380 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



have done much damage in the territory of this Corregimiento of 

 Cuenca, in villages in its jurisdiction which they have cut off, like 

 Los Cuyes, and in the year 1621, the village of Condor, and they 

 have done much other harm in this territory and the same in the 

 Province of Macas which likewise adjoins them. The Indians of 

 this tribe are very warlike and have carried out every enterprise they 

 have undertaken ; so they have become very haughty and exceedingly 

 insolent through having received no chastisement. They are cannibals 

 of horribly savage customs. 



1129. The province they live in is one of the richest in gold to be 

 found in all the country hitherto explored, so much so that the Indians 

 took out all the wealth in gold possessed by the Incas from the slopes 

 of the Santa Barbara mines. This country was subdued and settled 

 for 2 years, and in that period the 20 percent accruing to His Majesty, 

 was collected. Since then for the reasons given there has been no 

 security on account of these savages, and so it would be of great 

 importance for the Royal Council to entrust the pacification and 

 subjugation of these Indians to the Corregidor of Cuenca, both 

 because he is close at hand and the country is cheap and abundant 

 as regards supplies, and for the wealth and tranquillity which would 

 accrue to the country ; he should be given some honor for it ; he will 

 subdue them with ease. 



[Chap. 15. Of the City of Loja and Its Provinces.] 



(Marg. note: This chapter comes in later at point indicated.) 

 There are in this district many silver, quicksilver, iron, and sulfur 



mines, and other metals ; i league from the city there is a pilgrimage 



shrine, and beside it excellent baths from hot springs ; they do much 



good to the invalids who go there. 



(Marg. note: Chapter on the city of Loja and the mines of 



Zaruma. ) 



1130. The city of Loja is 33 leagues S. of Cuenca and 88 from 

 Quito, at 3°3o' S., on the King's Highway from Quito to Lima 

 and all the Kingdom of Peru. It was founded by Capt. Antonio de 

 Mercadillo at the instance of Gonzalo Pizarro in the year 1546 in 

 a grand, fertile valley between two rivers with excellent water and 

 both carrying gold sand. The climate is like spring ; they raise two 

 crops of wheat a year, and in fact, every time they plant it, thanks to 

 its equable climate ; they grow also corn, potatoes, and many kinds 

 of fruit, both indigenous and from Spain [but the market in Cuenca 

 is altogether more abundant and cheaper]. There is a Corregidor 



