Of the road from San Miguel to Truxillo, and of the valleys between
those cities.
In a former chapter I described the foundation of the city of San
Miguel, the first settlement made by the Spaniards in Peru. I will now
treat of what there is between this city and Truxillo, the distance
between the two cities being seventy leagues, a little more or less. On
setting out from San Miguel there is a distance of twenty-two leagues
over a sandy waste before reaching the valley of Motupe. The road is
very wearisome, especially by the route which is now used. There are
certain little ravines on this road, but, although some streams descend
from the mountains, they do not reach these ravines, but are lost in the
sand, in such sort that no use can be made of the water. To go over
these twenty-two leagues it is necessary to set out in the afternoon,
and, travelling all night, some springs are reached early in the
morning, where the traveller can drink, and go on without feeling the
heat of the sun. It is usual for travellers to carry calabashes of water
and bottles of wine with them.
In the valley of Motupe the royal road of the Yncas is seen, broad and
constructed in the manner described in a former chapter. This valley is
broad and very fertile, and although a good sized river flows down into
it from the mountains, all the water is lost before reaching the sea.
The _algarobas_[358] and other trees grow well, on account of the
moisture which they find under their roots. In the lower part of the
valley there are villages of Indians, who are supported by water which
they obtain from deep wells. They get all that they require by
exchanging one thing for another amongst themselves, for they do not use
money, nor is any die for coining to be found in these parts. They say
that there were great buildings for the Yncas in this valley; and the
people had, and still have, their _huacas_, or burial-places in the
barren heights and stony places leading to the _Sierra_. The late wars
have reduced the numbers of the Indians, and the buildings have fallen
into ruins, the present inhabitants living in small huts, built in the
same way as those described in a former chapter. At certain seasons they
trade with the people of the _Sierra_; and in the valley there are great
fields of cotton, with which they make their clothes.
Four leagues from Motupe is the fresh and beautiful valley of Xayanca,
which is nearly four leagues broad. A pleasant river flows through it,
whence they lead channels which serve to irrigate all the land that the
Indians choose to sow. In former times this valley was thickly peopled,
like all the others, and it contained great buildings and store-houses
belonging to the principal chiefs, where their officers were stationed.
The native chiefs of these valleys were reverenced by their subjects,
and those who survive still are so. They go about with a retinue of
servants and women, and have their porters and guards.
From this valley the road leads to that of Tuqueme, which is also large,
pleasant, and full of trees and bushes. It contains vestiges of
edifices, which are now ruined and abandoned. A short journey further
on brings us to another very beautiful valley called Cinto. And the
reader is to understand that from valley to valley the way is over sandy
and parched-up stony wastes, where no living thing is to be seen,
neither grass nor tree; nothing but a few birds that may be seen flying.
Those who travel over the broad sandy deserts, and catch sight of the
valley (although still far off) are much cheered, especially if they are
on foot, under a hot sun, and suffering from thirst. Men who are new to
the country should not travel over these wastes, except with good guides
who know the way.
Further on is the valley of Collique, through which flows a river of the
same name, so broad that it cannot be forded except in the season when
it is summer in the _Sierra_, and winter on the coast. Nevertheless the
natives are so well practised in the management of irrigation channels
that, even when it is winter in the _Sierra_, they sometimes leave the
main stream dry. This valley, like the others, is broad and full of
trees, but there is a want of inhabitants, for most of them have been
carried off by the wars with the Spaniards, and by the evils which these
wars brought with them.