28 MEMOIR ON 







kindred in the imperial city of Cuzco, who were discours- 

 ing of their ancestors, it came into his mind to ask the 

 most elderly person amongst them, by interrupting him 

 in his discourse, the following questions : u Inca and 

 44 my uncle," said I, u How is it possible, since you 

 " have no writings, that you have been able to preserve 

 " the memory of things past, and the origin of our 

 " kings ? I observe that the Spaniards and their 

 44 kindred nations have their sacred and profane his- 

 44 tories, whereby they learn the time that their own 

 " kings, and the princes of other countries began their 

 44 reigns ; when and how empires were changed and 

 44 transferred ; nay, so far they 'go, as to tell us how 

 44 many thousand years are past since God created the 

 44 heavens and the earth ; all of which, and much 

 44 more, they have learned from their books ; but as to 

 44 yourselves In what manner can you retain the 

 44 memory of your ancestors, or be informed of the 

 44 origin of the Incas ? As, for instance, who was the 

 44 first of them, or what was his name ? Of what 

 " lineage, or in what manner did he begin his reign ? 

 44 What nations did he conquer, and when did he give 

 44 a being to this great empire, and with what exploits 

 u did our ancestors achieve their greatness ? 



" The Inca was much pleased to hear me make these 

 44 inquiries, because he took great delight in recounting 

 " these matters, and turning to me, said, 4 Cousin, I 

 4 most willingly comply with your request ; for it con- 



* cerns you to hear them, and keep them in your heart 

 4 Remember, then, that in ages past, all this region or 

 4 country, you see around us, was nothing but moun- 

 4 tains and wild forests, and the people in those" times 

 4 were like so many brutes, without any religion or 

 4 government, with no understanding of property, or a 

 4 single enjoyment of them ; neither did they sow, 

 4 plough, nor clothe themselves, because they had no 

 4 idea of tilling the earth, and knew not the art of 

 4 weaving either cotton or wool. They dwelt two by 



* two, or three and i three together, as they chanced to 

 4 meet, in caves, or holes in the rocks and mountains. 



