Year: 1860

A 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, especial
ly those connected with the improvement of bis
capital, proclaimed that whosoever would find
means of conveying water with facility to bis
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, than young man appeared
called Hassan, who declared himself capable o1
performing the great work. He was immedi-
ately furnished with as many men, and all the
materials, 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 he
had undertaken, and seemed to overthrow all
expectations of its ever being completed. A.
mong the numerous attendants upon the work
men for the preparation of their food, and the
care of the camp in which they dwelt, there ap-
peared q girl of great beauty, who, while attend
ing upon her father, was observed by the youth
full engineer, who became so violently enamored
that his attention was distracted and turned from
the object upon which his mind had been hitherto
bent. He saw that the accomplishment of the
work he had 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 bride whom he had never seen, and had
now ceased to desire to know.


Owing to this state of Hassan's mind, neglect,
languor and disorder reigned in the encampment
of the workmen, which at first seemed to every
one to arise from conviction on the part of the
engineer that the accomplishment of the work
was beyond his power. Some time passed with
out any change, during which Hassan had fire.
quent opportunities of meeting the young atten-
dant to whom he had become attached. This,
however, was by and by remarked by the peo-
pie in such manner as to induce the young girl
to retire and return no more to the camp-dis-
tracing still more the mind of the engineer,
who was unable to obtain any further informa-
ton concerning her.


The confusion into which everything was now
thrown became known to the Inca, who soon
learned also the real cause of the engineers de-
fault, and determined to take his revenge by
putting to death the subject who had SO grossly
and 80 openly insulted his sovereign. The char
acter, however, of the offence was such that
Hassan was sent for before his execution, and
appeared, guarded, in the presence of the Inca,
who sat upon bis throne, surrounded by his no.
bles. Huasca, happening to be man of mode
rate passions, asked the colprit, in the presence
of his mobiles, whether he had anything to say
before his execution in extenuation of the crime
be had committed by treating his sovereign with
contempt.


10 this the young man replied, that he had
only to thank his sovereign for all the favors he
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 en-
dured 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 execu.
TONERS, the girl we have mentioned suddenly
appeared among the crowd of mobiles, dressed as
she bad been in the camp of the workmen. and.
rushlng into the centre of the hall, exclaimed:


"Stay, Inca Arrest the hand of justice for
moment, while put one question to the unfor-
tunate culprit. 1t shall be such as the Inca will
not disapprove."


From the moment of this strange apparition
until the demand of the girl, there was not a
sound heard. The whole of the mobiles present
remained motionless and silent. But. had no
embarrassment overwhelmed them. the pres
ence OF their sovereign would have restrained
equally their words and their acts. Huasca. who
alone seemed unmoved, 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 little on one side,
that his countenance might be well seen by the
Inca, said:


"Young man OF the hills where the Inca is
ever known subject to Huasca hast thou cho-
sen the child of the wales in preference to the
daughter OF thy sovereigns''


To which the youth, after steadfastly regard
ing the Inca, replied:


"The will Of the Great Source of Light be done.