Hydrographic Sketch of Lake Titicaca Author(s): Alexander Agassiz Source: Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,

Vol. 11 (May, 1875 May, 1876), pp. 283-292 Published by: American Academy of Arts & Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20021479 . Accessed: 10/07/2013 12:42
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XXIV.

HYDROGRAPHIC SKETCH OF LAKE TITICACA.

By Alexander March Agassiz. 8, 1876. its exploration promised to

Presented, From the position of Lake

Titicaca,

give interesting results in Natural History,

materials fore after our for with a collected considerable in lakes situated at disappointment of this come prepared observations facilities to

judging at least from the

protracted We plunder. dredging, ; and, for

examination had

It was there great heights. that my and companion myself! examined of water sheet great all the necessary apparatus making by the Gar

with of placed

soundings Peruvian man

taking with the we

and temperature at my command a rich harvest.

government, hoped gather six weeks in the shores of the lake, spent nearly stop skirting at all convenient for making collections of the Fauna of places ping the lake and of its shores, and for exploring remains found the ancient on the islands line. the in the Mr. lake and at several was on the shore sloop, tom tions by While only Garman points on sailing we if lake, in the lake the vicinity of the in a small iron

Mr.

vessel sailing across the ferry plying " in the steamers Yavari Peruvian Inca and government, ruins existed

the

interesting of Coati two eral

an old flat bot except two expedi of Tiquina, I made " " at my Yapura placed disposal at all the noted where points landing : the islands in the lower lake, the islands Straits " and and Tiaguanaco. longitudinally to shore. twice, The these During sev and ran captains the of the

of Titicaca, I crossed soundings steamers, in my

expeditions, lines of

Copacabana, the lake from F. shore

great Capt. especially, taking me in all possible and assisting ways, proceedings The first time nor pains neither to secure observations. proper sparing " " mate a number was of English of the assisted Yavari by fortunately were lines at all times in of the sounding devoted sailors, who hauling the day and The sketch all kinds of weather. map accompany during is compiled ing this notice with such corrections of from the the map shore line of Thompson as we could and make of Pentland, from per

government est interest

Guerrero

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284

proceedings

of

the

American

academy

sonal the

examination. northern Capt. extremity

The of

latitude the

as

nearly sextant taken observa several having of the island, which tions off the northwest point quite closely agreed as of Puno, The with Pentland's however, positions. longitude given not quite and too far to the 70? W., is probably correct, by Pentland, from of Moliendo distance of Puno the harbor The eastward. being rect, Guerrero and myself only two as seven points, on minutes of course in time, this as ascertained between the by telegraph the ; while taking longitudes as 73? 39' for Moliendo, given the difference of longi

Island

by Pentland, given of Titicaca, is very

16?

S.

for cor

is approximate map

given

by Fitzroy, tude is somewhat Mr. which The close totora Garman a number whole to the grow

and

the English admiralty 70^ for Puno, greater, more

by Pentland, than 3?.

than and myself took more were to represent selected of the

sixty-five the surface

from soundings, of the bottom.

bottom

shore,

and frequently lake in its deepest parts, quite at which and the the myriophyllum to the point a thick so is covered in certain localities, by plentifully up

bed of mud, the finest possible greenish black silt.

must which few mud. away and of have the been heavy of several sounding feet in thickness, to leads judge in it.

This
from It

bed of mud
the ease with but fine and sand lake, contained

fragments It was from

only the mouth

disappeared made almost up of pure shells, always being near the shore, of localities in a small number of that occasional rivers, were In found. bottom any of patches lower the

however, the bulk

or rocky shelly was the bottom of At of the the matter the time

Tiquina. last part were from water very

the water deposited having sandy, generally the Straits of in suspense before held reaching the to the of our visit lake, although during when all the rivers pouring they the into brought the lake down the mud and materials from

rainy and

season,

high

turbid with yet,

the mountains, was remarkably Raimondi not outlet for

a short and

distance clear. there

pure

by Professor and stances, Having no chance an

of Lima, large

According is but a mere the

surface the shore, to an made analysis trace of saline sub the water. there is

Aullagas of an accumulation told, somewhat

sufficiently to Lake

to affect

of potability the Desaguadero, through Lake while saline matter, saline, and of the the sink

as is already, is pours quite is due shore abounding line which six to seven in the

