THE INC A PERUVIANS. 121 



had constructed suspension bridges over frightful ravines : they had no implements 

 of iron, but their forefathers could move blocks of stone as huge as the Sphinxes 

 and Memnons of Egypt."^ 



It is remarked by Dr. M'CuUoh that in astronomy the Peruvians appear to 

 have been far behind the Mexicans. " As the Peruvians," says he, " made, by 

 means of tov^ers, constant azimuth observations on the sun's rising and setting, 

 and also upon the shadov^s cast by pillars at the times of the equinoxes and 

 solstices, I cannot easily perceive a reason for the great inaccuracy of their year as 

 it has been represented to us ; and I am therefore inclined to think that only 

 some grosser part of their calendar has been preserved. In this opinion I am 

 further seemingly strengthened by not finding the Spanish w^riters to describe any 

 cycle of years to have been used by them, w^hich the nature of their observations 

 w^ould hardly have permitted them to dispense vrith."t 



" Their year," says Herrera, " was divided into tw^elve months, distinguished 

 by their several names; and particular festivals appointed in each of them. The 

 year began in January, till one of the Incas ordered it should begin in December, 

 at which time they celebrated their great festival." 



" The Peruvians," adds Dr. M'CuUoh, " unlike the Mexicans, were ignorant 

 of the causes of eclipses, for they supposed the planets at such times to be sick. 

 They particularly distinguished the planet Venus, some of the brighter fixed stars, 

 the Pleiades, the Milky VTay, &c., to all of which they gave certain names, and 

 imagined them for the most part to be, or to represent, various animals which they 

 were accustomed to meet with in Peru. "J 



We often hear the government of the Incas characterised as one of peculiar 

 mildness; but it was, on the contrary, an absolute rule, in which they held 

 despotic sway over their subjects, " governing them according to their own views 

 and pleasure, or as the exigencies of the times may have required ; hence the 

 proceedings of the government were necessarily fluctuating, and, according to 

 the capacity and temper of the Inca, were either just or unjust, capricious or 

 benevolent. "§ All the lands of the empire were divided into three portions, of 

 which one only fell to the share of the people ; and even this they could not sell 

 or otherwise dispose of, the title being vested in the Inca himself; and to prevent 



* Long, Polynesian Nation, p. 87. 



t Researches Concerning the Aboriginal Hist, of Amer. p. 373. 

 X Idem, p. 361. § Idem, p. 374. 



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