The Inca ordered that the provinces should provide 20,000 men and that the villages should send the necessary provisions. If any fell sick, another labourer was to supply his place, and he was to return to his home. But these Indians were not kept constantly at a work in progress. They laboured for a limited time, and were then relieved by others, so that they did not feel the demand on their services. There were 4,000 labourers whose duty it was to quarry and get out the stones; 6,000 conveyed them by means of great cables of leather and of cabuya[202] to the works. The rest opened the ground and prepared the foundations, some being told off to cut the posts and beams for the wood-work. For their greater convenience, these labourers made their dwelling-huts, each lineage apart, near the place where the works were progressing. To this day most of the walls of these lodgings may be seen. Overseers were stationed to superintend, and there were great masters of the art of building who had been well instructed. Thus on the highest part of a hill to the north of the city, and little more than an arquebus-shot from it, this fortress was built which the natives called the House of the Sun, but which we named the Fortress.
The living rock was excavated for the foundation, which was prepared with such solidity that it will endure as long as the world itself. The work had, according to my estimate, a length of 330 paces,[203] and a width of 200. Its walls were so strong that there is no artillery which could breach them. The principal entrance was a thing worthy of contemplation, to see how well it was built, and how the walls were arranged so that one commanded the other. And in these walls there were stones so large and mighty that it tired the judgment to conceive how they could have been conveyed and placed, and who could have had sufficient power to shape them, seeing that among these people there are so few tools. Some of these stones are of a width of twelve feet and more than twenty long, others are thicker than a bullock.[204] All the stones are laid and joined with such delicacy that a rial could not be put in between two of them.
I went to see this edifice twice. On one occasion I was accompanied by Tomas Vasquez,[205] a conqueror, and on the other I found Hernando de Guzman there, he who was present at the siege,[206] and Juan de la Haya.[207] Those who read this should believe that I relate nothing that I did not see. As I walked about, observing what was to be seen, I beheld, near the fortress, a stone which measured 260 of my palmos in circuit, and so high that it looked as if it was in its original position. All the Indians say that the stone got tired at this point, and that they were unable to move it further.[208] Assuredly if I had not myself seen that the stone had been hewn and shaped I should not have believed, however much it might have been asserted, that the force of man would have sufficed to bring it to where it now is. There it remains, as a testimony of what manner of men those were who conceived so good a work. The Spaniards have so pillaged and ruined it, that I should be sorry to have been guilty of the fault of those in power who have permitted so magnificent a work to be so ruined. They have not considered the time to come, for it would have been better to have preserved the edifice and to have put a guard over it.[209]
There were many buildings within the fortress, some small, one over the other, and others, which were large, were underground. They made two blocks of buildings, one larger than the other, wide and so well-built, that I know not how I can exaggerate the art with which the stones are laid and worked; and they say that the subterranean edifices are even better. Other things were told me, which I do not repeat, because I am not certain of their accuracy. This fortress was commenced in the time of Ynca Yupanqui. His son, Tupac Inca, as well as Huayna Ccapac and Huascar, worked much at it, and although it is still worthy of admiration, it was formerly without comparison grander. When the Spaniards entered Cuzco, the Indians of Quizquiz had already collected great treasure; but some was still found, and it is believed that there is a great quantity in the vicinity. It would be well to give orders for the preservation of what is left of this fortress, and of that of Huarcu,[210] as memorials of the grandeur of this people, and even for utility, as they could be made serviceable at so little cost. With this I will return to the narrative.
CHAPTER LII.
How Inca Yupanqui set out from Cuzco and marched to the Collao, and of what happened there.
THESE Indians have no letters, and can only preserve their history by the memory of events handed down from generation to generation, and by their songs and quipus. I say this, because their narratives vary in many particulars, some saying one thing, and others giving a different version. Human judgment would not suffice to decide what is truest, without taking, from these various stories, what the people themselves consider to be most accurate, for record. I write this for the benefit of the Spaniards who are in Peru, and who pretend to a knowledge of many native secrets. They are aware that I knew and understood what they think that they know and understand, and a good deal more; and that from all this, I have decided upon writing what they will see, having worked hard at collecting the materials, as they themselves well know.
The Orejones relate that, the affairs of Inca Yupanqui being in this state, he determined to set out from Cuzco with a large force, to march to the region they call Collao. Leaving a governor in the city, he set out and marched until he arrived at the great town of Ayaviri. The people did not wish to come to him in due form. The Inca, therefore, took them by surprise, and killed all the inhabitants, both men and women, doing the same to the people of Copacopa. The destruction of Ayaviri was such, that nearly all perished. There only remained a few who were horrified to see so great a calamity, and wandered, like mad creatures, in the fields, calling on their ancestors with great moanings and words of fear.[211] The Inca hit upon the useful idea of planting a colony in the beautiful meadows and fields of Ayaviri, near which the bright river flows; and he ordered that sufficient mitimaes should come, with their women, to people the district. So it was done, and large buildings with a temple of the Sun were erected for them, with a storehouse and provisions. Thus Ayaviri, peopled by mitimaes, continued to be more prosperous than it was before; and the Indians who survived from the wars and the cruelty of the Spaniards, are all descended from mitimaes, and not from natives, as has been written.
Besides this, they relate that certain captains having gone, by order of the Inca, with a sufficient force to make war on those of Anti-suyu, comprising the tribes in the forests to the eastward, they came upon snakes as large as thick beams, which killed all they could, insomuch that, without seeing any other enemy, these creatures made war on them in such sort, that very few returned out of the great number that set out. The Inca was much incensed when he received this news. Being with his followers, a sorceress said to him that she would go and charm the snakes, so that they should be gentle and foolish, and do no harm to any one, even though they themselves should feel the desire. Approving of the plan, if it should be equal to the promise, the Inca ordered it to be put in execution, which was done accordingly in the belief of the people, but not of mine, because it seems nonsense. The snakes having been enchanted, the enemies were attacked, many were made to submit by force, and others by persuasion and kind words.
The Inca set out from Ayaviri, and they say that he marched by the road of Omasayo, which was, for the convenience of his royal person, made broad as we now see it. He went by Asillo and Azangaro, where he had some encounters with the natives. But he spoke such words, and gave them such presents, that he brought them to his friendship and service. Thenceforward they adopted the policy which all other tribes use who have friendship and alliance with the Incas, and they arranged their habitations in towns on the open plain.