[162] The language was first called Quichua by Friar Domingo de Santo Tomas, in his grammar printed at Valladolid in 1560. Quehani is “I twist”, and the participle quehuasca means twisted. Ychu is “straw”—together, Quehuasca-ychu, “twisted straw”, corrupted and abbreviated into Quichua. A Quichua is properly an Indian who inhabits the temperate slopes, so called from the abundance of straw in that region. According to Garcilasso de la Vega the name of Quechua was applied to the basin of the river Abancay (i, p. 243).
[163] Garcilasso refers to the enmity between the Quichuas and Chancas (i, p. 345).
[164] Garcilasso attributes the conquest of the provinces of Cotabambas and Aymaraes to Ccapac Yupanqui; as well as the sea-coast from Acari to Quilca. He also attributes the settlement of the feud between Cari and Sapana, two great chiefs of the Collao, to Ccapac Yupanqui. It will be seen further on that Cieza de Leon places that event in the reign of the Ynca Huira-ccocha. Ccapac Yupanqui is also made, by Garcilasso, to extend his conquests to Cochabamba, Chayanta, and the extreme south of Charcas; while his son Rocca, during his life-time, overran Lucanas and advanced the limits of the empire to the valley of Nasca on the coast.
[165] There are two rivulets which flow through Cuzco, the Huatanay and Tulumayu or Rodadero, coming from either side of the Sacsahuaman hill on which the Ynca fortress was built. The two streams unite beyond the convent of San Domingo, at Pumap-chupan or the “lion’s tail”. Both these streams are confined by walls of cut stone, with stairways descending to the water, and stone bridges, consisting of long slabs at frequent intervals. The houses on the western side of the great square are built over the Huatanay river; but these are modern, and did not exist in the time of the Yncas. Garcilasso de la Vega says that the Huatanay was lined and paved with masonry, the floor being of large flags, and that this masonry work extended for a quarter of a league beyond the city. Although there is very little water in ordinary times, the stream is subject to violent freshes, when the rush of water sometimes injures the masonry. The name is composed of two words, Huata (a year), and Ananay an ejaculation of weariness, indicating the fatigue caused by the yearly necessity for renewing the river banks.
Garcilasso de la Vega mentions other springs which conveyed water to the temple and gardens of the sun, under the Huatanay. He says that, in 1558, a flood tore up the flag-stones in the bed of the river, just over the place where the pipe leading water to the temple was laid down, and broke the pipe itself. The silt then covered the place, concealing the position of the pipe, so that no sign was left of it (i, p. 281).
[166] According to Garcilasso it was Mayta Ccapac who conquered the province of Puma-tampu (corruptly Pomatambo).
[167] Garcilasso says that Inca Rocca made the bridge over the Apurimac, and conquered Curampa, and the tribe of Chancas in Andahuaylas. He is also said to have annexed Vilca, and two provinces called Sullu and Utunsullu, while his son subdued Paucartambo and part of the forest region to the eastward. Inca Rocca is also said, by Garcilasso, to have founded schools at Cuzco, and to have built his own palace near them. He left a son, named Yahuar-huaccac, by his legitimate wife Mama Micay.
Blas Valera relates that Inca Rocca reigned for more than fifty years; and this writer preserved some of his laws, regulations for his schools, and wise sayings, which are given in Garcilasso (i, p. 336).
[168] “Y se hizo en el Cuzco la piedra que llaman de la guerra, grande, y las engastonadas en oro y piedras.” So in the Escurial copy, but the meaning is not clear.
[169] This Ynca Yupanqui of Cieza de Leon, son of Ynca Rocca, is the Yahuar-huaccac of Garcilasso and other writers. When he was a child he is said to have wept blood, and hence the name. Yahuar (blood), and Huaccac (weeping). Others declared that he was born weeping blood. During his reign, according to the account of Garcilasso, all the coast region from Arequipa to the desert of Atacama was annexed to the empire by the Ynca’s general and brother named Apu Mayta. The Ynca was much troubled by the headstrong disposition of his son, whom he banished to a lofty plateau called Chita, to the eastward of Cuzco, to live with shepherds who tended the flocks of the Sun. Three years afterwards, the son returned to Cuzco and told the Ynca his father that an apparition, calling itself Uira-ccocha Ynca, had appeared to him while he slept under a rock. It ordered him to repair to Cuzco and report that there was a great rebellion in the western province, threatening the existence of the empire. Yahuar-huaccac did not believe the story, and ordered his son to return to his banishment in the pastures of Chita. But soon the news came of the great rebellion of the Chancas, Yahuar-huaccac fled to Muyna, five leagues south of Cuzco, while his son put himself at the head of the army, and defeated the rebels. He took the name of the apparition, calling himself Ynca Uira-ccocha, and dethroned his father.