Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-19

all belong to the same family, were "the
four sheep OF the early Peruvians;" the first
clothing the common people, the second the
mobiles, the third the royal governors, and
the fourth the imperial family.
FATE OF THE ROYAL CLoTHIER.
So the vicuna, tlmid, gentle, gazelle-
like creature. whose long, silky, fawn-col-
ored hair changes its hues in different lights
and has peculiar gloss resembling that on
"changeable silks" furnished the royal
ermine of the Inca kings, and none below
mobiles of certain rank were permitted to
wear it. The animal was protected by law,
as well as by sacred traditions, and allowed
to roam unharmed in the hills and forests,
where it accumulated in great numbers.
The Spanish invaders first began to slaugh-
ter it for food, and it is said that the con-
quered Indians expected some dreadful
penalty to be visited On the invaders for de-
stroying and eating the sacred beast, but lost
faith In the old traditions when the slayers
escaped divine retribution.
If you want to know all about the "Pal-
ace of the Virgins read Prof. Suuier's
Peru, which describes it far better than
L could hope to do. 1t was built in two
parts, around two shrines, dedicated res
pectively to the sun and the moon. This
remarkable edifice is still we'll preserved
and Is one OF the most beautiful specimens
OF aboriginal architecture extant.
FOUNDING OF CUzCo.
Island, the children OF the sun proceeded on
their benefcent errand, to unite under one
government all the tribes that occupied the
country and to instruct them in new re-
liglon. Manco-Capac carried q golden staff
which his father, the sun, had given to him
with instructions that he was to continue
his travels until the proper place was
reached for founding his capital and seat of
government, where as token the rod would
sink into the ground.
He obeyed the divine behest, travelling
night and day along the western border of
the lake, through the broad, level puma
lands that lead up to the valley OF Pucura;
continuing on to the end of the great Titicaca
basin and following the river Vilcanote on
its course from the little lake, La Raya, to
swell the waters of the Amazon. Advanc-
ing down the valley of that river he finally
reached the spot in central Peru where the
city Of Cuzco now staLds-when 10 the
golden staff Immediately disappeared So
there he founded the splendid city of the
sun, the capital of the Inca empire.
RICH IN GOLD.
In Cuzco stood the magniicen. temple
known as Coricancha, the "Place of Gold"
History tells US that on its western wall was
fastened colossal representation of the
human face, made of pure gold, from which
golden rays darted in all directions. In
other parts Of the building were golden i'm
ages. vessels and figures of all descriptions;
SO that when the sun, whom they adored,
shed his golden beams upon the edifice the
whole place was one mass of light and
splendor. Underneath the great golden
lace chairs were ranged, also made OF solid
gold, In which were seated the embalmed
bodies OF the Inca Emperors, as they died in
succession. In its outer court were smaller
temples-one to the moon, one to Venus, one
to the rainbow. one to Pleiades, one to thun-
der and lightning-all of which were richly
decorated with gold and silver.
And so Manco-Capac became priest and
ruler in the land. He made laws and taught
the people the arts of peace and war; while
his wife and sister, Mama Della, instructed
the women In weaving and spinning and the
care of their children. Tradition goes on to
state that after 40 years of life On earth,
during which time the heavenly pair did not
grow day older, they returned to the sun
and were seen no more.
Beginning with Cuzco and the country
surrounding it, Capac's de-
scendants gradually enlarged their territory,
until, at the time of the coming OF Pizarro
and his gang, it embraced 40 degrees of lati-
tude and included more than 10, 0OO, 900 of
inhabitants. Since the Spanish conquest,
however, the native population has been
steadily Diminishing and to-day there are
hardly more than 10, 900, 900 OF people in the
whole Inca domain. FANNIE B. WARD.