^08 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. , 



of Para, at that time dependent on, or united with, the captainlhip of the Maranon, 

 the governor of which refided at San Louis, whither they went, and gave him an 

 account of what they had obferved in this navigation. 



At that time the crown of Portugal was annexed to Spain ; and the governor of the 

 captainfhip, or Maranon, for the fovereign of both kingdoms, was Jacome Reymundo 

 de Norona, who, zealous for the improvement of this difcovery, as of tjie higheft 

 importance to his Prince, fitted out a fleet of canoes, under the command of Captain 

 Texera, to go up the river, and furvey the country with greater form and accuracy. 

 This flotilla departed from the neighbourhood of Para, on the 28th of Oftober 1637, 

 with the two religious on board ; and after an inceflfant fatigue in making way againfl: 

 the ftream, they arrived at Pahamino on the 24th of June 1638. This place belongs 

 to the jurifdidion of the government of Quixos ; whence Texera, with the foldiers 

 and the two religious, went to Quito, where he gave an account of the expedition to 

 the audiencia, which tranfmitted the particulars to the Count de Chinchon, Viceroy of 

 Peru ; and he, agreeably to the zeal he had always manifelted for enlarging His Ma- 

 jefly's dominions, held a council about making more particular difcoveries along the 

 fliores of that river. 



Among other things, the Count de Chinchon gave orders, that the Portuguefe 

 flotilla fliould return to Para ; and with it fent fome intelligent perfons, whofe zeal 

 might be depended on, with orders to take an accurate furvey of the river and its 

 banks ; and after difcharging this commiflion, to proceed to Spain, and make a report 

 of their expedition to the council of the Indies, in order to be laid befo];-e His Majefl:y, 

 that meafures might in confequence be taken for fecuring the conqueft of thefe nations. 

 The perfons chofen were, the Reverend Fathers Chriftopher de Accuna and Andrez de 

 Artieda, Jefuits, and perfons every way equal to the fervice. They left Quito on the 

 16th of February 103 9; and having embarked with the armadilla, after a voyage of 

 ten months, they arrived at Gran Para on the 1 2th of December, whence, according 

 to their inftruftions, they pafled over to Spain, and completely acquitted themfelves of 

 the trufl: repofed in them. 



At the end of the laft century, another expedition was undertaken, for making dif- 

 coveries on the Maranon ; but at that time it was already fo well known, that moft of 

 the adjacent lands had been improved by the mifllons which the Jefuits had fettled 

 there : and the government of Manas now includes many nations, who, on the fervent 

 preaching of the Jefuits, having embraced Chriftianity, vowed obedience to the Kings 

 of Spain ; and a happy alteration was feen in their morals and cuftoms. The banks of 

 this river, where before only wild Indians were feen living in the manner of. beafts, 

 were now turned into plantations and regular towns, the inhabitants of which fliewed 

 that they were not deftitute of reafon and humanity. Thefe improvements were in a 

 great meafure owing to Father Samuel Fritz, who, in 1686, preached the Gofpel 

 among thofe people, and in a fliort time was the inftrument of the converfion of many 

 nations : but the continual fatigues and hardlhips, both by land and water, afteded 

 his health to fuch a degree, that he was obliged to fet out for Para in January 1689, 

 and arrived there on the nth of September of the fame year. Here he remained in a 

 difagreeable inactivity, till his health was reftored, and fome affairs fettled which 

 required inftrudions from the court of Lifbon. 



July the 8th 1 69 1 , Father Fritz leff Para, in order to return to his miflion, which 

 then reached from the mouth of the river Napo to fome diflance beyond the Negro, 

 and included the Omaguas, Yurimaguas, Ayfuares, and many other adjacent nations, 

 the mofl numerous of the whole river. Qdober the 13th, in the fame year, he 



II returned 



