There it was with
its huge fortresses built of great blocks of stone, its temples, its
palaces, its open squares, and its countless streets bordered by low
houses. Moreover, beyond and around it we saw other things, namely, the
camps of a vast army dotted with thousands of white tents.
"Urco is ready for us," said Kari to me grimly as he pointed to these
tents.
We camped upon the hill Carmenca and that night there came to us an
embassy which spoke in the names of Upanqui and Urco, as though they
reigned jointly. This embassy of great lords who all wore discs of
gold in their ears asked us what was our purpose. Huaracha answered--to
avenge the murder of the lady Quilla, his daughter, that he heard had
been poisoned by Urco.
"How know you that she is dead?" asked the spokesman.
"If she is not dead," replied Huaracha, "show her to us."
"That may not be," replied the spokesman, "since if she lives, it is in
the House of the Virgins of the Sun, whence none come out and where none
go in. Hearken, O Huaracha. Go back whence you came, or the countless
army of the Incas will fall upon you and destroy you, you and your
handful together.
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