I am saline. to the

Aullagas that into which near the

The

the

immense

extensive

shores

fathoms.

vegetable decayed and of totora, myriophyllum ex ten 1 to a of from and which for miles, depth in Puno are most extensive totora The fields fields of

unpleasant amount

taste of

lake water

matter

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The article myriophyllum of food for to and see

Bay grows cattle cows

and very of of

the

southern

shores and

of forms It

the an

lower

lake.

luxuriantly, lake the shore. wading

is not their

important an uncommon middle in

the the

Puno

up

to

sight the water,

diving

boldly in search of their food which

This cows, Totora which teristic not habit

they cannot find on the shore.

no apparent has as yet produced effect on these amphibious on for a The of fields carried good many although generations. are also of the myriads of aquatic the feeding birds places are abound and which the most charac the lake shore, along feature of the Fauna our of the lake. of and of the The former fishes and a reptiles poverty by certain are in a and is most collections remarkable, in the number showed

numerous,* which

species

this

is also

comparative localities. when tainly the

poverty specimens, The of fishes be readily can, however, scarcity explained we condition of the water, examine the physical which is cer not well to them. In the first the whole bottom adapted place, lake, unfit as I have a mentioned part of the before, area of is covered the lake for with silt, thus and ren

accompanied in except

of

rep large a more or less wide the shallower belt only leaving bays, along the to the nature shore of the and the according country, adjoining to be the favorite lower lake, which appears post of the Indians. fishing to the greater due be of the Bolivian In however, This, may energy are a finer more set of men, who to work, and in every dians, willing to the lazy natives found near Puno and the northern end way superior dering tiles, of lake our the is lake. so In high the that zone second none are and large the temperature of place, of the fishes which abound found. There are the water in the of lakes the of

the fishes

temperate

to be

of fishes, Cyprinoids a sheet of water as In the wray on of

Siluroids,?a as Lake Erie. interesting perfectly

in all only six species small number for remarkably were all known before. They species quiet on too was the lazy a huge bottom, to come frog, sus up

which pended to the The very

remained

reptiles, often

the most for hours

fronds

surface effect of

of myriophyllum, to breathe. the vertical to sun upon its

apparently

the

deepest extending to such an extent that body of water in one served was it is true, as case, of 103 fathoms; but the usual

marked,

heating we difference ob greatest as at a high 6J degrees depth difference the between surface and the

temperature and point,

of

the water the whole

is

* See Bull

M. C. L. Vol.

III. No.

11.

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286

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the bottom, than was the the We kindly Survey. of the from only surface time 3

even to

at 4

the

greatest The

51?,

degrees. the general

depth lowest

(154

fathoms), 54

was of

not more the bottom while part of

temperature 56 to 57? Fahr. the

temperature from ranged

temperature from varying to 59?, the

to 55?;

53

greater

used loaned As sun

thermometer of Miller deep-sea ordinary to me by Captain Patterson of the United-States is well show observations that known, deep-sea not like extend this, in the ocean at so great much an altitude, beyond the 50 effect

Casella, Coast the effect but,

does basin

fathoms;

in a closed

of the direct

so little is very great. atmosphere through in the winter re months of that that, even the sun never north farther than 52?, and goes season), dry gion (the time ; and that, in the summer months that only for a short (the rainy the greater The it is nearly vertical water, part of the time. season), in summer, is but its heat little retains of course, and, even readily, chilled rapidly by com It is a very interposing or nine to rise or fall mon in the thermometer degrees eight thing for or as many of the sudden the effect minutes from appearance disap to form in small is said Ice of the sun. quantities only pearance cooler the than the surrounding least cloud between it and the very sun. along take the into shores account or the shallow immense places is easily imagined must of water which body an average of about depth in winter, the air itself other a : this when be 100 we air, which becomes

the sun passing of rays It must be remembered,

cooled, fath

120 miles oms of We ; the heat find by

30 wide, and long by surface of the lake, even absorption, as is here, isolated, at this life but although the case few

receiving large is uncomfortably sheets of water

amount cold. com

in many

paratively find We the marine with and counts arctic tom of of the

elevation great of arctic regions, small are the seen

a comparatively which Siluroids, we have of Still lake, the

to the and these lake. peculiar species, us of a condition of things reminding ? a of specimens, abundance great of Orestias number of species ; the shoals in certain and localities, other agree animals conditions formed by with the ac the bot of fishes peculiar deposits by

