Report For

-

i-mM"

yi

0' i]

REPORT FOR

On

this anniversary, the

twelfth year of

Hakluyt Society has completed the

existence,

its

1859.

and the Council have the

satis-

faction to report that there has

been a small increase in the

number

the

of Subscribers

since

General Meeting,

last

and that the funds of the Society are in

a prosperous con-

dition.

Although there has been some unavoidable delay issue

in the

of books to Subscribers, owing to the difficult and

laborious nature of the researches which are entailed

upon

the Editors, yet the Council are able to report that, in

addition to the

work which has already been issued during

the present year, three others will follow in the course of the

meet the claims of Subscribers

summer, which

wnll

volumes due, up

to the date of the present

Since the

last

been delivered

General Meeting, the following volume has

to

members

" Narrative of a in the years

for

Report.

Voyage

:

to the

"West Indies and Mexico

1599-1602," by Samuel Champlain, translated

from the original and unpublished manuscript by Alice

Wilmere.

The

three volumes, which will be delivered to

members

during the summer, are already considerably advanced in the printer's hands, viz.:

Early Indications of Australia

;

a

Collection

Documents showing the Early Discoveries of Australia

of to

:

Edited by R. H. Major, Esq., of

the time of Captain Cook.

Museum, F.S.A.

the British

Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons during the Sixteentli and Seventeenth Centuries:

containing the

journey of Gonzalo Pizarro, from the Royal Commentaries of Garcilasso Inca de la Vega; the

Voyage

of Francisco de

Orrelana, from the General History of Herrera

and the

;

Cristoval de Acuna, from an exceedingly scarce

Voyage of

narrative written

by himself

in 1641.

Edited and Translated

by Clements R. Markham, Esq.

A

Collection of Documents Forming a Monograph

of the

Voyage of Henry Hudson. Edited by N.

E. S. A.

Hamilton, Esq., with an Introduction by George Asher, Esq.,

LL.D.

In addition

to the

above works, three others have been

undertaken by Editors, and are now Tjie Fifth describing his

in progress, viz.

Letter of Hernando Cortes: being

Voyage

Honduras

to

in 1525-6.

lated and edited

by E. G. Squier, Esq.

The Voyage Good Hope in

of Vasco de 1497

now

:

To be

that

trans-

Gama round the Cape

first

of

translated from a cotempo-

raneous manuscript, accompanied by other documents forming a monograph on the

life

of

De Gama.

To be

translated

and edited by Richard Garnett, Esq., of the British Museum.

The Travels

of Ludovico Vartema, in Syria, Arabia,

Persia, and India, during the Sixteenth

translated

These works will to the year fication of

Century

to

be

satisfy the just claims of Subscribers,

up

:

and edited by Count Pepoli.

1860

;

but the Council have the additional grati-

being able

to

report that there

is

a prospect of

:

:

:

3 securing the services of Editors lor four other works, wliich

have been suggested

to

them

for publication, viz.

The Discovery and Conquest Jjetheucourt in 1402-25

;

the

of the Canary Islands

Embassy of Ruy Gonzalez de

Ciavijo to the Court of Tamerlane in 1403

Mendana and Quiros the Voyage of

Amazons,

South Seas

the " Tyrant Aguirre"

in 1560,

Besides Sir

in the

by

;

;

the

Voyages of

and the narrative of

down

the River of the

by Fray Pedro Simon.

Henry E-awlinson, K.C.B., who has accepted

the appointment of the following five

H. M. Envoy

Members

retire

to the

Court of Teheran,

from the Council,

viz.

The Eight Hon. Robert Lowe. Beriah Botfield, Esq. Lord Alfred S. Churchill. Count Lavradio. Lieutenant-General Fox.

Of

this

election,

posed

number, the three

last are

recommended

for re-

and the names of the following gentlemen are pro-

for election, viz.

The Right Hon. H. Labouchere. John Barrow,

Esq., F.R.S.

R. H. Major, Esq., F.S.A.

The Council have

Markham

further to report that Mr. Clements R.

has undertaken the duties of Honorary Secretary,

which became vacant on the resignation of Mr. R. H. Major, who, in the long period during which he has occupied that position, has contributed so largely to the prosperity of the

Society.

At cil

the Meeting of the 15th of

November, 1858, the Coun-

" cordially reiterating the expression of the sentiments

conveyed in the resolution of April, of their great regret

/

at

measure, on the prompt i)a>meut of the subscriptions, which are payable Richards, in advance on the 1st of January, and are received by Mb. Society's agent 37, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, who is the Post Office Orders should be drawn on for the delivery of its volumes. the Charing Cross Post Office. received It is especially requested, that all subscribers who shall not have their volumes within a reasonable ]jeriod after the payment of their subscription, will notify the same to the Secretary.

ALBEA D r PUBLISHED. The Observations In his Voyage into the South Sen in Capt. C. K.

of Sir Kichard Hawkins, Knt. rLifiriniLMl from the edition of Uii, and edited by

10'.i.3.

DuiXKWATEn

IIi-.tiiine, K.N.,

C.B.

Select Letters of Columbus. With Original Documents relating to the Discoveuy of the New World. Translated and Edited by R. 11. M.\iur, Esq., of the r.riti^ih Museum.

l?v

Siu VV.U.TER

The Discoverie of the Empire of Guiana, Knt. Edited, with ('oi.iou3 Explanatory Notes, and a Biographical Memoir, by Sir Kobert H. schomburok, Phil. D., etc.

l'.\LEiiii,

Sir Francis

Bv Thomas

Drake

Ms

Voyage, 1595,

;\IiYNARDE, together with the Spanish Aecdunt of Drake's Attack on Puerto Eico, edited from the Original JISS., by W. 1). Cooley, Esq.

Narratives of Early Voyages Undertaken for the Discovery of a Passage to Cathaia and Ixdia, by the Northwest, with Selections from the Kecords of the worshipful Fellowship of the Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies; and from MSS. in the Library of the British Museum, now first published, by Thomas IIundall, Esq.

The Historie of Travaile into Virginia Britannia, Expressing the Cosmographie and Commodities of the Country, together with the Manners and Customs of the people, gathered and observed as well by those who went first thither as collected by William Strachey, Gent, the first Secretary of the Colony; now first Edited from the original manuscript in tlie British Jlusenni, by It. It. Major, Esq., of the British Museum. Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America, the Islands adjacent, collected and published by Richard Hakluyt, Prebendary of Bristol, in the year 1582. Edited, with Notes and an Introduction, by John Winter Jones, Esq., of the 13ritish Museum.

And

A

Collection of

Documents on Japan,

With a Commentary, by Thomas

Rundall, Esq.

The Discovery and Conquest of Florida, By Don Ferdinando db Soto. Translated out of Portuguese, by Richard

Ilakluyt; and

Edited with Notes and an Introduction, by W. B. Rye, Esq., of the British Museum.

Notes upon Kussia, a Translation from the Earliest Account uf that Country, entitled Rrrum MoscovitiCAUt'M CoMMEiNTAUii. by the Baron Siyismuiid von Ilerberstein, Ambassador from the Court of (iermany to the Grand Prince Vasiley Ivanovieh, in the years 1517 and l.')2fl. Two Volumes. Translated, and Edited with Notes and an Introduction, by R. H. Ma.tor, Esq., of the

Being

British

Museum.

The Geography of Hudson's Bay. Being the Remarks of Cattain W. Coats, in many Voyages to that locality, between the years Kay and IT.Il. With an Appendix, containing E.xtracts from the Log of Capt Mtddleton on his Voyage for the discovery of the North-west Passage, in H.M.S. "Furnace", in 1741-2. Edited by John Barrow, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A. Three Voyages by the North-east, Towards Cathay and China, uiulertnUeu by the Dutch in tlu> years IhOA, 150.5, and 150G, with their Discovery of Spitzbergen. their residence often months in Nnvaya Zemlya,and their safe return in two open boats. By G errit be Veer. Edited by C. T. Beke, Esq., Ph.D., F.S.A.

and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof. Compiled by the Pmire Juan Gonzalez dk JIkndhza. And now Reprinted from the F.arly Translation of K. Parke. Edited by Sru Gkouge T. Staunton, Bart. With an Introduction by K. II. Major. Esq. 2 vols.

The History

of the Great

The History From

of the Tartar Conquerors

who Subdued

China.

the French of the Pire D'Orleans, liltis. Tniuslated iiiul Edited by the Eli.esmere. With au Introduction by 1!. il. Major, l-'.sq.

The World Encompassed by

Earl

Sir Francis Drake,

Being his next Voyage to that to Nombrc de Uios. Collated with an unpublished Manuscript of Francis Fletcher, Chaplain to the Expedition. With Ajipendicesillusu-ative of the same Voyage, and Introduction, by W. S. W. Vaijx, Esq., M.A.

A

Collection of Early

Documents on Spitzbergen and Greenland,

Consisting of: a translation liom the German of F. Martens important work on Spitzbergen, very rare a translation from Isaac de la Peyreres Kelation de Groeuland, and a rare piece entitled " God's Power and Providence showed in the miraculous preservation and deliverance of eight Englishmen, left by mischance in Greenland, anno 1G30, nine moneths and twelve days, faithfully reported by Edward Pelham." Edited, with Notes, by Adam White, Esq., of the British Museum.

now

;

The Voyage

of Sir

From

Comprising Travels,

"

now

Henry Middleton

the rare Edition of

Icoij.

to Bantam and the Maluco Islands. Edited by P.olton Couney, Esq.

Russia at the close of the Sixteenth Century. The Russe Commonwealth'' by L)r. Giles Fletchek, and Sir Jerome Horsey's first

printed entire from his manuscript in the British iluseum. E. A. Bond, Esq., of the British JIuseum.

The Travels Translated and edited by

Edited by

of Girolamo Benzoni, in America, in 1542-56. Admiral W. U. Smyth, F.IJ.S., F.S.A.

India in the Fifteenth Century. Being a Collection of Narratives of Voyages to India in the century preceding the Portuguese discovery of the Cape of Good Hope; fioni Eatin, Persian, Russian, and Italian sources, now first translated into English. Edited, with an Introduction, by E. H. Major, Esq., F.S.A.

Narrative of a Voyage to the "West Indies and Mexico In the Years 1-509-1602, with Mai s and Illustrations. By Sa.muel Chaiiplain. Translated from the original and unpublished Jlanuscript, with a Biographical Notice and Notes by Alice Wilmere. Edited by Norton Shaw. Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons, During the Sixteenth and Seventeentli centuries containing the Journey of Gonzalo Pizarro, from the Royal Commentaries of Garcilasso luca de la Vega the Voyage of Francisco de Orellana, from the General History of Herrera; and the Voyage of CrisToVAL DE AcuNA, from an exceedingly scarce narrative written by himself, in Itiil. Edited and translated by Clements R. Makkham, Esq. :

;

Other Works in Progress. Early Indications of Australia

a Collection of Documents shewing the Early Discoveries of Australia to the time of Captain Cook. Edited by K. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum, F.S.A. The Fifth Letter of Hernando Cortes, being that describing his Vojage to Honduras in 152.5-6. To be Translated and Edited by C. G. Squier, Esq. Collection of Documents forming a monograph of the Voj'ages of Henry HtiDSON. To be edited by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Esq., of the British Museum, with an Introduction by Georoe Asher, Esq., LL.D. The Voyage of Vasco de Gama round the Cape of Good Hope in 149~, now first Translated ;

A

from a cotemporaneous manuscript, accompanied by other documents forming a

monograph on the life of De Gama. To be translated and edited by RiciiARn Garnett, Esq., of the British Museum. The Travels of Ludovico Vartema, in Syria, Arabia, Persia, and India, diu-ing the lUlh century; to be translated and edited by

Count Pepoli.

"Works suggested to the Council for Publication. The Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, by Betheiicourt, in 1402-25;

the Embassy Kuy Gonzalez de Clavijo to the Court of Tamerlane in M03 the Voyages of Mendana and Quires in the South Seas and the Narrative of the Voyage of the " Tyiant Aguirre," down the River of the Amazons, in 1560. by Fray Pedro Simon. of

;

;

Laws

of the

Hakluyt

Society.

object of tliis Society shall be to print, for distribution among its members, rare and valuable Voyages, Travels, Naval Expeditions, and other geographical records, from an early period to the beginning of the eighteenth century.

The

I.

II.

on the

The Annual

Subscription shall be

One Guinea, payable

in advance

1st January.

III. Each member of the Society, having paid his subscription, shall be entitled to a copy of every work produced by the Society, and to vote at the general meetings within the period subscribed for; and if he do not signify, before the close of the year, his wish to resign, he shall be considered as a member for the succeeding year.

IV. The management of the Society's aflairs shall be vested in a Council consisting of twenty-one membei's, namely, a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and seventeen ordinary members, to be elected annually; but vacancies occurring between the general meetings shall be filled up by the Council.

A General Meeting

of the Subscribers shall be held annually, on the Marcli. The Secretary's Report on the condition and proceedings of the Society sliall be llien read, and, along with the Auditor's Report, be submitted for approval, and finally, tlie Meeting shall proceed to elect the Council for the ensuing year.

V.

first

Thursday

in

VI. At each Annual Election, six of the old Council shall retire; and a of the proposed new Council shall be printed for the subscribers previous to the general meeting list

VII. The Council shall meet ordinarily on the 2nd Monday in every month, excepting August, September, and October, for the despatch of business, three forming a quorum, and the Chairman having a casting vote.

VIII. Gentlemen preparing and editing works for the Society, shall receive twenty-five copies of such works respectively.

IX. The number of copies printed of the Society's productions shall not exceed the estimated number of Subscribers so that after the second year, when the Society may be supposed to have reached its full growth, there shall be no extra copies. ;

The

X.

Society shall appoint Local Secretaries throughout the kingdom, members, transmit subscriptions, and otiierwise forward the Society's interests and it shall make such arrangements with its correspondents in the chief provincial towns, as will insure to subscribers residing in the country the regular delivery of their volumes at moderate charges.

empowered

to enrol

;

Rules for the Delivery of the Society's "Volumes.

The

Society's productions will be delivered without any charge, within three miles of the General Post Office. I.

ir. They will be forwarded to any place beyond that limit, the Society paying the cost of booking, but not of carriage; nor will it be answerable in this case for any loss or damage.

III. They will be delivered by the Society's agent, Mr. Thomas Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, to persons having written authority of subscribers to receive them.

Richards, 37, Great Queen

1\ They will be sent to the Society's correspondents or agents in the principal towns throughout the kingdom; and care sliall be taken that the charge for carriage be as moderate ns possible. .

LIST OF

MEMBERS

THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. Adnm-alty (The), 2 copies Bainngton, Esq.,

Ainslie, Philip

Allen, Mr. E.,

I'i,

St. Coliue Tavistock-row, Covent-

garden Allport, Franklin, Esq., 150, Leadenhall-st. Alston, E., Esq.

AmsterdanijdeBibliothekvanhetCollegie

Zeemanshoop. Antiquaries, the Society of Arlt, Mr., Moscow Army and Navy Club, 10, St. Jamesssquare. An-owsmith, John, Esq., 10, Soho-square Ashton, J. Y., Esq., Livei-pool Asher, A., Berlin Athenteura Club. The, Pall Mall Athenfeuni Library, Boston, U.S. Atkinson, F. E., Esq., Oak House, Pendleton,

Manchester

David, Esq., 14, Belgrave-squai-e Dr. Baikie Bank of England Librai-y and Literai'y Association Baring, Hon. Francis, M.P., 10, St.

Booth, B. Vi'., E^q., Manchester Boston Athenaium, The Bottield,Beriah, Esq., Norton Hall, Northamptonshire Bowriug, Sir John, LL.D., Hong Kong Bradshaw, Lieut. Lawi-ence, Woolwich Brevorst, J. C, Esq., New York Brockhaus, F. A., Esq., Leipzig Brodhead, J. E., Esq., New York Broorae, Major A. Broughton, Lord, 4vJ, Berkeley-square Brown, George, Esq., Cambridge- street, Belgrave-squai-e

Brown, J., Esq., Newcastle-pL, Clerkeuwell Brown, W. H., f2sq., Chester Brown, .John Carter, Esq., Providence,

Ehode Island Bruce, .John, Esq., F.S.A., 5, U^jper Gloucester-street, Dorset-square Brussels, Eoyal Library of Burnett, W. F., Commander, E.N.

Baillie,

James's-square Barrow, J., Esq., F.E.S. F.S.A. Batho, J. A., Esq., 49, Upper Charlottesti-eet, Fitzroy-square Becher, Captain, Pi.X. Beck, Dr., New York State Library, Albany Beke, Charles T., Esq., Phil. D.,Mauritiiis Belcher, Captain Sir Edward, C.B., E.N. BeU, Eeverend Thomas, Berbice Bell, Piobert, Esq., NoitIs Castle, East Cowes, I.W. Belfast Library Berlin, The Eoyal Library of Betencourt, Alouzo, Esq., Philadelphia Bethime, Eeai'-Admiral C. E. Drinkwater, C.B., .50, Westbourne-terrace Bibliotbeque Imperiale, Paris Bideu, Captain

Birmingham

Libi'ary f'The)

Glasgow

Blackie, Dr. Walter Blyth,.James, Esq., 24, Hyde-park-gardens Bois, H., Esq., 110, Fenchm'ch-street Bombay Geograi^hical Society 'Bone. J. H. A., Esq., Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. G., Villafield,

I

Cambridge University Library Campbell, E. H. S., Esq., 5, Ai-gyle-place, Eegent-street

Cannon, Charles, Esq., British Caritou Club, Pall Mall Chapman, ftlr. John, Strand

Museum

Esq., Eichmond Esq., New York E., Esq., 49, Wimpole-

Chapman, William, Cluumcey,

Hemy

Chichester,

J.

H.

C.,

street Christie, Jonathan Hemy, Esq., 9, Stanhope-street, Hvde-park-gardens

Churchill, Lord Alfred

S.,

F.E.G.S., 16,

Eutland Gate Colledge, Dr., Lauriston House,

Chel-

tenham Collier, John Parae, Esq., F.S.A. Colonial Office (The) Congress, Library of the, United States Cooley, W. D., Esq., 83, King-street,

Bloomsbury Corney, B., Esq., M.E.SX., Barnes-ter. Costello, Dudley, Esq., 54, Acacia-road, St. John's Wood Cotton, E. W., Esq., Barnstaple Cracroft, Capt., E.N.

Cranstoun, G., Esq., Corehouse, Lanark Cnnard Edward, Esq., New Vork

Dalrymple, Arthur, Esq. Dalton, J. Stuart, Esq., for the Liverpool Free Public Library Deane, Charles, Esq., Boston, U.S. Delepierre, C, Esq., 18, Gloucesterterrace, Hyde Park Dilke, C. Wentworth, Esq., 7(i, Sloane-st. Dilke, C. W., Esq., Jun., 7(j, Sloane-street Drake, Samuel G., Esq., Boston, U. S.

Dry, Thos., Esq., 25, Lincoln's Inn Fields Dundas, Et. Hon. Sir David, 13, King's Bench Walk, Temple Dundas, George, Esq., U, Charlottesquare, Edinburgh Dundas, John, Esq., square, Edinburgh

25,

St.

Andrew's-

Guillaume, Mr., Chester-square Guise, W. v., Esq., Elmore-ct., Gloucester

Hale,

J.

Harcourt, Egerton, Esq., Carlton Gardens Harker, Turner James, Esq., 10, North-

ampton Park, Islington Hawes, Sir Benjamin, 0, Queen'ssquare, Westminster Hawkins, Edward, Esq., British Museum Henderson, Dr., 0, Curzon-st., Mayfair Hodgkin, Thomas, Esq., M.D., 35, Bedford-square

Hollond, 11., Esq., M.P., 63, Portland-pl. Hohiies, James, Esq. 4, New Onnond-

Dupart, M. B., Paris

sti-eet.

Home Ecky, John H., Esq., Philadelphia EUice, Rt. Hon. Edward, M.I'., 18, Arhugtou-street Ellis, Sir Henry,

H., Esq., Park-road, Stockwell-

common

K.H.,

F.E.S.,

24,

Foundling (The)

Office

Horner, Rev. J. S. IL, Wells Park, Somersetshire Hull Subscription Library Hunter, David, Esq., Blackness, Dundee

Bedford square pjlphinstone, Lord Elphinstone, Lieut., 3, Belgrave-square Ely, Miss, Pljiladelphia

Cheshara-place,

India Office, 20 copies

Jones, J. Whiter, Esq., F.S.A., British

Museum Geo. W., Esq., Charleston, South Carolina

Flagg-,

Wm.

Fletcher,

Younger, Esq., British

Museum Foley, Lord, 20, Grosvenor-square

Folsom, Hon. George,

Foreign Othce (The) Forster, John, Esq.,4fi, Montague-square Fox, General, Addison-road, Kensington Franck, Mons. A.,Rue Kiclielieu, 07, Paris Freer, W. E., Esq.

Gahgnani,

]M., Paris Garnett, Richard, Esq., British Museum Gawler, Colonel, United Service Club Giraud, R. Herve, Esq., Furui\al's-;nn Gladdish, William, Esq., Gravesend (ilasgow Collrge Glendeuing, Robert, Esq., 5, Britain- st.,

Portsea Graliani, Robert, Esq., 18,

Edinburgh Grant & I'arran, Messrs.

Heriotrow,

21, Ludgate-sl.

Ednnmd,

Esq., British

Museum Grey, R. W., Esq., M.P., 47, Bolgrave-sq. Grylls, Esq. Guild, G. F., Esq., Boston, U.S.

—

,

Dublin Junior United Service Club, Charles-st., St. James's

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Foote, John, Esq. Force, Colonel Peter, Washington, U.S.

Graves, Robert

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Kennedy, Robt. Lenox, New Y'ork Kerslake. Mr. T., Bristol

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Lemon, street,

Sir

C,

Bai-t.,

JM.P.," 40,

Charles-

Berkeley-square

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Liverpool

London

Library, 12, St. James's-square

Lowe, Rt. Hn. Robt., M.P., 34 Lowndes

sq.

Lyceum

Lil)rary,

Hull

Pennsylvania, Historical Society of Perry, Sir Erskine, M.P., Eaton-place Petit, Eev. J. Louis, the Uplands, Shiffnal

Mackenzie, John W., Esq., Edinburgh Macleny, Geo., Esq., Brownhills, New South Wales Macroady, W. C, Esq., Sherborne House, Dorset Madan, Capt. Frederick, H.C.S., 5, Northwick-terrace, St. Johns Wood Madras Literaiy Society

Major,

E.

H.,

F.S.A.,

Esq.,'

British

Museum Malcolm, W. Elphinstone,

Esq., Bumfoot Marett, Charles, Esq., 56, Chancery -Inne Markham, Clements R., Esq., 21, Eccleston square Marlborough, His Grace the Duke of,

Blenheim Marsh, Hon. George

Miss

street,

Grosvenor-square

Piatt, T. Clavton, Esq., Philadelphia

Plowden, W. H. Chicheley, Esq., F.E.S. Porter, G. W., Esq., British Museitm Portland, His Grace the Duke of Portsmoitth, the Eoyal Naval College Pourtales, Count Albert, Berlin Powis, Earl of, 4-5, Berkeley-squai*e Prescott, Eear H., Admiral C.B., United Service Club

Putnam, G.

E., Esq.,

New

Y'ork

Eawlinson, SirH., K.CB., 21, Langham-

Constantinople Massie, Cajitain T. L., E.N., Chester Maxse, Capt. Frederick, A., E.N., -40, Upper Grosvenor-street Melbourne, Public Library of, per Mr. P.,

Guillaume

place

Eeed, F. J. Esq., Friday-st., Cheapside Eichard, John E., Esq., Wajulsworth, Surrey Eichards,

Mr.,

4,

St.

Alban's-road,

Kensington

Muller, F., Esq., Amsterdam Munich Eoyal Libraiy

Sir- John, M.D., F.E.S. Eichardson, Ealph, Esq., Greenfield Hall, Holywell, Flintshire Eiggs, G. W'., Esq., Washington, U.S. Eitter, Professor Karl, Berlin Eobinson, Lieut. Waher F., E.N., F.E.G.S., Jimior United Seiwice Clttb

Eichai-dson,

Murchison, Sir Eoderick Impey, F.E.S. (tc, 10, Belgrave-square Mui-phy, Hon. C. H., Brooklyn, New York MiuTay, Lord, Great Stuart-st., Edin-

bm"gh

Mmxay, John,

Petit,

Phillimore, Charles B., Esq., C, Green-

Esq., Albemarle-street

Eoyal Academy of Delft Eoyal Geographical Society,

3,

Waterloo-

j)lace

Newcastle-upon-TATie

Literaiy and Sci-

Eoyal Society, Burlington House Eoys, Thos. Wm., Esq., Southampton,

York

Long Island, New York Eowsell, E. P., Esq., 29, Finsbuiy-circus Eumbold, C. E., Esq., 1, Eccleston-square Eundall, Thomas, Esq. Eushout, Miss, Tetbury Eye, ^Y. B., Esq., British Museum

entific Lastitute

Newman, Mr. James, Kentish Town

13,

place,

New

I'ork jMercantile Library Nicholson, Sir C. D. E. L.,

New South

Wales Ninimo, Thomas, Esq., Demerara Non-is, Edwin, Esq., Sec. Asiatic Society, 5,

New

Burlington-street Scarth,

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J.,

Esq., Canton

Schombiu'gk, Sir Eobert, Bangkok Sedgwick, the Eev. Adam, Woodwardian Professor, Cambridge Sheffield, Eari of, 20, Portland-place

Paine,

W. Dunkley,

Esq.,

Cockshutt-

Hill, Eeigate

Parker, J. W., Esq., West Strand Parhament Library, Canada Pasley, Major-General Sir C. W., K.C.B., 12, Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Park Peacock, Septimus, Esq., Alexandria ,

'

r

Pemberton, Mrs. jPennington, John, Esq., Philadelphia

—

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,

place

Smith, Edniimd, Esq., Hull Smith, George, Esq., 21, Eussell-square Smith, J., Esq., 5, Cavendish-square Somers, Earl, 45, Grosvenor-place Sotheby, S. Leigh, Esq., the W^oodlands,

Norwood

Stanley of Alderley, Lord Hon. Henrv E. J. Staunton, Sir G. T., Bart., D.C.L., F.R.S., Devonshire-street, Portland-place 17, Stuart, R. L., Esq., New York Stuart. Alexander, Esq., New Yoi'k St. Andrew's University St. David's, the Eight Eev. the Lord Bishop of, Abergwili, Carmarthenshii'e Stevens, H., Esq., Boston, United States Stirling, Wm., Esq., of Keir, UH, Park-st. Stuart, E. L., Esq., New York Stanley,

Talbot, Earl

Ternaux-Compaus, Mons. H., Paris Thomas, Eev. Yaughan, High-st., Oxford Thompson, Thos., Esq., Solicitor, Hull Thomas, W. A., Esq., 50, Threadneedlestreet

Todd, R. B., Esq., M.D., F.E.S., '20, Brookstreet, Grosvenor-square Tolstoy, George, Esq., St. Petersbui'gh Trade, the Board of, Whitehall TraveUers' Club, 106, Pall Mall Trinity House, Tower Hill

Union Society, Oxford United Service Institution

Upham &

Beet, Messrs. 40,

Yictovia Library

and

New Bond-st.

Beading Eooms,

Hong Kong

Van Eyckevorsel, H., Consul de Venezuela. Conseiller a la Eegence de Eotterdam Siebold, Col. Ph. Fr., Leyden

Von

Waite, Henry, Esq., 08, Old Broad street Keppel-street Walker, Joshua, Esq., Jun., .'39, Upper Brunswick-place, Brighton Waters, J. S., Esq., Baltimore, L".S. Watts, Thomas, Esq., British Museum Weir, Wilham, Esq., 30, Great Coram-st. Wensleydale, the Et. Hon. Lord, 50, V.'alker, J., Esq., ;31,

Park-street, Grosvenor-square Whateley, W., Esq., Q.C., 0, Park-street, Westminster •\Miewell, the Eev. W., D.D., Master of

Trinity College, Cambridge

White, E., Esq., Cow3s, Isle of Wight Whiteman, J. C, Esq., Theydon Grove,

Epping Willdnson, John, Esq., .3, Wellington-st., Strand Willis and Sotheran, Messrs., Strand Williams,T.,Esq.,Northumberland-house,

Strand Wilson, Edward

S., Esq., Hull Wolff, H. Drummond, Esq., ii, Halfmoon-st., Piccadillv Woodd, Basil T., Esq., 11=, Gt. Cumberland-street AYood, Lieutenant John, H.E.I.C.S., 137, Leadeuhall-street Wright, H., Esq., Cheltenham Wyld, James, Esq., Strand

Vienna Imperial Library Virginia State Library Vivian, Geo., Esq., 11,

Upper Grosvenor-

Young, G.

F., Esq., 80, Cornhill

street

niCHARDS, PRINTER,

87, OHF.AT

QUEEN STREET.

A

WORKS

I

S S

U K

I)

B Y

Cljf |&a{ilu|)t ^oftftg.

EXPEDITIONS

INTO

THE VALLEY OF

THE AMAZONS.

M.DCCC.MX.

EXPEDITIONS INTii TlIK

YALLEY OF THE AMAZONS, 1539,

1540,

1639.

TRANSLATED AND EDITED WITH NOTES,

CLEMENTS

R. AUTnoR

MARKHAM, (ir " cx;/.ro

and

F.R.G.S.,

i.ima.

LONDON: /

!

PRINTED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.

:

,^^ (5 '^ (X-

I.

LONDON GRKAT yUEF.N STREKT.

RlCinr.D^, or,

'

THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.

MURCHISON,

SIR IJODKRTCK IiMPEY lion.

Mem. Imp. Acad.

G.C.St.S,, F.R.S., D.C.L., Coir. l\Icm. Inst, l-r

Sc. St. Petersburg, &e., &o.,

President.

The marquis OF LANSDOWNK. )

Rear-admiral ,IOHN"

('.

R.

BARROW,

Rt. Hon.

DRINKWATKR RKTHUXK,

r

VirF.-PnKSIDENTS.

C.R.

V.sq.

LORD RROUGHTON.

The lord ALFRED SPENCER CPIURCHTLL.

CHARLES WENTWORTH

Sir

henry

ELLIS,

JOHN FORSTER, Lieut.Gen. R. \V.

DTI.KE. Esq., F.S.A.

DAVID DUNDAS.

Bt. Hon. Sir

K.H., F.R.S.

Esq.

CHARLES RICHARD FOX.

GREY,

Esq., M.P.

EGERTON HARCOFRT,

Esq.

JOHN WINTER JONES,

Esq., F.S.A.

His Excellency the Rt. Hon. li.

H.

JI.

COUNT DR LAVKAOK).

LARoUCHiail'..

MAJOR,

Esq., F.S.A.

The KARL OF SHEFFfELD.

rl.l'.MI':.NTS

II.

MAr,KHA:\l.

i:sQ..

IIonoraky Secretary.

,1/

CONTENTS.

ExrEDiTiox OF GoNZALo PiZARKo A.D., 1539-42, translated '

Inca de

la

the

land of Cinnamon,

from the second part of Garcilasso

Vega's " Royal Commentaries of Peru."

)The Voyage of Francisco the

to

Amazons, a.d.

l>e

Okkllana down

1.540-1, translated

the river of

from the sixth decade

of Antonio de Herrera's " General History of the

Western

Indies."

New

Discovery of the Great River of the Amazons,

by Father Cristoval de Acmla, a.d. 1639, translated from the Spanish edition of 1641.

List of the Principal Tribes

Amazons, containing

all

in

the Valley of the

those which are mentioned in the

voyages of Orellana and Acuna.

107187

INTRODUCTION.

The

early expeditions into the great valley of the

river of

Amazons, during the sixteenth century,

are,

perhaps, the most romantic episodes in the history of Spanish discovery. notice

The

first

that

deserving of

is

was sent by the conqueror Pizarro, under the

command

of his youngest brother Gonzalo, "

who was

held to be the best lance that ever went to those countries,

back

and

to the

all

confess that he never

showed

his

enemy."^

I have translated the narrative of the expedition to

the land of Cinnamon, undertaken by Gonzalo Pizarro,

from the royal commentaries of Garcilasso Inca de Vega.

This chronicler

la

had excellent opportunities

of collecting information respecting the expedition,

and, as

we have no account

who was concerned be considered

to

in

it,

actually written

by one

Garcilasso's narrative

be the best that

is

now

may

procurable.

His father was intimate with Gonzalo Pizarro

;

the

younger Garcilasso had himself seen him when a boy,^ ^

Varones Illustres del Nuevo Mundo, by

Orellana, which contains an eulogistic *

When

life

Gonzalo Pizarro entered Ciizco,

Don

F. Pizarro y

of Gonzalo Pizarro. after the

bloody battle h

r

—

INTRODUCTION.

11

he had conversed with several persons who were engaged in the expedition, and had consulted the accounts of Zarate and Gomara.

The Inca

historian

has frequently been accused of exaggeration

but in

;

narrating the terrible sufferings endured by Gonzalo

and

and

his followers, their heroic endurance,

final

escape from the dismal forests, I cannot see that he the bounds

outsteps

of probability

any single

in

instance.

The base

much

desertion of Orellana, which added so

to the sufferings of

Gonzalo's people, was the

means of discovering the course of the mightiest in the world.

I

river

have translated the account of Orel-

voyage from Antonio de Herrera's " Historia

lana's

general de las Indias occidentales

and

;"

it

forms a

sequel to the expedition of Gonzalo Pizarro. Herrera

held the post of historiographer of the Indies for

many years, during III,

the reigns of Philip II and Phihp

He

and died in 1625.

documents, and his Orellana

is

had the use of

public

account of the expedition of

the best that has

come

to

After the disastrous termination prizes,

all

no attempt was made

my

knowledge.

of these enter-

to penetrate far into the

young Garcilasso went out

as far as Quis-

picanchi (about three leagues) to meet his father,

who was then

serving under the rebel chief.

all

of Huarlna in 1547, the

of this day,

mind.

He

which seem

tells

to

Garcilasso describes

the events

have been deeply impressed on his

us that he walked part of the way, and was carried

by Indians towards the end of horse to come back on.

memoria guarda mejor

his journey, but that

He remembered lo

these

trifles,

que vio en su ninez, que

lo

'

he got a

" porque la

que pasa en |

su edad mejor."

Com.

Real.,

ii,

lib. v, cajJ.

27.

INTRODUCTION.

Amazons

valley of the

Ill

several years, with one

for

some of

I allude to the escape of

notable exception.

Almagro

the followers of the younger

into the forests

of Caravaya, after the final overthrow of the

A few

1542.

scattered notices respecting these fugi-

have alone come within

tives

young

on the heights of Chupas in

adventurer at the battle

that they crossed the

my

It appears

reach.

snowy range of the Andes

to

the eastward of the city of Cuzco, and descended into the great tropical forests of CoUa-huaya

;

where they

discovered rivers, the sands of which were full of

On

gold.^

the banks of these rivers they built the

towns of Sandia, San Gaban, and San Juan del Oro large

sums of gold were sent home

the last

named

to

settlement received the

city from Charles

Spain

;^

;

and

of a royal

title

V. But eventually the wildChuncho

Indians, of the Sirineyri tribe, fell

upon them, burnt

the towns, and massacred every Spaniard to the east-

Until within the last few years

ward of the Andes.

no further attempt was made of Caravaya

•

;

but

it is

to settle in these forests

said that the

Don Manuel Guaycocliea, the me with some of the above

plied

Cascarilleros, or

obliging Cura of Sandia, supinformation.

The province

of

Colla-huaya (now called Caravaya), in the Peruvian department of

Puno, ings,

The

is

and

becoming important, both on account of of the

village of

number

Sandia

is

its

of valuable cinchona trees in

on the eastern slope of the

on the verge of the boundless

forests,

gold washits forests.

Cordillera,

which extend

for

and

hundreds

of miles to the north and east. *

Comm.

Real.,

ii,

huaya, donde sacaron ((uilutcs, y

hoy

lib.

iii,

cap. 19.

muy mucho

se saca-todaviu,

"La

provincia de Colla-

oro finisimo, de viento y quatro

aunque no en tanta abundancia."

:

INTRODUCTION.

IV collectors of

Peruvian bark, sometimes stumble upon

ruined walls almost hidden in the dense underwood

—the crumbling remains of San Gaban,

or

San Juan

del Oro.

Beyond this settlement in Caravaya, no attempt was made to penetrate into the valley of the Amazons, after the return of

teen years.

Gonzalo Pizarro,

for about four-

In 1555, however, the Marquis of Canete,

a scion of the noble house of Mendoza, was appointed

viceroy of Peru.

On

arriving in Lima, he found that the disgraceful

feuds of the Pizarros, the Almagros, and their followers,

had just been concluded by the death of the rebel

Hernandez Giron, punish

all traitors

at Pucara.

was

It

his care

to

with severity, and to turn the rest-

lessness of the turbulent adventurers

into

another

channel, by promoting expeditions of discovery

was that Juan Alvarez Maldonado was sent explore the forests east of Cuzco, and that Pedro

Thus to

it

de Ursua started in

seo^'ch of

El Dorado, and the

kingdom of the Omaguas. Juan Alvarez Maldonado was,

says Garcilasso,

of the fattest and most corpulent

men

seen

;"

"one

that I have ever

but at the same time he was brave and active.

Throughout Cuzco he was famous caped death in a most unusual way.

for

against Gonzalo Pizarro, a bullet struck

the chest, and knocked

him down

;

having

When

es-

fighting

him

full

on

but the ball hap-

upon the breviary which was in his bosom, and so, by the miraculous interposition of the blessed Virgin, as it was said, his life was preserved. pened

to strike

V

INTRODUCTION.

