The travels of Pedro de Cieza de Léon; part 2Cieza de León, Pedro de
History
The travels of Pedro de Cieza de Léon; part 2
Cieza de León, Pedro de
Incas; Peru -- History -- To 1548
The Inca captains, after what has been written had come to pass,
returned to the valley of Xauxa, where already great presents and many
women had been got together to be sent to Cuzco, and the people of
Tarama did the same. The news of all this arrived at Cuzco, and when the
Inca heard it, he rejoiced at the success of his captains, although it
showed that he was displeased at what had happened respecting Ancoallo.
But this was, as it is believed, a kind of dissimulation, for some
declared that what was done by the captains was in accordance with his
orders. As Tupac Uasco and the other Chancas had gone to make war in the
Collao, and had been victorious, the Inca reflected that, when they knew
what had happened to Ancoallo, they would turn against their sovereign
and commit treason. So he sent messengers with orders to desire that
they would come to him, and he commanded, on pain of death, that no one
should tell the Chancas what had happened.
The Chancas, as soon as they received the command of the Inca, came to
Cuzco; and when they arrived the Inca spoke to them lovingly but with
much dissimulation, concealing his evil dealings with Ancoallo, and
making it appear, by his words, that he had been himself displeased. The
Chancas, when they understood, did not fail to feel the affront, but
seeing how little satisfaction could be obtained, they asked permission
to return to their province. Having been granted leave, they set out,
the Inca giving their principal lord the privilege of sitting in a chair
enriched with gold; and other favours.
The Inca took care to adorn the temple of Curi-cancha with great riches,
as has already been mentioned. And as Cuzco possessed many provinces in
all directions, he gave several to the temple, and he ordered posts to
be stationed, that all his subjects should speak one language, and that
the royal road should be constructed. Other things are related of this
king. It is said that he had great knowledge of the stars, and that he
had some acquaintance with the movements of the sun. Hence he took the
name of Inca Yupanqui, which means a name of counting[198] and of much
understanding. Finding himself so powerful, and notwithstanding that he
had great edifices and royal houses in Cuzco, he ordered three walls of
most excellent masonry to be built, that it might be a memorial work.
And so it appears to this day, no one seeing it without praising it, and
recognizing the genius of the masters who conceived it. Each wall has a
length of 300 paces.[199] They call one Pucamarca, another Hatun-cancha,
and the third Cassana.[200] The walls are of excellent stones, so well
adjusted that there is no disproportion, and so admirably laid and
fitted that the joining between them cannot be discerned. The great
part of these edifices is so strong and solid that, if they are not
demolished, they will endure for many ages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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