When news of
this was received by the viceroy, Don Antonio Amat, he swore on a piece of
the true cross to kill all the savages in Peru. He was prevented from
carrying out this threat only by the prayers of the actress Mariquita
Gallegas, whom he loved, and who convinced him that it was his duty as a
Christian to convert them to the religion of Christ rather than to
massacre them.
In 1780 there began a memorable insurrection of the persecuted natives. It
was especially notable as being led by a direct descendant of the Inca
Tupac-Amaru, who had been beheaded by the Spaniards in 1562. This noble
Indian, the last of the Incas, had been well educated by the Jesuits in
Cuzco, and became the cacique of Tungasac. His virtues were such as to
gain him the respect and esteem of all the Peruvian Indians, who venerated
him also as the lineal descendant of their ancient emperors.
One day this cacique, exasperated by the rapacity of the _corregidor_ of
Tuita, who had laid three _repartimientos_ on the Indians in a single
year, seized the tyrannical wretch and strangled him with his own hands.
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