Traveller.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 440, 1 September 1904, Page 3

Traveller.

E

THE ANCIENT INCAS

(T is a strange but indubitable fact that it is possible for highly advanced refinement and a primitive type of barbarism to exist side by side, to support each other in a united polity. Such an anomaly is presented in the case of the ancient Incas of Peru, the race dominant in Peru when Europeans first found their way thither. The word Inca, or Yuca, was also specially the title of the monarch, and it would appear of certain princes. The early history of the Incas or ancient Peruvians is shouded in oblivion. At the time of the Spanish conquest, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, their- empire extended from about the second degree north to the thirty-seventh degree of south latitude, embracing the modorn republics of Ecuador, Peru,-Bolivia, and Chili. It was never specially suitable for agriculture and communication; but the industry and genius of the natives overcame all impediments. The coast in the main is a series of sandy deserts; the Sierra or region of the Andes contains stupendous chains of mountains, elevated plains, and table-lands, interspersed with warm and fertile valleys and ravines. The people who inhabited it were of rather less than the average height, of a light copper colour, highly civilised, industrious, and of a very contented disposition. They were numerous, and warlike,, so far as acquiring neighbouring lands and bringing the people under their sway was concerned. In these characteristics they present a marked contrast to their equally civilised but yet unknown neighbours the Aztecs, in the north, and the Patagonians in the south. The Aztecs were diminutive, almost sufficiently so to earn the name of pygmies; whilst they .were most pugilistically inclined, fighting and conquering for the love of war. The Patagonians, on the other hand, were savages in every way, and of immenso stature.

The capital of the empire was Cuzco, situated high up among the Cordilleras, but yet enjoying. a salubrious climate, owing to its situation in the tropics. According to the tradition of the Incas, this was the spot at which their empire began. It was, as the word Cuzco signifies, the navel of the country. The city was well fortified, naturally and artificially, by a strong fortress on the north, and a spur of the Cordilleras on the east. The city was connected with the four divisions of the empire by four great roads, constructed for military purposes, to enable large bodies of troops to be moved expeditiously from one place to another. These roads are marvels of scientific workmanship, and the remains which to-day may be seen attest their former magnificence of design and construction.

The head of the government was the Inca or king, as the word signifies. He represented a despotism so thorough that the food of the people could be withheld at his word. The succession descended from father to son unbroken through their whole dynasty, being claimed by the eldest son of the ' boy a' or lawful queen, as she was called, in distinction from the king's numerous concubines. It is a noteworthy coincidence of Egyptian and Peruvian custom, although too much importance should not be given to > it, that the queen was selected from the sisters of the Inca—the idea of this revolting practice being to keep the heaven-born race (so-called) trncontaminated from the world. The heirapparent was very early given into the charge of the ' amautas' or wise men, who instructed him in all the. knowledge they had, and particulary in religious matters, as the Inca was the head of the church. He was carefully trained in military affairs. At the age of sixteen he was examined very rigorously with the young nobles for admission to the order of chivalry. This examination consisted of the performance of athletic exercises, such as running, boxing, fully trying their agility and strength: severe fasts, mimic combats with blunted weapons. This lasted thirty days. At the conclusion, the successful candidates were presented to the sovereign, and had their ears pierced to receive the round ornament denoting their degree of nobility. This ornament was inserted in "the gristle of the ear, and so distended it that in some cases it rested on the shoulders. After this, the candidates moved off to the public square to indulge in songs and dances. This ceremonial was called the ' huaraeu.'

The Inca represented the Sun, and presided over all important religious festivals. He alone could raise armies and command thorn; he controlled the imposition of taxes, the making of laws, the appointment and removal of judges. He was the head of everything, and from whom everything flowed.

The nobility were of tho same blood as the Inca, but immeasurably below him in dignity; the proudest of them could not come into his presence unless barefooted, and carrying a burden of some sort upon his shoulder, to denote the homage due to the Inca. The common people were as much below the nobility ?s the nobility were below the king.

Let us glance at a few of their civil institutions. The whole of tho country was divided into three parts—one for the Sun, one for' the Inca, and another for the People. The sizes of the different parts differed in different "districts. The lands set apart for the Sun provided means to support the temples and elaborate ceremonial of Peruvian worship, and the numerous priesthood. Those for the Inca supported him in his luxuriously royal state, as also his large household and various demands of the Government. ' The remainder of the lands were divided per capita equally among the people.' ■ It is here that the absolute serfdom of the people is so patent. Every Peruvian by law was compelle'd to marry at a certain age. He was then provided with a dwelling, and a plot of land sufficient to support his wife and himself, r an additional portion being granted for every child, double as much for a son as for a daughter. The lands were redivided yearly, being added to or diminished according to the size of the family. The effect of this was to keep the people on the soil, and to prevent them acquiring too much land, and consequently power. The lands were entirely cultivated by the people. First, they tilled the lands of the Sun ; next, those of the old, sick, widow, orphan, and soldiers engaged in war; they were then allowed to till their own; and last of all, the .lands Of the Inca. In like manner, manufactures and agricultural products were attended to. Education was monopolised by the Inca and the nobility. The teachers were called ' arnauta.' The' ' quipu ' were the books. The ' quipu ' was a small cord from one to two feet long, made of variously coloured threads twisted together. From this other, smaller and thinner cords were hung, forming a fringe; all the cords were different colours. The colours represented objects such as gold, silver; sometimes white signified peace '. red, war; but they were chiefly used for calculation. The fringe and cord were : tied into a number of knots, which stood for ciphers; and these, used in conjunction with the colours, could be made to represent any amount required. These quipu were also the records by which statistics from all parts of the country, relating to population, trade, military and local affairs, &e., were preserved. They

: Were deposited in the Peruvian ' Somerset House' at Cuzco. In this respect the Peruvians were far behind the Aztecs, who had a system of hieroglyphics, which, although a poor substitute for an alphabet of arbitrary signs, was yet capable of expressing more, and in a clearer manner, than could thoquipu. These records were" under the charge of the amauta, who taught their pupils from them. This was the way history passed down from generation to generation, and it is easy to understand how an event might become exaggerated and distorted.

The Peruvians were not so advanced in scientific knowledge as their northern neighbours. They divided the year info twelve lunar months, oach of which was known by a particular name, and distinguished by its own festival. The yoar was further divided into weeks ; but of what length, whether of seven or more days, is uncertain. They based their calendar upon the lunar year, and corrected it by observations taken with the help of cylindrical columns set up round Cuzco. Prom these columns they could tell the exact time of the solstices. The time of the equinoxes was obtained from a single column with a circle drawn round it, and a diameter drawn east and west. When the sun was almost immediately over the column, and the shadow scarcely to be seen, they said, ' The god sat with all his light upon the column.' The year commenced about the 21st of December. Had the conquerors not been possessed of a ruthlessly destructive spirit, the history of the Incas would be as clear as our own. We aro indebted for what we do know to the enlightenment of a few noble Spaniards, such as, Sarmiento, Ondegardo, andGomara.