MANY Indians say that the Lords Yncas never conquered, nor were able to bring under their yoke, these natives of Puerto Viejo, of whom I am now treating, though others affirm the contrary, saying that the Yncas subjugated them, and had them under their orders. The latter say that Huayna Ccapac came in person to conquer them, and that, having been disobedient in some particular, he made a law that they and their descendants should have three of their front teeth pulled out in each jaw. They add that this custom was preserved for a long time in the province of Guancavilcas. In truth, as all vulgar reports are confused, and as the common sort can never tell the plain facts, it does not astonish me that they should relate these things, for in all things else the like reports are spread abroad, and become the talk of the people, being in reality mere fables. I make this digression here, that it may be borne in mind hereafter, for if things are repeated over and over again they become tiresome to the reader. This, therefore, will serve to give notice that many of the stories commonly reported among the people, concerning events which have happened in Peru, are fables. As regards the natives, those who have been curious in trying to learn their secrets know that what I say is the case. Concerning the government, and the affairs of war and of state which have occurred, I only look upon those principal men who were in high positions as authorities. These will relate what occurred, and the sayings of the people.
Returning to the thread of my narrative, I have to say (according to what I have been given to understand by old Indians who were captains under Huayna Ccapac), that, in the time of the great Tupac Ynca Yupanqui, his father, certain of his captains came, with a force collected from the ordinary garrisons of the provinces, and, by their politic arts, drew some of the chiefs to the service of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui. Many of them went with presents to do him homage, and he received them with love and kindness, giving them rich pieces of woollen cloth made in Cuzco. When they returned to their provinces, they esteemed him so highly for his great valour, that they called him father, and honoured him with other titles, his benevolence and love for all being such that he acquired perpetual fame among them. In order to instruct them in things appertaining to the government of the kingdom, he set out in person to visit these provinces, and left governors in them who were natives of Cuzco, that they might teach the people more civilised customs, and other useful things. But these natives not only did not wish to learn from those who remained in their provinces by order of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui, in order to indicate to them a better mode of life, and to teach them agriculture; but, in payment of the benefits they had received, they killed them all, so that not one was left. They killed them, although they had done no ill, nor had they been tyrannical, so as to merit such treatment. Tupac Ynca heard of this great cruelty, but he dissimulated, because, for other important reasons, he was unable to chastise those who had so treacherously murdered his captains and vassals.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
How these Indians were conquered by Huayna Ccapac, and how they conversed with the devil, sacrificed to him, and buried women alive with the bodies of their chiefs.
AFTER the events which I have just alluded to as having occurred in the provinces near the city of Puerto Viejo, many of the natives relate that, in process of time, when the King named Huayna Ccapac was reigning in Cuzco, he visited the provinces of Quito in person, and entirely subjugated all these Indians. It must be understood that all these occurrences in the history of the Indians are written from accounts given by the Indians themselves, who, having no letters, made use of a curious invention in order that their deeds and history might be recorded.[300] Although these Indians were subject to Huayna Ccapac, and paid tribute in rich emeralds and gold, yet there were no buildings, nor depôts, as in the other provinces we have passed through. The reason of this is that the country is poor and the villages small, so that the Orejones did not wish to live here, and held the country in small estimation. The natives of these villages were great sorcerers, and it is well known that no people in all Peru were so addicted to sacrifices and religious rites. Their priests had charge of the temples, and of the service to images which represented their false gods, before whom, at stated times, they recited songs and performed ceremonies which they learnt from their fathers, from whom they received the ancient customs.
The devil, in frightful shape, appeared to those appointed for this accursed office, who were much respected by all the other Indians. Among these one gave replies, and heard what the devil had to say, who, in order to preserve his credit, appeared in a threatening form. Thus he let them know future events, and no battle or other event has taken place amongst ourselves, that the Indians throughout this kingdom have not prophesied beforehand. At the same time they never really knew, for it is clear, and must be believed, that God alone knows what will come to pass. If, therefore, the devil is right in anything, it is because his words are equivocal, and will bear many meanings. With his gift of subtlety, and his great age, which has given him experience in affairs, he speaks to the simple who will hear him; but many of the Gentiles know the deceitfulness of his replies. Thus, many of these Indians hold it to be certain that the devil is false and wicked, and they obey him more from fear than from love. At one time, deceived by the devil himself, at others by their own priest, they submit to his service by permission of Almighty God. In the temples, or huacas, they gave presents to objects which they held to be gods, and offered bloody sacrifices to them. And in order to do them more honour, they sacrificed something still more noble, namely, the blood of certain Indians, as many affirm. When they took any of their neighbours prisoners, with whom they had war or enmity, they assembled (as they themselves declare) and, after having got drunk with their wine, and also having made the prisoner drunk, the chief priest killed him with lancets of stone or copper. They then cut off his head, and offered it, with the body, to the accursed devil, the enemy of human nature. When any of them were sick, they bathed many times, and offered up sacrifices, praying for health.
They mourned for their chiefs when they died, and put the bodies in tombs, together with some women alive, and all their most precious effects. They were not ignorant of the immortality of the soul, although they did not fully understand it. There can be no doubt that, by an illusion of the devil, the figures of persons who were dead, perhaps fathers or relations, appeared to these Indians in the fields in the dress they wore when living. By such false apparitions were these poor people made to obey the will of the evil one, and for this reason they buried people alive, together with the dead, that they may rise again with more honour. They held that by so doing they observed the rules of their religion, and obeyed their gods, and would go to a very delightful and pleasant place surrounded by the food and drink they were accustomed to when they were alive in the world.
CHAPTER XLIX.
(The heading of this chapter is unfit for translation.)
IN many parts of these Indies the people worshipped the sun, although they also believed in a Creator whose seat was in heaven. The worship of the sun was either received from the Yncas, or, as in the province of Guancavilcas, established from ancient times.