History of the Incas

P >> Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa >> History of the Incas

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Huascar divided his army into three divisions. One consisted of the men
of Cunti-suyu, Charcas, Colla-suyu, Chuys, and Chile under the command
of a captain named Arampa Yupanqui. His orders were to advance over
Cotabamba towards another neighbouring province of the Omasayos, to
harass the enemy on the side of the river of Cotabamba and the Apurimac
bridge. The survivors of the former battles, under Huanca Auqui, Ahua
Panti, and Pacta Mayta, were to attack the enemy on one flank, and to
march into Cotabamba. Huascar in person commanded a third division. Thus
all the forces of both Huascar and Atahualpa were in Cotabamba.

[Note 123: Curahuasi is near the bridge over the Apurimac.]

Arampa Yupanqui got news that the forces of Atahualpa were passing
through a small valley or ravine which leads from Huanacu-pampa. He
marched to oppose them, and fought with a strong squadron of the troops
under Chalco Chima. He advanced resolutely to the encounter, and slew
many of the enemy, including one of their captains named Tomay Rima.
This gave Huascar great satisfaction and he said laughingly to the
_orejones_--"The Collas have won this victory. Behold the obligation we
have to imitate our ancestors." Presently the captains-general of his
army, who were Titu Atauchi, Tupac Atao his brother, Nano, Urco Huaranca
and others, marshalled the army to fight those of Atahualpa with their
whole force. The armies confronted each other and attacked with skill
and in good order.

The battle lasted from morning nearly until sunset, many being slain on
both sides, though the troops of Huascar did not suffer so much as those
of Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz. The latter seeing their danger, many of
them retreated to a large grassy plateau which was near, in
Huanacu-pampa. Huascar, who saw this, set fire to the grass and burnt a
great part of Atahualpa's forces.

Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz then retreated to the other side of the river
Cotabamba. Huascar, satisfied with what he had done, did not follow up
his advantages, but enjoyed the victory which fortune had placed in his
hands. For this he took a higher position. Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz,
who were experienced in such manoeuvres, seeing that they were not
followed, decided to rest their troops, and on another day to attack
those who believed themselves to be conquerors. They sent spies to the
camp of Huascar, and found from them that Huascar would send a certain
division of his troops to take Atahualpa's captains, without their being
able to escape.

LXV.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE ARMIES OF HUASCAR AND ATAHUALPA HUASCAR MADE
PRISONER.

When the morning of the next day arrived Huascar determined to finish
off the army of his brother at one blow. He ordered Tupac Atao to go
down the ravine with a squadron, discover the position of the enemy, and
report what he had seen. Tupac Atao received this order and entered the
ravine in great silence, looking from side to side. But the spies of
Chalco Chima saw everything without being seen themselves and gave
notice to Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz. Chalco Chima then divided his men
into two parts and stationed them at the sides of the road where the
_orejones_ would pass. When Tupac Atao came onwards, they attacked him
to such purpose that scarcely any one escaped, Tupac Atao himself was
taken, badly wounded, by whom Chalco Chima was informed that Huascar
would follow him with only a squadron of 5000 men, while the rest of his
army remained in Huanacu-pampa.

Chalco Chima sent this information to Quiz-quiz, who was at a little
distance, that they might unite forces. He told him that Tupac Atao was
taken, that Huascar was expected with a small force, and that Quiz-quiz
was wanted that both might take this enemy on the flanks. This was done.
They divided their forces, placing them on both sides as in the attack
on Tupac Atao. A short time after they entered the ravine, Huascar and
his men came upon the dead bodies of the men of Tupac Atao who, being
known to Huascar he wished to turn back, understanding that they were
all dead and that there must have been some ambush. But it was too late,
for he was surrounded by his enemies. Then he was attacked by the troops
of Chalco Chima. When he tried to fly from those who fell upon his rear,
he fell into the hands of Quiz-quiz who was waiting for him lower down.
Those of Chalco Chima and those of Quiz-quiz fought with great ferocity,
sparing none, and killing them all. Chalco Chima, searching for Huascar,
saw him in his litter and seized him by the hands, and pulled him out of
his litter. Thus was taken prisoner the unfortunate Huascar Inca,
twelfth and last tyrant of the Inca Sovereigns of Peru, falling into the
power of another greater and more cruel tyrant than himself, his people
defeated, killed, and scattered.

