The Andes of southern Peru . ces, to usePencks term, as the irrigated and fertile alluvial fans in the bot-tom of the valley. This is well shown when the rains come andflocks of llamas and sheep are driven forth from the valleys to thebest pastures. It is equally well shoAvn by the distribution of theshepherds homes. These are not down on the warm canyon floor,separated by a half-days journey from the grazing. They are inthe intrenched tributary valleys of Figure 26 or just within therim of the canyon. It is not shelter from the cold but from thewind that chiefly determines their location. The
The Andes of southern Peru . ces, to usePencks term, as the irrigated and fertile alluvial fans in the bot-tom of the valley. This is well shown when the rains come andflocks of llamas and sheep are driven forth from the valleys to thebest pastures. It is equally well shoAvn by the distribution of theshepherds homes. These are not down on the warm canyon floor,separated by a half-days journey from the grazing. They are inthe intrenched tributary valleys of Figure 26 or just within therim of the canyon. It is not shelter from the cold but from thewind that chiefly determines their location. They are also keptnear the rim of the canyon by the pressure of the farming popu- THE COUNTRY OF THE SHEPHERDS 55 lation from below. Every hundred feet of descent from the aridplateau (Fig. 29) increases the water supply. Springs increasein number and size; likewise belts of seepage make their appear-ance. The gradients in many places diminish, and flattish spursand shoulders interrupt the generally steep descents of the canyon. Fig. 26—Regional diagram to show the physical relations in the lava plateau ofthe Maritime Cordillera west of the continental divide. For location, see Fig. lead up the intrenched tributaries. If the irrigated bench (lower right corner)is large, a town will be located on it. Shepherds huts are scattered about the edgeof the girdle of spurs. There is also a string of huts in the deep sheltered head ofeach tributary. See also Fig. 29 for conditions on the valley or canjon floor. wall. Every change of this sort has a real value to the farmer andmeans an enhanced price beyond the ability of the poor shepherdto pay. If you ask a wealthy hacendado on the valley floor (), who it is that live in the huts above him, he will invariably saylos Indios, with a shrug meant to convey the idea of povertyand worthlessness. Sometimes it is los Indios pobres, ormerely los pobres. Thus there is a vertical stratification of 56 THE ANDES OF SOUTHERN PERU socie
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidandeso, booksubjectgeology
