At This Time Cortes Was Absent From The Seat
Of Government, Having Gone To Tecoantepec, On Purpose To Fit Out Two Ships
On A Voyage Of Discovery.
These he sent out under the command of Fernando
de Grijalva and Diego Bezerra de Mendoca, the former having a Portuguese
pilot, named Acosta, and the pilot to the latter being Fortunio Ximenez, a
Biscayan.
On the first night after leaving Tecoantepec, the two ships
separated. Ximenez raised a mutiny against his captain, in which Bezerra
was slain, and many of the crew wounded. Some time afterwards, Ximenez
went on shore in the bay of Santa Cruz, for wood and water, where he, and
more than 20 of his people, were slain by the Indians. Two of the mariners,
who were in the boat, escaped to Xalisco, and told Nunnes de Gusman, who
commanded at that place, that they had seen indications of pearls during
the voyage. Gusman went accordingly with, a ship in search of pearls, and
explored above 150 leagues of the coast[72].
It is said that Grijalva sailed 300 leagues from Tecoantepec, without
seeing any land, except one small island in 20 deg. N. to which he gave the
name St Thomas, as having been discovered on the day of that saint[73].
In the year 1535, Pizarro built the city which he named _Ciudad de los
Reys_, or of the kings, on the river of Lima, in lat. 20 deg. S; to which he
removed the inhabitants of Xauxa, as a more convenient situation for the
residence; of the government, and in a better country[74]. He built also
the city of St Jago in Porto Viejo, and many other towns, both along the
coast and in the inland country; and he procured from Spain horses, asses,
mules, cattle, hogs, goats, and sheep, to stock his territories, and many
kinds of trees and plants, such as rosemary, oranges, lemons, citrons,
vines, and other fruits, wheat, barley, and other grains, with radishes,
and many other kinds of vegetables, which were disseminated all over the
country[75]. in the same year, Diego de Almagro went from the city of
Cusco to the provinces of Arequipa and Chili, in lat. 30 deg. S. The march was
of great length, and he discovered a great extent of country; but he
suffered great extremities of cold, hunger, and fatigue, in consequence of
the ruggedness of the mountains, and the ice and snow, insomuch that many
of his men and horses were frozen to death. About this time Ferdinando
Pizarro came from Spain to the city of Lima, bringing with him the patent
of Marquis of Atanillos, for his brother, Francis Pizarro, and a
commission for Diego de Almagro, by which he was appointed governor of all
the land he had hitherto discovered, and 100 leagues beyond, under the
name of the _New kingdom of Toledo_. Ferdinando Pizarro went to the city
of Cusco, of which he was made governor, and John de Rada went into Chili
to Almagro, carrying with him the orders of the emperor. On receiving the
letters patent of the emperor, Almagro marched directly for Cusco, which
he considered to be included in his government, by which a civil war was
kindled between him and Pizarro. On this march he and his people were
severely oppressed by famine, and were even forced to feed upon their
horses which had died four months and a half before, when on their march
southwards into Chili[76].
In this same year, 1535, Nunnez d'Acunha, who was governor of India for
the crown of Portugal, while building a fortress, in the city of Diu, sent
a fleet, under the command of Vasquez Perez del San Paio, to the river
Indus, which is under the tropic of Cancer, 90 or 100 leagues to the north-
west from Diu. He also sent an army against Badu, the king of Cambaia, or
Guzerat, of which a renegado named Cosesofar was captain[77]. The fleet
came to the bar of the great river Indus in December, where the same
phenomena were observed as were formerly experienced by Alexander,
according to the relation of Quintus Curtius[78].
In the same year, Simon de Alcazava sailed from Seville, with two ships
and 240 men. Some say he was destined for New Spain, others for the
Moluccas, and others again that he meant to have proceeded for China,
where he had formerly been, along with Ferdinando Perez de Andrada.
However this may have been, he went first to the Canaries, and from thence
to the straits of Magellan, without touching at Brazil, or any other part
of the coast of South America, and entered into these straits in the month
of December, having contrary winds, and very cold weather. Under these
difficulties, the soldiers entreated him to turn back, which he refused,
and went into a haven on the south side of the straits, in lat. 53 deg. S.
where he ordered Roderigo de Isla to land, with 60 of the people, to
explore the country; but the people mutinied against Alcazava, and slew
him; and, having appointed such captains and officers as they thought
proper, they returned back. In their voyage homewards, one of the ships
was lost on the coast of Brazil, and such of the Spaniards as escaped
drowning, were killed and eaten by the savages. The other ship went to St
Jago, in the island of Hispaniola, and thence returned to Seville, in
Spain[79]. In the same year, Don Pedro de Mendoca went from Cadiz for the
river Plata, with twelve ships and 2000 men, being the largest armament,
both of ships and men, that had ever been sent from Spain to the new world.
Mendoca died on his return to Spain, but most part of his men remained in
the country on the Rio Plata, where they built a large city, containing
now 2000 houses, in which great numbers of Indians dwell along with the
Spaniards.
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