SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, K.C.B., G.C.St.S., F.R.S., D.C.L., Corr. Mem. Inst. F., Hon. Mem. Imp. Acad. Sc. St. Petersburg, etc., etc., President.
- Rear-Admiral C. R. DRINKWATER BETHUNE, C.B. Vice-President.
The Rt. Hon. Sir DAVID DUNDAS, M.P. Vice-President. - Rev. G. P. BADGER, F.R.G.S.
- J. BARROW, Esq., F.R.S.
- Rt. Hon. LORD BROUGHTON.
- Rear-Admiral R. COLLINSON, C.B.
- Sir HENRY ELLIS, K.H., F.R.S.
- General C. FOX.
- R. W. GREY, Esq.
- JOHN WINTER JONES, Esq., F.S.A.
- JOHN W. KAYE, Esq.
- His Excellency the COUNT DE LAVRADIO.
- R. H. MAJOR, Esq., F.S.A.
- Sir CHARLES NICHOLSON, Bart.
- Captain SHERARD OSBORN, R.N., C. B.
- Sir ERSKINE PERRY.
- Major-General Sir HENRY C. RAWLINSON, K.C.B.
- WILLIAM STIRLING, Esq., M.P.
- Viscount STRANGFORD.
- CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM, Esq., F.S.A., Honorary Secretary.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| [i] | |
| [l] | |
| [4] | |
The Travels of Pedro de Cieza de Leon. | |
[Chap. I.]—Which treats of the discovery of the Indies, of some otherthings which were done when they were first discovered, and ofthe present state of affairs | [11] |
[Chap. II.]—Of the city of Panama, and of its founding, and why it istreated of first, before other matters | [14] |
[Chap. III.]—Of the ports between Panama and the land of Peru, of thedistances between them, and of their latitudes | [19] |
[Chap. IV.]—Describes the navigation as far as the Callao of Lima,which is the port of the City of the Kings | [22] |
[Chap. V.]—Of the ports and rivers on the coast, from the City of theKings to the province of Chile, and their latitudes, with other mattersconnected with the navigation of these seas | [27] |
[Chap. VI.]—How the city of San Sebastian was founded in the bay ofUraba; and of the native Indians in that neighbourhood | [32] |
[Chap. VII.]—How the barb is made so poisonous, with which the Indiansof Carthagena and Santa Martha have killed so many Spaniards | [38] |
[Chap. VIII.]—In which other customs of the Indians subject to the cityof Uraba are described | [39] |
[Chap. IX.]—Of the road between the city of San Sebastian and the cityof Antioquia, and of the wild beasts, forests, rivers, and other thingsin the way; and how and in what season it can be passed | [40] |
[Chap. X.]—Of the grandeur of the mountains of Abibe, and of theadmirable and useful timber which grows there | [43] |
[Chap. XI.]—Of the cacique Nutibara, and of his territory: and ofother caciques subject to the city of Antioquia | [46] |
[Chap. XII.]—Of the customs of these Indians, of their arms, and ofthe ceremonies they perform; and who the founder of the city ofAntioquia was | [49] |
[Chap. XIII.]—Of the description of the province of Popayan, and thereason why the natives of it are so wild, and those of Peru so gentle | [54] |
[Chap. XIV.]—Containing an account of the road between the city ofAntioquia and the town of Anzerma, and of the region which lieson either side of it | [56] |
[Chap. XV.]—Of the customs of the Indians of this land, and of the foreststhat must be traversed in order to reach the town of Anzerma | [59] |
[Chap. XVI.]—Of the customs of the Caciques and Indians in theneighbourhood of the town of Anzerma, of the founding of that town,and who its founder was | [62] |
[Chap. XVII.]—Concerning the provinces and towns between the city ofAntioquia and the town of Arma; and of the customs of the natives | [66] |
[Chap. XVIII.]—Of the province of Arma, of the customs of the natives,and of other notable things | [69] |
[Chap. XIX.]—The sacrifices offered up by these Indians, and whatgreat butchers they are in the matter of eating human flesh | [71] |
[Chap. XX.]—Of the province of Paucura, and of the manners andcustoms of the natives | [74] |
[Chap. XXI.]—Of the Indians of Pozo, and how valiant they are, andhow dreaded by the neighbouring tribes | [76] |
[Chap. XXII.]—Of the province of Picara, and of the chiefs of it | [80] |
[Chap. XXIII.]—Of the province of Carrapa, and of what there is to besaid concerning it | [82] |
[Chap. XXIV.]—Of the province of Quinbaya, and of the customs ofthe chiefs. Also concerning the foundation of the city of Cartago,and who was its founder | [85] |
[Chap. XXV.]—In which the subject of the preceding chapter is continued;respecting what relates to the city of Cartago, and its foundation,and respecting the animal called chucha | [90] |
[Chap. XXVI.]—Which touches upon the provinces in this great andbeautiful valley, up to the city of Cali | [93] |
