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 Commentarin. BooK II. longer than chey expeéted; but their greateíl: inconvenience was che Extremity of Cold; for, according to che Defcription of Cofmographers, che Top of that fnowy Mouncain reaches as high as che mid<lle Region of the Air ; the which being extremelycold, and the ground covered with Snow, ~nd the Seaíon of che Y ear bein g about che time of our Midfümmer, when the Days are at che íhorteft it froze.fo exceflively, tb,at Spaniards, Neg1oes, and lndians, ánd many Horfes were fr ozen to Death. The poor lndi,.ns foflered moíl:, being ill provided with warm Garments, fo that ten thoufand of the fifteen thoufand lndians dyed with che Cold; nor did che Spaniards efcape, who were better dothed, for of them alfo one hundred and fifry dyed; and fo cruel and fevere was che Froíl:, thac cheir Fíngers and Toes were fo benumbed, tbat they were infenfible of che freezing chereof, uncill they rotred off from their Hands and Feet. I was ac- quainced with one of thefe perfons, called [mnimo C11jfilla , born at Camora , of as good a Family as any is in that City. Many of them !oíl: their baggage, noc by violence of an Enerny; becauíe there was none in chofe pares to oppofe them, bue were forced t0 relinquiíll and leave chem , the l ndians being dead who carried cheir Burchens: In fü1e, after a cedious Journey che Spani ,irds paffed the Moumain, haraífed and cired wich their Travels and Labour , and being come to the ocher fide, iníl:ead of Enemies chey fell imo che Hands of che lndian1, who were cheir Friends, and who received them as kindly, and treated chem as well as íf they had been cheir Coumrey-Men, and of rheir own Bloud; for they being In- habicams of Copayapu, and Subjeél:s of che Inc11, did, in refpeét to Paullu Inca, and che High Priell, Feaíl: and entercain che Spa11iards wich ali che plemy and va- riecy of Curioficies which their Councrey could afford. And moíl: happy was ir for che Spaniard1, for had che lndians proved Enemies, .and not Friends, and raken rhem unprovided, and ar chat advamage rhey might ali have periíbed, and nor one efcaped. During the time rhac che Pi.racochM refrefhed chemfelves ,_ afm their lace Suf- ferings and Labours, which were grearer than can be expreíled. Paullu lnca 1 and his Kinfman Villac Vmu, emertained Difcourfe wirh rhe Capcains and Curaca1 of the Empire, and gave them ro underíl:and ali rhat paífed in Peru, relating to che Story of Htiafca1 Inca' and Atahualpa; and how the Spaniard1 put him to Death in Revenge of the Murcher he had committed on bis King, and ali his Farnily , tha!'. at prefent the Prince M anco Inca, the lawfull Heir, was in their Hands and Cuíl:ody, and neated by them wirh ali imaginable Refpeét and Ho- nour, and with Promifes of being reilored unto his Empire, and to the Heighc and Grandeur of Majeíly·; in expeétarion of which, all l ndians were obliged to afliíl: and ferve rhem , che better ro engage rhem unto a performance of their Promife to che Inca: And farther , they informed chem, thar thefe were Men defcended from their F¡¡ther che Sun , and for chat Reafon they called rhem f ncM, and owned them for Kindred and Relations, with rhe Name of cheir God Viracocha. And in regard their General was Brother and Aífociace \~ ith him, that refided at Co'Gco, che Services and Kindneífes which were íhewed ro one, would be accepred by che orher; and that che greateíl: Prefems, and beíl: Tre:itmenr, chat could be given them , would be much Gold, and Silver, and pretious Srnnes, for they loved chofe rhings very much ; and lince their Coun- trey yielded nothing befides Gold, they would doe well ro garher as much of ir, . as they could, and prefenr it to the Spania1d1, who would not onely kindly accept it , but the Prince Manco Inca would likewife efteem himfelf very well ferved by chofe Gifrs. · Upon this lnformation che l ndian1 of Copayapu were infinitely rejoiced with the Hopes ro 'fee their Inca reíl:ored to his Empire, fo -rhat the fame day they amaífed rogether above the value of two hundred thoufand Ducats, in Veífels of Gold, che which having been defigned for che accuíl:omary Prefems which were due to rheir Incas, were referved umill chac time; for fo foon as News carne to Chili of the Wars between Huafcar and Atahualpa, che Incas, who were the Capcains, and ruled that Kingdom, defiíl:ed from their Services, and from making Prefents to the Inca, untill füch time as the Controverfie about che Governmept w~ decided.