A Voyage to 



Tho' the Spaniards freely acknowledge the Cruelties 

 they exercis'd on the Indians at the Time of the Conqueft^ 

 there are fome who do not afcribe the Invention of thofe 

 Tombs to the Dread of the Indians ; but tell us, that they 

 worfhipping the Sun, follow' d him in his Courfe, fancying 

 they might draw nearer to him ; and that at length being 

 ftopp'd by the Sea, which was their Boundary to the Weft- 

 ward, they bury'd themfelves on the Shore that they might 

 before they died have Sight of him till the Moment when 

 be feems to hide himfelf in the Water. The Cuftom of the 

 great Men, who when dying, order r d themfelves to be 

 carry'd to the Brink of the Sea, is a Proof of this Opinion i 

 but the moft receiv'd Notion is, that they were in fuch a 

 Fright, that they thought they m-ufr all die, when they 

 were informed that the Conquerors had not ipared even* 

 their King Atahualpa y who among them was look'd upon 

 as the Offfpring of the Sun. To efcape out of the Hands of 

 the Spaniards, they fled as far as they could Weftward 5 but 

 being ftopp'd by the Sea, they hid themfelves on the Edge 

 of it, to implore Mercy of the Sun, whom they thought 

 they had greatly offended, finee he brought upon them fuch 

 cruel and powerful Enemies, who alfo faid they were de- 

 fended from him. 



We are here to obferve, that there is much Difference 

 between thefe Voluntary Tombs, and thofe they ere&ed 

 for Men of Note; the latter are above the Ground, built 

 with unburnt Bricks and round, like little Pigeon Heufe% 

 5 or 6 Foot Diameter, and 12 or 14 in Height, arch'd like 

 the Top of an Oven, in which the Dead were placed fitting*, 

 and then they were wall'd up. In traveling through: the 

 Country, there are ft ill many to be fee% even; of thofe bet 

 fere the Conqueft by the Spaniards* 



