Mail Runners On the Inca Trail

Friends , while reading the History of the Incas , I came across the wonderous story of their mail runners , the 'chasquis' ! Kindly read their story ! THE MAIL RUNNERS - ON THE INCA TRAIL ! (COURIER SERVICE) The Inca Empire during their hey-days, * Controlled a large Empire of an elongated shape! On the western coast of Latin America, - All the way from parts of Ecuador and Colombia! With parts of Brazil in the east; Including Chile and Bolivia in the south and south-east; While the Pacific Ocean washed their long western beach! Where the great Andes range like a raised spine, - appeared out of reach! Yet on the central verge of this Andes’ range, Was located their capital Cuzco with its grand defence ! The Incas had no horses or wheels to facilitate communication, But had an efficient courier service within their nation! They relied entirely on their ‘chasquis’, - those valiant mail runners, For sending messages within the Inca Empire! These runners ran on that historic ‘Inca Trail’, Crossing gorges(pogos) and mountain tracks, - before night fell! And rested at ‘tambos’** during their segmented race! Those Incas had no written scripts those days, And used knots in ropes as coded messages! These ‘quipus’ at relay stations changed hands, While their runners took them to the remotes corners of Inca land! Their suspension bridges with ropes indigenously made, Formed their roadways as their Empire spread! And those bridges were maintained every year, By villagers rendering public service to the Inca Empire! Those valiant runners could run in a day, - A distance of 250 miles , as experts say ! And could put to shame the Marathon runners of our day! I salute those sturdy Incas for their unique stone architectures, Who honored their Gods and their ancestors! Their ‘chasquis’, those valiant mail runners and their nimble feet; Without horses and wheels the Incas ruled a mighty Empire complete ! -Raj Nandy Notes :- * During the fifteenth century Incas were at height of their power! **Tambos’= relay stations , for the Mail Runner (chasqui) to rest and handover the ‘quipu’ containing coded messages to the next runner - to follow the Inca Trail! Thanks for reading ! - Raj Nandy