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CHAP. LXXIII - Of the valleys between Pachacamac and the fortress of Huarco, and of a notable thing which is done in the valley of Huarco

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2011

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Summary

From this temple of Pachacamac, where the temple is, the road leads to Chilca, and at that place there is a thing well worthy of note, for it is very strange. It is this,–that neither rain falls from heaven, nor does any river or spring flow through the land, and yet the greater part of the valley is full of crops of Indian corn, of roots, and of fruit trees. It is a marvellous thing to hear what the Indians do in this valley. In order to secure the necessary moisture, they make broad and very deep holes where they sow their crops, and God is served by their growing with the aid of dew alone; but by no means could they make the maize grow if they did not put two heads of sardines to each grain, these sardines being small fish which they catch with nets in the sea. At the time of sowing, these fishes heads are put with the maize in the same hole that is made for the grain, and in this manner the grain grows and yields abundantly. It is certainly a notable thing that in a land where it does not rain, and where nothing but a very fine dew falls, people should be able to live at their ease.

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Travels of Pedro de Cieza de León, A.D. 1532–50
Contained in the First Part of his Chronicle of Peru
, pp. 255 - 259
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010
First published in: 1864

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