nded from the primeval Mesopotamians and Chaldaeans,
peoplers of the world.

These, and other points with them, which cannot be discussed with
brevity, are true historical reasons, of a quality worthy of belief,
such as men of reason and letters may adopt respecting the peopling of
these lands. When we come to consider attentively what these barbarians
of Peru relate of their origin and of the tyrannical rule of the Incas
Ccapacs, and the fables and extravagances they recount, the truth may be
distinguished from what is false, and how in some of their fables they
allude to true facts which are admitted and held by us as such.
Therefore the reader should peruse with attention and read the most
strange and racy history of barbarians that has, until now, been read of
any political nation in the world.

VI.

THE FABLE OF THE ORIGIN OF THESE BARBAROUS INDIANS OF PERU, ACCORDING TO
THEIR BLIND OPINIONS.

As these barbarous nations of Indians were always without letters, they
had not the means of preserving the monuments and memorials of their
times, and those of their predecessors with accuracy and method. As the
devil, who is always striving to injure the human race, found these
unfortunates to be easy of belief and timid in obedience, he introduced
many illusions, lies and frauds, giving them to understand that he had
created them from the first, and afterwards, owing to their sins and
evil deeds, he had destroyed them with a flood, again creating them and
giving them food and the way to preserve it. By chance they formerly had
some notice, passed down to them from mouth to mouth, which had reached
them from their ancestors, respecting the truth of what happened in
former times. Mixing this with the stories told them by the devil, and
with other things which they changed, invented, or added, which may
happen in all nations, they made up a pleasing salad, and in some things
worthy of the attention of the curious who are accustomed to consider
and discuss human ideas.

One thing must be noted among many others. It is that the stories which
are here treated as fables, which they are, are held by the natives to
be as true as we hold the articles of our faith, and as such they affirm
and confirm them with unanimity, and swear by them. There are a few,
however, who by the mercy of God are opening their eyes and beginning to
see what is true and what is false respecting those things. But we have
to write down what th