XLV.
HOW PACHACUTI INCA YUPANQUI VISITED THE PROVINCES CONQUERED FOR HIM BY HIS CAPTAINS.
It has been related how the Inca Yupanqui placed garrisons of Cuzco soldiers, and a governor called tucuyrico in all the provinces he conquered and oppressed. It must be known that owing to his absorbing occupations in conquering other provinces, training warriors, and placing his son in command for the conquest of Chinchay-suyu, he had not been able to put his final intentions and will into execution, which was to make those he oppressed submissive subjects and tributaries. Seeing that the people were in greater fear at beholding the valour of Tupac Inca, he determined to have a visitation of the land, and nominated 16 visitors, four for each of the four suyus or divisions of the empire, which are Cunti-suyu from Cuzco south and west as far as the South Sea, Chinchay-suyu from Cuzco to the north and west, Anti-suyu from Cuzco to the east, and Colla-suyu from Cuzco to the south, south-west, and south-east.
These visitors each went to the part to which he was appointed, and inspected, before all things, the work of the tucuyricos and the methods of their government. They caused irrigating channels to be constructed for the crops, broke up land where this had been neglected, built andenes or cultivated terraces, and took up pastures for the Sun, the Inca, and Cuzco. Above all they imposed very heavy tribute on all the produce, [so that they all went about to rob and desolate property and persons]. The visitations occupied two years. When they were completed the visitors returned to Cuzco, bringing with them certain cloths descriptive of the provinces they had visited. They reported fully to the Inca all that they had found and done.
Besides these, the Inca also despatched other orejones as overseers to make roads and hospices on the routes of the Inca, ready for the use of his soldiers. These overseers set out, and made roads, now called "of the Inca," over the mountains and along the sea coast. Those on the sea coast are all provided, at the sides, with high walls of adobe, wherever it was possible to build them, except in the deserts where there are no building materials. These roads go from Quito to Chile, and into the forests of the Andes. Although the Inca did not complete all, suffice it that he made a great part of the roads, which were finished by his sons and grandsons.