Ever afterwards he hung the book outside his

clothes,

as a charm against the evil eye. This cavalier had heard that a number of the

Incas,

with forty thousand followers, had assembled together, with great store of gold and silver, and had into the forests to the eastward of

fled far

Cuzco

from the oppression of their conquerors.

away

to escape

;^

He intended,

them with a chosen band of soland proceed also to explore the great river which was reported to take Maldonado, however, had its rise in those forests.^

therefore, to pursue

them of

diers, spoil

their treasure,

cause for alarm in the knowledge that another adventurer

and

named Tordoya also intended

it

to chase the Incas;

was probable that the two parties of Spanish

wolves would rend each other over the carcasses of their prey.

Maldonado crossed the snowy range of the eastern Cordillera, penetrated some distance into the forests, along the banks of the Tono, (a tributary of the Purus), and encountered his rival

who was waiting three iboth

successive sides,

was

*

M. Rodriguez,

^

This

is

to receive him.

de Tordoya,

They fought

days, until nearly every killed.

lib. vi,

the river

Gomez

cap.

The wild iv, p.

for

man, on

Indians, called

384.

Amaru-mayu, Madre de Dios,

or Purus (the

Cuchivara of Acuiia and Samuel Fritz), one of the largest tributaries of the

Amazons, which remains unexplored

to this day.

In

mentioning this flight of the Incas into the valley of the Amazons, Velasco, in his Historia de Quito, enumerates eight powerful 'conian

Ama-

tribes as being descended from them, namely, the Cinga-

'juchuscas,

Campas,

and Chunchos.

Comavas,

Cunivas, Pirras, Jibitos, Panos,

—

INTRODUCTION.

VI

Chimchos, finished

off the

remainder, three only es-

among whom was who eventually made his escape

caping out of the whole number,

Maldonado

himself,

through the

alone,

forests of Caravaya,

Such an adventure must have reduced the lucky old

to

Cuzco.

size of this

soldier.

Thus did these exploring expeditions to the eastward of Cuzco destroy each other and we know less ;

now

concerning the vast territory along the banks of

the Purus, and

its

tributaries,

than was

known

in the

days of the Marquis of Canete, three hundred years ago.^

^The other expedition, mentioned above, under

more important results and murderer, the pirate Lope de Aguirre,

Pedro de Ursua, led the story of his

Don

to

;

one of the most extraordinary whkjh even that age

is

of wonderful adventures can furnish.

The

enterprize

Marquis of

was organized, by order of the

Cailete, to search for the nation of

Oma-

guas, of whose fabulous wealth most exciting rumours

had reached Peru. had ^

Felipe de Utre, a

German who

started from. Coro, in Venezuela, in search of El

Lieutenant Gibbon, U.S.N., in 1852, reached the banks of th(

Purus

and, in 1853, 1 followed the course of the

;

junction with

tliat

Tono

great tributary of the Amazons.

as far as its

No

one has

yet explored the -whole course of the Purus.

In a report from the Deputy of Caravaya to the Minister of Public

Works

district,

at

Lima, on the improvement of the roads

dated December 11th, 1858,

it

is

proposed

expedition to the confluence of the rivers San bari, to ascertain if the united streams

in that

send an

Gaban and Ynam-

could be made available

for navigation, as far as the river Purus, or

Commcrcio, Dec. 18th, 1858.

to

Madrc de Dios.

INTRODUCTION.

Vll

Dorado, in 1541, returned with a story

many

that,

after

days journey, he had come to a village whence

he saw a vast

city,

with a palace in the centre, belong-

At about the same

ing to the Omaguas-

formation respecting this

Peru from an equally

time, in-

wealthy nation reached

Father Pedro

reliable source.

Simon gives the following account of the way stories were disseminated.

in

which these wonderful " Certain

brave rumours," he says, " prevailed in

those times, both in the city of Lima, and throughout

the provinces of Peru, which were spread by Indians

from Brazil, respecting the rich provinces which they declared they had seen,

from the east

coast.

thousand in number,

when on

These Indians, more than two left their

homes with the

;

At

too

but others declare that the Indians under-

took this journey, to enjoy parts.

inten-

own were

tion of settling in other lands, as their

crowded

their road

human

food in those

length, after travelling for ten years, with

two Portuguese

in their

company, they reached the

province of the Motilones in Peru, by way of a famous river which flows thence, and enters the Maranon.^ These Indians brought news respecting the provinces of the Omaguas, in which El Dorado

was

said to reside.

This so excited the minds of

those restless spirits in Peru,

who were

give credit to these rumours,

to

thought

it

that

ever ready

the Viceroy

prudent to seek some way, by which to

"^ give them employment. '

^

The

Hiiallaya.

Sexta NoticHi de las Conquistos de Tierra Firme, cap.

i,

p.

402.

INTRODUCTION.

Vlll

The expedition Dorado was,

search

in

therefore, organized

of Cafiete selected

Don Pedro

Omaguas and El

of ;

and the Marquis

de Ursua to

command

This cavalier was a native of a small town near

it.

Pampluna, in the kingdom of Navarre, from which he took his name. He had already served with some distinction,

both in

New Granada

and against the

Cimarrones, or rebellious negroes, on the Isthmus of

Panama. Ursua

collected his forces at a little village of

Motilones Indians, called Lamas, on the banks of the river

Moyobamba, a

began

build

to

hundred men.

tributary of the Huallaga

vessels

He

and

;

capable of containing four

sent forward a party under

Juan

de Vargas, and followed himself with the main body, in September 1560.^

The expedition descended

the

river Huallaga, entered the Maraiion, and passed

the

mouth

Vargas

to

Guzman

to

where Ursua appointed lieutenant, and Don Fernando de

of the Ucayali

be his

;

be " Alferez Mayor."

But Ursua soon found that he had with him a number of desperate wretches, who were prepared and a mutinous spirit was raised for any atrocity named Lope de Aguirre, who desired to villain by a return to Peru, and restore the days of anarchy and civil war. Others set their eyes upon Ursua's ;

The second expedition which descended the river Moyobamba to the Huallaga, was made in 1650, by General Don Martin de la Riba Aguero, who subjugated the territory of Lamas. He was governor of Lamas for thirty years and, on his death, the government of tlie Motilones or Lamistas Lidians was annexed to the '

;

jurisdiction of Chachapoyas.

INTRODUCTION. mistress,

a

IX

widow, named Inez de Ali-

beautiful

en za.

Guzman, who was an unprincipled young man, of a good Andalusian family, was won over by the conspirators general.

;

On

and they agreed a dark night,

encamped on the great

to

when

assassinate their

the explorers were

Amazons, and every

river of

one seemed wrapped in sleep, a figure passed in front of Ursua's tent, exclaiming

governor of

Omagua and

mercy upon thee

:

"

Pedro de Ursua,

El Dorado,

may God have

The following day

!"

the expedi-

tion arrived oif a village called Machiparo.^

new

when

year's day, 1561,

the conspirators entered

Vargas was killed

Ursua's tent and murdered him.

same time.

at the

The general, latter

and

was

It

assassins then

and Aguirre

to

be their

instigator to the

his extraordinary career,

cious crimes of which he

flocked to the

to

The

be master of the camp.

had been the chief

eminence in

Guzman

elected

mutiny

and the number of

was

guilty, give

him

atro-

a pre-

villainy over all the adventurers

new

;

who

world, during the sixteenth cen-

tury.

Lope de Aguirre was born noble but poor parents.

new world when

He

at Oilate, in Biscay, of

had proceeded

to the

very young, and plunged into

all

the

turmoil of the civil wars amongst the conquerors of

Peru, often serving in the lowest employments.

was hideously ugly, and lame ^

Near the mouth

of this volume.

of the river

in one foot,

Putumayu.

He

from a

See pages 27 and 29

;

X

INTRODUCTION.

wound at

received Avhen fighting against the rebel Giron,

Coquimbo. This audacious monster took the lead in the revolt,

and induced the to

King

soldiers to

Philip,

and

All

who

sovereign.

renounce their allegiance

to elect

Guzman

refused were murdered.

down

while they continued their voyage

and a bloody voyage

and

his

new Mean-

as their

it

Every one,

was.

the river

whom

Aguirre

blood-hounds suspected of disliking their pro-

ceedings, was murdered, amongst others the unfor-

tunate

mistress

Dona Inez de Atienza. Guzman, the puppet king,

of Ursua,

Finally they slaughtered

and Aguirre caused himself

mander of the expedition.

to

A

be proclaimed com-

named made chief

half blood

Carrion, the murderer of Doiia Inez, was

magistrate, and the piratical crew were christened

Marailones by their leader, after the great river which they were navigating.

These

villains

committed every

kind of atrocity on the unfortunate Indians

whom

they encountered, and their crimes were not unfrequently

varied

by a murder amongst themselves.

Thus they continued

their bloody course towards the

Atlantic.

Padre Simon, Acuna, and Rodriguez, believe that the Maranones ascended the Rio Negro, and reached the ocean, by following the streams of the Cassiquiari

and Orinoco.

They eventually reached

Margarita, which they got possession

the island of

of,

committing

the most horrible atrocities on the inhabitants, and

murdering

all

the officers of the Spanish government.

Aguirre then landed with his Maranones, at Burbu-

— INTIIODUCTIOX.

XI

rata in Venezuela, with the intention of conquering

New Granada

whence he dispatched a

;

letter

to

Philip II, a most extraordinary production, part of

which was published by Baron Humboldt in Personal Narrative}

It is

addressed to "

King

his

Philip,

native of Spain, son of Charles the invincible," and

continues "

:

Lope de Aguirre, thy

I,

vassal, a christian of

poor but noble parents, and native of the town of

On ate

in Biscay,

lance in hand.

mend

went over young

I

to thee to

whom

be more just

Peru, to labour

cruelties

and

:

to the

thou hast in this country

weary of the

to

fought for thy glory

;

injustice

but I recom-

good

and mine,

for I

which thy

roy, thy governors,

and thy judges exercise

name, have resolved

to

obey thee no more.

gard ourselves no longer as Spaniards. cruel

war on

thee, because

we

oppression of thy ministers. foot

then a rebel, as I

be

:

am

at

vice-

in

thy

We

re-

AYe make a

will not endure the I

am lame

from two shots of an arquebuss, which

fighting against Francisco

vassals

in the left I

received

Hernandez Giron, who was present, and always shall

for since thy Viceroy, the

Marquis of

Caiiete, a

cowardly, ambitious, and effeminate man, has hanged

our bravest warriors, I care no more for thy pardon than for the books of Martin Luther. " to

Remember, King Philip, that thou hast no right draw revenues from these provinces, the conquest

He

then

— and

goes

of which has been without danger to thee." describes his exploits with cool effrontery, ^

Humboldt,

Reise,

iii,

p./220.

INTRODUCTION.

Xll

on to w^e

say,

— " We

navigated for eleven months,

reached the mouth of the

We

river.

more

God knows how we

than fifteen hundred leagues,

got through that great mass of water.

O

sailed

till

I advise thee,

great king, never to send Spanish fleets into that

cursed river."

Thus he concluded

this

remarkable

document, which was dispatched under the care of a

monk.

captive

Aguirre and his Marafiones then advanced into the interior of

Venezuela

but their career was drawing

;

They were met by

to a close.

a Spanish force under

The

Gutierrez de la Pena, and entirely defeated. ^ pirate chief

murdered

accompanied him

his

own

be called the daughter of a

who had

daughter,

from Peru, " that she traitor,"

might never

and then

vered himself into the hands of the king's

and he was put

own

Marailones.

to death,

deli-

officers

;

on the spot, by two of his

His head was exposed

years at Tocuyo, in an iron cage.

many

for

In Peru, and most

of the other countries in South America, this monster

always

is

known

as the " tyrant Aguirre."

Fray Pedro Simon,

in his sixth historical notice of

the conquest of Tierra Firme, has

left

us a long and

detailed account of this piratical voyage river of

Amazons, and

down

his information appears to

the

have

been derived from some person who was actually

in

the expedition.^ '

The poet

Ercilla, then

on his way home from Chile, was pre-

sent at this battle. ^

I

have not dwelt at any

because

I

lenfjfth

on

this extraordinary

voyage,

hope, at some future time, to translate the sixth histori-

—

INTRODUCTION^.

XUl

Lope de Aguirre was the second leader who descended from the eastern slopes of the Cordilleras to the Atlantic, by water.

It was upwards of seventyEuropean performed a similar feat.

years before any

Expeditions, however, continued to be sent into

Amazons,

the valley of the

The

attempts, after the catastrophe which

first

Don Pedro

befell

in different directions.

de Ursua, were

made

in the direc-

tion of the "

Gran Chncu," that extensive region in the extreme south of the valley of the Amazons, where the

tributaries of the river Madeira, as well as

those of the Paraguay, take their

The

tribe, in

Gran Chacu, which wandered nearest

to the confines of Peru,

who were

rise.^

was that of the Chirihuanas,

described by Padre Machoni in 1733, as a

quarrelsome and drunken race, living together in cal notice of

Pedro Simon,

for the

Halduyt Society.

circumstances should have prevented

me

I regret that

from inserting Simon's

account of the expedition of Aguirre, in the present volume, according to •

my

original intention.

" Gran Chacu"

is

a vast territory between the provinces of

Paraguay, Tucuman, Charcas, and Sta. Cruz de

etymology of the region.

When

name

la Sierra.

The

indicates the multitude of nations in this

the Incas went out hunting, the animals were col-

lected together from various parts, and this congregated multitude

was called "Chacu" in the Quichua language. On account of the number of tribes inhabiting this region, it is called, with reference to this assemblage of animals, " Gran Chacu."

The

chief rivers are the Pilco-mayu, Bermejo, and Salado, all

tributaries of the is

Paraguay

;

but the northern part of Gran Chacu

drained by streams which form the rivers Itenez and Mamore,

two of the principal feeders of the Madeira. Pedro Lozano, Cordova, 1733.

Gran Chacu pnr

INTRODUCTION.

XIV

small villages, and amounting to about thirty thou-

women and cliildren. 1572 Don Francisco de

sand men, besides

In the year

Toledo, then

Viceroy of Peru, attempted the conquest of the

He

Chirihuanas.

organized a small army, and, ac-

companied by a number of cows and their territory

horses, entered

but he was not prepared for the

;

untrodden

culties of those

Leaving

forests.

diffi-

all his

bao^rage and live stock behind, his forces retreated in disorder, suffering great losses

Viceroy himself was carried in a Chirihuanas hung

basket, that

Though

:

;

and the out of the

the Viceroy with his soldiers could not

penetrate into the cross in hand,

the

litter

upon his rear, shouting, jeering,

"Tumble that old woman we may eat her alive. "^

and crying out

The

on the way.

Gran Chacu

;

many

solitary priests,

descended from the lofty plateau of

Andes, and fearlessly mingled with

the wild

Indians, preaching and baptizing.

San Francisco Solano was the sionary

who

entered

first

Christian mis-

Gran Chacu. ^

the

In 1589

Padre Juan Fonte, accompanied only by a boy ^

Com. Real.,

i,

lib.

cruelly put to death

cap. 17.

vii,

The Viceroy Toledo had

young Tupac Amaru, the

during the preceding year; and

I

last of the Incas,

therefore dwell with peculiar

pleasure on his ludicrous discomfiture by the Chiriguanas.

was a cousin

of the butcher

Duke

to

of Alva,

He

and second son of the

Count of Oropcsa. ^

Lozano,

p. 108.

Solano

is

one of the four Peruvian

saints.

The others arc San Toribio do Mogrovejo, third archbishop of Lima San Martin de Porns, a Dominican negro ; and Santa Rosa ;

of Lima.

XV

INTRODUCTION.

mass, preached amongst the savage Lules

assist at

Indians; and in 1591 Alonzo de Barzana, a Jesuit,

Chacu, and married three thousand

also entered the

couples " in facie Ecclesise".

In 1592 Padre Gaspar

de Monroy ventured amongst the indomitable Chiriguanas, and,

says the

chronicler

of these pious

much enraged

achievements, " the devil was

at his

Thus, while the Indians remained inde-

success".^

pendent of Spanish

rule,

numbers of Christian

continued, from time to time, to explore forest covered plains of the

priests

the vast

Chacu.

While these intrepid missionaries were penetrating into the Gran Chacu, attempts continued to be made to explore the valley of the Amazons in other directions

;

The

and especially from the province of Quito. first

European who reached the banks of the

main stream of the Amazons, subsequent piratical

'

voyage of Aguirre, was

to

the

Rafael Ferrer,

This devoted missionary entered the

a Jesuit priest. forests to the

Don

eastward of Quito, in the year 1602,

and, descending the Napo, reached the banks of the

Maranon

He

in 1608.

was eventually murdered by

the Cofanes Indians.^

But previous

handed attempt of the

fearless Jesuit,

^

Lozano, p. 120.

The Viceroy

of

to this single-

some

steps

had

Peru (the Count of Mon-

terey) in 1607, gave fresh vigour to missionary enterprize in the

Gran Chacu, and numbers

of priests continued to go forth into

those wilds, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The

territory of the

Cofanes Indians was discovered by

Don

Gonzalez Diaz de Pineda in 1536; and was more fully explored

by Don Francisco Perez de Quesada

in 1557,

who was appointed

governor of that country by the Viceroy of Peru.

INTRODUCTION.

XVI

been taken

to secure the

territory

covered by Gonzalo Pizarro.

which was

Don Egidio Ramirez Davalos

of Canete sent

dis-

In 1551 the Marquis to esta-

government in the land of Cinnamon, and he

blish a

founded the settlement of Quijos in 1552, on the river of tlie in the

same name.

command

This cavalier was succeeded

of these forests by his brother,

Gil Ramirez Davalos, in already

himself by

distinguished

Don

1558; an ofRcer who had

Canares Indians, and founding the

subjugating the city of

Cuenca.

Don Gil Ramirez seems to have entered upon his command with great energy, and his former popularity induced many adventurers to join his standard. Thus, during the three following years, he founded the settlements of Baeza, Maspa, Avila, Archidona,

and Tena,

in

the dense forests through which the

Napo

feeders of the river

flow, to join the

Amazons.

Finally he retired to Rio-bamba, near Quito, where, in the time of Velasco, his resided.

numerous

posterity

still

In the year 1599, however, the wild Indians

of the tribe of Jibaros rose in rebellion, and destroyed all

these

settlements, Archidona

flourishing

alone

remaining.^

Early in the

seventeenth

century

the

along the shores of the Upper Maranon, and tary the Santiago,

of ^

its

tribu-

was explored, and the government

Maynas formed.^

A

small fort had long been es-

Jaen, in 1549, had been founded by

whom

territory

the government of

tlie district,

Don Diego Paloma, on

near the river Chinchipe, had

been conferred by La Gasca. ^

The course

of the

Maranon, as

far as

the ponyu or rapid of

XVU

INTRODUCTION. tablished on

the river Santiago, near the

Pongo de

Manseriche, to check the incursions of the fierce

In

Jeberos Indians.

1616 some Spanish

soldiers,

prompted by curiosity and the love of adventure, started from this fort in a canoe,

and reached a settle-

ment of Indians of the Mayna nation, who received them hospitably. They finally succeeded in reaching Lima, where they reported their discovery to the Viceroy Prince of Esquilache, a nobleman of the family of Borgia.

The Prince to

of Esquilache conceived a strong desire

conquer the territory on the Upper Maraiion

;

and

officer named Don Diego de Vaca y Vega, who had defended Panama against the English,

he chose an

and had served to all

as

commandant

of the port of Callao,

perform this service, appointing him governour of the countries he might conquer, in the year 1618.

In 1619 diers,

Don Diego

occupied Maynas with his

sol-

and founded a settlement, which he named San

Francisco de Borja, in honour of the Viceroy, soon afterwards resigning the government into the hands of his son

Don

A

Pedro.

Spaniards settled at the the Indians to

work

for

considerable

new town

of

of Borja, forcing

them, and treating them with

great violence and injustice.

At last the Indians

in rebellion, in the year 1637,

tumultuous body,

number

to attack

and advanced

Borja.

rose in a

The Spaniards

threw up entrenchments round the church, which

were assaulted and carried by the

assailants,

and they

Manseriche, was explored by Pedro de Mercadillo in 1548, when

he was employed

in subjugating the province of

Yaguarzongo.

d

INTRODUCTION.

XVlll

then retreated into the church

up

a fire

from the windows.

where they kept

itself,

At this

critical

moment

the Indians were seized with an unaccountable panic,

and

fled in confusion, leaving

many

of their

number

The Spaniards followed them,

dead or wounded.

committing a horrible butchery

;

but the insurgent

Indians rallied on the banks of the river Pastaza,

where they were joined by many other tribes, and again became formidable to the invaders of their native land.

Don Pedro Vaca, message

the governor of Maynas, sent a

to his father,

who was

living in retirement

Loxa, saying that he despaired of subjugating the

at

Indians by force, and that his only hope was, that the Jesuit missionaries might succeed in tranquillizing

them by persuasion.

Accordingly Padre Lucas de

la

Cueva, and Padre Cujia, a Sardinian, both Jesuits, left

Quito in the end of the year 1637, and, passing

through the towns of Cuenca and Loxa, reached Jaen, whence, descending the Marafion and passing the

dangerous Pongo de Manseriche,^ they arrived at the settlement of Borja.

Meanwhile Don Pedro

collected all the Spaniards,

both in Borja, and in the adjacent settlement of Santiago

;

and

also obtained assistance

ally the chief of the Jeberos

force he defeated '

Pongo.

A

Indians.

and scattered the

his

generous

With

this

rebels.^

rapid or narrow place in a river, from the

word puncu, a gate •

from

Quichua

or door.

In 1657 Riva Aguero, governor of Caxamarca and Lamas, an

officer

named Monroy, and Don Juan Mauricio Vaca de Vega,

—

INTRODUCTION.

Things were in

this state

XIX

when, on the 6th of Feb-

ruary 1638, fathers Cujia and Cueva arrived on the spot

and thus the famous Jesuit missions of the

;

Upper Maranon were commenced. There was a boundless good fathers

;

of the Jeberos

how many

forests, the chief

tering

labour of the

nations there were in those

took up a handful of sand and, scat-

exclaimed " Countless as the

in the air,

it

field for the

and when father Cueva asked the chief

grains of sand are the nations in this land

;

for there

neither lake nor river, hill nor valley, plain nor

is

which

forest,

is

of the Jeberos conducted father

Maranon tribe,

The down the Cueva

not full of inhabitants."

chief river

in his canoe, visiting all the villages of his

which were

built

on the banks.

dians of the tribe of Jeberos, as " a noble, amiable, first-fruits

Thus

the In-

whom Velasco describes

and excellent people," were the

of the Jesuit missions.

Father Acuna, in the narrative of his voyage, mentions the labours of these missionaries,

he had received many

letters

and says that

from them, describing

the grandeur and vast extent of the country which

they were engaged in exploring.^

While the rivers Santiago, Pastaza, and Upper Maranon were thus explored by the followers of son of

Don

Maynas.

Don Juan

Pedro, contended for the appointment of governor of

The

viceroy,

government of Maynas.

Lima

in

success. '

Count Alba de

Liste, decided in favour of

Mauricio, who, in 1653, succeeded his father in the

at

The evidence

of Father Cueva,

the time, was the cause of

Manuel Rodriguez.

Acuna, No.

47, p. 91, of this vohime.

Don Juan

who was

Mauricio's

XX

INTRODUCTION.

who came

Vaca, and the Jesuit fathers sistance, attempts

were

also

made

to

in Peru,

his as-

by

soli-

tary priests, to penetrate into the regions watered

the great rivers Huallaga and Ucayali

;

a land

by

where

ancient legends placed the Peruvian El Dorado, and the city of Manoa.

In the year 16^1, the Franciscan father Felipe de

Lugando

left

the ancient city of Huanuco, and, travel-

ling through

and across

the ravine of Chinchao,

the mountains, to the district of Cuchero, eventually

reached the banks of the rivers

Monzon and Tulum-

In a short time he succeeded in forming six

ayu.

villages of converted Indians, of the Cholones, Jibitos,

Lamistas

tribes,

the Monzon.^

on the banks of the Huallaga and

In 1636 another Franciscan, named

Jeronimo Ximenes, departed from Tarma, and, descended by de la

Sal,^

difficult

and dangerous roads

where he built a chapel.

he descended the

river Perene, in

Cristoval de Larios,

became known

priests,

Mesa,

this station

company with Fray

and both were massacred by the

Antis Indians in the year 1637. fate

to the Cerro

From

at

When

their untimely

Tarma, two other

named Jose de Santa Maria and

set

fearless

Cristoval

out to succeed them, and in 1640 they had

founded seven villages on the banks of the Chanchamayu.

A

year later father Matias de YUescas, with

two lay-brothers, explored the

river Perene,

and even

reached the banks of the Ucayali, but they were '

Castelnau,

-

iv,

cap.

liii,

p.

416; Poeppig, Eeise

Amazonensirome,

ii,

p. 246.

Mentioned by Acuna,

p.

120 of

aiif deni

this

volume.

m

all

Peru, und

INTRODUCTION.

XXI

three murdered by the Setebos Indians.

At about

the same time other Franciscans began to follow the

Lugando down the Huallaga valley. In 1641 two missionaries, named Gaspar de Vera and Juan Calazas, were preaching to the Indians at Cuefootsteps of

hero

;

and in 1644 Ignacio de Irraga, Jeronimo

Ximenes, and Francisco Suarez,

made forests,

a journey

of twenty-four

left

Tulumayu, and

leagues into

the

founding four Missions amongst the Payansos

Indians.

Such were the energetic enterprizes of the Franciscan Missionaries, in the valleys of the Huallaga and Ucayali and they continued during another century ;

and a half

to

send devoted

men

into the forests,

preached

fearlessly,

unknown

land, and usually ended their days

explored vast tracts of previously

murdered by the very savages to

who

whom

by being they had come

humanize.

The discoveries of mouth of the great

the Portuguese on and near the river of

Amazons, during the

same period, were conducted on very ples.

different princi-

In the year 1580 Portugal had been united

with Spain, so that the expeditions conducted by the

Portuguese from that time

to the year 1640,

when

they regained their independence, were undertaken

by orders from the Spanish government In 1613 Gaspar de Souza was appointed governor of

Maranham, with

orders to prosecute discovery and

conquest in the direction of the river of Amazons. Accordingly, in 1615, an

officer

named

Caldeira, with

three vessels, and two hundred men, was sent to con-

INTRODUCTION.

XXll

quer

Gram Para

and he founded the

;

Maria de Belem de

Gram

city of

Santa

Para, in 1616, on a low

elbow of land, at the junction of the river

Guama

with the Para, and about eighty miles from the

sea.

In 1618, Francisco de Caldeira was superseded by

Jeronimo Fragoso de Albuquerque

;

while a mis-

named Benito Maciel was sent to take the command against the Tupinambas Indians, and he commenced a career of devastation and murder in the creant

of

district

On

Para.

the death of Albuquerque,

Pedro de Texeira became governor of Para, and he

was succeeded

1622 by the brutal Maciel

in

the cruelty of the latter

another

officer

became

but

so intolerable that

named Manoel de Sousa was

supersede him in 1626.

;

sent to

In 1630 Francisco Coelho

was governor of Para, and he was followed, on his death in 1633, by Jacome Raymundo de Noronha.

The

enterprizes of these successive governors were

chiefly confined to settlers

rior to

;

murdering and rooting out Dutch

varied by occasional inroads into the inte-

burn the

villages,

and carry

off the

unfortunate

Indians, to be sold into slavery. .

'Rie principal expeditions, undertaken to explore

the vast valley of the Amazons, from

Gonzalo Pizarro briefly

to

the year 1635 have thus been

reviewed; and we

which led

to the

the days of

now come

to those events

voyage of Acufia.

In 1635 some Franciscans

left

Quito, and entered

the province of Sucumbios, where they were received

by Juan de Palacios, who commanded called

San Miguel.

at a small fort

They embarked, with Palacios

;

XXUI

INTRODUCTION.

and ninety

soldiers,

on the river Aguarico, which

they descended until they came to the country of a tribe of Indians,

whom

Ferrer had formerly

named

"Los Endabellados," from their long hair. Here Palacios,

delighted with the rich and abundant

blished a settlement called Ante,^ a

junction of the Aguarico with the

little

Napo

soil, esta-

above the

but he was

;

attacked and killed by the Encabellados, while most of the Franciscans and soldiers escaped back to Quito.

Two monks named Diego Toledo, with

de Brieba, and Andres

happened

six soldiers, fortunately

in the forests, a little

to

be

below the spot where the mur-

der of Palacios took place.

On

hearing of

they got

it

into a canoe, and began the descent of the Napo, in

The adventurers finally reached Para, at the mouth of the Amazons and were thus the first Europeans who had navigated the the

month

of

June 1637.

;

whole length of

On

Aguirre.

this m.ighty river, since the days of

their arrival,

Noronha, the governor of

Para, determined to send an expedition

by Pedro de Texeira, up the at

river

;

commanded

which arrived

Quito in 1638.

who was

Acuila,

accompanied Texeira Quito,

down

the

college at Cuenca,

rector of the

in his returning expedition

Napo and Amazons

to

Para

orders to observe everything on the way

down

the names of

all

Indian

and customs; the names of the

Amazons and

to

;

tribes, their

;

;

from with

to note

manners

rivers flowing into the

the natural productions of the country

send in a

full

report to the council of the

Or " Anete."— Acufia,

p. 92.

INTRODUCTION.

XXIV Indies,

on his return

These instructions

Spain.

to

were ably carried into execution by the good father,

and the

results of his observations

Acufia's voyage

Madrid, in the year 1641. fectly successful

provisions sickness,

were published in

was per-

the people were well supplied with

;

there appears to have been scarcely any

;

no accident of any importance occurred, and

down pleasantly, with the current of the The good father was an intelligent traveller,

they floated river.

and was indefatigable

He

every kind.

in collecting information of

describes the

manners and customs

of the Indians, their modes of fishing and hunting,

and

He

their arms.

enumerates the productions of

the forests and the rivers, and points out the infinite

through which

capabilities of the magnificent country

he passed. to

Indeed he seems

to

have been

fully alive

extraordinary advantages which would be

the

reaped by any country whose merchants could succeed in establishing a trade with the

settlers in the

Amazonian valley, and in navigating the broad deep rivers up to the very feet of the Andes. Acufia's work, entitled El Nuevo Descubrimiento del

gran

Madrid

rio

de

las

Amazonas, was published at

in the year 1641

from the

press, the

;

but before

it

had issued

Portuguese had shaken

off"

the

yoke of Spain, and again become an independent state.

The wretched government

fied lest the

of Philip IV, terri-

Portuguese should take advantage of any

information contained in Acufia's book, and forgetting that Texeira and

all his ofiicers

knew

about the Amazons as the Spanish

quite as

priest,

much

ordered

;

INTRODUCTION.

XXV

every copy of the work to be immediately and tiially

destroyed. It has consequently

ingly scarce.

The French

effect-

become exceed-

translator (in 1682) said

that Philip IV, fearing that the narrative

would serve

guide his enemies into the heart of Peru, caused

to

all

the copies to be suppressed except one only, which in the library

is

of the Vatican.

auroit de la peine d'en trouver

un

He

adds,

autre,

—

"

On

ny dans

le

vieux, ny dans le nouveau monde, que celui sur lequel cette traduction a este faite."

There

are,

however, certainly three other copies in

One

existence.

in the King's library at the British

Museum, from which

I

have made

this translation

:

another which was bought at Colonel Stanley's sale

and a

third, formerly in the possession of

Lord Stuart

de Rothsay.

A

French translation was published by M. de

Gomberville in 1682,^ which, however, wants the address to the reader, the certificate of Texeira, the instructions from the

memorial

Audience of Quito, and the

at the end.^

An

English translation, from

the French, was published in London, in 1698. is full

It

of omissions, mistakes, and long interpolations

in the text.

When

Portugal became independent, Acuna sub-

mitted a number of suggestions, in the form of a '

Two

vols.,

12mo., Paris, 1682;

"par M. de Gomberville de

r Academie Frangoise, avec une dissertation sur la riviere des

Ama-

zones pour servir de preface." '

Manuel Rodriguez

gives Texeira's certificate,

and Acuvia's

memorial. e

;

INTRODUCTION.

XXVI

memorial, to the council of the Indies, proposing measures, with a view to preserving the late discoveries, to Spain

ment of Philip IV advantages.

but the sleepy govern-

never took any steps

The good

to secure these

father eventually returned to

South America, and died

The

;

the benefits of

all

in the city of

narrative of Acuila

is

Lima.^

the earliest published

account of the river of the Amazons in existence

and another century passed away before a second educated European navigated the mighty stream, and cave the results of his observations

Meanwhile, during the century,

many

the world.

to

latter half of the seventeenth

expeditions continued to be

made

into

the valley of the Amazons, generally conducted by intrepid Jesuits and Franciscans.

be out of place

to

It will not, I think,

conclude this introduction by giving

a brief summary of the most important of these enterprizes,

subsequent to the voyage of Acuila.

Four

distinct objects

have given

rise to

the various

enterprizes undertaken to explore the valley of the

Amazons, since the days of Acuna. The first and most effective was the conversion of the Indians the second was the search for the fabulous golden Empire ;

of Enim,Paytiti,orEl Dorado; the third was the pursuit

of commercial advantages

;

and the

last

has been the

advancement of science and geographical knowledge. Rapid and extensive discoveries were made through the zeal and energy of the Jesuit missionaries of '

His companion, Artieda, returned

to Quito, b}-

way

of Cartha_

gena, in 1643; where he advocated the establishment of missions

on the IMaranon.

— Manuel

Rodriguez,

lib.

ii,

cap. xv, p. 151.

—

INTRODUCTION.

Maynas, a

XXVll

territory including the shores of the

Upper

Maraaon, Santiago, Pastaza, Huallaga, and Ucayali.^

The

Jesuit fathers,

who had

arrived at Borja in

1638, found that none of the Indians of the Mara-

non lived

in

permanent settlements; but Father Cueva

succeeded in collecting some of the Jeberos, and in-

duced them

to live in a village

on the river Apena,

which he named " Concepcion de Nuestra Sefiora de Jeberos," in 1640.^ In the same year two more missionaries,

named Bartolome

Perez, of Talavera,

in Spain, and Francisco de Figueroa, of Popayan,

arrived

Mayna

at

Borja, and established

schools

for

the

children.

In 1644 Cujia and Perez made an expedition into the country of the fierce

Cocomas Indians, on the

Huallaga, and in the following year they visited the

Omaguas. Thus these indefatigable men laboured for many years and, by the year 1650, they had established several villages amongst the Cocomas and ;

Cocomillas Indians. ^

"

The echoes of their sermons M. Rodriguez, lib. iii,

sert wilds." -

—

resounded, through those decap.

ii,

Jeberos, in the time of Spanish power,

town of Amazonas. out to

fill

p. 162.

was the most important

The most distinguished men

of Spain

came

the post of " Intendente General" of Jeberos, and the

name of Seilor Calvo, so remarkable for his firmness and integrity. At that time the population of Jeberos was fifteen thousand. Even to this day there exist the remains of natives

its

still

remember

the

former grandeur, and the ruins of a colleg6«»and a government

house are pointed out.

hundred inhabitants.

At present it scarcely counts seventeen The city is situated in an extensive plain,

watered by numerous streams which flow into the river Apena. Ileruldo de Lima, September 13th, 1855.

INTRODUCTION.

XXVlll

As a geographical

discoverer,

guished worthy of the Marafion, was Father

was born

at

first

the

most

distin-

missionary epoch of the

Raymundo de Santa

Cruz.

He

San Miguel de Ibarra, twenty leagues

from Quito, of noble parents, his father being descended from the Aragonese family of Santa Cruz, and his mother, Catalina, being a

He

of Calderon.

daughter of the house

was educated

at the college of

San

Luis at Quito, and, after having been ordained, he

The scene of his most important labours was amongst the Cocomas

joined the

Marafion missions.

Indians, on the banks of the Huallaga

;

where, in

the midst of incredible difficulties and hardships, he

acquired a knowledge of their language, gained their affections,

and preached

for several years.

;

them with some

In 1654 he

tion to the discovery of to the missions

to

first

more easy routes from Quito

and determined, in the

to explore the route

success,

turned his atten-

first

place,

by which Acuiia had descended

the Napo, with Texeira's expedition, fifteen years

He

before.

collected eighty Indians,

and began his

voyage in canoes, from the mission village which he

had established on the Huallaga.

The brave

ex-

plorer descended the Marafion until he reached the

mouth

of the Napo, and, ascending that river, ar-

rived at Archidona after a voyage of fifty-one days.

During fered

this

long and perilous undertaking, he suf-

much from

insects

;

the plagues of mosquitoes and other

from hunger

;

and from the anxiety and

perplexity caused by the difficulty in finding the

way

;

as there are several rivers,

such as the Coca

INTRODUCTION.

and Curaray, which, though

Napo

volume with the latter river, there

wrong

the

;

XXIX

tributaries, are of equal

that in ascending the

so

was constant danger of choosing

stream.

Leaving half the Indians in charge of the canoes, Father

Raymundo

set out

with the rest for the city

of Quito, travelling through the dense forests, and

over the mountains, on foot.

Great excitement was caused at Quito, by the arrival of the father, after succeeding in this journey.

He

performing

was received outside the

city

by a

procession of ecclesiastics, with banners and images

and he

entered in the midst of his Indians,

;

who were

dressed in cotton shirts, with a headdress of feathers,

bows

in their hands,

and quivers of arrows hanging

from their shoulders. the streets to the

Thus they marched through

sound of music, amidst a vast crowd

of spectators, until they reached the great square,

where the members of the Royal Audience, the bishop, and the dean received them.^ After remaining

about a month in Quito, Father

Archidona with

to

sionaries.

his Indians,

They descended

the

Raymundo

returned

and three fresh mis-

Napo

in eight days,

and arrived safely at the mission of the Cocomas, on the Huallaga.

