When I passed through this province, I went to see the idol, for the Spaniards affirm that it may have been some apostle. I heard many declare that it had legends written on its hands. But this is nonsense, unless my eyes were blinded, for although I looked closely I could not see anything of the kind. The hands were placed over the haunches, the arms twisted, and on the girdle were indications that the vestments were fastened with buttons. Whether this or any other was intended for one of the glorious apostles who, in the days of his preaching, had passed this way, God Almighty knows. I know not, and can only believe that if he was an apostle, he would work with the power of God in his preaching to these people, who are simple and with little guile; and there would be some vestige of his visit. Yet what we see and understand is that the Devil had very great power over these people, God permitting it, and that in these places very heathenish and vain sacrifices were offered up. Hence I believe that, until our times, the word of the Holy Gospel was not heard. Now we see all the temples profaned, and the glorious Cross planted in all directions. I asked the people of Cacha in remembrance of what god the temple had been built. The cacique, or lord, was an Indian of intelligence and good presence, named Don Juan, a Christian, who came with me himself to show me this piece of antiquity. He told me that it was built in honor of Ticiviracocha. Treating of this name Viracocha, I wish to disabuse the reader of the popular belief that the natives called the Spaniards by the name of Viracocha, which means foam of the sea. So far as the word is concerned it is true, for _vira_ is the word for grease, and _cocha_ is the sea. And seeing that the Spaniards came by sea, that name has been attributed to them. But this is a wrong interpretation, according to the explanation which I received at Cuzco, and which the Orejones give. They say that before Atahuallpa was taken prisoner by the Spaniards in the province of Caxamarca, there had been great wars between him and his brother Huascar Inca, the sole heir to the empire. At length, at the pass of Cotabamba over the river Apurimac, the king Huascar was taken prisoner, and cruelly treated by Chalicuchima.[69] Besides this, Quizquiz[70] did great mischief in Cuzco and, as is well known, killed thirty brothers of Huascar, committing other cruelties on those who were favourable to the legitimate heir and had not shown a desire to receive Atahuallpa. While these passions were at their height, Atahuallpa had been made prisoner and had agreed with Pizarro to give him a house of gold as his ransom. Martin Bueno, Zarate, and Moguer[71] went to Cuzco to receive it, the greater part being in the Sun temple called Curicancha. As these Christians arrived at Cuzco at the time when the party of Huascar was suffering under the above calamity, the oppressed Yncas rejoiced when they heard of the imprisonment of