PLATEAU OF CAXAMAECA. 413 



fruit, with birds perched on their branches. Among other 

 things, she saw Atahuallpa's gold sedan-chair (una de las 

 andas] which had been so long searched for in vain, and 

 which is alleged to have sunk in the basin at the Baths of 

 Pultamarca. The husband commanded his wife not to touch 

 any of these enchanted treasures, reminding her that the 

 period fixed for the restoration of the Inca empire had not 

 yet arrived, and that whosoever should touch any of the 

 treasures would perish that same night. These golden 

 dreams and fancies of the youth were founded on recollections 

 and traditions transmitted from remote times. Golden gar- 

 dens, such as those alluded to (Jardines 6 huertas de oro), have 

 been described by various writers who allege that they actually 

 saw them; viz., by Cieza de Leon, Parmento, Garcilaso, and 

 other early historians of the Conquista. They are said to 

 have existed beneath the Temple of the Sun at Cuzco, at 

 Caxamarca? and in the lovely valley of Yucay, which was a 

 favourite seat of the sovereign family. In places in which 

 the golden Huertas were not under ground, but in the open 

 air, living plants were mingled with the artificial ones. 

 Among the latter, particular mention is always made of the 

 high shoots of maize and the maize-cobs (mazorcas) as having 

 been most successfully imitated. 



The son of Astorpilca assured me that underground, a little 

 to the right of the spot on which I then stood, there was a 

 large Datura tree, or Guanto, in full flower, exquisitely made 

 of gold wire and plates of gold, and that its branches over- 

 spread the Inca's chair. The morbid faith with which the 

 youth asserted his belief in this fabulous story, made a 

 profound and melancholy impression on me. These illusions 

 are cherished among the people here, as affording them 

 consolation amidst great privation and earthly suffering. I 

 said to the lad, " Since you and your parents so firmly believe 

 in the existence of these gardens, do you not, in your poverty, 

 sometimes feel a wish to dig for the treasures that lie so 



