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.

.J 1 BooK IX. Royal Commentaries. to the Saddle and Bridle; but many, before they are thus broken, rhrotde them- felves with the Halter; but then on fucn as become tarne, they fet Bóys on iheir backs, leading thern with tbe Bridle; in ~bis manner tbey accuftome them mor- ·ning and eveníng, for fifreen or twenty days, uptill fuch time as rhey are thorough- ly broken, and rhen rhey become very- gemle, and ferviceable to their Mafiers; and in a few days are fo well rnanaged, rh:: t they can throw the Dart upon rhem, and prove rnoíl: excellent Horfes. . After all parts of the weft-Jndies were fubdued there was no fuch occafion for Horfes as before, nor encouragement given for brée- ding ·and managing of them, as formerly; fo that the Inhabitants of chofe H1ands turned rheir Traffick anorher way, and began to trade and peal in Hides, as we íhall declare in irs due place. Confidering ofren with my felf at how great a price good Horfes are held in Spain , and what an excellent race thefe Hland$ yield, both for their fize, (hapes and colour. I have much wondred at the reafon why they have not been tranfported thence into Spain, though it were onely in ac- knoiyledgment of th_ofe which Spain did firíl: fend thither, and which were the Sires and Dams of that new Race, efpecially fince they may be tranfported with fo much facility and ea[e from the Iíland of Cuba, which is one great part of the way, and many Ships come empty chus far. The Horfes of Peru are much more forward than thofe in Spain; for the firft time tlw I dau:ed on Horfeback in Co:uo, was upon a Horfe newly broken, <!nd which had fcarce arrived to three years of , age. . When the Spaniards were firíl: employed in the Conqueíl: of Peru, no Man }Vould fpare bis Horre, or fet any price upon him; but in careit happened by the Mafter's Death, or bis departure for Spain, that a Horre was fet w fale, che price was four, five or fo: thoufand pieces of Eight. ln the Year 1) 5' 4. when-the Ma- refchal Don Alonfo JA/varado went in purfüit of Francifco Hernandei:. de Giran, which was before tbe Bauel of Chuquinca. A Negro Boy leading a very hanfome Horfe in bis Hand, well rnanaged, a certain rich Gentreman cafting bis Eyes upon him, and being rnucb ta~en with bim, faid to the Owner of him, Sir, for the Boy and Horfe, tU they now are, 1 will give you ten thoufanJ. pieces' of Eight, whidi is as muchas twelve thoufand Ducats; but the Owner refufed che Otfer, telling him that he had occafion for tbe Hor[e to charge upon in the next Battel, which was íhortly expeékd; the iífue ofwhich was, tbat the Horre vvas killed, and the Maíl:er mor- tally vvounded: But that vvhich is obfervable herein is this, tbat he vvho vvould have bought the Horre vvas rich, having a confiderable Colony of lndians in tne ,Couri¡rey of the Charca&; and the Ovvner vvas a famous Souldier, vvho, to fig- nalize himrelf in that day of Battel< refored to fell bis Horfe at any 1 rate, thougb never fo advamageous ;· I knevv t11em both to be Gentlemen , and Perfons of Noble Qg_ality: But fince that time the price of Horres is much abated in Peru, becaufe the breed is much increa[ed; fo that a go{;"d Hor[e may be vvorth three or four hundred Pieces of Eigbt, andan ordinary Jade may be fold at tvventy or thirry. The Jndians are very commonly fearfull of an Horre, for when chey fee 'him gallop, or run in any Street where they cham~e to meet him, they are fo af- :&igh1ed, that they think they can ne'{er croud near enough to the Wall to avoid him, fearing leíl: he íhould run over tbem, and trample tbem under foot; where- fore when they meet a Horre in the Streets, tbey will crofs the Street three or four times from one fide to rhe other, and being fo fcared (as it were) out of tbeir Wits, they have run bl~n9ly (as I have reen) into the very way of the Horfe, whom they have endeavoured- to avoid, and have never thought themfelves out of danger, unleis they could get a Spaniard to íl:and before them, nor would that- guard neither acquit ·them frorrr all fear; and tbough now by cuíl:ome and con- verfatión che dread of t!íem is not fo great, yet never could any Jndian be perfüa- ded to take upon him che Trade of a Blackfinith, becaure he would noc_ be con- cerned in fhooing Hor[es, though in all works ofMetal they are excellent Artiíl:s. And tbough the Spaniards have bred up fome Indian Boys , and taught them ro clrefs and curry Horres, yet I never knew ot faw an Jndian that duríl: adventure to rriount upón their Backs; if any of tbem were fo bold as to lead a Horre by tbe Bridle, it was fome tame, gemle Jade, as quiet as .a Mule; for indeed that which fcared the Jndians rnoft, was to find moíl: of che Horfes wanton and skittifh; for ás_ yet the Spaniards did neither ufe them ro the Martingale, nor to covers, or 1 as tbey are called, Speél:acles, for their Eyes, which was a great negleél:, and was the caufe of much more labour and trouble to the Maíl:er in the breaking and ma~ e ce . nagery 377