Indeed, now I learned for the first time how high a princess she was, since when her litter passed, these folk prostrated themselves, kissing the air and the dust.  Moreover, as soon as she came among them Quilla’s bearing changed, for her carriage grew more haughty and her words fewer.  Now she seldom spoke save to issue a command, not even to myself, although I noted that she studied me with her eyes when she thought that I was not observing her.

During our midday halt I looked up and saw that an army was approaching us, five thousand men or more, and asked Kari its meaning.

“These,” he answered, “are some of the troops of Huaracha, King of the Chancas, whom he sends out to greet his daughter and only child, also his guest, the White God.”

“Some of the troops!  Has he more, then?”

“Aye, Master, ten times as many, as I think.  This is a great people; almost as great as that of the Incas who live at Cuzco.  Come now into the tent and put on your armour, that you may be ready to meet them.”

I did so, and, stepping forth clad in the shining steel, took my stand where Kari showed me, upon a rise of ground.  On my right at a little distance stood Quilla, more splendidly arrayed than I had ever seen her, and behind her her maidens and the captains and counsellors of her following.

The army drew nearer, marshalled in regiments and halted on the plain some two hundred yards away.  Presently from it advanced generals and old men, clad in white, whom I took to be priests and elders.  They approached to the number of twenty or more and bowed deeply, first to Quilla, who bent her head in acknowledgment and then to myself.  After this they went to speak with Quilla and her following, but what they said I did not know.  All the while, however, their eyes were fixed on me.  Then Quilla brought them to me and one by one they bowed before me, saying something in a language which I did not understand well, for it was somewhat different from that which Kari had taught me.

After this we entered the litters, and, escorted by that great army, were borne forward down valleys and over ridges till about sunset we came to a large cup-like plain in the centre of which stood the city called Chanca.  Of this city I did not see much except that it was very great as the darkness was falling when we entered, and afterwards I could not go out because of the crowds that pressed about me.  I was borne down a wide street to a house that stood in a large garden which was walled about.  Here in this fine house I found food prepared for me, and drink, all of it served in dishes and cups of gold and silver; also there were women who waited upon me, as did Kari who now was called Zapana and seemed to be my slave.

When I had eaten I went out alone into the garden, for on this plain the air was very warm and pleasant.  It was a beautiful garden, and I wandered about among its avenues and flowering bushes, glad to be solitary and to have time to think.  Amongst other things I wondered where Quilla might be, for of her I had seen nothing from the time that we entered the town.  I hated to be parted from her, because in this vast strange land into which I had wandered she was the only one for whom I had come to care and without whom I felt I should die of loneliness.