Page:The Incas of Peru.djvu/414

  A rain of stones both great and small
  Down on the crowd of warriors crashed,
  On every side destruction flashed,
  Thy heart the slaughter did appal.

  Like a strong flood the blood did flow,
  Inundating the ravine;
  So sad a sight thou ne'er hast seen—
  No man survived to strike a blow.

  O thou who art by this disgraced,
  What figure canst thou ever show
  Before the king, who seeks to know
  The truth, which must be faced?

  'Tis better far myself to kill,
  Or losing every scrap of hope,
  To hang my body with this rope.

(Takes a sling off his cap—going.)

Yet may it not be useful still?

(Turns again.)

When bold Ollantay's end has come.^[1]

[Exit.

1. Clearly, from Rumi-ñaui's own account, the strategy of Urco Huaranca had been a complete and brilliant success.