How Huayna Capac departed from Cuzco, and what he did.

HUAYNA CAPAC had ordered the principal lords of the natives of the provinces to appear before him, and, his court being full of them, he took for his wife his sister Chimbo Ocllo, and on this occasion there were great festivities, which ended the mourning for Tupac Inca. These being concluded, he ordered that 50,000 soldiers should accompany him to visit the provinces of his kingdom. As he ordered, so it was done, and he set out from Cuzco with greater pomp and authority than his father. For the litter was so rich, according to the statement of those who carried the king on their shoulders, that the great and numerous ornaments were priceless, besides the gold of which they were made. He travelled by the way of Xaquixaguana and Andahuaylas, and arrived at the country of the Soras and Lucanas, whence he sent embassies to many parts of the coast region, and of the mountains, and received replies, with great offerings and presents.

From these places he returned to Cuzco, where he ordered the offering up of great sacrifices to the Sun and to the most venerated among their gods, that they might be favourable to him in the enterprise he wished to undertake. He also gave presents to the idols of the Huacas. He ascertained from the soothsayers, through the utterances of the devils, or else through their own invention, that he would be successful and prosperous in his undertakings, and that he would return to Cuzco with great honour and profit. These ceremonies being completed, the armed men and their captains arrived from many directions and were lodged outside, receiving provisions from the city.

Those who were employed on the building of the fortress continued to work without the cessation of a single day. The great chain of gold was brought out into the square of Cuzco, and there were dances and drinking-bouts. The captains received their appointments near the Stone of War, according to their custom. Huayna Capac then ordered that there should be a conference, where he addressed the people in a vehement speech, urging those who accompanied him to be loyal, as well as those who remained behind. They answered that they would be faithful to his service; of which speech he approved, and he held out hopes of great rewards. All things necessary having been prepared, the Inca set out from Cuzco with the whole army, and journeyed along a road as grand and wide as we now behold it; for all of us who have been in those parts have seen it, and travelled over it. He marched to the Collao, receiving the services proffered by the provinces through which he passed, as a matter of course. For they say that the Inca considered that it was merely their duty. He investigated what tribute they paid, and what were the capabilities of each province. He collected many women. The most beautiful he could find were reserved for himself, and others were given to his captains and favourites. The others were placed in the temple of the Sun and there detained.

On entering the Collao, he had an account taken of the great flocks and of how many thousand loads of fine wool they yielded every year to those who made the cloth for his house and service. He went to the island of Titicaca and ordered great sacrifices to be offered up. At Chuqui-apu,[230] he ordered that Indians should be collected, with overseers, to obtain gold, in conformity with the order and regulations that have been explained. Advancing onwards, he gave orders that the Charcas and other nations as far as the Chichas, should get out a great quantity of ingots of silver to be sent to Cuzco, without fail. He removed some mitimaes from one part to another, although much time had passed since they were established. He ordered that they should work without any holidays, because in the land where there were holidays, the men thought of nothing but how to create scandals and seduce women. Wherever he passed, he ordered tampus and other buildings to be erected; the plans of which he traced out himself. His soldiers, although numerous, were so well disciplined that they did not move a step from the camp, and the natives along their line of march supplied them with all they required, so amply that what remained over was more than what was used. In some places they built baths, at others they raised land marks, and in the deserts they made large houses. Along every road that the Inca traversed, they left works of this kind, insomuch that the account of them excites admiration. He who did wrong was punished without fail, while those who served well were rewarded.

Having arranged these and other matters, he advanced to the provinces now subject to the town of La Plata,[231] and to those of Tucuman. He sent captains with an army against the Chiriguanos, but they were not successful, returning after having been put to flight. In another direction, towards the South Sea, he sent more captains with troops, to subdue those valleys and towns which had not submitted to his father. He himself proceeded, with the rest of his army, towards Chile, completing the subjugation of the tribes along the road. He traversed the uninhabited region with great difficulty, and heavy were the snow storms which broke over his people. They carried tents for their protection at night, with many yana-conas[232] and female servants. Over all the snowy wilds they made the royal road, with post houses placed by the Inca.

He arrived at the province they call Chile,[233] where he remained for more than a year, bringing the people under subjection, and arranging the administration. He ordered that the quantity of ingots of gold which he had indicated should be obtained. Mitimaes were established, and many Chilian communities were removed from one place to another. In some places he constructed forts which they call pucaras, for the wars that were waged with some of the tribes. The Inca marched much more over the land than his father, until he said that he had seen the end of it, and he ordered memorials to be set up in many places, that in future his greatness might be known.[234] The affairs of Chile having been put in order, he appointed his delegates and governors, and instructed them always to report what happened in that province to the court of Cuzco. He charged them to execute justice and to allow no disturbance or tumult, but to execute the promoters, without sparing any.

The Inca returned to Cuzco, where he was received with great honour by the city, and the priests of the temple of Curi-cancha gave him many blessings. He made the people rejoice at the great festivals he ordered. Many children were born to him, who were brought up by their mothers. Among others Atahualpa was born, according to the opinion of all the Indians of Cuzco, who say that it was so. His mother was called Tuta Palla, a native of Quillaco, although others say that she was of the lineage of the Urin-Cuzco. From his childhood Atahualpa always accompanied his father, and he was older than Huascar.