This done, the governor commanded the immediate assembling in the chief
plaza of that city of all the caciques and principal lords who were then
living there in company with the dead lord; they were many, and from
distant lands, and his intention was to give them another lord who
should govern them in the name of H. M., for, as they were accustomed to
give always their obedience and tribute to a sole lord, great confusion
would result if it were not thus, for each of them would rise up with
his own lordship, and it would cost much toil to bring them into
friendship with the Spaniards and into the service of H. M. For this and
many other reasons the Governor made them assemble, and finding among
them a son of Gucunacaba[11] called Atabalipa, a brother of Atabalipa to
whom by law the realm belonged, he said to all that now that they saw
how Atabalipa was dead because of the treason he had plotted against him
[the Governor], and because they were all left without a lord who should
govern them and whom they should obey, he wished to give them a lord who
would please them all, and that he [the lord] was Atabalipa who was
there present, to whom that kingdom legitimately belonged as he was the
son of that Gucunacaba whom they had loved so much. He [Atabalipa] was a
young man who would treat them with much love and who had enough
prudence to govern that land. He [the Governor] urged them,
nevertheless, to look well to it that they wished him for a lord, for if
not, they were to name another, and if he were capable, the governor
would give him to them as lord. They replied that since Atabalipa was
dead, they would obey Atabalipa or whomever else he should give them,
and so it was arranged that they should yield obedience another day
according to the accustomed manner. When the next day had come, once
more they all assembled before the door of the governor where was placed
the cacique in his chair and near him all the other lords and chiefs,
each in his proper position. And due ceremonies having been held, each
one came to offer him a white plume as a sign of vassalage and tribute,
which is an ancient custom dating from the time that this land was
conquered by these Cuzcos.[12] This done, they sang and danced, making a
great festivity, in which the new king neither arrayed himself in
clothes of price nor placed the fringe upon the forehead in the manner
in which the dead lord was wont to wear it. And when the governor asked
him why he did so, he replied that it was the custom of his ancestors
when they took possession of the realm to mourn the dead cacique and to
pass three days in fasting, shut up within their house, after which they
used to come forth with much pomp and solemnity and hold great
festivities, for which reason he, too, would like to spend two days in
fasting. The Governor replied that since it was an ancient custom he
might keep it, and that soon he would give him many things which the
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