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.

294 ' BooK VII. C H A_P. XXVII. tJf the Fortrefs of Cozco, and the greatnefs of t~e Stones with which it was huilt. T HE Jnc.u, . who·were Kings of Peru, ereél:ed many worí~erfüll and íbt,ely . Edifices• their Cafiles, Temples, and Royal Palaces, thei.r Gardens, Store- houfes , and other Fabricks , were Buildings of great Magnificence, as is apparent by-the ruines of them; though very obfcure conjeétures are to be gathered frdm fuch remains. . The work of greateíl ofientation, and which evidences moft the Power and Majefty of che lnc.u, was the Fomefs of Co.uo, whofé greatnefs is incredible to any .who hath not feen it, and füch as h?ve viewed it with greac attencion cannot but admire ir, and believe that füch a work was ereéted by Enchantment, or the help ofSpirits, being that which furpaffes the Are and power ofMan. For the Stones are fo many and fo grear, which were laid in che three firfi rounds, being tather Rocks than Stones, as paífes all underíl:anding, how and in what marmer they were hewen from the Qg_arry, or brought from thence, for chey had no in- firuments of Iron or Steel, wherewith to cut or fafhion them: Nor lefs wonder- full is it to chink, how they could be carried to the Building; for they had nei- ther Carts nor Oxen to draw them with; and if they had, the weight was fo vaíl: as no Cart could bear, or Oxen draw; then to think that they drew them with great Ropes, over Hills, and Dales, and difficult ways by the mere force of Mens Armes is alike incredible; for many of them were brought ten, twelve and fifteen Leagues off, particularly that Stone, or Rock rather, which the Indialfs call St!Jcufca, which fignifies tired or weary, becaufe it líes in che way, having never heen brought fo far as to the Building; but it is certain that it carne fifreen I.:eagues from che City, and was tranfported over the River of YucaJ, which is almoíl: as bro~d as the Guada!quiver, which runs by Cordova. The Stones broughc from che neareíl: parts were from Muyna, which is five Leagues di_fiant from Co.uo: Bue to proceed farcher in our imagination of chis matter, and confider how it was poffi- ble for this people to fit and join fuch vaíl: Machíos of Stones cogether, and ce- ment them fo clofe, thac the point of a Knife can [caree pafs between tbem, is a thing above all admiration, and fome of chem are fo artificia!\y joined, that che trevices are [caree difcernible between them : Then to conftder that to fquare and fit thefe Stones one to the other, they were to be raifed, and lifted up ano re- moved often, untill they were broughc to their juíl: ftze and proportion ; but how this was done by Men, who had no ufe of the Rule and Square, nor knew how to ma~e Granes, or Pullies, and Cramps, and orher Engines, to raife and lowr ~hem as they had occafion, is beyond our imaginacion, being of that bigneís that , 'fofeph Acofta faith was prodigious: For the bignefs and compafs of thefe Stones, 1 íhall racher refer my felf tQ the Authority of this Acofta, than to the repare ofmy Scbool-fellows, of whom 1defiring to be informed ofche juíl: proportion of theíe Stones, they fent me the meafures of them by Fathoms, and not by Yards and loches,; which account not being fo exaét as 1 defired , it feemed requifite in a work fo wonderfull, and in which the vafinefs of the Stones is the greaceíl: mat· t~r of Admiration, to take the more authentick teíl:imony ofNotaries. Acofta in the 14th Chapter of bis 6th Book, faich, " That the Expences which the IncM " .made in building Forts, Temples, Houfes of Pleafure 1 and other Edifices was t, very great, and the labour exceffive, as che Ruins which remain make to ap- - ~' pear, and are füll to be feen in Couo, Tiaguan11co, Tamho, and other places, ~ where che Stones are of that vaíl: proportion, as paífes underíl:anding how chey " were hewen, fqaared, and carried to the places where they are now fixed. le te is certain; that for ereéting thofe vaíl: Buildings of Fmts and Temples in Cotco, ~ and ocher párrs, by direétion of tbe Inca; there was che affúlence and concourfo o~