WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 547 



temple was all built of beautifully cut and laid stone slabs, set one 

 upon another without any mortar, so that it appeared to be one piece. 

 There were two great portals for entrance ; there were two stone 

 stairways very well constructed, with 30 steps ; and within there 

 were apartments for the priests and the servitors who officiated there 

 and who looked after the Mamaconas, who were very pious nuns. 

 The statue of the Sun which they had in this temple, was very rich in 

 gold, and much was buried, and there were many jewels of high 

 value in its adornment. We have information about the Indians 

 engaged in the service of this temple and castle, in which the Inca 

 had established a Governor of his own family and with such authority 

 that he was respected and obeyed like his own royal person ; there 

 were 40,000 Indians apportioned for this in their mitas, and merely 

 for the gates of the temple and the palaces there were 40 doorkeepers. 



Chapter LXXI [68] (73) 



Concluding the Brief Description of the Diocese of Guamanga. 



1477. Where these buildings stood there was a plaza on the top 

 of a mountain, which they regularly kept very clear. To the E. of 

 it stood a shrine (adoratorio, teocalli) of the Inca lords, very nicely 

 built of stone and surrounded by a low wall. From this shrine 

 another terrace proceeded, like a passageway and likewise enclosed 

 by a wall ; and at the end of it there was a stone slab, very well cut, 

 II feet long and 7 wide, which was the spot where the Incas sat 

 when they came there to pray ; they say that it was covered and 

 adorned with many gold jewels and precious stones of great value. 

 Here they kept buried great treasures in gold and silver and other 

 valuables, as was their custom. The Spaniards found a great deal 

 and carried it off, but the greater part is still buried there underground. 



Back of this shrine stood the castles or royal palaces of Tupac 

 Inca Yupangui and other [very large] buildings and a settlement 

 containing over 1,000 houses which served as warehouses or maga- 

 zines in which to keep supplies of provisions, weapons and munitions 

 of war, and for storage of the clothing and other tribute which were 

 offered and brought in by the adjoining provinces, subject like colonies 

 to these palaces, for it was like a capital of the Kingdom. On the 

 other side, along a low ridge, there was another large settlement for 

 the same purpose. In the center there was a large plaza and in the 

 middle of it a seat where the Inca or Governor took his place to 

 witness the festivals, dances, and other celebrations. It certainly 

 rouses one's compassion and regret to see such elaborate magnificence 



