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.

1.,,_ . 1 74 Royal Commentaries. BooK V. of the Eiupire, which being conveyed by Aqued~éts, at the charge and'expenfe of tbe inca.o, are works of Grandeur and Oíl:entauon, and which recomrnend che Magnificence of che Inw to all poílerity. For cheíe Aqueduéts may well be cornpared ro che miratulous Fabricks which have been the works of mighcy Princes who have left their prodigious Monumems of Oíl:eriration to be admired by futu~e Ages; for indeed we ought to confider,. that chefe Wacers had che.ir fource and beginning from vaíl: high Mountains, and were carried over craggy Rocks, and inacceffible pailiiges; and to make chefe ways plain, chey had no help of lnfirurnencs forged of Steel or lron, fuch as Pick-axes, or Sledges, bue ferved chemfelves onely of one íl:one ~o break another ; nor were they acquainced wich che invention of Arches, to convey their Wacer on the leve! from one pre- cipice ~o che other; but traced round the Mountain, untill chey found ways and pailiiges ac che fame height and level with the Head of the Springs. The Ci- / fierns, or Confervatories, which they made for thefe Waters at che top of che ·Mountain, were abouc twelve Fooc deep; the pailiige was broken through che . Rocks, and Chanels made of hewen Stone of abou.t two yards long, and about a yard high; ali which were well cemented cogecher, and rammed in with earth fo hard, tbac noWater could pafs between to weaken or venc icJelf by che hol~ ofthe Chan~l. Trus:Currenc of Water, which paífes tbrough ali the Divifion of CHntif,'¡yu, I have feen in the Provinre of fl!!echua, which is pare of that DivHion, and confi- dered ic as an extraordinary Work, and indeed fürpaffmg the Defcription and Report which hath been made of it: But the Spaniardi, who were Aliens and Strangers, little regarded che convenience of thefe works, either to ferve them- felves of the ufe of them, or keep them in repair, nor 'yet to cake fo rnuch no- tice of them, as to rnention them in cheir Hifiories ; bue rather out of a fcorn- full and difdaining humour, have fuffered chem to run unto ruine, beyond al! recovery. The fame fate hath befallen che Aqueduéts, which che lndians rnade for wa.: tering their Corn-lands, of which two chirds at leaíl: are wholly deíl:royed, and none kepc iJ) repa.ir , unlefs fome few, which are fo ufefull, chat wirhouc them they cannot fuíl:ain themfelves wich Bread, nor with the neceífary provifions for Life. Ali which works are not fo totally defiroyed, but that there fiill remain fome rui~es" and ~ppearances of them. - C H A - P~