[Chap. XXVII.]—Of the situation of the city of Cali, of the Indians inits vicinity, and concerning the founder | [99] |
[Chap. XXVIII.]—Of the villages and chiefs of Indians who are withinthe jurisdiction of this city of Cali | [100] |
[Chap. XXIX.]—In which the matter relating to the city of Cali is concluded;and concerning other Indians inhabiting the mountains nearthe port which they call Buenaventura | [104] |
[Chap. XXX.]—In which the road is described from the city of Cali tothat of Popayan, and concerning the villages of Indians that liebetween them | [107] |
[Chap. XXXI.]—Concerning the river of Santa Martha, and of thethings which are met with on its banks | [111] |
[Chap. XXXII.]—In which the account of the villages and chiefs subjectto the city of Popayan is concluded; and what there is to be saiduntil the boundary of Popayan is passed | [114] |
[Chap. XXXIII.]—In which an account is given of what there is betweenPopayan and the city of Pasto; and what there is to be said concerningthe natives of the neighbouring districts | [118] |
[Chap. XXXIV.]—In which the account of what there is in this countryis concluded, as far as the boundary of Pasto | [122] |
[Chap. XXXV.]—Of the notable fountains and rivers in these provinces,and how they make salt of good quality by a very curiousartifice | [124] |
[Chap. XXXVI.]—Which contains the description and appearance ofthe kingdom of Peru from the city of Quito to the town of La Plata,a distance of more than seven hundred leagues | [128] |
[Chap. XXXVII.]—Of the villages and provinces between the townof Pasto and the city of Quito | [131] |
[Chap. XXXVIII.]—In which it is stated who were the Kings Yncas,and how they ruled over Peru | [135] |
[Chap. XXXIX.]—Of other villages and buildings between Carangueand the city of Quito: and of the robbery which the people of Otabaloare said to have committed on those of Carangue | [137] |
[Chap. XL.]—Of the situation of the city of San Francisco del Quito, ofits foundation, and who it was who founded it | [140] |
[Chap. XLI.]—Concerning the villages beyond Quito as far as the royalpalaces of Tumebamba, and of some customs of the natives | [145] |
[Chap. XLII.]—Of the other villages between Llacta-cunga and Riobamba;and of what passed between the Adelantado Don Pedro deAlvarado and the Marshal Don Diego de Almagro | [153] |
[Chap. XLIII.]—Which treats of what there is to be said concerning theother Indian villages as far as the buildings of Tumebamba | [160] |
[Chap. XLIV.]—Concerning the grandeur of the rich palaces of Tumebamba,and of the province of the Cañaris | [164] |
[Chap. XLV.]—Concerning the road which leads from the province ofQuito to the coast of the South Sea, and the bounds of the city ofPuerto Viejo | [170] |
[Chap. XLVI.]—In which an account is given of certain things relatingto the province of Puerto Viejo; and also concerning the equinoctialline | [172] |
[Chap. XLVII.]—Treating of the question whether the Indians of thisprovince were conquered by the Yncas or not; and concerning the deathwhich they inflicted on certain captains of Tupac Ynca Yupanqui | [177] |
[Chap. XLVIII.]—How these Indians were conquered by HuaynaCeapac, and how they conversed with the devil, sacrificed to him, andburied women alive with the bodies of their chiefs | [179] |
| [181] | |
[Chap. L.]—How in ancient tunes the Indians of Manta worshipped anemerald as their God; and of other things concerning these Indians | [182] |
[Chap. LI.]—In which the account of the Indians of Puerto Viejo isfinished; and concerning the founding of that city, and who was itsfounder | [186] |
[Chap. LII.]—Of the wells which there are at the point of Santa Elena;of the story they tell respecting the arrival of giants in those parts;and of the tar which is found there | [188] |
[Chap. LIV.][1]—Concerning the foundation of the city of Guayaquil; andhow certain of the natives put the captains of Huayna Ceapac todeath | [192] |
[Chap. LIV.]—Of the island of Puna, and of that of La Plata; andconcerning the admirable root called sarsaparilla, which is so useful forall diseases | [198] |
[Chap. LVI.]—How the city of Santiago de Guayaquil was founded andsettled, of some Indian villages which are subject to it, and concerningother things until its boundary is passed | [201] |
[Chap. LVII.]—Of the Indian villages between the buildings of Tumebambaand the city of Loxa, and concerning the founding of thatcity | [204] |
[Chap. LVIII.]—Concerning the provinces between Tamboblanco andthe city of San Miguel, the first city founded by the ChristianSpaniards in Peru; and what there is to be said of the natives | [209] |