Placing Huascar in safe durance with a sufficient guard, Chalco Chima
went on in the Inca's litter and detached 5000 of his men to advance
towards the other troops remaining on the plain of Huanacu-pampa. He
ordered that all the rest should follow Quiz-quiz, and that when he let
fall the screen, they should attack. He executed this stratagem because
his enemies thought that he was Huascar returning victorious, so they
waited. He advanced and arrived where the troops of Huascar were waiting
for their lord, who, when they saw him, still thought that it was
Huascar bringing his enemies as prisoners. When Chalco Chima was quite
near, he let loose a prisoner who had been wounded, who went to the Inca
troops. He told them what had happened, that it was Chalco Chima, and
that he could kill them all by this stratagem. When this was known, and
that Chalco Chima would presently order them to be attacked with his
whole force, for he had let the screen fall, which was to be the sign,
the Inca troops gave way and took to flight, which was what Chalco Chima
intended. The troops of Atahualpa pursued, wounding and killing with
excessive cruelty and ferocity, continuing the slaughter, with unheard
of havock, as far as the bridge of Cotabamba. As the bridge was narrow
and all could not cross it, many jumped into the water from fear of
their ferocious pursuers, and were drowned. The troops of Atahualpa
crossed the river, continuing the pursuit and rejoicing in their
victory. During the pursuit they captured Titu Atauchi, the brother of
Huascar. Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz arrived at some houses called
Quiuipay, about half a league from Cuzco, where they placed Huascar as a
prisoner with a sufficient guard. Here they encamped and established
their head-quarters.

The soldiers of Chalco Chima went to get a view of Cuzco from the hill
of Yauina overlooking the city, where they heard the mourning and
lamentation of the inhabitants, and returned to inform Chalco Chima and
Quiz-quiz. Those captains sent a messenger to Cuzco to tell the
inhabitants not to mourn, for that there was nothing to fear, it being
well known that this was a war between two brothers for the
gratification of their own passions. If any of them had helped Huascar
they had not committed a crime, for they were bound to serve their Inca;
and if there was any fault he would remit and pardon it, in the name of
the great Lord Atahualpa. Presently he would order them all to come out
and do reverence to the statue of Atahualpa, called _Ticci Ccapac_ which
means "Lord of the World."

The people of Cuzco consulted together, and resolved to come forth and
obey the commands of Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz. They came according to
their _ayllus_ and, on arriving at Quiuipay, they seated themselves in
that order. Presently the troops of Atahualpa, fully armed, surrounded
all those who had come from Cuzco. They took Huanca Auqui, Ahua Panti,
and Paucar Usna, who had led the army against them in the battle at
Tumipampa. Then they took Apu Chalco Yupanqui and Rupaca, Priests of the
Sun, because these had given the fringe to Huascar. These being
prisoners Quiz-quiz rose and said--"Now you know of the battles you have
fought with me on the road, and the trouble you have caused me. You
always raised Huascar to be Inca, who was not the heir. You treated
evilly the Inca Atahualpa whom the Sun guards, and for these things you
deserve death. But using you with humanity, I pardon you in the name of
my Lord Atahualpa, whom may the Sun prosper."

But that they might not be without any punishment, he ordered them to be
given some blows with a great stone on the shoulders, and he killed the
most culpable. Then he ordered that all should be tied by the knees,
with their faces towards Caxamarca or Huamachuco where Atahualpa was,
and he made them pull out their eyelashes and eyebrows as an offering to
the new Inca. All the _orejones_, inhabitants of Cuzco, did this from
fear, saying in a loud voice, "Long live! Live for many years Atahualpa
our Inca, may our father the Sun increase his life!"

