ugh "his throne was of
silver;" that is to say, notwithstanding the fact that moon-cult pertained
to the quarter to which he was assigned, namely, to the Below. He
justifies his departure from moon-cult by taunting the Inca that he, in
turn, did not adhere strictly to sun-cult but worshipped the impersonal
Creator. This struggle between the ancient native sun-cult and star-cult
and this religious dissension, the reason for which is apparent, initiated
the long period of internal strife and warfare which ultimately made the
Spanish Conquest such an easy matter.

During the course of these wars the Peruvian Inca, on one occasion,
avenged himself for a supposed insult by having drums made of the skins of
some of the enemies' messengers and by sending back others of these
"dressed as women," that is to say degraded from their positions as
warriors or noblemen to the ranks of the commoners. A similar degradation,
inflicted upon the Tlatelolcan rebels by the Mexicans has already been
mentioned and can only be fully understood when the class-system is
recognized.

From this and analogous instances it is evident that, admirable as the
scheme of government seems to have been as a means of laying the
foundations of civilization, and of teaching primitive people agriculture,
stability, law and order, yet the very features which rendered it so
efficient at first became, eventually, the cause of its gradual
disintegration, as soon as a certain degree of culture prosperity was
attained by the community. One mode of avoiding the evils of
over-population and of ridding the capital of its restless, and
enterprising or troublesome members, was the system of Mitimaes or
colonists. This merits particular attention, because it formed an integral
part of the marvellous and widespread scheme of organization we have been
studying, and therefore helps to an understanding of the customary means
by which civilization was spread in past ages throughout the American
continent.

As the population of Cuzco increased and greater food supplies were found
necessary, the Incas extended their dominions by a series of conquests.
"As soon as they had made themselves lords of a province they left
Mitimaes or settlers there, who caused the natives to live in communities"
and established a small centre of local government on the pattern of
Cuzco. Mitimaes or colonists were also sent, from different provinces, to
live on the frontiers, bordering on hostile c