Treating of the question whether the Indians of this province were
conquered by the Yncas or not; and concerning the death which they
inflicted on certain captains of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui.
Many Indians say that the Lords Yncas never conquered, nor were able to
bring under their yoke, these natives of Puerto Viejo, of whom I am now
treating, though others affirm the contrary, saying that the Yncas
subjugated them, and had them under their orders. The latter say that
Huayna Ccapac came in person to conquer them, and that, having been
disobedient in some particular, he made a law that they and their
descendants should have three of their front teeth pulled out in each
jaw. They add that this custom was preserved for a long time in the
province of Guancavilcas. In truth, as all vulgar reports are confused,
and as the common sort can never tell the plain facts, it does not
astonish me that they should relate these things, for in all things else
the like reports are spread abroad, and become the talk of the people,
being in reality mere fables. I make this digression here, that it may
be borne in mind hereafter, for if things are repeated over and over
again they become tiresome to the reader. This, therefore, will serve to
give notice that many of the stories commonly reported among the people,
concerning events which have happened in Peru, are fables. As regards
the natives, those who have been curious in trying to learn their
secrets know that what I say is the case. Concerning the government, and
the affairs of war and of state which have occurred, I only look upon
those principal men who were in high positions as authorities. These
will relate what occurred, and the sayings of the people.
Returning to the thread of my narrative, I have to say (according to
what I have been given to understand by old Indians who were captains
under Huayna Ccapac), that, in the time of the great Tupac Ynca
Yupanqui, his father, certain of his captains came, with a force
collected from the ordinary garrisons of the provinces, and, by their
politic arts, drew some of the chiefs to the service of Tupac Ynca
Yupanqui. Many of them went with presents to do him homage, and he
received them with love and kindness, giving them rich pieces of woollen
cloth made in Cuzco. When they returned to their provinces, they
esteemed him so highly for his great valour, that they called him
father, and honoured him with other titles, his benevolence and love for
all being such that he acquired perpetual fame among them. In order to
instruct them in things appertaining to the government of the kingdom,
he set out in person to visit these provinces, and left governors in
them who were natives of Cuzco, that they might teach the people more
civilised customs, and other useful things. But these natives not only
did not wish to learn from those who remained in their provinces by
order of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui, in order to indicate to them a better mode
of life, and to teach them agriculture; but, in payment of the benefits
they had received, they killed them all, so that not one was left. They
killed them, although they had done no ill, nor had they been
tyrannical, so as to merit such treatment. Tupac Ynca heard of this
great cruelty, but he dissimulated, because, for other important
reasons, he was unable to chastise those who had so treacherously
murdered his captains and vassals.