themselves to this language, especially in speaking to the Spaniards, that they mostly use these terms.  Thus they call those chiefs caciques, who in their own language are named curacas, their bread corn and drink, which in the Peruvian are zara and azua, they denominate maize and chica, which names were brought from the islands by the Spaniards.  These curacas or caciques were the judges and protectors of their subjects in peace, and their leaders in war against the neighbouring tribes.  The whole people of Peru lived in that manner for many years under a multiplicity of independent chiefs, having no king or supreme chief; until at length a warlike nation came from the environs of the great lake Titicaca named the Incas in the language of Peru.  These men had their heads close shaven, and their ears pierced, in which they wore large round pendents of gold, by which their ears were dragged down upon their shoulders, in consequence of which they were called ringrim, or the large ears.  Their chief was called Zapalla Inca[30], or the only king; though others say that he was named Inca Vira cocha, or the king from the scum of the lake, because the astonished natives, not knowing the origin of their invaders, believed that they had started into existence from the scum or mud of the great lake.  This great lake of Titicaca is about eighty leagues in circumference, from which a large river runs to the southwards, which in some places is half a league in breadth, and which discharges its waters into a small lake about forty leagues from the great lake, which has no outlet.  This circumstance gives great astonishment to many, who are unable to comprehend how so vast a body of water should disappear in so small a reservoir.  As this smaller lake appears to have no bottom, some conceive that it discharges itself into the sea by some subterranean communication, like the river Alphaeus in Greece.

These Incas established themselves in the first place at Cuzco, from whence they gradually extended their sway over the whole of Peru, which became tributary to them.  The empire of the Incas descended in successive order, but not by immediate hereditary rules.  On the death of a king, he was succeeded by his immediately younger brother; and on his demise the eldest son of the preceding king was called to the throne; so as always to have on the throne a prince of full age.  The royal ornament worn by the supreme Inca in place of a crown or diadem, consisted in a fringe of coloured worsted from one temple to the other, reaching almost to the eyes.  He governed their extensive empire with much grandeur and absolute power; and perhaps there never was a country in the world where the subjects were so submissive and obedient.  They had only to place a single thread drawn from their diadem in the hands of one of the ringrim or great ears, by which he communicated to this deputy the most absolute delegation of power, which was respected and obeyed over the whole empire.  Alone, and without troops or attendants, the message or order which he carried was instantly obeyed, were it even to lay waste a whole province, and to exterminate every one of its inhabitants; as on the sight of this thread from the royal fillet, every one offered themselves voluntarily to death, without a single murmur or the slightest resistance.