whole vol. the west indies vazquez de espinosa 55 1 



Chapter LXXIII [ ] (75) 



Continuing the Description of the Diocese of Cuzco. 



1483. On this same parallel to the W., between Amancay and the 

 Province of Andahuailas, are the Provinces of Los Cotabambas, 

 Cotaneras, and others of the Quichua race ; they are rich in llamas 

 and fields of corn, potatoes, and other products and root crops, and 

 have large settlements, with a Corregidor appointed by the Viceroy 

 for the administration of justice. Near this province is that of 

 Guamampalla ; to go from there W. to the plains one must cross 

 30 leagues of cold desert puna, uninhabitable, with nothing but 

 vicufias and guanacos ; this desert is called that of Huallaripa, where 

 there is a very rich range of silver and gold ore. Returning to the 

 Cuzco King's Highway, one travels 9 leagues from Andahuailas to 

 the Rio and valley of Abancay, where there is a bridge like the 

 others, for the river is deep. Along its banks is the Amancay Valley, 

 which means White Lily Valley, from the numbers of them there, 

 [quite] like our Spanish ones, but without their fragrance. This 

 valley is hemmed in by sierras, and though a little one, is fertile and 

 prolific, with much native and Spanish fruit, and corn, wheat, and 

 other cereals. On this river in the year 1537, Commander Don Diego 

 de Almagro captured Capt. Alonso de Alvarado, from whom are 

 descended the Condes de Villamor ; he was going to Cuzco to be 

 General of the army of Marques Don Francisco Pizarro, as is related 

 by the historians who have recounted those civil wars. 



1484. Eight leagues beyond Amancay is the large Rio de Apurimac, 

 which passes through depressions in the land, and in these bottoms 

 there are little valleys with Spanish and native fruit. These dales 

 were colonized by the Inca Yupangui ; he had Indians come up from 

 the Nasca valleys for them, since the river runs in deep cuts where 

 it is hot, and the sierra Indians could not live and farm in such hot 

 country, for it was at once fatal to them. That was the reason the 

 Inca had them brought up from the plains and valleys of the Nasca 

 region, which have the same climate. These transplanted Indians 

 are called Mitimaes. 



1485. Between the Rio de Amancay and the Rio de Apurimac, 

 to the E., is the Province of Yanaguara ; its first village is Piti. 

 It is over 20 leagues long and 15 wide; there are more than 30 

 villages in its district. W. of this province lies that of the Aymaraes, 

 with 15 leagues in between of cold desolate puna, uninhabitable and 

 with nothing on it but a few cabins which they call miches ; the 

 Indian shepherds live in them, taking care of their flocks of 



