622 CLLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



on reducing the more remote nations. Accordingly in the year 1538, Gonzalo 

 Pizarro, and other commanders, marched from Cufco at the head of a large body 

 of troops, and, advancing as far as Charcas, were oppofed by the nations inhabiting 

 this country, and the Carangues, with fuch vigour, that it was not till after feveral 

 obftinate battles that they fubmitted. But their refiftance did not equal that made by 

 the Chuquifacans ; for Pizarro having, after feveral actions, penetrated to their prin- 

 cipal town, they befieged him in it, and the danger was fo great, that without the 

 fpeedy fuccours fent him from Cufco by his brother the Marquis Don Francifco 

 Pizarro, the few Spaniards who furvived the former actions would have been all cut 

 off. But on the arrival of this reinforcement, among which were a great number of 

 volunteers of diftindion, he routed the Indians, who, being no longer able to continue 

 the war, fubmitted, and acknowledged the fovereignty of the King of Spain. In the 

 following year 1539, Pizarro, convinced of the importance of making a flrong fettle- 

 ment there, commiffioned Captain Pedro Anzures to build a town, which was accord- 

 ingly done on the fite of that of Chuquifaca, and great numbers of thofe who had 

 fhared in the conqueft, continued there in order to fubdue the other contiguous 

 nations. This town they called Plata, alluding to the filver mines of the mountain 

 of Porco in its neighbourhood, and from which the Yncas received great quantities of 

 filver, keeping in pay a proper number of Indians for working them ; but the primitive 

 name of Chuquifaca has prevailed, and is now commonly ufed. This city flands in 

 a fmall plain environed by eminences which' defend it from the winds. The tempe- 

 rature of the air in fummer is very mild ; nor is there any confiderable difference 

 throughout the year ; but in the winter, which here begins in September and continues 

 till March, tempefts of thunder and lightning are very common, and the rains of 

 long continuance ; but all the other parts of the year the atmofphere is bright and 

 ferene. The houfes both in the great fquare and thofe adjoining to it have one flory 

 befides the ground floor. They are covered with tiles, are very roomy and con- 

 venient, with delightful gardens planted with t,he fruits of Europe. But water is fo 

 fcarce that they have hardly enough to fupply the neceflTary purpofes of life : the little 

 they have being fetched from feveral public fountains difperfed in different parts of the 

 city. The inhabitants confift of Indians and Spaniards, and are faid to amount to 

 about i4,coo. 



The cathedral is large, and divided into three aifles, of good architedure, and 

 finely adorned with paintings and gildings. The parifh is ferved by two priefts, one 

 for the Spaniards, and the other for the Indians. Here is alfo another parifh called 

 St. Sebaflian, fituated at one end of the city, and is appropriated to the Indians living 

 within its precin6l, who are thought to be about three thoufand. The convents are 

 thofe of the Francifcans, Dominicans, Auguftines, the fathers of Mercy, and a 

 college of Jefuits ; all fpacious buildings with fplendid churches. Here is alfo a con- 

 ventual hofpital of St. Juan de Dios, the expences of which are defrayed by the King ; 

 likewife two nunneries, of the order of St. Clare, and of St. Monica. 



The city of La Plata has alfo an univerfity, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, the 

 chairs of which are filled indifferently either by fecular clergy or laymen ; but the 

 redor is always a Jefuit. Here are alfo two other colleges in which leftures of all 

 kinds are read. That of St. John is under the direction of the Jefuits ; while the 

 archbifhop nominates to that of St. Chriflopher, which is a feminary. 



Two leagues from Plata runs the river Cachimay along the plains, having on its 

 banks feveral pleafant feats of the inhabitants ; and about fix in the road leading to 

 Potofi, is the river of Philco-mayo, which is paffed over by a large flone bridge. 



During 



