130 AVOYAGETO Pook VII. 



mous fort built by the Yncas for their defence 5 

 and it appears from thence, that the defign was to 

 inclofe the whole mountain with a prodigious wall, 

 of fuch conftruclion as to render the afcent of it 

 abfolutely impradicable to an enemy, and at the 

 fame time eafily to be defended by thofe within ; 

 in order to prevent all approach to the city. This 

 wall was entirely of free flone, and ftrongly built,, 

 like all the other works of the Yncas, defcribed 

 Vol. I. but flill more remarkable for ks dimenfions- 

 and the largenefs of the flones, v/hich are of different 

 magnitudes and ligures. Thofe compofing the prin- 

 cipal part of the work are of fuch prodigious di- 

 inenfions, that it is difficult to imagine how it was 

 polFible for the ftrength of man, unaflifbed by ma- 

 chines, to have brought them hither from the quar- 

 ries. The inteitices formed by the irregularities of 

 thefe enormous mafTes are filled with fmailer, and fa 

 clofely joined as not to be perceived without a v^ery 

 narrow infpedion. One of thefe large ftones is ftill 

 lying on the ground, and feems not to have been ap- 

 plied to the ufe intended, and is fuch an enormous 

 inafs that it is aftonifhincr to human reafon to think 

 by w^hat means it could be brought thither. It is 

 called la Canfada, or the troublefome, alluding pro- 

 bably to the labour of bringing it from the quarry. 

 The internal works of this fortrefs confifting of apart- 

 ments, and two other walls are chiefly in ruins, but 

 the outward wall is {landing. 



The city of Cufco is nearly equal to that of 

 Lima. The north and weft fides, are furrounded' 

 by the mountain of the fortrefs, and others called 

 Sanca : on the fouth it borders on a plain, on which 

 are feveral very beautiful walks. Moft of the houfes 

 are of fione, well contrived, and covered with tiles, 

 whofe lively red, gives them an elegant appearance. 

 The appartments are very fpacious, and finely deco- 

 rated, the inhabitants being noted for their elei?anr 

 4 ' ta^'e. 



