THE GEOGRAPHIC BASIS OF HUMAN CHARACTER 107 



lute or unsuccessful whites live in the worst towns, like Salamanca 

 and Antabamba. A larger valley with a slightly milder climate 

 and more accessible situation, like Chuquibamba, will draw a still 

 better grade of white citizen and in the largest of all — Cuzco and 

 the Titicaca basin — we find normal whites in larger numbers, 

 though they nowhere live in such high ratios to the Indian as on 

 the coast and in the lower valleys near the coast. With few ex- 

 ceptions the white population of Peru is distributed in response 

 to favorable combinations of climate, soil, accessibility, and gen- 

 eral opportunities to secure a living without extreme sacrifice. 



These facts are stated in a simple way, for I wish to emphasize 

 the statement that the Indian population responds to quite other 

 stimuli. Most of the luxuries and comforts of the whites mean 

 nothing to the Indian. The machine-made woolens of the im- 

 porters will probably never displace his homespun llama-wool 

 clothing. His implements are few in number and simple in form. 

 His tastes in food are satisfied by the few products of his fields 

 and his mountain flocks. Thus he has lived for centuries and is 

 quite content to live today. Only coca and brandy tempt him to 

 engage in commerce, to toil now and then in the hot valleys, and 

 to strive for more than the bare necessities of life. Therefore 

 it matters very little to him if his home town is isolated, or the 

 resources support but a small group of people. He is so ac- 

 customed to a solitary existence in his ramblings with his flocks 

 that a village of fifty houses offers social enjoyments of a high 

 order. Where a white perishes for lack of society the Indian finds 

 himself contented. Finally, he is not subject to the white man's 

 exploitation when he lives in remote places. The pastures are ex- 

 tensive and free. The high valley lands are apportioned by the 

 alcalde according to ancient custom. His life is unrestricted by 

 anything but the common law and he need have no care for the 

 morrow, for the seasons here are almost as fixed as the stars. 



Thus we have a sort of segregation of whites in the lower 

 places where a modern type of life is maintained and of Indians 

 in the higher places where they enjoy advantages that do not ap- 

 peal to the whites. Above 8,000 feet the density of the white popu- 