In 1656 Father Raymundo was employed

company General Don Martin de

la

Riva Aguero in

an expedition to subdue the Jeberos Indians proved unsuccessful, owing ^

M. Rodriguez,

p. 197.

memorable days, which the

He

to the

says

city of

:

to ac-

;

but

it

mismanagement

" This was one of the most

Quito has ever seen."

^

XXX

INTRODUCTION.

and greedy avarice of the Spanish commander, who

was governor of Caxamarca.

The good

however,

the discovery of

territory,

thirsted

still

after

new

and of better routes between Quito and the

missions of the Maraiion.

and

missionary,

finally, in

He

explored several rivers,

1662, ascended the Pastaza, with a few

Spaniards and Indians, in light canoes. day, the canoe in which Father

On

the third

Raymundo was em-

barked, entered a rapid near the confluence of the

Bombonaza, and was

overset.

The good man, giving

one last look at the overhanging forest, sank beneath the waves, which became his grave.

This indefatigable explorer, and zealous missionary, led a

life

sisted of

a pair of sandals

for

many

shirt,

and

mode of life was more Indians who surrounded him.

and

;

simple than that of the

Thus

His usual dress con-

of constant self-denial.

an old battered hat, a coarse cotton his

years he laboured to increase the tem-

poral and spiritual welfare of these wild hunters of

the Huallaga, seeking out medicines, and administer-

ing them with his

own hands

;

as well as teaching

them the Christian religion. His was truly a noble and well spent life; but it should be remembered that there were

many

men on who were

other intrepid and devoted

the banks of these rivers, at the same time,

equally zealous in preaching to the Indians, and in

exploring the vast forests, and

who, generally,

met with a

like Father

unknown

welcome reward of

their exertions.

M.

and

llaymundo de Santa Cruz,

violent death, as the

'

rivers,

llodrigucZ; p. 270.

—

^

;

XXXI

INTRODUCTION.

In 16.^8 Father Cueva extended the labours of

tlie

missionaries to the banks of the Napo, and

became

himself the permanent priest at Archidona.

Thus,

through the untiring zeal of these Jesuits, the missions attained great prosperity,

and in 1663 Father

Figueroa stated that there were Indians

baptized

scattered

fifty-

six thousand

through the missions

which had been established on the Upper Marafion, Pastaza, Huallas^a, Lower Marafion, and Ucayali and between ,1640 and

1682 no

than thirty-

less

three villages^ T&£xe established by the missionaries.

This

period

known

is

as

the

first

missionary

epoch.

A

'-

(1640

history of the to

first

missionary epoch on the river Maranon

1682), was written by Father

Manuel Rodriguez, and

published at Madrid in 1684, with the following fion y

Amazonas.

title,

"El Mara-

Historia de los descubrimientos, entradas, y

reduccion de naciones, por

el

Padre Manuel Rodriguez, de

la

Corn-

pania de Jesus, Procurador General de las Provincias de India en

de Madrid."

la corte

being devoted

to

spiritual triumphs,

The names

He

divides his

work

into six books, three

temporal conquests and information, and three to

and the deaths of missionaries.

of the principal missionaries during this period de-

serve to be recorded here, in

memory

of their extensive geogra-

phical discoveries, in the valley of the Amazons. follows

They were

as'

:

Padre Camacho, of

Padre Cueva.

Sj^ain.

Lucero, of Pasto.

„

Cujia (a Sardinian).

,,

Perez, of Talavera.

Suarez, of Carthagena.

,,

Figueroa, of Popayan.

Navarro, a Spaniard.

,,

Santa

,,

the first who Cocoma language.

Cruz,

learnt the

Majano, of Guayaquil,

and thirteen others.

„

Hurtado, of Panama.

Durango, of Naples.

De

Cases,

INTRODUCTION.

XXXll

The second missionary epoch extended from 1683 During

1727.

to

Juan

Father

period

this

de

Lucero converted the Panos, and collected them in a village on the Huallaga, called

Laguna.

work

in

Santiago

de la

Forty-three missionaries entered upon the

whom

Maynas, amongst

were two

distin-

guished Germans, named Henry Ricter and Samuel Fritz.

Henry Ricter was born

at Czaslau, in

Bohemia, in

the year 1653, and entered a Jesuit college in his tenth year.

He

was

when very young, with

seized,

a longing to go to the Indies, to convert the heathens,

and

finally to obtain the

much

opposition, he

and departed from Soon

crown of martyrdom.

was

After

length permitted to go,

at

his native land in the year 1684:.

after his arrival at Borja,

he was sent on a

mission to the Indians of the river Ucayali, where he

laboured

for

many

years to effect their conversion.

The most heroic devotion could alone have enabled him to face the difficulties which surrounded him. During twelve years he performed journeys, rapid

through dense

and dangerous

forests,

rivers.

provisions with him, but

He

or

forty in

difficult

canoes on

never took any

wandered bare-footed and

half naked through the tangled underwood, trusting

wholly to Providence for support, and feeding on herbs and roots.

His

efforts

success, and, having learnt

were rewarded with

some of the Indian lan-

guages, he at last surrounded himself with a

num-

ber of converts.

In 1695 he was sent on a mission, with a few

XXXUl

INTRODUCTION.

Indian guides, to the fierce tribes of the Conibos and PirroSj^

who

Samuel

Frit;&

commenced Marailon

treacherously murdered him.^

was also a native of Bohemia, and

amongst the Indians of the

his labors

in

He

1687.

generally

is

known

as

the

Apostle of the Omaguas," as he established forty

amongst them, and also preached to the Yurimaguas and Ticunas. His numerous journeys and voyages embraced the whole course of the river of Amazons, and many of its tributaries. He descended to the city of Para at its mouth, and ascended it again to Quito. He went up the Huallaga to Huanuco, and thence to Lima, returning by way of Jaen, to the missions of the Maranon. These numerous expeditions gave him an extensive knowledge of the geography of those vast regions and he is well known

villages

;

having published a

as

map

of the valley of the

He was

zons at Quito, in the year 1707.^ for the

wild

life

he was forced

Ama-

well fitted

to lead, for, besides

being a good priest and an intrepid explorer, he was ^

In the German they are called Schibaren; but,

the resemblance

in the

I

suppose, from

tribe of Jeberos

name, that the

must be

meant. ^

Stochlein's Reise-Beschreibungen.

Jesuit missionaries from

all

says

own

It :

is

published in

— " Samuel

Fritz

collection of letters

No.

iii,

p. 60.

the Reise- Beschreihinge7i, and Stochlein

made

the

observations and experience

first :

map

of this river, from his

by which the former maps of

the lovers of geography, for the measurement of the world, corrected.

martyrdom

The

from

parts of the world, from 1642 to 1726,

published at Augsburg in 1726. ^

A

may be

places where any of the missionaries suffered

are marked, in the

map, by a small cross."

the lake of Lauricocha to be the source of the Amazons.

He makes

INTRODUCTION.

XXXIV

carpenter, and a joiner.

physician, a painter, a

a

Many

of the rude mission churches, in those forests,

were ornamented hy the paintings of Samuel

Fritz.

He

died in 1730, at the good old age of eighty years,

in

a mission village of the Jeberos Indians, attended

by by

a priest

named Wilhelm de Tres, and surrounded who loved and revered their

his sorrowing flock,

kind old friend.^

During

this period the missionaries, in addition to

the natural difficulties of their position, had to con-

tend against the triple scourge of Portuguese invasion, rebellion,

and

The Portuguese made con-

pestilence.

tinual incursions

up the

river,

and carrying away the Indians

burning the

villages,

for slaves.

In 1660

the Cocomas Indians, eleven thousand strong, after sixteen years of peace, rose in rebellion and killed their Missionary, Father

Thomas Majano.

The

in-

surrection continued until 1669, during which time

Father Figueroa and forty-four neophytes were murdered.

The Cocomas were joined by

and Chepeos, and the Avigiras rose slaughtered Father Suarez

;

the Maparinas in 1667,

and

while Fathers Ricter and

Herrera were killed by the Indians of the Ucayali 1695.

in

The

destroyed, and

missions on that river were entirely

the

Francisco Viva,

superior,

who

attempted to regain them with the aid of the Spanish troops, rose,

was disgracefully defeated. In 1707 the Gaes

and massacred Father Durango, and seven thou-

sand catechumens '

Letter from

;

and

Wilhelm dc

Ilclse-Bcschreihungen, vol.

iv,

in

1753

all

the tribes on the

Tres, dated Cucn(;a,

No. 561

;

xiv, p. Gl.

June

1st,

1731.

—

XXXV

INTRODUCTION.

Napo were was added.

To

in rebellion.

these calamities pestilence

The small-pox

first

appeared at Borja in

1660, and forty-four thousand Indians died.

In 1669

upwards of twenty thousand more were swept away and

in the years 1680, 1749, 1756,

and 1762 the

;

dis-

ease committed such frightful ravages, that the sur-

viving Indians deserted the mission villages, and fled into the woods.

The

third missionary epoch of

Maynas comprised

a period of forty-one years, from 1727 to 1768, during

which time eighty-six missionaries^ entered the and

forty- five

field,

mission villages were founded.

After the great pestilence of 1756, Borja was re-

founded on a new

site,

by order of the Royal Audience

Morona and At the end the Marailon.

of Quito, between the mouths of the Pastaza, on the banks of

of the last century

composed of the

it

was a wretched

village,

little

of the Mestizos and Indians,

relics

by the insurrections, and the small-pox, about four

left

The

hundred in number.^

where the superior

resided,

capital of the

was removed

to

missions,

Santiago

de la Laguna, in 1756, a village which had been

founded by Father Lucero in 1670, on the east bank of

The missions Upper Maranon was government of the a beautiful lake formed by the river Huallaga.

'

Among

these there were six

who worked Carl Bretan

SchefFen -

;

for forty years, ;

and

:

died in

Adam Widman, who

Father Henry Francen,

1767; Francis Rhen;

died in 1769, aged 70;

and Leonard Deubler, who died 1770, aged

Though some remains is now no more than

Borja trees

Germans

and underwood.

of

its

Adam

80.

former prosperity are

still left,

a cemetery of desolation, covered with

Heraldo de Lima, 1854.

—

XXXVl

INTRODUCTION.

placed under the Bishop of Quito

;

and, at the com-

mencement of the present century they were fourteen in number.^ The vice-superior of the missions resided at a village on the Maranon called San Joaquim de Omaguas, composed of the small remnant of the once flourishing missions, left by the Portuguese and the small-pox. The same causes reduced the missions on the Napo to five missionaries, and The expulsion of the Jesuits still furten villages. ther tended to reduce these once flourishing missions. In 1808 the whole of the missions on the Maranon, including

'

the mouths of the rivers Napo, Pastaza,

etc.,

were placed under the

jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of Peru,

by a law or Real Cedula,

the original of which

This fact will be of some

is

still

extant.

importance in deciding the dispute concerning the boundary be-

tween the Republics of Peru and Ecuador, which has the blockade of Guayaquil.

by a on

tacit

all

agreement, which, however,

is

recognized and respected

been fixed by the

uti possidetis of the year 1810,

On

the viceroyalties began to shake off the yoke of Spain.

lower part of the courses of the Pastaza and

this principle the

Napo,

lately led to

South American Republics,

the principle of the right of territorial juris-

occasions,

diction has

when

Among the

as

well as both banks of the Marafion,

to Peru.

Memorandum by Don Manuel

certainly belong

Tirado, Oct, 30th, 1855.

Moreover, the present bishop of Chachapoyas, in Peru,

is

in

possession of documents which will prove that his predecessor,

Bishop Rangel (during the Spanish times) exercised

now

jurisdiction in the province of Quijos,

by the authorities of Ecuador.

—Letter

ecclesiastical

claimed and occupied

from the Bishop, in the

Heraldo de Lima, September 14th, 1855. Dr. Villavicencio,

who was governor

many

of Canelos for

years,

not only denies the Peruvian claim, but also claims several districts in Peru, to the south of the as the best

mode

Amazons,

for

Ecuador.

He

of settling the dispute, to adopt the

the boundary line.

—

Villavicencio' s

Pamphlet, 1859.

proposes,

Amazons

as

—

XXXVU

INTRODUCTION.

The

enterprizcs of the Franciscans on the upper

waters of the Huallaga and Ucayali were, though partially

successful

at first, almost

towards the end of the

entirely paralyzed

last century.

In 1651 Father Alonzo Caballero reached the banks of the Ucayali, and resided for some years amongst the Callisecas andSetebos,but

and the same priests

fate befell

who, during the attempted

century,

Ucayali, and

its

he was eventually murdered;

numerous other intrepid

latter half of the seventeenth

to

on

the

at the

com-

missions

establish

Thus,

tributary streams.

mencement of the eighteenth century, nearly

all

the

missions in the vast plains between the Huallaga and Ucayali,

known

abandoned.

It

as the

was

Pampa

del Sacramento, were

at this time,

when

the prospects

of forming any establishments in the valley of the

Ucayali seemed so hopeless, that Father Francisco de

San Jose^ founded the college of Ocopa,

in a valley of

the Peruvian Andes, between the towns of

and Guamanga, with a view

Tarma

the education

to

of

Father San Jose himself penetrated into the forests, and formed the mission of Pozuzu in missionaries.

The

1712. a

new

villages '

at

exertions of this brave Franciscan gave

stimulus to missionary zeal

A native of the

Chaglla.

in

1730 ten new

had been established on the Chanchamayu, city of

Mondejar, in Spain.

Huanuco, whence he proceeded

exists.

:

He

In 1712 he arrived

to Pozuzu, a village

which

still

also caused a hospital to be built at a place called

Between 1726 and 1755 the Franciscans penetrated,

eight times, from Pozuzu to the port on the river Mayru, but with-

out any permanent results.

Letter

from Father

dian of the College of Ocopa in 1792.

Sobreviela, Guar-

XXXVIU

INTRODUCTION.

and in 1732 Father Simon Zara discovered the vast

which was named

"

mento,"^ because he entered

it

territory

Corpus

Pampa on the

del

Sacraof

festival

Christi.

Exertions continued to be

made throughout

the

last century, to establish missions in the valley of the

The

Ucayali. ful

missionaries were sometimes success-

but more frequently they met with terrible

;

disasters

;

and the labours of the century were con-

cluded by the most interesting expeditions of Father Girbal, on the Ucayali.^ ^

The " Pampa

In 1670, missions were

Sacramento"

del

is

bounded on the

east by the

Ucayali, on the west by the Huallaga, on the north by the Mara-

" The two continents of America," says Smyth, " do not contain another country so favournon, and on the south by the Aguatya.

ably situated, and so fertile." forty to one

hundred broad

canoes, rise in

its interior,

laga or Ucayali. tion, its

turtles,

and flow

soil is

hundred miles long, by

ofl"

on either

side, to the

for

Hual-

a red clay, thickly covered with vegeta-

forests are filled with an almost endless variety of beautiful

and

birds,

The

It is three

and numerous streams, navigable

;

its

furnish an inexhaustible supply of fishes,

rivers

and manatees.

Coff"ee,

sugar, balsam, sarsaparilla, cotton,

Indian rubber, resins, gums, dyes, wax, indigo, vanille, tapioca, a great variety of fruits and herbs, are amongst

ducts

;

and the climate

by several wandering

is

its

agreeable and healthy.

tribes of Indians,

who pass

vegetable proIt is

inhabited

their time in

hunting and fishing. -

The

letters

of Father Girbal were published in a Peruvian

periodical called the Mercurio Peruana, in 1791-92.

His accounts

of the co\intries which he explored, of the manners and customs of

the Indians, and of his

own

adventures, are most interesting.

In

No. 150 of the Mercurio Peruano, the instructions of Father Sobreviela, the guardian of the College of Ocopa, to Father Girbal, are published.

ment

They

contain very judicious rules for the establish-

of mission villages

amongst the Indians.

In No. 194, there

XXXIX

INTRODUCTION.

some of the

established on

laga

;

were

tributaries of the

Hual-

the Cholones, Lamistas, and Jibitos Indians collected into villages

;

and have ever since been

retained in a semi-civilized condition.

Poeppig has

given us a minute account of these Indians of the Huallaga.^

The extensive territory on the banks of the river Mamore, which stretches far away to the eastward of that grand chain of the Andes, where Sorata and

lUimani rear their snowy heads above tain peaks of America,

was

first visited

all

the moun-

by a missionary

in 1674.

In that year Cypriano Baraza, a Jesuit of Lima,

embarked, in a canoe, on the Rio Grande

;

and, after

a voyage of twelve days, arrived in the territory of the

Moxos

Indians,

He

Mamore.^

who

inhabit the banks of the

spent four years amongst them, learn-

ing their language, and gaining their good will

;

at

the end of which time, exhausted by ague, he was

obliged to retire to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, to recruit

After passing five years amongst the

his health.

savage Chiriguanas, he returned to his beloved Moxos,

and collected many of them into mission

He is

villages.

dressed their wounds, administered medicine to

a letter from

Fray Juan Duefias, giving an account of his jour-

ney across the Pampa del Sacramento, from the Ucayali

to the

Huallaga. Girbal was succeeded, in the Ucayali mission, by Father Plaza,

who laboured There are now

for fifty years,

and died about twelve years ago.

four mission villages on the Ucayali.

^

Sec the

"

Rciac BcachriebiDic/cn, No. 112, p. G2.

list,

at the

end of the volume.

;

INTRODUCTION.

xl

them weaving, carpentry, and agriculture, introduced cattle into their country, and gained their good will and respect. The first mission village established by Baraza was called Loreto,^ the second was Trinidad, where he built a handsome Every family had its portion of land, brick church. required which it was to cultivate for its own use and there were public lands and herds of cattle, for Maize, the support of the church and hospital. mandioc, rice, cotton, and cacao were cultivated with their

sick,

success

taught

while vanille, cinnamon, wax, and copaiba

;

balsam, were collected in the forests.

With

the untiring energy of a minister of Christ,

Baraza voluntarily combined an amount of bodily suffering, far exceeding in severity the useless pe-

nances of

St.

Simeon

He

Stylites.

lived on roots,

sometimes, though rarely, indulging in a small piece

smoked monkey, which the Indians gave him out of compassion. He never slept more than four hours, of

his

bed being the steps of the church when

missions, *

at the

and the bare ground when on a journey,

Loreto, and Trinadad de los Moxos, were visited by Lieutenant

Gibbon, U.S.N., in 1852.

The former

The

north-north-west of Loreto, separated

latter is twelve leagues

by a marshy

in a ruinous condition.

plain, covered with long grass,

cattle, deer, peccaries, tapirs,

of the

is

Mamore, now

the

and frequented by

and jaguars. Trinidad, on the banks

capital of the Bolivian

Department of

Beni, with about two thousand inhabitants, was laid out by Baraza, in wide streets built at right angles.

and are roofed with

tiles,

The houses

which extend over the

arc of one story, side walks,

are supported by a line of posts, thus forming a piazza. is

in the centre of the town,

government house.

The

and

plaza

and contains the cathedral, and the

xU

INTRODUCTION. without

when

from

slioltcr

rain or cold.

Otlicr

priests,

on the rivers in canoes, used um-

travelling-

from the burning rays

brellas to protect their heads

of the sun, but Baraza would never use one; nor

would he take the

least precaution to protect himself

from the tormenting bites of mosquitoes and sandHies.

With

people,

more savage and cruel than the wild beasts

and he

left

own hand Baraza baptised forty thousand heathens. He found the Moxos an ignorant

in villages,

his

;

them a civilized community, established and converted to Christianitv.^

In 1702, Baraza visited the Baures, a tribe living in the

country to the eastward of the Moxos, near

the banks of the rivers Itenez and Blanco.

man was murdered by

The good

these Indians on the 16th of

September, 1702, in the sixtieth year of his age, after

having labored amongst the Moxos for upwards

Few

of twenty-seven years.

people have studied the

history of the Jesuit missions

more attentively than

Mr. Southey, and he says of Baraza, of Brazil,) "

He

(in his History

was, perhaps, the most enlightened

Jesuit that ever laboured in South America."^

The Moxos '

the

missions continued to flourish, after the

" Account of the Life and Deatli of Father Cj'prian Baraza, first

Apostle of Christ

Spanish, at Lima, by

to

command

the

Moxos Indians." Printed in La Paz, and trans-

of the Bishop of

lated into French, in the tenth selection of the Lettres Edijiantes, Paris, 1713.

Also translated into German in the Reise-Beschrei-

hungen, No. 112; with a courses of the Beni and

map of the Moxos Missions, and of the Mamore rivers, copied from one which

was drawn by the Jesuits of Peru.

It is

Moschen durch die Jesuiter von Peru."

headed " Mission bei den

"

INTRODUCTION.

Xlii

murder of villages

The churches

their benefactor.

were large, well

built,

and richly ornamented;

Peru sent them

as the Spaniards of

in their

costly presents,

and the Indians themselves soon became expert in carving and painting.

In 1737 the Portuguese

now

cured the territory

called

borders of Moxos, and built a

se-

Matto Grosso, on the fort,

called Beira, on

the Itenez, which river, by the treaty of 1777, became

the boundary between the Spanish and Portuguese dominions.

When the Jesuits were expelled,

were sent at the

to take

end of the

other priests

charge of the Moxos Indians; and, last century,

industrious people

famous

;

they were a thriving,

as carpenters, weavers,

and

agriculturists.

this

volume, I have added a few further particulars

respecting the

In the

Moxos

of tribes at the end of

Indians,

While the good and crificing all their

list

faithful priests

hopes in

were thus

this world,

sa-

and usually

meeting with a violent death in the valley of the

Amazons, many Peru,

still

restless spirits, in the Viceroyalty of

dreamed of the

stories of

was remembered that a great

had taken place soon

flight

El Dorado.-

It

of Inca Indians

after the conquest,

and

it

was

generally believed that they had established a rich

Empire, called Paytiti, in the forests many leagues the eastward of Cuzco; while the Empire of said to exist

somewhere

to

Enim was

in the valley of the Ucayali,

These fables were very generally credited during the seventeenth century, and were the exciting cause

of

many strange adventures. In 1659, a crazy Spanish named Pedro Bohorques, who had served in

soldier,

INTRODUCTION.

xliu

amongst the Colchaqiiies,

Chili, introduced himself

an Indian tribe of Tucuman, and declared himself to

be an Inca.

seems that he had heard the

It

legend respecting the rich and powerful city of Paytiti,

to

or Yurac-huasi, (white-house)

which he believed

be near the mouth of the Iluallaga

;

and he

adopted this means of inducing the Indians to submit to

him, as their

chief.

Several Colchaquies, court, followed

He

Paytiti.

him

whom he

created nobles of his

in a long expedition in search of

descended the Huallaga,

amongst the Pelados Indians until 1665

and lived ;

but was

eventually captured by the Spanish authorities, and

executed at Lima in 1667.

In

spite of the failure of

Bohorques,

many

people

continued to believe that a great nation existed some-

where

in the valley of the

capital

was

Paytiti.

in Lima, led

Amazons, and that

their

In 1670, a number of Spaniards

by Don Benito de Rivera, a very rich

cavalier, started

on an expedition

to search for this

and penetrated into the plains of Moxos, from Chuquisaca but they returned, after enduring

fabulous

city,

;

many

hardships, without having seen anything, save

and wild Indians.

vast forests

A

Jesuit

who accom-

panied the expedition, says that " the soldiers, instead of finding gold, found only hardships, sickness, and

death

;

while the people,

who accompanied

us from

Chuquisaca, attributed our not finding the court of Paytiti, to the sorcery of the Indians." It seems, ^

^

however, not wholly impossible that the M.

Rodriyue.:, lib.

vi,

cap.

iv, p.

384.

^

Xliv

.-

/

X

INTRODUCTION.

may have been founded on

legend of Paytiti

facts

;

and Velasco expressly says that the Inca Indians

who

fled

with Tupac

Amaru into

the forests, founded

ChunchusT] In 1681 Father Lucero

the nation of

reported that, at a distance of thirty days navigation

from Laguna, on the Huallaga, he had ascended a

which comes from the vicinity of Cuzco, and had communicated with five small Indian tribes, called Manamabobos, Campas, Pirros, Remos, and Unibueses, who numbered about ten thousand souls. large river

The

Pirros told

him

that they

had intercourse with a

great nation, called Curiveos, which had a descendant

of the Incas for self

had seen

gold,

its

king.

Lucero added that he him-

plates, half- moons,

and ear-rings of

which were brought from that nation.

Still

more authentic news, respecting

obtained by the good father Baraza, ary of Moxos,

when he

visited the

Paytiti,

was

the mission-

Baures Indians in

These people lived on the banks of the river

1702.

Itenez, in villages built on hills, and fortified sades, with loopholes for their archers.

by

The

palli-

largest

building in the village, called Manacicas^ was their

They used

temple and banqueting house. plaited

cane,

were decently

clad,

tary rulers called

Aramas.

his title

was

JSI.

History of Brazil,

vol.

iii,

tlie

neighbouring

tribe,

Baures in every also

re-

high

Paytiti.^

liodrHjucz, lib. vi, cap.

'

'

A

supreme chief was

spect, except that their

and

of

women

and they were governed by heredi-

called Cayubabas, resembled

priest,

sliields

covered with feathers, their

iv, p.

387.

from Hervas, and the Almanaque dc

INTRODUCTION. 'J'jie

xlv

testimony of Bavaza and Lucero, added to the

voice of universal tradition from the time of the con-

quest to the present day, unite to strengthen the did succeed in

probability that the Incas actually

prolonging their civilization, apart from Spanish contamination, in the vast plains to the eastward of the

Andes, for one or two centuries after the time of Pizarro.

The same

story

was

told to

me, when

was

I

my informant^

on the shores of the Purus in 1853, and

pointed to the forests which stretclied away

the

to

horizon, at the same time describing a lake, on the

banks of which Ynti (the Peruvian Deity)

still

found

It is a pleasant reflection that this story

adorers.

may

possibly be true.

The empire

of Paytiti

was, at

all

believed in, during the year 1740,

events, fully

when

a native of

Guamanga, named Juan Santos, descended

into the

near Tarma, declared himself to be an Inca,

forests

adopted the name of Atahualpa, induced the Chunchos Indians to join him, and

commenced a war

He

mination against the Spaniards,

of exter-

received a sup-

who had advanced Yavari, destroyed many of

ply of arms from the Portuguese, as

f\ir

Limn.

as the

mouth

of the

Mr. Southey adds

;

" Here then

the early conquerors supposed to treasures,

continent.

and

to

is the* grccit Paytiti,

have succeeded

have founded a rich empire in the centre of the

Their more improved customs were, in

wreck of Peruvian

v.hom

to tlie Inca's

civilization."

a hasty conclusion; but

it is

This

will,

reality,

the

perhaps, be considered

certain that the Incas extended their

conquests eastward, as far as the Itenez. '

the

Don Ramon ''

Ordonez, proprietor of the farm of

moutaua" of Puucartambo.

TiU

Cueva, in

:

INTRODUCTION.

Xlvi

the missions, and frequently defeated the Spaniards

who were

sent against

him.

Paytiti, in the valley of the

Thus

the empire of

Amazons, became a terri-

ble reality to the Spanish government.

In 1745 the Count of Superunda, Viceroy of Peru,

was reduced

sending an envoy to the Chunchos to

to

named

Carlos

was well received

at the

sue for peace, for which service a Jesuit

He

Pastoriza was chosen. court of the

Chuncho

chief,

and reported that the

surgent army was full of Europeans and Negroes.

in-

The

pretended Inca declared his reverence for the Pope,

and

his

peace

;

enmity

to Spain, agreeing,

however, to make

and Pastoriza was dismissed, with a firm

belief

that all the forces of Peru would not suffice to reduce

the Chunchos.

They became less formidable

death of Juan Santos tliis

;

after the

but there can be no doubt that

disastrous insurrection assisted

in

raising

the

power of the Portuguese, on the ruins of the mission of the Marailon.

The third motive for exploring the valley of the Amazons has been the pursuit of commercial advantages

;

but, in this field, the Portuguese have far out-

stripped the

Spaniards, both in energy and in the

success of their undertakings.

In 1640,

when Portugal became independent,

the

Portuguese claimed the whole course of the Amazons,

up

to the

mouth

of the Napo, on the ground that

Texeira had ascended the river up to

that point

ignoring the facts that Texeira was then a Spanish subject, and thatOrellana,

monks had

Aguirre,and the two Franciscan

previously discovered the whole course of

INTRODUCTION.

xlvU

The Portngucsc commenced

the Amazons.

hostilities

by attacking the Omaguas, and other peaceful Indians, burning their villages, and carrying their women and children away, to

Thousands of unfor-

sell as slaves.

tunate people were thus treated, and for a century the Portuguese continued to perpetrate similar atro-

Meanwhile, even

cities.

at this early period, petty

traders of that nation pushed their

the

Amazonian

goods

with

gums,

resins,

The

tributaries,

and Portugal

of

exchanging manufactured

the Indians, for

wax, and other

treaty of

way up many

sarsaparilla,

copaiba,

articles.

San Ildefonso, signed between Spain

in 1777, established the following

bound-

ary between their possessions in South America. "

From

low that

shall

line

into the

mouth

the

up to be drawn

river

Paraguay on

of the Igurey the line shall folits

to its

bably be the Corrientes. river to the

Thence a straight the nearest river which falls eastern side, which will prosource.

The

line shall follow that

Paraguay, and ascend the

latter river to

swamps which form its source, crossing these swamps in a straight line to the mouth of the Jaurii. From the mouth of the Jauru, the line shall go in a the

straight line to the eastern

banks of the Itenez.

It

descend the Itenez and Madeira to a point equally distant from the junction of the Mamore and

shall then

mouth of the Madeira.

Beni, and the

straight line to

the

river Yavari,

Thence

in a

descending that

The line shall then descend mouth of the Japura."^

stream to the Maranon. the '

Maranon It

to the

was agreed, by the contracting

parties, that

commissioners

— INTRODUCTION.

Xlviii

The Portuguese thus secured lion's share of the valley of the

themselves the

to

Amazons

;

and the

Spaniards never attempted, with any degree of energy,

improve the commercial advantages of that rich

to

and

fertile portion

which they

retained.

They formed small farms on the

eastern slopes of

the Cordilleras, for the cultivation of sugar, cocoa,

coca leaves, and fruits, which, however, never ex-

tended far into the plains

;

they established gold wash-

ings on some of the smaller tributaries

;

and they em-

ployed Indians to collect bark and sarsaparilla in the forests

but beyond

;

they never attempted to

this,

turn the boundless capabilities of the

Amazonian

valley to any profitable account, nor to establish

mercial intercourse on

Yet the to the

natives of

its

enormous navigable

Peru and Quito were

com-

rivers.

fully alive

advantages which would be

gained by the

Amazons

brilliant antici-

navigation of the

;

and the

pations of old Father Acuila were repeated, in 1791,

by the authors of the lowing words

3Iercurio

Pcruano^, in the fol-

:

"

Who

can calculate the advantages which would

result to the state,

if,

together with religion, corn-

should be sent out to arrange the position of this boundary

line.

The Spanish commissioner, Don Antonia Alvarez Sotomayor,

ac-

cordingly arrived at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and waited long for his

Portuguese colleague. Indeed, he waited so long that he actu-

ally died of

extreme old age in 1835, and the other commissioner

never arrived.

The Portuguese never

disposition to evade the treaty.

sent one, thus showing their

— Dalencc,

Bosquejo estadistico de

Bolivia. '

Merciirio Peruana, No. 77, p. 85 (September 29th, 1791).

;

INTRODUCTION.

xUx

merce and navigation might be introduced into those rivers The discovery of America caused a general ^.

revohition in the system of the arts, and even of the

The

civilization of El Dorado, of Enim, would enhance the colours which embellished the picture of South America."

sciences.

and of

Paytiti,

" San

Joaquim de Omaguas, at the confluence of and Maranon, would then become a

the Ucayali^ '

The Ucayali

is

the longest, and one of the most important of

the affluents of the Amazons. haustible

and

fertility,

forty miles

sixty miles

and

from

its

It flows

through a country of inex-

navigable for a distance of one thousand

is

mouth, three thousand three hundred and

from the mouth of the Amazons.

It is

formed by three

great tributaries, the Vilcamayu, Ajmrimac, and Pachitea.

name

river first takes the

The

of Ucayali, at the junction of the two

Only three men of

former of these tributaries.

scientific attain-

ments, namely, Smyth, Castelnau, and Herndon, have as yet navi-

gated the Ucayali.

In 1835 General Miller examined the valley

of Santa Anna, through which the Vilcamayu flows, with a view

In 1846 Castelnau

to the establishment of a military colony.

left

Echarate, in the valley of Santa Anna, (one hundred and twenty miles from Cuzco), and reached Sarayacu, on the Ucayali, in fortyfour days, after suff'ering innumerable hardships. for

one hundred and eighty miles, the Vilcamayu

many

cascades and rapids, where

it

is

canoes, and drag them through the forests the river still

is

free

from

several rapids

From is

necessary to unload the ;

but, after that distance,

obstructions of this nature.

where the

river only has a

up by heavy trunks of great violence.

is

strait

are

feet

known

reached, a dangerous passage, blocked

trees, against

The Vuelta

is

It

which the current dashes with

seven hundred and seventy miles

from the mouth of the Ucayali, and navigable for steamers.

Yet there

depth of three

but two hundred and seventy miles lower down, the as the Vuelta del Diablo

Echarate,

obstructed by

for this distance the river is

averages a breadth of half a mile, a

depth of three fathoms and a

half,

with a current running three

h

—

;

INTRODUCTION.

1

mart like ancient Tyre, ships

whose ports arrived the

at

By

and productions of the whole world.

the

of the Amazons would enter the vessels of North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. By the

river

Pastaza and Maranon, the city of Quito would send

By

her cloths and statues.

Lima would

the Huallaga^ and Mayru,^

contribute her delicious

oils,

taken from

the shady olives which beautify the coasts of the

By

Pacific ocean.

the

Apurimac would be conveyed

the paintings and sugars of Cuzco, and the gold of

By

come the productions of Moxos, and all the riches of Paytiti. Rendered opulent by her commerce, Omagua, formerly regarded as the capital of the Empire of El Dorado, would Caravaya.

knots an hour

while the wind

;

The

of the stream.

The mission

the Beni would

fall

is

constantly blowing up the course

of the river

village of Sarayacu

is

is

about 0.8 of a foot per mile.

four hundred and ninety-five

miles from the Vuelta del Diablo, and two hundred and seventy-

Maranon and

situated at the confluence of the

former river

is at least

The Huallaga

^

The town

from the mouth of the Ucayali.

five miles

is

three-quarters of a mile across.

rises in the

Thence

The

mountains above Huanuco.

canoe navigation commences at the city of Huanuco.

Nauta

of

Ucayali, where the

Tingo Maria, eighty miles from

to

Chasuta

is

a distance of three

hundred and twenty-five miles, taking seventy-four working hours to

descend

its

mouth

it,

and

falling

the river

is

'^ {'^-^j

feet per mile.

From Chasuta

navigable for vessels drawing five

to

feet, at

the lowest stage, a distance of two hundred and eighty-five miles

the descent taking sixty-eight hours, and falling

The

difference

Amazons, ^

is

about

of Laguna is twenty-five miles from the The mouth is three huiulred and fifty yards wide ;

at the junction, five

The Mayru

Ucayali.

per mile.

mouth

three to one.

Huallaga.

1 ^-^jj

between the times of ascent and descent

is

hundred.

the the

Ilcrndon, p. 179.

an afliuent of the Pachitea, which

falls into

the

H

INTRODUCTION.

cease to belie the ideas of her splendour, which were

then entertained. "

The

city of

Huanuco,

situated

between the points

of embarkation on the Huallaga and

the Mayru,

might enjoy the same advantages. "

The

revolution which this

new commerce

will

cause in the system of navigation, will be followed

an equal revolution in the sciences.

by

The philosopher

will have to contemplate the channels

opened by the

hands of nature, in the midst of the formidable Cordilleras of the

With admiration

Andes.

relate that, in Ferrol, vessels

had

to navigate

history will

were constructed which

on the summits of the Andes, passing

over a plain, to an elevation of two thousand fathoms All will appear ....

above the surface of the ocean. the idea

is

enchanting

— the reality will be the work

;

of time."

The reality has indeed been Yet from the time when

the

work of time

!

the above words were

written to the present day, there has been a slowly yet constantly increasing traffic on the Amazons, and affluents.

When

in Peru, the event

was hailed

as the harbinger

great era in the progress of the

Vain hope

!

its

the yoke of Spain was thrown off

Amazonian

of a

provinces.

So dreamed the enthusiastic Acuiia two

liundred years ago.

When

lieutenants

Maw

and

Smyth passed down the Amazons, the former thirty years since, there were, however, evident symptoms of the first early pulsations of life and commerce through the extensive regions, covering more than two millions, three hundred thousand square miles,

;

INTRODUCTION.

lii

which form the basin of the Amazons.

Petty traders,

the pioneers of a stirring future, were then busy, each in his

little

traffic.

One man came from

a village

up the Rio Negro, bringing a cargo of grass hammocks to Barra, another came to the same place, with a cargo of hats which he had con-

forty days journey

from Quito down the Napo and Marafion

ve}'vd

while numbers of canoes were passing down the various tributaries into the Amazons, laden with sarsa-

and other valuable products

parilla,

;

and returning

with European and American manufactured goods.^

But

since that date an

has been taken.

immense

stride in

advance

In 1857 there were eight steamers

plying on the bosom of the Amazons, carrying passengers, and bearing

up and down a

ceaseless

ebb and

flow of commerce.^

'

Wallace says that about a thousand pounds' worth of Euro-

pean goods enter the Uaupes, a tributary of the Rio Negro, every year

:

consisting chiefly of axes,

cutlasses,

knives, fish hooks,

arrow heads, mirrors, beads, and cotton cloths

changed

for sarsaparilla, pitch, string,

baskets, feather ornaments, etc.

