uancavilcas. He came to the
river called Ancas-mayu, between Pasto and Quito, where he set up his
boundary pillars at the limit of the country he had conquered. As a
token of grandeur and as a memorial he placed certain golden staves in
the pillars. He then followed the course of the river in search of the
sea, seeking for people to conquer, for he had information that in that
direction the country was well peopled.

On this road the army of the Inca was in great peril, suffering from
scarcity of water, for the troops had to cross extensive tracts of sand.
One day, at dawn, the Inca army found itself surrounded by an immense
crowd of people, not knowing who they were. In fear of the unknown
enemy, the troops began to retreat towards the Inca. Just as they were
preparing for flight a boy came to Huayna Ccapac, and said: "My Lord!
fear not, those are the people for whom we are in search. Let us attack
them." This appeared to the Inca to be good advice and he ordered an
impetuous attack to be made, promising that whatever any man took should
be his. The _orejones_ delivered such an assault on those who surrounded
them that, in a short time, the circle was broken. The enemy was routed,
and the fugitives made for their habitations, which were on the sea
coast towards Coaques, where the Incas captured an immense quantity of
rich spoils, emeralds, turquoises, and great store of very fine _mollo_,
a substance formed in sea shells, more valued amongst them than gold or
silver.

Here the Inca received a message from the Sinchi or Curaca of the island
of Puna with a rich present, inviting him to come to his island to
receive his service. Huayna Ccapac did so. Thence he went to
Huancavilca, where he joined the reserves who had been left there. News
came to him that a great pestilence was raging at Cuzco of which the
governors Apu Hilaquito his uncle, and Auqui Tupac Inca his brother had
died, also his sister Mama Cuca, and many other relations. To establish
order among the conquered nations, the Inca went to Quito, intending to
proceed from thence to Cuzco to rest.

On reaching Quito the Inca was taken ill with a fever, though others say
it was small-pox or measles. He felt the disease to be mortal and sent
for the _orejones_ his relations, who asked him to name his successor.
His reply was that his son Ninan Cuyoche was to succeed, if the augury
of the _calpa_ gave signs that such succession would be auspicious, if
not his son