112 



TOWERS OF SILLUSTAKI. 



Chap. VII. 



measures six feet by three.'' The other tower was aj^parently 

 exactly similar, but it is now in a very ruinous state. 



Besides these more remarkable edifices, the table-land is 

 covered with other towers of rough unhewn stone and earth, 

 and there are the remains of two square edifices built of cyclo- 

 jjean stones. The fallen parts of the towers were covered with 

 masses of bright yellow compositae called suncJio, and a purple 

 solanum ; and they were frequented by the creepers called 

 liaccacllo, little gi-een paroquets, a small quail called pucu- 

 imcu, and the little ground-dove cullca ; numbers of hiscache 

 rabbits burrowed in the ruins, while two or three lordly cora- 

 quenques soared in cu'cles over the table-land. After carefully 

 examining the old towers of Sillustani, I passed the night in 

 a very small hut, close to tlie lake of TJmayu, the waters of 

 which were smooth as glass, an island in the centre, and blue 

 ranges of mountains capped with snow in the distance. To 

 get into the hut it was necessary to go on hands and knees, 

 the doorway being only three feet high, with a hide door 

 stretched on a wooden frame. The hut was built of rou^h 

 stones and thatched with barley-straw ; but inside there was 

 a hospitable welcome and good cheer : the old Indian who 

 dwelt there, and his young daughter, providing excellent 

 boiled potatoes, cream-cheese, and fresh milk. 



The ruins of Tiahuanaco, and on the islands in the lake, 

 and the towers of Sillustani, are the principal remains of 

 ancient Aymara civilization. Nothing is known respecting 

 the people who raised these imperishable monuments, except 

 that, in the middle of the eleventh century, a man and 

 woman, declaring themselves to be children of the Sun, are 

 said to have first appeared on the shores of the great lake, 

 and, marching north, to have founded the empire of the Incas. 



' The lizard ai^pears to have beeu a 

 favouiite device amongst the ancient 

 AjTnaras. There is also one carved on 



a block of stone amongst the ruins of 

 Tiahuanaco. 



