Of the province of Andahuaylas, and of what is to be seen as far as the
valley of Xaquixaguana.
When I entered this province of Andahuaylas,[434] the chief of it was an
Indian named Guasco, and the natives were called _Chancas_. They go
about dressed in woollen shirts and mantles. In former times they were
so valiant, that they not only conquered other lands and lordships, but
extended their dominions so widely that they came near to the city of
Cuzco. There were fierce encounters between those of the city and these
_Chancas_, until, by the valour of the Ynca Yupanqui, the _Chancas_ were
conquered. The captain Ancoallo,[435] so famous in these parts for his
great bravery, was a native of this province. They relate that he could
not endure to be under the yoke of the Yncas, and under the orders of
his captains; so, after having performed great deeds in the districts of
Tarama and Bombon, he penetrated into the depths of the forests, and his
followers peopled the banks of a lake which is, according to Indian
statements, down the course of the river of Moyobamba. When I asked
these _Chancas_ concerning their origin, they told me such another
legend as did those of Xauxa. They said that their fathers were born in,
and came out of, a small lake called Soclo-cocha, and conquered the
country as far as a place called Chuquibamba, where they established
themselves. After some time they strove with the Quichuas,[436] a very
ancient nation, who were lords of this province of Andahuaylas, and
conquered their country, which they have been lords of ever since. They
held the lake out of which they came to be sacred, and it was their
chief place of worship, where they prayed and made sacrifices. They
buried their dead in the same way as the other Indians, and believed in
the immortality of the soul, which they called _Sonccon_, a word which
also means “heart.”[437] They buried women alive with the bodies of
their lords, and also treasure and apparel. They had their days set
apart for solemnising festivals, and places where they held their
dances. As there are priests in this province labouring among the
Indians, some of them have become Christians, especially among the young
men.
The captain Diego Maldonado has always held these Indians in
_encomienda_.[438] They all wear their hair long, and plaited into many
very small plaits, with some woollen cords which are allowed to fall
below the chin. Their houses are of stone.[439] In the centre of the
province there were large edifices and store-houses for the chiefs.
Formerly the Indians in this province of Andahuaylas were very numerous,
but the wars have reduced them, as they have done the other Indians of
this kingdom. The province is very long, and contains many large flocks
of domesticated sheep. The part which is forest is not included within
the limits of the province. This province is well supplied with
provisions; it yields wheat, and there are many fruit trees in the warm
valleys.[440]
We were here for many days with the president Gasca, when he marched to
punish the rebellion of Gonzalo Pizarro,[441] and great were the
sufferings of these Indians from the exactions of the Spaniards. The
good Indian chief of this valley, Guasco, was very diligent in
collecting supplies. From this province of Andahuaylas (which the
Spaniards usually call Andaguaylas) the road leads to the river of
Abancay, which is nine leagues nearer Cuzco, and this river, like many
others, has its strong stone pillars, to which a bridge is
attached.[442] Where the river flows, the mountains form a small valley
where there are trees, and they raise fruit and other provisions in
abundance. It was on the banks of this river that Don Diego de Almagro
defeated and captured the captain Alonzo de Alvarado, general for the
governor Don Francisco Pizarro, as I shall relate in the book containing
the history of the war of Las Salinas.[443] Not very far from this river
there were edifices and storehouses like those in all the other
districts, but they were small and not of much importance.