400 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



it, for it runs very hot, and that without there he'mg any active 

 volcanoes in all this region. A harquebus-shot av^ay is a lake of hot 

 v^ater from these baths, and there is a tradition [and it is held to 

 be quite certain] that when the Indians saw what had happened, and 

 the Spaniards' greed for gold and silver, [it is affirmed] they threw 

 into it great wealth of silver and gold vases and gold leaf ; and some 

 inquisitive persons, or avaricious would be a better word, have tried 

 to drain it into the river in order to search for that wealth and get 

 it out, but they were not successful for they lacked the means and 

 possibilities of doing it. These baths are very healthful and beneficial 

 to invalids; I myself happening to be in poor health in the year 1615 

 took the cure here and God graciously restored my health ; I was 

 on my way to the settlement of the Motilones and Tabalosos to 

 preach them our Holy Faith. From the baths to Cajamarca there is 

 a straight road, like a street or avenue, a league long, planted by 

 their orders with many poplars and other shade trees at very great 

 expense, because in the valley on account of the cold there are no 

 woods but it is all bare. The town of Cajamarca is very large and 

 extensive ; the settlement has straight streets well constructed ; in 

 my opinion it is the best Indian village to be found in the whole 

 Kingdom of Peru. There is a fine large convent here of Franciscans, 

 who give them religious instruction and administer the Holy Sacra- 

 ments. The Corregidor here was always appointed by the Viceroy ; 

 they gave the post to the persons who brought the formal notification 

 of the departure of the new Viceroy to succeed his predecessor ; at 

 present it is in the gift of His Majesty and the Council. 



[Chap. 7. Continuing the Description of Cajamarca.] 



1184. There are many woolen mills here, where they turn out 

 [much] cloth and grogram ; they belong to the encomenderos, [and 

 the Indians do all the work.] Over 100 Spaniards live in this town ; 

 there are many mercantile and trading establishments, for the place 

 is large and has an active commerce ; [and] it is on the King's High- 

 way through the sierra for all those coming from the New Kingdom 

 of Granada and from Quito with merchandise for Cuzco, Potosi, 

 and all the upland country. So the Indian community and Council 

 of this town maintains a very large, capacious, and well-built hostelry 

 in which to lodge all the muleteers and traders, with ample service 

 of Indians, innkeeper, and constables (Alguaciles) for the service of 

 the Spaniards who put up there. This is in the plaza, which is very 

 large ; and on the other side is the Guairona, a group of fine large 



