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Manco Capac, the first Inca of the Peruvians, is said to have reigned about the middle of the twelfth century, as the traditionary accounts attribute a period of about 400 years between the commencement of his reign and the decease of Huana Capac in 1529, which would place the origin of the monarchy about the year 1129, allowing an average of 30 years to each of 13 successive reigns. The traditions of such ancient matters among an ignorant people are little to be depended on; and even admitting the series of kings to be right as to number, the ordinary average of twenty years to each of the thirteen successive reigns would only give 260 years for the duration of the monarchy, and would carry back the commencement of the reign of Manco Capac only to the year 1269. The series of these kings, as given by various Spanish writers, according to the traditions of the Peruvians, is as follows:
1. Manco Capac. 2. Sinchi Roca. 3. Lloque Yupanqui. 4. Mayta Capac. 5. Capac Yupanqui. 6. Inca Roca. 7. Yahuar Huacac. 8. Inca Roca, likewise named Viracocha. 9. Pachacutec142. 10. Yupanqui. 11. Tupac Yupanqui. 12. Huana Capac. 13. Huascar, or Inti-cusi-Hualpa. 14. Atahualpa. 15. Manco Capac the Second, crowned at Cuzco by permission of Pizarro; afterwards revolted and retired to the mountains. 16. Sayri Tupac; who resigned the nominal sovereignty of Peru to Philip II. He died a Christian, and left one daughter who married a Spaniard named Onez de Loyola, and from whom are descended the marquisses of Orepesa and Alcanises.
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As the empire of Peru was made up of many barbarous tribes, its native inhabitants spoke many languages or dialects, which were only understood in their own particular districts. The language of the ruling people or tribe to which the royal family belonged, called the Quichua, was solely used at court, and we have already seen that the sons of all the chiefs or curacas of the empire were ordered to be educated at Cuzco, that they might be all able to converse with the sovereign. In this language the sounds of b, d, f, g, and r, are said to have been wanting; and yet that of the r occurs in the names of several of their kings. Garcilasso says that this letter had a guttural sound, perhaps resembling the burr, or parler gras of the French: And it is alleged that this language of a comparatively barbarous people was nearly as copious and as artificial as the Greek. The following specimens are given in the Modern Geography, III. 585, to which are added two examples of what are called Peruvian poetry, from Garcilasso de la Vega, p. 50. The nouns in this language are declined by altering the terminations thus; Runa, a man; Runap, of a man; Runapac, to a man, &c. The verbs have also moods and tenses, the terminations often extending to a great length.
1. Huc
2. Yscay
3. Quimza
4. Tahua
5. Chumpi, picheca.
6. Zocta.
7. Canchis.
8. Puzac.
9. Yscon.
10. Chunca.
100. Pachac.
1000. Huaranca.
The Andes....Anti
The Arm......Ricra
Bad..........Mana alli143
The Beard....Zunca
Beauty.......Zumay
The Belly....Vicza
A Brother....Huauquey
A Canoe......Huampu
To Die.......Huauny, pitini
A Dog........Alles
To Drink.....Upiana
The Ears.....Rinri
Eared, or having great ears...Ringrim
To Eat.......Micuni
An Emerald...Umina
The Eye......Naui
A Family.....Ayllu
Father.......Mayu
Fire.........Nina
Many fires...Ninanina
A Fish.......Challhua
Flesh........Aycha
A Foot.......Chaqui
A Friend.....Cocho
Good.........Alli
Gold.........Cori
Gold dust....Chichi cori
Great........Hatun
A Hatchet....Avri, champi
The Hair.....Caspa
The Hand.....Maqui
The Head.....Uma
A Hog.........Cuchi
A House.......Huaci
A Husband.....Coza
Iron..........Quellay
A King........Capac, Inca
A Lake........Cocha
A Lance.......Chuqui
Land..........Allpa
Little........Huchuy
Love..........Cuyay, munay
A man.........Runa
The Moon......Quilla
Mother........Mama
A Mountain....Puna, acha
The Mouth.....Simi
No............Maria
The Nose......Cenca
A Queen, or Princess...Coya
A Sacrifice...Arpay
Sand..........Aco
The Sea.......Atun cocha144, Mama cocha145
A Ship........Huampu146
Silver........Collqui
A Sister......Panay
Snow..........Riti
A Son.........Churi
A Stone.......Rumi
The Sun.......Inti
Water.........Unu, yaco
Woman.........Huami
Yes...........Y
Specimen of Peruvian poetry.
