Adventure Magazine Cover — page 193: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ask Adventure surface due to volcanic action or others? I suppose this letter sounds rather foolish, but then, that’s what we go to you fellows for, to be “shown the light,” as it were. I have read snatches of Prescott’s Peru and Incan history but am not familiar with present-day situa- tions. Please quote any recent books you may know of. Can you tell me what chance two or three young fellows would stand of “getting by” in that region? Turning from my subject: I think you ‘A. A.’ editors are doing great things for inquiring, un- familiar persons like myself, and I am certain that I, for one, appreciate it greatly. Some time ago I opened a Camp-Fire station at my publishing-office, and since then I have become greatly absorbed in the work of Adventure and its afhliations. If at any time you feel I can be of service, do not hesitate to ask. And—thank you! Again, best wishes for you and all the devotees of Camp-Fire. Large regards.”—James Fort Forsytu, North Muskegon, Mich. Answer, by Mr. Young:—Thanks for the com- pliments! Also excuse my delay in answering your letter. Just got down to it. The boys had me snowed under for a time. That country you are asking about—the Titicaca country—is not to be compared to anything else in the whole world. Here is a very large lake with steamers running on it some twelve thousand feet above sea-level. This may sound high, and it is high compared with our mountain-tops here; but for S. A. that is just medium high, and they still have a few peaks that are another ten and eleven thousand feet higher than this lake, which lies in a high plateau. The steamer runs from the terminus of one rail- road over to the terminus of another at the other side. Besides this steamer there are many boats of native make, made of bundles of grass bound together—or is it reeds?—and sailed with small IQI sails of same grass—darned if I don’t think they call them rushes. There is any number of them on the lake manned with swarthy Indians, stolid and silent as they were in the days of the Incas. They build their stone houses and cover them with hay just as they did thousands of years ago. Here and there along the bleak stretches of the plateau and up the mountain-sides are herds of llamas and alpacas, a few sheep—bleak, barren, icy cold—people and scenery matching—people whose very language betokens misery, whose songs are plaintive, whose manner is stolid to surliness— plateau that is as bleak as the graven faces of the stark idols, mountains gray and buttressed with gaunt spurs and ridges with the deep blue-black sky far beyond. She’s some —— of a place and will take the guts out of a man for a while when he first lands. There is little danger; merely a repelling of country and people alike. I do not know if any of the islands in the lake have disappeared recently. There are rumors that some have sunk during volcanic disturbances in the past. This is likely. There are mining companies in Bolivia in several places where white men might get jobs. I am attaching a list. Get the booklets I have checked. Also see the sketches in the Encyclopedia Britannica under heading Peru and Bolivia. These are good. Best wishes. If you don’t want an answer enough to enclose full return postage to carry it, you don’t want it. “ ASK ADVENTURE” editors are ap- pointed with extreme care. If you can meet our exacting requirements and qualify as an expert on some topic or ter- ritory not now covered, we shall be glad to talk matters over with you. Address F. K. Noyes, Adventure, New York. LOST TRAILS NoteE—We offer this department of the “‘Camp-Fire”’ free of charge to those of our readers who wish to get in touch again with old friends or acquaintances from whom the years have separated them. For the benefit of the friend you seek, give your own name if possible. All inquiries along this line, unless contain- ing contrary instructions, will be considered as intended for publication in full with inquirer’s name, in this department, at our discretion. We reserve the right in case inquirer refuses his name, to substitute any numbers or other names, to reject any item that seems to us unsuitable, and to use our discretion in all matters pertaining to this department. Give also your own full address. We will, however, forward mail through this office, assuming no responsibility therefor. We have arranged with the Montreal Star to give additional pubhi- cation in their “‘Missing Relative Column,"’ weekly and daily editions, to any of our inquiries for persons last heard of in Canada. Except in case of relatives, inquiries from one sex to the other are barred. Hoste HICKMAN, Kloete, Langenfeld, Albertus Pretorius, Franz van Zyl, Fritz Du Quesne or any others that were in the Transvaal war in 1900, please ite aedtes H. L. BELL, 372 Oliver St., San Pedro, alif. LARRETT, ‘HENRY. Please _write.—Address E. N. TRIPP, 1912 Forest Ave., W., Detroit, Mich. ROWN, HENRY W. Left home during the year 1915. Last heard of in first Field Artillery, Battery C., Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Your mother ts anxious to hear fom your mdgcess Mrs. KaTiE Brown, Box 294, Price- ale, Pa. F,WART, Dad is going fast; will not last long. Write me.—Address DAVE, care of Adventure. CO DOO) (©