THE TRESURE OF THE INCA

The hill called La Parva is a large and high plain located in the northeast of the farmer stay called
Corral Quemado. Historic place where a beautiful legend was born and remembered, and it has
been transmitting for generations. What happened was that in those heights of the hill La Parva,
diaguitas and incas melted gold and silver for many years, helped by the wind currents and by the
abundance of firewood that there would be in those fields of past centuries.

Just as the chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega described, at the arrival of the Spaniards in America, the
natives melted metals in the highest hills where there were strong wind currents; there they used
to put the stoves (guairas) handmade of stone or clay. The stoves were loaded with rusty high grade
minerals, and the put plenty of firewood, letting the wind do the work of melting the metals. The
was the first melting system of minerals, before the appearance of hand bellows (fuelles), used in
the old mills.

The lead protagonist of this story was a great Inca chief, that lived for many years at the foot of the
hill La Parva, in the ravine called Agua Fría, that flows into the large ravine of Cachacos; there he
had governed his mandate without difficulties, until the fatal days when the Spanish hordes arrived
to those lands searching, crazy with ambition, the coveted gold of Andacollo. Committing abuses
and humiliating the humble and peaceful people of those lands, with their cross at front, they forced
the natives to give up their gods, their customs and traditions, and pity the one who didn´t accept
that imposition; for that they used the sword and guns without any compassion.

The Inca Curaca (chief) knew that he´ll be attacked by invaders that were coming hungry for conquer
the power, the gold and silver that they collected for their commercial exchange with other
communities, and to pay tribute demanded by the incas, that periodically came from Perú to get.

With the purpose of not allowing the Spaniards to easily take what they, with sweat and sacrifice
had extracted from the earth to melt, he sent to bury a great amount of gold and silver somewhere
in that high plain.

The Curaca, as a great Chief, was taken all the necessaries precautions with his group pf warriors.
They discussed whether to make battle with these unknown beasts, because they thought that men
and horse were just one being, like centaurs that came from another world, that shine like silver,
with four legs, two heads and threw fire through large distance, killing human beings, animals and
birds. That´s why it was impossible for them to put much resistance, but many warriors went against
those bloodthirsty men that came hungry for power and wealth, and wherever they passed they left
death and destruction of rucas (houses) and families. That´s how the Spaniards were submitting
little by little the diaguitas and incas to slavery, taking from them their lands, their animals and
women.
Seeing themselves lost, the warriors dispersed everywhere, before the invaders went looking for
the famous Andacollo gold. The great Chief, with his mother and beautiful wife diaguita went to live
in a cave, a secret place that he only knew about in the ravine of Agua Fría, that comes from hill La
Parva, where they took more gold plus the jewelry and accessories of their high investiture of the
Incan Empire, like crowns and scepters. Even though shiny metals weren´t of high economic value
for them, they only used them in structures around the palaces of their empire, and also in
ceremonial objects or in ornaments according to the hierarchies they had within their kingdom.

The legend says that around those times, the ravine Agua Fría was covered by almost impenetrable
forests, and surrounded with high cliffs; so in that cavern the royal couple lived until their last days;
they suffered and cried in solitude and helplessness, knowing that their warriors were scattered,
killed and subjugated to the power of the invaders beasts that came from the other half of the world.

As a conclusion of this beautiful legend, it is said that there are two valuable lost treasure, one near
the other. The first one, buried in the high of the plain, and the second one, hidden in a secret cavern
in the ravine. Maybe for how many more centuries they´ll continue hidden by Mother Hearth, and
guarded by scary and evil spirits, that don´t aloud anybody to come near those places, unless the
right persons indicated by the ancestral gods arrives, and they will be the ones who would easily
find the precious incan treasures.

There´re always amateurs seekers of hidden treasures, and miners catchers of seams (vetas), or
deposits of rich minerals, who are always alert and with sharp ears listening to conversations or
legends that talk about some places or about hearing voices or seeing illusions. Then is possible that
exists something buried, or a mineral seam of gold or silver or coper, and the local farmers say they
have seen illusions, and have felt different kinds of “penaduras” (being haunted by spirits), is the
reason why one or another outsider continually passes by those places, asking for the Ravine of
Agua Fría.

In the decade of the thirties, three risky farmers native of the lands of Corral Quemado, decided to
go looking for the road that they have heard of when they were little, from their grandparents when
they used to tell them stories and legends of buried treasures, of the devil and Pedro Urdemales, all
of this in the cold nights, sitting around a fire or a burning stove, surrounded by family who always
talk about the treasure of Agua Fría.

Later when those kids were grown men, in their fifties, they went to try their luck and their courage,
in the supposed case of finding the treasure in a cavern. It is said that to get the buried treasure out,
there are three options: first, to use rods blessed by machis (native healer), that by holding and
crossing them in the place where the buried treasure is supposed to be, these indicate you strongly
where you should dig, the only problem is that they detect any kind of metal under the ground, so
that excavation work is always lost. The other alternative is to use a San Gerónimo (a saint figure),
that you have to take to the right place by midnight, do a ceremonial ritual between three and five
persons, as long as is an odd number, they have to pray to the saint, asking for him to lead them to
the buried treasure. So they do not lose the saint in the night, they tie a spool of red thread around
his waist.

The third alternative was the one this three local friends chose. When they get to the place, they
get inside the radius that interests them, forming a triangle separated from each other around fifty
meters. Don Carlos was the one who would light the candle, because he was the most experienced
in this and knew the pray that is used in these cases; also the candle that is used is not the common
one we know, is a special candle made of human grease, it is said. While at a close distance, don
Emilio and don Zacarías were ready to go, with their eyes on Don Carlos that was lighting the candle
and doing gestures to ask the spirits that they aloud them to take out the treasure, and with the
prayers he was trying to scare of Satanás (the devil). After a couple of minutes, they saw with
surprise that a black shadow cautiously sat behind Don Carlos, like trying to take the candle. In that
moment, the men's hair stood on end, like if someone took their hats from their heads, cold blood
was running through their bodies, while their legs felt a little weak.

Then the shadow took decidedly the candle, and started to run at half height, passing between the
two men who looked stunned at what was happening. Drawing strength from themselves, they ran
after the candle, despite the darkness that reigned that night. Also, trees, weeds and rocks were
making harder the chase, but they still were able to see the light of the candle that was getting lost
among the branches, until at the foot of the ravine came the brave pair of chasers, because they
had to wait for Don Carlos that was running behind them.

Through signs, they told him where they had lost the light of the candle, and since they couldn´t
talk, they only communicated with signs to tell each other that that was the cavern, and that they
had to get in to take the treasure. With slow and insecure steps