Inca Storehouses and the Palaces of Tumebamba

En algunas partes deste libro he apuntado el gran poder que tuvieron los ingas reyes del Perú, y su mucho valor, y como en mas de mil y docientas leguas que mandaron de costa tenian sus delegados y gobernadores, y muchos aposentos y grandes depósitos llenos de las cosas necesarias; lo cual era para provision de la gente de guerra; porque en uno destos depósitos habia lanzas, y en otros dardos, y en otros ojotas, y en otros las demás armas que ellos tienen. Asimismo unos depósitos estaban proveidos de ropas ricas, y otros de mas bastas, y otros de comida y todo género de mantenimientos.

In some parts of this book I have noted the great power that the Inca kings of Peru had, and their great worth, and how in more than one thousand two hundred leagues of coast that they ruled they had their delegates and governors, and many lodgings and great storehouses full of the necessary things; which was for the provision of the people of war; because in one of these storehouses there were lances, and in others darts, and in others sandals, and in others the other arms that they have. Likewise some storehouses were provided with rich clothing, and others with coarser, and others with food and every kind of provisions.

In several places in this book I have noted the great power of the Inca kings of Peru and their great worth. Along more than twelve hundred leagues1 of coast that they ruled, they had their deputies and governors, and many lodgings and great storehouses full of everything needed. All this was to supply the warriors. In one of these storehouses there were lances, in others darts, in others sandals,2 and in others the rest of the weapons they use. Some storehouses were also stocked with fine cloth, others with coarser cloth, and others with food and every kind of provisions.

1. About 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles). A league was roughly the distance a person could walk in an hour.
2. Ojotas, sandals of hide or plant fiber, still worn in the Andes.

De manera que aposentado el señor en su aposento, y alojada la gente de guerra, ninguna cosa, desde la mas pequeña hasta la mayor y mas principal, dejaba de haber para que pudiesen ser proveidos; lo cual si lo eran, y hacian en la comarca de la tierra algunos insultos y latrocinios, eran luego con gran rigor castigados, mostrándose en esto tan justicieros los señores ingas, que no dejaban de mandar ejecutar el castigo aunque fuese en sus propios hijos.

So that, the lord lodged in his lodging and the people of war quartered, nothing, from the smallest to the greatest and most important, failed to be there so that they might be provided; and if they were [provided] and [still] did in the district of the land some outrages and robberies, they were at once punished with great rigor, the Inca lords showing themselves so just in this that they did not fail to order the punishment carried out even if it were on their own sons.

So when the lord was lodged in his quarters and the warriors were billeted, nothing was lacking, from the smallest thing to the greatest, to supply them. And if, once supplied, they committed any outrage or robbery in the surrounding country, they were punished at once and severely. The Inca lords were so strict in this that they would order the punishment carried out even on their own sons.

Y no embargante que tenia esta órden, y habia tantos depósitos y aposentos (que estaba el reino lleno dellos), tenian á diez leguas y á veinte, y á mas y á menos, en la comarca de las provincias, unos palacios suntuosos para los reyes, y hecho templo del sol, adonde estaban los sacerdotes y las mamaconas vírgines ya dichas, y mayores depósitos que los ordinarios; y en estos estaba el gobernador y capitan mayor del Inga con los indios mitimaes y mas gente de servicio. Y el tiempo que no habia guerra, y el Señor no caminaba por aquella parte, tenia cuidado de cobrar los tributos de su tierra y término, y mandar bastecer los depósitos y renovarlos á los tiempos que convenian, y hacer otras cosas grandes; porque, como tengo apuntado, era como cabeza de reino ó de obispado.

And notwithstanding that it had this order, and there were so many storehouses and lodgings (for the kingdom was full of them), they had at ten leagues and at twenty, and more and less, in the district of the provinces, some sumptuous palaces for the kings, and a temple of the sun made, where were the priests and the virgin mamaconas already mentioned, and greater storehouses than the ordinary ones; and in these was the governor and chief captain of the Inca with the mitimaes Indians and more people of service. And the time that there was no war, and the Lord did not travel through that part, he had the care of collecting the tributes of his land and district, and ordering the storehouses supplied and renewed at the times that were suitable, and doing other great things; because, as I have noted, it was like the head of a kingdom or of a bishopric.

