The travels of Pedro de Cieza de Léon, A.D. 1532-50, / contained in the first part of his Chronicle of Peru

by Pedro de Cieza de León

In which the things of this city of Cuzco are described more in detail.

AS this city was the most important and principal place in the kingdom, the Indians of the neighbourhood were assembled at certain seasons of the year to clean the streets, and perform other duties. Near the city, on one side and the other, there were the same storehouses as are to be found in all parts of the kingdom, some larger, and some stronger than others. As these Yncas were so rich and powerful, some of their edifices were gilded, and others were adorned with plates of gold. Their ancestors held, as a sacred place, a great hill near the city called Huanacaure, and they say that human blood and many lambs and sheep were sacrificed on it. The city was full of strangers from all parts, Indians of Chile and Pasto, Cañaris, Chachapoyas, Huancas, Collas, and men of all the tribes in the provinces, each living apart in the quarter assigned by the governors of the city. They all retained the costumes of their fathers, and went about after the manner of their native land; and, even when one hundred thousand men were assembled together, the country of each Indian was easily known by the peculiar head-dress which distinguished him.[457] Some of these strangers buried their dead in high mountains, others in their houses, and others in tombs with live women, precious things, and plenty of food. The Yncas, as I was given to understand, interfered in none of these things, so long as their vassals adored and venerated the sun, and this adoration they called mocha.[458] In many parts of the city there are great edifices under the ground, and even now some tiles and pieces of gold are found buried in the bowels of the earth. Assuredly there must be great treasure buried within the circuit of the city, but those who are living know not where to find it. As there was so large a concourse of people here, and as the devil, by the permission of God, had such complete mastery over them, there were many soothsayers, sorcerers, and idolaters. Even now the city is not yet entirely free of them, especially as regards witchcraft. Near the city there are many warm valleys where there are fruit and other trees which grow well, and most of the fruit is brought to the city for sale. They also reap much wheat, of which they make bread; and they have planted many orange trees and other fruit trees both of Spain and of the country. They have mills over the stream which flows through the city, and at a distance of four leagues may be seen the quarry from which the stones were conveyed of which the city is built, a sight well worth seeing. They rear fowls in Cuzco, and capons as fat and good as those of Granada, and in the valleys there are herds of cattle, and flocks, both of Spanish sheep and of those of the country. Although there are no trees round the city, the pulses of Spain ripen very well.

CHAPTER XCIV.

Which treats of the valley of Yucay and of the strong fortress at Tambo, and of part of the province of Cunti-suyu.

ABOUT four leagues from this city of Cuzco, a little more or less, there is a valley called Yucay, which is very beautiful, confined between ranges of mountains in such sort that the shelter thus afforded makes the climate very pleasant and healthy.[459] It is neither too hot nor too cold, and is considered so excellent that the citizens of Cuzco have several times proposed to remove the city into the valley. But as the houses in the city are so grand, they could not undertake to build them anew. They have planted many trees in this valley of Yucay, and there is good hope that in time there will be large vineyards and beautiful and refreshing orchards as well in this valley, as in that of Vilcas, and in others; indeed, they have already been commenced. I say more of this valley than of the others, because the Yncas thought much of it, and went to it for their festivities and solace, especially Huira-ccocha Ynca, who was the grandfather of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui. In all parts of the valley are to be seen fragments of many buildings which have once been very large, especially those at Tambo, three leagues down the valley, between two great mountains, forming a ravine through which a stream flows. Although the climate of the valley is as pleasant as I have described, these mountains are quite white with snow during the greater part of the year. In this place the Yncas had the strongest fort in all their dominions, built on rocks, where a small force might hold their own against a large one. Among these rocks there were certain masses of stone which made the place impregnable, and, lower down, the sides of the mountains are lined with terraces one above the other, on which they raised the crops which sustained them. Among the stones there may still be seen the figures of lions and other wild animals, and of men with arms like halberds, as if they were guarding the way. They are all well and skilfully executed. There were many edifices, and they say that, before the Spaniards conquered this kingdom, they contained great treasure. In these buildings there are stones, well cut and fitted, which are so large that it must have required many men and great ingenuity to raise them, and place them where they now are.[460] It is said for certain that, in these edifices of Tambo, or in others at some other place with the same name (for this is not the only place called Tambo), in a certain part of a royal palace or of a temple of the sun, gold is used instead of mortar, which, jointly with the cement that they make, served to unite the stones together. The governor Don Francisco Pizarro got much of this gold, before the Indians could take it away. Some Spaniards also say that Hernando Pizarro and Don Diego de Almagro the Younger got much gold from Paccari-tambu. I do not myself hesitate to believe these things, when I remember the rich pieces of gold that were taken to Seville from Caxamarca, where they collected the treasure which Atahualpa promised to the Spaniards, most of it from Cuzco. There was little to divide afterwards, found by the Christians, for the Indians carried it off, and it is buried in parts unknown to any one. If the fine cloths which were destroyed and lost in those times, had been preserved, they would have been worth a great deal.

