Velasco says that an emerald was among the insignia of the Scyris or kings of Quito, and that the Indians of Manta worshipped a great emerald under the name of Umiña. Historia del Quito, i, p. 29. There are also some interesting remarks on the emeralds of Manta in Bollaert’s Antiquarian and other Researches in New Granada, Ecuador, Peru, etc., p. 84.
[302] Inhabitants of the mountains inland.
[303] Pedro de Puelles, a native of Seville, was left as governor of Quito when Gonzalo Pizarro went on his famous expedition to the land of cinnamon in 1539. He was appointed to the command of the cavalry of Vaca de Castro’s army, served in the battle of Chupas when the younger Almagro was defeated, and was afterwards sent as governor to Huanuco. He was confirmed in this command by Blasco Nuñez de Vela, the viceroy; but he went over to the party of Gonzalo Pizarro, and commanded his cavalry at the battle of Añaquito, when the viceroy was killed. After the battle he urged Gonzalo to assume the title of king, believing that no terms could possibly be obtained from Charles V, and that they were committed too far to hope for forgiveness. Gonzalo left Puelles in Quito as his governor, and he afterwards seems to have intended to desert his old master and hand over his troops to the president Gasca, on condition of full pardon. But he was surrounded by greater traitors than himself, and one Rodrigo de Salazar headed a conspiracy of five, who murdered Puelles in his own house, and led his troops to join Gasca, in order to get all the credit for their loyalty.
[304] The Quichua word for chicha or fermented liquor.
[305] This account of the tradition concerning giants at Point Santa Elene, is the fullest that is given by any of the old writers, and it is quoted as such by Garcilasso de la Vega (i, lib. ix, cap. 9).
Zarate’s version of the tradition differs but slightly from that of Cieza de Leon. He adds that little credit was given to the story until 1543, when a native of Truxillo, named Juan de Holmos, caused excavations to be made, and found huge ribs and other bones, and enormous teeth. From that time the native tradition was believed. (Historia del Peru, lib. i, cap. iv.) Acosta also mentions the bones of giants of huge greatness, found about Manta. (Acosta, lib. i, cap. 19.) Mr. Ranking, a fantastic theorist, who published his Researches on the Conquest of Peru and Mexico by the Mongols, accompanied with Elephants, in 1827, founds his theory on this tradition of giants having landed at Point Sta. Elena. (p. 51.)
It appears that fossil bones of huge mammals have been found on this part of the coast, where pieces of cliff are constantly breaking away, and they doubtless gave rise to this story about giants. Mr. Spruce tells me that a French naturalist took a quantity of these fossils home with him not long since. Ulloa calls these fossils the bones of giants, and Humboldt thinks they belonged to cetaceous animals. Stevenson says he saw a grinder which weighed more than three pounds, with enamel spotted like female tortoise shell, in the possession of Don Jose Merino of Guayaquil. (Travels, ii, p. 235.)
[306] In the second edition of Cieza de Leon the chapters are incorrectly numbered. Two chapters are numbered liv, and chapters liii and lv are omitted altogether. Two chapters are also numbered lix. It is necessary to retain the incorrect numbering, because all modern writers have quoted from the second edition.
[307] Ynca nobles, so called by the Spaniards from the large gold ornaments worn in their ears.
[308] Pedro de Candia was a Greek, and one of the heroic thirteen who crossed the line drawn on the sand by Pizarro, at the island of Gallo. He was a very tall stout man. When the ship arrived at Tumbez, in Peru, there was some hesitation as to landing amongst a hostile people, and Pedro de Candia volunteered to go first. Putting on a coat of mail reaching to the knees, with a sword by his side and a cross in his hand, he walked towards the town with an air as if he had been lord of the whole province. The Indians were astonished at his appearance, and, to find out what manner of man he was, they let loose a lion and a tiger upon him, but the animals crouched at his feet. Pedro de Candia gave the Indians to understand that the virtue of the cross he held in his hand had been the cause of this miracle. The Indians, believing that he must be a child of the sun, showed him the temple and palace of Tumbez, and so he returned to the ship, which sailed back to Panama. He accompanied Pizarro to Spain and was rewarded by Charles V. This Greek captain fought by the side of Pizarro during the conquest of Peru, and when it was completed, he led an expedition into the forests of Moxos, east of Cuzco, but was obliged to return. After the murder of Pizarro he joined the younger Almagro, and superintended the casting of cannon for him at Cuzco; but afterwards entered into correspondence with the royal army under Vaca de Castro, and at the battle of Chupas he purposely pointed the guns at such an angle as to send the balls over the heads of the enemy. Young Almagro, observing this treachery, ran him through the body, and he fell dead.