Of the road from San Miguel to Truxillo, and of the valleys between those cities.

IN a former chapter I described the foundation of the city of San Miguel, the first settlement made by the Spaniards in Peru. I will now treat of what there is between this city and Truxillo, the distance between the two cities being seventy leagues, a little more or less. On setting out from San Miguel there is a distance of twenty-two leagues over a sandy waste before reaching the valley of Motupe. The road is very wearisome, especially by the route which is now used. There are certain little ravines on this road, but, although some streams descend from the mountains, they do not reach these ravines, but are lost in the sand, in such sort that no use can be made of the water. To go over these twenty-two leagues it is necessary to set out in the afternoon, and, travelling all night, some springs are reached early in the morning, where the traveller can drink, and go on without feeling the heat of the sun. It is usual for travellers to carry calabashes of water and bottles of wine with them.

In the valley of Motupe the royal road of the Yncas is seen, broad and constructed in the manner described in a former chapter. This valley is broad and very fertile, and although a good sized river flows down into it from the mountains, all the water is lost before reaching the sea. The algarobas[358] and other trees grow well, on account of the moisture which they find under their roots. In the lower part of the valley there are villages of Indians, who are supported by water which they obtain from deep wells. They get all that they require by exchanging one thing for another amongst themselves, for they do not use money, nor is any die for coining to be found in these parts. They say that there were great buildings for the Yncas in this valley; and the people had, and still have, their huacas, or burial-places in the barren heights and stony places leading to the Sierra. The late wars have reduced the numbers of the Indians, and the buildings have fallen into ruins, the present inhabitants living in small huts, built in the same way as those described in a former chapter. At certain seasons they trade with the people of the Sierra; and in the valley there are great fields of cotton, with which they make their clothes.

Four leagues from Motupe is the fresh and beautiful valley of Xayanca, which is nearly four leagues broad. A pleasant river flows through it, whence they lead channels which serve to irrigate all the land that the Indians choose to sow. In former times this valley was thickly peopled, like all the others, and it contained great buildings and store-houses belonging to the principal chiefs, where their officers were stationed. The native chiefs of these valleys were reverenced by their subjects, and those who survive still are so. They go about with a retinue of servants and women, and have their porters and guards.

From this valley the road leads to that of Tuqueme, which is also large, pleasant, and full of trees and bushes. It contains vestiges of edifices, which are now ruined and abandoned. A short journey further on brings us to another very beautiful valley called Cinto. And the reader is to understand that from valley to valley the way is over sandy and parched-up stony wastes, where no living thing is to be seen, neither grass nor tree; nothing but a few birds that may be seen flying. Those who travel over the broad sandy deserts, and catch sight of the valley (although still far off) are much cheered, especially if they are on foot, under a hot sun, and suffering from thirst. Men who are new to the country should not travel over these wastes, except with good guides who know the way.

Further on is the valley of Collique, through which flows a river of the same name, so broad that it cannot be forded except in the season when it is summer in the Sierra, and winter on the coast. Nevertheless the natives are so well practised in the management of irrigation channels that, even when it is winter in the Sierra, they sometimes leave the main stream dry. This valley, like the others, is broad and full of trees, but there is a want of inhabitants, for most of them have been carried off by the wars with the Spaniards, and by the evils which these wars brought with them.