16 JOHN EBADE ON 



Father Petitot writes in almost similar terms of the expressive ceremonies by which the 

 Dene Diudjies celebrate the festival of the vernal equinox. Dr. Tylor, in his " Anthro- 

 pology," says that in the infancy of civilisation, " dancing was full of passionate and solemn 

 meaning. Savages and barbarians danced their joy and sorrow, their love and rage, even 

 their magic and religion." And nowhere, perhaps, is this more true than among those chil- 

 dren of the sun, who live in the equatorial and inter-tropical regions of our continent. 

 Raymi, the great feast of the winter solstice among the Peruvians, was so called from a 

 ■Word signifying a solemn dance. It was a national thanksgiving for national blessings, and 

 began at sunrise with songs of triumph and clamorous music. " On the day of the equinox," 

 writes Yon Tschudi, " the Inca waited, accompanied by all the priests and chief lords 

 of the court, at the entrance of the chief temple, for the rising of the sun, and by 

 means of a metallic mirror, called Inca-rirpti, concentrated its first rays, setting fire, with 

 them, to a piece of sacred cotton, picked and prepared for the purpose. The substance was 

 carried, while burning, to the temple, where the sacrifice and oiferiugs to the sun were 

 made, and afterwards it furnished fire to all the houses. The Inca was also accustomed to 

 distribute to all the assistants bread and sacred chicha, [a sort of beer.] Finally, the feast 

 was concluded with dancing, music and general rejoicing." There were four solemn feasts 

 in the year, the first coming in December, the second, just described, in spring, the third, 

 in June, and the fourth, in October. There were also minor feasts in the other months, and 

 they were all obserA'^ed with music, dance and song. 



But, at the time of the Conquest, Peru had already attained the higher stage of devel- 

 opment indicated by dramatic representation. An example of their talent in that direc- 

 tion is the Ollanta drama, so-called from the name of the leading personage. Ollauta is a 

 warrior, who, being enamored of the luca's daughter, has his suit rejected by the haughty 

 monarch. In his indignation, he gathers his troops and makes war on the king. Brft 

 meanwhile, Cu si-Coy llur, the lady of his love, is cast into prison, and her child and Ollanta's 

 is taken from her. The Inca dies, and his rebel son-in-law seems to have won the day. But 

 the new monarch crushes the revolt and Ollauta is taken captive. All ends well, neverthe- 

 less. Mindful of his former services, his sovereign pardons him, and once more he clasps 

 Cusi-Coyllur to his breast. Among the minor characters there is a sort of clown, who is 

 always joking, and a priest of the sun, who opposes the marriage. The following passage 

 will give some notion of the style of the play. It is a monologue of Ollanta, just after he 

 has been robbed of Cusi-Coyllur : — 



" Huay Ollantay ! Ollantay ! hapless Ollantay! What will become of thee now ? Thou seest 

 the base ingratitude of the man for whom thou didst conq^uer so many peoples, and whom thou hast 

 served so faithfully and so long ! 



" And thou, Cusi-Coyllur, the wife of my heart, what will become of thee now that I, thine 

 hu.sband, have been the cause of thy desolation ? 



" The darkness of nothingness is coming upon my soul, my princess, my dove ! 



" Cuzco, the beautiful city, henceforth I shall be the implacable enemy of thy king. Tearing 

 out his heart, I will give it for food to the vultures. 



" That cruel monarch will see thousands of Antis, arming under my command ; and having reached 

 Sacsayhuaman, they will threaten him like a cloud of maledictions. Then, when he lies upon a bed 

 of blood, that proud tyi-ant will know if my vassals are few in number. 