[Chap. LIX.]—In which the narrative is continued down to the foundationof the city of San Miguel, and who was the founder. Also of thedifference of the seasons in this kingdom of Peru, which is a notablething; and how it does not rain along the whole length of these plains,which are on the coast of the South Sea | [212] |
[Chap. LX.]—Concerning the road which the Yncas ordered to be madealong these coast valleys, with buildings and depôts like those in themountains; and why these Indians are called Yuncas | [210] |
[Chap. LXI.]—How these Yuncas were very superstitious, and how theywere divided into nations and lineages | [219] |
[Chap. LXII.]—How the Indians of these valleys and of other parts ofthe country believe that souls leave the bodies, and do not die; andwhy they desired their wives to be buried with them | [221] |
[Chap. LXIII.]—How they buried their dead, and how they mournedfor them, at the performance of their obsequies | [225] |
| [230] | |
[Chap. LXV.]—How they have a custom of naming children, in most ofthese provinces, and how they sought after sorceries and charms | [230] |
[Chap. LXVI.]—Of the fertility of the land in these coast valleys, andof the many fruits and roots they contain. Also concerning theirexcellent system of irrigating the fields | [233] |
[Chap. LXVII.]—Of the road from San Miguel to Truxillo, and of thevalleys between those cities | [238] |
[Chap. LXVIII.]—In which the same road is followed as has been treatedof in the former chapter, until the city of Truxillo is reached | [240] |
[Chap. LXIX.]—Of the founding of the city of Truxillo, and who wasthe founder | [244] |
[Chap. LXX.]—Of the other valleys and villages along the coast road,as far as the City of the Kings | [245] |
[Chap. LXXI.]—Of the situation of the City of Kings, of its founding,and who was the founder | [248] |
[Chap. LXXII.]—Of the valley of Pachacamac, and of the very ancienttemple in it, and how it was reverenced by the Yncas | [251] |
[Chap. LXXIII.]—Of the valleys between Pachacamac and the fortressof Huarco, and of a notable thing which is done in the valley ofHuarco | [255] |
[Chap. LXXIV.]—Of the great province of Chincha, and how much itwas valued in ancient times | [260] |
[Chap. LXXV.]—Of the other valleys, as far as the province of Tarapaca | [263] |
[Chap. LXXVI.]—Of the founding of the city of Arequipa, how it wasfounded, and who was its founder | [267] |
[Chap. LXXVII.]—In which it is declared how that, beyond the provinceof Huancabamba, there is that of Caxamarca, and other largeand very populous provinces | [269] |
[Chap. LXXVIII.]—Of the foundation of the city of the frontier, who wasits founder, and of some customs of the Indians in the province | [277] |
[Chap. LXXIX.]—Which treats of the foundation of the city of Leon deHuanuco, and who was its founder | [282] |
[Chap. LXXX.]—Of the situation of this city, of the fertility of itsfields, and of the customs of its inhabitants; also concerning a beautifuledifice or palace of the Yncas at Huanuco | [283] |
[Chap. LXXXI.]—Of what there is to be said concerning the countryfrom Caxamarca to the valley of Xauxa; and of the district of Guamachuco,which borders on Caxamarca | [287] |
[Chap. LXXXII.]—In which it is told how the Yncas ordered that thestorehouses should be well provided, and how these were kept inreadiness for the troops | [290] |
[Chap. LXXXIII.]—Of the lake of Bombon, and how it is supposed tobe the source of the great river of La Plata | [294] |
[Chap. LXXXIV.]—Which treats of the valley of Xauxa, and of itsinhabitants, and relates how great a place it was in times past | [297] |
[Chap. LXXXV.]—In which the road is described from Xauxa to thecity of Guamanga, and what there is worthy of note on the road | [301] |
[Chap. LXXXVI.]—Which treats of the reason why the city of Guamangawas founded, its provinces having been at first partly under thejurisdiction of Cuzco, and partly under that of the City of theKings | [304] |
[Chap. LXXXVII.]—Of the founding of the city of Guamanga, andwho was its founder | [307] |
[Chap. LXXXVIII.]—In which some things are related concerning thenatives of the districts near this city | [310] |
[Chap. LXXXIX.]—Of the great buildings in the province of Vilcas,which are beyond the city of Guamanga | [312] |
[Chap. XC.]—Of the province of Andahuaylas, and what is to be seen asfar as the valley of Xaquixaguana | [319] |
