_Which treats of the other principal temples, and of their names._
Many were the temples in this land of Peru, and some were looked upon as
very ancient because they were founded before the time of the Incas, as
well in the high mountains as in the valleys of the coast. During the
reigns of the Incas many other new temples were built, where sacrifices
and festivals were celebrated. It would take very long to enumerate each
temple in the different provinces, so I have determined only to allude,
in this place, to those which were held in most esteem.
Next after the temple of Curicancha, the second _huaca_ of the Incas was
the hill of Guanacauri, which is within sight of the city, and was much
honoured and frequented. For some say that the brother of the first Inca
was turned into stone in that place, at the time when they set out from
Pacari Tambo, as was explained at the beginning of this work. In ancient
times there was an oracle in this place from which the accursed devil
spoke. A great amount of treasure was buried around it; and on certain
days they sacrificed men and women, to whom, before they were put to
death, the priest addressed a discourse, explaining to them that they
were going to serve that god who was being worshipped, there in the
glorious place that they, in their ignorance, believed that he
inhabited. Those who were to be sacrificed also believed it for certain,
and dressed themselves in clothes of fine cloth, with fringes of gold,
and bracelets, and with gold lace in their sandals. After they had heard
the discourse which those liars of priests addressed to them, they were
given much _chicha_ to drink, out of great vases of gold. The sacrifice
was celebrated with songs, declaring that such lives were offered up to
serve the gods, the victims holding themselves fortunate to receive
death in such a place. Having thus celebrated the rites, the victims
were strangled by the ministers. A _ccepi_[143] of gold and a small jar
of gold were placed in the hands of each body, and they were buried in
tombs around the oracle. These victims were looked upon as canonized
saints, for the people believed that, without any doubt, they were in
heaven serving their Guanacauri. The women who were sacrificed also came
richly dressed in fine cloths and plumes of feathers, with their _topus_
of gold, like spoons, and small breastplates all of gold. And they also,
after they had drunk deeply, were strangled and interred, both they and
those who killed them believing that they went to serve their demon or
Guanacaure. They celebrated these and similar sacrifices with much
dancing and singing. This idol was kept where they heard the oracle,
with its farms, _yanaconas_ or servants, flocks, virgins, and priests
who profited by all the rest.
The third oracle or _huaca_ of the Incas was the temple of Vilcañota,
renowned throughout these kingdoms. Here the devil, our Lord God
permitting it, had great power, and spoke by the mouths of the false
priests who were there to serve the idol. This temple of Vilcañota was a
little more than twenty leagues from Cuzco, near the village of
Chungara. It was very much esteemed and venerated, and many offerings
and gifts were presented to it, as well by the Inca and lord, as by the
rich men of the districts whence people came to sacrifice. The temple
had its priests, virgins, and cultivated lands, and almost every year
the offering of _capacocha_ was made, which is what I will now explain.
They gave great credit to what the devil said in his replies, and on
certain occasions they offered up sacrifices of birds, sheep, and other
animals.
The fourth temple that was venerated and frequented by the Incas and the
natives of the provinces was the _huaca_ of Ancocagua, where there was
also a very ancient oracle which was famous. It was in the province of
Hatun Cana, and on certain occasions people came from many parts, with
great veneration, to hear the vain replies of the demon. Here there was
great store of treasure offered up by the Incas and other worshippers.
They say also that, besides the numerous animals sacrificed to this
demon, whom the people believed to be God, they also sacrificed some men
and women, in the same way as I have described in recounting the
offerings made on the hill of Guanacauri.
That the treasure alleged to have been in this temple was really there,
seems clear from the following circumstance. After the Spaniards had
occupied Cuzco for more than three years, and the priests and chief
lords had produced the great treasures which all these temples
contained, I heard that a Spaniard named Diego Rodriguez Elemosin took
from this _huaca_ more than 30,000 _pesos_ of gold. Besides this, still
more has been found; and there is a rumour that an immense quantity of
gold and silver is in places which no one but God knows, and they will
never be discovered, except by accident or good luck.
Besides these temples, there was another which was as much venerated and
frequented by them, named Coropuna, in the province of Condesuyo. It is
on a very lofty mountain which is covered with snow both in summer and
winter. The kings of Peru, with the principal lords, visited this
temple, making presents and offerings as at the others. It is held for
very certain that among the gifts and _capacocha_ offered to this
temple, there were many loads of gold, silver, and precious stones
buried in places which are now unknown. The Indians concealed another
great sum which was for the service of the idol, and of the priests and
virgins who attended upon it. But as there are great masses of snow,
people do not ascend to the summit, nor is it known where these great
riches are hidden. This temple possessed many flocks, farms, and service
of Indians and _yanaconas_. There was always a large concourse of people
in it, from many parts, and the devil talked here more freely than in
the other oracles, for he constantly gave numerous replies, and not
occasionally, as in the other temples. Even now, at the present time,
for some secret reason known to God, it is said that devils visibly walk
about in that place, and that the Indians see them and are much
terrified. I have also heard that these devils have appeared to
Christians in the form of Indians, appearing and disappearing in a very
short space of time. Occasionally they offered great services to this
oracle, killing many sheep and birds, and some men and women.
Besides these oracles there was that of Aperahua, where the oracle
answered out of the trunk of a tree, and near it a large quantity of
gold was found. Also that of Pachacamac, which is in the country of the
Yuncas, and many others, as well in the provinces of Anti-suyu, as in
Chincha-suyu, Omasayu, and other parts of this empire, of which I might
say somewhat more. As in the first part of my work I treat of the
founding of temples, I shall now only dwell upon the oracles. To those
which the Incas and other nations held in most veneration, they
sacrificed some men and women, with many sheep. But before those which
were not so much respected, they did not shed human blood nor kill men,
only offering up gold and silver. The _huacas_ of little account, like
our chapels, were worshipped by offering _chaquira_, plumes, and other
small things of slight value. I say this owing to the opinion held by us
Spaniards, that they sacrificed human beings in all the temples, which
is false. What I have stated is the truth, so far as I have been able to
obtain it, without deducting or putting down more than I myself
understand and hold to be certainly true.