:

which are ex-

hammocks, Indian

— Wallace,

p.

stools,

502; Edwards,

p.

140-2. ^

A

treaty respecting the navigation of the

Amazons, was signed

between Brazil and Peru, on the 23rd of October, 1851,

The

Yavari was fixed as the boundary between the two nations.

All

merchandize crossing the frontier was exempted from duty.

The

two governments agreed pany.

to grant aid to a

steam navigation com-

In August 1852, the Brazilian government gave the exclu-

sive privilege of navigation for thirty years, to Ireneo de Souza, a

Brazilian.

Don Manuel

Tirado, the Peruvian minister, also ob-

tained a grant of two hundred thousand dollars from Congress in

1853, towards the exploration by steamboats of the Peruvian tribu-

—

INTRODUCTION.

The

liii

fourth and last object which has attracted ad-

venturous travellers to the valley of the Amazons, has

been a desh*e

advance the interests of science, and

to

geographical discovery.

The

first

expedition of this kind was that which

left Paris in 1735, to measure the arc of a degree

near Quito, and so discover the true shape of che It

earth.

M.M. De

of

consisted

la

In April 1853 the Peruvian government decreed that the

taries.

vessels of all nations, having treaties with Peru,

Amazons

as far as Nauta, at the

1853 conceded the power emigrants.

ber 30th, 1855

to

mouth

might ascend the

of the Ucayali

;

The Peruvian decree

Brazilians refused to allow this.

all

Condamine,

but the of April

hold land, and other advantages, to

Don Manuel Tirado, dated Octome by Don Felipe Barreda, of Lima.

Mcniora7iclwn by :

sent to

In 1857 the Brazilian Company had eight steamers on the river

Amazons, and two new boats were expected.

The names

actually running were the Tapajoz, Rio Negro, Marajo,

of those

Monarca,

Cameta, Tahatinga, Solhnoes, City Bay.

There

is

a weekly packet from Para to Barra, on the Rio Negro.

The Marajo runs every two months from Barra to Nanta the Monarca runs from Barra, up the Rio Negro, to the mouth of the Branco. The Solimoes is for the river Tapajos, the Cameta ;

makes monthly

trips

from Para

to

Cameta, on the Tocantins.

All

these steamers have more business than they can do, they pay well,

and are very good boats.

The Peruvians bought two steamers

at

New

York, named the

Tirado (one hundred and ten feet long) and Huallaya (ninety feet long),

which arrived

moved from Nauta few

trips

up the

Nauta.

safely at

since,

river,

and

is

and,

rotting.

The Huallaya has never The Tirado has made a

on one occasion, Mr. Nesbitt, the

American engineer, took her up the Huallaga,

as far as Chasuta,

three thousand five hundred miles from the sea.

American engineers went home are

now

rottin"; at

Nauta.

;

and,

I

In 1857 the

believe, both the steamers

INTRODUCTION.

liv

and when Condamine

Godin, Bouguer, and Jussieu

was completed,

De

in 1739,

work

their

;

la

started from

Jaen, and navigated the whole course of the river of

Amazons,

to its

mouth

at Para.^

Since the time of Condamine,

many

men

scientific

of various European nations, have visited the valley

In 1787 the editors of the "Flora

of the Amazons.

Peruviana," Ruiz and Pavon,^ visited the valley of ^

M. Godin,

Cayenne waiting

the

many

colleague

and his

years,

Madame Godin take the voyage girls,

Condamine, being ordered

having failed

letters

to

to

After

to leave his wife at Quito.

reach her,

heard a rumour that a party had been sent to meet

her on the Upper Maraiion.

vant

of

was obliged

in 1745,

down

the

She, therefore, determined to under-

Amazons, with two

children, three ser-

They passed over

and her brother.

and descended the river Pastaza without

much

the Cordilleras,

difficulty

but, at

;

the village where they expected to find the party which was be-

come

lieved to have

to

meet them,

the inhabitants had died of

all

small-pox, but two.

Madame Godin had no

and her canoe was

full of water.

make

they attempted to

They

pass.

who, unable

way on

foot,

died of fatigue, except

all

to

their

canoe-men, nor guides,

Finally, the canoe sank,

without

map

Madame Godin

and

com-

or

herself,

bury her eight dead companions, took her brother's

boots and pushed bravely on, during nine days of wretchedness

and nights of horror.

On

the ninth day she

was taken

They conveyed her

canoe by a party of Indians.

to

into a

one of the

mission villages on the Marahon, whence, after a long delay, she

was

at length taken

down

the river of

Amazons

to

Para

;

and

joined her husband at Cayenne, after a separation of nineteen years. ^

In 1778

Don

Jose Pavon,

Don

Hipolito Ruiz, and

were sent on a botanical expedition their labours

Ruiz

to Peru,

M. Dombcy

by Charles

III,

and

produced that most valuable work the Flora Peru-

Poeppig

tells

us that from the time of Ruiz and Pavon to the date of his

own

viana.

is

often called the Linnaeus of Peru.

INTRODUCTION. the Huallaga

in

:

1799 Thadeus Haenke explored the

valleys of the Beni and Mamore

Maw, R.N. descended to Para: in

Iv

in 1827 lieutenant

:

the Huallaga, and Amazons,

1832 Poeppig performed the same jour-

ney: in 1835 Lieutenant Smyth, R.N. descended the Huallaga, crossed over the

and

sailed

down

Count Castelnau

Pampa

the Ucayali and left

del Sacramento,

Amazons:

in

1847

Cuzco, and descended the whole

course of the Ucayali and

Amazons

:

in

1852 Lieu-

tenant Herndon, U.S.N., followed in the footsteps of

Smyth, while his colleague, Lieutenant Gibbon, U.S.N, penetrated to the sources of the Purus, and descended the rivers

Mamore and Madeira

and, finally, Dr. Vil-

:

lavicencio published the results of his exploring jour-

neys, along the banks of the Napo, in 1858.

Para Dr. Von Martins,

in 1820,

From

examined part of the

courses of the Amazons, and Japura

;

and Von Spix

ascended the Amazons, as far as Tabatinga, in the

same the

Prince Adalbert of Prussia ascended

year.

Xingu and Edwards and Wallace the Hio Numbers of botanists and zoologists, French, ;

Negro.

German, and English, have tensive regions,

also traversed these ex-

and several are

gaged in exploring the

forests

at this

of the

moment

en-

Amazonian

valley.

The energy and

talent of these dauntless

science has added immensely to our stock of ledge.

Yet much remains

to

be done.

There

men

of

knowis still

a broad field for geographical discovery in the basin travels in 1829-30,

no botanist had visited the valley of Huanuco,

and the banks of the Upper Huallaga.

Ivi

INTRODUCTION.

of the Amazons.

The

Teffe, Coari,

courses of the Jurua, Jutay,

and Yavari,

—

would be considered of the

unknown

tirely

to

which in Europe

rivers

first

geographers

:

magnitude,

— are en-

and the great Purus,

one of the largest secondary rivers in the world, remains quite unexplored, save for a short distance

from

its

There great

mouth, by Brazilian traders. is,

there must be, a bright future for this

country,

which

Providence

wonderfully, but which

The mind

is

grasp within

man has

has blessed so

so wilfully neglected.

almost bewildered in the endeavour to its

compass, a due conception of the

stupendous proportions of that grand river which flows so majestically through the most fertile of

soils,

whose sources are thousands and of miles distant from each other, on either side :^ and receives tributaries

one naturally

flies

from the tension of intellect, conse-

quent on the study of

physical features, to dwell

its

with pleasure on the picture of the great future which must be in store for the broad basin of the Amazons,

when many

nations will people

stant flow of

commerce

will

its

banks, and a con-

add fresh interest

to its

ceaseless tide. Every stream and river in South America, east of the Andes, from 4° north to 20° south, falls into the Amazons. The area ^

drained by the Amazons, and valley of the Tocantins,

which

its affluents is

(without counting the

as large as that of the Ohio),

is

two millions three hundred thousand square miles; and the mighty queen of

rivers sends five

w^ater per second,

and

its

hundred and

fifty

thousand cubic feet of

through the narrows of Obidos.

tributaries, include forty-five

water communication.

Sucli

this gigantic river system.

The Amazons,

thousand miles of navigable

are the stupendous proportions of

INTRODUCTION.

Nothing can be more

IVU

likely to

conduce

to this,

than the thorough examination of those splendid navigable rivers which form

its

chief affluents, and some

of the most important of which are

still

known

so little

In no other part of the world

to geographers.

is

there a grander field for geographical discovery and

no other part would the labours of

research, and in

the explorer be

more

richly repaid.

But while we are engaged

in contemplating the

unlimited commercial advantages, and the vast fields

which are

for scientific research,

of the

Amazons

the most

;

by the

valley

should not be forgotten that

it

and by

interesting,

tant portion of the subject history, present

off'ered

is

condition,

those aboriginal tribes,

far the

most impor-

undoubtedly the former

and future prospects of

who wander through

its

track-

less forests.

This

is

not the place to enter fully upon an enquiry

of such magnitude

the tribes of the

;

Amazonian

an alphabetical

trate

but a few remarks respecting

list

valley will serve to illus-

of all those that are

tioned in this volume, with brief accounts of

them, which

I

have prepared, and placed

of Acuiia's voyage, in the hope that

it

men-

many

at the

may

of

end

prove

useful for purposes of reference.

The most

striking facts connected with this portion

number

of

which they are

di-

of the American race are the immense tribes

vided,

and

sections of tribes into

and the extraordinary number of

which have sprung from these innumerable

Von

dialects

divisions.

Martins has enumerated more than two hundred

—

INTRODUCTION.

Iviii

and

in Brazil alone

fifty distinct tribes

Acuna

;

learnt

names of one hundred and fifty in his voyage the great river and in the whole Amazonian valley there are probably not less than seven hundred while Mariano Rivero tells us that these tribes speak more than two hundred and eighty different languages.^ Yet it appears probable that all these languages, and consequently all the tribes in which they the

down

;

;

may be

are spoken,

traced up to two, or at most to

three original sources.

This would lead us

to the

conclusion that at some very remote period two or three united and powerful nations occupied the coun-

now

tenanted by their descendants, split

try

which

up

into isolated tribes.

The

is

causes which led to this disintegration of na-

tions,

and confusion of tongues, can never be known

to us

;

but

it

would seem that they must have been

in operation for

many

ages, before so complete

deplorable a disruption of

could have taken place.

menon must

appear,

it

all

and

the bonds of society

Inexplicable as this phenocertainly points to one inevit-

able result, namely the entire disappearance of the

whole race,

^

at

no very distant period, unless prompt

Dobrizhoffer says

spoken

in

:

"

Nor should you imagine them ture

;

The multitude and

Paraguay alone, exceeds

and

I

and

Truly admirable

is

Most

of

their varied struc-

have often affirmed that the variety and

artful con-

languages should be reckoned amongst the other

arguments, to prove the existence of an eternal God." p. 157.

calculation.

that they vary only in dialect.

are radically different.

struction of

variety of tongues,

alike belief

Abipores,

ii,

INTRODUCTION.

and vigorous steps are taken

to

lix

prevent

I will

it.

now there are noble hearts South America, which warm towards these chil-

presently shew that even in

dren of the

forests.

The innumerable Amazonian tribes may rently, be traced up to three parent stems, or Guarani, the Omagua, and the Pano

all,

appa-

— the Tupi ;

must be added the dians, to

whom

descended from Inca In-

tribes

the

which

to

name

of

Quichua may be ap-

plied.

The Tupi to

races extend from the borders of

mouth

the Eio de la Plata, and from the

Amazons up

split

to

beyond the Rio Negro

and navigate the

forests

of food, holding

little

which wander

rivers in search

communication with each

without religion, and without hope. skins of a copper or

of the

but they are

;

into countless petty tribes,

through the

Guiana

"

other,"

They have

brown colour of various shades, and little or no

jet black straight hair, black eyes,

In many of both sexes the most perfect

beard.

regularity of features exists,

who

and there are numbers

in colour alone differ from a good-looking Euro-

Their figures are generally superb, and the

pean.

developement of the chest

is

splendid."^

The Oma-

guas, remarkable for their strange custom of flatten-

ing the head, were formerly considered to be the most

and intellectual of all the Amazonian Inand it seems probable that they originally

civilized

dians

;

sprung from the Tupis. the

tribes

The Pano

on the Ucayali, '

race includes all

Huallaga,

Wallace, p. 478.

and Upper

INTRODUCTION.

Ix

Maranon Setebos,

the

the

:

Conibos, Sencis,

and other

Casliibos,

speaking a dialect of

tribes, all

Pano language. The

E.emos,

some

Antis, Chunchos, and

others, are said to be descended

from Inca Indians

who fled from the tyranny of the Spanish conquerors.^ Though the numerous tribes may be thus traced up to two, or at most to three original sources yet many of them are now radically different, not only in lan;

guage, but in habits, and in physical appearance.

The Mayorunas, are fierce

Remos

of the Ucayali

and untameable, wandering

in the forests,

and attacking

Cashibos, and

The Panes, Conibos,

strangers.

all

Cocomas, and Omaguas, on the contrary, willingly settle in the mission villages,

and are fond of naviga-

ting the rivers, and trading with their neighbours.

The Remos^ have round the Chinese

;

and narrow eyes like

faces

while the Cholones^ of the Huallaga

resemble the North American Indians in their

cheek bones, and It

would be vain

differences

;

their origin

as

it

liio:h

fine aquiline noses.

is

to attempt to account for these clear that all the tribes derive

from one or two parent stocks, and that

the varieties of disposition, and even of physical ap-

pearance, have arisen from local or accidental causes acting during a course of ages. section of the

human

race

is

The

history of this

very melancholy

;

and

previous efforts, to civilize and humanize these In-

dian tribes (not even excepting the admirable and ^

These

tribes,

however, speak

a totally different

language from

the Quichua of the Incas. -

Smyth.

'

Poepjjuj.

—

INTRODUCTION.

Ixi

persevering labours of the Jesuits and Franciscans),

have proved nent result

fruitless, so far, at least, as

is

concerned.

Yet the wild

many

possess

any perma-

liunters

and

fishers of the

and even noble

fine

Amazons

qualities.

Is

it

absolutely certain that they must perish from the

earth

Must we inevitably behold the enactment of known wicked theory, that " they must be

!

the well

improved

off the face of creation !"

may

It is to

how

be hoped

zonian Indians are capable of

Amaimprovement. The

land belongs to them, and the

first

that efforts

be for their

made

yet be

to try

been done

at

thought should

If they could be collected in

benefit.

on the banks of the

villages

far the

rivers, as

has already

Sarayacu, Santa Catalina, and Tierra

Blanca on the Ucayali

and

;

at several points along

the courses of the Huallaga, Napo, and Maranon,

without being led into drunken habits, hopes might still

be entertained of preserving the race from anni-

hilation.^ If, too,

such

men

as the late

the apostle of the Ucayali, or as

true-hearted

Father Plaza,

Bovo Revello, the

and devoted missionary of the Purus,

could be found to superintend these villages, then the future of the aboriginal race would be full of

promise.

Men

of this stamp are

still

to

be found in Peru,

whose hearts are

full of love for their

fellow-countrymen

;

placed '

Don Pedro

The Cashlbos, on

and

at the

Amazonian

head of them may be

Ruiz, the excellent bishop of Chathe Pachitea, even in their wikl state, arc

said to be increasing in

numbers.

Herndon''s Voyage.

^

INTRODUCTION.

Ixii

chapoyas, whose diocese extends over region which

Peruvian

is

all

the wide

watered by the Maranon, and

He

tributaries.

its

thus concludes an eloquent

appeal to the government at Lima, for assistance in his diocese:

"

my insignificance, you me for the sake of the

on account of

If,

listen

—

to

me

hear

;

will not

nation's

name of justice to the Indians, to whom you owe so much who carry your burdens, who conduct you in canoes on the rivers, who live buried in mines for you, who fight your battles, and who contribute to your revenue. I consider myself the born defender and advocate of Amazonas and in the name of twenty-three thousand Christians on honour, in the

;

;

the banks of the Marailon, the Huallaga, and the

Ucayali

;

savages

who

in the

name

also of those wild

people the vast forests, I persist in

just agitation to obtain

money

for the priests,

rights of the aboriginal races

and

not confined to the

is

Colonel Espinosa, an officer in the Peru-

priests.

vian army, expresses himself in

still

" Unjust

men,

my

This conviction of the

funds for the missions."

"

and naked

stronger terms.

men !" he exclaims, addressing now that you have lost so great a

his country-

part of your

Indian brethren, treat with some consideration those

who

arc left

;'"^

and he goes on

to

advocate their

cause with great eloquence.

While such '

-

feelings exist

amongst educated men

Commercio, September 1855. Diccionario

Rejjuh/i'cano,

pp.

609-21

;

alluding to a recent

epidemic, which liad carried off great numbers of Indiauci.

— INTRODUCTION.

Ixiu

in Pern, need \\e despair of the preservation of the

Amazonian Indians from While men who have

destruction it

1

in their

power

to effect

great and lasting good, are actually bestirring themselves in the right direction, despair for the destiny

of the Indian tribes

not justified by the circum-

It is yet possible that the fierce

stances.

now

hunters,

fast

peopling the

and naked

diminishing in numbers,

thriving and

come

is

happy

may

be-

agriculturists, increasing,

which are now unin-

fertile districts

habited, and humanizing each other by the influence

of social and domestic

Yet the other

ties.

side of the picture

is

that

which

gains most credit amongst the philosophers of Europe,

and

has thus been depicted by the learned

it

Von

traveller

"

Martins

The present and

men

is

German

:

future condition of this race of

a monstrous and tragical drama, such as no

fiction of the

poet ever yet presented to our contem-

A whole

plation.

the eyes of

its

race of

men

is

commiserating

wasting away before contemporaries; no

power of philosophy or Christianity can arrest its proudly gloomy progress towards a certain and utter From its ruins there arises, in the most destruction. motley combination, a new and reckless generation, anxious to

from

its

estrange their

blessings

;

social

it

east brings blood

union and order

and religion; but with for itself

newly acquired country

The

former masters.

erects a

;

industry, science,

selfish views,

new world

;

phantom, from the

only for

itself;

while the race of

men, which was once here the master, like a

and

is

fleeting

circle of existence."

away

INTRODUCTION.

Ixiv

On lity

the conquerors must rest the whole responsibi-

of the destruction of the

men

Red

race.

If the leading

of South America, of the present day, adopt

the example of Acuna, instead of that of Gonzalo PizaiTO, the dark picture thus sketched out by

Martins all

may never become

a reality.

Von

Let them, by

means, give every encouragement to commerce,

and geographical discovery.

Let them invite steam-

ers to navigate their splendid fluvial highways.

Let

them promote the establishment of profitable estates Let them use every along the banks of their rivers. means to develope the inexhaustible resources of their magnificent country. But, at the same time, let them not forget their duties to the ancient owners of the soil

:

and

let

the rights and interests of the Indians

receive a due share of attention at their hands.

THE EXPEDITION OF

GONZALO PIZAERO TO

THE LAND OF CINNAMON, A.D.

1539-42.

GARCILASSO INCA DE LA VEGA.

FKOM THK SECOND PAUT OF HIS ROYAL COMMENTARIES, BOOK

III.

THE EXPEDITION OF

GONZALO PIZARRO TO

THE LAND OF CINNAMON, A.D.

1539-42.

GARCILASSO INC A DE LA VEGA.

FROM THE SECOND PACT OF HIS BOOK

III.

IlOYAIi

COMMENTAKIES,

1

TPIE

EXPEDITION

GONZALO PIZARRO.

OF

.

Gonzalo Pizarro

sets

out

to

I.

conquer the land of Cinnamon.

In the year 1539 the Marquis in the city of

of Quito,

Don

Francisco Pizarro, being

Cuzco, received tidings that beyond the city

and beyond the

limits

of the empire formerly

ruled by the Incas, there was a wide region where cinnamon

grew

;^

and he determined

send his brother, Gonzalo

to

Pizarro, that he might conquer such another land as the

Marquis himself had found, and become governor of

Having consulted with those

in

whom

it.

he could confide,

the marquis therefore handed over the government of Quito to his brother, in order that the

supply him

with all things that

thence he would have to

Cinnamon, Avhich

With

is

make

people of that city might

he might require,

for

from

his entrance into the land of

east of the city of Quito.

this object in

view he sent for his brother, who was

then in Charcas, arranging the

affairs

of that territory.

Gonzalo Pizarro soon arrived in Cuzco, and having

ar-

ranged the projected conquest of the land of Cinnamon with his brother, the

Marquis Don Francisco, he

set

out

;

accepting the adventure with a stout heart, regarding

thus it

as

an opportunity of proving his valour, by deeds worthy of his former fame. ^

Canelos, or the land of Cinnamon, was

Gk)nzalez Diaz de Pineda in the year 15.36.

first

discovered by Captain

EXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZAKRO

4

He

levied

more

two hundred

than,

soldiers in Cuzco, one

hundred cavalry, and the rest infiintry, at a cost of sixty thousand ducats and inarched to Quito, a distance of five ;

hundred leagues, where Pedro de Puelles was governor.

On

the road he had encounters with the Indians, and was

hard pressed

so

sent

him

Huanuco

at

Freed from

that his brother, the marquis,

under Francisco de Chaves.

assistance

danger, and from others of

this

ance, Gonzalo Pizarro reached Quito

commission from the marquis

his

latter at

import-

less

and having shewn

;^

Pedro dc Puelles, the

to

Gonzalo then made

once resigned the government.

the necessary preparations for the expedition, and added

all

one hundred soldiers

hundred and

forty

rest infantry.^

He

to his force,

making

one hundred and

;

fifty

a total of three

cavalry, and the

with him more than four thou-

also took

sand Indians, laden with arms, supplies, and requisite

ropes,

for

hempen

the service, such as cords,

and large

all

things

iron, hatchets, knives,

nails

likewise nearly four

;

thousand head of swine, and a flock of llamas, the

latter

carrying part of the baggage.

Gonzalo Pizarro

left

Pedro de Puelles in Quito

deputy,^ and after having put the

afl^'airs

order, he set out on Christmas day,

1539.

as his

of that city in

He

marched

with perfect success, and well supplied with provisions by the

Indians, until he

empire of the Incas.

reached the limits of the ancient

He

then entered a province called

Quijos.

As Francisco Lopez de Gomara and Agustin de Zarate

—

•*

On

his road,

^

He

appointed Don Antonio de Ribera to be master of the camp, and

he passed through Piura and Guayaquil. to be " Alferez General."

Don Juan de Acosta

Herrei'a.

Ribera led the vanguard.

— Herrera. ^

Gonzalo also ordered Don Francisco de Orellana to take charge of

the Port of Guayaquil, and he accordingly assumed the government of that

new settlement

accompany

;

but, soon afterwards, Gonzalo sent for Orellana to

his expedition.

— Herrera, Hist. Gen.

;

Velasco, Hist, de Quito.

^

TO THE LAND OF CIN-NAMON.

5

agree well together, describing the occurrences nearly in the same words, and as I have heard

were with Gonzalo Pizarro

many

of those

who

relate their adventures, I M-ill

describe the facts, sometimes

making use of one

authority,

and sometimes of the other. In

this

province of Quijos, which

is

many

north of Quito,

warlike Indians sallied forth against Gonzalo

;

but when

they beheld the multitude of Spaniards and horses, they

quickly retired, and were seen no more.

A

few days

after-

wards there was such an earthquake, that many houses, in the village where Gonzalo's party were resting, were thrown

down. 2

The

lightning

much fell,

earth

opened in many places

;

there

and thunder, insomuch that the Spaniards were

astonished

that they

land and Peru.

at the

:

Cordillera,

same time such torrents of rain

were surprised

at the difference

between that

After suffering these inconveniences for forty

or fifty days, they

commenced

where the snow

the passage of the in

fell

because they were so lightly clad. ^

Garcilasso

tion, obtained

snowy

such quantities, and

was so cold, that many Indians were frozen

it

was

The

to

death,

Spaniards, to es-

might well have rested his authority on his own informafrom the companions of Gonzalo for Gomara, who wrote ;

a history of the Indies, never visited the

New World, and was

notoriously

careless in collecting his materials, as Garcilasso himself has told us

;

and Zarate, during his brief residence in Lima as a financial commissioner, could not have had the same opportunities of obtaining information as were possessed by Garcilasso. Cieza de Leon has also written an account of the expedition of Gonzalo Pizarro, in his Cronica del Peru, and his authority is more valuable than either of the preceding historians, as he actually accompanied La Gasca in his campaign against Gonzalo, and commenced the compilation of his narrative during his stay in Peru, 1540-50. I have compared the accounts of Gomara, Zarate, and Cieza de Leon, with that of Garcilasso de la Vega, without finding any further informa-

tion respecting this expedition

;

but Herrera, in his General History of which I have added in

the Indies, gives several additional particulars,

notes. ^

Zarate says

five

hundred.

foot of the volcano of Pichinch?. /

Veiasco adds that this place was at the

EXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZARRO

b

cape from the cold and snow of that inclement region,

left

the swine and provisions behind them, intending to seek

some Indian

village.

But things turned out contrary

their hopes, for, having passed

much

want of provisions,

in

They made

uninhabited.

as the

haste

to

the cordillera, they were

land they came to was pass through

to

it,

and

arrived at a province and village called Sumaco, on the skirts of a volcano,

two months,

it

where they obtained

food.^

that the Spaniards received great injury,

clathing

became

[Ill this

But, during

did not cease to rain for a single day; so

and much of their

rotten.

province, called Sumaco, which

noctial line, or very near

it,

is

on the equi-

the trees, which they call cinna-

mon, grow, and of which the Spaniards were

They

are very

grows in

fruit

tall,

in search.

with large leaves, like a laurel

clusters,

and resembles an acorn.

for that of their neighbours,

Peru.

of

;

the trees, which they plant and cultivate for their

and

and the

Many

grow wild in the forests, and yield fruits but not so good as those which the Indians get from

these trees

they are

;

The

their uchu,

latter

own

use,

but not for the people of

never wish for any other condiment than

which the Spaniards

call

aji,

and in Europe

pepper.^ ^ Herrera calls it the valley of Zumaque, thirty leagues from Quito and says that Orellana here joined the expedition, and was appointed lieutenant-general by Gonzalo. Gonzalo Pizarro, unfortunately for himself and his men, chose the most difficult route into the forests of Quijos a route by which Texeira, a century later, also reached Quito from the river Napo, by way of Payamino and Baeza. Dr. Jameson, in 1857, and other modern travellers, have usually chosen another road to the Napo, by Archidona, which is Dr. Jameson left Quito on January ISth, shorter and less difficult. 1857, and reached the port of Napo, sixteen miles from Archidona, on the 13th of February. The voyage from the fort to the river Amazons takes Dr. Jameson left Archififteen days, the return voyage three months. dona on the 1st of Mav, and reached Quito on the 14th of the same ;

;

month. * Herrera describes the cinnamon

trees to

be like

olives,

with large pods.

TO THE LAND OF CINNAMON.

II.

The hardships which Uonzalo Pizarro and his followers suffered ; and

how

made a

they

and a hrigantine

hridge of icood,

to

2mss

to

the

great river.

In SumacOj and that the

Indians

its

neighbourhood, the Spaniards found

went naked, without any clothes

;

the

women having a little cloth in front for the sake of modesty. They go naked because the country is so hot, and it rains so much that clothes would become rotten, as we have before said.

In Sumaco, Gonzalo Pizarro of his

men and

behind the greater part

taking with him the most active, he went in

;

search of a road,

because

left

if

any could be found,

to pass

onwards

nearly one hundred leagues, was dense forest, where in parts they

;

the country they had as yet traversed, which was

all

had

to

open

blows of hatchets.

a road

The

by main

Indians,

whom

force,

many

and with the

they took as gviides,

deceived them, and led them through uninhabited wilds,

where they

suflfered

from hunger, and were obliged

on herbs, roots, and wild

to feed

fruits.^

Suffering these hardships, and others which can be easily

imagined than described, they arrived

called Cuca,

them

where they found and gave them

well,

The cinnamon

supplies.

food.^'

Near

The

at a

more

province

chief received

this place a great

tree attains a height of about thirty feet.

It

belongs

to the natural order Lauraceaj. ^

When

Gonzalo Pizarro did not receive the answers he wished re-

specting the country in his front, he ordered the Indians to be tortured

burning some

;

and causing others to be torn to pieces by his dogs. The misfortunes which finally overtook this cruel though fearless savage were a just retribution for his manifold atrocities. ^ Herrera says that the cacique of Coca told lies, and said all that the alive,

Spaniards could wish respecting the country in their front, for fear of

being treated in the same way as the people of Sumaco.

—

EXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZARRO

8

river passes, \vh]<"h

supposed

is

streams, which unite to form

be the largest of those

to

which some

river

tiiat

call

the

Orellana, and others the Maraiion.^

Here they waited nearly two months for the Spaniards left at Suraaco. Having been joined by them,

who were

and recovered from

their fatigue, they all

ther along the banks of that great river fifty

proceeded toge-

but for more than

;

leagues they found neither ford nor bridge

by which

they might pass over, for the river was so broad

as

not to

admit either the one or the other.

At

the end of this long journey, they came to a place

where the river precipitates two hundred

feet

Spaniards heard arrived at

high it

;

itself

over a rock, more than

and makes

so great a noise, that the

They were

it.

leagues before they

at a distance of six

astonished to see a thing so great

much more did they wonder, forty or lower down, when they saw that the immense

and

so strange

fifty

leagues

;

but

volume of water, contained

was collected

in this river,

into a

channel made by another enormous rock.

The channel twenty

feet

is

so

narrow, that there are not more than

from one bank

to the other

;

and the rock

is

so

high, that from the top (where these Spaniards presently

passed over) to the water was another two hundred

same height

as the fall.

Certainly

it is

feet, the

a marvellous thing

that in that land should be found things so great and

many

derful as those two rapids, and

Gonzalo Pizarro and not find so easy a

what was on the other was a

sterile

making

of '

This

is

a

his captains, thinking that they

way

won-

others.

might

of crossing the river again, to see side,

because

all

they had yet seen

and unprofitable land, bethought themselves bridge

over the

chasm

;

but

the

Indians

the river Coca, which rises in the Cordillera, forms a great

curve, and falls into the Napo. It is nearly equal to the Napo in size. " The Indians navigate the Coca for eight days, when further progress is

prevented by a great cascade."

Rejwrt of

Bon

Ma-nuel Villaviccncio.

TO THE LAND OF CINNAMON.

on the other

side,

though few

\f

number, defended the pass

in

The Spaniards were thus obliged to fight with

bravcl3^

them, a thing which they had not yet done with any Indians

They

of that region.

and

fired their arquebusses,

killed a

few, and the rest retired about two hundred paces, asto-

They were

nished at so strange a sight.

and ferocity of that

braver)^

terrified

at the

which they said brought

race,

who did not obey The Spaniards, seeing the passage clear, made a bridge of wood and it must be considered what an undertaking it was to place the first beam across a chasm, at such a height above the water, that even to look down was an act

lightning, rain, and thunder, to kill those

them.

;

And

of rashness. to

look

so

at the furious

proved

it

who, wishing

to a Spaniard,

rush of water from the top of the rock,

On

became giddy and

fell

which had befallen

their companion, the others

careful

;

in.

beholding the misfortune

and with much labour and

were more placed the

difliculty

it, as many more as were necesThus they made a bridge, by which men and horses safely passed over. They left it as it was, in case it should be necessary to return by it. They journeyed down the course of the river, through such dense forests, that it was

first

beam, and with help of

sary.

necessary in Suffering

many

places to cut a road with hatchets.

these hardships, they reached

a

land called

Guema, as poor and inhospitable as the most sterile of those they had passed and they met few Indians, while even ;

those, on

entered

seeing the Spaniards,

the forests, and

were seen no more.

The

Spaniards,

themselves fatigue, fell

on

and

and died

;

rains,

but,

many in

followers,

Owing

herbs and roots.

and the heavy

sick

their Indian

Spaniards and Indians

spite

of

they advanced many leagues, and arrived

where they found Indians, a they had seen before

;

who

little

to

supported

hunger, and

more

these at

disasters,

another land,

civilized than those

fed on maize bread, and dressed

EXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZARRO

10

in cotton, clothes,

Gonzalo Pizarro then sent people in

all

any open road, but

all

directions, to see if they could find

returned in a short time with the same story, that the land

was covered with dense

forest, full of lagoons

which could not be forded. On

this

and swamps,

account they determined

build a brigantine, in which they might pass from one

to

side of the river to the other, the river being nearly

They accordingly

leagues broad.

set

up

a forge for

two

making

and burnt charcoal with great trouble, because the

nails,

They fire. made roofed huts to burn the wood in, and defend it from the rain. Some of the nails were made from the shoes heavy rains prevented the tinder from taking also

of horses, which had been killed as food for the sick, and

They now

the rest of the iron they had brought with them.

found

more valuable than

it

Gonzalo Pizarro, first to

became

as

to the rest, that

For

the same. the trees

were

;

for

tar, for

the brigantine.

an end.

was the

But

give an example for not doing

the brigantine, they used resin from

oakum, they had blankets and old

ready

believing that

office, so as to

no one might have any excuse

to

give

believed that the remedy for

we

so valiant a soldier,

cut the wood, forge the iron, burn the charcoal, and

employ himself in any other

all

gold.

up

their clothes,

shirts

;

and

because they

would be Thus they completed and launched her, on that day all their troubles would come to all

their misfortunes

in a few days their hopes

shall presently see.

were destroyed,

as

;

TO THK LAND OF CINNAMON.

11

III.

Francisco de Orellana deserts with the hrigantine, and proceeds

Spain

They to

put

to

His

oltain a grant of his discovert/.

to

death.

gold on board the brigantine, amounting

all their

more than one hundred thousand

dollars,

with

many

emeralds, also the iron, the forge, and everything else

fine

of value.

unable

They

to travel

also

by

who were

sent the sick on board,

Thus they

land.

started

from

this place,

having journeyed already nearly two hundred leagues; and

began the descent of the

river,

some by land, others on

board the brigantine, never being

far

from each other, and

They all advanced much difficulty; for those on shore had to open the road in many places, by cutting with axes while those on every night they slept close together.

with

;

board had

to

labour hard to resist the current, so as not to

get far from their comrades.

road

on

one

side

of

the

When

they could not

river,

owing

to

the

make a dense

nature of the forest, they passed to the other side in the in this

way

more than two months, they met some Indians who

told

brigantine, and four canoes. for

them by their

signs,

own

Having gone on

and by means of some words understood by

Indians, that ten days journey from the place

where they then were, they would

find an inhabited land

well supplied with provisions, and rich in gold, and in other things which they wanted. signs, that that land

They

also told

all

them, by

was on the banks of another great river

which joined the one down which they were now travelling.^ The Spaniards rejoiced at this news. Gonzalo Pizarro 1 This was the junction of the rivers Coca and Napo. The Napo rises near the volcano of Cotopaxi, in the canton of Latacunga. It flows for one hundred and ninety miles from west to east, and then changes its course, flowing north-west to south-east. In front of the port of Napo it is

thirty yards across, in front of Santa I ts

Rosa

it is

three hundred yards broad.

windings and islands present the most lovely views. The voyage from

—

KXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZAUKO

12

Don

of

captain

as

selected,

the

brigantine,

Francisco de Orellana, with

his

fifty soldiers

lieutenant,

and ordered

;

him to proceed to the place indicated by the Indians, (which would be distant about eighty leagues) and, having arrived at the point where the two rivers meet, to load the brigantine with provisions, and return up the river, to relieve the ;

people,

who were

with hunger, that each day

so afflicted

Of

there died several men, Spaniards as well as Indians.

four thousand who started in

two thousand

this expedition,

were already dead. Francisco de Orellana continued his voyage, and in three days, without oar or

he navigated the eighty leagues,

sail,

but did not find the supplies which had been promised

he considered that

if

he should return with

this

and

;

news

to

him within a year, on account of the strong current, though he had descended in three days and that if he remained where he was, he would be of no use either to the one, or to the other. Not knowing how long Gonzalo Pizarro would take to reach the place, withPizarro, he would not reach

;

out consulting with any one, he set

voyage onwards, intending

to

and obtain that government

Many

sail,

and prosecuted

his

ignore Gotizalo, to reach Spain,

for himself.

of his crew objected to this, suspecting hia evil

intentions

;

and they declared

beyond the orders of

in his great necessity.

Carbajal, and a

that

it

was not right nor

his captain general,

young

A

to

monk named Fray Gaspar

cavalier

go

him

to desert

de

named Hernan Sanchez de

Vargas, a native of Badajos,

whom

for their chief, also dissented.

Francisco de Orellana, how-

ever, appeased

them

for the time

with

the malcontents took

fair

when he had reduced them word, and told the good monk

speeches to

broke

that if

his

the port of

Napo

to the

Amazons

is

made

in small

;

though

obedience, he

afterwards,

he would

undecked canoes

;

and

the dangers consist of trees fallen into the stream, and shoals at the points of the islands.

liejwri of Villavicencio;

Journey of Dr. Jamesotf.

TO THIi LAND OF CINNAMON.

13

not Ibllow him, he would leave him behind, like

That he might

Sanchez de Vargas.

suffer

a

Hevnan

more cruel

Hernan Sanchez, but left him surrounded on one side by the dense

in that

death, he did not kill

dreary place,

forest,

on the other by a mighty river, so that he could neither escape by water nor land, and thus he would perish of

hunger. Francisco de Orellana continued his journey

;

and soon,

to

render his intention more clear, he renounced his obedience to

Gonzalo Pizarro, and elected himself a captain of His

Majesty, independent of any one else can

such treason be called

other worthies in

?)

