PERU

95

One-fourth  are  half-breeds,  the  descendants  of
the  conquerors  and  the  Incas.  About  two  per
cent,  of  the  population  are  Chinese.  Here  it
may  be  noted  that  many  archaeologists  and
anthropologists  believe  that  the  early  settlers
of  Peru  came  from  China,  across  the  stepping
stones  in  line  with  the  finger  of  Alaska  which
points  toward  Asia,  and  by  degrees  wandered
down  the  western  coast  of  America,  finally
establishing  a  government  near  what  is  now
the  city  of  Cuzco.  Perhaps  15  per  cent,  are
pure  white.  There  are  nearly  50,000  Europeans ­
  and  Americans  located  throughout
Peru.  Italians  and  their  descendants  are  most
numerously  represented,  followed  by  Germans
and  English.
Peru  has  no  navigable  rivers  on  her  west
coast,  the  many  streams  which  empty  into  the
Pacific  being  dry  or  very  low  except  during
the  periods  of  heavy  rains.  Properly  husbanded ­
  their  water  power  could  be  effectively
used.  To-day  they  serve  for  irrigation  and
near  some  of  the  larger  cities,  such  as  Lima
and  Callao,  have  been  advantageously  used  for