INTRODUCTION V 



his "Libre del Chocolate," f. giv: "Fray Antonio Vazquez de Espi- 

 nosa, friar of the Carmelite Order, well versed and proficient in all 

 matters pertaining to the Indies through having lived many years in 

 Peru and New Spain, from which he brought back many documents, 

 maps and reports to this capital, which were useful in important 

 negotiations, and he had begun printing the 'Description of the Indies' 

 mentioned in my 'Biblioteca,' when he died, his death depriving us 

 of what would have been the most valuable work available on the 

 subject." 



So the "Description" vanished ; but some sets of the sheets already 

 printed must have got into circulation, for in 1738 the reprint of 

 Leon Pinelo's "Bibliotheca" lists among anonymous works, in volume 

 III, col. 1408-9: "Compendio, y Descripcion de las Indias Occiden- 

 tales : we have only seen two books : I, of the origin of the Indians, 

 and whence came their rites and customs ; and the routes followed to 

 them by the fleets and galleons and their return voyage." I found 

 also in a letter of the Jesuit scholar Joaquin Camafio to his colleague, 

 the encyclopedist Lorenzo Hervas y Panduro, dated May i, 1783, 

 and in the MS Vat. Lat: 9802, a reference to the Anadidor (Reviser) 

 of Fray Gregorio Garcia as quoting in book 3, chapter 8, i, from the 

 author of the "Compendio, etc." with regard to circumcision among 

 the Guaicuru Indians (our paragraph 1802). I found also in the 

 British Museum another uncataloged and unpublished work by Vaz- 

 quez, on the defences of Peru — frequently mentioned in this "Com- 

 pendio" — and dated 1629. His earlier pamphlet on the route of the 

 treasure fleet is also to be seen in the British Museum (Department 

 of Printed Books 1324 K6), together with a similar memorial from 

 Leon Pinelo. Vazquez here refutes indignantly the charge that a friar 

 was not competent to deal with such practical matters, and says that 

 throughout his life he has pursued the interests of the King of Spain 

 as well as the King of Heaven. That this is true, and that Vazquez 

 was accustomed to have his recommendations considered with respect, 

 is indicated by many references scattered through our work. In our 

 paragraph 1422 he appeals directly to the Council of the Indies to 

 follow his recommendations. He urges the creation of posts of Bishop 

 for Florida (323), for Cuenca or Loja in Ecuador (1140), Chacha- 

 poyas (11 54, 1188), Huanuco (1364 f.), and Arica (1390, 1410, 

 1416, 1422). Guatemala should become an Archbishopric, and 

 Panama, now under the Archbishop of Peru, should be attached to 

 it (634). A University should be established in Guatemala City (610) 

 and another in La Plata (Sucre; 1710). Cartagena should become 

 the seat of an Audiencia (Circuit Court, the chief judicial and ad- 