A

else.

foul deed (what

by

such as has been done

the conquest of

New World

the

as

;

Hernandez de Oviedo y Valdes, Chronicler Catholic Majesty the Emperor Charles V, says in

captain Gonzales to his

book

17,

" those

cap.

who

20,

of his

General History of the Indies

;

did these things, were paid in the same coin."

Francisco de Orellana, in descending the river, had some skirmishes

were

very

fierce,

and

in

some parts

On

out to fight, with their husbands.

make

his

who women came

with the Indians inhabiting that shore,

voyage the

the

this account,

more wonderful, he

said

and

to

that

it

was a land of Amazons, and besought His Majesty for a commission to conquer them. Further down the river, they found more civilized Indians, who were friendly, and were astonished

to

and such strange men.

see the brigantine,

They made friends with them, and gave them food, as

The Spaniards

they wished.

days

;

as

much

stayed with them some

and then they sailed down

to

the sea, two

hundred

leagues to the Isle of Trinidad, having suffered the hardships that have been described, and

the

river.

many

great dangers on

In that island Orellana bought a ship, with

which he went

to

Spain, and besought

give him a commission to ing his discovery, by

His Majesty

to

conquer that country, magnify-

saying

it

was

a land of gold

and

—

EXPEDITION OF GONZALO PIZAREO

14 silver,

and precious

and demonstrating

stones,

his assertions

by the fine show of these things, which he brought with him. His Majesty gave him power to conquer the land, and to govern

Orellana then collected more than five hundred

it.

many

soldiers,

whom

with

of them distinguished and noble cavaliers,

he embarked

at

San Lucar, and died

Thus

people dispersing in different directions. tion

met an end,

From

it

we

in conformity with

will return to

so as to

made

be able

sea, his

expedi-

evil beginning.

whom we

Gonzalo Pizarro,

left

He, having dispatched Orellana with the

in great distress.

brigantine,

its

at this

ten or twelve canoes, and as

to pass

many

from one side of the river

balsas, to

the

when they were impeded on land by dense forest, as they had been before.^ They journeyed on with the hope that other,

their brigantine

would soon succour them with

food, to pre-

serve them from the hunger which they suflfered, for they

had no other enemy

They

in all their journey.

arrived, at the

the two great rivers,

end of two months,

where they expected

which they thought would be waiting

tine,

visions,

at the

junction of

to find the brigan-

for

and which might not have been able

them with proto

reach them

before, on account of the strong current of the river.

found themselves deceived

;

that hell, for such a land might be called

was

lost

ships

;

They

and the hope of escaping from

(where they had passed through

by

that

name,

so

many

hard-

and miseries, without remedy, or hope of escape.)

They found,

at the

junction of the two great rivers, the good

Plernan Sanchez de Vargas, who, with the constancy of a ^

Gonzalo seut Captain Mercadillo down the river in search of Orel-

some canoes, but he returned in eight days without any news. Gonzalo Diaz de Pineda was then sent in search, who, after navigating for a few days, found that the river entered another much larger one,

lana, with

where he saw traces of Orellana's people. He found some roots of the yuca plant (jatropha raanihot), with which he returned. A Spaniard named Villarejo went mad, and many others fell sick and died from eating these roots.

Ilerrera.

TO THE LAND OF CINNAMON.

15

true gentleman had insisted on being left behind, suffering

hunger, and other hardships,

to

give Gonzalo Pizarro a

complete account of what Francisco de Orellana had done against his

captain general, and against

himself, for having opposed his

Hernan Sanchez The

wicked intentions.

captains and soldiers were so grieved at being thus deceived

of their hopes, and deprived of

ready

to

way

give

were

that they

relief,

all

to despair.

Their general, although he

the same grief as the rest,

felt

consoled and cheered them, saying that they should take

Spaniards these and even greater hard-

heart, to bear like

ships, if greater there could be

;

that they

had succeeded

in

being the conquerors of that empire, and should, therefore,

behave

like

men chosen by Divine Providence

an enterprise. seeing

the

With

this

river, as

for so great

all

refreshed,

of their captain general.

steadfastness

continued their journey,

speech they were

still

They

along the banks of the great

sometimes on one side, and sometimes on the other,

they were forced

to pass

from one side

The

to the other.

work they had was

incredible, to take the horses across on

balsas, as they

had more than eighty, out of one hun-

dred and

fifty

still

They

that they took from Quito.

also

had

nearly one thousand Indians, out of the four thousand they

took from Peru;

who

in these hardships roots

and wild

served like sons

their

to

and privations, searching

fruits, frogs

masters,

for herbs

and

and serpents, and other wretched

food.

IV. Gonzalo Pizarro attempts

Suffering

return

to

Quito.

these miseries, they travelled

down

to

the river

another hundred leagues, without finding any better land,

nor any hope in advancing further

;

for,

from day

to

day

—

EXPEDITION OF GOMZALO PIZAREO

16

they were worse

off,

without any chance of better times.

These things having been considered by the general and Quito

captains, they agreed to return to

his

(if it

were

whence they had marched more than four hundred

possible),

leagues.^

But, as

it

was impossible

to navigate

up the

river,

on

account of the strong current, they determined to take another road, and to return by the north of the river, because they had received notice that in that direction there

were fewer lagoons and morasses. forest,

opening a road with axes and

They plunged

into the

bills.

V. Oonzalo Pizarro, having passed through incredible hardshijjs, departs

from

the

GoNZALO PiZARRO, and obstacles in the shape of ^

He

land of Cinnamon. his

party, struggled with

mighty

rivers,

many

and morasses which

Gonzalo was doubtful as to what road he should take to return. Don Antonio de Ribera, Sancho de Carbajal, Villegas,

consulted with

Funis, and

Juan de Acosta

and they determined to send Gonzalo Diaz He met fifteen canoes, with eight armed men in each. Gonzalo Diaz took the only arquebuss they had, and his lieutenant, Diego de Bustamante, the only crossbow. With the arquebuss one Indian was killed, and another was wounded in the arm with a crossbow. The Indians, with loud shouts, threw their darts but the Spaniards killed two more, and then fell upon them with their swords. The Indians then jumped out of their canoes, and swam awa3\ The Spaniards found some food in the canoes, for which they gave thanks to God. Diaz de Pineda and Bustamante made crosses on the trees, as marks for Pizarro, when he should arrive at the place. Next day they came in sight of hills, which they believed to be the Cordilleras of Quito, and they found stones in the bed of a torrent. They then ;

de Pineda up the river to reconnoitre.

;

whom He was

returned to seek for Pizarro,

they found by the noise made by his

people in cutting a road.

in great misery,

dogs

left

Ilibcra.

and only had two

out of nine hundred, one belonging to himself, the other to Herrera.

TO THE LAND OF CINNAMON. they could not wade through.

thorny foliage

end

the

in

and the

;

of his

made

discovery

The

trees

forests

were

were of great

full

size.

chapter,

eighty- sixth

17 of dense

Gomara,

describing

after narrating

what happened

speaks of the

wonderful things which he saw, in

the

to

discoverer,

finally

— "The discoverers brought the bark of certain

words:

which seemed which puts

to

these trees,

be cinnamon, and a skin of that animal

young

its

the

Yanez Pincon^

of that land by Vincente

into its

bosom

;

and they

related, as a

men

wonderful thing, that they saw a tree which sixteen could not span round." Besides these ers

had

men and

difficulties,

Gonzalo Pizarro and

his follow-

contend against hunger, a cruel enemy both of

to

beasts,

which had destroyed

so

many

of them in

that uninhabitable land.

Gonzalo Pizarro intended

to return to Peru, by leaving by dense forests, no better than what he had passed before, where the road was formed by

the river, and journeying

dint of strength of arms

and

fruits,

it

feeding on herbs, roots, and wild

;

was very

little

even of such food that they

found, considering themselves lucky travellers to get any.

Through the lagoons, morasses out

and

comrades

sick people ;

and

marshes, the worn

were carried on the backs of

their

and those who laboured most among them, were

Gonzalo Pizarro himself, and

his captains,

Thus they went on mentioned, or

thus gave

more than three hundred leagues,

for

from

without escaping

who

emulate their examples.

fresh vigour to their followers to

lessening

the difiiculties the

which have been

labour which they had

to

by which any one can imagine how great were the hardships they endured in the four hundred leagues in going, endure

:

and three hundred great, that

in returning

;

when

they were obliged to

kill

their

hunger was

their

horses

:

so

and

previously they had eaten the greyhounds and mastiffs they

had with them

:

and,

as

Gomara

says in chap. 144, they

EXPEDITION OV GONZALO PIZAKRO

18

even eat the Spaniards who died, according

custom of the savages of those

Many

the evil

Indians perished from hunger, and Spaniards also,

though the

One

to

forests.

flesh of the horses

was equally divided.

of the greatest miseries which they suffered was the

absence of as Zarate

salt,

which

in

more than two hundred leagues,

(Lib. iv. cap. v.) they did not find,

says

and

for

want of which they were attacked by scurvy. On account of the constant waters from above and below, they were always wet

;

and

their clothes rotted, so that they

Shame obliged them

liaked.

to

had

to

go

cover themselves with the

made

wind round made their nakedness bearable but the thorns and matted underwood of those dense forests (which they had to cut by blows of their axes), cruelly tore them, and made them look as if they leaves of trees, of which they

The

their bodies.

girdles

to

excessive heat of the region ;

had been

flayed.

Tlie labour and

want of food that Gonzalo Pizarro and

his

people suffered, was so great that four thousand Indians

among them was an Indian beloved by Gonzalo, whose death Gonzalo mourned as if he had been two hundred and ten Spaniards also died, his own brother out of the three hundred and forty who started, without counting the fifty who followed Orellana. The eighty died of hunger, and

;

survivors, having passed the three

hundred leagues of forest,

reached a land more open, and

less

covered with water

;

where they found some game of different kinds, among which were deer. They killed what they could with slings, and with the arquebusses and the powder they had preserved.

Of

their skins

nakedness

:

they made short

thus on foot,

so that they scarcely

little coats,

to

cover their

without shoes, worn out and thin,

knew each

other

;

they reached the

borders of Quito.

They

who had and hardships. Some

kissed tne earth, giving thanks to God,

delivered them from such great perils

;

TO THE LAND OF CINNAMON.

began

to eat

with such will that

19

was necessary

it

to

stop

Others were of a different constitution, and could

them.

not eat what they wished, because their stomachs, used to

and abstinence, wouhl not receive what was given

fasting

to them.

The

which (on account of the wars of Don

city of Quito,

Diego de Ahnagro) was half depopulated, received notice of their condition, and those

who remained

sent clothes to

Gonzalo Pizarro and his party.

They

collected six suits of clothes,

with Avhat he had, a cloak, a cap, a

and thus they dressed Gonzalo and

each

man

assisting

shirt, shoes, or a

five others, it

hat

being im-

possible to clothe the rest.

A had

dozen horses were sent out, they had no more,

been taken away, when the people went

all

Majesty against they sent

much

Don Diego food

of any ties,

man

in Peru,

they

to serve his

With

the horses

they would willingly have sent

;

presents in the world

de Almagro.

as

all

the

because Pizarro was the best beloved

;

and had, by

endeared himself

as

much

his

own most noble

quali-

to strangers as to his

own

friends.

They chose bring these

a dozen of the principal people of the city to

gifts.

These men went, and found Gonzalo

Pizarro more than thirty leagues from the city

;

were met with much joy, and many

so

tears,

where they that they

could not determine of which of those two things there was

most abundance.

Gonzalo Pizarro and his party received

the people from Quito with great joy

;

because, in their

former misery, they had never hoped to reach this place.

The citizens wept for grief to behold those M'ho came, and They conto know that the missing had died of hunger. soled each other in thinking that there was no remedy for the past, and that tears availed

little.

EXPEDITION OF GONZ ALO

20

I'lZxiRRO,

ETC.

VI. Gonzalo Pizarro enters Qaito.

GoNZALO PizARRO, gifts

with joy

;

his captains

and

soldiers, received the

but seeing that there were only clothes and

horses for the captains, they would neither dress nor mount, so that they might be on equal terms with their

and thus they entered the to the

church

delivering

What

to

city of

soldiers

:

Quito one morning, going

hear mass, and to give thanks to God, for

them from such

evils.

follows, I heard from persons

The twelve

good

citizens

who brought

who were

present.

the presents to Gonzalo

Pizarro, seeing that neither he nor his captains had either

dressed themselves, or mounted the horses; and that they

were determined

to enter

the city naked and barefooted;

bethought themselves also of entering in the same plight, so as to share the

those ships.

who had

honour, fame, and glory, that was merited by passed through so

Thus they entered

many and such

all alike.

citizens received Pizarro with all the

great hard-

Having heard mass, the welcome possible. This

entrance took place in the beginning of June, 1542, they

having spent two years in the expedition.

THE VOYAGE OP

FRANCISCO DE ORELLANA DOWN

THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS, A.D. 1540-41.

BY

ANTONIO

DE HERRERA.

FROM THE SIXTH DECADE OF

lirS

"

"WESTEEN INDIES."

GEXEKAL HISTOKY OF THE BOOK

IX.

THE

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO DE ORELLANA.

Of

the voyage vjhich

Captain Orellana commenced, on the river which

they call

Some

San Juan

de las Amazonas.

say that Orellana and his companions deserted Pizarro

without his knowledge, and others that they continued the

voyage with their commander's permission, in a barque which they had built, and some canoes.

Voyaging,

as they say,

with the design of returning to Gonzalo Pizarro, with provisions, they

found themselves,

after

going over two hundred

leagues, unable to return, and, therefore, continued to sail

on until they came out into the ocean.

The second they expected as the

plank

;

day, after they parted from Gonzalo Pizarro, to

have been

lost in the

barque struck upon a floating

midst of the river,

tree,

and stove

in a

but being near the land, they ran her on shore,

repaired her, and continued the voyage.

They made twenty

or twenty-five leagues a-day, assisted by the current.

ing the mouths of

tinued their habitation.

many

course

on the south

rivers

for

three

side,

days, without

Pass-

they con-

seeing

any

Finding that the provisions they brought with

them were exhausted, and

that they

Gonzalo Pizarro, they thought

it

were so distant from

best to pass on with the cur-

commending themselves to God by means of a mass, which was performed by a Dominican monk named Carbajal. Their difficulties were now so great, that they had nothing

rent,

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

24 ^

but the skins which formed their girdles, and the

to eat

leather of their shoes, boiled with a few herbs.

On

the 8th of January, 1541,

when they were

all

expect-

ing their deaths, Orellana heard the drums of Indians,

which they

rejoiced, as

it

now seemed

that they

at

would not

After going on for two leagues, they came

die of hunger.

upon four canoes of Indians, who presently Orellana came to a village, with a great Indians ready to defend

it.

The

and

retired,

number

captain ordered

all

of his

people to land in good order, and to take care not to

At the sight of plucked up such courage straggle.

the village these afflicted soldiers that, attacking the Indians

with

valour, the latter fled, leaving their provisions behind them,

with which the Spaniards

Two

satisfied their excessive

hunger.

hours after noon the Indians returned in their canoes,

to see

what was going

on.

The

captain spoke to them in

the Indian language, and, although they did not understand all

he said

trifles,

to

them, yet when he gave them a few Spanish

they remained content, and offered to give him

He

required.

only asked them for food, and they

brought abundance of turkeys, partridges, things.

On

fish,

all

at

he

once

and other

the following day thirteen chiefs arrived, with

plumes of feathers, and gold ornaments.

Orellana spoke to

them with great courtesy, requested them to be obedient to the crown of Castillo, and took possession of the country in the king's

name.

As he knew the good feeling of the Indians, and his people being rested knowing also the danger of sailing in the barque ;

and canoes,

if

they reached the sea

another brigantine.

account of

friar

One

;

he proposed

to build

of the chiefs, according to the

Caspar de Carbajal, gave information

re-

specting the Amazons, and of a rich and powerful chief in

the interior.

Having commenced building

they found no pleased

God

that

difficulty

except in getting

the brigantine, nails,

but

it

two men should make that which they had

DOWN THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS. never beeu taught

to

burning the charcoal.

make, whilst another took charge of

They made bellows

of their leathern

buskins, and worked hard at everything else

some

cutting,

J^O

;

some carrying,

and others doing various things, the captain

himself being the

put his hand

first to

manufactured more than two thousand

They

the work.

to

twenty days,

nails in

a delay which was prejudicial, because the provisions were

consumed which had previously been

Up

collected.

made two hundred leagues in having lost seven companions, who had died of nine days, hunger during their former sufferings. They now determined (in order not to exhaust the Indians) to depart on the feast of Candlemas.^ Twenty leagues further on, a to this point

they had

stream flowed into the river

was

on the right hand, which

so swollen, that at the point of junction with the larger

stream, the waters struggled with such violence that the

Spaniards expected to have been

Escaped from

lost.

this

danger, for the next two hundred leagues that they traversed,

much from

they met with no habitations, and suffered

and dangers,

until they arrived at

some

villages

Indians seemed to be quite off their guard. to disturb

and ask them and

The Indians were

for food.

parrots.

them plenty of

natives gave sight

four

some

of

him provisions villages,

canoes came turtles,

It

to

;

delighted to see

resistance.

The

and, continuing the voyage

some

on another day the vessel,

Indians in

and offered the captain

they good partridges, and fish come and see ;

would appear that Orellana intended

at this spot, but that, after

changed

land

provisions, turtles

met with no

pleased, and invited Orellana to

^

to

Orellana then went to a village, at another

part of the river, where he

in

where the

In order not

them, the captain ordered twenty soldiers

the Spaniards, and gave

toil

to

M'ere

much

their chief,

have built his brigantine

making the necessary preparations, he

his mind, deferring the execution of his project until he reached

the territory of the chief Aparia. 4

;

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

»b

who was named more

Aparia, and

The

canoes.

Indians

who now approached with

and Christians

landed, and

the chief Aparia came, and was well received Orellana,

who

him

treated

to a discourse

and the grandeur of the King of Indians listened to with if

much

he had seen the Amazons,

by

captain

on the law of God,

Castillo

attention.

;

all

which the

Aparia inquired

whom in his language they call He added that his people

Coniapuyara, meaning Great Lord.

were few, while the Amazons were numerous.

Continuing

name all Having enumerated twenty, he

the conversation, the captain begged the chief to the lords in the country.

ended saying,

that all

were children of the sun, and that

They were

such, he ought to hold them as friends.

and supplied plenty of provisions of good quality

as

rejoiced,

and the

;

captain took possession of the land, placing a cross on a high place,

at

which the Indians expressed wonder and

satis-

faction.

II.

Of what happened

Captain Orellana in his voyage, and in his

to

discovery of this river of the Amazons.

When

captain Orellana found that he

met with

a cordial re-

ception, he determined to build the brigantine at this place

and

it

pleased

God

that there should be an engraver in his

company, who, though ship building was not proved of great

prepared with great labour, which the

much

willingness,

in

his business,

The timber having been

use.

thirty-five

cut

and

men endured with

days she was launched,

caulked with cotton, and the seams payed with pitch which

was given them by the Indians.

At

this

time four

tall

Indians came to the captain, dressed

and adorned with ornaments, and with hair reaching from the head to the waist.

With much humility they

placed

DOAVN THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS.

27

food before the captain, and said that a great chief had sent

them

to inquire

who

these strangers were, and

OreHana gave them some

came.

whence they

of barter,

articles

which

they valued very much, and he spoke to them in the same

way as he had done to the others, and so they departed. The Spaniards passed all Lent at this place, and all the Christians confessed to the two priests who were in the company, and the

priests

preached

to

them, and urged them to

endure the hardships they would have

to

encounter with

constancy, until there should be an end of them.

The new

brigantine being completed, and

the sea, they

to

fit

navigate

on the fourth of April from the

set sail

resi-

dence of Aparia, and voyaged for eighty leagues without encountering a single warlike Indian.

The

through an uninhabited country, flowing from

river passed

forest to forest,

and they found no place where they could either sleep or

fish.

Thus with herbs and a little toasted maize for food, they went on until the 6th of May, when they reached an elevated place which appeared to have been inhabited. Here they stopped to fish, and it happened that the engraver, who had been so useful in building the vessel, killed a guana with his cross

bow.

The

creature was in a tree near the river, and

A

into the water.

soldier

named Contreras

large fish with a hook, and, as the fish

was large,

it

hand; and when found in

On

its

was necessary it

of Machiparo,^

to take

hold of

it

with his

was opened, the nut of the cross bow was of

which

May is

they arrived

thickly

named Aomagua.number of canoes, full

chief

covered a

caught a

hook was small and the

stomach.

the twelfth

another

also

fell

at the

peopled, and

province ruled by

One morning they of Avarlike Indians,

dis-

with

^ Also mentioned in Aguirre's voyage, as the place where Ursua was murdered it is probably on the Putumayu river, near its junction with the Amazons. 2 Evidently the Omaguas. Orellana mistook the name of the tribe ;

for the

name

of the chief.

S;0

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

large shields

made

of the skins of lizards and dantas/ beating

drums, and shouting, with threats that they would eat the

The

Christians.

latter

collected their vessels together, but

met with a great misfortune

had become damp, and

were thus unable

The Indians

arquebusses.

their

in finding that their

that they

powder load

to

approached with their

bows, and the cross-bows did them some damage

and thus,

;

while reinforcements continued to arrive, a gallant conflict

was maintained.

engaged

in a

In

way they descended

this

there was a great crowd in the ravines.

then landed, and followed the Indians it

the

river,

running fight until they reached a place where

Half the Spaniards

to their village

;

and

as

appeared large, and the people were numerous, the ensign

returned to make his report to Orellana, the vessels against the Indians,

who was defending

who were

attacking

him from

their canoes.

Understanding that there was a quantity of provisions in the village, the captain ordered a soldier, namSid Cristoval

de Segovia,

who

to take

it.

He

started with twelve companions,

loaded themselves with supplies, but were attacked by

more than two thousand Indians, whom they such vigour, that they forced them food, with only two Spaniards

to retreat,

wounded.

resisted with

and retained the

But

the Indians

returned with reinforcements, and pressing on the Spaniards,

wounded

four.

Cristoval de Segovia, though he wished to

retire to the ships, said that

he would not leave the Indians

with the victory, nor place his retreat in such

making

peril,

and,

a gallant resistance, he succeeded in retiring in safety.

In the meanwhile another body of Indians attacked the vessels

hours, of

from two it

having fought for more than two

pleased the Lord to assist the Spaniards, and some,

whom

little

of valour.

dc ]\Icdina, '

sides, and,

The

was expected, performed wonderful deeds

Such were the acts of Cristoval de Aguilar, Bias and Pedro de Ampudia. tapir, also called

by the Spaniards " Gran bestia."

DOAVN THE KIVER OF THE AMAZONS.

The Indians having

retired, the

were ordered

to eighteen,

wounded, who amounted

be attended

to

All recovered

to.

except Ampudia, a native of Ciudad Rodrigo,

wounds

his

In

in eight days.

because he commanded, cease to soldier

it

died of

for Orellana did not,

;

like

fight

any common

while his good disposition, his form, his promptitude,

;

and forethought animated the

As

who

encounter the value of

this

shown

the commander's example was

29

appeared

soldiers.

to Orellana that

was

it

useless,

and could

serve no purpose to fight with the Indians, he determined to continue his voyage.

He embarked

a great part of the

provisions, and got under weigh; while the Indians on shore,

amounting

nearly ten thousand, gave loud shouts, and

to

much

those in canoes continued to assault the Spaniards with

In

audacity.

this

way

the whole night was passed until

when they saw many

dawn,

fatigued

by

so

refreshments on an uninhabited island

they were unable to get any

who landed and

On

this

the

The Spaniards,

villages.

bad a night, determined

rest,

;

to

go and take

on which, however,

from the crowds of Indians

attacked them. captain

continually followed

determined

to

He was

proceed.

by one hundred and

thirty

canoes

containing eight thousand Indians, and accompanied by four or five sorcerers, while the noise of their drums, cornets, and

shouting was a thing frightful

to

hear.

If the

Spaniards

had not had arquebusses and cross-bows, they must have been destroyed, for the Indians advanced with the determination of grappling with and boarding the vessels. sent

forward an arquebusier named Gales,

who

Orellana shot the

Indian general, and the other Indians crowded round to assist

him.

The

ships then set out

by the canoes, without

^

Ribeiro, in 1775,

the river, followed

resting for two days and nights,

way they departed from the chief who was named Machiparo.^

in this

down

and

settlements of the great

mentioned that a chief of a tribe of Juris, on the

—

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

so

Having

left

came

the canoes behind, the Spaniards

by

village defended

to a

Orellana thought

several Indians.

it

would be well to rest here for four days, after the former and having brought the vessels to, he landed his men

toil,

The Indians

arquebusses and cross-bows.

Avith

fled,

and he

took possession of the village.

III.

Orellana continues the discovery of the river, which

Captain

called hy his

They

remained

fully.

The

at this village for three days, eating plenti-

down

captain calculated that they had sailed

river for three

is also

name.

the

hundred leagues from Aparia, two hundred of

which were through uninhabited regions. Having embarked a

good supply of the

which the Indians make from

biscuit

maize, yucas,and fruit, they set sion

;

and

sail

on the Sunday after Ascen-

a league, further on, Orellana

found that another

great stream entered the river, with three islands at for

which reason he called

land appeared

to

it

its

mouth,

the river of the Trinity.

be well peopled and

fertile,

The

and many

canoes came out into the river.

.On another day they discovered a small village in a very beautiful spot, and,

entered

it

though

the

Indians

resisted,

and found plenty of provisions.

they

There was

a

country house containing very good jars of earthenware, vases, colors,

and goblets of

enamelled with

glass

resembling drawings and paintings.

at this place said that these things

much gold and worked from palm wood

together with

silver.

in

Putumayu, was named Machiparo. the

list

many bright The Indians

came from the

They

also

interior,

found idols

a very curious fashion, of Souihey's Brazil.

of Indian tribes at the end of the yolume.)

(See Juris, in

DOWN THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS.

ol

gigantic stature, with wheels in the fleshy part of the arms.

The Spaniards found

in this village^ gold

they did not care for anything

From

and

silver

;

thought of discovery and of saving their

as they only

else.

two highroads branched

village

this

off,

captain walked about half a league along them, but that they did not end, he returned

and ordered

embark and continue the voyage, because well peopled,

it

but

lives,

was not advisable

to

and the finding

his people to

in a country so

remain on shore during

the night.

Having

sailed

for

one

hundred leagues through

this

inhabited country, always in the middle of the river, to keep clear of the Indians

chief

;

they reached the territory of another

named Paguana, where

the people were friendly, and

gave the Spaniards what they required.

These Indians had

sheep of Peru, the land W'as productive, and yielded very

good

fruit.

On Whit-sunday with

many

suburb.

they passed in sight of a great village

suburbs, and large crowds of people

When

into their canoes, but returned,

from

received Spaniards.

On

each

at

they saw the vessels paSs, the Indians got

owing

arquebusses

the

to the

and

damage they

cross-bows

of

the

another day they reached a village which

They then

entered the

territory of another chief of a warlike people,

whose name

ended the dominion of Paguana. they did not

came

know

and on the eve of Trinity Sunday they

;

to oif a village Avhere the

with large shields

Indians defended themselves

but the Spaniards entered their village,

;

and supplied themselves with food. discovered a river, ink,

on the

left

Soon afterwards they

hand, with water as black as

the force of which was so great that, for

twenty

leagues,

its

waters

mingling with the Amazons villages,

flowed river. ^

more than

separately,

without

They saw many

small

and entered one where they found quantities of ^

This was the Rio Negro.

fish,

VOYAGE OF FR AX CISCO ORELLANA

6% though

it

was necessary

to force

open a door in a wooden

wall which surrounded the village.

Continuing the voyage, they passed through a populous country, well supplied with provisions

on one side of the

river, it

was

so

;

and when they were

broad that they could not

see the other bank.

They came who told them

where they captured an Indian

to a place

that the territory belonged to the

Amazons

;

and they found a house containing many dresses made of

which the Indians

different coloured feathers,

when

Avear,

celebrating their festivals and dances. Afterwards they passed

by many other and

calling,

landed

on the banks

at a village

there was no one in

with

fish,

cause

it

where the Indians were shouting

villages,

and on the 7th of June they

it,

but women.

They loaded themselves

and, owing to the importunities of the soldiers be-

was the eve of the

consented to stay there.

from the

;

without meeting any resistance, because

fields,

festival of

Corpus

Christi, Orellana

At sunset the Indians returned

and finding such guests, they seized

their

arms; but the Spaniards resisted and discomfited them. Nevertheless the captain embarked his people, and, continued his voyage, always through an inhabited country, until they

came among Indians with gentle

dispositions.

Passing onwards they discovered a large village, in which

they saw seven gibbets with men's heads nailed on them, on which account they named this land " the Province of the gibbets."

Paved roads issued from

On

fruit trees

planted on each side.

a village,

where they were obliged

On

this village,

with

another day they came to to

land for provisions.

seeing this, the Indians concealed themselves, and

when

by

their

the Spaniards landed they attacked them, led on

man aimed

chief; but a cross-bow

which the Indians

fled

;

at

and killed him, on

and the Spaniards found

a supply

of maize, turtles, turkeys, and parrots.

AVith this large supply of provisions they went to rest on

DOWN THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS. an island

and they learned from an Indian woman of

;

whom

gence

33 intelli-

were

they captured, that in the interior there

many men like the Spaniards, and two white women, with a The Spaniards chief, who had brought them down the river. supposed them

to

be of the party of Diego de Ordas, or

Alonzo de Herrera. Passing by villages, without touching at any of them, because they were supplied with provisions

days they came

some Indian

woman

to

said they

Two

Indians

came out

find Christians, but, as there on.

in a canoe,

and looked

at

the

but although the Spaniards called them, they After four days, they came to

would not come on board.

They found Indians made a liquor

which the Indians did not defend.

a village

maize, and Castillian oats, of which the like

end of

at the

another large village, where the

would

was no sign of any, they passed brigantine,

;

beer

;

and the Spaniards discovered

of this liquor, also

good cotton

a

store

house

and a temple with

cloths,

warlike arms stored up, and two mitres like those of bishops,

woven with

various colors.

According

to their

custom, the Spaniards went to pass the

night on the other side of the river, where

came

many

Indians

in canoes to disturb them.

On

of June,

the twenty-second

villages

on the

left

they

discovered

bank, but they could not get

on account of the strength of the current.

Wednesday they came

to

The

at

many them

following

a village, with a large square,

through the midst of which flowed a stream.

Here they

obtained supplies, and they continually passed the habitations of fishermen.

In doubling a point of the river, they came

upon some very large pared water.

for the Spaniards,

villages.

The Indians were

and came out

to attack

pre-

them on the

Orellana called to them, and offered them articles

for barter

;

but they mocked

of people advanced against

at

him, and a great multitude

him

in different

troops.

The

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

•34

captain ordered the ships to retire to the place

people were searching for food

;

but the

which the Indians discharged were such ded

five persons,

where

that,

his

arrows

flights of

having woun-

and among others the Father Fray Gaspar

de Carbajal, Orellana made great haste to bring the vessel to,

and land

his people

where the Indians fought bravely

;

and obstinately, without taking account of the number of and wounded.

killed

Father Carbajal afiinns that these

Indians defended themselves so resolutely, because they were tributaries

of the

Amazons, and that he and the other

who were fighting in if they commanded them, with such

Spaniards saw ten or twelve Amazons, front of the Indians, as

vigour that the Indians did not dare to turn their backs

;

and

who fled before the Spaniards were killed with sticks. These women appeared to be very tall, robust, fair, with

those

long hair twisted over their heads, skins round their loins,

and bows and arrows in their hands, with which they killed This account of the Amazons I

seven or eight Spaniards. repeat as I found

it

the

name

of

Amazons

memorials of

in the

leaving the credibility of is

it

that

to the

this expedition,

judgment of others

;

for

which these Spaniards chose

to

give them.^

As reinforcements were coming up from other villages, embarked and retired calculating that up to that day they had gone over one thousand four hundred leagues, without knowing how far it might be to the sea. Here they captured an Indian trumpeter, aged thirty years, who told them many things respecting the interior but some the Spaniards

;

;

of the

Spaniards were of opinion that Captain Orellana

should

not

women who thing for the as has

have

given

the

the

of

Amazons

women

to fight,

and

to

it

This encoTinter with the

mouth

these

use bows and arrows

much courage

Amazons appears

of the river Tromhretas.

to

was no new

been seen on some islands of Barlovento, and

gena, where they displayed as ^

name

fought, because in the Indies

to

at

as the

;

Cartha-

men.

have taken plaee near

DOWN THE UIVER OF THE AMAZONS.

35

IV.

End

of the discover i/ of the river of Orellana.

Having reached

the centre of the river, at a short distance

they discovered a large village, and, yielding to the importunities of the soldiers, the captain visions, it

though he said that

if

went

to

it

to get

was because they were concealed, which proved

On reaching the banks, who discharged a flight of

pro-

Indians were not to be seen, to

be true.

they discovered a great number, arrows, and, as the Spaniards had

made after they left the country of Machiparo, they received much damage. Father Caspar de Carbajal was so badly wounded by an not put up the defensive cloths, which were

arrow in the eye, that he

lost the

which caused much sorrow father, besides difficulties

by

to

use of

it

;

an accident

every one, because

this

being very religious, assisted them in their

his cheerfulness

The multitude

and sagacity.

of people, and

which were not half

the

a league distant

number of

villages,

from each other,

as

well on the south side of the river, as in the interior, showed

Captain Orellana the dangers which he must encounter, and

induced him cautiously. lities

to

keep

of the country,

and advance

his people well together,

Here they took

particular care to notice the qua-

which appeared genial and

forest consisted of ever-green oaks,

and cork

fertile.

trees,

The

and con-

named this country" the Province of St. John," extending more than one hundred and fifty leagues. From the time that they entered it,

tained plenty of game of

all

kinds. Orellana

they sailed in the middle of the river, until they came to a

number

of islands which they believed to be uninhabited; but

the natives, on seeing the vessels,

came out

in

two hundred

piraguas, each one containing thirty or forty persons, decked

out

in warlike dresses,

with

many drums,

trumpets,

an

instrument played with the mouth, and another with three strings.

They attacked

the brigantine with loud

shouts

;

—

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

36

but the ai'quebusses and cross-bows stopped

tlieir

onslaught

;

and on shore there were a vast number of people with the same

The

instruments.

islands appeared, high, fertile,

beautiful, the largest being fifty leagues long. tines

and very

The

brigan-

went on, always followed by the piraguas, and they

were unable

Having

to get

any provisions. province of

this

left

St.

John, and the piraguas

having desisted from following them, they determined

lary

to

Captain Orellana, by means of a vocabu-

rest in a forest.

which he had made, asked many questions of

Indian, from

whom

women, who

lived in the same

a captured

he learned that that land was subject

very rich, possessing

much

way

gold and

They had five own houses were

silver.

houses of the sun plated with gold, their

by walls

of stone, and their cities defended

to

Amazons, and were

as

;

and he related

other details, which I can neither believe nor affirm, owing the

to

difficulty

in

discovering the

truth.

The

tales

of

Indians are always doubtful, and Orellana confessed that he did not understand those Indians, so that

it

seems that he

could scarcely have made, in such a few days, so correct

and copious a vocabulary minute

details

believe just as

Having

given by

much

as

as

this

he

be able to understand the

to

Indian

but each reader

may

rested themselves in this wood, they continued

their voyage, not expecting to find left side

:

likes.

more people

;

but on the

of the river they discovered, on an eminence, some

large and beautiful villages, and the captain did not wish

approach them so close as

to

many

of

them came out

to

aggravate the Indians.

into the water

up

to their

But

middles,

terrified.

The

captive Indian said that this territory extended for

more

looking at the brigantines, as

if

they were

than one hundred leagues, under a chief named Caripuna,^ Acuna mentions a tribe of Indians called Caripunas, on the river They were seen, in 1852, by Lieutenant Gibbon, U.S.N., near the fails of that river. Acuha ; Gibbon, p. 295. ^

Madeira.

DOWN THE RIVER OF THE who had

Finding a small

great quantities of silver.

the Spaniards landed to obtain provisions.

defending gos

;

The

village,

Indians, in

Antonio de Carranca, a native of Bur-

killed

it,

37

A^[AZONS.

and here they found that the Indians used poisoned

At

arrows.

Spaniards

this place also the

The

of the ebb of the tide.

men, and halted

desired to rest his

first

noticed signs

captain^ continuing the voyage,

Here they

in a forest.

surrounded the brigantines with bulwarks, as a protection

from poisoned arrows.

Although they desired

to

remain

here for two or three days, canoes soon began to arrive, and

by land.

also people

lowed them huy, hutj

for at

;

cried huis,

Father Carbajal affirms that a bird

more than

a

fol-

thousand leagues, and often cried

other times, M-hen they approached villages,

He

which means houses.

also relates other

it

mar-

vellous things.

At

this place the bird left

again.

them, and they never saw

it

After going on for a whole day, they arrived at some

other peopled islands, where, with great delight, they be-

came aware of the presence of the on they came

a small

to

tide

;

arm of the

and a sea,

little

further

whence two

squadrons of piraguas came out, and furiously attacked the

The bulwarks were here

brigantines with loud shouts. great service

;

and when the Indians saw the

of

effect of the

arquebusses and cross-bows, they retired, but not without

doing the Spaniards some harm. Soria, a native of Logrofio, with a

They killed Garcia de wound from an arrow,

which did not enter more than half a finger deep, but, being poisoned, he died in twenty-four hours.

This land was well

named Chipayo.

Once more the crowds of piraguas attacked the brigantines, which were under weigh and Alferez, with a shot from his arquebuss, killed two Indians, and, frightened by the report, many

peopled, and belonged to a chief

;

others

fell

into the water.

