at Cuzco and at
Ichu-pampa. He had ever since been sad and brooding, thinking of a way
of escape. But he dissimulated so well that the Inca treated him as a
brother and trusted him. Hence the Inca nominated him as commander of
all the Chancas in the army. For to each nation the Inca gave a captain
from among their own people, because he would understand how to rule
them and they would obey him better. This Anco Ayllo, seeing there was
an opportunity for fulfilling his desire, showed satisfaction at
receiving this commission from the Inca, and promised to do valuable
service, as he knew those nations whose conquest was about to be
undertaken. When the army was ready to march, the Inca gave the
Captain-General his own arms of gold, and to the other captains he gave
arms with which to enter the battles. He made a speech to them,
exhorting them to achieve success, showing them the honourable reward
they would obtain, and the favours he, as a friend, would show them, if
they served in that war. He gave special orders to Ccapac Yupanqui that
he should advance with his conquering army as far as a province called
Yana-mayu, the boundary of the nation of the Hatun-huayllas, and that
there he should set up the Inca's boundary pillars, and he was on no
account to advance further. He was to conquer up to that point and then
return to Cuzco, leaving sufficient garrisons in the subjugated lands.
He was also to establish posts at every half league, which they call
_chasquis_, by means of which the Inca would be daily informed of what
had happened and was being done[94].

[Note 94: For accounts of the _chasquis_ or Inca couriers see
Garcilasso de la Vega, ii. pp. 49, 60, 119, 120, 121. Balboa, p. 248.
Polo de Ondegardo, p. 169.]

Ccapac Yupanqui set out from Cuzco with these orders, and desolated all
the provinces which did not submit. On arriving at a fortress called
Urco-collac, near Parcos, in the country of Huamanca, he met with
valorous resistance from the inhabitants. Finally he conquered them. In
the battle the Chancas distinguished themselves so that they gained more
honour than the Cuzcos _orejones_ and the other nations.

This news came to the Inca, who was much annoyed that the Chancas should
have distinguished themselves more, and had gained more honour than the
Incas. He imagined that it would make them proud, so he proposed to have
them killed. He sent a messenger ordering Ccapac Yupanqui to lay a plan
for killing all