. . . It recounts the life of the officials, the notaries,

the deputies, the proprietors of Indian labour, the

priests, the miners and the Spaniards who travel

from post to post along the roads and rivers of

Peru; the visitors, the judges, the Indian chiefs

and their subjects, including the very poor.

In my work I have always tried to obtain the

most truthful accounts, accepting those which

seemed to be substantial and which were

confirmed from various sources. I have only

reported those facts which several people agreed

upon as being true. . . .

— Huamán Poma, Letter to a King: A Peruvian Chief’s

Account of Life Under the Incas and Under Spanish Rule,

EP. Dutton

According to this author, accounts used in making

statements of fact must be

(1) brief (3) verified

(2) interesting (4) unbiased