The several Valleys of this Province.
In this Province are several very pleasant Valleys, the first whereof is Motupe, to which a sandy Way leads from St. Miguel de Valverde, between barren Wilds, from whence several Streams falling are immediately drunk up by the Sand; wherefore all Travellers that go that way carry Water and Wine with them in Calabashes for twenty Leagues together, which they Walk or Ride by Night, because of the excessive heat of the Sun.
In the Valley Motupe grow abundance of Trees, which receive nourishment from a River that springs up near the same. Here is also much Cotton.
Not far from hence are the Valleys Xayanca, formerly very populous and full of Palaces: The River which flows through the middle is led in Trenches amongst the neighboring Fields.
The Valley Tuqueme is also very pleasant, and the decay’d Palaces, sufficiently testifie its former splendor.
The next being Cinto, is no way inferior to Tuqueme; and between both lie sandy Hills and barren Rocks, on which grow neither Trees nor Herbs, nor is any living Creature to be found upon them: the Way through which being a whole days Journey, cannot be travell’d without sure Guides.
The Valley Collique, water’d by a River of the same Denomination, and very thick set with Trees, was formerly very populous, but since the Spanish Wars it is become quite desolate; for not onely a considerable number of them were slain by the Spaniards, but also many destroy’d themselves, Wives and Children; of which Peter Martyr, Councellor to the Emperor Charles the Fifth, sets down several terrible Examples, of which two were remarkable above the rest; the first was after this manner:
Two tragical Passages.
The Spanish Captain Olandus Lying with the Daughter of an Indian Casique, question’d when she grew big with Child, Whether she was with Child by him? and that he might know the real truth by Torture, he caus’d her to be ty’d naked to a woodden Spit, and laid to roast against a Fire made of green Wood, so that she died in a most miserable manner; upon which her Father ran in a rage with thirty of his Companions to Olandus’s House, where he kill’d his whole Family, and locking all the Doors about the House, set fire on the same, into which when it was at its greatest heighth, he and his Associates leap’d into the middle thereof.
The second Accident is also very terrible, viz. An Indian Maid being Got with Child by a Spanish Ass-driver, acquainted her Father and Mother with it, withal telling them that she was ready to suffer Death for her Offence; and notwithstanding they freely pardoning, and perswading her to the contrary, she eat raw Juca, which when boyl’d is a wholsom Food, but if eaten raw, certain though languishing Death; which she perceiving, ran to the next River, where after having wash’d her self, she broke off from a large Tree a Bough of five Foot long, and making the end thereof very sharp, fell upon the same, and so kill’d her self. Several other Ravish’d Maids taking example hereby, hang’d themselves upon the Boughs of the same Tree.