It was during Titu Cusi’s reign that Friars Marcos and Diego marched over here with their converts from Puquiura, each carrying a stick of firewood.  Calancha says the Indians worshiped the water as a divine thing, that the Devil had at times shown himself in the water.  Since the surface of the little pool, as one gazes at it, does not reflect the sky, but only the overhanging, dark, mossy rock, the water looks black and forbidding, even to unsuperstitious Yankees.  It is easy to believe that simple-minded Indian worshipers in this secluded spot could readily believe that they actually saw the Devil appearing “as a visible manifestation” in the water.  Indians came from the most sequestered villages of the dense forests to worship here and to offer gifts and sacrifices.  Nevertheless, the Augustinian monks here raised the standard of the cross, recited their orisons, and piled firewood all about the rock and temple.  Exorcising the Devil and calling him by all the vile names they could think of, the friars commanded him never to return.  Setting fire to the pile, they burned up the temple, scorched the rock, making a powerful impression on the Indians and causing the poor Devil to flee, “roaring in a fury.”  “The cruel Devil never more returned to the rock nor to this district.”  Whether the roaring which they heard was that of the Devil or of the flames we can only conjecture.  Whether the conflagration temporarily dried up the swamp or interfered with the arrangements of the water supply so that the pool disappeared for the time being and gave the Devil no chance to appear in the water, where he had formerly been accustomed to show himself, is also a matter for speculation.

The buildings of the House of the Sun are in a very ruinous state, but the rock itself, with its curious carvings, is well preserved notwithstanding the great conflagration of 1570.  Its length is fifty-two feet, its width thirty feet, and its height above the present level of the water, twenty-five feet.  On the west side of the rock are seats and large steps or platforms.  It was customary to kill llamas at these holy huacas.  On top of the rock is a flattened place which may have been used for such sacrifices.  From it runs a little crack in the boulder, which has been artificially enlarged and may have been intended to carry off the blood of the victim killed on top of the rock.  It is still used for occult ceremonies of obscure origin which are quietly practiced here by the more superstitious Indian women of the valley, possibly in memory of the nusta or Inca princess for whom the shrine is named.

On the south side of the monolith are several large platforms and four or five small seats which have been cut in the rock.  Great care was exercised in cutting out the platforms.  The edges are very nearly square, level, and straight.  The east side of the rock projects over the spring.  Two seats have been carved immediately above the water.  On the north side there are no seats.  Near the