nds.
We agreed further that, having obtained an honourable peace and all
else that he desired, it would be well for Huaracha to return to his own
land, leaving me a body of five thousand picked men who were willing to
serve under me, to assist in the war against Urco, to be my guard and
that of Quilla, if perchance I could deliver her from the House of the
Sun.

When this was known five thousand of the best and bravest of the
Chancas, young soldiers who sought adventure and battle and whom I had
trained, stepped forward at once and swore themselves to my service.
Bidding farewell to Huaracha, with these troops I returned to Cuzco,
sending messengers ahead to explain the reason of their coming to Kari,
who welcomed them well and gave them quarters round the palace which was
allotted to me.

A few days later we advanced on the town Huarina, a great host of us,
and outside of it met the yet greater host of Urco in a mighty battle
that endured for a day and a night, and yet, like that of the Field of
Blood, remained neither lost nor won. When the thousands of the dead had
been buried and the wounded sent back to Cuzco, we attacked the city
of Huarina, I leading the van with my Chancas, and stormed the place,
driving Urco and his forces out on the farther side.

They retreated to the mountains and there followed a long and tedious
war without great battles. At length, although the Inca's armies had
suffered sorely, we forced those of Urco to the shores of the Lake
Titicaca, where most of them melted away into the swamps and certain
tree-clad, low-lying valleys. Urco himself, however, with a number of
followers, escaped in boats to the holy island in the lake.

We built a fleet of _balsas_ with reeds and blown-out sheepskins, and
followed him. Landing on the isle we stormed the city of temples which
were more wondrous and even fuller of gold and precious things than
those of Cuzco. Here the men of Urco fought desperately, but driving
them from street to street, at length we penned them in one of the
largest of the temples of which by some mischance a reed roof was set
on fire, so that there they perished miserably. It was a dreadful scene
such as I never wish to behold again. Also, after all Urco and some
of his captains, breaking out of the burning temple under cover of the
smoke escaped, either in _balsas_ or, as many declare, by swimming the
lake. At least they were gone nor search as we might on the mainland
could th