Besides this system, and the many storehouses and lodgings that filled the kingdom, every ten or twenty leagues, more or less, there were splendid palaces for the kings in the provinces. Each had a temple of the Sun, with its priests and the virgin mamaconas I have mentioned,3 and storehouses larger than the ordinary ones. There the Inca's governor and chief captain lived, with the mitimaes4 and other servants. In times when there was no war and the lord was not traveling in that region, the governor saw to collecting the tribute of his land and district. He had the storehouses filled and restocked at the proper times, and did other great things. As I have said, each such place was like the capital of a kingdom or the seat of a bishop.

3. Women chosen to serve the Sun and the Inca. They lived apart, wove fine cloth, and brewed maize beer for the temple and the court.
4. Mitimaes (from Quechua mitmaq), groups of people the Inca moved from their homelands to settle in other provinces, to hold them and work the land.

Estos aposentos famosos de Tumebamba, que (como tengo dicho) están situados en la provincia de los Cañares, eran de los soberbios y ricos que hubo en todo el Perú, y adonde habia los mayores y mas primos edificios. Y cierto ninguna cosa dicen destos aposentos los indios, que no vemos que fuese mas, por las reliquias que dellos han quedado. Los aposentos de Tumebamba están asentados á las juntas de dos pequeños rios en un llano de campaña que terná mas de doce leguas de contorno. Es tierra fria y bastecida de mucha caza de venados, conejos, perdices, tórtolas y otras aves.

These famous lodgings of Tumebamba, which (as I have said) are situated in the province of the Cañares, were among the proudest and richest that there were in all Peru, and where there were the greatest and finest buildings. And certainly the Indians say nothing of these lodgings that we do not see was [even] more, from the remains that have been left of them. The lodgings of Tumebamba are set at the junction of two small rivers in a level plain that must have more than twelve leagues around. It is cold land and supplied with much game, of deer, rabbits, partridges, turtledoves and other birds.

These famous lodgings of Tumebamba are in the province of the Cañares, as I have said. They were among the most magnificent and richest in all Peru, with the largest and finest buildings. Indeed, the Indians say nothing about them that the remains do not show to have been true, and more. The lodgings of Tumebamba stand where two small rivers meet, on an open plain more than twelve leagues around. It is cold country, with plenty of game: deer, rabbits, partridges, turtledoves, and other birds.

Las mujeres vírgines que estaban dedicadas al servicio del templo eran mas de docientas y muy hermosas, naturales de los Cañares y de la comarca que hay en el distrito que gobernaba el mayordomo mayor del Inga, que residia en estos aposentos. Y ellas y los sacerdotes eran bien proveidos por los que tenian cargo del servicio del templo, á las puertas del cual habia porteros, de los cuales se afirma que algunos eran castrados, que tenian cargo de mirar por las mamaconas, que así habian por nombre las que residian en los templos. Junto al templo y á las casas de los reyes ingas habia gran número de aposentos, adonde se alojaba la gente de guerra, y mayores depósitos llenos de las cosas ya dichas; todo lo cual estaba siempre bastantemente proveido, aunque mucho se gastase; porque los contadores tenian á su usanza grande cuenta con lo que entraba y salia, y todo se hacia siempre la voluntad del señor.

The virgin women who were dedicated to the service of the temple were more than two hundred and very beautiful, natives of the Cañares and of the district there is in the area that the chief steward of the Inca governed, who resided in these lodgings. And they and the priests were well provided by those who had charge of the service of the temple, at the doors of which there were doorkeepers, of whom it is affirmed that some were castrated, who had charge of watching over the mamaconas, for so were named those who lived in the temples. Next to the temple and the houses of the Inca kings there was a great number of lodgings, where the people of war were quartered, and greater storehouses full of the things already said; all of which was always sufficiently provided, however much was spent; because the accountants kept, in their manner, great account of what came in and went out, and in everything the will of the lord was always done.

The virgin women dedicated to the service of the temple numbered more than two hundred, and they were very beautiful. They came from the Cañares and the surrounding district governed by the Inca's chief steward, who lived in these lodgings. They and the priests were well supplied by those in charge of the temple's service. At the temple doors there were doorkeepers. Some of them, it is said, were eunuchs, whose duty was to watch over the mamaconas, as the women who lived in the temples were called. Next to the temple and the houses of the Inca kings there were a great many lodgings where the warriors were quartered, and larger storehouses full of the things I have mentioned. All of it was always well stocked, however much was used, because the accountants, in their own way,5 kept close count of what came in and went out. And the lord's will was always done in everything.

