Of the provinces of Canas, and of Ayavire.
After leaving the province of Canches, that of Canas[481] is entered,
which is the name of another tribe, and the names of the villages are
Hatuncana, Chiquana, Horuro, Cacha, and others which I shall not
enumerate.[482] These Indians all wear clothes, both men and women, and
they have large, round, high woollen caps on their heads. Before they
were subjugated by the Yncas, they had their villages in the mountain
fastnesses, whence they came forth to make war; afterwards they
descended into the valley. Their customs with regard to burials are the
same as those of the Canches. In the province of these Canas there was a
temple which they called Ancocahua, where they performed sacrifices, in
their blindness; and in the village of Cacha there were great edifices,
built by order of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui. On the other side of the river
there is a small enclosure, within which they found some gold. This
temple was built in memory of their god Huira-ccocha, whom they call the
Creator. Within it there was a stone idol the height of a man, with a
robe, and a crown or tiara on the head. Some said that this might be the
statue of some apostle who arrived in this land.[483] In the second part
of this work I shall treat of what I believe, and of what I was able to
collect respecting the report that fire came down from heaven, and
converted many stones into cinders. Throughout this province of Canas
the climate is cold, as well as in Canches, but the country is well
supplied with provisions and flocks. To the west is the South Sea, and
to the east the forests of the Andes. From the village of Chiquana, in
this province of Canas, to Ayavire the distance is fifteen leagues,
within which limits there are some villages of the Canas, many plains,
and great meadows well suited for flocks, if it were not so cold. Now
the great quantity of herbage is only useful for guanacos and vicuñas.
In ancient times it was a grand thing to see this town of Ayavire, and
the place is still worthy of note, especially the great tombs, which are
so numerous that they occupy more space than the habitations of the
living. The Indians positively assert that the natives of this town of
Ayavire are of the same descent and lineage as those of Canas; and that
the Ynca Yupanqui waged wars and fought battles with them, in which they
suffered so severely that they submitted to his service, to save
themselves from entire destruction. But as some of the Yncas were
vindictive, after the Ynca had killed a great number of the Indians of
Copacopa and other villages in the forests of the Andes, whom he had got
into his power by deceit, he did the same to the natives of Ayavire, in
such sort that few or none were left alive. It is notorious that those
who escaped wandered in the fields for a long time, calling on their
dead, and mourning with groans and great sorrow over the destruction
that had come upon their people. As Ayavire is a large district, through
which a good river flows, the Ynca Yupanqui ordered that a great palace
should be built here, which was accordingly done, together with many
buildings where the tribute was stored up. A temple of the sun was also
built, as one of the most important things. The Ynca then ordered that
Indians (who are called _Mitimaes_) should come here with their wives,
for there were few natives left, and the _Mitimaes_ became lords of the
soil, and heirs to the dead natives, and they were directed to form a
large town near the temple of the sun and the principal edifices. The
town went on increasing until the Spaniards arrived in this kingdom, but
since that time, what with the civil wars and other calamities, it has
greatly decreased, like all the others.
I entered it at the time when it was held in _encomienda_ by Juan de
Pancorbo, a citizen of Cuzco; and I learnt these particulars, which I
have written down, from the best information within my reach. Near this
town there is a ruined temple, where once they offered up sacrifices.
And the multitude of tombs which appear all round this town is held to
be a notable sight.