The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-03
MistelIareous.
From Hills Travels In Peru and Mexico.
THE INcA's DAUGHTER.
A PERUVIAN LpGAED.

lluasca, the Inca Of Peru, who reigned o.
the beginning Of the sixteenth century, anC
who was remarkable for his love OF the arts,
especially those consected with the improve
ment of his capital, proclaimed that whose
ever would find mcans OF conveying water
With facility to his palace and to Cuzco
sbould receive in marriage his youngest
daughter, then a beautiful girl in the first
bloom of womanhood. This offer was nc
sooner made, than a young man appeared,
named Hassan, who declared himself capable
| of reforming the great work. He was i'm.
| mediately furnished with rs many men and
all the materials which he thought proper
10 demand, and the work was commenced.
While the work, however, was in progress,
an incident occurred which damped the ardor
of the youth for the accomplishment Of what
he had undertaken, and seemed to overthrow
any expectations Of It's ever being completed.
Among the numerous attendants upon the
workmen for the preparation of their food
and the care of the camp in which they dwclt,
thcro appeared girl Of great beauty, while
attending upon her father, was observed by
the Youthful engineer, who became so yio-
lcntly cnamored that his attention was dis
tracted and turned from the object upon
which his mind had hitherto been bent. lie
saw that the accomplishment Of the works
he had undertaken would result in his mar
rage with the daughter of the Inca and this,
though accompanied by all the honors the
sovereign could bestow, would deprive him
of that which he valued moro than life, and
tie him TO bride whom hc had never seen
- l., ...,.., .,.,,a. II 10, t,Sira n, kpny
Owing TO this state OF Hassan's mind,
neglect, langour and disorder reigncd in the
encampment Of the workmen, which at drst
seemed to every one 10 arise from conviction
on the part OF the engineer, that the accom-
plishment of the work was beyond his powers
Some time passed without any change, dur
ing which Hassan had frequent opportunities
Of meeting the young attendant to whom he
had become attached. This, however, was
bye and bye remarked by the people in such
a manner Us to induce the young to retire
and return no more to camp-distracting still
more the mind of the engineer, who was
unable to obtain any further information con-
cerning her.
The confusion into which everything was
now thrown became known to the Inca,
who soon learned, also, the real cause OF the
engineers default, and determined to take
his revenge by putting to death tho subject
who had 50 grossly and openly insultcd his
sovereign. The character of the offence was
such that Hassan was sent for before his
execution, and appeared, guarded, In the
presence of the Inca, who satupon his throne,
surrounded by his mobiles. Huasca, happen.
ing to be man OF moderate passions, asked
the culprit, i- the presence of his mobiles,
whether he had anything to say before his
execution, in cxtenuation OF tho crime ho
had committed by treating his sovereign with
contempt.
To this tho young man replied that he had
only to thank his sovereign for all the fayors
he had received, and more especially for that
he was about TO receive which would place
him beyond the reach of such suffering US he
had endured since he had become acquainted
with the innocent cause Of his misfortune.
At the moment that the Inca was about to
commit him to the tender mercies Of the exc
cutioners, the girl VIC have mentioned sud
denly appeared among the crowd oil mobiles,
dressed us she had been in the camp OF tho
workmen, and rushing into the centre OF the
hall, exclaimed
.Stay, Inca, Arrest the hand Of justice
for u moment, while put one question to
the unfortunate culprit. II shall be such as
the Inca will not diapproye.
From the moment OF this strange appari-
ton until the demand OF tho girl, there was
not sound heard. The whole OF the mobiles
present remained motionlcss and silent. But,
had no embarrassment overwhelmed them,
the presence of their sovereign would have
restrained equally their words and their acts.
Huasca, who alone seemed unmoyed, nodded
assent to the demand Of the girl, who now
walked up to the youth, and laying her right
hand upon his left shoulder, and standing o
little on one side, that his countenance might
be well seen by the Inca, said:
sYoung man of the hills, where the Inca
is ever known, subject to IIuasca, hast thou
chosen the child of the wales in preference to
the daughter ofthy sovereign?
Tc'which the youth, after steadhstly re-
garding the Inca, replied:
The will of the great source OF light be
done. The sentence OF the Inca is just.
Then turning to the girl, he added: =.
Il gonow with my joy to dwell where
shall await thy coming, to possess thee ior-
eyer.'
But wherefore couldst thou not, said the
girl. accomplish the work which thou hast
undcrtakenT
1T had been DONE said the youth, "had
the labor been accompanied with the hope
of possessing thee
AT this reply the young girl, suddenly
throwing Oh her upper garnents, which had
hidden those which would have betrayed her
true character, and taking the cntranccd
youth by the hand, advanced up to the loot
of the throne Of the Inca, and exclaimed;
Great father of the children Of the sun,
whom thou lowest us thysclf demand the
remission of the youth, now bound down
before thee, until II be known whether the
great work he has undertaken can be accom-
plished or not
Inca Huasca, whose affection for his
daughter was, beyond all other feelings,
electrified by the occurrence, signihcd his
assent 10 the proposal. q.
A few months after this the great aqueduct
was completed, and the engineer and the
princess became man and vile.