The Indians called Chumbivilicas, Vuinas, and Pomatambos, and many other nations which I do not mention, lived in the country called Cunti-suyu.[461] Some of them were warlike, and their villages are in very lofty mountains. They have vast quantities of flocks, both domesticated and wild. All their houses are of stone, thatched with straw. In many places there are buildings for their chiefs. The rites and customs of these Indians were the same as those of other parts, and they sacrificed lambs and other things in their temples. It is notorious that the devil was seen in a temple which they had in a certain part of the district of Cunti-suyu, and I have heard of certain Spaniards, in the present times, who saw apparitions of this our enemy. In the rivers they have collected much gold, and they were getting it out when I was at Cuzco. In Pomatambo and other parts of this kingdom they have very good tapestry, the wool being very fine from which they make it, and the colours with which they dye it are so perfect that they excell those of other countries. There are many rivers in this province of Cunti-suyu, some of which are crossed by bridges of ropes, made in the way I have already described. There are also many fruit and other trees, deer and partridges, and good falcons to fly at them.

CHAPTER XCV.

Of the forest of the Andes, of their great thickness, of the huge snakes which are bred in them, and of the evil customs of the Indians who live in the interior of these forests.

THIS cordillera of the Andes must be one of the grandest in the world, for it commences at the straits of Magallanes, extends along the whole extent of this kingdom of Peru, and traverses so many provinces that they cannot be enumerated. It is covered with high peaks, some of them well covered with snow, and others with mouths of fire. The forests on these mountains are very difficult to penetrate by reason of their thickness, and because during the greater part of the year it rains. The shade is so dark that it is necessary to go with much caution, for the roots of the trees spread out and cover all the ground, and when it is desired to pass with horses, much labour is necessary in making roads. It is said among the Orejones of Cuzco, that Tupac Ynca Yupanqui traversed these forests with a large army, and many of the tribes who inhabited them were very difficult to conquer and bring under his sway. In the skirts of the mountains towards the South Sea, the natives were intelligent; they were all clothed, and were ruled by the laws and customs of the Yncas. But, towards the other sea, in the direction of the sun-rise, it is well known that the inhabitants are of less understanding and reason.[462] They raise a great quantity of coca, which is a very precious plant among the Indians, as I will relate in the next chapter. As the forests are very large, the truth may be received that they contain many animals, as well bears, tigers, lions, tapirs, pigs, and striped wild cats, as other wild beasts worthy of note. Some Spaniards have also seen serpents of such bigness that they looked like beams, but, although one should sit on them, they would do no harm, nor do they try to kill any person. In talking over this matter of the serpents with the Indians of Cuzco, they told me something which I will relate here, as they assured me of its truth. In the time of the Ynca Yupanqui, who was grandson of the Ynca Huira-ccocha, certain captains were sent with a large army to visit these forests, by the Ynca’s order, and to bring the Indians they met with under subjection to him. Having entered the forests, these serpents killed all those who went with the said captains, and the calamity was so great that the Ynca showed much concern at it. An old enchantress heard this, and she said that if she were allowed to go to the forests, she would put the serpents into so deep a sleep, that they would be able to do no harm. As soon as she had received permission, she went to the place where the people had been killed. Here she performed her incantations, and said certain words, upon which the snakes changed from fierce and wild, to the gentle and foolish creatures they now are. All this that the Indians say may indeed be a fiction or fable, but it is certainly true that these snakes, though so large, do no hurt to any one.

The forests of the Andes were well peopled in those parts where the Yncas had buildings and store-houses. The country is very fertile, yielding maize and yucas, as well as the other roots which they raise, and there are many excellent fruits. Most of the Spanish citizens of Cuzco have planted orange, lime, fig, vine, and other trees of Spain, besides large plantain groves, and very luscious and fragrant pines. In the very distant and dense parts of these forests they say that there is a people so savage, that they have neither houses nor clothes, but go about like animals, killing birds and beasts with arrows.[463] They have neither chiefs nor captains, and they lodge in caves or in the hollows of trees, some in one part and some in another. It is said, also (but I have not seen them), that there are very large monkeys which go about in the trees.