4000003871

Royal

Commentaries.

BooK

V. ·

ofthe Empire, which being conveyed by Aqueduéts, ac che charge and'expenfe

of the

J~c((..5,

are works of Grandeur and Oíl:encation, and which recomrnend che

Magnificence of che

Jnw

to all poíl:ericy. For thefe Aqueduéts may Well

compared ro che miratulous Fabricks which have been che works of mighcy

Princes who have !efe cheir prodigious Monumems of Oíl:entation to be admired

by futu~e Ages; for indeed we oughc to confider, ·that thefe Wacers had their

fource and beginning from vaíl: high Mouncains, and were carried over craggy

Rocks, and inacceffible paffages; and to make thefe ways plain, they had no

help of lnfiruments forged of Steel or lron, fuch as Pick-axes, or S!edges,

bue

ferved chemfelves onely of one fione ~o break anocher :; nor were they acquainced

wich che invention of Arches, to conveY. their Water on che level from one pre–

cipice

che other; bue traced round che Mountain, untill they found ways and

paffages ac the fame heighc and level with the Head of che Springs. The Ci- ,

fierns, or Confervatories, which chey rnade for chefe Waters ac che top of the

·Mountain, were abouc twelve Foot deep; the paffage was broken chrough che .

Rocks, and Chanels made of hewen Scone of abou.ctwo yards long, and about

a yard high; all which were well cemenced cogecher, and ramrned

wich earth

hard, chat noWater could pafs between to weaken or vent icJelf by che bol~

ofthe Chan~l.

T~Current of Water, which paífes cbrough all che Divifion of

CHntifuyu,

have feen in che Province of

J2!!echua,

which

pare of chac DivHion, and confi–

dered it as an extraordinary Work, and indeed fürpaffmg che Defcription and

Report which hach been made of it: Bue the

Spaniardi

who were Aliens and

Strangers, little regarded che convenience of thefe works, eicher to ferve thern–

felves of the ufe of chem, or keep them

repair, nor'yec to cake

rnuch no–

tice

of them, as to rnention chern ín their Hifiories ; bue rather out of a fcorn–

full and difdaining humour, have fuffered them to run unto ruine, beyond all

recovery.

· The Carne fate hath befallen the Aqueduéts, which the

Indians

rnade for wa.:

tering cheir Corn-lands, of which two chirds ac leaíl: are wholly deíl:royed, and

none kept

Í!.1

rep.w-, unlefs fome few, which are

ufefull, chac wirhouc chem

they cannot fuíl:ain themfelves wich Bread, nor wich che neceffary provifions for

Life. All which works are not

totally defiroyed, bue thac there

füll

remain

fome rui~es and ~ppearances of them.

A.P~