swarms there are

realms. the

immense down

physical of mud

haunting of the the

of the water temperature high to a remarkable the to specialize degree We in such a condition of things. found to thrive find, how genera : on the the fishes about ever, no such specialization among brought even under such peculiar while their isolation, physical contrary, living lake, the which causes should tend

silt brought of the elevation

annually

the mountain-streams,

settling the great ; all of

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them, of at their one species young of of of any rate, of

conditions, any The widely Orestias of capacity genus

appears for Orestias

to have development is closely of

deprived in the allied genera. degree

some

of

direction to Fundulus, The the without Fundulus

congeners. the most the genus species its em for

distributed resemble

fresh-water

in a remarkable

some

Fundulus, type,

head, plates opercula, prominent resembling large and other sides. The of the anterior genera part of the back along a are fish in the found lakes fresh-water, great eminently having recalls The number of water-birds distribution. great geographical to us of also the more vividly ducks and water-hens fresh-water on the other not northern abound. where marshy regions, are all The mollusca thousands species of The forms near

bryonic its large

and might be at a time when

considered, the young its

exaggeration, is remarkable

scales

eminently Crustacea, which est allies thus

genera, hand, been

showing belong found

far have

very special. nothing to the Orchestiadas, mainly at all : their in fresh water M. C. L., vol. iii. No.

(see nearly 16). we have from the researches of several but of geologists, Although a extent idea of the immense Darwin of pretty mainly, good general a or less elevation to which has been territory subject greater along coast of South coast of Ecua the wrhole west from the south America, dor to the eastern in Central lead feet. of us It to coast Peru. assume is very to and sea, he a of Patagonia, Yet there such true that an this has elevation been nothing elevation appears shown of the to have which land positive terraces, the former feet. I as

are

all marine

Bull

culminated would 12,000 proof

immense Darwin

showed 600 distinct from feet

the most ; while of

elevation

shingle-beaches, of the level have been

height more other to a up these

of or

about less of

traces

traced

able

to follow

height traces

1,300-1,500 somewhat

of elevation

at Tilibiche, at a found the of 2,900 feet above having height now to those found in the sea, corals of genera allied living closely Bull M. iii. No. These the West Indies vol. corals C. L., (see 13). were attached find near to rocks, in crevasses formed between in the them, cracks much as we would This being at the present of extremity of rocks. of Peru,

higher, level of

them

attached

the northern

day the nitrate-fields

throws considerable
been west former Chili. range of marine coast of

light on the probability of these deposits having

In to fact, the the geography north of Chili of the whole of the seems to a to point coast of the west the coast to

origin. the Andes of

on now find as we such things to the southward of Santiago, The bounded by plains to the westward, and the Andes to the east, gradually condition

pass

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the condition of it,?

of

the coast

the coast range, to and

coast

changed the north the

bays which form of the

at and south Conception prevailing Bay, the the Andes the range forming archipelago, forming the plains of the more northern regions becoming immense basins each other towards ; the succeeding the so-called the pampas cut deep Desert of Atacama, through more in the the nitrate-beds, which or less the rivers of Peru,

now

llanos

coast, have

flowing terraces, continent. coast tending generally second 7,000 indistinct which these marine marine on a

to the west showing These and the a

the different plains the base summit of its are of of from base

with valleys of ascent periods

marked of the a ex it, the

elevation

range from at

everywhere the eastern the shore 1,200 at an a or

found, talus terrace, 3,000 of

either the if we feet,

between or so call to 6,000 or

Andes, may sloping of from more

terrace, feet, and terrace lies basins origin forms, between

height with then until the more that,

average second

followed we eastern or if we

by reach and less are

height third and elevated slope the of

less

the main western

plateau the Andes. their

or basin All former

show ; so the coast

successive of

distinctly to from judge terraces developed with elevation

trace of

the west fair

the Andes, that the

height

at a recent their date, and during place comparatively were as the district and saline nitrate left present upheaval deposits a considerable to from the period, great large lagoons judge during all denoting of the deposits their the thickness found within basins, of a Lake Titicaca comparatively itself must formed quiet have, quite an most had level. of Arapa several west an inland within inland sea. a comparatively sea. The to be of 300 very terraces traced, or 400 send a recent of its

presumption has taken

of strictly the presence on a scale magnificent we the interlying have basins, to their present of the Andes

presence

geological former that least far

period, are shores

its water-level higher to the than north

everywhere must have its present in the

distinctly elevation alone

showing feet at

This

would

its shores

direction Lake

Pucar?,

up reaching the ancient considerable Cabanillas, 120 The eastern line, The feet

to S. Rosa. lake, distance as well from

as the

arm forming an outlier is probably of only now a at of the small lakes, The immense of plain or 100 only of water. sheet seen. The

narrow

shore.