Araua Ocllo, the mother of Huascar, and his wife Chucuy Huypa, were
there, and were dishonoured and abused by Quiz-quiz. In a loud voice the
mother of Huascar said to her son, who was a prisoner, "O unfortunate!
thy cruelties and evil deeds have brought you to this state. Did I not
tell you not to be so cruel, and not to kill nor ill-treat the
messengers of your brother Atahualpa." Having said these words she came
to him, and gave him a blow in the face.

Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz then sent a messenger to Atahualpa, letting
him know all that had happened, and that they had made prisoners of
Huascar and many others, and asking for further orders.

LXVI.

WHAT CHALCO CHIMA AND QUIZ-QUIZ DID CONCERNING HUASCAR AND THOSE OF HIS
SIDE IN WORDS.

After Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz had sent off the messengers to
Atahualpa, they caused the prisoners to be brought before them, and in
the presence of all, and of the mother and wife of Huascar, they
declared, addressing themselves to the mother of Huascar, that she was
the concubine and not the wife of Huayna Ccapac, and that, being his
concubine, she had borne Huascar, also that she was a vile woman and not
a Coya. The troops of Atahualpa raised a shout of derision, and some
said to the _orejones_, pointing their fingers at Huascar--"Look there
at your lord! who said that in the battle he would turn fire and water
against his enemies?" Huascar was then tied hand and foot on a bed of
ropes of straws. The _orejones_, from shame, lowered their heads.
Presently Quiz-quiz asked Huascar, "Who of these made you lord, there
being others better and more valiant than you, who might have been
chosen?" Araua Ocllo, speaking to her son, said, "You deserve all this
my son as I told you, and all comes from the cruelty with which you
treated your own relations." Huascar replied, "Mother! there is now no
remedy, leave us," and he addressed himself to the priest Chalco
Yupanqui, saying--"Speak and answer the question asked by Quiz-quiz."
The priest said to Quiz-quiz, "I raised him to be lord and Inca by
command of his father Huayna Ccapac, and because he was son of a Coya"
(which is what we should call Infanta). Then Chalco Chima was indignant,
and called the priest a deceiver and a liar. Huascar answered to
Quiz-quiz, "Leave off these arguments. This is a question between me and
my brother, and not between the parties of Hanan-cuzco and Hurin-cuzco.
We will investigate it, and you have no business to meddle between us on
this point."

Enraged at the answer Chalco Chima ordered Huascar to be taken back to
prison, and said to the Incas, to re-assure them, that they could now go
back to the city as they were pardoned. The _orejones_ returned,
invoking Viracocha in loud voices with these words--"O Creator! thou who
givest life and favour to the Incas where art thou now? Why dost thou
allow such persecution to come upon us? Wherefore didst thou exalt us,
if we are to come to such an end?" Saying these words they beat their
cloaks in token of the curse that had come upon them all.

LXVII.

THE CRUELTIES THAT ATAHUALPA ORDERED TO BE PERPETRATED ON THE PRISONERS
AND CONQUERED OF HUASCAR'S PARTY.

When Atahualpa knew what had happened, from the messengers of Chalco
Chima and Quiz-quiz, he ordered one of his relations named Cusi Yupanqui
to go to Cuzco, and not to leave a relation or friend of Huascar alive.
This Cusi Yupanqui arrived at Cuzco, and Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz
delivered the prisoners to him. He made inquiries touching all that
Atahualpa had ordered. He then caused poles to be fixed on both sides of
the road, extending not more than a quarter of a league along the way to
Xaquixahuana. Next he brought out of the prison all the wives of
Huascar, including those pregnant or lately delivered. He ordered them
to be hung to these poles with their children, and he ordered the
pregnant to be cut open, and the stillborn to be hung with them. Then he
caused the sons of Huascar to be brought out and hung to the poles.

