THE COUNTRY OF THE SHEPHERDS 



55 



lation from below. Every hundred feet of descent from the arid 

 plateau (Fig. 29) increases the water supply. Springs increase 

 in number and size; likewise belts of seepage make their appear- 

 ance. The gradients in many places diminish, and flattish spurs 

 and shoulders interrupt the generally steep descents of the canyon 



Fig. 26 — Regional diagram to show the physical relations in the lava plateau of 

 the Maritime Cordillera west of the continental divide. For location, see Fig. 20. 

 Trails 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 edge 

 of the girdle of spurs. There is also a string of huts in the deep sheltered head of 

 each tributary. See also Fig. 29 for conditions on the valley or canyon floor. 



wall. Every change of this sort has a real value to the farmer and 

 means an enhanced price beyond the ability of the poor shepherd 

 to pay. If you ask a wealthy Jiacendado on the valley floor (Fig. 

 29), who it is that live in the huts above him, he will invariably say 

 "los Indios," with a shrug meant to convey the idea of poverty 

 and worthlessness. Sometimes it is "los Indios pobres," or 

 merely "los pobres." Thus there is a vertical stratification of 



