LOPEZ VAZ AD. 



1572-87, 

 seeke victuals, and so left the greater part of them behinde. 

 In his way homeward he died, and the poore men which 

 he left behind him, for the most part of them died for 

 hunger also, because in that place there were very few 

 Indians, and therefore but small store of victuals, onely 

 they lived by hunting of Deere, and by fishing. Of 

 all the men that Don Pedro left behind him there were 

 but two hundred remaining alive, who in the ship boates 

 went higher up the river, leaving in the place called 

 Buenos Ayeres their mares and horses : but it is a wonder T^he zvonderfull 

 to see, that of thirty mares and seven horses which the ^^^"'^^f ^/^ 



^ • 1 1 r 1 1 • • r ^- /^^' /iOfses and 



Spaniards left there, the increase in rortie yeeres was so 'j^iares. 

 great, that the countrey is 20 leagues up full of horses ; 

 whereby a man may conjecture the goodnesse of the pas- 

 ture, and the fruitfulnesse of the soile. The Spaniards 

 that went up this river passed three hundred leagues, and 

 found the countrey ful of Indians : who had great plenty 

 of victuals, among whom the Spaniards dwelt as their 

 friends, and the Indians bestowed their daughters in mar- 

 iage upon them, and so they dwelt altogether in one 

 towne, which the Spaniards called La Ascension, and it ^^ Ascension 

 standeth on the North side of the river. The foresaid 3oo [engues^ 

 Spaniardes were twentie yeres in this place, before any 

 newes of their inhabiting upon this river was brought into 

 Spaine : but waxing olde, and fearing that when they were 

 dead, their sons which they had begotten in this countrey 

 being very many, should' live without the knowledge of 

 any other Christians : they determined among themselves 

 to build a ship, and to sende newes into Spaine with letters 

 unto the king of all things that had passed among them, 

 upon that river. These newes being brought to the king, 

 he sent three ships, with a Bishop and certaine Priests, and 

 Friers, and more men and women to inhabite, with all 

 kind of cattell, when this succour was come, they inhabited 

 in two places more on the North side of the river, 

 and travelled three hundred leagues beyond the Ascen- 

 sion ; but finding neither gold nor silver, they returned 

 backe againe unto the Ascension. The people are so 



253 



the river of 

 Plate. 