Among the sons of Huayna Ccapac who were prisoners there was one named
Paullu Tupac. When they were going to kill him, he protested saying, it
was unreasonable that he should be killed, because he had previously
been imprisoned by Huascar; and on this ground he was released and
escaped death. Yet the reason that he was imprisoned by Huascar was
because he had been found with one of the Inca's wives. He was only
given very little to eat, the intention being that he should die in
prison. The woman with whom he was taken was buried alive. The wars
coming on he escaped, and what has been related took place.

After this the lords and ladies of Cuzco who were found to have been
friends of Huascar were seized and hanged on the poles. Then there was
an examination of all the houses of deceased Incas, to see which had
been on the side of Huascar, and against Atahualpa. They found that the
house of Tupac Inca Yupanqui had sided with Huascar. Cusi Yupanqui
committed the punishment of the house to Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz.
They seized the steward of the house, and the mummy of Tupac Inca, and
those of his family and hung them all, and they burnt the body of Tupac
Inca outside the town and reduced it to ashes. And to destroy the house
completely, they killed many _mama cunas_ and servants, so that none
were left of that house except a few of no account. Besides this they
ordered all the Chachapoyas and Canaris to be killed, and their Curaca
named Ulco Colla, who they said had rebelled against the two brothers.

All these murders and cruelties were perpetrated in the presence of
Huascar to torment him. They murdered over 80 sons and daughters of
Huascar, and what he felt most cruelly was the murder, before his eyes,
of one of his sisters named Coya Miro, who had a son of Huascar in her
arms, and another in her womb; and another very beautiful sister named
Chimbo Cisa. Breaking his heart at the sight of such cruelty and grief
which he was powerless to prevent, he cried, with a sigh, "Oh
Pachayachachi Viracocha, thou who showed favour to me for so short a
time, and honoured me and gave me life, dost thou see that I am treated
in this way, and seest thou in thy presence what I, in mine, have seen
and see."

Some of the concubines of Huascar escaped from this cruelty and
calamity, because they had neither borne a child nor were pregnant, and
because they were beautiful. They say that they were kept to be taken to
Atahualpa. Among those who escaped were Dona Elvira Chonay, daughter of
Canar Ccapac, Dona Beatriz Carnamaruay, daughter of the Curaca of
Chinchay-cocha, Dona Juana Tocto, Dona Catalina Usica, wife, that was,
of Don Paullu Tupac, and mother of Don Carlos, who are living now. In
this way the line and lineage of the unfortunate tyrant Huascar, the
last of the Incas, was completely annihilated.

LXVIII.

NEWS OF THE SPANIARDS COMES TO ATAHUALPA.

Atahualpa was at Huamachuco celebrating great festivals for his
victories, and he wished to proceed to Cuzco and assume the fringe in
the House of the Sun, where all former Incas had received it When he was
about to set out there came to him two Tallanas Indians, sent by the
Curacas of Payta and Tumbez, to report to him that there had arrived by
sea, which they call _cocha_, a people with different clothing, and with
beards, and that they brought animals like large sheep. The chief of
them was believed to be Viracocha, which means the god of these people,
and he brought with him many Viracochas, which is as much as to say
"gods." They said this of the Governor Don Francisco Pizarro, who had
arrived with 180 men and some horses which they called sheep. As the
account in detail is left for the history of the Spaniards, which will
form the Third Part to come after this, I will only here speak briefly
of what passed between the Spaniards and Atahualpa.

When this became known to Atahualpa he rejoiced greatly, believing it to
be the Viracocha coming, as he had promised when he departed, and as is
recounted in the beginning of this history. Atahualpa gave thanks that
he should have come in his time, and he sent back the messengers with
thanks to the Curacas for sending the news, and ordering them to keep
him informed of what might happen. He resolved not to go to Cuzco until
he had seen what this arrival was, and what the Viracochas intended to
do. He sent orders to Chalco Chima and Quiz-quiz to lose no time in
bringing Huascar to Caxamarca, where he would go to await their arrival,
for he had received news that certain Viracochas had arrived by sea, and
he wished to be there to see what they were like.

