You are standing on the roof of the Americas. This is in the Chilean Andes, near the highest point of land in the Western Hemisphere. Unlike the Himalayas (h-mä´ lå-yå) the fine peaks are lacking. The Andes here appear to be more of a high plateau than a range of peaks. On the border of Chile and Argentina, in sight from this point is Mt. Aconcagua, a great pile of Lava. It is the top of the Americas-23,080 feet above sea level. The lake here shown is a beautiful bit of water or ice. It is about 15,000 feet above sea level and snow and ice are always about it. It is formed by the snow melting on the sunny slopes of some of the ridges. The lake was named after the famous nation of people whose home was farther north. In the Peruvian Andes the Incas had built up a civilization like those of early nations of the East. Some scholars have tried to connect them with the Lost Tribes of Israel. There is little doubt but that they were related to the Aztecs of Mexico. The Spaniards came in the 16th century under the lead of Pizarro. The Incas were wiped out. Their offspring now work in the fields and mines of the country they once ruled. The Andes have a number of lakes at a great height. This is because of their flatness and their great width. In Peru and Bolivia they are 500 miles across. In length they extend 4,000 miles. You will observe that there is no sign of life here. You are above the line of vegetation, and most land animals live where plant life thrives. Near Inca Lake the Transandean railway is tunneled through the mountains. Observe the clouds. Why do they lose their moisture in going over these mountains? Keystone ID: 21861 Note: All titles, descriptions, and location coordinates are from the original Keystone Slide documentation as supplied by the Keystone View Company. No text has been edited or changed.