257 



stones of enormous size, which we see in the 

 Peruvian edifices of Cuzco and the neighbouring 

 countries. Acosta measured some at Traqua- 

 naco, which were twelve metres (thirty- eight 

 feet) long, five metres, eight tenths (eighteen 

 feet) broad, and one metre nine tenths (six feet) 

 thick. Pedro Cie9a of Leon saw some of the 

 same dimensions in the ruins of Tiahuanaco *. 

 In the citadel of Cannar I saw no stones that 

 exceeded twenty-six decimetres (eight feet) in 

 length. They are in general much less remark- 

 able for their bulk, than the extreme beauty of 

 their shape ; the greater part are joined without 

 any appearance of cement. We nevertheless 

 recognise cement in some of the buildings sur- 

 rounding the citadel, and in the three houses of 

 the lnca at Pullal, each of which is more than 

 fifty-eight metres long. This cement is formed 

 of a mixture of small stones and argillaceous 

 marl, which effervesces with acids ; it is a trufe 

 mortar, of which I detached considerable por- 

 tions with a knife, by digging into the interstices 

 which were left between the parallel courses of 

 the stones. This fact deserves some attention ; 

 because the travellers who preceded us have all 

 asserted, that the Peruvians were unacquainted 

 with the use of mortar ; but the supposition, 

 that the Peruvians were as ignorant in this point 



* Cie^a, Chronica del Peru (Anvers, 1554), p. 254. 

 VOL. XIII. S 



