4000003871

280

Royal Commentaries.

BooKVn.

CH A P.

XVIII.

Of ·the Preparations which were made for ~he Conquefl of

ChiIÍ. .

Hough the good

King_Tup~nqui

had had bue

ill

fuccefs againíl: the

Chirihuana1,

yet it did not difcourage his Defign for the Conqueíl: of

Chili,

or for Acchieve-

1,11ents of a more nóble Nature: For in regard the great Maxime of che

lncan

Scace was the increafe of cheir Empire, they were ever atcempting and defigning

fome ching towards the enlargement of it; and indeed füch was che Confücution

of ic in chofe days, chat chey could noc well fübfiíl: wichouc War, cheir people be–

ing numerous, and wichouc Employment, and che Seores of Arrns, Clochs and

Shoes, which were che Tribute of tbe Provinces, yearly increafmg, there would

have been no confurnptiol'l of .them wichouc aWar, bue woald have decayed

and perifhed in che Magazines, or Store-houfes, wichout ufe; for as to Gold and

Silver, (as we have fa1d) none was exaél:ed, nor were they in ufe as currentCoin,

bue onely were che voluntary Prefems which che Vaffals gave for adornrnent of

che Royal Palaces, and Temples belonging_co che Sun; for chefe Reafons, and for

che Love and Obedience which bis Subjeéts bore towards him, che King

Tupan–

qui

accoumed himfelf

be in a proper and able condicion for making a War

UP–

on che Kingdorn of

Chili,

to which end having advifed wich his Council concer–

ning che way and manner ofcarrying on che War, and having coníl:ituced and or–

dained Officers for adrniniíl:ration ofcommon Juíl:ice, during his abfence; he pro–

ceeded on bis way, to

Chili,

as far as

Atacama,

which was che moíl: remoce Pro–

vince d1acwas peopled on chat fide, becween which and

Chili

\.vere greac Defots,

without People or Provifions; and there h~ intended co·pirch

bis

Carnp, to give

heat and life ro the defign.

··

From

Aracama

che

Inca

[ene bis Spies, anda party like a Forlorn-hope, to dif–

cover and obferve che ways and Difficulties of che paffage; and becaufe the care.

was grear, and che true Difcovery of vaíl: imporrance, che charge of it was com–

mitted ro

lnc.:u

onely ; the Kings not being willing to entruíl: the common fafecy

.to che faithfulnefs of any, bue foch as were of che Royal Lineage. Thefe

Jnw

took n-ith them certain

lndians

from

At..¿·ama

and

Tucma

for rheir Guides, for (as

we have faid before) theíe h:rd fome knowledge of che way; for the beccer a{fu.

rance of which

was ord'ered, cbat from two Leagues to two Leagues che Gnides

íhould go, and recuro with a reporc of the .way, and difficulties which they en- '

counrred in

ir;

and fhould by fuch Advices accordingly comrive wirh moíl: ad–

vanrage

lodge, and lay theír ProviÍtons for che Arrny in th moíl: cornmodious

places. With this labour and diligence they penetraced eighcy Leagues through

chis deíarr Countrey, which is as far as from

Atttcama

.Copayapu,

which is a lit–

tle bue a well peopled Province , environed round with long and wide Deíarts,

for to pafs forward, as far as

Cuquimpu,

are other eighcy Leagues of defart–

Countrey.

The Spies having made a Difcovery as far as

CopayapH,

and taken as much no–

tiGe of everyching, as could be done by a furvey of their Eyes, chey returnec,i wich

all diligence

_render an account to the

Inca

of whac they had feen and obfervéd.

The

Inca

having received their lnformation, ordered ten choufand Men to be made

ready, under the Cornmand of General

Sinchiruca,

and two other Major

Gene–

rals, whofe Narnes are not known, the which being difparched, marched in the

beíl- order that the way would permic, having their ProviÍtons carried on che backs

of Sheep, whofe Flefh alfo feyved for Viél:uals.

This Arrny being difpeeded away , the,

Inca Tufanqui

comrnanded that

they

íhould be followed by ten thoufand more, for che fuccour and reinforcement of

their Companions, which marched before, the which added to the greater rerrour

and affrigh_tment of che En~rny. Tbe

firfi

Army being arrived near co

Copayap11,

[ene