A

soldier

named Perucho,

a

Biscay an, struck one of their chiefs, on which the piraguas retired,

and

left

the brigantines.

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA

Concludes the discovery of the the sea,

On

and

account of the

kept on the

rii'er

of Orellana,

and

the captain enters

reaches the island of Ciibagua.

many

villages

of the river,

left side

on the right hand, they

which had none, though

they could see that the interior was

M^ell

After

peopled.

resting for three days on the banks, the captain sent soldiers

go

to

They soon

at

and reconnoitre.

a league inland,

least

some

returned, saying that the land was good and

and that they had seen many people who seemed

fertile,

be going

to hunt.

many

there were

From

this place the

inhabited islands, to which they went to

Never more were they

obtain food.

to

land was low, and

main land on either

side,

till

able to return to the

they reached the sea

;

and

it

appeared that they sailed amongst these islands for about

two hundred leagues,

much

which distance the

to

tide rose with

Continuing their voyage, with great scarcity

force.

of food, they saw a village, and the larger brigantine came to in front of

plank,

it

;

the other struck on a snag, and, breaking a

it filled.

They landed

to get supplies,

and

so great a multitude of

Indians attacked them, that the JChristians were obliged to retreat to their vessels

other was

danger and

;

of which one had sunk, and

high and dry by the

left

difficulty.

company should

fight,

at the

and

God

In

this

tlie

great

Captain Orellana ordered that half his

and that the other half should get the

large vessel afioat, and stop It pleased

tide.

that this

up the hole

in the smaller one.

was done with great diligence; and,

end of three hours labour, the Indians left off fighting, the Spaniards embarked with some food, and slept

all

on board in mid channel.

Another time they came vessels,

to,

near a forest, to repair the

which delayed them eighteen days,

as

it

was neces-

DOWN THE RIVER sary to

God

make

They

nails.

suffered

succoured them with a

and on

to the river,

Having

OF THE AMAZONS.

much from hunger, but

tapir, as big as a

sails

made

man

each

fish that

their rigging

days, eating nothing

could pick up, and thus

sail,

ill

They

provided they started on the eighth of August 1541.

went under

and

of the blankets in which they

Here they remained fourteen

but the shell

mule, that came

they fed four or five days.

it

arrived near the sea, they

ropes of grass, and their slept.

39

taking advantage of the tides, which often

when it turned, carried God to deliver them from

the vessels back

but

;

it

pleased

went by lands which were inhabited, the Indians gave them maize and roots, and treated them well. They got water on board in pitchers and

these perils, because as they

jars,

toasted maize and roots

;

and

thus they got ready for sea, to go where fortune might

choose to take them, without either thing useful for navigation

;

pilot,

nor did they

compass, or any-

know what

direc-

tion they should take.

The two

of the expedition declare that in

fathers

voyage they found

all

ingenious, which was

the people to be both intelligent and shown by the works which they per-

formed in sculpture, and painting

They four

left

the

leagues

extended

mouth

apart,

fifty

into the sea for

this

in bright colours.

of the river, between two islands

judging that the mouth of the river

leagues, and that the fresh water extended

more than twenty leagues.

on the twenty-sixth of August 1541,

at

They

sailed out

such a good season

that neither in the river nor in the sea did they experience

They continued in sight of land by day and saw many rivers which entered the sea; and

rains.

night,

the

and

small

barque, having separated from the large one in the night, she was never seen again during the passage.

At

the end of

nine days they reached the gulf of Paria, and though they struggled for seven days, they could not get on, while their

food only consisted of fruit like prunes, which they

call hogos.

VOYAGE OF FRANCISCO ORELLANA,

40

God

led

ETC.

them through the mouth of the Dragon,' and

end of two days

after getting ovit of that prison,'

knowing where they were,

at the

without

where they were going, they

or

reached the island of Cubagua on the eleventh of September,

two days

after the smaller brigantine

They were very thence captain

well

had arrived.

received in

Cubagua, and from

Orellana determined to

go and

give

account of his great discovery to the king, certifying that

was not the river Maranon, declared,

and many called

Father Carbajal they sailed

as the it

for

people

El Dorado.

of

an it

Cubagua

According

to

one thousand eight hundred

leagues, including the windings of the river. ^

The

strait at the

north end of the gulf of Paria, separating the

main land. Namely, the gulf of Paria which is entirely surrounded by land excepting at the two straits, one called " the mouth of the Dragon," the other, "the mouth of the Serpent."

island of Trinidad from the ^

;

A NEW DISCOYEllY Of

the great river

OF THE AMAZONS, By Father

Cristoval de Acuna,

a Priest of the Company of Jesus, and Censor of the Supreme General Inqviisition.

Which was made His Majesty

hij

order of

in the year

1639, from the Province of Quito, in the kingdom of Peru.

Dedicated to

the

most

Count

excellent

Duke

Lord

the

of Olivarez.

9Ae

^'

By

Permission.

I.H.S.'^

i

In Madrid, in the Royal Press, in the year 1

64 1.

TO THE READER.

^i^S^

HERE

'^

are horn, oh curious reader, in affairs

of great moment, two brothers

—namely, Novelty

and

to

Unbelief, u-Jiich appear

one birth

what

is neic,

at the

and

:

icliile

same time

be the ticins of

admiration

excited by

is

credit is endangered.

Though

true that natural curiosity inclines us to desire the knoio-

it is

ledge of

new

things ; uncertainty respecting their accuracy

deprives them of that higher degree of pleasure which they

would undoubtedly

afford,

if,

persuaded of

their truth, all

the perplexity caused by doubt could be dispelled. then,

bring

to

of Amazons

the view

before

of the great river of the

relished

;

though

while

tvorld,

and 7ieiv

modes of

my

story

novel,

see) /

and

should also be

it

from my fears

to

suffer

I

to

assure myself both

the other

and,

to

hope

the

:

nations, neio

life,

is

discovery

undertook by

do not cease

accuracy,

in respect to the one

I

I

{ichich

Desirous,

neio

you will presently

order of his Majesty, as 7vishing that,

all, the

first,

of

by the promise of a neio

countries,

new occupations,

neio

say all in one word, a river of sweet

water navigated for more than one thousand three hundred leagues, all, fro7n

its

sources

to its

mouth, full of new things:

the second, by placing before your eyes the obligations of my position, as a p^riest his 31ajesty,

and

of the company of Jesus, as a deputy of which it neither signi-

in other capacities,

fies to you to knoiv, nor to

I can persxiade

you that

I

me

to

repeat;

and

if, icith all this,

have succeeded in what

I laboured

for with some care, I shall be rewarded. Noio hear what sworn testimony gives credit to my narralice. .

CERTIFICATE OF PEDRO TEXEIRA, THE COMMANDER OF THIS EXPEDITION.

I,

Pedro Texeira, Capitan Mayor

in this

Captaincy of Gran

Para, and formerly head of the expedition which went

the

to

discovery of the river of the Amazons, as far as the city of San

Francisco de Quito, in the kingdom of Peru oath by the holy Evangelists, that of His Majesty, and dispatched

it is

:

—

true that,

certify,

by order

by particular provisions of

the Royal Audience of Quito, the

Reverend

father Cristoval

de Acuna, a priest of the company of Jesus, came with

from the said

Reverend

city

father

of Para,

on

and

Andres de Artieda

:

me

companion the

also his

— that in

this

voyage

they both served His Majesty, as regards the objects on

which they were noting

sent, like his

down everything

that

good and

faithful subjects,

was necessary

and complete account of the said discovery credit should be given, before

any other

:

;

to give a

to

which

— that

full

entire

as regards

the obligations due to their profession, and to the service of

God, they complied with what is required by their religion, preaching, confessing, and teaching the whole army, satisfying their doubts, reconciling their quarrels, animating them at

their

work, like true fathers in everything

endured the same hardships and labour soldiers,

both as regards food, and

as

:

— that they

the meanest

other things

all

:

— that

not only did these said fathers make this voyage at their

own

expense, without His Majesty giving them any help, but also that all

they had with them,

was common

to

all

as well

who required

it,

food as medicines,

to

whom

they gave

J

CLAUSE OF THE ROYAL PROVISION. assistance with great love

of

all

my

that

and kindness

here written, I give this

is

:

— and

as attestation

certificate,

my

hand, and sealed with the seal of

45

signed with

arms, in this city

of Para, the 3rd of March, 1640.

Pedro Texeira,

(Signed

( Capitan Mayor.)

CLAUSE OF THE ROYAL PROVISION "WHICH THE ROYAL ATJDIENCE OE

NAME OE HIS MAJESTY,

AS

QUITO ISSUED,

IN

THE

AUTHORITY EOR THIS DISCOVERY.

In conformity with that which was done by the said President and Judges, I order that

this

my

and royal order

letter

b€ given to you, and each one of you

;

and

I hold

that you, the said fathers Cristoval de Acuiia,

it

good

and Andres

de Artieda, priests of the said company of Jesus, shall take all that

you require

and voyage

sion

cipate

may be

completion of your mis-

for the better

and that the useful

;

results

Avhich I anti-

no impediment be, on

attained, I order that

any account or reason, placed in your way.

I charge you,

the said father Cristoval de Acuiia, that, in compliance with the wishes of the said President and Judges, and in confor-

mity wdth the nomination of your Prelate, and with the

offer

of your services which was presented, having received this

my

letter

from

my

Fiscal, to read

comply with and execute shall

depart from

my

its

what

orders

;

for

it

contains, and to

which objects you

court at Quito, with the said com-

panion, for the said province of Para, in company with the

commander Pedro de Texeira, and the rest of the troops under him and you shall take particular care to describe, ;

with clearness, the distance in leagues, the provinces, tribes of Indians, rivers, and districts which exist from the

embarkation, to

the said city and port of Para;

first

informing

;;;

CLAUSE OF THE ROYAL PROVISION.

46

yourself, with all possible precision, of

may report upon them, as an of the

Indies

;

all

things, that

you

eye witness, to the Royal Council

and that you

perform

shall

this

duty in

the said provinces, as I order you, appearing personally,

my letter on the part of the said audience of Quito, before my president and judges of the said Royal Council, and presenting a narrative of all this before my royal person, with

this

according to the directions of the Audience of Quito

;

and,

in your default, I confide the discharge of this duty to the said father

Andres de Artieda, expecting him

religion

are accustomed to serve

perform

to

it

which those of your

with the care and punctuality with

me

:

— and

in an under-

God our Lord, many souls as are

taking of such importance for the service of

and of our own, in the conversion of

so

reported to be in the said newly discovered provinces, I shall

hold your

services to be valuable to

Given

religion.

at

Quito, this 2-lth day of January, 1639.

(Signed)

The

Licentiate

Don Alonzo

de Salazar

;

Don

Antonio de San Isidro y Manrique The Licentiate Don Alonzo de Mesa y Ayala

Doctor

The The

Licentiate

Licentiate

Don Juan de Valdez y Llano Don Geronimo Orton Zapata

Don Juan

Cornejo f Secretary J.

;

NEW DISCOVERY OF THE

GREAT RIVER OF THE AMAZONS.

Remarks on

Almost on now bears

the

the

first

this great river.

discovery of that part of America, which

name

vehement

of Peru,

Spain, though the information was

still

desires

arose in

defective, for the dis-

covery of that great river of the Amazons, called, by a vulgar error

among

those

little

versed in geography, the river of

These desires did not

Maranon.^

arise

on account of the

abundant riches which that river was always supposed

to

possess, nor

on account of the multitudes of people who

dwelt on

banks, nor on account of the

lands,

its

and the pleasant climate

;

fertility

but chiefly because

believed with reason to be the only channel, and as a great highway,

of the it

it

was

were

which flowing from Peru, was fed by

all

the tributaries which descend from the lofty Cordilleras.

2.

Francisco de Orellana discovers this river.

These desires tempted the heart of Francisco de Orellana; who, in the year 1540, 1

its

in a frail vessel, with a

few compan-

Velasco {Historia de Quito) says that this river of Maranon derives

name from

the circumstance of a soldier,

who was

sent

by Francisco

Pizarro to discover the sources of the Piura river, having beheld the

mighty stream from the neighbourhood of Jaen, and, astonished at

;

NEW

48 ions,

DISCOVERY OF THE

descended the current of

on

to Spain,

this great river

name

that time also received the

(which from

of Orellana), and passing

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Charles V,

on account of the

he gave of

relation

its

riches, ordered

men and

three ships to be prepared for him, with

all

things

necessary, that he might return and people the land in his

He

royal name.

out in 1549, but met with such

set

fortune, that, half his soldiers dying at the Canaries

ill

and

Cape de Verds and the rest daily diminishing in number, he at last reached the mouth of this great river with so few men, that he was forced to abandon two ships, which up to that time he to

Not having

had preserved.

man more

vessels,

a sufficient force

he prosecuted his design, with

people, on board two launches which he built. river, after a

tion

all his

Entering the

few leagues, he was convinced that the expedi-

would be

fruitless,

and

so,

putting

all

on board one single

vessel, they retired along the coast of Caraccas, until they

reached Margarita, where the enterprise came to an end and, with

it,

would come

the hopes that His Majesty

possession of that which he desired, and

into

which Orellana

had promised.

The tyrant Lope de Aguirre

Twenty years

afterwards, in

enters this river.

1560, these hopes were re-

vived by the expedition which was undertaken

to this river

under the General Pedro do Ursua, by order of the viceroy of Peru;

who descended with

an eye-witness of

its

a large

army

to its waters, to

be

grandeur, which had only reached him

by report. But he met with the treason of the tyrant

ill

success.

He was killed through

Lope de Aguirre

.;

who, raising

beholding a sea of fresh water, having asked " Hac mare an non 1" The historian of Quito adds, that the name of Solimoens is given to this great river by the Portuguese, out of contradiction, and in opposition to

the whole world.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. himself not only

rank of general, but

to the

God

continued the voyage. the principal

discover

empties

49 to that of

king,

did not permit that he should

mouth by which

great river

this

the ocean (thus depriving loyal Spaniards

itself into

of the discovery of a thing of such importance to our

and King)

;

but he came out on the coast opposite the island

of Trinidad, where,

by order of His Majesty, he was put

death, and his houses

shown

Lord

sown with

salt

;

the place being

to

still

in that island.

4. Others attempt this discovery.

These same aspirations the

Sargente

to

discover this river, induced

Mayor Vincente de

Reyes Villalobos,

los

Governor and Captain General of Quixos, in the jurisdiction of the Province of Quito, to offer to parts.^

In consequence of

this, a

commence

it

from those

cedula was dispatched by

the catholic person of our great king Philip IV, lives,

and may he

live

many

years

!

to the royal

and chancellery of San Francisco in Quito

who now audience

in 1621, that they

should arrange the conditions which might be necessary for the discovery.

But, as this governor had retired from

in the interval, they did not take effect.

office

In like manner, the

ardent desu*es of his successor, Alonzo de Miranda, were

checked by death

:

which

also attacked

General Jose de

^ In 1551 the Marquis of Canete, viceroy of Peru, sent Don Egidio Ramirez Davalos as governor of Quijos, who founded the town of that name in 1552, on the river Quijos. In 1558 his brother, Gil Ramirez Davalos, who had subdued the CanaHe established the settleris and founded Cuenga, succeeded him. ments of Baeza (between the Maspa and Vermejo) 1558 Maspa (on the Maspa) 1558 ; Avila (on the Suna) 1560 Archidona (near the Misagualli) 1560 Tena (on the Tena) 1566. Don Gil retired to Riobamba, where his numerous posterity still reside. The Jibaros Indians rebelled in 1599, and entirely destroyed ;

;

;

these settlements.

Archidona alone remained.

—

Velasco,

iii,

p. 147.

7

—

NEW

50

DISCOVERY OF THE

Villamayor Malclonado, governor of Quijos before either of the above, and put a stop to his ardent zeal to subject to

and the king, the multitude of nations on

God

this river.

5-

Benito Maciel attempts the discovery.

The same

desires not only animated the

minds of the Span-

iards in Peru, but also extended to the Portuguese on the coast of Brazil,

They desired

light the riches of this river,

and they were led on by that

augment the power

to

to

seek the origin, and bring to

commencing from zeal

mouth

its

;

which they always exhibit

of their crown.

was then Capitan Mayor of Para, and

who now Governor of

Benito Maciel,^ is

the Maranon, offered himself for that service. In accordance

Cedula was dispatched in 1626,

with his wishes, a real

authorizing him to carry his intentions into effect

were indefinitely postponed, services in the

as

;

but they

His Majesty required

his

war of Pernambuco.

6.

Francisco Coello It

on

this enterprise.

does not seem that the heart of our king could be

satisfied until

he had seen an

carried into execution. ^

is sent

affair

which he

so

much

desired,

Though all the ways and means which

In 1618 Benito Maciel was appointed to

against the Tupinambas Indians.

command

He commenced

a force to operate

a career of devasta-

tion and murder, amongst the Indians round Para. For several years he continued his vile trade of hunting down Indians, and selling them In 1622 he was appointed governor of Para; and in 1623 he as slaves. assumed the title of " First discoverer of the rivers of Amazons and

Curupa

;"

though the islands and channels near Para had been ex-

plored by a Portuguese pilot,

named Meirinho,

half a century before.

Souther's Brazil.

Of all the savages, who were employed in the Portuguese conquests, Benito Maciel was the most notorious for his atrocious cruelties.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

human prudence could

51

suggest had failed, not for this reason

With

did he desist from persevering in the chief enterprize.

he dispatched a real Cedula, in 1633-4,

this view,

to

Fran msco

de Coello de Caravallo, who was then Governor of Maraiion

and Para, with an express order that he should presently

make

this

discovery

;

and

should set out in person

Majesty wished that

to

this

tried in all directions,

if

he had no one

put

to send, that

Much

in execution.

it

as

he

His

should be effected, which had been

and never successfully

yet on this

;

The Governor

occasion his desires were again disappointed.

did not consider that he could prudently divide his forces, at a

time

when

Dutch were

the

daily infesting the coast,

he had scarcely power enough

there was no need to despair, because failed

lous,

;

when Providence had prepared

by which

this

and when

But

to resist their attacks.

a

human endeavours way almost miracu-

grand discovery should be made,

as will

be presently related.

7-

Two

The

monies of the order of

city of

San Francisco de Quito, which

most celebrated in that lofty Cordillera

World. is

all

America,

built

is

one of the

on a mountain, in

which traverses the whole of the

New

—the most

fertile,

it

abundant, and

and of the most pleasant climate of any in Peru ; and

which, in struction, this

is

this river.

Situated only half a degree south of the equator,

the capital of a province

gifted,

San Francisco navigate

the

multitude

of inhabitants,

civilization,

and Christianity, has the advantage of

city, in the

years 1635, 1636, and the

all.

in-

From

beginning

of

1637, several Franciscan monks set out,^ by order of their ^ In 1635 they entered the province of Suciimbios, and were received by the captain of the Presidio of San Miguel, Juan de Palacios, with whom, and ninety soldiers, they embarked on the river Aguarico, till they reached a tribe which Ferrer had called Los Encabellados, from their

:

62

NEW DISCOVERY

/

Superiors, in soldiers, to theix

OF THE

company with Captain Juan

work, the former in their

Palacios and other

spiritual, the latter in

temporal calling, for the discovery of

company

thirty years since the fathers of the

commenced

the same labours,

natives cruelly

murdered

among

It

was

of Jesus

had

this river.

the Cofanes,

father Kafael Ferrer, in

thedoctrine which hehad taught them.^

where the reward

for

The Franciscan monks

arrived in the country of the Encabellados, a very numer-

ous tribe, but well prepared for the burning zeal with which these servants of

God,

as is

always their wont, endeavoured

reduce them to the yoke of the church. long hair.

made a

Here

Palacios,

enamoured

settlement called Ante, a

little

The

of the rich

to

fathers laboured

and abundant land,

above the junction with the Napo

but he was attacked and killed by the Indians, and a few only of the Franciscans escaped back to Quito. ^

—

Velasco.

In 1602 the Jesuit Padre Rafael Ferrer set out from Quito alone.

was a native of Valencia, pious and learned, and earnestly seeking martyrdom amongst the heathen.

The country

of the Cofanes

is

It is

where many great Cofanes Indians are divided into twenty

and thick

for

sixty leagues east of Quito, on the

eastern slope of the Grand Cordillera. tains

He

forests,

covered with steep

mounThe

rivers take their rise. tribes,

each governed by a

curaca or chief. Ferrer had no other arms than a little crucifix in his breast, a breviary, and writing materials. The Indians abhorred the Spaniards, and knew but, seeing him alone, unarmed, seeking their friendthat he was one ship, and bearing in his countenance an amiable sweetness, they received him kindly. He soon obtained great influence over them he collected many of them into a village, where a church was built in June, 1C03, and the place was called San Pedro de Cofanes. Ferrer learned that a vast multitude of infidels dwelt in the immense regions to the eastward, and in 1605 he set out alone, to preach to them. He journeyed on from the Cofanes, down the Napo to the Maranon, returning to the Cofanes in 1608. In 1611 some traitors followed him in one of his journeys, watched him while ho was crossing a torrent on a frail plank, and toppled him over into the abyss. When he fell, instead of being carried away like an arrow by the water, he stood up in the midst of it like a block of marble, and, with outstretched arms, preached to them for a long time on their wickedThe Cofanes returned to their former ness, and then disappeared. ;

;

barbarism.

—

Velasco, vol.

iii, lib.

iv, 3".,

j).

136.

;

GREAT KIVER OF AMAZONS. amongst the natives to their

convent

soldiers

who

in a

at

for several

53

months, when some returned

Quito, and others remained with the few

But

chose to stay by the side of their captain.

few days they saw him, with their own eyes, murdered

by those to whom they had come to do so much good. They were thus obliged to evacuate the country, and return to Quito.

Two monks,

however, named Domingo de Brieba,

and Andres de Toledo, with

descended the

six soldiers,

current of the river in a small canoe, with no other intention than, influenced

by

Divine impulse,

a

of this river, in their

to

make

the discovery

frail vessel.

The two monks reach

the

Maranon.

God favoured the enterprize of these two monks, and after many days of navigation, in which they experienced the providence of God, they arrived at the city of Para, a Portu-

guese settlement which

is

situated forty leagues from the

place where the river empties itself into the ocean, within

the jurisdiction of the

Government of Maranon.

passed, without any hindrance, through of savages,

many

of

them Caribs, who

They had

immense provinces eat

human

flesh

receiving from them the necessary supplies, to enable them to

complete the enterprise they had commenced.

on

to the city of

They went

San Luis de Maraiion, where the Governor

was Jacome Reymundo de Norona, chosen,

I believe,

more

through divine Providence, than through the voice of the people; for no other ficulties, or

faced so

man could have surmounted many misfortunes, who had

and determination which were prominent

so

many

dif-

not the zeal

in his character, to

serve disinterestedly in this discovery, for the service of his

God and

his king.

their voyage,

day

in the

The two monks gave him an account

which was

like that of joersons

hands of death

;

who were

of

each

and the most remarkable thing

^

NEW

54

DISCOVERY OF THE

was that they declared themselves ready to return by the they had come, if there should be any who were ready

way

to follow this route.

Pedro Texeira

is

named

to

undertake the conquest.

Our discovery would have remained Governor had not undertaken and, against the opinion of

to

all, to

in this state, if the

clear

send an expedition up the

more

river to the city of Quito, which, with less risk,

remark.

He named

this occasion,

Pedro Texeira^

and

for this expedition, as

whom Heaven had undoubtedly

on account of his prudence

he performed in the service of the king, in

was the cause of not only injury to his health.

many

years,

loss to himself,

If this

is

nothing

all

chosen

and the work

;

this enterprize,

but also of

new

had served His Majesty;

never been ambitious of anything, but account of

His Majesty.

of those discoveries for

Texeira was a person

so

attention

might note down that which they found worthy of

head, and captain

on

up these shadows,

in one

least

at

to give

much

who,

for

he has

an honorable

that has been put under his charge,

which has

been much, and under circumstances of no small importance. ^

The monks returned

to Quito with Texeira,

were astonished at seeing their

lost

brethren

where the Franciscans

still alive.

—

Velasco.

Pedro Texeira accompanied Caldeira, in 1615, when he founded Para ; and he was sent by land to Maranham, to announce the success of his commander's expedition. In 1618 Texeira ^

Alferez

(Ensign)

but was superseded, in 1622, by Benito ; In 1625 the Dutch, who had entered the Curupa, were routed by Texeira, and in 1626 he ascended the Amazons, and the Tapajos, to In 1629 he was sent to destroy an Irish settlement, under obtain slaves.

became governor of Para Maciel.

one James Purcell, on the island of Tocuyos, who capitulated after a Texeira had thus seen a great deal of service before gallant defence.

he was sent on

this

memorable expedition.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

55

lO, Pedro Texeira comraences his voyage.^

This excellent leader set out from Para on the twentyeighth of October, 1637, with forty-seven canoes (vessels of

which

I shall

and one thousand two hundred Indians, who, with

soldiers,

their

speak hereafter), containing seventy Portuguese

women and

boys, brought the total

thousand persons.

The voyage

lasted

number up more than

to

two

a year,

both on account of the force of the current, and the time

which so

it

was necessary

large

a force, and

to

spend in collecting supplies for

in exploring the ways, that they

might discover the shortest and most direct course, by which they ought to follow their road. so

difficult,

On

account of this being

and of the hardships they had

friendly Indians began to exhibit

to

endure, the

little relish for

the voyage, and some returned to their

commander, being anxious that the

own

continuing

country.

rest should not

The do the

same, and thus make the prosecution of the voyage impossible,

used every means

Though they were

to retain those

who were wavering.

not half way, he gave out that they were

near their destination, and, choosing eight canoes well supplied with provisions and soldiers, he sent them on ahead of

the main body, as

if to

announce their approach, but really

to discover the best road, of

which he was very uncertain.

II. Colonel Benito Rodriguez is sent ahead.

Pedro

Texeira,

named Colonel Benito

Oliveira, a native of Brazil, as

head of

this

Rodriguez of

detachment, who,

^ Pedro Texeira had under him Pedro de Acosta, and Pedro Payon. The expedition embarked under these three Peters in forty-seven great

canoes.

—

Velasco,

iii,

p. 185.

NEW DISCOVERY

56

having been brought up

OF THE

all his life

among

the natives, could

divine their thoughts, and understand Avhat was in their

He was known

hearts.

and respected by all the Indians, and, was of no small im-

in the present discovery, his presence

portance, to assist in bringing the enterprize to a termination.

many

After having overcome

happy

difficulties,

the

Colonel and his squadron arrived at the port of Payamino,

on

This

John's day, the twenty-fourth of June, 1638.

St,

the

first

and

to the province of Quijos, in the jurisdiction of Quito,

near the banks of the river Quijos.

Napo

is

settlement of the Spaniards in those parts, subject

(a river of

which

I shall

would have met with better

If they

had chosen the

speak presently), the

ports,

more

fleet

provisions,

and

fewer losses not only of Indians, but also of goods.

12.

The captain

The

leaves the

army among

the Encahellados.

captain always guided his course

the colonel

left

at the sleeping

by the advices which

places,

and each day the

people thought that the following would be the voyage.

last of their

Sustained by these hopes they reached a river,

which flows from the province of the Encahellados, who were formerly friendly Indians, but now inimical, on account of the

murder of captain

Palacios.

This place seemed adapted

where the whole of the troops might remain. The captain, therefore, named as commander of them, Pedro

for a station

de Acosta Favela, who was to remain stationary, until he received further orders.

Bayon.

Both these

Texeira also

officers

left

valour which they had exercised for so fidelity,

riors,

behind captain Pedro

displayed on that occasion the

many

years

;

and the

with which they obeyed the orders of their supe-

was most praiseworthy.

They remained waiting

for

eleven months, without food, except such as they obtained

with their arms

;

and that

so scanty, that

it

seemed scarcely

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. sufficient tc sustain life.

whom

that those

he

left

57

But the captain was well satisfied in this position would only be

prevented from complying with his orders by death.

13-

The captain arrives

Quito.

at

"With this confidence, and a few companions, Pedro Texeira set out in the footsteps of the

colonel,

who had

previously

reached the city of Quito, where he was well received, both by the

laity

and clergy,

also navigated,

His Majesty.

showing

from its mouth to The monks of that

ous and influential, took ings, each

their joy at seeing

work

its

by

source,

city,

vassals of

who were numer-

no small share in these

one offering himself

enter on the

to

all

famous river of Amazons, not only discovered, but

the

as a faithful labourer,

in that great

rejoic-

ready

and uncultivated vine-

yard of innumerable heathens, of which news had been received from the recent discoverers.

14. Resolution of the viceroy of Peru.

Having received news which was sufficient to convince them of the importance of this grave business to both Majesties divine and human, the President and Auditors

—

of the Royal Audience decided on doing nothing, without first

reporting

all to

the Viceroy of Peru,

was the Count of Chinchon.^ ^

who

He, having

at that

first

time

consulted

Velasco says that the Viceroy in question was Marquis of Mancera

(fif-

teenth viceroy); but he was mistaken. The Count of Chincjj.on, whose wife

was cured of fever by the Peruvian bark, and who introduced it into Europe, was the Viceroy who sent these orders to Quito, though he resigned his government the same year.

His wife, the Countess of Chinand the corregidor of Loxa, Don Juan Lopez de Cannizares, sent some powder procured from the bark, to her

chon, was

ill

of a tertian fever

;

8

NEW DISCOVERY

58

OF THE

with the most eminent persons in the city of Lima, court of the

New

World,

— sent orders in

sident of Quito (then the licentiate

dated

Salazar),

captain Pedro Texeira, with

Don Alonzo

November 1638,

tenth of

the

all his

— the

a letter to the Pre-

Perez de the

that

people, should presently

return by the same road by which they had come, to the city of

Para

ordering them to be supplied with

;

necessary for the voyage. cause so

many good

a frontier

He

things

would be wanted on which was usually infested by the hostile Dutch. and

officers

likewise directed that, if

soldiers

it

were possible, two persons

should accompany them,

who might

court of Castille, of

that

that

all

Their return was ordered, be-

all

give an account to the

had been discovered, and

all

might be discovered on the return voyage.

15General

Don Juan

The execution

de

Acuha

volunteers for the service.

of this last order of the Viceroy put every

one into confusion, on account of the

which presented themselves

many

inconveniences

at the first glance.

However,

there were not wanting officers zealous in the service of the

who desired, each one, to be of who should be chosen for an enterprize country,

But he who, above

all,

number

of those

of such importance.

displayed most ardent zeal in seeking

new occasions of prosecuting had now done

the

the service of his King, which he

for thirty years,

and

was Don Juan Vazquez de Acuiia,

his ancestors before

him,

a knight of Calatrava, lieu-

tenant of the captain general of the Viceroy of Peru, and

and

actual Corregidor for His Majesty, over the Spaniards natives, in the

same

only offered his

own

expense, to raise physician,

city of Quito,

and

its

district.

He

personal services, but also, at his

troops,

not

own

pay them, buy provisions, and

Don Juan de Vega. In memory of the cure eifectcd on named the plant Cinchona.

occasion, Linnteus afterwards

this

GREAT RIVEK OF AMAZONS. provide for

all

59

the necessary expenses of the expedition

;

with the sole motive, which always influenced him, of further-

King and Lord.

ing the service of his

His desire did not

take effect, because, as inconvenience Avould arise from his

which he actually held, permission was

vacating the

office

denied him.

However, God did not permit

that such honor-

able desires should be AvhoUy frustrated, so disposing things that,

though he did not go,

his brother,

company of

Acuiia, a priest of the

Jesus,

Padre Cristoval de

went

in his place.

i6.

The Royal Audience names Pedro Cristoval de Ac una for

this

expedition.

The

Suarez de Poago, Fiscal of the Poyal

Licentiate

Chancellery of Quito, seeing that the Portuguese expedition

was about

depart, considered, like a faithful minister of

to

His Majesty, that two

it

priests of the

down with

noting

great river

wovdd be of great use, and no harm, if company of Jesus should accompany it,

care

all

that

was worthy of remark

with which information they might return

;

Spain, to give a reliable account of to the

Council of the Indies, and

our Lord, in his royal person. so

in this

he proposed

seeming good

to the

to all,

all

if

As

to

they had observed

necessary to the the

Fiscal

King

thought,

Royal Audience,^ and the proposition

they gave notice of

it

to the provincial

company of Jesus, who at that time was father Francisco de Fuentes. He, rightly estimating the honor which might

of the

^ Quito was a part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1718, when it was annexed to New Grenada. Before that time the province of Quito had been governed, under the Peruvian Viceroy, by a Royal Audience

established in 1563.

and a

Fiscal,

who

It consisted of

a President, four Oidores or Judges,

took cognizance of everything connected with the

The Royal Audience of Quito, abolished in 1718, was re1 739. The President was also governor of the province.

revenue.

established in

— Clloa,

i,

p. 2.56

;

Stevenson,

ii,

p.

294.

NEW

60

DISCOVERY OF THE

accrue to his religion, in an

of such importance,

affair

and

anxious that, in this way, the gate might be opened by which its

new

sons could enter, to convey the

Evangelist to so large a number of souls, river lie in the

shadow of death

;

light of the holy

who on

named,

for this enterprize, father Cristoval de

that great

in the first place,

Acuna,

a professed

priest,

and actual rector of the college of the company

in the

city of

Cuenca

as his

(jurisdiction of Quito)

and secondly,

;

companion, father Andres de Artieda, reader of theology in

The members

the college of the city of Quito.

Audience accepted the nomination of the caused a royal provision to be given

they were ordered to

set

of the Royal

said Jesuits,

to

and

them, in which

out from the city of Quito, in com-

pany with the Capitan Mayor Pedro Texeira, and, having arrived at Para, to go on to Spain, and give an account of all

which they may have carefully noted down

of the voyage, to the

King our Lord,

in the course

in his royal person.

17The fathers

The

said fathers

set

out

from

Quito.

obeyed the orders they had received, and

on the 16th February 1639, they commenced their long voy-

when they entered December of the same year.

age, which lasted for a space often months,

the city of Para, on the 12th of

After they had crossed those lofty mountains on foot, which,

with the liquor of their veins, feed and sustain that great river

;

they voyaged on the waves to where, spread out into

eighty-four

mouths,

They, with particular

it

pays

its

mighty tribute

care, took notes of

of remark, measured the heights, noted rivers

who

by

their names,

finally left

that was all

worthy

the tributary

became acquainted with the nations

dwell on their banks, beheld their

resources

all

down

to the sea.

fertility,

of the great river, experienced

its

enjoyed the climate,

and

nothing of which they could not say that they had

GREAT RIVKK OF AMAZONS. been eye-witnesses. As such,

61

whom

as persons

so

siderations oblige to be accurate, I pray to those this narrative that

I

am one

I say this

to Avrite.

which

light,

to

me

they will give

name

of those, and in the

the credit that

an account of things

is

it

which, with face uncovered, not more than

same voyage. which

that

is

which

that

Spaniards

certain as certain,

is

doubtful as such, that in an

may

fifty

namely, those who made the

testify to,

I affirm

importance, no one

my pen

may be brought

not be so truthful as this narrative.

will

This will be a true account, and

and Portuguese can

just, for

is

up

of both I took

because other accounts

many conwho read

affair of so

more than

believe

is

and

much

stated in this

narrative.

The river of Amazons

The famous most

may

fertile,

river of

in the world.

is the largest

Amazons, which traverses the

be, from this day forth, proclaimed as the largest

most celebrated river in the whole world. irrigates all India, and, with the great

eclipses the sea itself,

which

loses its

the Gangetic Gulf (or sometimes the

For

if

and delight of those countries fertilizes

a great part

of

:

if

Ganges

its

waters,

very name and

Africa

waters more extensive regions,

:

the

fertilizes

more people, and augments by

its

more

source should be in Paradise

by grave

the

it,

Ganges

and that the sands on

Amazons

as

if

the

the joy

and

Amazons

plains, supports

floods a mightier ocean

is

:

felicity, that its

affirmed of those other

authors.

Histories say of the into

;

is

:

called

irrigates

river of

only wants, in order to surpass them in

rivers,

is

Bay of Bengal) the Nile

and

the

volume of

Euphrates, the famed river of Syria and Persia,

it

richest,

and most densely populated regions of Peru,

its

that thirty great rivers fall

shores are full of gold

also has sands of gold,

and

:

but

irrigates a region

NEW

62

which contains infinite observes,

DISCOVERY OF THE

The Euphrates, as

riches.

called Icetificando , because

is

the plains, so that those which

its

it

may be

affirmed that

art,

of the river

banks are a paradise

its

of fertility, and if the natural riches of the

by

one year, are

But

secure of an abundant harvest in the next. of Amazons

Ambrose

streams gladden

irrigates in

it

St.

were assisted

soil

whole would be one delightful garden.

the

fertility of the

land which

is

bathed by the Nile,

The

celebrated

is

in those verses of Lucan,^ " Terra suis contenta bonis, non indiga mercis

Aut

The

Jovis, in solo, tanta est fiducia Nilo."

Amazons require no

regions bordering on the

from foreign lands

game, the

air

the river

;

supplies

full of fish, the forests of

of birds, the trees are covered with fruit, the

plains with corn, the earth

have much

is

and

skill

rich in mines,

is

ability, as

we

and the natives

shall see in the course of

this narrative.

