_How the Royal House of the Sun was founded on a hill overlooking Cuzco
towards the north, which the Spaniards usually call the fortress_; _and
its wonderful Construction, and the size of the stones that are to be
seen there._
The city of Cuzco is built in a valley, and on the slopes of hills, as I
explained in the first part of this history[201] and from the edifices
themselves run broad terraces on which they sow their crops, and they
rise one above the other like walls, so that the whole slopes were
formed in these _andenes_, which made the city stronger, although its
position is naturally strong. For this reason the lords selected it, out
of so many other sites. The dominion of the kings was now become
extensive and powerful, and Inca Yupanqui entertained far-reaching
thoughts. Notwithstanding that the temple of the Sun, called
_Curi-cancha_, had been enriched and beautified by himself, and that he
had erected other great edifices, he resolved to build another house of
the Sun which should surpass all existing temples, and to enrich it with
all the things that could be obtained, as well gold and silver as
precious stones, fine cloth, arms of all the different kinds they used,
munitions of war, shoes, plumes of feathers, skins of animals and birds,
_coca_, sacks of wool, and valuables of a thousand kinds, in short, all
things of which they had any knowledge. This work was begun with such
lofty aspirations, that if their monarchy had endured until to-day it
would not yet have been completed.
The Inca ordered that the provinces should provide 20,000 men and that
the villages should send the necessary provisions. If any fell sick,
another labourer was to supply his place, and he was to return to his
home. But these Indians were not kept constantly at a work in progress.
They laboured for a limited time, and were then relieved by others, so
that they did not feel the demand on their services. There were 4,000
labourers whose duty it was to quarry and get out the stones; 6,000
conveyed them by means of great cables of leather and of _cabuya_[202]
to the works. The rest opened the ground and prepared the foundations,
some being told off to cut the posts and beams for the wood-work. For
their greater convenience, these labourers made their dwelling-huts,
each lineage apart, near the place where the works were progressing. To
this day most of the walls of these lodgings may be seen. Overseers were
stationed to superintend, and there were great masters of the art of
building who had been well instructed. Thus on the highest part of a
hill to the north of the city, and little more than an arquebus-shot
from it, this fortress was built which the natives called the House of
the Sun, but which we named the Fortress.
The living rock was excavated for the foundation, which was prepared
with such solidity that it will endure as long as the world itself. The
work had, according to my estimate, a length of 330 paces,[203] and a
width of 200. Its walls were so strong that there is no artillery which
could breach them. The principal entrance was a thing worthy of
contemplation, to see how well it was built, and how the walls were
arranged so that one commanded the other. And in these walls there were
stones so large and mighty that it tired the judgment to conceive how
they could have been conveyed and placed, and who could have had
sufficient power to shape them, seeing that among these people there are
so few tools. Some of these stones are of a width of twelve feet and
more than twenty long, others are thicker than a bullock.[204] All the
stones are laid and joined with such delicacy that a rial could not be
put in between two of them.
I went to see this edifice twice. On one occasion I was accompanied by
Tomas Vasquez,[205] a conqueror, and on the other I found Hernando de
Guzman there, he who was present at the siege,[206] and Juan de la
Haya.[207] Those who read this should believe that I relate nothing that
I did not see. As I walked about, observing what was to be seen, I
beheld, near the fortress, a stone which measured 260 of my _palmos_ in
circuit, and so high that it looked as if it was in its original
position. All the Indians say that the stone got tired at this point,
and that they were unable to move it further.[208] Assuredly if I had
not myself seen that the stone had been hewn and shaped I should not
have believed, however much it might have been asserted, that the force
of man would have sufficed to bring it to where it now is. There it
remains, as a testimony of what manner of men those were who conceived
so good a work. The Spaniards have so pillaged and ruined it, that I
should be sorry to have been guilty of the fault of those in power who
have permitted so magnificent a work to be so ruined. They have not
considered the time to come, for it would have been better to have
preserved the edifice and to have put a guard over it.[209]
There were many buildings within the fortress, some small, one over the
other, and others, which were large, were underground. They made two
blocks of buildings, one larger than the other, wide and so well-built,
that I know not how I can exaggerate the art with which the stones are
laid and worked; and they say that the subterranean edifices are even
better. Other things were told me, which I do not repeat, because I am
not certain of their accuracy. This fortress was commenced in the time
of Ynca Yupanqui. His son, Tupac Inca, as well as Huayna Ccapac and
Huascar, worked much at it, and although it is still worthy of
admiration, it was formerly without comparison grander. When the
Spaniards entered Cuzco, the Indians of Quizquiz had already collected
great treasure; but some was still found, and it is believed that there
is a great quantity in the vicinity. It would be well to give orders for
the preservation of what is left of this fortress, and of that of
Huarcu,[210] as memorials of the grandeur of this people, and even for
utility, as they could be made serviceable at so little cost. With this
I will return to the narrative.