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.

1 R.oydl Commentaries. .Book 11. CH A P. XIV. Of the Geom~try, . Geography; Arithmetic/z and Mufick. 1 l{nown to' the Indians. T l-Iey had attained to tnuch Ceometl·y as ferved them for to meafure out . their Lands, and make out limits and bounds to their feveraJ parcirions; but this was n9t done in arl artificial manner, but by tbeir lines, and fmall íl:ones 1 which chey ufed in all their Accoums. . As to their Geography, they knéw how to decypher l.n colours the Model of every Nation, with che difünét Provinces, anahow they were bounded. I have feén an exaet Map of Couo, with the parts adjace t, and the four pcincipal ways to it, perfeél:ly defcribed in a fon of Mortar, e mpounded with fmall fiones and ftraw 7 which delineated ali the places, botb great anEl fmall, with the broad Streets, ana narrow Lanes, and Houfes which w'ere ancient artd decayed, a~d with the three íl:reams running through ir, all which were defcribed with great cnriofiry~ Moreover in this Draught the Hills and Valleys, rhe turnings and windings of the Rivers were made to appear [o plain, thar the beH: Cof mographe~ in the World could not have exceeded ir. The ufe of thjs Model was to inrorm the Vifaors, which they called I)amian, of the extent and di viíion of rbe Countriesl whenfoever they went by the King's Commiflion co fu rvey rhe Provioce, anct number rhe people within the precinél:s 'of Co.:i:;co , and other places; chis Model which I mention, was m:ide in M u;na, which the Sfañiards call now M ohhia, and is di íl:ant abóm five Leagues from the City of Couo towards rhe Z ur; the which · I had opporcunity to obferve, being then prefem wirh the Vifüors, who went ro number che Jndians that inhabited rhe Divilion of Garfi!affe de Pega, My Lord and Maíl.er. In Arithmetick they knew much, and were skilled in a peculi~r manner and narure in rhat Science; for by cerrain knors of divérs colours they fo n.1med up all the accoums of Tribute , and Comributions, belonging ro che revenue of rhe lnfJa; and .rhereby knew,how to accounc, and difcoum , to fubtraét, ai;id ro mul- tiply; but to proportíon rhe réfpefüve Taxes on every Nation by way of divifion; they performed ir in another manner by granes of Mr;p"-, or Pebbles, wnich ferved in the place ofCounrers. And becaufe ir was neceffary that Accounrs fhould be kept of ali charges relating to Vv ar and Peaée, rhat the Ptmple, and rhe Fkicks and Herdsof Cartle íbould be numbred, that the payment of Tribures) and the like 1 íbould be regifüed and noted, there were certain Perfons appoimed for rhar work; who made it their fiudy and bufineís to be ready and skilfull in Accoums; and becaufe perhaps one Perfon was appointed to keep the reckonings of rhree•or four diíl.inél: things, as Accountant Geheral, which feems difficulr to be 1 performed by !he way of rheir threa~s ~nd ~nots, "'.e fhall difcourfe .ir herea fter móre at large, m what manner they d1íl:mgmfhed their Accoums of d1vers bufineífes. Of their Mujick. ln Mufick they arrived to a certain Harmony, in which rhe 1nd:ans of Colla did h1ore particularly excell, having been che Invenrors of a cer~a in Pipe made of Canes glued cogether, every one of which having a different Note of higher and lower, in the manner,of Organs, made a pleafing Muflck by che diífonancy of founds, rhe Treble, Tenor and Baffe, exaél:ly correfponding and anfaiering each to orher; wirh rhefe Pipes tbeyofren plaid in confort, and made tolerable Muíick, though they wanted die·Q.iavers, Semiquavers, Aires, and many Voices which perfelt