t, massive, and glowing
effulgently, reflecting back the sun's rays, and lighting the interior
of the gold-decked temple.

For there was no paltry gilding here, but massive golden cornice,
frieze, plate, stud, and boss ornamenting the massive walls--glistening,
sparkling, and flashing back the sun's light, while, as if these were
not sufficient, emeralds and other precious stones were lavishly spread
in further ornamentation, adding their lustrous sheen to the warm glow
already diffused through the magnificent building. Flash, sparkle--
glistening streams of golden light, dancing like golden water upon the
gorgeous walls, gilding even those who entered, so that face and
garments were bathed and dyed in the glorious radiance, till the eye of
the beholder ached, and the darkened intellects of the simple Peruvians
might well believe that they were in the presence of the sun-god
himself.

But not only was gold lavished upon the stone building, even to adorning
its outer walls with a broad belt of the precious metal--solid, massive,
and magnificently wrought; but the implements and vessels of the temple
were of the yellow treasure. Huge vases stood upon the floor filled
with the produce of their land--offerings to the sun; perfume-censers,
water-cruses, cistern-pipes, reservoirs, all were of the rich, ruddy
metal.

The Peruvians called the ore in their language of imagery "the tears
wept by the sun;" and these tears they toiled to gather, and their
artificers worked them up with a cunning skill under the direction of
the priests; and, as if to complete the wonders of the temple, and to
give it adornments that should never lose their lustre, never fade, it
was surrounded by an Aladdin-like garden whose plants were gold--golden
of leaf, silver of stem, and with flowers sparkling in combinations of
the two metals. Fountains of gold cast up golden water to fall back in
golden basins--a mimic spray; and even then fresh objects of the
goldsmith's skill were seen in the golden-fleeced llamas grouped around.

But the glory of the Incas was passing. After a long period of
prosperity the evil days were at hand, the wondrous barbaric
civilisation was about to be swept away; for the adventurous Spaniard,
moved by his thirst for the gold, of whose existence rumour had from
time to time told him, was now in the land. The simple people, coasting
along in their light balsas or rafts, had seen the coming of what to
them were then w