WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES — -VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 425 



himself ; with the majority he went inland, as is told in other place] 

 chapters [of other books] of the book treating of the district of the 

 New Kingdom of Granada, since it happened that that was the region 

 where a force was raised against the rebel. 



Chapter XVII 



Of the Valleys Ikying between the Town of Santa up to the City 

 of Lima, Belonging to the District of Its Archdiocese. 



1217. The town of Santa, which is the farthest N. in the Arch- 

 diocese of Lima, lies i8 leagues S. of Trujillo and on the edge of 

 the Diocese of Trujillo. The town is built in a fine large valley in 

 9° S. They raise quantities of corn, wheat, pallares, kidney beans, 

 and other cereals and vegetables and fruit — grapes, melons, cucum- 

 bers, bananas ; there is plenty of everything. There will be in this 

 town 100 Spanish residents and a few Indians, for they have fallen 

 off, as everywhere. The Viceroy appoints a Corregidor here to dis- 

 pense justice and provide good administration. Many ships come to 

 its port to load local products — wheat, corn, and other cereals — both 

 for Lima and the Spanish Main. There is a parish church here and 

 a Franciscan convent. 



1218. The Archdiocese of Lima is divided from the Diocese of 

 Trujillo by the large Rio de Santa, part of whose sources lie in the 

 Province of Cajatambo and in the mountain ranges near Recuay ; 

 it runs from S. to N. in the Huailas Valley, at the end of which it 

 becomes more imposing by the addition of another river which rises 

 in the snow-clad sierras near the Siguas mines ; and running W. 

 through the Province of Conchucos, it separates the Archdiocese from 

 the Diocese of Trujillo through the sierra. Since this river 

 is so huge and rapid, there is no bridge over it ; it is crossed 

 on rafts of gourds netted together, which serve as boats ; the Indians 

 swim beside them and steer the rafts with the travelers and merchan- 

 dise on them. This famous valley in the days of the Indians' heathen- 

 dom was thickly populated, as is proved today by the ruins of their 

 ancient buildings standing there, and the many large guacas to be 

 seen at present. These were their tombs, in which when they died 

 they buried together with the dead all their wealth in gold and silver 

 and the other valuables they possessed, and also food and chicha, 

 which was and is the usual beverage of the Indians of that kingdom ; 

 they made and make it in many ways, as will be described in the 

 following paragraph. 