extending above the of the did

north lake former not at

terraces shores

Lampa beyond was its highest point, are still very shores

to Juliaca, one

Bay

the though of Puno

differ greatly probably was of Achacache peninsula must have been connected

distinctly from the

with

probably the plains

out present an island. of Llave,

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and those back of Juli ; while from the lower lake, back of Aygache,
the the lake nearly formed dry huge river-beds inlets or flowing deep bays, into the now lake represented at Aygache, been have long equalled lake, only Corilla, a strait of by

and Guajui. considerable Lake upper mus Titicaca lake

The width, with ; the

sluggish with Lake

Desaguadero islands large

must ; and this

upper

Aullagas, lake, at that the lower

must time,

have

connecting in extent the Isth large the

of Yunguyu, connected island, to the west plains, now give would us

leaving with the

Peninsula lake by those

across the extending as a of Copacabana a broad between pass to the west

hills The

and of Copacabana, laid bare at the northern an excellent idea the

and western appearance

shores the whole

of Yunguyu. of Lake basin lakes of and

Titicaca, the basins, of here lake

present and small,

great

if entirely The dry. which covered formerly been very great

number the

of elevated now

the Andes, and there by a much

must a

have small

represented great

the more showing smaller times,

altitudes,

ceiving not within of are some

plateau find only are sheet of water. former lakes The only or less extensive at basins pampas, forming that of this district is re the whole plainly waterfall than in former but probably times, ; but we if we ruins the covered and where take into consideration the of Bolivia present by huge vicu?as position which These grass, suste It differ the

historic of the most 75 are

ancient above

about only ancient basins from nance would ence llamas, In and which at be in the an the which the that lower of the

feet

(at Tiahuanaco), level of the lake. bunches obtain best causes of of their to rank only

thickly

llamas,

alpacas, heights

immense

interesting inquiry habitat between the do not thrive which varied near

they to ascertain other the

seem the

prosper. of the

species sea-coast. the

camels

and

lake, I can

is shallow,

temperature From

of

the

surface of obser

vations

extremely. state that it is very local, upon only depending and the condition wind of the sky. the prevailing from of the upper The taken those show lake, following soundings, ? the of of the surface and the great bottom: temperature uniformity taken, vol. xi. (n. s. III.) 19

the bottom

the number

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Depth. Fath.

Surface.

Bottom.

Air.

Time.

28 18 12 24 33 30 43 47 66 74 * 82 85 90

100 103 111 106 112

113

55? F. 55 58 59 55 56.5 54.7 57.5 56.7 55.9 56.1 57 55.5 56 56 55.3 56 57.5 57 54.9 57.5 55 56. 3 55 56 57 53 55.3 55 55.4 54

114
116 124 125 130

136
132

149 150 151 154

55? F. 53 53 54.5 54.9 56 54.5 56.2 55 54.9 54.3 54.5 51 54 54 54.3 51.5 54.9 54.5 54.5 55 55 54.6 56 54.9 55 54 52 54.5 54.5 55 52

56? 55 42 53 47 58.5 58 67 55 60 43 55 44 63

7.40 10.15 12.30 4.30 7.10 9 12.20 4 10.20 11.05 11.10 2.25 8 6 1 7.10 6.15 12.20

a.m. a.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. a.m. a.m., p.m., a.m. p.m., p.m., p.m., a.m. a.m., p.m. a.m., p.m. p.m., cloudy. clear. sun very sunny. sunny. rainy. raining clear. hard. hard. bright.

61 45 60 45 55 47 48 49

44 7.10 p.m., raining 10 a.m., clear. 11.14 1.09 8.05 9.10 10.30 11.40 10.25 12.25 8.45 a.m., p.m., p.m., p.m. a.m. a.m., a.m., p.m. a.m. raining sunny. sunny.

hard.

cloudy. cloudy.

