In the land of the Incas, which seems to have been run on a curious combination of absolut ism and socialism, every able-bodied person was expected to work, and the proper distribution of wealth was carefully looked after by the emperor, who was termed the friend of the so that, we are told, the land was enor mously wealthy, and Cuzco, the capital, was the richest of all the aboriginal American cities: The Quichua Empire was divided into four quarters (corresponding to the four cardinal points) by lines radiating from Cuzco; and the whole, known as the four United Provinces, was governed by viceroys, through whom the emperor kept his hand upon the reins of gov ernment throughout his vast domains. A sys tem of division and subdivision, with responsi bility to the next highest immediate authority, made the government of the whole country and the control of it by the emperor wonderfully effective. Each of 10 families formed a community and at the same time the unit of government. Thus a most scientifically worked out feudal system placed the responsibility, in every case, where it belonged and maintained it. there. This system of supervision permitted the Inca government to organize all the re sources and facilities of the empire; and the result was that not a spot capable of cultiva tion was neglected. Terraces were built on the sides of the mountains, from the foothills to the cold regions of the limit of vegetation;some of these upper terraces being not more than a yard wide. Irrigation was made a science.
Canals starting at the snow-line carried the water down the mountain side from one terrace to another, while more extensive irrigation works brought the arid lands of the coast under subjection and rendered the pasture lands fertile. Even the flow of water was regulated by the government to the extent, altitude and nature of the land to be irrigated. Vast herds of llamas and alpacas supplied meat and the finest of wool for the whole nation; as did also the wild huanacus and vicuñas. The Inca gov ernment also looked after the distribution of the population and saw that the people were placed where they could most easily make a living and contribute to the growth and great= ness of the empire. See PERU.
Jose de,