As no further news came, because the Spaniards were forming a station at
Tangarara, Atahualpa became careless and believed that they had gone.
For, at another time, when he was marching with his father, in the wars
of Quito, news came to Huayna Ccapac that the Viracocha had arrived on
the coast near Tumbez, and then they had gone away. This was when Don
Francisco Pizarro came on the first discovery, and returned to Spain for
a concession, as will be explained in its place.

LXIX.

THE SPANIARDS COME TO CAXAMARCA AND SEIZE ATAHUALPA, WHO ORDERS HUASCAR
TO BE KILLED. ATAHUALPA ALSO DIES.

As the subject of which this chapter treats belongs to the Third Part
(the history of the Spaniards), I shall here only give a summary of what
happened to Atahualpa. Although Atahualpa was careless about the
Spaniards they did not miss a point, and when they heard where Atahualpa
was, they left Tangarara and arrived at Caxamarca. When Atahualpa knew
that the Viracochas were near, he left Caxamarca and went to some baths
at a distance of half a league that he might, from there, take the
course which seemed best. As he found that they were not gods as he had
been made to think at first, he prepared his warriors to resist the
Spaniards. Finally he was taken prisoner by Don Francisco Pizarro, the
Friar, Vicente Valverde, having first made a certain demand, in the
square of Caxamarca.

Don Francisco Pizarro knew of the disputes there had been between
Atahualpa and Huascar, and that Huascar was a prisoner in the hands of
the captains of Atahualpa, and he urged Atahualpa to have his brother
brought as quickly as possible. Huascar was being brought to Caxamarca
by Atahualpa's order, as has already been said. Chalco Chima obeying
this order, set out with Huascar and the captains and relations who had
escaped the butchery of Cusi Yupanqui. Atahualpa asked Don Francisco
Pizarro why he wanted to see his brother. Pizarro replied that he had
been informed that Huascar was the elder and principal Lord of that land
and for that reason he wished to see him, and he desired that he should
come. Atahualpa feared that if Huascar came alive, the Governor Don
Francisco Pizarro would be informed of what had taken place, that
Huascar would be made Lord, and that he would lose his state. Being
sagacious, he agreed to comply with Pizarro's demand, but sent off a
messenger to the captain who was bringing Huascar, with an order to kill
him and all the prisoners. The messenger started and found Huascar at
Antamarca, near Yana-mayu. He gave his message to the captain of the
guard who was bringing Huascar as a prisoner.

Directly the captain heard the order of Atahualpa he complied with it.
He killed Huascar, cut the body up, and threw it into the river
Yana-mayu. He also killed the rest of the brothers, relations, and
captains who were with him as prisoners, in the year 1533. Huascar had
lived 40 years. He succeeded his father at the age of 31 and reigned for
9 years. His wife was Chucuy Huypa by whom he had no male child. He left
no lineage or _ayllu_, and of those who are now living, one only, named
Don Alonso Titu Atauchi is a nephew of Huascar, son of Titu Atauchi who
was murdered with Huascar. He alone sustains the name of the lineage of
Huascar called the _Huascar Ayllu_. In this river of Yana-mayu Atahualpa
had fixed his boundary pillars when he first rebelled, saying that from
thence to Chile should be for his brother Huascar, and from the
Yana-mayu onwards should be his. Thus with the death of Huascar there
was an end to all the Incas of Peru and all their line and descent which
they held to be legitimate, without leaving man or woman who could have
a claim on this country, supposing them to have been natural and
legitimate lords of it, in conformity with their own customs and
tyrannical laws.

For this murder of Huascar, and for other good and sufficient causes,
the Governor Don Francisco Pizarro afterwards put Atahualpa to death. He
was a tyrant against the natives of this country and against his brother
Huascar. He had lived 36 years. He was not Inca of Peru, but a tyrant.
He was prudent, sagacious, and valiant, as I shall relate in the Third
Part, being events which belong to the deeds of the Spaniards. It
suffices to close this Second Part by completing the history of the
deeds of the 12 Inca tyrants who reigned in this kingdom of Peru from
Manco Ccapac the first to Huascar the twelfth and last tyrant.

