The record-union., 1891-02-22
VALLEY OF CUZCO.
Visit to the Ancient Capital of the
Incas.
Coricancha ssPlace of Gold, Re-
mains of Old-Time Magnificence-
Splendid Palaces of Semi-Barbaric
Princes Displaced by Modern
Squalor.

Princes Displaced by Modern
Squalor.
! Especial Correspondence of SUNDAY UNION.
CUZco, Peru, 1891.
| The principal charm of this extremely
picturesque but uncomfortable city lies in
its antiquity, and in the glamor which
history and tradition have thrown around
it. So many centuries ago that the date
is lost in the mysteries of fable this now
comparatively empty portion OF Peru was
swarming with one of the richest and
most powerful nations under the sun.
Archnologists estimate that the enormous
population once herded in these narrow
| valleys was far more numerous than that
which to-day spreads over the whole area
of the United States. Not only in the
valley of CuZco, but scattered over hun
dreds of miles in all directions, may be
| seen the remains of towns and cities
which, perhaps thousand years ago,
! were much more populouS than any that
now exist III the country. a civilization
was here developed which has left memo
riaiS of its genius and advancement
carved in massive stone, and evidences OF
]
never inflated
Tradition tells us that Cuzco was
founded by the first Inca, Nance Capac-
Il supernatural parsonage who came down
| from the Sun-heaven on purpose to con-
! solidate all the tribes of the surrounding
country under one form of religious gov
! ernment; that he was accompanied and
assisted by Mama Della this sister, who
was also his wife, and that the pair were
| directed by their father, the Sun, to make
this the Holy City for his worship, as
well as the royal capital of the new ma
| ton.
The present Plaza Mayor in the center OF
the modern city is undoubtedly the same
great central square of Manco's day.
though portion of it has been built upon;
and long, narrow streets cross each other
at right angles, the same us in ancient
! times. Two rivers that run through il
were enclosed by the earliest builders be-
tween high walls, crossed by numerous
| bridges formed of projecting stones.
Those ancient walls have never been re-
newed, and most of the bridges are yet in
use, for modern engineers say they could
not be improved upon. Certainly tl,air
substantial character is attested by the
fact that the winds and rains of many
centuries have failed to injure them. At
| frequent intervals along the walls stone
steps lead down to the water, which are
worn into deep hollows by the feet OF
! generations gone to dust
Being built on unequal ground, the
original architects We're compelled to
make many terraces in order to provide
suitable sites for their immense struc-
lures. They walled the terraces after the
fashion called "Cyclopean," with stones
of irregular shape and size, all carefully
| fitted together like the scraps of crazy
| quilt: and some of these walls outline
the streets to-day. The poorer dwellings
OF the common people of ancient times
| long since disappeared, but the conquer
ers converted many of the temples and
! palaces into churches and converts. The
oldtime gateways were retained, and
! though most of the better buildings now
| to be seen are of comparatively recent
origin, one finds everywhere parts of
Inca walls and strangely carved portals
incorporated in the newer houses. Fran
cisco PiZzaro's casa is an example of this
patchwork style Of architecture, having
an imposing portal that far antedates his
own rather distant time.
! Cuzco's great cathedral occupies the
! site OF the ancient building which the
! eighth Inca dedicated to the festivals of
| the people, and which the early chroni-
clers tell us was large enough for an en-
| tire regiment to exercise under its roof.
1t was in this building that the invaders.
under Gonzalo Pizzaro, barricaded them
! selves for that last battle with the Peru
vians which they knew would decide the
| fate of their campaign, as defeat meant
! death to every one of them. According
to a legend elaborately carved over the
main doorway of the cathedral, the Span
/ ish victory was due to San Jago (St.
James,, who appeared at the critical
moment upon a milk-white horse and
! took part in the conflict for the overthrow
| of the 'heathen."
The present convent of Santa Catalina
was established upon the site of the
palace (or prison. of the Virgins of the
Sun, and Catholic nuns take their daily
airing in the very footsteps of long-dead
| Vestals. Part of the walls of the Inca
| HuaScar's palace were retained, and
enough remains of the old building to
give Il good idea of how it must have
| looked early in the twelfth century. In
short, the carved and polished stones of
! the splendid palaces. of the Inca nobility,
! that once crowded their royal capital,
have ever since served as an inexhausti-
! BILE quarry for the descendants of those
who overthrow them. AS Consul Miller
states in his Memoirs: 'The great size
/ of these stones, the infinite variety of
their shapes, and the inimitable work
manship they display, give to the city
that interesting air of antiquity and ro-
nance which fills the mind with pleasing
! thought and painful veneration."
Besides the central plaza, there are q
dozen other spacious squares, wherein
| the old-time population were accustomed
to celebrate the curious festivals of their
religion, and where the people of to-day
hold their fiestas and public amusements.
Being the ",Holy City, pilgrims from
the farthest borders of the empire came
here to worship in the great Temple of
the Sun, which, judging from all accounts,
must have been the most magnificent
structure in the New World, and proba-
| bly, contained more treasure than any
single edifice in the Old. Says the histo-
rian: 1.-The most renowned of the Peru
Wan temples, the pride of the Capital and
the wonder of the Empire, was at Cuzco,
where, under the muniticence of success
i've sovereigns, it became so enriched that
1t received the name of Coricancha, or
Place of Gold and the MONDAY sun in
all its glory-of which it was intended to
] be epresentation-could not surpass it
| in brilliancy." 1t consisted of a princi-
pal building and several chapels, cover
| ing large extent of ground in the heart
| of the city, and completely encompassed
| by a high wall, also of cut and polished
| stones. The work was so finely exc
cuted That an early Spaniard declared that
| he could call to mind but two edifices in
all Europe which would bear any COM
! parison to it.
The interior of the temple was literally
mine of gold. On its western wall was
| emblaZoned reminder of the Sun-god-
| an enormous figure of the human face,
made of pure gold. from which golden
rays darted in all directions. The mas
sive plate of gold was thickly powdered
with diamonds, emeralds and other
precious stones, and so situated in front
OF the great eastern portal that the rays of
! the morning sun Shone directly upon it.
/ IL