INTRODUCTION. V 



Here a college was formed, the languages of the 

 natives were studied, and eventually a prio ting-press 

 was established. Acosta probably resided much at 

 Juli during his stay in Peru. It was here, in all like 

 lihood, that he observed the famous comet of 1577, 

 from 1st November to 8th December, which extended 

 like a fiery plume from the horizon nearly to the 

 zenith. 1 Here, too, he devoted much of his time to 

 the preparation of several learned works, which he took 

 home with him in manuscript, including the first two 

 books of the Natural History of the Indies. 2 The 

 particulars respecting the religion and festivals of the 

 Peruvians, in the work of Acosta, are chiefly derived 

 from the Licentiate Polo de Ondegardo. 3 Several of 

 Acosta s brethren at Juli have been made known to us 

 through their works. Among these were Bias Valera, 

 whose valuable writings have been partially preserved 

 by the Ynca Grarcilasso ; Dr. Francisco de Avila, who 

 wrote on the folk-lore of Huarochiri ; Pablo Jose de 

 Arriaga, the extirpator of idolatry in the Peruvian 

 coast valleys ; the half-caste, Diego de Alcobaca, who 

 wrote religious confessionaries in the native languages ; 

 and the learned Dr. Gonzalo Holguin, who composed 

 a valuable Quichua grammar. A few years later, the 

 college at Juli was the residence of Ludovico Bertonio, 

 who compiled a copious Aymara dictionary ; and it 

 was at Juli that this dictionary was printed in 1611, 

 as well as a Life of Christ in the same language. At 

 Juli, Father Acosta received information respecting 

 the river Amazon from a brother who had formerly 

 been in the famous piratical cruise of Aguirre. 4 



1 Page 122. 2 Page 103, 3 Page 391. 4 Page 82. 



