail, butwere characterised rather by stern simplicity andextreme solidity of construction. Had they not beenused as quarries they undoubtedly would all bestanding to-day, singularly well adapted as they areto the climatic conditions of this high-lying country,resisting storm and earthquake alike where the moremodern Spanish buildings crumble to decay. The most extensive ruins left by the Incas, and [170]. Inca Rnccns Palace CUZCO, THE INCA CAPITAL perhaps the most interesting, are those of the greatfortress Sachsahuaman, that stands perched uponthe summit of a steep hill to the north of the town. To reach it you must climb between garden walls,up lanes laid out in rough steps, until you come to alittle plaza in front of the chapel of San cura was pacing up and down before his churchwhen we stopped to ask him a question. He immedi-ately became communicative and we were glad thatwe had spoken, for he pointed out to us the manycuriosities of his small domain. There was a queerrow of pillories in which thieves were exhibited in theolden days; there was a curious Inca fountain, un-couthly cut to represent a female form, and near by,in a garden, raised upon a stone terrace, was all thatremains of the ancient palace of Manco Capac, who,according to legend, was the founder of the royaldynasty. This, to my mind, is the building that oc-cupies the imp
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