154 OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



The viceroy of Peru, who at that time was the Count de Chinchon, being informed 

 of this voyage of Captain Pedro Texeira, refolved to fend two perfons back with him 

 for the crown of Caftile, who might give a perfeft relation of the difcovery. 



At this time the city of Quito was governed by Don Juan Vafques de Acunna, as 

 corregidor for His Majefty over both Spaniards and Indians, and who at prefent is 

 corregidor of Potofi, who very zealoufly offered his perfon for one, and his fortune 

 to raife people at his own charges, and provide them with all neceflaries; but the 

 royal Audientia, confidering how much he would be wanted in his office, where his 

 prudence, experience and zeal, had fhowed themfelves, refufed to let him go, and 

 chofg a brother of his, that they might not totally deprive his illuflrious family of that 

 glory. This brother was a father of our company of Jefus, and named Father Chrifl- 

 oval de Acunna, who was reftor of the college of Cuen9a, and gave him for .compa- 

 nion Father Andres de Arrieda of the fame company, who was profeflbr of divinity in 

 the fame college. 



They fet out from Quito in the year 1539, and having navigated the whole river, 

 which, according to their account, is thirteen hundred and fifty-fix leagues long 

 (though Orellana makes it eighteen hundred leagues), obferved exactly the rife of this 

 great river, its fituation, its courfe, latitude, and depth, the iflands it makes, the 

 arms into which it is divided, the rivers it receives, the riches, quantities, temperature, 

 and climate of its fhores, the cuftoms and manners of that multitude of people that 

 inhabit it, and particularly of thofe famous Amazones. All which may be feen in a 

 treatife made of it by Father Chriftoval de Acunna, printed in Madrid ; and it. is a 

 relation that deferves credit, he being an eye-witnefs, and having examined various 

 nations as he went. 



Thefe informations were well received in Madrid ; but the revolutions which fuc- 

 ceeded in thofe kingdoms hindered all further progrefs, and prevented thofe holy 

 defigns for the converfion of that great part of America. There are infinite numbers 

 of Indians that inhabit the iflands, and other parts of this river. It is faid they have 

 one fettlement, that is a town, above a league in length. And now, omitting many 

 other conquefts, made much about the fame time in the iflands and coafts of the 

 North-Sea, and that which was made in the South-Sea by Xil Gon9ales de Avila, in 

 the land of Nicaragua, in the year 1522, let us attend (for it is high time) to the dif- 

 covery of Peru, of which we fliall treat more at large, becaufe it has a connexion to 

 that of Chile. 



CHAP. XII. — The Difcovery of Peru is given to Don Franc fco Pizarro, and Don Diego 

 d ^AlmagrOy and Hernando Loque ; and bow much they endured in it. 



THE captains Don Francifco Pizarro, and Don Diego Almagro, in company with 

 the fcholafl:ic of the cathedral church of Dairen, called Hernando de Loque, came to 

 the governor Pedrarias, and defired of him, as jfriends, the favour of being employed 

 in the difcovery and conquefl:s of thofe coafts which run fouth from Panama, where lies 

 the powerful kingdom of Peru, of which at that time there was little light; and for 

 this they propofed their reaforis ; among which, that which was of leaft value, they 

 relied moft upon, and that was their experience they had attained under their general 

 Vafco Nunnes de Balboa. They met with little difficulty with the governor ; for fo 

 long as they did not defire any alliftance of the King's treafure, but ventured their own 

 and their lives, they eafily obtained leave to undertake what they would. They pre- 



II fently 



