6o8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



called a sea with full propriety, for although this great lake is far 

 inland, it is so deep that it measures 70 or 80 fathoms in depth, 

 or more, and it has many islands which usually are covered with 

 birds which go oflf fishing and live on the fish in the lake. 



1618. On the principal island in this lake, which has over 2 leagues 

 circuit, there was a famous and very wealthy Temple of the Sun, 

 for those heathen said that this was where their first King, Mango 

 Capac, started out to found the great city of Cuzco and win over 

 all those tribes in such a vast territory to a civilized and reasonable 

 way of life; for the Incas said that they were children of the Sun, 

 and so they consecrated that spot to him and built him that sumptuous 

 temple which was the greatest sanctuary which they had in those 

 provinces. 



Many large rivers enter this great lake, and only one issues from it ; 

 this is its outlet to the S. and forms another large lake in the Province 

 of Paria, which is more than 30 leagues in circumference ; no river 

 or other outlet from this has ever been discovered or recognized. 



1619. The chief village on the great Lake of Titicaca is Chucuito, 

 the residence of the Governor appointed by His Majesty in consul- 

 tation with the Supreme Council. From Chucuito to the village of 

 Acora it is 2 leagues ; from this to Have, 4 ; from Have to Juli, 5. 

 At Juli the Jesuit Fathers have a sumptuous convent and church, 

 and keep the Indians well catechized and instructed. From Juli to 

 the village of Pomata, which is a Dominican priorate, it is 2 leagues ; 

 from there to Sepita, 7 leagues, and to the Outlet (Desaguadero), 

 2 more; that is the last village in the Province and State of Chucuito. 

 This is thickly settled, has a cold climate, and is rich in cattle. This 

 whole province and those adjoining consist of wide plains and pas- 

 tures without a single tree in them, because of the constant cold 

 weather there. This Province of Chucuito, besides the above, pos- 

 sesses in the west on the plains part of the rich Moquegua Valley, 

 about 40 leagues away ; the Governor appoints a deputy there. 



1620. The large river which issues from the great Lake of Chucuito 

 is the size of the Guadalquivir at Cordova, and is called the Desa- 

 guadero (Outlet). On its banks stands the last village in the State, 

 called Desaguadero and peopled by Uros Indians, very savage and 

 uncivilized. At this point there is a bridge (paga; probably for paja, 

 i.e., straw bridge) over this same river made of many bundles of 

 icho, reeds, oats, and cattails, which in that country they call totora ; 

 horses, mules, llamas, and everybody cross by it, and it certainly 

 is a mysterious thing that with material as light as straw and so 

 little foundation, since it lies upon the water, one can cross with 



