WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 599 



N. on the same N.-S. line over 120 leagues in this sierra. Thirty-five 

 leagues E. of Trujillo is the town of Cajamarca, capital of all the 

 provinces under the jurisdiction of the Corregidor appointed by the 

 Viceroy ; he is however appointed by the Council at present. 



1179. Sixteen leagues to the N. is the Province of Los Huambos 

 [which is] curacies of Mercedarian friars; there are large horse 

 ranches there; [horses are cheap]. The Provinces of Niepos, San 

 Pablo, San Francisco de Contumaza, Cascas, Simball, Cuzmango, 

 de Jesus (Marg. : This is where Don Juan de Avendafio has his 

 encomienda.) and others are [all] catechized by Franciscan friars. 



1180. The Province of Huamachuco, 18 leagues S. of Cajamarca, 

 is an Augustinian priorate, with the curacies of Cajabamba, Santiago 

 de Chuco, El Obraje, and others ; in the district there are large 

 cattle and sheep ranches [in abundance] and [much] native cattle 

 (llamas). This is all cold country, with some snow-topped sierras. 

 After crossing to the W. a stretch of puna (high tableland), [all 

 inhabited country, and mountainous], one comes to the springs form- 

 ing the river which runs down the Trujillo valley. 



1181. Next comes the Province of Otuzco, thickly settled and rich 

 in cattle and sheep and with mule ranches. There are some silver 

 mines in this jurisdiction ; the whole country abounds in wheat [and 

 corn and many luxuries] and potatoes. 



[Chap. 6. Of the Town of Cajamarca and Its District.] 



Chapter VI 



Of Cajamarca, etc. 



1182. The town of Cajamarca la Grande is [36 leagues E. of 

 Trujillo] in the midst of the Cordillera, built on the W. side of a 

 valley which will be over 4 leagues long and in places over 2 broad, 

 running practically E. and W. This is cold country for it is in the 

 sierra in the midst of the Cordillera. It abounds in wheat, corn, and 

 potatoes, though the crops are occasionally nipped by the frost. A 

 small stream runs through the valley, and i league from the town 

 are the Inca's Baths, so famous in that kingdom, where King Ata- 

 balipa was with all the nobles and chieftains of his court when Don 

 Francisco Pizarro, in December 1531, arrived at Cajamarca and 

 captured him, as is related by the historians of the Indies. 



1183. At these baths there are excellent bathhouses and pools con- 

 structed by the Incas, all roofed over with the water in runnels, both 

 the hot as it comes naturally and the cold which they put in to cool 



