How Huayna Capac marched through the coast valleys, and what he did.

SOME of the Orejones relate that Huayna Capac returned to Cuzco from Quito, by the coast valleys to Pachacamac; while others deny this and maintain that he remained at Quito until his death. In this matter, seeking out the version which is most accurate, I adopt what I heard from some principal chiefs who served in that war, in person. They say that, while the Inca was at Quito, ambassadors came from many parts to congratulate him in the name of their respective countries. Feeling that all was peacefully settled in the mountainous provinces, he thought it would be well to undertake a journey to the province of Puerto Viejo, to that which we call Guayaquil, and to the valleys of the Yuncas. The captains and principal men of his council approved the thought, and advised that it should be put into execution. Many troops remained in Quito. The Inca set forth with a suitable force, and entered those lands, where he had some skirmishes with the natives. But, eventually, one after another submitted, and governors, with mitimaes, were established.

PunÁ[238] waged a fierce war with Tumbez, and the Inca commanded them to desist, and that the people of PunÁ should submit to him. This was deeply felt by TumbalÁ, because he was Lord of PunÁ. But he did not venture to resist the Inca; on the contrary, he submitted, and offered presents to secure a treacherous peace. When the Inca departed, he plotted with the people of the mainland to kill many Orejones, with their captains, who were to set out from a river to cross to the opposite shore. But Huayna Capac received the tidings, and did what I have written in chapter liii of my First Part.[239] He inflicted severe punishment, and ordered the paved road to be made which is called the Pass of Huayna Capac.[240] He then returned to Tumbez, where edifices and a temple of the Sun had been erected. People came from the surrounding districts to do him reverence with much humility. The Inca proceeded to visit the coast valleys, ordering the government, fixing the limits of land, and rules for distributing water, commanding that the people should not go to war, and doing what has been described in other places. They say of him that, being in the beautiful valley of Chayanta, near Chimu, which is where the city of Truxillo now stands, there was an old man working in a field. When he heard that the king was passing near, he gathered two or three “pepinos”,[241] which, with the earth attached, he brought with him, and said: “Hucha Hatun apu micucampa”, which means, “Very great Lord, eat thou.”[242] Before the lords and other people, the Inca took the “pepinos”, and, eating one of them, he said before all present, to please the old man, “Suylluy ancha mizqui cay”, or, in our language, “Of a truth this is very sweet.” From this incident every one derived much gratification.

Passing onwards, he did in Chimu, in GuaÑapa, Guarmay, Huaura, Rimac, and the other valleys, what appeared good for his service; and when he arrived at Pachacamac there were great festivals, and many dances and drinking-bouts. The priests, with their lies, said the evil things that were invented by their cunning, according to custom, and some even spake by the mouth of the same demon, for in those times it is publicly known that he spoke to certain persons. Huayna Capac, it is said, give this demon over 100 arrobas of gold and 1000 of silver, besides other treasure, stones and emeralds, so that he adorned the new temple more than the temple of the Sun and the ancient shrine at Pachacamac.

Some Indians say that the Inca ascended thence to Cuzco, others that he retired to Quito. He certainly visited all the coast valleys, and made the great road through them which we now see, and we know that he built great storehouses and temples of the Sun in other parts of the valleys. Having seen that all things were arranged, as well in the mountains as on the coast, and the whole empire being at peace, he returned to Quito. He made war on the fathers of those whom they now call Huambracunas, and discovered as far as the river of Ancasmayu.