4000003870

llooK

Ill.

Royal

Commentaries.

ver as are alfo the ocher four; all

whim

they firained very hard, by help of

the

Ro~ks

on the other fide ; and w

~ere

they

f~mnd

not the convenience of Rocks,

there

tl1ey

drove

Stakes, or cut mto

~uarnes

o_f

S~one,

_fin?ng

a~d Jlab~e

the Ro

ck it

fel£ The Bridge of

Apurimac,

which ts now m the Kmgs High,

way· of

Caz.co

is fixed on one fide to a living Rock, and on

ther

other (tde

co a

Pillar

ed'out of a Qg_arry. · Thefe

fhores

or fupports of the Bridge are made

with great holes and ·trunriels, through which the Ropes

pafs;

and

for

ftrength–

ning

them the better, they are fortified with Walls on each fide ; through

this

hollownefs of the Rock five or fix Beams are doffed from one

Wall

to the o...

ther, and t>laced one above the other, like ch.e fieps of a Ladder;. on each

'!f'

chefe

Beams they give

turn of th.e Rope belonging to the

fever~!

pieces, which. are

Matted with Ofiers, and {ham them as hard as by a Capfl:one, fo that the Bndge

may not

fink

with

its

own weight: Howfoever,

~his

Bridge

not fo tight, but that

it finks

the middle, 'wherebi thofe

who pafs

it defcencf at

firfl:,

and afterwards

mount again, untill hey come to the end,

that it

remain~

in.

the fafhion of a

Bow ; nor

firm , but that• it {hakes

often

the Wind blows harder

than ordinary.

ihree'of thefe thick matted pieces were laid one on the otbe_!)for the floor

and

foundation of the Bridge , and the other wo ferved for the Rails or Walls

on each fide : the floor they covered with thin ""Boards, which tney

laid

crofs–

ways fo thanhe length e>f the Board took the whole breadth of the Bridge,

be–

ing about two Yards

thefe Boards ferved to firengthen the matted pieces, and

keep

them

from being fuddenly worn out ; and alfo they were croifed with

Rims

or Ledges of Wood, which ferved to

k~ep

the feet of the Beafis which paifeq

from flipping : the Rails or Walls of the Bridge were greatly .fortified with thin

Boards, clofe tied

the matted pieces, which ferved to firengthen it in that man–

ner, that both Man and Beall: might pafs fecurely·over

ir.

This 13ridge of

Apu–

rimac,

which

the

moll: confiderable of any,

about two hundred

aces

length. For my own pare,

ca9flOt fay that

ever meafured it, but that difcour–

fmg

thereof witn fome in

Spain,

they aifured me that. the length

was

rather more

than lefs, and chat feveral

Spaniards

had pafied it on horfe-back, and fome of them

running, which

!he~

perhaps more rafhnefs than prudence, and lefs wit than

fear.

This

great

Machine, which

begun onely with a Twill of three Oliers

is at length oroughc to a mighty and fiupendious work, and

more curious and.

wonderfuU than

have been able to defcribe; the ufefulnefs of it hath proved

'--

great, that it hath been uncil_l thefe days kept in rep.air at the pubHck charge, and

~ot

fuffered co

fall

to decay

~ke

other greater Macliines which the

Spaniardr

found

that-So?ntrey..

th~.tu~s

of .die

InctU

tho[~

Bridges were yearly repaired

by the

Ne1ghbourmg

Provmc~,

which were. appointed to provide the Materials,

a_nd pay the

V:f

orkme~ accord~~

T~x

laid

o~ ~hem

refpeetively,

and

propor-

tioned co their ne4rnefs and ability ; which alfo

ufe to this day.

c·

HAP.

·VIII

The

Renown

and Fame of this Bridge is the caufe that

111any

Nations fubmit themfelves.

THE

Inca

being informed·rhat the Bridge was finHhed commanded his

Ar-

.my to meet at their rendezvous; which confifiing

twelve .thoufand able

So~ld1ers,

t:nder the Cormnand of experienced Officers, he marched towards the

Bndge,

~hich h~

found well guardea againft

any

attempt the Enemy could mclke

burn

~ut

mfiead

.thereof, the

Indians

Pent,

who

the very time

that

the

Spamards

invaded

chem, were

fimple as to admire

any

new invention..,

did

now

•