19. Source of the river of the Amazons.

In assigning a source and origin

Amazons, which up

to

this

each country has striven to make out a of such a daughter first

;

This

title to

attributing to their

sustenance which gave

Marafion.

it

nourishment In truth

if this is

for this

this is not

being, and calling

it

the river

it

a cradle

famous

;

Huanuco,^ only

and provide the

river,

in a

mountain

very far from the truth, because

not actually the origin of the river of Amazons,

^

Pharsalia, book

^

The

in the

bowels, the

latter error is so firmly established, that the

seventy leagues distant, give

lake.

be the mother

own

city of kings boasts that the Cordilleras of

earliest

great river of

to this

time has remained concealed,

it

viii.

river Huallaga, one of the chief affluents of the

mountains of Huanuco

;

and the

river

Maranon

Maranon,

rises

itself rises in

Lake of Lauricocha, within a short distance of that ancient

city.

the

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. that of one of

is at least

with fresh

life,

The kingdom

of

New

chief affluents,

its

and makes

63

which supplies

it

more vigorous. seeks to augment her

after career

its

Grenada

also

by attributing the source of the river to the cascade of Mocoa, which the natives call El gran Caqueta : but there credit,

is

no foundation

Mocoa

for this assertion, as the river flowing

does not behold the

hundred leagues,

of seven

Caqueta,^ as if recognizing a superior, turns

comes

do homage

to

as

queen of the

rest

course, and

its

Amazons.

to the

Peru claims the source of stream

from

Amazons until after a course and when they do meet, the

;

this great river, glorifying

but, from

this

her

time forth, the city

of San Francisco de Quito will not permit the claim

;

for at

a distance of eight leagues from the site of that city, this treasure

is

enclosed in the skirts of a Cordillera which divides

the jurisdiction of the government of Quijos

Guamana,

two

hills,

less

than two leagues from each other.

the one called

a great lake, as mother of the latter

;

at the foot of

the other Pulca, rather

The former produces

new born

stream

;

and the

forms another lake, which, though of smaller dimen-

sions, is of great depth.

The

stream, flowing from the lakes,

pierces a hill, which, envious of the treasure, precipitates

from the summit with the force of an earthquake, stroy

it

and dash those grand hopes which

in the beginning,

this little

it

as if to de-

Thus from

stream had promised to the world.

these two lakes, which are twenty miles south of the equator,

the great river of

Amazons

takes

its rise."

20. Its course, latitude,

This river flows from west that,

is

from the setting

^

Or Japura.

^

The

and

longitude.

to east, as a sailor

to the rising of the

error of supposing the

Napo

to

sun

would say ;

;

and a few

be the true source of the river

NEW DISCOVERY

64

degrees to the south of the equator. to the

OF THE Its length,

from the source

mouth, is one thousand three hundred and fifty Castillian

measured leagues, or according eight hundred.

Orellana, one thousand

meandering

It flows along,

and, as absolute lord of

to

in

wide reaches

;

the other rivers which run into

all

sends out branches, which are like faithful vassals, with

it,

whose aid

it

goes forth, and, receiving from the smaller

streams the lawful tribute of their waters, they become in-

corporated in the main channel.

It is

according to the dignity of the guest,

him

sent to receive

is

the

more common

importance

;

and

to

with

whole current.

in

its

some

three,

put shoulder

parts

and

its

to shoulder, it

In breadth

breadth

at others

the harbinger

them

some which are

be able

is

thus with ordinary arms

;

rivers, increasing

for

worthy of remark that

is

it

it

who

receives

for those of

more

as almost to

so great

comes forth in person varies very

much,

for

a league, at others two, at others

many more

;

preserving so

much narrow-

ness in a course of several leagues, in order that, with greater ease, spread out into eighty-four

mouths,

may

it

place itself

on an equality with the ocean.

21. Breadth and depth of

The narrowest little

more than

the river.

part in which the river collects

a quarter of a league wide.

Amazons was exposed by

the Jesuit Father

A

Samuel

its

waters,

is

place, doubt-

Fritz, who, in Lis

chart engraved at Quito in 1707, pointed out the true source to be the

Lake of Lauricocha. The Ucayali, also, has had its partizans, and M. Condamine inclines in its favour, but leaves the question doubtful. It is, however, beyond a doubt that the source of the Ucayali is the most distant from the mouth of the Amazons ; but, on the other hand, it is equally certain that the Ucayali is only a tributary of the Amazons, and not the main stream the latter river being the largest at the point of ;

junction.

Velasco declares that

it is

of Lauricocha, pointed out

certain

by

Fritz,

and beyond is

all

doubt that the Lake

the true source of the Amazons.

;

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. less,

65

which has been provided by divine Providence, where

the great sea of fresh water narrows

may be

built to

itself,

impede the passage of any

of what force soever

in case

;

so that a fortress hostile

armament

should enter by the prin-

it

mouth of this mighty river. The depth of the river is great, and

cipal

no bottom has yet been found. Negro, a distance of nearly never

less

above the

there are parts

From

six

the

mouth

where

to the

Rio

hundred leagues, there

is

than thirty or forty hrazas^ in the main channel

Negro it varies more, from twenty to twelve or up to very near its source there is sufficient any vessel and, though the current would impede E,io

eight brazas, but

depth for

;

the ascent, yet there

not wanting usually, every day, three

is

or four hours of a strong breeze,

overcoming

which would

assist in

it.

22. Islands, their fertility

All this river

and are

so

numerous

met with

at

of islands,

is full

that

it is

and

])roducts.

some

large, others small,

impossible to count them, for they

every turn.

Some

are four or five leagues,

others ten, others twenty in circumference, and that is

inhabited by the Tupinambas (of

after), is

more than

There are

also

a

whom

I shall

which

speak here-

hundred leagues round.

many

other very small ones, on which the

Indians sow their seeds, having their habitations on the larger ones.

These islands are flooded by the river every

by the mud which it

year, and are so fertilized

leaves behind,

The ordinary promandioc, the common-

that they can never be called sterile. ducts, est

which are maize and yuca, or all, are in great abundance

food of

seem that the Indians are exposed of the powerful floods

;

;

yet nature, the ^

and though

to great loss,

it

would

on account

common mother of us

Fathoms. 9

NEW

66 all,

DISCOVERY OF THE

has provided these barbarians with an easy means of pre-

They collect from which they make the casaoa,

the yucas, which are roots

serving their food.

bread in

all

parts of Brazil

in the earth, they

up during

the ordinary substitute for

and forming caves or deep holes

;

bury them, and leave them well covered

When

the time of the floods.

all

them

subside, they take their having lost

the ant to store

out,

and use them

for food, without

If nature teaches

any part of their virtue.

up

the waters

grain in the bowels of the earth, to serve

whole year

for food during a

how much more will she how barbarous soever

:

suggest a contrivance to the Indian,

he may be, food

for is

:

more

him from harm, and

to protect

not certain that Divine Providence will take

it

men

care of

to preserve his

than of

dumb

animals

?

23-

wMch

The kinds of liquor

This {yuca

?)

is,

as I

have

for food,

usually cakes,

but also

as a drink, to

much inclined. For

which they place

last for

many months

this

in an

the daily bread which

said,

always accompanies their other food

they use.

;

and

which

not only serves

it

all

the natives are

purpose they make large thin

oven and bake, so that they will

these they keep in the highest part

:

of their houses, to preserve them from the dampness of the earth.

When

they wish to use them, they melt them in

water, and having boiled the liquor at a as long as

is

necessary

which they drink.

;

It is

and,

when

cold,

fire, it is

they

let it

stand

the usual wine

sometimes so strong that

it

might

be taken for grape wine, and intoxicates the natives, making

them

lose their judgment.^

^ The roots of the yuca are boiled and set to cool, then chewed by women, put in a vessel filled with water, and boiled again, being stirred the whole time. The contents are poured into great jars half buried in and in two days fermentation the floor of the hut, closely stopped uji ;

—

;

GREAT KIVER OF AMAZONS,

With

the help of this wine they celebrate their feasts,

sow and reap

their dead, receive their visitors,

indeed there liquor

is

their crops this

not the mercury which attracts them, and the riband

They

common, other kinds

abound on the

They put

trees

;

also

make, though they are not

of wine, of the wild fruits which

fond are they of drunkenness.

so

the juice into water, and produce a liquor which

often exceeds beer in strength, that beverage which

These

used in foreign countries.

Avines are

earthen jars, like those used in Spain

made

mourn

no occasion on which they meet, that

is

which detains them. so

G7

woven from herbs, and

;

and in

smeared with bitumen,

so

which they contain

that not one drop of the liquor

much

also in small pipes

;

of one piece of the hollowed trunk of a tree

large vases

so

is

kept in large

is

ever

lost.

24.

The fruits which they have.

The food Avine

is

Avith

which they accompany

of various kinds,

—not only

fruits,

their bread

such

and

as plantains,

pine apples, and guavas, but very palatable chesnuts, which in

Peru they

call

" almonds of the Sierra,"

more resemble the

latter

than the former.

for in truth

they

They name them

chesnuts, because they are enclosed in shells which resemble

The Indians

the prickly husk of the real chesnut.

also

have

palms of different kinds, some of which produce cocoa nuts, others

palatable dates Avhich, though Avild, are of a very

pleasant taste. fruits, all

There are

proper

also

many

other diflerent kinds of

to tropical climates.

They have

likeAvise

nourishing roots such as the potatoe, the yuca mansa^ Avhich

On the drinking day the women kindle fires round the and serve out the warm liquor in half gourds. Southeij's History

takes place. jars,

of Brazil. 1 The yuca, mandioc, or cassava, is

deadly poison.

When

if

eaten raw, or with the juice in

it,

scraped to a fine pulp, ground on a stone, and

the juice carefully expressed,

it is

good

food.

—

—

NEW DISCOVERY

68

OF THE

the Portuguese call macachera, garas, criadillas de tierra}

and others which, either roasted or boiled, are not only palatable, but also very nutritious.

2521te fish of this river,

After

all,

and of

the Pegehuey.

which supplies them with most food, and,

that

they say, fills up their dish, is the extensive fishery. Every day they procure an incredible abundance from this as

river, with full hands.

But above others, its

all,

the

fish, that like a

and which inhabits

mouth,

king lords

this river

from

when

the pegehuey,^ a fish which,

is

over

it

tasted, only

can retain the name, for no one could distinguish well-seasoned meat. old,

but on

has

hair

has neither ears nor horns.

it

body,

its

which

in the

Under them

very long,

not

like

of their skin, which

form of paddles, serve

as

propellers.

The Indians make

When

very thick.

is

the herbage on

1

A

This

;

which

and from

kind of

it

this

This

fish

supports

browses, as

if it

shields

well cured these

shields are so strong that a ball from an arquebuss

not pass through them.

^

It soft

the females have their dugs, with which they

give sustenance to their young.

bullock

from a half

and the animal moves in the water with short

bristles, fins,

over

it

and

It is as large as a calf a year

head

its

all

the

all

sources to

its

would

itself solely

was in

on

reality a

circumstance the flesh derives so

truffle.

the manatee or vaca marina, a kind of porpoise, frequently

is

eight feet long, which abounds in the Amazons, and its affluents. " Pege''' " Like the cetaceous family to fish, and "^ziey," an ox.

or " pexe,'' a

which it belongs, it suckles its young, and also feeds among the grass on the banks of the rivers." Dr. A. Smith's Peru as It Is. Smyth caught one which was seven feet eight inches long. It took the united strength of at least forty

means of

ropes.

Smyth,

p. 197.

men

to

drag

it

out of the water by

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS, good a

and

flavour,

is

69

so nutritious, that a small quantity

more vigorous than

leaves a person better satisfied and

he had eaten double the amount of mutton. breath long under water

its

and thus,

;

up every now and then

rises

meets with

as

moment

goes along,

more

to obtain

total destruction, the

it

it

if

cannot keep

It

when

air,

it it

comes in sight of

enemy.

its

As soon and cut

kill it it

into

as the Indians see

they follow in small canoes,

it,

with harpoons which they make of

moderate sized

slices,

shells.

on a wooden gridiron, remain good

They preserve them throughout

for

more than

to season their

food

the ashes of a certain kind of palm, which

petre than

a month.

the year with ashes (which

are of great value), as they have not salt in

and that which they use

They

which, having been toasted

is

any quantity; is

made from

more

like salt-

salt.

26. The

and

turtles of the river,

hovj they keep them.

But although they cannot preserve

their food for a very

long time, they are not wanting in industry to procure fresh

meat throughout the winter, which, though as the above, is

more wholesome. For

it is

this

not sopalatable

purpose they make

large inclosures surrounded by poles, and completed inside so as to

form lakes of

little

depth, which always retain the

rain water.

Having

finished these at the time

to lay their eggs

when

the turtles go out

on the beach, the Indians also leave their

houses and, hiding themselves near the places most fre-

quented by the begin

to

turtles, wait until the creatures

come

forth,

and

occupy themselves in constructing a cave in which

to deposit eggs.

Then

the Indians

come

out,

and

station themselves at the

part of the beach by which the turtles have to

make

their

.

NEW

70 retreat to the

DISCOVERY OF THE

water, and falling

become masters

short time

upon them suddenly,

in a

many, with no other

of a great

trouble than turning them on their backs, thus rendering

them unable

to

move.

In

they have pierced holes in

They then

together. turtles

way they keep them

until

and strung them and tow the

get into their canoes,

without any trouble, until they have deposited them

which they had prepared

in the inclosures

them

this

all their shells,

loose in that

narrow prison

;

when they

let

and, feeding them on

;

branches and leaves of trees, keep them alive as long as they think

it

necessary.

These

turtles are as large as good-sized targets, their flesh

and the females, when they

tastes like tender beef;

kill

them,

have within their stomachs usually more than two hundred eggs each, some even more, and almost as good

as hen's eggs,

They are so fat that from only two a whole jar of grease may be taken, which, seasoned with salt, is as good, more palatable, and much more lasting though harder of digestion.

than that of beef. It

kind of dish,

for

is

useful for frying fish, and for any other

which purposes

and most delicate grease of

They

this will

be found the best

all.

collect these turtles in

such abundance that there

is

not an inclosure which does not contain upwards of a hundred.

Thus

these barbarians never

know what hunger

is,

for

one

turtle suffices to satisfy the largest family.

27. Methods of fishing used hy the Indians.

With kinds of

great ease do the inhabitants of this river enjoy fish

which are contained

hending that they

will

to-morrow

it

;

all

for never appre-

want anything on the following day,

they do not prepare the day before collect to-day, sustains

in

;

but that which they

them, and they reap another harvest

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

The mode

of fishing

difFerent, according to the variety

is

of seasons, and the rise or

fall

much

the waters subside so

71

Thus when

of the waters.

that the lakes are dried up,

without permitting communication with the river, they use

which in those parts they call arm more or less, and so strong

a kind of poisonous branch,

timbo, about the size of an that

two or three poles of

being broken to pieces, and the

it

water being beaten with them, scarcely have the of

its

strength, than they

come

all

fish tasted

and may

to the surface,

be caught with the hand.

But the usual way in which, at all times and on all become masters of as many fish as this

occasions, the Indians

supplying river sustains,

provision

with arrows, which

is

they discharge with one hand from a thin oval board which

and the arrows being fixed in the

they hold in

it,

board serves

as a

has retired, after place,

This

buoy, it

in

of fishing

fish,

nor small are privileged,

—

all,

it

into the

to the

canoe.

that neither large

are treated alike.

all

many kinds, they are very palatable,

and many have very peculiar properties

which the Indians ccdl^^arague, which pent, or, to speak

the

not confined to any particular kind

is

these fish are of so

They then rush

they drag

of fish, but extends so generally to

As

fish,

what direction the prey

has been wounded.

and grasping the

mode

shew

to

more properly,

like a

is

;

especially a fish

like a very large ser-

conger

whoever touches

peculiarity that, while alive,

eel. it

It has the

trembles

all

over his body, while a closer contact produces a feeling like the cold shiverings of ague

withdraws

;

which ceases the moment he

his hand.^

28.

Game It

may be

of the forest,

and

birds on Schick they feed.

that these Indians ^

The

now and then become

electric eel.

tired

NEW DISCOVERY

72

OF THE

of always feeding on fish alone, although so good^ and that

they

may have

many kinds

land with

Such

some kind of

a craving for

meat

flesh

accord-

:

has indulged their longing by peopling the

ingly nature

of game.

are the daiitas^

which are the

size of a

one year old

mule, and very like one in colour and disposition, while the

though a

taste of their flesh is like that of beef,

There are

a different kind, which have are

numerous

all

and wholesome

;

humps on their loins and they The flesh is very good ;

as is also that of

own domestic

There are

sweeter.

but quite

over the Indies.

another species of these

same animals, which are found in many like our

little

also wild hogs, not like those of Spain,

and are very

parts,

pigs.

also deer,

guinea pigs,

cotias,

guanas, yagois,

and other animals of the Indies, and of such excellent that they fall

little

There are partridges, domestic

in the plains,

foAvls in their

and the Indians breed

houses, which were

first

from Peru, and have gradually been spread river.

taste,

short of the most dainty dishes of Europe.

In the many lakes there are an

all

infinite

brought

along the

number of

ducks, and other water fowl.

When

the Indians desire to provide themselves with any

game, the most wonderful thing the chase occasions them, as

After arriving at the place

is

the

night, and after the friendly Indians selves in

making provision

time, they separated,

little

trouble which

we experienced in our voyage. Avhere we were to sleep for the

for

had employed them-

our lodging, which took some

— some on land with dogs

in search of

game, and others on the water, with only their bows and arrows. fish

In a few hours we saw them return, laden with

and game

party.

sufficient to satisfy the

hunger of the whole

This did not happen on any particular

during the whole time the voyage

lasted.

day,

It is a

but

marvel

worthy of admiration, and which can only be attributed 1

Tapirs, also frequently called the

"gran

bestia.''

to

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

73

who with only five loaves and thousand men remaining with free

the paternal care of that Lord, a few fishes fed five

arms and

;

hands, ready for

full

still

greater acts of beneficence.

29. Climate

The is

and temperature

climate of this river, and of

temperate

of the river.

all

the adjacent provinces,

so that the heat does not molest,

;

does not fatigue, neither

A

ther to annoy.

is

and the cold

there a continual change of wea-

certain kind of winter

may, however,

be distinguished, not caused by the variation of planets or the course of the sun, (which always rises and sets at the

same hour), but by the rising of the waters, which, by

damp

fruits of the earth.

parts of Peru, that the

by the harvests that we usually between winter and summer in those

It is

register the difference

call

their

vapours, impede during some months the seeds and

which experience various temperatures

whole time

in

which the earth produces

summer, and on the contrary we

the harvest

is

call the

;

fruit,

so

we

time in which

impeded by any cause, winter.

These harvests occur twice in the year on

this river, not

only as to the maize, one of the principal articles of food, but also as to all other seeds

proper to the country.

more adjacent

that the country

It

is

to the Cordilleras of

true

Quito

warmth than any other part of the river, as there are constant breezes which usually refresh the land near the sea coast and this warmth, when greatest, is equal to that of Guayaquil, Panama, or Carthagena, tempered, to a great extent, by continual showers almost every day enjoys more

:

;

and causing great advantage,

in all this land, in preserving

the food uncorrupted for a long time in our hosts, with

which we

;

as

we experienced

said mass. After five

a half s absence from Quito, they were as fresh as

only been

made

a few days, so that at the

months and if

they had

end of that period.

NEW

74

we had

DISCOVERY OF THE

how long they would last; a thing which astonished those who have endured the diflferent temperatures of the Indies, and who know by experience the not yet found out

which even things of more substance than these wafers, become corrupt in hot countries.

rapidity with

In

no dews which do any harm

this river there are

which

fact I

am

not pass the night in the open

it

was seldom that I did without ever having a

headache, as in other countries

moon used sometimes true that, at

it is

of

air,

time that I navigated this river,

ever

;

able to bear witness, for during the whole

to cause first,

;

but a small ray of the

How-

an unusual sensation.

almost every one

who came from

a colder country, suffered from quartan ague, but the patient,

many

with as

blood-lettings,

Neither are there, on

which with sudden such

became well

this

river,

again.

any

qualities disable those

as are felt, at the price of health

pestilential

whom

and sometimes of

in almost all the discovered parts of Peru. for the this

If

plague of mosquitoes which abound in

airs,

they hurt,

it

life,

were not

many

places,

country might be proclaimed with open mouth to be one

vast paradise.

30. Nature of

From

this

freshness of

the land,

and of medicinal

drugs.

mildness of the climate arises without doubt the all

the banks of this river, which, crowned with

various beautiful trees, appear to be continually delineating

new

countries, in

Although

for the

which nature brightens, and most part the land

is

low,

it

art is taught.

also has tolerably

high rising grounds, small plains clear of trees and covered with flowers, valleys which always retain moisture, and, in

more

name

distant parts, hills

which may properly receive the

of Cordilleras.

In the wild forests the natives have, for their sicknesses.

;

GRKAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. the best dispensary of medicines

found

;

the best sarsaparilla

great abundance

:

it is

is

gums and

scarcely a place

at

where

The wax, though

as food.

resins

In these forests too are the

every step, so

it is

not found,

black,

is

good, and

curing wounds

has no equal as a balsam

oil ;

of andirova, trees of price-

here too

is

the copaiba, which

here too are found a thousand

;

kinds of herbs and trees of very peculiar qualities

many

come

in

any other.

as well as

less value for

find

been

cassia, that has ever

healing

not only useful medicinally, but also very pleasant

and palatable burns

;

and honey of wild bees

abundant that there

and

for they collect the largest

;

purging

caiiafistula, or fruit of the

75

and

;

to

others a second Dioscorides or a third Pliny should

out, to investigate their properties.

31Tiviher

The woods

and

materials for

of this river are innumerable, so

reach to the clouds, so thick that

measured

a cedar with

in circumference.

my

They

it

wood

are nearly

building vessels. at less cost

In

that they

causes astonishment.

I

;

all

of such good

wood

there are cedars, cotton

and many others now made known

and proved

in those parts,

and

trees,

tall

hands, which was thirty pahnas

that better could not be desired trees, iron

shi2Js.

to

be the best in the world for

this river vessels

may be

built better

than in any other country, finished and

launched, without the necessity of sending anything from

Europe, except iron timber

which

;

Here,

for the nails.

as I

have

said, is

here are cables made from the bark of a certain tree,

will hold a ship in the heaviest gale

pitch and tar

;

here

is

oil,

;

here

here they can make excellent oakum which they for caulking the ships,

and

the string of an arquebuss

also there ;

is

as well vegetable as

here

is

is

excellent

from

call

fish

embira,

nothing better for

cotton for the sails

;

and

NEW DISCOVERY

76 here finally is

is

OF THE

a great multitude of people, so that there

nothing wanting, for building as

many

may be

vessels as

placed on the stocks.

32. valuable products

Of four

found on

the banks of this river.

There are on the banks of the great river of the Amazons four products, which,

first

of these

many fit

is

would undoubtedly be

if cultivated,

only one, but

sufficient to enrich not

the timber

many kingdoms.

The

of which, besides there being so

;

curious kinds, of great value

for building that while as

;

there are such quantities

much may be

cut as

is

wanted,

there will be the certainty that the supply can never be

exhausted.

The second kind

the cocoa, of which the banks of this

is

river are so full that in suffice, if cut, for

some places the wood of

lodging a whole army.

any difference between this

much valued

vated,

is

tree,

this

fruit in

New

There

It is clear

be cultivated on

;

which, when

third kind

if it

quires,

it

of those are

with what

this river,

little

all

culti-

all

all

is

the

expenses

labour these trees

may

when, without any help from

nature alone covers them with abundance of

found, in

and

would

scarcely

of such value that the trees, growing a foot apart,

are paid.

The

it

and that which yields

Spain

are every year worth eight silver rials, after

art,

is

fruit.

tobacco, of which great quantities are

country near the banks of

were cultivated with the care that

would be the best

who understand

in the world.

this

river,

this seed re-

In the opinion

the subject, the soil and climate

that can be desired to produce prolific harvests.

The product which, vated on this river

is

in

my

view, ought to be most culti-

sugar, which

is

the fourth kind.

the most noble, most productive, most pertain, and

valuable

to

the royal crown

;

It is

most

and many farms ought

to

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

77

be established, which in a short time would restore the on the Brazilian

losses

much

purpose neither

this

much labour would be necessary, nor, what more dreaded, much outlay, for the land for

time nor

now-a-days sugar cane

is

is

the most productive in

testify

who have

never

last

visited those parts

on the banks of

to raise sugar cane

whole vast length, from meeting with signs of

its

work

it

future increase,

will

is

at

hand,

it

be a new thing

it

this river

for along its

;

we were always

seemed from that time

when

which

floods,

so fertile that

it

sources,

first

it

we can

mills should

to

give

be established

These would not be expensive, because

it.

is

its

so that

:

necessary timber

Copper

and the

;

Nor

be too rich.

to

Brazil, as

all

more than a few days, leave

might be thought

to

For

coast.

all

with water in abundance.

alone wanting, which with great ease might be

supplied from Spain, in anticipation of the rich return which

would be afterwards received.

Of

other valuable products.

Not only may these four products be promised, from this newly discovered land, to supply the whole world but ;

there are also

would not others,

is

many

fail

to

though in

less quantities,

enrich the royal crown.

Such, among

others, which,

the cotton which

is

picked in abundance

uruca^ which gives the best dye, and

much

is

foreigners; the fruit of the cassia; the sarsaparilla

which

rival the best balsams in curing

sweet resins

which

is

;

the agave,^

plentiful,

wounds

whence the

and many others

;

;

the

best cord

which

;

the

valued by

is

;

the oils

gums and obtained,

necessity, or the

desire of riches, are bringing to light every day. ^

Achiote, heart- leaved bixa or anotta.

^

The American

aloe.

NEW

78

DISCOVERY OF THE

34The

now treat

I will

which I heard

in

riches of this river.

numerous mines of gold and silver of the newly discovered land, and which will of the

assuredly be discovered hereafter does

not

Peru, although the famed

hill

my judgment

these, if

:

me, are richer than

deceive

the

all

mines of

of Potosi should be included

:

nor do I state this without foundation, as an idea arisen solely,

as

some may think, from a desire

glories of this river; but

my

and experience.

I

in possession of

These

statement

is

to

magnify the

founded on reason

have in the gold which we found

some of the Indians of

this river,

whom we

met, and in the information they gave us concerning their mines.

The

following argument arose out of what I then saw and

heard.

The

river of the

Amazons

receives affluents from

On

richest lands of America.

all

the

the south side, mighty rivers

which descend, some from the neighbourhood of Potosi, others from

Huanuco, and the Cordillera near the

Lima, others from Cuzco, and others from the land most famous for gold,

is

all

numbers of

J.eJbaros,

fall into

city of

which

the Amazons.

Thus, on

this side, vast

and

fountains flow towards the ocean, throughout the

little

rivers, springs, brooks,

space of six hundred leagues between Potosi and Quito, and all

pay homage

In

like

to this great river of

manner

all

Amazons.

those which descend from

New Grenada,

not inferior in their yield of gold to the others, are affluents of this great river.

— the

riches of Peru, well

of

all

those riches.

Amazons then is the chief street, by which to ascend to the greater

If the

principal road

may

I affirm that she is the chief master

If the lake of

which common opinion

Dorado contains the gold

attributes to

it

;

if,

as

many

affirm.

;

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. the

Amazons inhabit the

79

country in the world;

I'ichest

if

the

Tocantins are so famous for their gokl and precious stones if the

Omaguas were

Peru dispatched of

them

;

then

river of the

famous

so

a force under

all

this

wealth

Here

Amazons.

Pedro de Ursua

now

is

is

finally is deposited the

Majesty of

God keeps

in search

shut up in the great

the lake of Dorado, here the

nation of Amazons, here the Tocantins, here the

and here

;

Viceroy of

for riches that a

Omaguas,

immense treasure which the King and Lord,

to enrich our great

Philip IV. 35The discovered land

is

four thousand leagues in circumference.

This vast empire, according

to

good cosmography,

thousand leagues in circumference, and aggerate

much

;

I

four

is

do not think I ex-

for if in the longitude alone there are

one

thousand three hundred and fifty-seven carefully measured leagues, and according to Orellana,

who was

gate the mail} stream, eighteen hundred

which enters

it

the

and

first to

navi-

if

each river

on one side or the other, according

to the best

information from the natives

who

;

inhabit their mouths, ex-

tends two hundred leagues, and some even four hundred,

without ever reaching a Spanish settlement, and always passing different Indian nations

;

we must

four hundred leagues of breadth in

the

certainly allow

narrowest part

which, with one thousand three hundred and

fifty-six, or

according to Orellana, one thousand eight hundred of longitude, will give for the circumference, according arithmetic, very

to

good

than four thousand leagues, as I

little less

stated.

36. The multitude of

All this

new world,

tribes^

if

and

we may

of different nations.

call it so, is

inhabited

by

NEW DISCOVERY OF THE

80

barbarians, in distinct provinces and nations, of which I

am

enabled to give an account, naming them and pointing out their residences,

some from

my own observations,

and others

from information of the Indians.

They exceed one hundred and These nations are

languages.

fifty,

all

with diiFerent

so near each other, that

from

the last villages of one they hear the people of the other at

But

work.

this

proximity does not lead

to

peace

contrary, they are engaged in constant wars, in kill

This

and take prisoners great numbers of is

;

on the

which they

souls every day.

the drain provided for so great a multitude, without

which the whole land would not be large enough

to

hold

them.

But though, among themselves, they are so warlike, none them shewed courage to face Spaniards, as I observed throughout the voyage, in which the Indians never dared of

to use

any defence against us, except that of

flight.

They

navigate in vessels so light that, landing, they carry them on their shoulders, and,

conveying them

lakes near the river, laugh at any vessels, is

to

one of the numerous

enemy who, with heavier

unable to follow the same example.

37-

Arms which

the

Lidians

use.

Their arms consist of short spears, and darts made of strong

wood, well sharpened, and which, thrown with dexterity, easily reach the enemy. Others have estolicas, weapons with which the warriors of the Incas of Peru were very dexterous.

These

estolicas are flattened poles,

and three fingers broad.

about a yard long,

In the upper end a bone

is

fixed, to

which an arrow of nine palmos is fastened, with the point also of bone or very strong palm wood, which, worked into the shape of a harpoon, remains like a javelin hanging from the person

whom

it

wounds.

They hold

this in the right

GREAT RIVER OF

81

AMAZOIS'S.

hand, with the cstolica clutched by the lower part, and fixing the weapon in

the upper

tremendous force and with

They

they never miss.

bone, they hurl so

good an aim,

it

with such

that at fifty paces

with these arms, with them they

fight

hunt, and with them they become masters of any fish that

What

are hidden under the waves.

is

more wonderful, with

these arrows they transfix the turtles, when, from time to

time and for a very few moments, they shew their heads

The arrow

above the water.

aimed

is

They

the only part clear of the shell. their defence,

made

which, though very

at the

neck, which

is

also use shields for

of strong canes tightly

sewn together, which

light, are not so strong as those

I

mentioned before, made of the skin of the pegehuetj.

Some of these nations use bows and arrows, a weapon which, among all the others, is respected for the force and rapidity with which

it inflicts

of which some tribes stained with

it,

wounds.

make

destroys

Poisonous herbs are plentiful,

a poison so fatal, that an arrow,

life

the

moment

that

it

draws blood.

38. Their means of comimmication are by

All those collected

in

who

live

on the shores of

large villages, and,

Mexicans, their

v-ater,

this great river are

the Venetians

like

and

means of communication are by water,

of cedar wood, which the providence of supplies, without the labour of cu.tting

the forest; sending

it

down with the

in

These are usually

small vessels which they call canoes.

to

in canoes.

it

God abundantly

or carrying

it

from

current of the river,which,

supply their wants, tears the trees from the most distant

Cordilleras of Peru, and places habitations,

them

at the

doors of their

where each Indian may choose the piece of

timber which suits him best.

among such an

infinity

It is

worthy of remark that

of Indians, each

wanting

at least

one or two trees for his family, whence to make one or

NEW

82 two canoes

it

;

DISCOVERY OF THE

should cost no further labour than just

out to the banks of the river, throw a lasso tree

is

floating past,

and convey

it

to the threshold

;

remains secure until the waters have subsided

it

to

when

;

go the

where

when

each man, applying his industry and labour, manufactures the vessel which he requires.

39The

The but

tools

which they

tools

which they use

also their

to

use.

make not only

their canoes,

houses and anything else they require, are

hatchets and adzes, not forged in the smithies of Biscay, but

manufactured in the forges of their understanding, having, as in other things, necessity for their master.

By

it

they are taught to cut from the hardest part of the

which covers the

shell of the turtle,

pahno

long, and a

little less

and sharpened with a this hatchet,

they require.

breast, a plate about a

in breadth, which, cured in

stone, they fix into a handle.

smoke

With

though not with much rapidity, they cut what

Of

the

same material they make

their adzes,

which the jaw bone of the pegebuey serves as a handle, which nature formed in a curved shape, adapted for such a

to

purpose.

With

these tools they

work

as perfectly, not only in the

manufacture of their canoes, but seats,

and other things,

as if

also of their tables, boards,

they were the best instruments

of Spain.

Amongst some of the tribes these hatchets are made of stone, which, worked by hand, are finer, and run less risk of breaking than those made of turtle shell, and cut down any tree for

however thick

it

may

be.

Their chisels, and gouges,

delicate work, are made of the teeth of animals fitted wooden handles, which do their work as well as those

more

into

of fine steel.

Nearly

all

the tribes possess cotton, some

GREAT RIVEU OF AMAZONS. more, some

Most

but they do not

less,

of them go about naked,

all

use

—

both

for

it

83

making

clothes.

men and women,

ex-

cepting that natural modesty obliges them not to appear as if

they were in a state of innocence.

40.

Of

The

their rites,

and of

the

gods they adore.

rites of all these infidels are

They

almost the same.

worship idols which they make with their own hands; buting power over the waters

to

attri-

some, and, therefore, place

a fish in their hands for distinction; others they choose as lords

of the harvests

as gods of their battles. They down from Heaven to be their do them good. They do not use any

and others

;

say that these gods came

companions, and

ceremony

in

to

worshipping them, and often leave them forgot-

when they become

ten in a corner, until the time

thus

when they

bows of victory; is

are going

to

;

war, they carry an idol in the

canoes, in which they place their hopes of

their

and when they go out

fishing, they take the idol which

charged with dominion over the waters

trust in the

necessary

one or the other so

much

;

but they do not

as not to recognize

another mightier God.

from what happened with one of these

I gathered this

Indians, who having heard something of the power of our

God, and seen with

up the

his

own

river, and, passing

eyes that our expedition went

through the midst of so many

warlike nations, returned without receiving any damage

;

judged that it was through the force and power of the God who guided

us.

He,

therefore,

came with much anxiety

to

beseech

the captain and ourselves, that, in return for the hospitality

he had shewn

us,

we would

leave

him one

of our gods,

who

would protect him and his people in peace and safety, and There were assist them to procure all necessary provisions. not wanting those

who wished

to console

him by leaving

in

NEW

84

DISCOVERY OF THE

which the

village, the standard of the cross, a thing

his

Portuguese were accustomed

to

do among the

infidels,

with so good a motive as would appear from the action

The

sacred

wood

not

itself.

of the cross served to give colour to the

greatest injustice, such as the continual slavery of the poor

Indians,

whom, like meek lambs, they

houses, to

carried in flocks to their

some, and treat the others with cruelty.

sell

These

Portuguese raise the cross, and in payment of the kind

ment of the natives when they

visit their villages,

treat-

they

fix it

in the most conspicuous place, charging the Indians always to

keep

it

intact.

By some

accident, or through the lapse

of time, or purposely because these infidels do not care for it,

the cross

Presently the Portuguese pass sentence,

falls.

and condemn

all

the inhabitants of the village to perpetual

slavery, not only for their lives, but for the lives of all their

descendants.

For

this reason I did

the holy cross

;

and

not consent that they should plant

also that

who had asked us for a god, ting to the wood the power However,

I

it

might not give the Indian,

occasion for idolatry, by attribuof the Deity

who redeemed

consoled him by assuring him that our

us.

God

would always accompany him, that he should pray to him for what he wanted, and that some day he would be brought to a true knowledge of him. This Indian was well persuaded that the gods of his people earth,

and he wished

were not the most powerful on

for a greater one, to obey.

41.

An

With

Indian would make himself God.

the same understanding as the above, though with

more malice, another Indian displayed his could not recognize any power or deity

intellect.

declared himself to be the god of that land. of this

man some

leagues before

As he

in his idols,

we reached

We

he

had notice

his habitation

;

GREAT UIVER OF AMAZONS.

85

and, dispatching news that avc brought a true and more power

God, we asked him

ful

to

wait our arrival.

our vessels had scarcely arrived to

know

the

But though

new God, he came it

was declared

did so, and

banks, when, eager

out in person to ask for him.

him who the true God was him with his eyes, he remained

to

because he was unable to see in his blindness,

at the

He

;

making himself out

be a child of the

to

sun, whither he declared he went every night, the better to

arrange for the government of the following day.

Such was

the malice and pride of this Indian.

Another shewed a better understanding, when asked why companions were retiring into the

his

forests,

apprehensive

of the vicinity of the Spaniards, while he alone with a few relations

He

came out

fearlessly to place himself in our power.

answered that he considered that

^ho had once many enemies,

a people

gone up the river through the midst of

so

and returned without any hindrance, could not be lords of this great river,

and occupy to

it

;

and

less

often return to navigate

was

he did not want always

as this

so,

be attacking them under the shade of night

;

but

to

them, and recognize them from that time as friends others would be forced

than

who would

to receive

ble discourse, which, should

God

;

know while

This was a sensi-

them.

permit

it,

we

shall

some

day see put into execution.

42.

Of

their sorcerers.

Following the thread of our narrative, and returning the rites of these people

;

it is

worthy of notice that they

hold their sorcerers in very great estimation, not so account of the love they bear them, as for the dread

they always live of the harm they are able

to

much on in

and speak

to the

which

do them.

These sorcerers usually have a house, where they their superstitious rites,

to all

practise

demon; and where.

