Towns and Places of note.
The principal Towns and Places of Trade in it are, 1. Bombon, situate upon the Lake Chinchacocha, said to be ten Leagues in compass, begirt round about almost with Hills, and having neighborhood with many other lesser, but pleasant Villages.
2. Parcos, once a Palace Royal of the Ingas, seated on the top of a little Hill, encompass’d with other Rocky and higher Mountains on all sides.
3. San Juan de Vittoria, which the Marquess Pizarro built Anno 1539. to secure the Way between Lima and Cusco, from the Assaults of the Peruvians, before he absolutely conquer’d this Kingdom: the Walls are wash’d by a sweet Stream, to the great convenience of the Citizens.
4. Guamanga, a City lying in a pleasant Plain under a healthful Climate, built with Stone-houses cover’d with Tyles; the Owners whereof have great store of Land, which they Sowe with Wheat, and also breed plenty of Cattel. To this City, which is adorn’d with three Churches, five Cloysters, and a large Almshouse, above thirty thousand Peruvians bring annual Tribute. The Mines produce Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, Lead, Sulphur, and Load-stones; near which grows the poysonous Herb Mio, which kills the Cattel that chance to eat thereof. In the Woods also hereabouts feeds a Beast, whose Piss stinks at a Miles distance. This City is by some deliver’d to be the same with San Juan de la Vittoria above mention’d.
5. Bilcas, another Palace of the Ingas, now a good Town of the Natives, and situate, as is suppos’d, in the very midst of the Countrey of Peru.
6. Guancavelica, a new Town, rais’d from the condition of a very poor Village, to a Place of very great Importance and Traffick, onely by the Mines of Quicksilver, which were first discover’d there in the Year 1566. by Amador Cabrera, through the assistance of a Peruvian nam’d Mavincopa: This Cabrera selling his Interest for a hundred and fifty thousand Ducats, Su’d the Buyer, upon pretence that he had sold it above one half under the value: whilest this was depending, Peter Ferdinando de Valasco came from Mexico to Guamanga, to make trial of the cleansing of Silver by Quicksilver, and finding it to succeed according to his expectation, he sent great quantities of it to Arica, and from thence by Land to Potosi. The King of Spain is said to receive from this Mine of Guancavelica, all his Charges defray’d, above a thousand Pound per Annum for his usual fifth part: But the antient Natives regarded not these Mines so much for the Quicksilver as for the Vermilion which is found mix’d with it, wherewith they delighted very much to paint their Bodies: There is great Art now us’d in the separating of the Quicksilver from the Vermilion.
This Town was long since inhabited by two thousand Spaniards at least, and twice as many Natives.
The original of the City Cusco.
7. Cusco, which is the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Peru, built on a hard Ground, surrounded with Mountains, under a cold, yet wholsom Climate, and wash’d by two Rivers, which on the East side of Cusco parting, one runs direct West, and the other Southward. One part of the City antiently bore the Denomination of Haran-Cusco, and the second, Oren-Cusco, where the chief Nobility and most antient Families dwelt. Concerning the original of this Place, the Peruvians say, That several Ages past there appear’d three Men, call’d Ayrache, Aranca, and Ajarmango, and with them three Women, nam’d Mamacola, Mamacona, and Mamaragua, all of them very richly Cloth’d; that Ayrache had a Precious Stone at the end of a Truncheon, which by holding up he rais’d the Mountains to the Skies, and when he let it fall, levell’d them with the lowest Valleys: Aranca and Ajarmango concluded to build a stately City, and sent for People from remote Countries to inhabit it; with which Design the Natives thereabouts seem’d to be well pleas’d: but before they went to work they judg’d it convenient to destroy Ayrache, whose great Power they envy’d: This being resolv’d upon, they invited him to a deep narrow-mouth’d Cave, that there they might worship the Sun his Father (for so Descended he took upon him to be), he was no sooner entred but the rest shut the Mouth of the Cave with great Stones, hoping so to starve him to death; which Ayrache observing, stood amaz’d a while, till at last he threw off all the Stones, and flew with great and divers colour’d Wings up into the Air, crying aloud, Fear not, Aranca and Ajarmango, though you have design’d to take away my Life, but build a City in this place, and call it Cusco; for in it shall stand the Seat of the Ingas, under whose Jurisdiction extending far and near, many great Nations shall bow. The Temple which the Gods have there design’d shall not onely exceed all other Structures in the World, in Art and Costliness, but be famous for strange Offerings to the Sun. If the Citizens build Altars for me, burn Myrrh, and make Offerings to me, they may certainly expect to vanquish all their Enemies, and increase their Power. According to my Example bore Holes through your Ears, as a sign of Obedience. All which Aranca, Ajarmango, and the fore-mention’d Women promis’d to perform. Whereupon Ayrache gave them a rich Diadem with a Tassel, which was to be the Head-Ornament of the succeeding Ingas; which they had no sooner receiv’d, but Ayrache and Aranca were turn’d into Stones, yet retaining their former shape; which Ajarmango observing, fell straight, together with the three Women, upon building the City Cusco. After the Deluge breaking out of the Hole Tambo, he chang’d his Name of Ajarmango for Mangocapa, that is, Mighty Lord, and made himself, as they say, the first Peruvian King. The City Cusco was divided into four Wards, the East call’d Andosayo, the South Callasayo the North, Chinchasuyo, and the West Condesayo, every one so call’d from the Countreys, to which the Gates of the four Wards are oppos’d.