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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
March 1926
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F I N E G O L D ^ O R TH E P E A R L OF G R E A T P R I C E JO SEPH INE HOPE W E ST ERVE LT
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brought to irrigate the land and make it fertile. One can scarcely credit the evidence left behind of the works of those people of the long ago. King Rocca, the ancient kindly ruler, had a great army, and a number of generals, one of whom was Urco. It was this general of royal blood who, in that olden time, owned this farm, which was now to be the “ Garden of the Lord.” In a beautiful valley, where a crystal mountain stream wound its way, General Urco built his home and to him was born a little daughter, Ima-Sumach T’eka. The little girl, whose name means, "How Fair a Flower,” grew to womanhood, loved and adored by her parents and by all who knew her.
(Continued from last month) CHAPTER 19 THE FARM OF ROMANCE H HE days that fallowed were spent In looking over every part of the new farm, and planning the future work. The place was full of promise, and William and the others called it lovingly, "The Garden of the Lord," for “ It is to bring forth fruit for Him,” they said to each other. It was a wonderful farm. Indeed, it was more than a farm, for within its borders were mountains over 18,000
feet above sea level; capped with perpetual snow; on the high plateaus, or punas, as they were called, were two beautiful lakes. The area of the “ farm" was esti mated at between ten and twelve thou sand acres. With the farm they had taken over much live stock, also cattle, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, alpacas and pigs in vary ing numbers. There were also a number of Indians on the property upon whom they could depend for help. In addition were several Indian families feeding their cat tle on the punas, and these also could be called upon for assistance. The first work consisted of cleaning out the waterways, and then the plowing and sowing of the, grains, for here could be grown corn,
The general built for his daughter a house on a little hill at the foot of the mountain. A little further along, where a clear mountain ■spring “bubbled forth, he built a bath where the princess or Nuesta, as she came forth from her house in the early morning to worship the rising sun, might bathe in the cool crystal water of the spring. King Rocca had two sons, who, in jour neying to and from their father’s summer place, met the beautiful maiden, and both fell in love with her. Of course, it would be a wonderful thing for General Urco to have his daughter marry a prince, but when two princes were in love with her and both wanted her it complicated mat
What a wonderful les son is to be learned in the story of the Nuesta and the two princes The churchhas a king ly lover, and the one who shall bring in the last soul that shall complete the bride, will be the one who completes th e work which shall b r i n g back the king.
ters for the father. He feared to reject either prince as his daughter’s suitor. So he finally sought to solve the diffi culty. in what we would characterize as “ the fairy story way.” He set them each a huge task to accomplish, prom ising his daughter’s hand to the one who first finished his work. The task set was to bring water from somewhere to water the terraced grounds of the farm which, during the long dry season, lay barren and dead. Each of the young princes, filled with love for the “ fair est flower of the valley,” hastened to begin his task, and called to his assistance thousands of workmen. One chose a mountain stream, and at a point some six miles from the home of Ima-Sumach, dammed the stream and then cut a channel through every obstacle, in some places hard rock, and brought the water down to the very house of his love. v The other, more ambitious perhaps, or more eager to prove his love by the size of his undertaking, went up into the mountains, even to the snow line, and there finding a beautiful lake fed by the melting snows, began his work. First, he enlarged the lake, then built a wall around it, with a sluice gate from which to regulate the flow of the waters; then he cut his channel down the mountain side across the punas to the mountain above the old general’s home. Down this mountain ran his channel, the water leaping in a cascade almost two thousand feet high, white
wheat, potatoes, and other grains and vegetables. On the higher plains, wheat could be grown, and those still higher could be used fo r - grazing. All about the old farm were ancient ruins, dating back to the time before the Spanish conquerors came to that land. There were “ acequias,” which were to prove of inestimable value in watering the farm, and^these old aqueducts often had a most interesting history. Rose was much interested in searching out the story of this magnificent old farm. Long before the time of Atahualpa, she learned, there lived a king called Rocca, who ruled over these ancient Indians who were so well and so happily cared for. Their code of laws consisted of three only: “ Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lie, Thou shalt not be idle.” These laws, enforced and obeyed, produced a contented but unambitious people, who were easily con quered. These ancient people worked hard, else they never could have accomplished the wonderful feats of architecture that were brought to pass in those far off days. No person was allowed to be idle, nor was any land allowed to lie untilled. Some of the mountain slopes refused to hold the seed, so a system of terraces were built down the mountain side, and these narrow ledges were made to bring forth fruit. Huge reservoirs were built for conserving water, and in ditches leading through miles of barren plains the water was
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