394 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



bers ; these are of many kinds and] varieties ; those from this village 

 [have the reputation all over the kingdom of] being the best in Peru, 

 [since they are among the best and most delicious]. The plant 

 resembles a pepper plant, but the leaf is smaller and more elaborate, 

 [in its color and the [ ] of its shape] is like a tomato leaf. 



[The cucumber] is [there are] of many sorts — purple, [likewise 

 there are] yellow and white (Marg. : and of other colors), and they 

 are very smooth. They must be ripe when eaten, for when green 

 [they are worth nothing] they are no good ; they come long, round, 

 and in [many] other shapes, small and large. They taste very good 

 when fully ripe ; they are very juicy and refreshing, and are good 

 for the kidneys and digestion ; you peel off the skin, which is very 

 soft and thin, and then eat it all. This fruit [I never saw in all of 

 New Spain and Honduras, or in the islands ; it] only grows in Peru. 

 Near the city are other villages, like La Magdalena, Las Granadas 

 up the valley, and other [villages which I omit mentioning.] 



1168. [It has jurisdiction over the plains [where it never rains] 

 for i8 leagues S. along the coast to the town of Santa, which belongs 

 to the Archdiocese of Lima ; and lOO leagues N. along the coast to 

 the port of Palta and the village of Colan, and in the district are 

 [many] fine fertile valleys, and [in them] with large [and very 

 attractive] Indian settlements. Along the sierra there are extensive 

 provinces [very] rich [where there are many] in silver mines and 

 with cattle and sheep ranches, and mills where they manufacture 

 cloth, grogram, etc., [and in the district five cities of Spaniards and 

 one town, which will be described in their proper place.]] (Marg. 

 note: As was described in the preceding chapter.) 



1169. In the district and jurisdiction of this Diocese there are 

 II Corregimientos, to 5 of which appointments are made by the 

 Council : Paita, and Paira, Trujillo, Sana, and Jaen de Bracamoros ; 

 and 6 whose incumbents are named by the Viceroy of Peru : Chicama, 

 although usually this is administered by the Corregidor of Trujillo ; 

 Cajamarca. although since the Viceroy provided that this be given 

 to the [Ambassador, it is H.M. who makes the appointment ; Chacha- 

 poyas, Cajamarquilla, and Collay, Los Chillaos.] The city has Offi- 

 cials of the Royal Patrimony and a Royal Treasury. [And in this 

 city] they make [large] quantities of biscuit [and in its valleys] 

 flour and preserves which are exported to Panama and other points. 

 [And the Corregimiento of Trujillo administers that of Chicama, 

 which belongs to the city for 5 leagues up its valley, where it gets 

 all the rest of its supplies as described, though the city has] its 



