That treasure was known as the peje
chica--the little fish. One version of the story tells that an
Inca ruler, the great Cacique Mansiche, had observed with
particular attention the kindness of a young Spaniard toward the
people of the conquered race. Also, he had observed that the man
was comparatively poor. At any rate, he revealed the secret of the
hiding-place of the peje chica, on condition that a part of the
wealth should be used to advance the interests of the Indians.
"The most valuable article discovered was in the form of a fish of
solid gold and so large that the Spaniards considered it a rare
prize. But the Cacique assured his young friend that it was only
the little fish, that a much greater treasure existed, worth many
times the value of this one.
"The sequel of the story is that the Spaniard forgot his promise,
went off to Spain, and spent all his gold. He was returning for
the peje grande, of which he had made great boasts, but before he
could get it he was killed. Prescott, I believe, gives another
version, in which he says that the Spaniard devoted a large part
of his wealth to the relief of the Indians and gave large sums to
the Peruvian churches. Other stories deny that it was Mansiche who
told the first secret, but that it was another Indian.
Pages:
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43