iant warrior. Often such a man offered himself to aid
and to fight for them against their enemies. Such a man was followed and
his orders were obeyed during the war. When the war was over he became a
private man as he had been before, like the rest of the people, nor did
they pay him tribute either before or afterwards, nor any manner of tax
whatever. To such a man they gave and still give the name of _Sinchi_
which means valiant. They call such men "Sinchi-cuna" which means
"valiant now" as who should say--"now during the time the war lasts you
shall be our valiant man, and afterwards no ": or another meaning would
be simply "valiant men," for "cuna" is an adverb of time, and also
denotes the plural[36]. In whichever meaning, it is very applicable to
these temporary captains in the days of _behetrias_ and general liberty.
So that from the general flood of which they have a tradition to the
time when the Incas began to reign, which was 3519 years, all the
natives of these kingdoms lived on their properties without
acknowledging either a natural or an elected lord. They succeeded in
preserving, as it is said, a simple state of liberty, living in huts or
caves or humble little houses. This name of "Sinchi" for those who held
sway only during war, lasted throughout the land until the time of Tupac
Inca Yupanqui, the tenth Inca, who instituted "Curacas" and other
officials in the order which will be fully described in the life of that
Inca. Even at the present time they continue this use and custom in the
provinces of Chile and in other parts of the forests of Peru to the east
of Quito and Chachapoyas, where they only obey a chief during war time,
not any special one, but he who is known to be most valiant,
enterprising and daring in the wars. The reader should note that all the
land was private property with reference to any dominion of chiefs, yet
they had natural chiefs with special rights in each province, as for
instance among the natives of the valley of Cuzco and in other parts, as
we shall relate of each part in its place.

[Note 36: Cinchicona. _Sinchi_ means strong. _Cuna_ is the plural
particle. _Sinchi_ was the name for a chief or leader. I have not met
with _cuna_ as an adverb of time and meaning "now." No such meaning is
given in the _Grammar_ of Domingo de Santo Tomas, which was published in
1560, twelve years before Sarmiento wrote.]

IX.

THE FIRST SETTLERS IN THE VALLEY OF CUZCO.

I have explai