Of the villages and provinces between the town of Pasto and the city of
Quito.
Having written what is notable concerning the pleasant town of Pasto, it
will now be well to continue the journey, by relating what there is on
the road to the city of Quito.
I said that the town of Pasto was built in the valley of Atris, within
the territory of the Quillacingas, a shameless people, and they and the
Pastos are very dirty, and are held in little estimation by their
neighbours. Leaving the town of Pasto, the road leads to a village of
the Pastos called Funes, and farther on there is another called Iles.
Three leagues more bring the traveller to Gualmatan, and another three
leagues on the road towards Quito bring him to the village of Ipiales.
In all these villages there is little or no maize, the country being
very cold, and the maize seed very delicate. But they grow plenty of
potatoes and _quinoa_,[262] besides other products. From Ipiales the
road leads to a small district called Guaca, but before reaching it the
road of the Yncas is seen, which is as famous in these parts as that
which Hannibal made over the Alps when he descended into Italy. Indeed,
the former ought to be held in more estimation, as well on account of
the great lodgings and storehouses along its whole length, as for being
made in spite of many difficulties over rugged and swampy mountains, so
that it is a sight marvellous to behold. There is also a river near the
road, close to which the place is seen where, in former days, the Kings
Yncas had built a fortress. Here they made war upon the Pastos, and set
out to conquer them. There is a natural bridge over the river which
appears artificial. In truth it is a lofty and massive rock, with a hole
in it, through which the river passes in its fury, and on the top all
wayfarers can pass at their pleasure. This bridge is called
_Rumichaca_[263] in the language of the Yncas, which is as much as to
say the “stone bridge.”
Near this bridge there is a fountain of hot water, the heat of which is
such, that in no wise can any man keep his hand long in it. The land is
so cold that no one can endure it without great suffering. The Kings
Yncas intended to have built another fortress near the bridge, and they
placed faithful guards in order to prevent the troops from returning to
Cuzco or Quito, for the people held the region of the Pastos to be a
worthless conquest.
In all these villages there is a fruit called _mortuños_, which is
smaller than a sloe, and black. If a man eats many of them he becomes
giddy and sick, and for a whole day is in great pain. I know this,
because when we went to give battle to Gonzalo Pizarro, a man named
Rodrigo de las Peñas came with us, a friend of mine, and ensign to the
captain Don Pedro de Cabrera. When we reached this village of Guaca, the
said Rodrigo, having eaten some of these berries, suffered so much that
we thought he would have died of them.
From the small district of Guaca the road leads to Tusa, which is the
last village of the Pastos. On the right hand are the mountains which
overhang the sea of sweet water, and on the left the height which rises
from the South Sea. Further on a small hill is reached, where a fortress
may be seen, built by the Yncas in former days, which must be of no
small strength for Indian warfare. Beyond this fort and the village of
Tusa is the river of Mira, which is very warm, and on its banks there is
plenty of fruit, such as melons, besides game, excellent rabbits,
pigeons, and partridges. Here they reap large harvests of wheat, barley,
and maize, for the land is very fertile. From the river there is a
descent to the great and sumptuous buildings of Carangue, but, before
arriving at them, the lagoon of Yahuar-cocha[264] is seen, which, in our
language, is as much as to say “the sea of blood.” The Indians say that,
before the arrival of the Spaniards, the King, Huayna Ccapac, for some
offence committed by the natives of Carangue and other villages, ordered
more than twenty thousand to be killed, and their bodies to be thrown
into this lake. The dead men were so numerous that it looked like a sea
of blood, for which reason this name was given.[265]
Further on are the buildings called Carangue, where some say that
Atahualpa, the son of Huayna Ccapac, was born, for his mother was a
native of this place. But this is certainly not the case, for I
inquired into the matter with great care, and Atahualpa was born in
Cuzco. Any other account of his birth is unworthy of credit. These
buildings of Carangue are in a small square, and within there is a basin
of cut stone. The palace and lodgings of the Yncas are also of elegant
stones of great size, and are very neatly fitted without cement, which
is a thing worthy of no small attention. Formerly there was a temple of
the sun, and within there were more than two hundred beautiful maidens
dedicated to the service, who were obliged to preserve their chastity,
and if any of them failed to do so she was very cruelly punished. Those
who committed adultery, which was considered a great sacrilege, were
buried alive. These maidens were carefully watched, and there were also
priests who performed the sacrifices enjoined by their religion. This
house of the sun was held in great estimation in the days of the Lords
Yncas. It was reverenced and guarded, and was full of great vases of
gold and silver, and of other riches which cannot be quickly enumerated.
Even the walls were lined with plates of gold and silver. Although it is
now in a ruinous state, there is enough left to show that it was once a
magnificent structure. The Yncas maintained a garrison of troops, with
their officers, in this station, who were here both in time of peace and
war to put down any rising. Speaking of these Lords Yncas, I will treat
somewhat of their greatness and power before passing onwards in our
journey.