Caylla Llapi To the Song
Pununqui I will Sleep,
Chaupitua At Midnight
Samusac I will come.
After the return of Don Francisco Pizarro from Spain to Panama, he made every preparation in his power for the conquest of Peru, in which he was not seconded with the same spirit as formerly by his companion Almagro, by which their affairs were considerably retarded, as Almagro was the richer man and had greater credit among the settlers. Diego Almagro, as formerly mentioned, was much dissatisfied with Pizarro for having neglected his interest in his applications to his majesty; but at length became pacified by his apologies and promises, and their friendship was renewed; yet Almagro could never be thoroughly reconciled to the brothers of Pizarro, more especially Ferdinand, against whom he had a rooted dislike. Owing to these disputes a considerable time elapsed; but at length Ferdinand Ponce de Leon147 fitted out a ship which belonged to him, in which Don Francisco Pizarro embarked with all the soldiers he could procure, which were very few in number, as the people in Panama were much discouraged by the great difficulties and hardships which had been suffered in the former attempt, and the poor success which had then been met with148. Pizarro set sail about the commencement of the year 1531; and in consequence of contrary winds was obliged to land on the coast of Peru a hundred leagues more to the north than he intended149; by which means he was reduced to the necessity of making a long and painful march down the coast, where he and his troops suffered great hardships from scarcity of provisions, and by the extreme difficulty of crossing the different rivers which intersected their line of march, all of which they had to pass near their mouths, where they are wide and deep, insomuch that both men and horses had often to pass them by swimming. The courage and address of Pizarro was conspicuous amidst these difficulties, by encouraging the soldiers, and frequently exposing himself to danger for their relief, even assisting those who were unable to swim. They arrived at length at a place named Coaque150 on the sea side, which was well peopled, and where they procured abundance of provisions to refresh and restore them after the hardships and privations they had undergone. From that place, Pizarro sent back one of his vessels to Panama, and the other to Nicaragua, sending by them above 30,000 castillanas151 of gold, which he had seized at Coaque, to encourage fresh adventurers to join him, by giving a specimen of the riches of the country. At Coaque the Spaniards found some excellent emeralds, as this country being under the line, is the only place where such precious stones are to be had. Several of these were destroyed by the Spaniards, who broke them in order to examine their nature; as they were so ignorant as to believe that good emeralds ought to bear the hammer without breaking, like diamonds. Believing therefore that the Indians might impose false stones upon them, they broke many of great value through their ignorance. The Spaniards were here afflicted by a singular disease, formerly mentioned, which produced a dangerous kind of warts or wens on their heads faces and other parts of their body, extremely sore and loathsome, of which some of the soldiers died, but most of them recovered, though almost every one was less or more affected.
142
By some authors an Inca Roca is here interposed, who was deposed after a reign of eleven days. –E.
146
Huampu likewise signifies a canoe, and probably a ship might be named Atun huampu, a great canoe. –E.
147
With regard to this person, the original French translator makes the following observation: "Perhaps this is the person named Hernando de Luque at the beginning of the first section, who is said to have been one of the original adventurers in the enterprize. If so, the name of de Luque on the former occasion may be an error of the press."-It must be observed however, that Garcilasso de la Vega names the third person of the original fraternity Hernando de Luque, and makes no mention whatever of Ponce de Leon. –E.
148
Neither Zarate nor Garcilasso mention the number of troops embarked on this expedition, but we learn from Robertson, II. 206, that the whole armament consisted of 180 soldiers, 36 of whom were horsemen. –E.
149
According to Robertson, II. 293, Pizarro landed in the bay of St Matthew. The distance of 100 Spanish leagues from Tumbez, mentioned by Garcilasso as the intended place of landing, would lead us to the Rio de Santjago in lat. 1° S. on the coast of Tacames or Esmeraldas. Garcilasso says that Pizarro had two vessels, which he immediately sent back to Panama. But these seem to have accompanied the march of Pizarro to Coaque. –E.
151
A species of gold coin worth 14 reals 18 maravedies. Garcilasso says that Pizarro sent 24000 or 25000 ducats of gold to Almagro, part of which was plunder, and part received in ransom for prisoners. –E.