Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

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A Trip to the Land of the km LAST year, in the month of July, I had the opportunity, together with my parents and another family, of making a tour to the ancient city of Cuzco. We left Lima, which is the capital of Peru, by aero plane on a five-hour flight to the second city of the country, Arequipa, which is at the foot of an active volcano 20,320 feet high. That night we boarded the train which, during the night, was to take us to Juli- aca. a small Indian village not far from Puno and the famous Lake Titicaca, which is the highest navigable lake in the world. After a half-hour stop, we changed from a sleeping to a saloon-car so as to continue our journey to Cuzco. The train stopped at almost every station along the way so that we were all able to stretch our legs a little, but unfortunately the altitude did not encourage much walk- ing around. The way the Indians ' dresses, especially those of the women, changed from one province to another, was particularly noticeable. For example, in one province it was the custom to wear large hats in the shape of pancakes decorated with bright colours, while in another it was the fashion to wear hats with narrow brims and high crowns. It was interesting to see the llama, alpaca, huanai and vicuna herds that roamed wild on the mountain-sides and which usually stopped at a safe distance, staring curiously as the train rattled up and down the hills. About 9 o ' clock that evening we ground to a stop at our destination. Immediately a crowd of yelling little Indian boys climbed into our car and started fighting to decide who should help to carry the baggage. All the next day we spent walking about and seeing the import- ant sights, such as the ancient temples to the Sun and Moon as well as the twelve-cornered stone which is a massive piece of rock form- ing part of the side of one temple. The astounding thing about these temples is that mortar was never used in their construction, but all the stones were finely ground down and interlocked firmly into place. The following day was spent going over the six churches and two cathedrals. All these churches were constructed by the Spaniards after they had captured Cuzco from the Incas, and were decorated with magnificent paint- ings in gilt frames brought from Spains in galleons and carried more than five hundred miles on the backs of Indian slaves ; but not all of these paintings were brought from Spain ; some of them were painted in Cuzco itself by Criollos or half-breeds. The most inter- esting of these churches was, I thought, the ancient cathedral called Iglesia del Triumfo, which has a beautifully carved stone altar and was the first cathedral to be built in South America. The rest of the week was spent going over the ruins at Tam- pumachay, Puca Pucana, Keno, Machu Picchu and Fort Sacsahua- SCHOOL MAGAZINE Page 23

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grouse, and it keeps property owners busy warning tourists with guns off their property during the season. One must be careful of the stories cooked up on such occasions. In the fall of the year traffic is often held up by a herd of from twenty-five to one hundred and fifty head of cattle being driven along the road on their way to stock-yards where they are weighed and put on cattle cars for their journey to the meat packing plants. Often small herd owners ship their cattle with those of a large outfit for convenience in driving and shipping. It is an amusing thing to watch small children with their heads out of the car window and their mouths open as they stare with awe at the cattle shunting the car as they go past. Occasionally a startled steer will shatter head- lights or a fender as revenge for giving it such a fright. If the visitor still remains in doubt as to the variation of events in the Lower Cariboo he must look elsewhere for his excitement. G. H. S. P. (Form VL) FRUSTRATION You ' re crew because you ' re junior, We ' ll launch the boat together, — There ' ll be but me and you — And I will be the captain, And you shall be the crew. I know a secret channel, That cleaves a woody brake, And pulsing sounds are heard there, Like heart-beats in the Lake. ' Tis said on winter evenings, Whene ' er the moon is full, Pale figures pass along there In motion magical, To reach a pallid water, That lies around the bend, Where Time may never enter, And Life may never end. And this, the Lake ' s dark secret, I mean to have from her, Though Arthur ' s self should guard it With bright Excalibur. And I am captain, mind. — O look, the Head has written : Too young. Our leave ' s not signed. K. A. B. M. Page 22 SHAWNIGAN LAKE

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man. At Machu Picchu we saw the sun-fixing clock where the high priest stood every morning to welcome the sun-god as he rose and on special occasions performed sacrifices to him. It was at Fort Sacsahuaman, which means Satiated Hawk Ever Ready for War, that we saw the place where in 1536 an Indian general called Cahuide jumped over the cliff behind the fortress so as not to be captured by the Spaniards. Some of the stones forming this ancient fortress are more than thirty feet high and weigh one hundred tons. It is still a mystery how the Indians succeeded in transporting these rocks several miles and then placing them one on top of the other, thus making three lines of almost impregnable zigzagged fortifi- cations. After a tiring, but very interesting, week we reluctantly packed our suit-cases and started on the hard journey back to Arequipa, stopping at Puno for an uncomfortable night spent on one of the three passenger boats that sail on Lake Titicaca. In Arequipa we spent three days resting and visiting the hot- water springs at the foot of the volcano. We then took the plane back to Lima and civilization. J. B. H. (Form VI) A is for Anderson, blue-eyed and fair. B is for Bice, untonsured of hair. C is for Chapman, a prefect by trade. D is for Day, a boy not afraid to tackle a player who ' s double his size; a hero of rugby in many boys ' eyes. E is for Edgett, who lives in Vancouver. F is for France, an ardent Remover. G is for Gowman, fat and true blue. H is for Harrison, hails from Peru. I and J too, no one of that name. K is for Kueckelhan, bugler of fame. L is for Loughary, a good friend of Pope. M is for Mainguy, who ' ll thin down (we hope). N is for Naden with girl friends galore. O is for Oostermeyer, dead keen to score a try, which so far he ' s never yet done; the scrum does the work, the threes have the fun. P is for Pruett, who has a small brother. Patterson, too, he has another. Q is the Question which fills us with fear as to whether we ' ll pass at the end of the year. R is for Rochester from Ottawa way. S is for Saul from Francisco Bay. V is for Veasey of school girl complexion. W for Wood, who ends my collection of the facts and the details about all the queers with whom I have lived for these many long years. P. J. G. (Form VI) Page 24 SHAWNIGAN LAKE