LXX.

IT IS NOTEWORTHY HOW THESE INCAS WERE TYRANTS AGAINST THEMSELVES,
BESIDES BEING SO AGAINST THE NATIVES OF THE LAND.

It is a thing worthy to be noted [_for the fact that besides being a
thing certain and evident the general tyranny of these cruel and
tyrannical Incas of Peru against the natives of the land, may be easily
gathered from history_], and any one who reads and considers with
attention the order and mode of their procedure will see, that their
violent Incaship was established without the will and election of the
natives who always rose with arms in their hands on each occasion that
offered for rising against their Inca tyrants who oppressed them, to get
back their liberty. Each one of the Incas not only followed the tyranny
of his father, but also began afresh the same tyranny by force, with
deaths, robberies and rapine. Hence none of them could pretend, in good
faith, to give a beginning to time of prescription, nor did any of them
hold in peaceful possession, there being always some one to dispute and
take up arms against them and their tyranny. Moreover, and this is above
all to be noted, to understand the worst aims of these tyrants and their
horrid avarice and oppression, they were not satisfied with being evil
tyrants to the natives, but also to their own proper sons, brothers and
relations, in defiance of their own laws and statutes, they were the
worst and most pertinacious tyrants with an unheard-of inhumanity. For
it was enacted among themselves and by their customs and laws that the
eldest legitimate son should succeed, yet almost always they broke the
law, as appears by the Incas who are here referred to.

[Illustration: _Reproduced and printed for the Hakluyt Society by Donald
Macbeth._ CAPTURE OF ATAHUALPA, AND SIEGE OF CUZCO, ETC.
_From the Rev. C.M. Cracherode's copy in the British Museum._]

Before all things Manco Ccapac, the first tyrant, coming from
Tampu-tocco, was inhuman in the case of his brother Ayar Cachi, sending
him to Tampu-tocco cunningly with orders for Tampu-chacay to kill him
out of envy, because he was the bravest, and might for that reason be
the most esteemed. When he arrived at the valley of Cuzco he not only
tyrannized over the natives, but also over Copalimayta and Columchima
who, though they had been received as natives of that valley were his
relations, for they were _orejones_. Then Sinchi Rocca, the second Inca,
having an older legitimate son named Manco Sapaca who, according to the
law he and his father had made, was entitled to the succession, deprived
him and nominated Lloqui Yupanqui the second son for his successor.
Likewise Mayta Ccapac, the fourth Inca, named for his successor Ccapac
Yupanqui, though he had an older legitimate son named Cunti Mayta, whom
he disinherited. Viracocha, the eighth Inca, although he had an older
legitimate son named Inca Rocca, did not name him as his successor, nor
any of his legitimate sons, but a bastard named Inca Urco. This did not
come about, Inca Urco did not enjoy the succession, nor did the eldest
legitimate son, for there was a new tyranny. For Inca Yupanqui deprived
both the one and the other, besides despoiling his father of his honours
and estate. The same Inca Yupanqui, having an elder legitimate son named
Amaru Tupac Inca, did not name him, but a young son, Tupac Inca
Yupanqui. The same Tupac Inca, being of the same condition as his
father, having Huayna Ccapac as the eldest legitimate son, named Ccapac
Huari as his successor, although the relations of Huayna Ccapac would
not allow it, and rose in his favour. If Ccapac Huari was legitimate, as
his relations affirm, the evil deed must be fixed on Huayna Ccapac, who
deprived his brother Ccapac Huari, and killed his mother and all his
relations, making them infamous as traitors, that is supposing he was
legitimate. Huayna Ccapac, though he named Ninan Cuyoche, he was not the
eldest, and owing to this the succession remained unsettled, and caused
the differences between Huascar and Atahualpa, whence proceeded the
greatest and most unnatural tyrannies. Turning their arms against their
own entrails, robbing, and with inhuman intestine wars they came to a
final end. Thus as they commenced by their own authority, so they
destroyed all by their own proper hands.

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