How Huayna Capac again ordered that an army should be assembled, and how he set out for Quito.

HUAYNA CAPAC enjoyed a rest of some months at Cuzco, during which he assembled the priests of the temples and diviners of the oracles. He ordered sacrifices to be made, and the offering of the capacocha[235] was celebrated with grandeur and great outlay, the mouth-pieces of the oracles returning very full of gold. Each one gave a reply such as was most likely to please the king. This, with other things, having been done, Huayna Capac ordered that there should be made a road more royal, grander and wider than that of his father, to extend to Quito, whither he intended to go. The ordinary post and store-houses were to be established along it. That it might be known throughout all the land that this was his will, messengers went forth to announce it, and afterwards Orejones went to see that the orders were complied with. Accordingly the grandest road was constructed that there is in the world, as well as the longest, for it extended from Cuzco to Quito, and was connected with that from Cuzco to Chile. I believe that, since the history of man has been recorded, there has been no account of such grandeur as is to be seen in this road, which passes over deep valleys and lofty mountains, by snowy heights, over falls of water, through live rocks, and along the edges of furious torrents. In all these places it is level and paved, along mountain slopes well excavated, by the mountains well terraced, through the living rock cut, along the river banks supported by walls, in the snowy heights with steps and resting places, in all parts clean swept, clear of stones, with post and store-houses, and temples of the Sun at intervals. Oh! what greater things can be said of Alexander, or of any of the powerful kings who have ruled in the world, than that they had made such a road as this, and conceived the works which were required for it! The road constructed by the Romans in Spain, and any others of which we read, are not to be compared with it. And it was finished in less time than it is possible to imagine, for the Incas were no longer in ordering it than were their subjects in executing the work.[236]

The king called a general assembly of his forces throughout all the provinces of his government, and such numbers came from all parts that they covered the plains. After there had been festivities and drinking-bouts, and the affairs of Cuzco had been regulated, the Inca Huayna Capac set out with yscay-pacha-huaranca-runa cuna, which means 200,000 men of war;[237] besides the yana-conas and women, of whose number no account was taken. The Inca took with him two thousand women, and left in Cuzco more than four thousand. The delegates and governors who were in charge at the capitals of the provinces, had arranged that stores and arms should be collected from all parts, and everything else that was required for a warlike expedition. Thus all the great store-houses were filled, so that at every four leagues, which was the length of a day’s journey, there were provisions for the whole of this great multitude of people, and not only was there no fault, but there was a surplus, after the soldiers and all the women and servant lads, and porters, had been satisfied.

When Huayna Capac set out along the road which had been made by his order, he marched until he arrived at Vilcas, where he rested for a few days in the lodgings which had been made near those of his father. He rejoiced to see that the temple of the Sun was finished, and he left a quantity of gold and silver ingots to make ornaments and vases. He ordered that great care should be taken with regard to the due maintenance of the priests and mamaconas. He ascended to a beautiful terrace which had been prepared for him. They then offered sacrifice, in accordance with their blindness, and killed many birds and animals, with some men and children, to propitiate their gods.

This being done, the king set out from this place with his army, and did not stop until he arrived at the valley of Xauxa, where there was some dispute respecting the division of land among the local chiefs. When Huayna Capac understood the controversy, after he had performed sacrifices as in Vilcas, he ordered the chiefs Alaya, Cusi-chuca, and Huacaropa to assemble, and equitably divided the land in the way which is adopted to this day. He sent embassies to the Yauyos and Yuncas, and some gifts to the chiefs of Bonbon, for, as they had a force in the lake, in parts where they swam, they spoke loosely, and he did not wish to converse with them until he saw their intentions. The lords of Xauxa did great services, and some of the captains and soldiers joined the army. Marching by Bonbon, they only halted a short time, because the Inca wished to go on to Caxamarca, a place more suitable for resting, surrounded by great and very lofty districts. Along the road, people were constantly arriving with embassies and presents.

The Inca arrived at Caxamarca and rested there for some days, ordering that his soldiers should be lodged in the neighbourhood, and should be fed with the provisions in the store-houses. With a selected force he entered the country of the Huancachupachos, and waged a fierce war, for the natives had not been reduced to entire submission by the Inca’s father. The Inca was able to complete the work, appointing governors and captains, and selecting chiefs from among the natives to administer the land. Formerly these people had not known chiefs other than those who, being most powerful, led them to war, and arranged peace when they desired it. Among the Chachapoyas the Inca met with great resistance; insomuch that he was twice defeated by the defenders of their country and put to flight. Receiving some succour, the Inca again attacked the Chachapoyas, and routed them so completely that they sued for peace, desisting, on their parts, from all acts of war. The Inca granted peace on conditions very favourable to himself, and many of the natives were ordered to go and live in Cuzco, where their descendants still reside. He took many women, for they are beautiful and graceful, and very white. He established garrisons of military mitimaes to guard the frontier. A governor was appointed to live at the principal place in the district. He made other arrangements, punished several of the principal chiefs for having made war, and then returned to Caxamarca. The Inca continued his journey, and put in order the affairs of the provinces of Caxas, Ayavaca, Huancabamba, and the others which border on them.