[Chap. XCI.]—Of the river of Apurimac, of the valley of Xaquixaguana,of the causeway which passes over it, and of what else there is torelate until the city of Cuzco is reached | [319] |
[Chap. XCII.]—Of the manner in which the city of Cuzco is built, ofthe four royal roads which lead from it, of the grand edifices it contained,and who was its founder | [322] |
[Chap. XCIII.]—In which the things of this city of Cuzco are describedmore in detail | [330] |
[Chap. XCIV.]—Which treats of the valley of Yucay and of the strongfortress at Tambo, and of part of the province of Cunti-suyu | [331] |
[Chap. XCV.]—Of the forests of the Andes, of their great thickness, ofthe huge snakes which are bred in them, and of the evil customs of theIndians who live in the interior of these forests | [336] |
[Note to Chap. XCV.]—On the river Purús, a tributary of the Amazon.By Mr. Richard Spruce | [339] |
[Chap. XCVI.]—How the Indians carry herbs or roots in their mouths,and concerning the herb called coca, which they raise in many partsof this kingdom | [352] |
[Chap. XCVII.]—Of the road from Cuzco to the city of La Paz; and ofthe villages, until the Indians called Canches are passed | [353] |
[Chap. XCVIII.]—Of the provinces of Canas, and of Ayavire | [356] |
[Chap. XCIX.]—Of the great district which is inhabited by theCollas, of the appearance of the land where their villages are built,and how the Mitimaes were stationed to supply them with provisions | [359] |
[Chap. C.]—Of what is said concerning the origin of these Collas, oftheir appearance, and how they buried their dead | [362] |
[Chap. CI.]—How these Indians perform their annual ceremonies, and ofthe temples they had in ancient times | [366] |
[Chap. CII.]—Of the ancient ruins at Pucara, of the former greatness ofHatun-colla, of the village called Azangaro, and of other things whichare here related | [368] |
[Chap. CII.]—Of the great lake which is within the province of theCollao, of its depth, and of the temple of Titicaca | [370] |
[Chap. CIV.]—In which the narrative continues, and the villages aredescribed as far as Tiahuanaco | [372] |
[Chap. CV.]—Of the village of Tiahuanaco, and the great and ancientedifices which are to be seen there | [374] |
[Chap. CVI.]—Of the founding of the city called of Our Lady of Peace,who was its founder, and of the road thence to the town of Plata | [380] |
[Chap. CVII.]—Of the founding of the town of Plata, which is situatedin the province of Charcas | [382] |
[Chap. CVIII.]—Of the riches in Porco, and how there are large veinsof silver near that town | [385] |
[Chap. CIX.]—How they discovered the mines of Potosi, whence theyhave taken riches such as have never been seen or heard of in othertimes; and how, as the metal does not run, the Indians get it by theinvention of the huayras | [386] |
[Chap. CX.]—There was the richest market in the world at this hill ofPotosi, at the time when these mines were prosperous | [390] |
[Chap. CXI.]—Of the sheep, huanacus, and vicuñas, which they havein most parts of the mountains of Peru | [392] |
[Chap. CXII.]—Of a tree called molle, and of other herbs and roots inthis kingdom of Peru | [395] |
[Chap. CXIII.]—How there are large salt lakes and baths in thiskingdom; and how the land is suited for the growth of olivesand other fruits of Spain, and for some animals and birds of thatcountry | [399] |
[Chap. CXIV.]—How the native Indians of this kingdom were greatmasters of the arts of working in silver and of building: and howthey had excellent dyes for their fine cloths | [403] |
[Chap. CXV.]—How there are great mines in most parts of this kingdom | [406] |
[Chap. CXVI.]—How many nations of these Indians make war one uponthe other, and how the lords and chiefs oppress the poorer people | [407] |
[Chap. CXVII.]—In which certain things are declared concerning theIndians; and what fell out between a clergyman and one of them, ina village of this kingdom | [411] |
[Chap. CXVIII.]—How, when a chief near the town of Anzerma wishedto become a Christian, he saw the devils visibly, who wished to deterhim from his good intention by their terrors | [415] |
[Chap. CXIX.]—How mighty wonders have been clearly seen in thediscovery of these Indies, how our Sovereign Lord God desires to watchover the Spaniards, and how He chastises those who are cruel to theIndians | [418] |
[Chap. CXX.]—Of the dioceses in this kingdom of Peru, who are thebishops of them, and of the Royal Chancellery in the City of theKings | [424] |
[Chap. CXXI.]—Of the monasteries which have been founded in Peru,from the date of its discovery down to the present year 1550 | [426] |
| [429] | |
INTRODUCTION.
