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.

Royal Com.mentaríes. BooK Vil .• ¡· :xv11. \ r.C HA P. ' JI r' , 1 { ,. Of ';he 1 Nátio17 of Chirihuana; ofo, their cufloms and manner_ · · ~¡ tivi~g: 1 ·, • • • • • • •• ·:C: A S covetoufnefs ~nd ambition of government is natural to ali Men; fo theíe JncM traníported with a defüe of new Kingdoms and Conquefis, made it "their -<hief bufinefs and glory to enlarge their. Empire. Id purfuance of which, four years after that Yupanqui had fent bis Army clown the Riv:er, ·he d~figned a- nother Conqueíl: over the ~reat Province of Chir.i-huana, which·is feated in the Antis to the Eafiward of the CharcM. .. But in regard the.Countrey.was 4nknown, and the ways undifcovered, it was thougbt fit and convenient to fend fpyes firft into thofe parts, who might fee and difcover the Situation and Nature of the Countrey, and Manners of the People. The Spies being difpatched, as was.re• folved, they returned at a certain time, bringing neport, thac the .f:ountrey was bad, foil of high and barren Moubtains, Bogs, Lakes, and Mariíh Grounds ; that the Natives were abfolutely brutes, .and worfe than beafis, having no Religiorr, 9r Woríhip of any thing, bue lived without law or good manners, wandring in the Mountains aod- Woods, not aífociated in any communicy or political governrnent; unlets it were, ·when chey joined their Forces together to infeíl: their Neighbours, with intention to,1 eat the fleíh of thofe which they took in War, without refpeél: either <,JÍ Sex or Age , and that nothing fhould bé loíl: of all cheir fpoils, they dra,nk che bloud when chey cut their thrciats. · Nor did they onely eat che fleíh of cheir Enernies, buc~of cheir own people, wh~n they died; onely they lamen- ted over cheir bones; which when they had laid, and difpofed orderly according co their joints, cbey buried chem in oocks, or caves, and che hollow ofcrees. They wem .naked , and promiícuouíly uíed coition wichout regard either to Sill:ers, Daughcérs or Mothers. And chis was che common way of living praétifed by che Nation of Chiri-huana. . The good Inca Yupanqui ( for fo was he íl:yled commonly by his own people, as alfo by Pedro de Ciefa) having heard chis reporr, turned ro his relations and kin- dred, who were tben prefent, and told tbem, that now he efieemed it a duty and obligation incQmbent on him to reduce che people of Chiri-huana, that fo he might wirhdraw them from the nfrpitude oí their manners, and from that beíl:ial life which they did lead, it being che grand deftgn for which his Father the Sun had fent him into che World. Having faid thefe Words, he appointed ten thoufand Mento be raifed, and made ready, under che Command oí Colonels and Cap- tains ofthe Incan Family, Men experienced both in War and Peace, and·infiruél:ed in rheir duty, and the bufine[s that they were to perform. This Army being pro- vided, marched into che Province of Chirihuana, where chey foon found che want and mifery of che Countrey; to füpply which, chey gave notice to che Inca, who fpeedily furnifhed tbem with all things neceífary. But fuch were che difficulties oí rhat Coumrey, b~ing nothing but Mountains, añd Bogs, and Fens, that afcer che labour of two years, they were notable to effeél: any matter confiderable there- in ; which being advifed to che Inca, he ordered their return, defigning'after fome time of repofe to employ them on fome more gratefull, and more pleafing Con- queíl:s. , The Vice-King D. Franc ifco de Toledo, who governed thofe Kingdoms in che year I 572, refolved to c; onqu.er chofe ChirihuanM, as Aco.fta in che 2.8th Chapter of his 4th Book doth relate at large ; and in order thereunto having appointed a confide- rable force of Spaniards, provided with all' neceífaries to undercake chat enterprize, he emred into that Province, carrying with him great numbers of Horfes and Cows to breed and increafe ; bue he had not marched far before he experienced t~'e infuperable difficulties of that undertaking, which he not be!ieving by any former reporc, nor yec admoniíhed by, the ineffeétual attempts which che JncM rnatle