376 PERUVIAN FESTIVALS. 



LIB. v. O ther with their torches. They that did this were called 

 Panconcos, 1 which being doone, they went to the common 

 bath, to the rivers and fountaines, and every one to his own 

 bath, setting themselves to drink foure dayes together. In 

 this moneth the Mama-cunas of the sunne made a great 

 number of small loaves with the blood of the sacrifices, and 

 gave a peece to every stranger; yea, they sent to every 

 Huaca throughout the realme, and to many Curacas, in 

 signe of confederation and loyaltie to the Sunne and the 

 Ynca, as hath bin said. 



The bathes, drunkennesse, and some relickes of this feast 

 Situa, remaine even vnto this day, in some places, with the 

 ceremonies a little different, but yet very secretly, for that 

 these chiefe and principall feasts have ceased. The eleventh 

 moneth, Homaraymi Punchaiquis^ wherein they sacrificed a 

 hundred sheepe more. And if they wanted water, to pro 

 cure raine they set a black sheepe tied in the middest of a 

 plaine, powring much chica about it, and giving it nothing 

 to eate vntill it rained, which is practised at this day in 

 many places in the time of our October. The twelfth and 

 last month was called Ayamarca, wherein they did likewise 

 sacrifice a hundred sheepe, and made the feast called Ray- 

 micantara Rayquis. In this moneth, which auuswered to 

 our November, they prepared what was necessary for the 

 children that should be made novices the moneth following; 

 the children with the old men made a certaine shew, with 

 rounds and turnings, and this feast was called Ituraymi, 

 which commonly they make when it raines too much, or too 

 little, or when there is a plague. Among the extraordinary 

 feasts, which were very many, the most famous was that 

 which they called Ytu. This feast Ytu hath no prefixed 

 time nor season, but in time of necessitie. To prepare 

 themselves thereunto, all the people fasted two dayes, during 



1 Fancuncu, a torch. See G. de la Veya, ii, p. 232. 



2 Not given by other authorities. 