5. The Incas kept their accounts on khipus, cords of knotted strings that recorded numbers and other information.

Las mujeres son algunas hermosas y no poco ardientes en lujuria, amigas de españoles. Son estas mujeres para mucho trabajo, porque ellas son las que cavan las tierras y siembran los campos y cogen las sementeras, y muchos de sus maridos están en sus casas tejiendo y hilando y aderezando sus armas y ropa, y curando sus rostros y haciendo otros oficios afeminados. Y cuando algun ejército de españoles pasaba por su provincia, siendo, como aquel tiempo eran, obligados á dar indios que llevasen á cuestas las cargas del fardaje de los españoles, muchos daban sus hijas y mujeres, y ellos se quedaban en sus casas. Lo cual yo vi al tiempo que íbamos á juntarnos con el licenciado Gasca, presidente de su majestad, porque nos dieron gran cantidad de mujeres, que nos llevaban las cargas de nuestro bagaje.

The women, some are beautiful and not a little ardent in lust, friends of Spaniards. These women are [fit] for much work, because they are the ones who dig the lands and sow the fields and gather the crops, and many of their husbands are in their houses weaving and spinning and preparing their arms and clothing, and tending their faces and doing other effeminate trades. And when some army of Spaniards passed through their province, being, as at that time they were, obliged to give Indians who should carry on their backs the loads of the Spaniards' baggage, many gave their daughters and wives, and they stayed in their houses. Which I saw at the time we were going to join the licentiate Gasca, president for his majesty, because they gave us a great number of women, who carried for us the loads of our baggage.

Some of the women are beautiful, and not a little lustful, and fond of Spaniards. These women do a great deal of work. They are the ones who dig the ground, sow the fields, and bring in the harvest. Meanwhile many of their husbands stay at home weaving and spinning, preparing their weapons and clothing, grooming their faces, and doing other women's work. In those days the Cañares were obliged to provide Indians to carry the Spaniards' baggage on their backs. So when a Spanish army passed through their province, many gave their daughters and wives, and the men stayed at home. I saw this myself when we were on our way to join the licentiate Gasca, His Majesty's president.6 They gave us a great many women, who carried the loads of our baggage.

6. Pedro de la Gasca, sent by the Spanish king to end the revolt of Gonzalo Pizarro in Peru. Cieza joined his army in 1547.

Algunos indios quieren decir que mas hacen esto por la gran falta que tienen de hombres y abundancia de mujeres, por causa de la gran crueldad que hizo Atabaliba en los naturales desta provincia al tiempo que entró en ella, despues de haber en el pueblo de Ambato muerto y desbaratado al capitan general de Guascar inga, su hermano, llamado Atoco. Que afirman que, no embargante que salieron los hombres y niños con ramos verdes y hojas de palma á pedirle misericordia, con rostro airado, acompañado de gran severidad, mandó á sus gentes y capitanes de guerra que los matasen á todos; y asi, fueron muertos gran número de hombres y niños, segun que yo trato en la tercera parte desta historia. Por lo cual los que agora son vivos dicen que hay quince veces mas mujeres que hombres.

Some Indians would say that they do this more because of the great lack they have of men and abundance of women, because of the great cruelty that Atabaliba did to the natives of this province at the time he entered it, after having killed and routed in the town of Ambato the captain general of Guascar Inga, his brother, called Atoco. For they affirm that, notwithstanding that the men and children came out with green branches and palm leaves to ask him for mercy, with an angry face, accompanied by great severity, he ordered his people and captains of war to kill them all; and so a great number of men and children were killed, as I treat in the third part of this history. For which reason those who are now alive say that there are fifteen times more women than men.

Some Indians say they do this mostly because they have so few men and so many women. This, they say, comes from the great cruelty Atabaliba showed the people of this province when he entered it.7 He had just defeated and killed his brother Guascar Inga's captain general, named Atoco, at the town of Ambato. They say that the men and children came out with green branches and palm leaves to beg him for mercy. But with an angry face and great severity, he ordered his men and war captains to kill them all. And so a great number of men and children were killed, as I tell in the third part of this history. Because of this, those now living say there are fifteen times as many women as men.

7. Atahualpa and Huascar, sons of Huayna Capac, fought a civil war for the throne in the years just before the Spaniards arrived. The Cañari had sided with Huascar.