From this towne of Tangoa vnto Chincheo, is thirteene leagues, and so plaine way that it giueth great content to trauaile it. In all the waye, they could not see one spanne of ground but was tilled and occupied. The like they doo saye is of all the grounde that is in the whole kingdome: it is full of people, and the townes one so neere to another, that almost you can not iudge them to be maine townes, but one; for that there was but a quarter of a league distant one towne from another, and it was tolde vnto them, that in all the prouinces of the kingdome, it is populared in the same order. All their ground they till is watered, which is the occasion of the fruitefulnesse thereof, so that they doo gather fruite all the yeare long, and our Spaniardes did see in all places whereas they came, that they were gathering of rice, some newe sprung up, some with eares, and some rype. They doo plough and till their ground with kine, bufalos, and bulles, which are verie tame, and although they be great, yet be their hornes but of a spanne long, and turning backwards to the tayle, in such sort that they can not do any hurt or harme with them; they do gouerne them with a corde, that is made fast to a ring that is in their nose, and in like sort do they gouerne the bufanos.[21] They doo feede them commonly in the fieldes of rice, for that they have no other grasinges, and all the time that they are feeding, a boy doth ride on euerie one of them to disturbe them, that they doo no harme therein, but to eate the weedes and grasse that doo grow in the rice. In this prouince, and all the rest of the fifteene in that kingdome, they gather much wheate, and excellent good barley, peese, borona,[22] millo,[23] frysoles,[24] lantesas,[25] chiches,[26] and other kindes of graines and seedes, whereof is great abundance, and good cheape. But the chiefest thing that they do gather, and a victuall that is most vsed amongest them and the borderers there aboutes is rice.
[21] Misspelt for buffaloes.
[22] A sort of grain, resembling maize or Indian corn.
[23] Millet.
[24] Kidney beans.
[25] Lentils.
[26] Dwarf peas.
All the hie waies are couered with the shadowe of verie faire orchardes, which do garnish it verie much, and they are planted in verie good order; and amongest them there are shoppes, whereas is solde all manner of fruites, to the comfort of all such as doo trauaile by the way, which is an infinite number, some on foote, some on horsebacke, and others in little chayres. Their waters by the hie waies are verie good and light, although the wether, at that time, was verie hoat, especially at noone time; yet was the water of their welles and fountaynes verie coole. The same day, when they had trauayled halfe way, they saw a farre off comming marching towardes them in verye good order, a squadron of souldiers, which, at the first, caused them to maruaile, and to be a fraide, till such time as they drewe nigher; it was tolde vnto them, that it was the Captayne of the Garde vnto the Insuanto, or Gouernour of Chincheo, who came by his order to receive them, with foure hundred souldiers, verie well armed with pickes and hargubushes, and well apparelled. So soone as the captaine came vnto them, he was mounted on a bay horse, but of small stature, as they, for the most part, bee in all that prouince, hee alighted, and came vnto the fathers and his companions (who likewise did alight from their little chayres), and did salute the one the other with great courtesie. And the captayne tolde them, how that the gouernour did sende him with those souldiers for to receive him, and to beare him companie, and howe that hee was in the citie tarrying their comming, with great desire to see them; and commaunded that, with all speede possible, they should shorten the way.
The captaine came verie well apparelled, with a chayne of golde about his necke; a man of a good audacitie and vnderstanding. Harde vnto his stirryp hee had a page that went A thing to keepe away the sunne. with him, and carried a great tira sol, made of silke, that did shadowe him all over. The bunnett that this captaine did weare, was like vnto them that before they had seene others weare; hee had before him great musicke of trompets and hoybuckes, whereon they played in great concorde. This captaine, with his foure hundreth souldiers, did continually garde them, till they came vnto the citie of Chincheo, and never departed from them a iot; the which was done more for pompe, and to showe their maiestie, then of necessitie; for that although the people are infinite and without number, yet do they weare no weapons, for that they are commanded The people of the countrie weare no weapons, but the souldiers. by the lawe of the countrie to the contrarie, vpon paine of death, of what state or degree soever he be; but onely the souldiers, such as are in euery towne for the garde thereof, and the garrisons that the king hath continually readie to come foorth, when that any occasion shall serue.
In this hie way continually, there went and came manye packe horses, laden with marchandice and other thinges; but the most parts of them were mules. The hie wayes are verie brode, that twentie men may ride together on a ranke, and one not hinder an other, and are all paued with great stones, and they say that the wayes throughout all the other prouinces be in the same order, and was done by a king of that countrie, who spent vpon the same a great part of his treasure. And it seemeth to be true, for that our Spaniards trauelling in that countrie, ouer high and mightie mountaines, yet did they finde the waies plaine, in such sort as hath been told you.