3 deg.
S.[67], its mouth being 15 leagues, or 60 miles across, with many inhabited
islands, on which there are many trees producing incense, much larger than
those of Arabia.
It produces gold and precious stones, and an emerald was
found there as large as the palm of the hand. The people of that country
make a kind of drink of a species of oats that are as large as quinces.
Nunnez de Gusman was sent from Mexico, in 1531, with 500 soldiers, half of
whom were cavalry, and 6000 Indians to carry his baggage and provisions,
to discover and subdue the countries to the northwest of the kingdom of
Mexico. In this expedition he reduced the countries of Xalisco,
Ceintiliquipac, Ciametlan, Tovalla, Cnixo, Ciamolla, Culhuacan, and other
places. On this expedition he marched through Mechuacan, where he acquired
much gold, and 10,000 marks of silver. To the country of Xalisco he gave
the name of New Galicia, because it was rugged and mountainous, and the
people robust and hardy. He built many towns in the conquered countries;
particularly Compostella, Guadalajara, after the place of his own birth in
Spain, Santo Espirito de la Conception, and St Michael, which last is in
lat. 24 deg. N. In 1532, Cortes sent Diego Hurtado de Mendoca in two ships
from Acapulco, which is 70 leagues from Mexico, on purpose to explore the
coast of the South Sea, as he had been ordered to do by the emperor.
Mendoca sailed from Acapulco to the harbour of Xalisco, or Xalis, on the
river Barania, in lat. 22 deg. N. where he wished to take in wood and water.
But he was resisted there, by the orders of Nunnes de Gusman, and obliged
to proceed on his voyage. Some of his men mutinied, and he put them all on
board one of his ships, that they might return to New Spain. Being in want
of water, these people put in at the bay of Vanderas, not far south from
Xalis, where they were all slain by the Indians. In this voyage of
discovery, Hurtado sailed 200 leagues along the coast, but did nothing
worthy of being recorded.
In 1533, Pizarro went from Tumbez to Caxamalca, where he took king
Atabalipa prisoner, who engaged to pay a vast sum in gold and silver for
his ransom. On purpose to procure this, Pedro de Varco and Ferdinando do
Sotto were sent to the city of Cusco, in lat. 17 deg. S.[68], a journey of 200
leagues, all upon causeways of stone, with bridges wherever necessary, and
having lodging-places at proper distances for the conveniency of the
_Yngas_, by which name the kings of Peru are distinguished. The armies of
the Peruvians are very numerous, as they often bring more than 100,000 men
into the field; and they lodge on these causeways, as already mentioned,
where they always have abundance of provisions and other necessaries, as
is said to be the custom in China. Ferdinando Pizarro went with some
horsemen to Paciacama, 100 leagues from Caxamalca, to discover the country;
and, on his return, he learnt that Guascar, the brother of Atabalipa, had
been put to death by his command; and that Ruminaguy, the general of the
army of Atabalipa, had risen in arms, in the city of Quito, against the
Spaniards. After the reception of this intelligence, Atabalipa was
strangled by the orders of Pizarro[69]. After the death of the two kings
of the Peruvians, Pizarro continually extended his authority over the
dominions of Peru, and built many cities, towns, and forts, in convenient
situations, to hold the country under subjection. He detached Sebastian de
Benalcazar, whom he had before made governor of St Michael de Tangarara,
with 200 infantry and 80 horse, to Quito, against Ruminaguy. Benalcazar
proceeded successfully in reducing the country to subjection from one city
to another, eastwards, for 120 leagues, not far from the equinoctial line;
where Peter Alvarado found certain mountains so cold, and loaded with such
quantities of snow, that 70 of his men were frozen to death. Having
reduced the city of Quito, he established himself and his people in that
place, calling it the city of St Francis; and it seemed very strange to
the Spaniards to find, in that country, abundance of cattle, wheat, barley,
and other plants, similar to those of Spain. After sending Benalcazar to
reduce the city of Quito, Pizarro himself undertook to reduce the royal
residence of Cusco, in about 13 deg. 20' S. in which expedition he was opposed
by Quisquiz, a Peruvian general, whom he easily defeated; and he soon
afterwards took possession of Cusco, the exceedingly rich and wealthy
capital of the Peruvian monarchy. About this time Mango, a brother of
Atabalipa, joined Pizarro, who made him Ynga, or king of the country, in
name only, while he assumed the whole authority and revenues of the
kingdom to himself[70].
In the same year, 1534; Jaques Cartier, a native of Britanny, went with
three ships to the land of Corterealis[71], and the gulf of St Lawrence,
otherwise called _Golfo Quadrato_, or the square gulf, which he fell in
with in lat. 48 deg. 30' N. He proceeded northwards to the latitude of 51 deg., in
the hope of being able to penetrate in that direction to China, by a north-
west passage, to bring drugs and other merchandize from thence to France.
Next year Cartier made a second voyage to the same regions, and found the
country pervaded by many large rivers, and abounding in provisions. He
sailed 300 leagues up one of these rivers, in a south-west direction, and
named the country New France, now Canada; but finding the water to become
fresh, he was satisfied there could be no passage that way to the South
Sea; and having wintered in the country, he returned next year to France.
About the end of the year 1535, or beginning of 1536, Don Anthony de
Mendoca came from Spain to the city of Mexico, as Viceroy of New Spain,
being appointed to supersede Cortes, the discoverer and conqueror of that
rich and extensive territory.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 36 of 219
Words from 36004 to 37041
of 224388