ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. ^og 



returned to the town of Nueftra Senora de las Nieves, the capital of the Yurimagua 

 nation ; and having vifited the reft under his charge, to the number of forty-one, all 

 large and populous, he went, on other public affairs, to the town of Laguna, the 

 capital of all the miffions on the Maranon, where the fuperior refided ; and afterwards 

 repaired to the city of Lima, in order to communicate to the Count de Moncloa, at 

 that time viceroy, a full account of all thofe countries. This lafl journey he under- 

 took by the way of the rivers Guallaga, Patanapura, Moyobamba, Chachapoyas, 

 Caxamarca, Truxillo, and Lima. 



The affairs which brought this indefatigable miffionary to Lima, where he was 

 received with great honour, being finilhed ; Father Fritz, in Auguft 1693, ^^^ °^^ ^^ 

 his return to his miffions, by the way of the city .of Jaen de Bracamoros, with a view 

 of reconnoitring the courfe and fituation of the rivers which, from thofe fouthern 

 parts, fall into the Maranon. By the help of thefe additional lights, he drew a map 

 of that river, which was engraved at Quito, in the year 1707 : and though it had not 

 all the accuracy which could be defired, the father being without inflruments for 

 obferving the latitudes and longitudes of the chief places, taking the courfe of the 

 rivers, and determining the diftances ; yet it was received with very great applaufe, as 

 being the only one in which were laid down the fource and direction of all the rivers 

 which join the Maranon, and the whole courfe of the latter till its junction with the 

 ocean. 



IIL Account of the Conqueji, MiJJtons^ and Nations, ejiahlijhed on the Maranon. 



The difcovery of this famous river, and the furvey of the adjacent countries and 

 nations, was followed by the conqueft of the nations who inhabited its banks and 

 illands. The mifcarriage of the expedition Under Gonzalo Pizarro has already been 

 mentioned : Orellana was not more fortunate ; when, purfuant to the grant of the 

 government, he returned to fettle in it ; and Orfua's fate was ftill more deplorable, 

 perifhing himfelf, with the greatell part of his followers. But we are now to fpeak of 

 the more fuccefsful enterprize of Don Diego Baca de Vega, whom we have already 

 mentioned, but in a curfory manner. 



The government of Maynas, and the Maranon, having been conferred on De Vega ; 

 confident of the good difpofitions of the Maynas Indians, as it had been carefully cul- 

 tivated, fmce its firft commencement with the Santiago foldiers, he entered the country 

 with a little colony, and founded the city of San Francifco de Borga, in 1634, as the 

 capital of the whole government ; a title which it juftly deferved, for being the firfl 

 erected in that vaft country ; and alfo on account of the friendship which the Indians 

 had fhewn for the Spaniards ever fince their firfl arrival. The new governor being a 

 perfon of judgment and penetration, was not long in obferving that thefe nations were 

 rather to be governed by moderation and gentlenefs, with a proper firmnefs to create 

 refped, than by rigour or aufterity : and accordingly informed the audiencia of Quito 

 and the Jefuits of their difpofition. Miffionaries were accordingly fent them, in the 

 perfons of Gafpar de Cuxia and Lucas de Cuebas, who came to Maynas in the year 

 1637 ; and their preaching had fuch remarkable fuccefs, that, being not of themfelves 

 fufficient for inftrufting the multitudes of new converts, they fent to Quito for affift- 

 ance : and thus the number of miffions continually increafed, and whole nations re- 

 forted from their forefls in fearch of the light of the Gofpel. By this means the 

 King's dominions were extended, every profelyte with j,oy acknowledging himfelf in 



his 



