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BooK
III.
Royal Commentaries.
the floar of the Bridge, which Bridge was about thirceen or fourceen Foot broad>
and about a Yard chick, and about an hundred and fifty Paces in lengch ; fo chat
we may imagine what a vaíl: quantity of Rufhes
is
required for a work of chis na–
ture.
It
is
moreover obfervable, thac chis Bridge requires reparacions every íix
Momhs, or rather,
to
0e made new, for che whole compoftcion of it beirig no–
thing but Scraw and Ruíhes, wlúch are fading and decaying materials, muíl: be
often renewed, efpecially the Ropes or Cables, which are che main traves of che
work, muíl: be maincained, and kept in good repair.
.This Bridge, .as likewife
all other publick conveniences, were in the times ofthe
Jnc~kep.t
up, and main–
tained at che charge and labour of the neighbouring Councríes ;
fo
chac many
Hands making light work, and che materials prov~ded from year to year, the
good order obferved, made
it_
a macter without m~d~trou~le or diffic~lty. The
end of che[e main Cables, wh1ch were che Foundauon of th1s forc ofBndge, were
fixed
in
che ground, and noc feifed, or made faíl:
to
Rocks of Scone, as fome
-others were; and che
Jndians
fay, chat chis is the beccer invemion, for chat this
Bridge may be removed, and carried eicher higher or lower on .the River, as oc–
cafion requires.
The Bridge being chus made and completed, the
Inca,
with his eldeíl: Son and
Heir., deparced from
Couo,
cravelling by íhort journies, untill chey arrived ar che
remoteíl: parts of chofe Provinces which belonged to
Cari
and
Chipana,
being chofe
Coumries which we formerly mencioned by che names of
Tapacri
and
Cochapamfft,
where·the
Caciques
attended
in
a readineís with.their Souldiers (o receive che
Inca.
From
Cochapámpa
they proceeded forward to
Cht!Janta,
and in their way chither chey
paffed a mbíl: defolace and barren Countrey, where is not one Fooc of good
Ground, bue onely Scones and Rocks; and which produces noching bue Buíhes
b~aring Thorns,
as
long as
a'
Man's finger, and which ~he
Jndians
ufo far Needles
to
fow che poor Drapery chey wear;
and
which
forc
of,:Thorn grows common
in
all parts of
Peru:
Having paífed this .defart, which concains abouc twency Leagues
in
length, and about as.much
iµ
breadth, they encred inco
Chayanta;
where che
Inca
commanded the Prince his Son to fend the Summons which were ufual, ancÍ
accuíl:omary to the'Inhabitants of that Province.
At che receipts ofchefe Summ~ns che
Indians
~ere divjde.d inco 9ifferenc opini–
ons; fome were far prefent Subm11Iion and Obed1ence to this celefüal Race which
was defcended from che Sun, being aífured all chofe Lavvs which were given and
impo[ed by füch an infallible Light, could not be other than juíl:, gemle, and füch
as tended racber to che Libercy and Security of che Subjeéts, chan
to
che Incereíl:
and·Advantage of che Governour. Howfoever ochers chat were of a differenc
fencimenc, and more íl:ubborn in cheir humour, argued, Thac they,.had no n ed
ofa King, or riew Laws, fince thac chofe which chey had already were good and
proficable, and foch as their Anceíl:ours had lived under with great happinefs and
fecurity; chac chey had Gods already of their own, whom they worfhipped and
ferved, and knew no neceílity chat tlme ,was of a new Religion, or Cuíloms; and
what was moíl: grievous, thac they muíl: fübmic
to
che pleafure
QÍ
aiFrince, who
preached Religion and Sanél:ity to them, and made chem promifes of Privilege
and Liberty; whenas perhaps
to
morrow,
fo
fooq as he had gainec) chem under
his power, he would chen impofe fuch Laws as were flaviíh and agreeable to his
own Luíl: anp Pleafure; and cherefore chey concluded, thac ic was beccer noc co
cruíl: to füch a hazard, bue racher to live in cheir own freedom; or elfe die in che
defence of it.
In
chis Sufpem:e matters rernained for fome days, boch parcies infifüng on che
truth of cheir. opinions, umill ac length che.fear of e:ornpulfion from che
Inca,
and
the hopes of receiving good and wfiolfome Laws from him, excorced an anÍ\>ver
which was dubious, and favouring fomeching of both opinions; for chey declared
thac they were willing to receive the
Inca
far cheir King and Lord, but as.
to
his
Laws, rhey were ignorant of them, noc knowing whecner chey conduced to their
Benefic or Damage; uncill which time, chac chey were informed of che fubíl:ance
and form of them , cl\ey defüed a ceffacion of Anns, and of ali violence, and
that che
Inca,
with his Army, mighc enter into cheir Councrey upon parole, thac
in cafe bis Laws proved noc to cheir concentmenc, thac chen he would quic his
íl:acion, and leave chem to cheir own freedorn aod libercy ; bue if they appeared
as good as he avouched and affumed them to be, thac then immediately chey
would
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