The surveys Arequipa

elevation of the

of

the

lake

above

the Pacific obtained James Orton

has while

been

taken the the

from line

the from

railroad

to Puno.

engineers, Professor

laying to inclines

opinion

that the whole basin of Lake Titicaca, with

westward, made far, is gradually from times early few measurements sinking, give a taken because the

the high plateau

successive

to the

observations

Thus gradually diminishing height. can a chance be more than hardly we remember the and great when coincidence, uncertainty divergence a measurements of heights all taken to within attending comparatively recent The of the topographers of the late very experience period. the surveys are in the Rocky Mountains for part such of a has been very similar ; and as much

geological we yet the

sinking

prepared hardly of the greater

sweeping generalization the Rocky Mountains from

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Lake Titicaca and its

more vicinity. Along former

abundant

data

than

those

accessible

from

the eastern shores are nowhere found

coast rise along to A line

of Lake to any

Titicaca, considerable line

elevations

the general those low*er of east

its forming The height. greatest the western forming edge the mountains the range the axis

of the high plateau, to the south of which the lake is situated, from the
Nevados Chachani, half-way caca. This feet, miles rivers and, of Tacorara Coropuno. the between range, of Moquega, nearly parallel and the former not rise to more Pichupichu, extends about of Lake or Titi 17,000

however,

does

than

16,000

sweeping to the north-east to

to the northward of the lake, of sides the Lake

at a distance forms

of about

one hundred between those the

the water-shed and basin

leading into Lake Titicaca,

the the

headwaters eastern of of

the Amazonas of this great

of snowy giants Guaina and Mampu. runs The north Potosi, Mamini, range nearly from the head of the ward of Achacache, the southern Bay forming on the north, of and with the northern boundary Caravaya uniting of the great Titicaca water-shed eastern basin. This of snowy range retreats mountains from of as far as the the shore the lake about western intermediate range, and forms at the same time the line

by the northern the south-eastern

extension shores

range which huge in the Titicaca

being culminates

flowing formed near

between
basin rise the rents the of more south

the waters flowing

the lake. 800 lake, The hills than of the to 1,000 low

to the Pacific and those belonging

of feet ridges the above form of Copacabana peninsula the level of the lake the dividing-lines La Paz and of one of of Corocoro these

to the
do not to tor into im the

; and, the

from the heights between flowing lower lake. The view from the crest to the of of eastward of Tiahuanaco from

mediately panorama the level

is

snowy the lake been

heights rising is one of the most my of fortune the lower

8,000

truly magnificent to 10,000 stretches

ridges ; and feet

above

beautiful

of mountain mountains with the do low

scenery behind

it has the

to see. lake

islands

as these Rising as a foreground, a

hills beyond Huarina

the shore, snow-line we have coming within

on the opposite shore of the lake at the base of

down to within of couple of miles thousand no less feet than of six the or a radius thirty-five of

seven peaks varying from 20,000 to 22,000 feet above the level of the
sea. Looking over the peninsula Copacabana can extends the upper

lake, with
the westward

its sacred islands hardly visible on the horizon ; while

extend, as far as the eye reach, the huge flat-topped

to

hills, the dividing-ridges

between

the torrents flowing

into the lake,

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292
which some of while

PROCEEDINGSOF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY

comprise 16,000 feet the immense the elevated level of the a plateau reaching an endless sea, with above the of height number

above

somewhat to

peaks higher of the westward which out

rising slightly Tiahuanaco

sharply-cut

this general elevation ; of the outline between while the Bolivia outline

r.:ounttin-chain and Peru of many Nevada desolation There shuts of de

formj the view

the div^llng-boundars in that direction. But graceful, forgotfen, it the and the of the

these Sorata of

chains is not

is most to scene be

of the grandeur and utter barrenness much of its beauty. country

the whole

is absolutely

there a patch of rank is dry, arid, upon which grass, stony an occasional to out their eke existence the vicu?as ; shrub, manage as one's it has left because thus a stem as little finger, with only large the few shrubs the eye of the Indian far escaped remaining gathering as not the cut only down firewood, to give with characteristic which, to grow it a chance again, fuel for the present illustrates needs the as imprudence, but pulls up possible. hydrography of the he roots does and

nothing and ; here

deprives to rest green

eye

; the whole

all, to get as much The accompanying basin of Lake

map

general

Titicaca.

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