The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

Jloyal Commentaries. BooK 111. was afterwards accompliíMd by thofe Kings, who proceeded rhence, ;and taughc the World how to caíl: away che turpitude of their manners, and live by another Law and Rul~ ofReafon. By advamage of thefe, and orher fuch Inventions, it was not difficult for the ln•M to perfuade the other Jndians of their defcent from the Sun, and to confirm rheir belief by thofe many benefits and advamages which their Doétrine and Religion brought wirh rhem. On the aífurance of thefe two Fables rhe IncM, and all hisSubjefu did really eíl:eem chis Ií1and to be.a facred and a holy piece of Ground ; and with tbat opinion they ereéted a rich Temple on it, ali plated with Gold, and dedicared to rñe Sun; where generally ali the Pro- vinces fubjeéted to che Inca, did yearly offer Gold, and Silver, and pretious Stones, in a rhankfull acknowledgmem of rhofe two Bleffings he had given them in that place; and that Temple being of greater Devotion, had che Carne atten- dence, and Officers belonging to ir, as that of Co~o. And fo immenfe was the quamity of Gold and Silver, which was amaífed in rhat líland, befides that which was caíl and framed into Utenfils, for che fervice of the Temple, that the Re- pon which rhe Jndia"IJ.J make ofit is incredible, and more to be adrnired, than be- liev:ed. BIM Va/era fpeaki ng of che Riches of chis Temple; and of the quantities of Gokl and Silver whi.ch abounded, after all Veífels and Ornaments were fup- plied, faith, that h e was i oformed by chofe Jndians who are called Mitmac, and are á Colony who inhabit in Copa-Cavano, that there was fuch a fuperAuity of Gold and Silver, afrer all was finiíhed, as might have been fufficient to have rai- fed and complered anotherTemple, withoue orher materials whatfoever; and rhac fo foon as thofe Jndians had news of the Invafion of the Spaniards, and were in- formed rhat their Errant and Bufineís was to defpoil rhem of their Ricbes, they demolifhed their Temple, and threw all the rnaterials, and the immenfe Wealth of ir, into thac greac Lake. There is another Story which paífes, not unlike this, That in the Valley of Orcos, which is about fi.x Leagues from Cquo, towards the Sea of Zur, rhere is a lit- tle Lake of lefs than half a League round, bue very deep, and encompaífed with high Woods; It is reponed, chat when che Indians underftood of the 'Arrival of the Spaniards, they tquew a §reat quamicy of the Treafüre belonging ro 6ol:.co into it, and amongíl: the reft, that Chain of Gold which Huayna Capac caufed to be made, of which we íhall [peak in ics. due pbce; upan affurance and belief hereof twelve or chirreen Spaniards, who fojourned ar Couo, not Inhabirancs, bur Merchants, and Advenmrers, entred into an agreement cogecher, on terms of equal benefit and lofs, to poíleís themíelves of rhat Treafure by draining the Lake for ir; in arder whereunto' they founded the depth, and found cwenty three or twenty four fathom water, befides the ~nudd, which was alfo deep; rhen they refolved to open a íluce, or hay, ar the loweíl: ground, or level of che Lake, rhat fo a wide chane! being made for rhewater to país into che River of Yucay, che L~ke might be fewed or emptied by the great vent it would find by fuch an eva- cuation; in other pares they cou1d not open it farcher, becaufe of the Rocks, and difadvantage of rhe ground, nor did they lay their Trench open to the top, (which perhaps rnighr have been better,) bue to fave charges made a Mine, and cut their Drain under grpund. This work was begun in che Y ear 1 ~ 57. with great hopes and expeétarioqs ofTreafure; and being emred about fifty paces within cheEarrh, chey unhappily croffed upon a Vein of bard Rock, ar which pecking a long time, they found chat chey íl:ruck more fire out of it, than they drew water; in which ha- ving fpem much money, time and labour, they at length gave over che work as deíperate, and defül:ed from their Emerpriíe. I remember thac I entred two or three times within che vault, whilíl: they were workíng, and h:ive heard ir often reponed, thac rhe Jndians chrew infinite Treafure into Lakes, Caves :md Moun- cains, beyond ali hopes or pofiibility of recovery. _Thoíe Kings who were JncM, befides che Riches rhey beílowed, and encou- ragement they gave for the adornment of this Temple, they endeavoured much to improve the very Land of chis Iíle, that fo they might render it ferrile, and fit ro bear Fruir; and that in gratimde ro chis place, on which rheir Anceíl:ours de- fcending from Heaven, had fer their firíl footíleps, they might enoble it with all fons ofgood Husbandry and Agriculmre: to chis end they levelled and cleared it of Rocks and Stones; then they made Walks, and covered them over with good Earth, and Manure hrought from far; and made the ground capable to produce -'W.1yl;,, or /ndian:Whear, which by reaíon of the coldnefs of the Climace, is not produced