At last the time for my long desired departure arrived, and I embarked for Cartagena in a frigate. There I presented to the Governor the order of His Majesty, in which all his officers are instructed to help me; but he made little account either of the order or of assisting me. As soon as I could I again embarked for Puerto Bello, and arrived at Panama so poor that for the space of eight days I had not one rial. I arrived, owing for the hire of the mules and many other things. So I determined to apply to the Audience of that city to present me with 200 dols. from the treasury, or I should have to seek it at a loss from merchants, to be repaid at Lima. But the judges made as little of me as of the royal orders which I presented, saying that that was no place for advances from the public funds. So I had to retire to my poor lodging, where I was sued by the muleteer and other creditors.
In the middle of these troubles, on Monday, the 30th of August, the most Holy Sacrament went forth from its house to the hospital, which was built of old wood. Ascending to the upper story, as the weight of the people was great, a large part of the building gave way, and we fell, sixty of us, with the beds and patients, a height of more than twenty feet. There were many accidents. A priest was killed on the spot, and there were broken limbs. I escaped with what I got, which was a severe blow on the left side, a wound on the right ankle, and a hand cut open by a nail. My cure cost me four bleedings and two months and a-half in bed, without possessing a single maravedi during the whole time, and in a very expensive place. Only by a miracle I found anyone to take pity on me in my necessity.
When barely convalescent, I was able to embark in a ship bound for Peru, without a bit of bread or a jar of water. God favoured me with such a good voyage that in twenty days we anchored at Payta, and I sent a letter by the chasqui to the Count of Monterey, who had arrived as Viceroy of that kingdom from New Spain. Embarking again, God was served that in eighteen days I should arrive at the port of Callao, where I disembarked on the 6th of March, 1605, with debts for the passage and food, and with no money. I hired horses from one I had known before, and entered Lima by night. I went round without being able to find any hostelry, until God led me to a potter who, for that night and for three other nights, hospitably received me with goodwill among his pots; so that I am able to say with good reason that I arrived at Lima weighted down with so many old labours to make a beginning with new ones, in the way that will be seen by what follows.
[1] He forgets that Caraccas is on the main land.
[2] One of these nephews was no doubt the Lucas de Quiros who was appointed Royal Ensign by his uncle on May 13th, 1606, at the bay of St. Philip and St. James. Zaragoza mentions that, in 1616, Lucas de Quiros was acquiring a certain reputation at Lima as a cosmographer (IV, Apuntes Biograficas, p. 139). He constructed a map of the western side of South America, from Carthagena to Magellan’s Strait, by order of the Viceroy, Prince of Esquilache, on parchment (see Duro Arca de Noc, p. 560).
Chapter III.
Of what more happened in the city of the Kings and in its port of Callao, to the Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, until his despatch took effect, and he embarked for the new discovery.
After I had arrived at the city of the Kings, three days passed without being able to obtain admission to or audience with the Viceroy, to explain to him my plans, and inform him respecting the orders of His Majesty. I spoke with him for the first time on Friday, the 11th of March, and, having seen the royal order, he appointed an audience on the 25th of the same month, which he gave me. He had ordered to be present two judges, two religious persons of the Company of Jesus, the General of Callao, Don Lope de Ulloa, the Captain of the Guard, and a secretary.