AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1572.87. 



that it will serve but to receive small barkes onely. 

 Baldk'ia. The next towne to this is Baldivia. 

 A description But before I passe any farther I will heere describe 



VhiJ-/''''"''' ^"^° y^^ ^^^ situation and quality of Chili. This 

 countrey stretcheth in length from North to South 

 above two hundreth leagues, conteining in breadth but 

 five and twenty leagues at the most. 



From the great ridge of mountaines lying to the East 

 of Chili runne very many rivers into the sea, which 

 rivers are the cause of divers valleys the fruitfuUest in 

 all the worlde, where bread, wine, and other victuals 



Rivers rich of mightily abound : and the sayd rivers also are very rich 



gplde. q£ gold. But to declare in fewe wordes the excellencie of 



this province, I say that it might well bee called an earthly 

 paradise, save that it lacketh one onely commodity, and 

 that is peace. It was first discovered on this maner : the 

 Spaniards having conquered the kingdome of Peru, (as 

 I will hereafter shewe unto you) found in the sayd king- 

 dome great store of golde ; and asking the Indians from 

 whence it came, they answered, from Chili. Upon which 

 newes Don Diego de Almagro being one of the principall 

 captaines that conquered Peru made a voyage with three 

 hundreth horsemen toward Chili, being constrained in 

 his way to goe over part of the snowy mountaines, which 

 way his Indian guides conducted him, to the ende that 

 himselfe and all his companie might die for colde. How- 

 beit the Spaniards, though they lost some of their horses, 



Copiapo the came to the first towne of Chili called Copiapo being 



next towne of situate upon the first plaine at the entrance of the sayd 

 Lhtlt unto --ni- 1 iTj- • 



P^j.^ provmce. rSut having newes that the Indians were risen 



against the Spaniards of Peru and had inclosed them, hee 



returned backe without going any farther. 



Nowe this captaine Don Diego de Almagro being slaine 



in the warres of Peru, another called Don Pedro de 



Baldivia marching into Chili with foure hundreth horses, 



easily conquered that halfe of the countrey which was 



subject to the kings of Peru. For knowing that Peru, 



being the chiefe countrey of their Emperour, was over- 



274 



