WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 247 



and in medicinal gums, fruits, and roots. Among these provinces 

 is that of Tegucigalpa, large and greatly celebrated and renowned 

 in that region. Here are many Mexican Indians, about whom there 

 is a tradition that on account of the wealth of that country, Mote- 

 zuma used to send down a delegation every year for his tribute in 

 gold and other valuables ; and when these Mexican ambassadors who 

 happened at that time to be in these provinces received word of the 

 arrival of the Spaniards and that they had overthrown their king 

 and taken the stronghold of Mexico City and all its territory, they 

 stayed in these provinces after learning this, and have maintained 

 them in good government and normal growth ever since. 



710. Since these provinces have so many inhabitants and such 

 great wealth, many have desired to subdue them and bring them to 

 the knowledge of our Holy Faith ; but up to the present they have 

 had little success, for with such an extensive country the strong hand 

 of His Majesty is required. In the year 1621 Franciscan mission- 

 aries went in and converted many to the Faith and baptized them ; 

 in fact, they all take kindly to the truths of our Holy Faith. One of 

 these friars left in order to get various necessities and to secure 

 aid in the person of immigrants ; he told of the excellence of the 

 soil and the wealth of the country, and the enthusiastic reception they 

 gave the missionaries who were among them and had converted and 

 baptized many of them. But other Indians who were of far different 

 customs and religion, murdered them. It is important that we should 

 undertake the conquest of these provinces which have such a large 

 population of Indians who wear clothing, and should settle Spaniards 

 there, entrusting the task to some important and experienced person 

 in that country ; with the favoring aid which His Majesty is accus- 

 tomed to give such men, someone will appear to undertake this con- 

 quest and pacification. Many of the governors of Honduras have 

 desired to do this, but such a large and important enterprise cannot 

 be undertaken or carried out without His Majesty's command and 

 authority, and without money and other requisites. There are over 

 300,000 souls in this district of 300 leagues, still heathen ; they could 

 easily be pacified, and His Majesty and vassals, in addition to bringing 

 them to the real knowledge of God, would enjoy the profits of those 

 rich and extensive provinces, and the adjoining ones would be richer 

 and more tranquil. 



[CHAPTER of the Province and New Kingdom of Leon of 

 Nicaragua. The Province and New Kingdom of Leon of Nicaragua 

 was discovered by Gil Gonzalez de Avila in the year 1522; he made 

 a beginning of settlement, and baptized over 30,000 Indians. Later, 



