THE distance from the city of Cuzco to the city of La Paz is eighty leagues, a little more or less. It must be known that, before La Paz was founded, all the towns and villages now subject to that city were within the limits of the city of Cuzco. Setting out from Cuzco by the royal road of Colla-suyu, it leads to the narrow pass of Mohina, leaving the buildings of Quispicanchi on the left hand. The road goes by this place, after leaving Cuzco, and is paved with stones. In Mohina there is a large swamp, across which the road is carried on a paved causeway. There were great edifices in Mohina, which are now in ruins. When the governor Don Francisco Pizarro entered Cuzco with the Spaniards, they found much gold and silver, and rich and precious clothing in these edifices. I have heard some Spaniards say that there was a block of stone in this place, in the shape of a man, with long ropes, and beads in the hand, besides other figures, some of which they adored as idols.
Beyond Mohina is the ancient village of Urcos, which is about six leagues from Cuzco.[480] On this road there is a very large and strong wall, and the natives say that along the top of it a channel of water was conducted with great labour from a river, with the same skill and order as they make their other irrigating channels. In this great wall there was a broad doorway, at which there were porters who collected the tribute which the Indians were obliged to pay to the lords. There were other overseers of the same Yncas at this place, to seize and punish those who had the audacity to take gold or silver out of the city of Cuzco. In this place there were quarries whence they took stones for building edifices, which are well worth seeing. Urcos is built on a hill, where there were palaces for the lords. Thence to Quiquixana the distance is three leagues over a rugged country. Here the river of Yucay flows through the valley, over which there is a bridge made like others in this country. Near this place the Indians called Cavinas are settled, who, before they were subjugated by the Yncas, wore a large ornament in their ears. They say that Manco Ccapac, the founder of the city of Cuzco, secured the friendship of these Indians. They go about dressed in woollen clothes, with a black fillet twisted round their heads. In the mountains there are villages in which the houses are built of stone. In former times they held a temple in great veneration, called Ausancata, near which they say that their ancestors saw an idol or devil in the same dress as their own. These Indians held for certain that the souls which departed from the bodies went to a great lake, where, in their vain belief, they held that they had their origin, and where they again entered into the bodies of those who were born. After they were subjugated by the Yncas they became more civilised and intelligent, and adored the sun, without forgetting their former temple. Beyond this province is that of the Canches, who are intelligent and homely Indians, without malice, and always skilful in working, especially gold and silver. They also had large flocks of sheep. Their villages are like those of their neighbours; they wear the same clothes, with a black fillet round the head, the ends of which hang down as low as the chin. They say that, in ancient times, they waged great wars with Huira-ccocha Ynca, and with some of his predecessors, and that, when they submitted to their rule, the Yncas valued them highly. Their arms were darts, slings, and weapons called Ayllos, with which they captured their enemies. Their methods of interment were the same as those already described; their tombs were built of stone, on the heights, and here they put the bodies of their chiefs, together with some of their wives and servants. They do not value the vanities and honours of the world, though it is true that some of the chiefs are haughty to the Indians, and treat them with asperity. At certain seasons of the year they celebrate their festivals, for which they have fixed days. In the buildings of the chiefs there were places where they had their dances, and where the chiefs ate and drank. They conversed with the devil, like all the other Indians. Throughout all the land of these Canches there is maize and wheat, and plenty of partridges and condors, and in their houses the Indians have many fowls. They also catch excellent fish in the rivers.
CHAPTER XCVIII.
Of the provinces of Canas, and of Ayavire.
AFTER leaving the province of Canches, that of Canas[481] is entered, which is the name of another tribe, and the names of the villages are Hatuncana, Chiquana, Horuro, Cacha, and others which I shall not enumerate.[482] These Indians all wear clothes, both men and women, and they have large, round, high woollen caps on their heads. Before they were subjugated by the Yncas, they had their villages in the mountain fastnesses, whence they came forth to make war; afterwards they descended into the valley. Their customs with regard to burials are the same as those of the Canches. In the province of these Canas there was a temple which they called Ancocahua, where they performed sacrifices, in their blindness; and in the village of Cacha there were great edifices, built by order of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui. On the other side of the river there is a small enclosure, within which they found some gold. This temple was built in memory of their god Huira-ccocha, whom they call the Creator. Within it there was a stone idol the height of a man, with a robe, and a crown or tiara on the head. Some said that this might be the statue of some apostle who arrived in this land.[483] In the second part of this work I shall treat of what I believe, and of what I was able to collect respecting the report that fire came down from heaven, and converted many stones into cinders. Throughout this province of Canas the climate is cold, as well as in Canches, but the country is well supplied with provisions and flocks. To the west is the South Sea, and to the east the forests of the Andes. From the village of Chiquana, in this province of Canas, to Ayavire the distance is fifteen leagues, within which limits there are some villages of the Canas, many plains, and great meadows well suited for flocks, if it were not so cold. Now the great quantity of herbage is only useful for guanacos and vicuñas.
In ancient times it was a grand thing to see this town of Ayavire, and the place is still worthy of note, especially the great tombs, which are so numerous that they occupy more space than the habitations of the living. The Indians positively assert that the natives of this town of Ayavire are of the same descent and lineage as those of Canas; and that the Ynca Yupanqui waged wars and fought battles with them, in which they suffered so severely that they submitted to his service, to save themselves from entire destruction. But as some of the Yncas were vindictive, after the Ynca had killed a great number of the Indians of Copacopa and other villages in the forests of the Andes, whom he had got into his power by deceit, he did the same to the natives of Ayavire, in such sort that few or none were left alive. It is notorious that those who escaped wandered in the fields for a long time, calling on their dead, and mourning with groans and great sorrow over the destruction that had come upon their people. As Ayavire is a large district, through which a good river flows, the Ynca Yupanqui ordered that a great palace should be built here, which was accordingly done, together with many buildings where the tribute was stored up. A temple of the sun was also built, as one of the most important things. The Ynca then ordered that Indians (who are called Mitimaes) should come here with their wives, for there were few natives left, and the Mitimaes became lords of the soil, and heirs to the dead natives, and they were directed to form a large town near the temple of the sun and the principal edifices. The town went on increasing until the Spaniards arrived in this kingdom, but since that time, what with the civil wars and other calamities, it has greatly decreased, like all the others.
I entered it at the time when it was held in encomienda by Juan de Pancorbo, a citizen of Cuzco; and I learnt these particulars, which I have written down, from the best information within my reach. Near this town there is a ruined temple, where once they offered up sacrifices. And the multitude of tombs which appear all round this town is held to be a notable sight.
CHAPTER XCIX.
Of the great district which is inhabited by the Collas, of the appearance of the land where their villages are built, and how Mitimaes were stationed to supply them with provisions.
THE region which they call Collao appears to me to be the largest province in all Peru, and the most populous. The Collas are first met with at Ayavire, and they extend as far as Caracoto. To the east of their province are the forests of the Andes, to the west are the peaks of the snowy mountains, which descend on the other side to the South Sea. Besides the lands which the natives occupy with their fields and houses, there are vast uninhabited tracts full of wild flocks. The land of the Collas is level in most parts, and rivers of good water flow through it.