The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

49 2 Royal Comfnentarie.r. BooK 11. C Él A P. I J. Of the dijficulties ami dangers which Don Pedro de Alva- rado and his Companions fuflained in their Voyage. ·THis brave General Don Ptdro de A/varad~ was ·accompanied with.many other worthy Ge~tlemen of Qy¡llity, in which number.was Ga:r¿ilajfo de 1~- Vega, my Lord ,and Father, whom Ciefa de Leon S~lls Captam Garrzlaf{o; and m the 42d Chapter of his Book ufes thefe words: General Don Pedro de Alvarado was " accompanied with Diego, Gomez:., and Alonfo de Aluarado, which latter is now Ma- " refchal in Peru, as alfo with Captain Garfílajfo de la Vega, '/ohn d,e Saave'dra, Go- " mez:. de A/varado, and other Perfons of Qgality, and arrived at a place near to " the Quarrers of Diego de Almagro; upon which fuch conreíls and quarrels arofe " between the two Parties, chat ic was feared, thac matters would have broken " out into an open defiance, &c. Thus far are the Words of Ciefa ; where it is obfervable, thac he onely calls Garfilajfo de la Vega Captain, and the others Genrlem~n; with ali whom 1 had a perfonal acquaintance, unlefs it were wich Pedro, and Diego de Aluarado. In their paffitge by Sea from !'icaragua to P11erto Piejo, tbey füfiered much for wanr of Water, and other Prov1fions; for upon a belief or fuppoÍltion, thac the Voyage would noc be long, and being in great hafie to depare, chey omitted to cake Aboard all thofe ·rhings which were necefla- ry for their Voyage. The like wanr both of Viétuals and Water, chey fuffered afrer chey were L:mded, as will appear by the Relations of the Accouncanr Af}gu- ftin de Carate, and the Prieíl: Lope:i:, de Gomara, both which agree in the fame Nar- rative, onely with this difference abouc che value or price of the Horfes which they were forced to•kill in che J ourney, wherewich to give food to their Men. Wherefore I have thought fit to fec down the Words of Gomara in the 11.7th Cha_pter of his Book; wherein he briefly touches on ali the panicular Labours and Difuculties which Don Pedro and his Companions endured in this Expedítion; pare of vvhich are as followeth : · '' The Riches of Pmt being publiíhed in all parts, Pedro de A/varado obtained a " Commiffion from the Emperour to difcover and planr Coloníes in thoíe Coun- " tries, which were not as yet inbabited by any Spaniards : And in che firíl: place ' ' he difpatched Garci Holg11in with two Veífels to diícover the Counrrey, and " bring ihtelligence of ·what had lately paífed in thofe parts. Holguin fo9n afrer " returned wich great commendations of rhe Countrey, and wirh mighty admi- " ration bf che vafi Riches which were raken and feized by che Imprifonmem of ' ' Ataba/iba, reporring alfo that Co:1;,,co and f2.!!_itu, a Countrey not far from Po-rto y¡_ " ejo, were extremely ricb. Upon rhis advice they refolved to fail chither; and ' ' accordingly in the year 1535, chey armed out five Ships, and embarked rhere- " upon four hundred Spaniards, and many Horfes. With thefe A/varado Landed 1 :: i? Puerto Viejo, and m~rched towa_rds f2.!!_itH, enquirin~ ah~ays for the way, un- t11l tbey carne to certam greac Plams, encompaffed wich very lofty Mounrains ; ' ' where rhey had ali periíhed for wam ofWater, had they not by chance lighted " upon a fort of Canes, which were filled with Warer; and to farisfie their hun- " ger, they are the Fleíh of their Horíes, which they were forced to kili, chough " they were wonh above a fhoufand Ducats a Horfe; chough Car11te faith, thar " every Horfe was wonh about four or five thoufand pieces of Eighc Spanijh Mo- " ney ; and truly I think, rhac this was che rnoíl: probable value, becauíe I heard ' ' ·fo much in Peru. The Vo!cano of fl.!!itu ( which is a burning Mountain) threw " up fuch quamities of Aíl1es by a rerrihle irruptíon which conrinued for many :; days, that ~11 t.he Ear~h v~as covered with them íorabove eighty Leagues r9und; and wben lt burns W1rh ltS fiercenefs, fuch flames afcend frorn 1t, that they may " be feen ac a hundred Leagues diíl:ant, and make fuch a noife, chat chey aíloniíh '~ more chan Thunder and Lighming : They were forced ·alfo to Fell the Woods ~' co