rof. Valentine in Proceedings Am. Antiq. Soc., October,
1879, p. 80, _et seq._ Whether there is any thing worthy of
the name of history is doubtful.
(93) Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, Oct., 1882.
(94) "North Americans of Antiquity," p. 578.
(95) "Peabody Museum Reports," Vol. II, p. 387.
(96) Valentine: Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, October, 1882,
p. 209.
(97) _North American Review,_ from Sept., 1880, to 1883.
(98) Short's "North Americans of Antiquity," p. 218.
(99) This historical notice is a mere outline. Such, however, is
all we wished to give. Those who wish for more details can not
do better than to refer to Mr. Bancroft's fifth volume on the
"Native Races." We do not believe, however, that any thing
definite is known of the early periods of which some writers
give such glowing descriptions. When they talk about the doings
of monarchs, the rise and fall of dynasties, and royal
governors, we must remember the majority of the descriptive
matter is mere nonsense, consequently our faith in the dates
given can not be very great.

Chapter XVI.

ANCIENT PERU.

First knowledge of Peru--Expeditions of Pizarro--Geography of Peru--But
a small part of it inhabitable--The tribes of ancient Peru--How
classified--Sources of our knowledge of Peru--Garcillasso
De La Vega--Origin of Peruvian civilization--The Bolson of
Cuzco--Historical outline--Their culture--Divided into phratries and
gentes--Government--Efforts to unite the various tribes--Their system
of colonies--The roads of the Incas--The ruins of Chimu--The arts of the
Chimu people--The manufacture of pottery--Excavation at Ancon--Ruins
in the Huatica Valley--The construction of a Huaca--The ruins at
Pachacamac--The valley of the Canete--The Chincha Islands--Tiahuanuco--
Carved gateway--The Island of Titicaca--Chulpas--Ruins at Cannar--
Aboriginal Cuzco--Temple of the Sun--The Fortress--General remarks.

The early part of the sixteenth century was surely a stirring time in
the world's history. The night of the Dark Ages was passing off of the
Old World; the darker gloom of prehistoric times was lifting from off
the New. Spanish discoveries followed each other in rapid succession
in the South. As yet, they supposed these discoveries to be along the
eastern shores of Asia, but, in 1513, Balboa, from a mountain peak, in
Darien, saw the gleam of the great Pacific, whic