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CUZCO: filSTORICAL AND MONtn~fEN'.JIAL
CITY OF PERU
the herds of the Sol and the Cr.ossing these plaina is noted
a general appearance of bleakn·ess. On horse the journey takes
abo111t an hour from Cuzco and somewhat less from Rodadero.
The locality is clifüicult to find withCl'llt a gu1de f·amiliar with
this particular district. Before arriving at the unpretentious
Tampu Machchai (today called the Finca) will be noted a small
setlll:eanent surrounided by alider rtrees situated on a hill
cailled Pucara, which in quecihua mean.s Fort. It must have been
a look-out station and for •derensive purposes if necessairy, owing
bo its location and command of the surrounding district. LaM
Pucaras were artificial fortified hills, inv1ariaMy found a
town or a place of wor hip. he ne mentioned is a, very us
, e:x;aimple. One can ee t e ·apet11 and the places- of a:bode, the
latter very indistinet. hey are of ude co~truction, and of
inegular stones we jo· a toge•ther, remarkable considerin~ the
formation of the Ia.n: . In the wall are several recesses or mches.
from PUICara, (to the uppe<r quebrada), a maM;er
of four ·hunid.red meiters, all!d in a sheltered spot is found the ruina
of Tami¡.u M!acihchai which, acco11'<lin.g to P. Oo•bo, was the palace
of Thú¡Yacc Inca Yupawqui, father of Huaina Kccápacc.
Tampu Mach.chai t;oday two walls of liarge squared
stone&' mixed with smaller ones radmirably assembled. The descent
fr<nn. one to the other is made by a series of graded steps some–
whait narorow. They are ev.1c1ently the remains o.f two over-lappin.g
galleries with rustic roofls. At the foot of the lower galleiry is a
we11 into which empties a .stream of spa;rkling fresh water through
a primitiva tube leading from OThe of the con tructions. Its source
is hidden. The upper gamery has severa! lrurge reoesses oir niches
which, according to Dr. García, were used a1s a sort of dressing
rooms for bwthing PU!r'.Poses, the spot being a re.sort for the nativa
P.opula:ce.
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