THE work of Pedro de Cieza de Leon is, in many respects, one of the most remarkable literary productions of the age of Spanish conquest in America. Written by a man who had passed his life in the camp from early boyhood, it is conceived on a plan which would have done credit to the most thoughtful scholar, and is executed with care, judgment, and fidelity. But before examining the work itself, I will give some account of its author—of whom, however, little is known, beyond what can be gathered from his own incidental statements in the course of his narrative.
Cieza de Leon is believed to have been born in the year 1519 in the city of Seville, where he passed the first fourteen years of his life. It has been conjectured that his father was a native of Leon,[2] in the north of Spain, but absolutely nothing is known of his parentage.
In 1532, at the extraordinarily early age of fourteen, young Pedro embarked at Seville, and set out to seek his fortunes in the New World. At that time scarcely a year elapsed without seeing an expedition fitted out, to undertake some new discovery or conquest. Seville and Cadiz were crowded with adventurers, all eagerly seeking for a passage to that marvellous land beyond the setting sun. It was, indeed, a time of wild excitement. Every ship that returned from the Indies might, and not a few did, bring tidings of the discovery of new and powerful empires before undreamt of. People of all ages and of every grade in society flocked to the sea ports, and took ship for the Indies; excited beyond control by the accounts of those inexhaustible riches and fabulous glories, which penetrated to every village in Spain. Among the leaders of these expeditions there were some honourable knights, with courteous manners and cultivated minds, such as Diego de Alvarado, Garcilasso de la Vega, and Lorenzo de Aldana.[3] But the majority were either coarse and avaricious adventurers, or disappointed courtiers, like that young scamp Alonzo Enriquez de Guzman, whom I introduced to the notice of the Hakluyt Society in 1862. Cieza de Leon, at the time of his embarkation, was a mere boy, too young to be classed under any of these heads. His character was destined to be formed in a rough and savage school, and it is most remarkable that so fine a fellow as our author really was, should have been produced amidst the horrors of the Spanish American conquest. Humane, generous, full of noble sympathies, observant, and methodical; he was bred amidst scenes of cruelty, pillage, and wanton destruction, which were calculated to produce a far different character. Considering the circumstances in which he was placed from early boyhood, his book is certainly a most extraordinary, as well as an inestimable result of his labours and military services.
It does not appear in what fleet our boy soldier set out from Spain; but judging from the date, and from the company in which we find him immediately on landing in America, I consider it more than probable that he sailed from his native land in one of the ships which formed the expeditionary fleet of Don Pedro de Heredia.
Heredia, who had already served with distinction on the coast of Tierra Firme, had obtained a grant of the government of all the country, between the river Magdalena and the gulf of Darien, from Charles V. He was a native of Madrid, where, having had his nostrils slit in a street brawl, he had killed three of the men who had treated him with this indignity. Forced to leave his native country, he took refuge in San Domingo, and a relation had interest enough to get him appointed as lieutenant to Garcia de Lerma, in an expedition to Santa Martha; whence he returned to Spain. He was a man of considerable ability, judgment, and determination, was respected by his own followers, and had already had some experience in Indian warfare. His lieutenant was Francisco de Cesar, one of the most dashing officers of the time.[4]