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.

BooK IX. Royal Commentaries. e H. A P. x·x1. ·Of Conie$; and. Dogs of Game. N. OR had they Wild, or Tarne Rabbers, as we have in· Spain, for they have been brnught thither ftnée 1 depart-ed from Pene : The firíl: that bromghr them t@ Cou:o, was one of the Clergy called Attdrew Lope:t, born in the !Eftremadtlra, but in what V.illage or Town 1 kmow. not, This Prieft btdughr over a Buck ánd a Dé5e in a Cage, and in paffing over a ftream; which is about futteeñ ·Leagues diíl:ant fr.om Co:too, and runs tbrough the Councrey of Chinchapuyu, where che E- ftate of my L.Grd and Father G1trfilaj[o de la Ve1,a lyes; it happened óut, that whHíl: the Jñdian which carried them; had fer dt>Wn the Cage to reíl: 'l;ii1:nfelf,- añd eat a bit of bread, that the Dbe efcap.ed out through a hole of the Cage, wheFe one of rhe Rods wasbroken, and ran out amongíl: the Rotks and Mounra.ins, arna amóngíl: the WH!ows and O{qets whicll grow by che banks of cJ.;¡e River ; ·the Doe being then big with Young, brough~ forth a great many, which being cQnfer'Ved afret- wards by th€ care of the Indian1, have increafed to. that degree, that rhey have made aWarren, and now cover the ground with their Numbets. From th~nce they nave ftocked other Grounds in many parrs ;· the Land being ,barren,4'.ind the Grafs íhort, they have thriven fo well, as to become of a larger fize than oui:s ; as have alfo other Conies which have been brought from Spain irlto óther parts. It was the fortune of that Coney to get loofe in a- teilll}lerate Climate, which was neither ovet hot, .t.i or very cold; but as chey fpread farther up th€ River, che CouQ"- trey grows cooler, umill at length they c0me t<Y places of perpetua! Snóws : Such as took their downwards as che ftream runs, chofe were·fobje?1; to greater heacs, untill they carne to the River Apurim111c, which is che hotteíl: Cliq¡at€ of all f eru. This Story of che Conies was told me by án Indian of my Copntrey; Who know- ing that 1 was writing che Hillory of Peru, gave me chis information ; for the truth of which, I rnfer my fdf to the banks of that River; which if they be fo well íl:ocked with Conies, as he relates, it may ferve for an-undeniable proof. In the Kingdom of fl.t}itu there are Conies like thqfe in Spain, onely they are lefs, and of a darker colot.rr , having a black íl:reak along the top of their backs, in eve- ry thing elfe they are like che Rabbets we have in Spain : they have.no fiares, nor ' dc>1 know whether ~bey have brought any tbither as yet. . The Dogs of game, or of good rafe, fuch as we have formerly mentfoned, were not in Pmt, untill the Spaniards brought them thither. Maíl:iffi wete the lall of any tranfported to chofe pares , by reafon, that having no Wolves, nor other bealls of prey which might hure cheir Catee!, they had ño need of fuch Dogs for their defence, or guard. Howfoever, when they were come thither, fuch as we1:e' Maíl:ers of great Flocks· and Hetds, would not wanc, or be withour chem, not that they had any need, or occafion for them; but onely becaufe they would have their Flocks and Herds be like chofe in Spain : And fo paffionately was their fancy at che beginniog inclined hereunco, chat in every ching chey affeéted che Manners and Cuíl:oms of Spain; for which reafon, and not for any need, a Spaniard carried a Maíl:iffWhelp, rhat was not above a Momh anda half old, in a Wallec, which he hanged at bis Saddle-bow, from G,ouo to Lo1 Reye1, which is a hundred a 1 nd twency Leagues through a tnountainous and craggy Coumrey, being every day troubled to find Milk for this Whelp? che which I faw, and can teíl:ifie, having been a Companion with chat Spaniard in' che Journey ; who told me, chat he car- ried chat VV1-ielp for a prefent to his -Facher-in-law, who was a Grafi~r, being Ma- fier of great Flocks of Cattel, and lived fifty or fixty Leagues on chis fide of Ciu- daa de !01 Reyes, by whom hewoúid be eíl:eemed as a Jewel of mighryvalue. Thefe and greacer pains have the Spaniards taken at the beginning to prornre fuch Crea- tures as are u!ed in Spain, which aftetwards they have negleéted and conferved in fücle elleem. · C H A P.