LOPEZ VAZ AD. 



1572-87. 

 for Peru, being accompanied with his partner Diego de 

 Almagro. They sailed first to the Island called Isla del 

 Gallo ; where Francisco Pizarro and his brethren went on 

 land, and left Diego de Almagro in the ships. And the 

 whole number which afterward landed on the maine land 

 were 60 horsemen and 120 footemen, with two great 

 field-peeces. 



But before we proceede any farther, we thinke it not ^^^^ ^*^'^^'" ^f 

 amisse to describe unto you the situation of Peru, and the ^'^" 

 naturall disposition of the inhabitants : This countrey was 

 called Peru by the Spaniards, of a river so named by the 

 Indians, where they first came to the sight of gold. 

 From which river standing under the line, till you come 

 to Copiapo the first towne on the coast of Chili, stretcheth 

 the land of Peru, for the space of eight hundred leagues : 

 upon sixe hundred whereof from Atacama to Tumbez 

 did never drop of raine fall, since the flood of Noah : and 

 yet it is the fruitfullest land for all kinds of victuals and 

 other necessaries for the sustentation of mans life that is 

 to be found in all the world besides. The reason why it Thecausezvhy 

 raineth not in this land is because it beeing; a plaine coun- ^! ^^^^^ ^^^ 

 trey and very narrow and low, situate betweene the 

 Equinoctiall and the tropique of Capricorne, there 

 runneth on the West frontier not above twentie leagues 

 from the sea called Mar del Sur Eastward thereof, a 

 mighty ridge of high mountaines covered with snow, 

 the height of which mountaines so draweth the moisture 

 of the cloudes unto it selfe, that no raine falleth upon 

 the vallies of Peru. From these mountaines issue great 

 store of rivers into the South sea, with the waters whereof 

 drawen by certaine sluces and chanels they moisten their 

 vineyardes and corne-fields, and by this meanes the land 

 is so exceeding fruitfull. Betweene these mountaines and 

 the mountaines of Chili that stretch unto the Streits of 

 Magellan, lyeth a plaine of 60 leagues over, being so cold 

 that it yeeldeth no Wheat, but good store of other 

 victuals. This countrey of Peru is full of people well 

 apparelled and of civill behaviour. It hath many mines 



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