Of the situation of this city, of the fertility of its fields, and of
the customs of its inhabitants: also concerning a beautiful edifice or
palace of the Yncas at Huanuco.
The situation of this city of Leon de Huanuco is good, and is considered
very healthy. It is praised as a place where the nights and mornings are
cool, and where men are healthy, owing to a good climate. They reap
wheat and maize in great abundance, and they also have grapes, figs,
oranges, lemons, limes, and other fruits of Spain; and of the fruits of
the country there are many kinds which are excellent. They grow the
pulses of Spain, and besides all these there are large banana
plantations. Thus it is a prosperous town, and there is hope that it
will increase every day. They breed many cows, goats, and mares in the
fields, and have abundance of pigeons, doves, partridges, and other
birds, as well as falcons to fly at them.[406] In the forests there are
some lions and very large bears, besides other animals. The royal roads
passed through the villages near this city, and there were store-houses
of the Yncas, well supplied with provisions.
In Huanuco there was a fine royal edifice, the stones of which were
large and very accurately set. This palace was the chief place in the
provinces of the Andes, and near it there was a temple of the sun, with
many virgins and priests. It was so grand a place in the time of the
Yncas, that more than 30,000 Indians were set apart solely for its
service.[407] The overseers of the Indians had charge of the collection
of tribute, and the people of the surrounding districts assisted the
work at the palace with their services. When the Kings Yncas ordered
that the lords of the provinces should appear personally at the court of
Cuzco, they came. It is said that the Indians of many of these nations
were hardy and valiant, and that, before the Yncas subjugated them, they
had many cruel wars, so that the people were scattered and did not know
each other, except when they gathered together at their assembles and
festivals. They built fortresses on the heights, and carried on wars
with each other on very slight provocation. Their temples were in places
convenient for making sacrifices and performing other superstitious
rites, and where those could hear the replies of the devil who were set
apart for that duty. They believed in the immortality of the soul in
that same blind fashion as is common with all the other Indians. These
Indians of Huanuco are intelligent, but they answer _Yes!_ to everything
that is asked of them.[408] The chiefs, when they died, were not put
into their tombs alone, but were accompanied by the most beautiful of
their wives, as is the custom with all the other tribes. These dead men
lie with their souls outside their bodies, and the women who are buried
with them in the great vaults await the awful hour of death, holding it
to be an auspicious and happy thing to go with their husbands and lords,
and believing that they will soon again have to do them the same service
as they did in this world. Thus it seemed to them that the sooner they
departed from this life the sooner they would see their lords and
husbands in the other. This custom originates, as I have said before on
other occasions, from the apparition of the devil in the fields and
houses, in the form of chiefs who had died, accompanied by their wives
who had been buried alive. There were some sorcerers who watched the
signs of the stars amongst these Indians.
After these people were conquered by the Yncas they adopted their rites
and customs. In each of their villages there were royal store-houses,
and they adopted more decent ways of dressing and ornamenting
themselves, and spoke the general language of Cuzco in conformity with
the law and edict of the Kings, which ordered that all their subjects
should know and speak it.
The Conchucos, the great provinces of Huaylos, Tamara, Bombon, and other
districts large and small, are under the jurisdiction of this city of
Leon de Huanuco; they are all very fertile and productive, yielding many
edible roots which are wholesome and nourishing, and good for the
sustenance of animal life. In former times there was so great a number
of flocks of sheep that they could not be counted, but the late wars
have caused their destruction to such an extent that very few remain.
The natives preserve them for the sake of their fleeces, from which they
make their woollen clothing. The houses of these Indians are built of
stone, and thatched with straw. On their heads they all wear peculiar
head-dresses of cords, by which they are known. Although the devil has
had great power over them, I have not heard that they commit the
abominable crime. In truth, however, as in all other parts, there must
be bad men among them.
* * * * *
In many parts of this province they find great mines of silver, and when
the Spaniards begin to work them they will yield largely.