Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA: 385 



of Peru: and in 1618, Don Diego Baca de Vega 

 was appointed governor of Maynas and Maranon 5 

 and may be faid to have been in reality the firft, a$ 

 neither Pizarro, Orellana, nor Orfua, though invefted 

 with the title, were ever in pofTefilon of it, having made 

 no abfolute gonqueftsS ; a neceffary circumflance to- 

 wards realizing the title. 



This expedition was performed in 16^5 and 1635, 

 and was fucceeded by that of two FrancifcanS, witFi 

 others of the fame order, who fet out from Quito with a 

 determined zeal for propagating Chriftianity among the 

 tiations on the Maranon. But many of them, unable 

 to fupport themfelves under the fatigues and hard- 

 fnips natural in fuch a country, and difcouraged with 

 the little fruit their good defires produced, after wan- 

 dering among mountains, woods, and deferts, re- 

 turned to Qtiito, leaving only two, Dominico de 

 Brieda and Andrew de Toledo, both lay-brothers* 

 Thefcj either from a religious zeal, or naturally more 

 brave and hardy, or of greater curiofity, ventured m 

 penetrate further into thofe dreary waftes. They were 

 indeed attended by fix foldiers, remaining of a whole 

 company wLo had been fent, under captain Juan de Pa- 

 lacio, for the fafeguard of the mifTionaries ; but fo 

 many of them had returned with the religious to Quito, 

 that thefe fix and the captain were all that remained : 

 and that officer, a few days after^ lofl his life in an 

 aclion againfl: the Indians. 



The fix foldiers and two lay-brothers, however, 

 Cdntinued with undaunted refolution to travel through 

 countries inhabited by favages, unknown, and full of 

 precipices on all fides ; at length they committed 

 themfelves to the ftream, in a kind of launch ; and 

 after many fatigues, hardships, and here and there a 

 rencounter, reached the city of Para, at that time de- 

 pendent on, or united with, the captainfhip of th^ 

 Maranon, the governor of which refided at San Louis^ 



Yohi I. Q Q whither 



