The Prehistoric World: or, Vanished Races, page 579 by E.A. Allen
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wledge of Peru--Expeditions of Pizarro--Geography of Peru--But a small part of it inhabitable--The tribes of ancient Peru--How classified--Sources of our knowledge of Peru-- Garcillasso De La Vega--Origin of Peruvian civilization--The Bolson of Cuzco--Historical outline--Their culture--Divided into phratries and gentes--Government--Efforts to unite the various tribes--Their system of colonies--The roads of the Incas--The ruins of Chimu--The arts of the Chimu people--The manufacture of pottery--Excavation at Ancon--Ruins in the Huatica Valley--The construction of a Huaca--The ruins at Pachacamac--The valley of the Canete--The Chincha Islands--Tiahuanuco--Carved gateway--The Island of Titicaca--Chulpas--Ruins at Cannar--Aboriginal Cuzco--Temple of the Sun--The Fortress--General remarks.
The early part of the sixteenth century was surely a stirring time in the world's history. The night of the Dark Ages was passing off of the Old World; the darker gloom of prehistoric times was lifting from off the New. Spanish discoveries followed each other in rapid succession in the South. As yet, they supposed these discoveries to be along the eastern shores of Asia, but, in 1513, Balboa, from a mountain peak, in Darien, saw the gleam of the great Pacific, which intervenes between America and Asia. At the same time he was informed there was a country to the southward where gold was in common use, and of as little value among the people as iron among the Spaniards. As gold was what the Spaniards most desired, we can imagine how they rejoiced over such information.
The rich country of which Balboa was thus informed was later known as Peru. Balboa himself did not attempt its discovery. There was no lack, however, of those who wished to achieve fame and fortune by so doing. Among other restless spirits who had been attracted to the New World, was Francisco Pizarro. He had been associated with Balboa in founding the settlement of Darien, and, of course, he was among the first to hear of the marvelous country farther sou