Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-08-03
lFrom IlHrs Travels m Peru and Mcxicol
THE INCA'S DAUGHTER.

HE lNCA DAlGHl Eh.
PERUVIAN LEGEND.
Huasca, the Inca Of Peru, who reigned at
the beginning Of the sixteenth century and
who was remarkable for his love Of the arts.
especially those connected with the improve
meut OF his capital. proclaimed that whoso-
ever would find means of conveying water
with facility TO his palace and TO Cuzco, should
receive in marriage his youngest daughter,
then beautiful girl in the first bloom of
womanhood. This offer was no sooner made,
then a young man appeared, named Hassau,
who declared himself capable of performing
the great work. lie was Immediately fur
nshed with as many men, and all the materi-
ais which he thought proper to 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
be bad undertaken and seemed to overthrow
all expectations of its 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 dwelt,
there appeared girl Of great beauty, who
while attending upon her father, was observed
by the youthful engineer, who became so
violently onamored that his attention was
distracted and turned from the object upon
which his mind had hitherto been bent. He
saw that the accomplishment Of the work he
bad undertaken would result in his marriage
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 more than life, and tie him to a
bride whom he had never seen and bad now
ceased to desire to know
Owing to this state Of Hassan's mind, neg
ect, languor and disorder rcigncd in the en-
campment of the workmen, which at first
seemed to every one to arise from convic-
tion on the part of the engineer, that the ac-
complshment of the work was beyond his
power. Some time passed without any change,
during which Hassan had frequently oppor-
tunities Of meeting the young attendant to
whom he had become attached. This, how
ever was bye and bye remarked by the people
in such manner as to induce the young girl
TO retire and return no more 90 the camp
distractng still more the mind Of the engineer,
who was unable to obtain any further inform
alton concerning her.
The confusion into which everything was
now thrown became known to the Inca, who
soon learned also, the real cause Of the en-
kAuttl utldulls anu determined 10 lhkf MS
revenge by putting to death the subject who
had so grossly and openly insulted his Sover-
eign. The character, however, OF the offence
was such that Hassan was sent for before his
execution, and appeared guarded, in the pres
enoe Of Inca, who sat upon his throne, sur
rounded by his mobiles Huasca, happening
to be a man of moderate passions, asked the
culprit, in the presence of his mobiles. whether
. d ], I,C.x
in extenuation of the crime he had committed
by treating his Sovereign with contempt,
To this the young man replied, that he had
only to thank his Sovereign for all the favors
no had received, and more especially for that
he was about to receive which would place
him beyond the reach of such suffering as 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 ex-
ecutioners, the girl we have mentioned sud-
denly appeared among the crowd of mobiles,
dressed as sho had been in the camp Of the
workman, and rushing into the centre Of the
hall, exclaimed
"Stay Inca Arrest the hand of iutice for
a moment, while put one question to the
unfortunate culprit. 1t shall be such as the
Inca will not dsapprovo."
From the moment of this strange appeara-
tion until the demand of the girl, there was
not a sound heard. The whole of the mobiles
present remained motionless aud silent. But,
had no embarrassment overwhelmed them, the
presence Of their Sovereign would have re-
strained equally their words and their acts
Huasca, who alone seemed unmoved, nodded
assent to the demand of the girl, who walked
up to the youth and laying her hand upon his
left shoulder, aud standing little on one side
that his countenance might be will seen by the
Inca, said
Young man Of the hills. where the Inca is
ever known, subject to Huasca, hast thou
chosen the child OF the valcs in preference to
the daughter of thy Sovereign;
To which the youth after steadiasty ro-
garding the Inca, replied:
"The will of the great source Of light be
done The sentence Of the Inca is just
Then, turing to the girl, he added -
81 60 now with joy to dwell whore ! shall
await thy coming, to possess thee forever. -
But wherefore couldst thou not, said the
girl, accomplish the work thou hast under
takeni"
"lt had been DONE" said the youth, ''had
the labor been accompanied with the hope of
possessing thee"
At this reply the young girl suddenly throw
ing off her upper garments, which had hidden
those which would have betrayed her true
character, and taking the ontranced youth by
the hand, advanced up to the foot of the throne
OF the Inca, and exclaimed 49,
Great father Of the children Of the sun, |
whom thou lowest as thyself, demand the re-
mission of the sentence against the youth,
now bound down before thee, until it be
known whether the great work he has under
taken can be accomplished or not"