;

NEW DISCOVERY

86

OF THE

with a certain kind of veneration, the Indians keep

bones of dead sorcerers, as

They suspend

These men are

and

hammocks,

these bones in the same

the sorcerers had slept

cillors,

they were relics of

if

when

in

the

all

saints.

which

alive.

their teachers, their preachers, their coun-

They

their guides.

and the Indians resort

to

them

receive poisonous herbs with

assist

them

in their doubts,

in their wars, that they

which

may

vengeance on

to take

their enemies.^ differ among the their Some preserve them in own houses, Indian tribes. always retaining the memory of the dead in their minds.

Their methods of interring their dead

Others burn in great

fires

that the deceased possessed

not only the body, but also

when

all

Both the one and

alive.

the other celebrate the obsequies of their dead, for days, with constant mourning, interrupted

many

by great drink-

insT bouts.

43These Indians are of mild dispositions.

These

tribes of infidels

features,

have good dispositions, with

and are of a colour not

They have

clear

so

understandings,

They

any manual dexterity.

found in those who once met

are us,

dark

fine

as those of Brazil.

and rare

meek and

abilities

for

gentle, as

was

conversed with us confi-

dently, and eat and drank with us, without ever suspecting

They gave

anything. all

us their houses to live in, while they

lived together in one or two of the largest in the village

and though they suffered much mischief from our friendly Indians, without the possibility of avoiding

returned

it

by

evil acts.

^

The

sorcerers of the iKiyes.

they never

All this, together with the slight

inclination they display to worship their

were called

it,

own

gods, gives

Tupi Indians, at the mouth of the Amazons,

Each one

lived alone, in a dark hut.

GREAT UIVER OF AMAZONS. great hope that,

87

they received notice of the true Creator

if

of heaven and earth, they would embrace His holy law with hesitation.

little

44-

and

Treats especially of the affairs of the river, into

Up

have spoken, in general terms, of

to this point I

things touching this great river of

now

to

into

it,

which

descend to

to particulars,

enumerate

it is

the heights on

its

will

it

be well

by mark

to

view the lands near

it,

nothing that

is

to

its

various

worthy

be

to

an eye-witness and a person sent by his

as

Majesty on purpose to

;

to describe the entrances

banks, to notice the qualities of

tribes, and, finally, to leave

known, which,

Amazons

and

all

ports, to inquire into the waters

its

open

fed, to

of the entrances

it.

examine everything, I

to

shall

be able

do better than others. I do not here treat of the principal entrance into this

river

well

by the ocean, near the

known

to all

who wish

under the equator, shall I

came

it

It is ate, as

Gran Para

;

extreme

for this

is

which are

limits of Brazil.

Nor

mention that by which the tyrant Lope de Aguirre

La Trinidad

out, in front of

and the give

at the

coast of

to sail to those parts,

river

is

not entered by

for

;

it,

it is

out of the way,

having other streams

to

birth.

only

my intention

with a finger,

all

to

bring out clearly, and to enumer-

the ports

by which, from the promay make

vinces of Peru, the inhabitants of those conquests sure of entering this great river before,

many

sides of

its

necessary to

others of great

banks sail,

;

with which, as I said

on the currents of which

it

would be

But

in order to reach this principal river.

as it is not certainly

they derive their

;

volume communicate from both

first

known from what origin, neither

positively of their entrances.

I

is

cities or it

provinces

possible to treat

am, however, able

to

do

NEW DISCOVERY

88 this of

some

eight, concerning

OF THE

which no one, having

come from

new kingdom

the

of Granada,

respect to this river, on the north side south, and one from the equator

Of

The

the three ivays

first

of Granada,

;

which

known

with

is,

itself.

which lead from the

neio

kingdom.

new kingdom

immense

to lead to this

by the province of

know-

come from the

four

entrance which, on the side of the is

a

Three of these

ledge of this country, can find difficulty.

sea of fresh

which belongs to the Government of Popayan by following the current of the great river Caqueta, which is the lord and master of all the streams which flow from the side of Santa Fe de Bogota, Timana, and El Caguan, and which are famed, among the water,

is

IVIicoa,

;

natives, for the vast provinces of infidels

This river has

banks. districts,

and, as

it

many branches all

inhabited by

It flows, for a great distance, in the

Amazons, accompanying that to

river,

savages.

same direction

though

at

some

forms

it

many

as the

distance,

time sending forth branches, which might

well be the main streams of any other great river. collects all its force in 4° of latitude,

By

on their

live

approaches to join the Amazons,

a great multitude of islands,

and from time

who

flowing through wide

one of the branches which

is

Finally

and surrenders

it

itself.

nearest to the province

Aguas or flat-heads, is the way by which it is necescome out, in order to enjoy the grandeur of our great river of Amazons for if any one should attempt those which incline more to the north, the same would happen to him as of the

sary to

;

befell Captain

starting

Fernan Perez de Quesada,

in times past,

from the direction of Santa Fe, entered

this river

who, with

hundred men, and reached the province of Algodonal, but was obliged to retreat faster than he had come.^ three

^

According to other authorities his name was Francisco Perez de

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

The second hy the

is

89

entrance to this river, on the nofthern side,

city of Paste,

the jurisdiction of Popa-

also in

whence, traversing the Cordillera with some

yan,

culty owing- to the bad road, on foot, for

it is

diffi-

impossible

on horseback, reaching the Putumayo, and navigating

downward tliirty

would reach the Amazons

course, explorers

2° 30' south latitude

;

at a distance of three

By

leagues from the port of Napo.

from the

starting, as I said,

its

city of Paste

in

hundred and

this

same road,

and crossing the

would approach the Sucumbios, who are not from the river called Aguarico, otherwise the " river of

Cordillera, they far

By

gold".

on the

line itself, at the

Encabellados, which

Napo,

Amazons may be reached almost commencement of the province of the

this river, the

This

is

is

ninety leagues from the said port of

the third

way by which

be entered from the northern

may

the great river

side.

46. Other means of entrance.

The port

for this great river,

which

is

on the equator,

is

in

the government of Quijos, near Quito, and in the territory

of the Cofanes; whence,

by the

river of Coca, the principal

channel of our river of Amazons current, until so

good

its

course.

best,

is

as

it

it

the entrances, the

of Quijos; whence, is

proached the

of

in the

all,

by three days journey on

j-urisdiction of Quito.

lie explored the territory to

is

not

though not the

same government land, the river

reached, by which the Portuguese

fieet

This river empties

between the rivers Napo and Coca, Quesada.

navigation

in the southern part of

first

by the settlement of Avila,

Payamino

The

meets with the Napo.

becomes lower doAvn,

Of

traced by the strong

is

at that point

ap-

itself

which

is

the eastward of Popayau iu

\^61, and was appointed governor of the eountry of the Cofanes Indians,

by the Viceroy of Peru.

—

NEW DISCOVERY

90

OF THE

" the Confluence of the rivers", distant twenty-five

called

We

leagues from the port of Napo. trance for this

fleet,

discovered a better en-

on the return voyage, than that which

much

they had found on ascending the river, though with labour and

It

loss.

was found

to

be by way of the

city of

Archidona, also in the government of Quijos, and jurisdiction of Quito

whence, by only one day's journey on

;

winter (for in

we

summer

it

may be performed on

foot in

horse-back),

reached the port of Napo, on a powerful river, in which

the inhabitants of that province have

all their

treasure, taking

every year from the shores, in gold, that which they require for their expenses.^

and

trouble

This ble,

persons

that from

which

is

is

who wish

to

ent of the

is

ease

and

little

least trou-

navigate the river of

the province of Quito.

Quito, at

fish,

good, and with

of fruit.

Ama-

It is also

near the town of Ampato,

or

eighteen leagues from the city

Riobamba, there

its

The land

by which, with most

the road

is

may descend from

zons,

in

waters are well supplied with

would yield plenty

all

said

Its

banks with game.

its

itself,

on the road

an entrance by a river which

is

an

Amazons, without any impediment caused by

course.

This

way is very convenient

said river, about seventy-seven leagues

to

afflufalls

for entering the

below the port of

Napo, by which the whole of the journey through Quijos

is

avoided.^

47Other entrances into this river.

By the way of the province of Macas, which is under the same jurisdiction, and from the sierras of which the torrents which form the river Curaray descend, there is another en^

The gold washiDgs

of the river

also obtained in the sands of

Napo

most of

are

still

famous

its tributaries.

;

and gold

is

Report of SeTtor

Villavicencio. ^

By

the river Curaray, which

is

navigable for a considerable distance.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

91

trance to the Amazons, in 2° of latitude, and one hundred

and

fifty

leagues from

peopled by various

Napo

the intervening territory being

;

This

tribes.

the seventh

is

way

to this

river.

The eighth

is

by " Santiago of the

vince of Maynas ; a land which

non, and at

its

This river

mouth by is

principal one,

4"",

navigation

its

where

many savage

empties

itself into

the

dreaded, as well on account

is

who

tribes

are zealous for the honour of

would overcome greater priests of

my

to

infest

it.

But those who

God, and the welfare

of souls,

In quest of these objects,

difficulties.

order, in the beginning of the year 1638,

entered the country of Maynas letters, in

and

it

depth, as for the violent current, and the rumours con-

cerning

two

Tumburagua.

that of

such that^ for more than three hundred

leagues from the place, in

its

and the pro-

which feeds the Amazons, under the name of Mara-

rivers

of

forests",

drained by one of the largest

is

;

whom

from

which they did not cease

to

I received

enhance

its

many

grandeur,

speak of the innumerable provinces, of which every

day they continued

to receive information.^

This river unites

with the main stream of the Amazons, two hundred and thirty leagues

from the port of Napo.

48. T/ie river of

Napo.

This river of Napo, so frequently mentioned by me, has its

source in the skirts of a mountain called Antezana, eight-

teen leagues from the city of Quito equator, rise

it is

wonderful, that, like

up above the inhabited

always covered with snow.

The

intrepid missionaries,

and, though so near the

many

other peaks which

parts of these provinces,

The

temper the heat which, according ^

;

named

it is

Cordilleras thus serve to to St.

Augustine, neces-

Cujia and Cueva, wlio reached

Borja, in Maynas, on the Gth of February, 1G38.

(See Introduction.)

NEW

92

DISCOVERY OF THE

sarily renders these lands of the torrid

but with

perate and agreeable of

zone uninhabitable

:

they become the most tem-

this cooling process,

the countries which have been

all

discovered.

This river of

Napo

masses of rock, and

where the

for their Indians. like,

is

citizens of

to

not navigable until

it

This

is

shoul-

its

but, from this point, for four or

;

its

former fury, until

The united stream

and becomes tranquil, offering vessels.

reaches the port

bear a few ordinary canoes on

does not forget

with the river Coca.

it

becomes more humane, and less war-

ders, conveying provisions five leagues, it

source, between great

its

Archidona have established the hamlet

Here

and consents

flows from

a

has great depth,

good passage

the junction of rivers

unites

it

for larger

where Francisco de

Orellana, with his party, built the barque with which he

navigated this river of the Amazons.

49Here they

killed

Forty-seven leagues from

Captain Palacios.

this

union of waters, on the south

Anete, the settlement which captain Juan de Palacios

side, is

made, who was killed by the natives,

as I said before

eighteen leagues from Anete, on the north side,

is

the

:

and

mouth

known, both for its unhealthy climate, and for the gold which is found in it from which it also takes the name of the " golden river. "^ At both sides of the river Aguarico, well

',

of

its

mouth, the great province of the Encahellados com-

mences

;

which, extending in a northerly direction for more

than one hundred and eighty leagues, and always having the advantage of the waters which the great river of

Ama-

its rise in the Cayambe mountains, and forms boundary between the modern Republics of Ecuador and New Report of Granada. It is famous for its productive gold washing. ^

The Aguarico takes

the

iSehor Villavicencio.

;

^13

GREAT RIVKR OF AMAZONS. zons spreads into wide lakes

information respecting

it,

05

has, Irom the first receipt of

;

excited ardent desires to subject

the whole to the jurisdiction of Quito.

Several expeditions

were made with

under captain Juan

this object,

but the

last,

de Palacios, met with a disastrous termination, as

we have

before seen.

50Province of the Encahellados.

In

this province, at the

hellados,

which

is

Here

the Portucjuese fleet remained.

mouth of the

more than

forty soldiers of the Portuguese expedition, with

three hundred Indian friends,

company, remained at first

Enca-

river of the

twenty leagues below that of Aguarico,

whom

they brought in their

for a space of eleven

Though

months.

they were on friendly terms with the natives of the

country, and received the necessary supplies from them

such confidence did not long endure in the breasts of those

who were the

yet influenced

by the rage which led them

blood of a Spanish captain

;

and

shed

to

as they also

sought

vengeance against the present invaders, they rebelled with slight cause, and, killing three of our Indians, placed

selves in an attitude to defend their persons

Portuguese were not idle

and

still less

desired to

accustomed

commence

They took up upon them more than

the

;

to

and being

far

them-

and lands. The

from long-suffering,

such liberties from Indians, they

work of punishment

presently.

their arms, and, with their usual vigour, fell

in such sort that, with few deaths, they collected sixty persons alive,

and kept them prisoners

some being dead, and others escaped, not one was

left.

until

The

Portuguese squadron was now placed in such a position that if

they wished

to eat,

the enemy, or perish.

they must .seek food from the hands of

They determined

to

make

forays into

the country, and forcibly rid themselves of their difficulty.

Some entered

the forest, others remained behind, and both

n NEW

QQ

DISCOVERY OF THE

one and the other party did not cease

enemy, who continued

to

do them

all

to

be molested by the

the mischief in their

They attacked their vessels, destroying some, and breaking up those which were most frail nor was this the for they also least damage that was received from them power.

;

;

attacked our friendly Indians in the forests, beheading those

who

into their

fell

hands

though the Portuguese payed

;

them with three times the number of their own lives, for one of ours, a slight chastisement compared with those which

—

the Portuguese are accustomed to inflict in similar cases.

The

first

Spaniard

who

discovered

the

Encabellados,^

them by that name because of the long hair, worn both by men and women, which in some instances reached below called

Their arms are darts, their habitations are straw

the knees. huts,

and

their food the

same

They

are continually at

which

are the Sehos, Becahas,

as other tribes

on the

river.

war with the surrounding Tamas, and Rumos.

tribes,

To

the

south of this province of the Encdbellados, are the Auxiras,

Yumsuties, Zaparas,^ and Yquitos, whose territory is inclosed

between the rivers Napo and Curaray, down

where they unite in one, which river of the Encahellados ,

to the point

forty leagues from

is

and almost

the

in 2° of latitude.

The river Tuinluragua.

Eighty leagues from the Curaray, on the same famous river Tumburagua empties

itself;

side, the

which, as I said

Maynas, with the name of Maranon. makes itself respected by the river of Amazons, insomuch

before, descends from It

that with

its

united force

it

forms for

than a league in breadth, by which of the greater river, paying

of

its * ^

it

it

itself a

mouth of more hand

enters to kiss the

not only the ordinary tribute

waters, but another very abundant one of

This was Father Rafael Ferrer, in 1608. See ante, See list of Indian tribes, at the end of the volume.

many

p.

kinds

52 (note).

^

CxU KAT

of

95

which were not known in the Amazons,

fish,

the

RIVEK OF AMAZONS.

mouth

until

reaches

it

of this river.

51Province of the Aguas,

Sixty leagues below the Tumburagua, commences the best

and broadest province of any that we met with on great river, which

Aguas, commonly called more than two hundred leagues

that of the

is

This province

Omagicas.

is

long, with settlements so close together, that one

when another comes

sight of

lost

seems

in view.

is

scarcely

Its

breadth

be small, not more than that of the river

to

the islands, w^hich are

numerous and some very

Indians have their dwelling places.

it

This tribe

on the

and in

Considering that

may be imagined how numerous

who support

;

large, the

these islands are peopled, or at least cultivated, natives,

this

all

by these

the Indians are

themselves from so plentiful a country. is

the most intelligent and best governed of any

They owe

river.

these advantages to those

who

were living peacefully, not many years ago, in the govern-

ment of Quijos

;

river until they

who, having been

ill-treated,

descended the

met with the great body of

their nation,

and, introducing amongst them some of the things they had

learned amongst the Spaniards, the tribe became somewhat

more

civilized.

and women cultivate,

but

;

They

and the

all

go about decently clothed, both

latter,

weave not only the

much more, which

cloths they require themselves,

serves as an article of barter with the

neighbouring nations, who have good reason

work of such cunning weavers. ^

It

is

men

from the quantity of cotton they

to

They make very

necessary to explain here that this river of

value the beautiful

Tumburagua

(or

main stream of the Amazons and that the stream which Acuna called by that name, is merely the lower part of Mai-aiion)

the Napo.

is

really the

;

NEW DISCOVERY

96 cloths, not only

with great

woven

skill.

OF THE

in different colours, but also painted

These Indians are

cipal chiefs, that a single

word

is

form whatever they are ordered

so obedient to their prin-

make them perThey all have flattened

sufficient to

to do.

women

heads, Avhich causes ugliness in the men, but the

conceal

it

when

The custom

better with their abundant tresses.

of flattening their heads

is

so confirmed

amongst them, that

the children are born they are placed in a press, a small

board being secured on the forehead, and another one

at the

and

to re-

back of the head, so large ceive the whole of the is

placed with

its

as to serve as a cradle,

body of the new-born

The

child

back upon the larger board, and secured so

tightly to the other one, that the

become

infant.

as flat as the

back and front of the head

palm of the hand

;

and, as these tighten-

ings have the effect of making the head increase at the sides,

becomes deformed

in such a

way, that

it

more

looks

ill-shaped Bishop's mitre, than the head of a

human

like

with the Curinas,

who

On

the south,

an

being.

These Aguas are engaged in constant wars on both of the river, with strange tribes.

it

among

sides

others,

are so numerous, that not only are

they able to defend themselves on the side of the river, against the infinite

numbers of the Aguas, but

at the

time they keep up a war against the other nations, continually attacking

them from

Aguas have for who, according to good these

less

inland.

On

same

who

are

the north side,

adversaries a tribe called Ticunas, authority, are not less

numerous

or

brave than the Curinas, for they also wage wars against

their neiuhbours inland.

52. IIoio they use the slaves they capture.

These Aguas supply the slaves they capture in

their battles

with everything they want, becoming so fond of them that

GREAT RIVER OF A^IAZONS.

97

much annoyed we saw by experience

they eat with them out of one plate, and are if

asked to

them, a thing which

sell

When we

on many occasions.

arrived at a village of these

not only peacefully, but with

Indians, they received us

dances and signs of great joy ; they offered support, with great liberality cloths, treating

which are

to

they had, for our

with us also for the hire of those canoes,

them

on naming their opus hie labor

all

they cheerfully gave us woven

;

which they

as fleet horses, in

slaves,

est ;"

and asking them

to sell

here was the point of disagreement

was the subject which made them sorrowful

;

arrangements for concealing them, and then

it

managed

them out of our

to place

feel the sale of

;

here

then appeared

was that they

reach.

These are sure signs that they value

and

travel ; but them, " hoc

them more, than

all

their slaves

more,

the rest of the things

they possess. Let no one say that their dislike to selling these Indians, their slaves, arises from a desire to eat them in their drinking bouts, which,

very

little

though a common saying, has

foundation, being invented by the Portuguese to

give a colour to their injustice.

As

far

as

this

nation

is

concerned, I inquired of two

who had come up with these same Portuguese, and were natives of Para. They had been taken prisoners by these Indians

Aguas, with

whom

they lived for eight months, and

whom

they accompanied in some of their wars (a time long enough to

judge of their

habits).

These men assured me that they

had never seen them eat their slaves. What they did with the principal and most valiant prisoners was, to kill them in their festivals and general meetings, dreading that they

might do them greater injury

if

they preserved their lives

:

and, having thrown the bodies into the river, they pre-

served the heads as trophies in their houses, which were those which

we

often

I do not wish to this river,

met with throughout the voyage.

deny that there

is

who, on occasions, do not

a race of cannibals on feel disgust at eating

NEW

98

human

flesh

which

that

;

DISCOVERY OF THE

that the flesh of Indians

meat market,

I

is

wish

make

my

persuade

readers

is,

not to be found in every public

who, on pretence of preventing

as those declare

like cruelty,

to

slaves of those

who

Indians

are born

free.

53-

Of a

At

cold district, in tohich wheat might be groxon.

a distance of a

from the

first

hundred leagues,

settlements of these

more or

(a little

Aguas

less),

(which are 3° from

the equator), in about the centre of this wide province,

we remained three days, and even those who were born and bred

reached a village where so cold that

coldest parts of Spain, found clothes.

Such

a

it

if it

me

was an extraordinary thing that

every year for a space of three moons

which

in the

sudden change of temperature surprised me,

in their village, they assured

count),

we was

necessary to put on additional

and, having asked the natives

experienced

it

is

this

the

same

it

was not

so,

but that

(for it is

thus that they

as to say three

months, they

weather, which, according to their

cold

account, was in June, July and August.

But

as I

was not

yet quite satisfied with their account, I desired, with

more

accuracy, to investigate the cause of such penetrating cold

and

I

south side (inland), whence during the winds blow, which are frozen sierra is covered,

all

those three months

by the snow with which the

and which are the cause of

surrounding country.

This being the

fact,

this cold in the

there can be no

doubt that very good wheat might be grown in well as

;

found that there was a great sierra situated on the

all

the other seeds

and fruits which the

this place, as

district of

produces, though situated under the equinoctial line similar winds, passing across snon^y mountains, like marvellous cflTects.

;

Quito

where

produce the

CHEAT

lllVER OF

AMAZONS.

99

54The river Piitumayo, and of

the nations

on

hanks,

its

and on

the

banks of the river Yctaib.

Sixteen leagues from these villages, on the north side, the

mouth

of the great river

Putumayo, well known

is

in the

province of Popayan, for being so mighty a river, that, before emptying itself into the Amazons,

The

other great rivers.

Xza.

kingdom of Granada

natives, in that country, call

;

much

contains

banks are well peopled with

the Spaniards

some

receives thirty it

the

new we are

descends from the Cordilleras of Pasto, in the

It

told, its

it

haste.

who descended it The names of the

gold; and, as

Infidels: for

which reason

a few years ago, retired with

who

tribes

inhabit

its

banks

are the Yurunas, Guaraiciis, Yacarigiiat'as, Parias, Ziijus,

Atuais, Cunas, and those who, nearer

its

sources, people this

river on both sides, like sovereign lords, are the

whom

the

Aguas

Omaguas,

of the islands call Omaguasyete, or true

Oiyiaguas.

Fifty leagues from the posite side,

we came

mouth

to the

of the

mouth

Putumayo, on the op-

of a fine and powerful river,

which, rising in the neighbourhood of Cuzco, empties into the

Amazons

Yetau,^ and

it

is

as the

itself

natives call

very famous among them as well for

riches, as for the multitude of nations

such

The

in 3° 30' of latitude.

which

live near

it

its it,

Tipunas, Giianariis, Ozuanas, Mortias, Ncmnas,

Conomomas, Marianas, and

lastly, those

Spaniards of Peru, namely, the Omaguas, ver}' rich in gold,

which they hang

and noses; and, unless

I

who

live near the

said to be a people

in plates

from their ears

am deceived, according to what

in the history of the tyrant

Lope de Aguirre,

this

I

read

was the

jiro-

vince of Omaguas, to discover which Pedro de Ursua was sent ^

Jutay.

and forty

Castelnau says

miles.

it is

navigable for upwards of

five

hundred

^ NEW

100

DISCOVERY OF THE

by the viceroy of Peru, on account of the many fame had published respecting

its

their not finding this province arose

river

by

a

notices

which

The reason

riches.

of

from their entering the

branch which comes out into the Amazons some

leagues lower down, and these nations remained so high

up

that

was impossible

it

to

reach them, owing to the

danger caused by the impetuosity of the current, but chiefly

on account of the

by the

zeal displayed

little

vacillating

soldiers.

This river of Yetau

is

very abundantly supplied with

fish

accounts of the Indians

who

and game, and, according inhabit

banks,

its

it

is

to the

easily navigable, being of sufiicient

depth, and the current moderate.

55-

End

of the province of the

Aguas

;

and

of the river of Ctizco.

Following the course of our prhicipai

we reached

leagues,

river, after fourteen

the last settlement

of this extensive

province of the Aguas, which ends at a village,

with warlike inhabitants, being the

in this direction,

enemies.

From

is

prepared

to resist

very populous first

force which,

the onslaught of their

this place, for a space of fifty-four leagues,

no Indians people the banks of the river

;

for their villages are

out of sight, some distance inland, in dense thickets, whence

they come forth to seek for anything they require.

These

Indians are, on the north side, the Curis and Guayrabas , and

on the south, the Cachiguarcis, and Tucuriys. as I said,

came

we were unable

to the

mouth

But though,

to get a sight of these people,

of a river which

may be properly

we

called

the river of Cuzco; for, according to an account of the voyage of Francisco de Orellana, which I saw,

the same city of Cuzco. latitude,

It flows into the

and twenty-four leagues from the

its

source

Amazons

is

near

in 5° of

last village

of the

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.-*

The

Agtias.

peopled

natives call

with tribes

Yurua.^

it

banks are well

those on the right banks, on entering

;

being the same as those of

it,

Its

101

whom

I spoke, as inhabiting

They are isolated between the two river by which Pedro de Ursua de-

the banks of the Yetaii. rivers.

This

the

is

scended from Peru,

if

my

imagination does not deceive

nie.^

56.

A

province where they find gold.

Twenty-eight leagues below the river Yurua, on the same (that

is

the south) side, in a land full of deep ravines, com-

mences the populous

tribe of Curuziraris,

who

extend, always

along the banks, for a distance of about eighty leagues, with settlements so close together, that one was scarcely passed before, within four hours,

we came upon

others; while some-

we did not lose we found to be uninhaIndians had received false news that we came des-

times, for the space of half a day at a time,

Most

sight of their villages. bited, as the

making prisoners

troying, killing, and

They do not

others on the river.

and

They

very good clay for tage of

it,

kins, is

find in the ravines near their dwellings, all

kinds of hardware, and taking advan-

they have large potteries, where they

ovens in which they

make

jiecessity,

Jurua.

traffic

All this diligence

with the other tribes, who, forced by

(as these things are not

Castelnau says

make earthen

their flour, pans, pip-

and even well formed frying pans.

caused by the

1

display less order and

both in the quantity of provisions they possess,

ornaments of their houses than any other tribe on

in the

the river.

jars, pots,

and they had retired

;

These Indians are more ingenious than any

into the forests.

civilization,

of these

it

may

made

in their country),

be ascended for seven hundred and

eighty miles. ^

Ursua descended by the river Ilaallaga. The Jurua rises many The true " river of Cuzco" is the

leagues north of the city of Cuzco.

Punis.

,

NEW

102

come

DISCOVERY OF THE them, giving, in exchange, other

for large cargoes of

things which are wanted by the Curuziraris.

The Portuguese,

ascending the river, called the first village of these Indians they came to, " the toion of goliV in

having found and procured some there, which the Indians

had

in small plates, hanging from their ears

and noses. This

gold was tested in Quito, and found to be twenty-one carats.

As

the natives saw the desire of the soldiers, and

how much

they coveted the gold, they were diligent in procuring more of these

little plates,

found the truth of

many

and soon collected

all

returning, for, though

this in

We

they had.

we saw

Indians, only one brought a very small earring of gold,

which

by

I obtained

barter.

57. Mines of gold.

In the ascent of the expedition, they were unable

to

make

certain of anything respecting what they met with on this river, because they did not

know

the language

which they might make an investigation

;

guese thought they understood anything,

it

and

by means of if

the Portu-

was only by means

of signs, which were so uncertain, that each one might apply

any meaning

to

them, that happened to enter his

All this ceased on the return voyage, as

favour the expedition, by supplying

through which

it

it

own mind.

pleased our Lord to

with good linguists,

things were ascertained, which are con-

all

tained in this narrative.

That which they said this

gold

is

taken,

is

to

what

Opposite this viUage, a is

the

mouth of

and crossing river

is

me

respecting the mines whence

I shall little

here relate.

higher up, on the north side,

a river called Yurupazi, ascending which,

a certain district

by

land, in three days another

reached called Yupura, by which the Yquiari

tered, called also

*

the river

of gold\

Here,

is

en-

at the foot of

GREAT

K1VP:R OF AMAZONS.

a hill, the natives get a great quantity in grains

and lumps of

a

good

size

;

and

103 is

by beating

so that

;

gokl

this

all it,

they make plates, which, as I said before, they hang to their

The

who communicate with

ears

and noses.

who

extract the gold, are called Managiis, and those

natives

those

who

on the river and work at the mine, are called Yumaguaris, which means " extracters of metal", for yuma is a " metal", and guaris " those who extract". They give every kind of

live

metal this

name

yuma

of

and thus they called

;

all

the

tools, hatchets,

mattocks, and knives Ave had, by this same

word yuma. The entrance

to these

mines seems

on account of

difficult,

the obstacles on the rivers, and the necessity of opening a

road by land

;

vered another

so that I

much

was not

easier

satisfied until I

one,

of

which

I

had disco-

shall

speak

presently.

58. They make

These savages

all

holes in their ears

go naked, both

wealth only supplying them

which they adorn through them. that

their ears

They

many have them

whence the earrings filled

in

and

noses.

men and women,

their

with small ornaments, with

and noses, by piercing holes

afiect these holes in the ears so

to cover the

are hung.

much,

whole of the lower part

These holes are ordinarily

with a bundle of leaves. these settlements, the land

and

Opposite

all

by other

rivers,

branches of the Caqueta, that great lakes

many

leagues long, extending until, mingling

are formed

is flat,

so shut

with the Rio Negro, they unite with the main stream. Islands are

thus formed, which are peopled

that

which

Zuanas.

is

by many

the largest and most populous,

is

tribes,

but

the island of

NEW DISCOVERY

104

OF THE

59Entrance

to the

mines of gold.

Fourteen leagues from the village which we called ' golden', on the north

mouth of the

side, is the

river Jupura, and this

the most certain and direct entrance, to reach the so liberally offers its treasures.

in 2° 30' of latitude

The mouth

as also is a village

;

hill

of the Jupura

which

is

is

which is

situated

down on the south side, near a great mouth of a large and clear river which the

four leagues lower ravine, and at the natives call Tafi.^

has a great multitude of infidels on

It

banks, called Paguanas.

All this territory, as I said, for a

distance of eighty leagues, Curtiziraris.

It

is

occupied by the nation of

very high, with beautiful plains and

is

pasture for sheep, groves not very thick,

many

promise of many and great advantages

to those

settle in

its

lakes,

and a

who may

it.

6o. The golden

lake.

Twenty-six leagues from the river the Catua,

water

falls into

at its

Tafi, another river called

Amazons, forming a great lake of clear Its sources are many leagues inland on

the

mouth,-

the south side, and

banks are

its

as thickly

peopled with

barbarians, as the other rivers.

If indeed there be any advantage in a multitude of different tribes, that ^

the

advantage

Teffe, or Egas.

mouth

of the

is

The town

by another It

now has

is

at

a popula-

and there is a thriving trade here, beand Para, at the mouth of the Amazons, on

tion of about a thousand souls side,

river, called

of Egas, in the Brazilian territory,

on the margin of a lake.

TeflF6,

tween Peru on the one

possessed

;

the other. 2

The lake

of Catua,

Tefe and Coari.

is

half

way between the mouths

of the rivers

GREAT RITER OF AMAZONS.

105

the Araganatiiba, six leagues lower down, on the north side,

Mhich communicates with the Yupura. the

called

These tribes are Macunas, Mapiarks, Aguaynaus,

Yaguajiais,

Huinmas, Mariruas, Yamoruas, pnris, Ph'ds, Mopitirus,

Guayacaris, Anduras, Caguaraus,

Among

omhis.

these tribes,

Maraymumas and Gu,

(who

all

speak different lan-

new kingdom

guages), according to information from the

Granada,

is

the desired

spirited youths in this positivel}^,

Peru

Guana-

Terariis, Siguiyas,

Yguaratiis, Aturiaris, Masipias,

'

golden lake

',

which keeps

may

please

of the

I

do not affirm

God

to deliver us

in a state of unrest.

but some day it

all

from our uncertainty.

As

there

six leagues

is

a river

which comes from the north, twenty-

from the Araganatuba, with the same name,

it

is

necessary to state that they are both the same river, which,

empties itself into the

two leagues from lous

and rich

comes

Twenty-

branch, the territory of the popu-

tribe of Curuziraris , inhabitants of the best

we met

soil that

Amazons by two mouths.

this last

with in the whole course of this great river,

an end.

to

6l. The province of Yorimaii.

Two

leagues

lower

down commences

the

territory of

the most warlike and renowned tribe on the river of the

Amazons, who, on the passage up, daunted the whole Portuguese expedition.

It is that of

Yoriman.

It is

on the

south side, occupying not only the main land, but also great

number

of the islands

;

and, though

it

is

little

a

more

than sixty leagues long, yet the islands and main land are

used in

to

such advantage, and are so covered with people, that

no other part did we see so many savages collected

together.

These Indians are usually handsomer and better made

106

NEW

than any others.

They go naked, and gave us

DISCOVERY OF THE proofs of their

valour, by coming and going amongst us with confidence.

Every day more than two hundred canoes came,

women and

children, with fruit, fish, flour, and other things,

which they exchanged

The

first

a limpid river,

which seems

is

enters the x'Vmazons.

it

the rest, has innumerable tribes

whose names we did not

mouth

situated at the

of

be very large, judging from

to

the great force with which all

and knives.

for glass beads, needles,

village of this province

doubt, like

full of

we passed

ascertain, as

It

no

banks,

oir its

the

mouth

without stopping.

62.

A

village

more than a league in

Twenty-two leagues from the is

first

settlement of Yoriman,

the site of the largest village that

whole

length.

we met with on

the

river, its houses

covering a length of more than a

A

single family does not live in one

league and a house, as

is

half.

usually the case in Spain, but the smallest

ber that are contained under one roof are four or

num-

five,

and

very often more, from which circumstance the great number

may be

of people in this village

remained peacefully

plies that Avere required five days,

These Indians

imagined.

in their houses, giving us all the sup-

by our

and got on board,

We

forces.

as ship's stores,

hundred bushels ffanegasj of mandioc during the rest of the voyage.

remained here

upwards of

flour,

which

We continued onwards, occa-

sionally touching at the villages of Indians of the

But the place where

the greatest

gated together,

thirty leagues

island, near

is

same

nation.

numbers of them are congrelower down, in a large

an arm which the great river forms in going in

search of another, which approaches to pay

on the banks of that,

five

lasted

this

new

with reason, though

bers, they are feared

it

it

guest there are so

tribute

many

all

the others.

and

natives,

only be on account of their

and respected by

;

num-

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

l07

The river of Giants.

Ten leagues from

man

the above place the province of Yori-

ends, and two leagues further on, on the south side,

mouth of the famous

the

iguarti}

It

river

places, it has plenty of fish, a great

dance of maize and mandioc, and

number

all

same name

facili-

is peopled by mouth and going

This river

various nations, which, beginning at the

upwards, are

some

in

of turtle, and abun-

things requisite for

tating the entrance of an expedition.

The Cuchiguaras, who have

as follows.

is

call Cucli-

Although there are rocks

navigable.

is

which the Indians

the

Cumayaris, Guaquiaris, Cuyari-

as the river, the

yayanas, Curucurus, Qiiatausis, Mutuanis, and finally there Curigucres, who, according to the information of

the

are

those

who had

their country,

seen them, and are giants

who

offered to guide us to

of sixteen palms in height, very

brave, going naked, and having great plates of gold in their ears

and noses.

To

reach their villages,

mouth

continual travelling from the

From

it

takes two

of the Cuchiguara.

along the south side of the Amazons,

this river,

wander the Caripunds, and Zurinas, the most on the whole river

more

tools than those

make

seats

formed

months

at

working with

which

in the

I

skilful races

their hands, without

have mentioned above.

shape of animals, with such

They skill,

body in a comfortable position, that nothing could be imagined more ingenious and commodious. They also make estolicas, which are their arms, of very handsome wands, so dexterously that they are sought after with good reason by the other tribes. What is more, they carve, from a rough log of wood, small idols so like nature, that many of our sculptors would do well to and

'

so well arranged for placing the

The

Ftirus.

This inagnificeut navigable

river, Avhich rises iu the

mountains cast of Cuzco, has never yet been explored.

,,

108

NE\V DISCOVERY OF

take a lesson from them. for their

own

THE

These manufactures not only serve

use, but are also of great profit, as articles of

exchange with other

tribes

procuring

for

;

all

that they re-

quire.

64. The river Basururn, and

its tribes.

Thirty-two leagues from the mouth of the river Cuchiguara there

is

on the north

another,

Basururu

;

side, called

which divides the land

by the natives

into great lakes,

where

many islands, which are peopled by numerous The land is high, and never inundated by the many

there

are

tribes.

which take place

floods

mandioc, and

fruit, as

natives are well

oflT

In general they region,

very productive both in maize,

;

well as in flesh and fish

for food,

call all

Carabuyanas

;

the natives

but,

so that the

;

and multiply rapidly.

more

which they are divided, are

who

inhabit this broad

precisely, the tribes into

as follows

:

— the

Caraguanas,

Pocoanas, Vrayaris, Masucaruanas , Quererus, Cotocarianas

Moacaranas,

Quinarupianas , Tuinamaynas

Ororupianas,

AraguanaynaSy

Mariguycmas,

Yaribarus,

Yarucaguacas,

Cumaruruayanas , and Curuanaris. These Indians use bows and arrows, and some of them have iron tools, such as axes, knives, and mattocks.

On

asking them carefully, through

whence these things came, they answered that they bought them of those Indians who, in this direction, are nearer the sea, and that these received them from some their language,

men

who use the same arms, swords, who dwell on the sea coast. They and arquebusses, and added that these white men could only be distinguished from

white

like ourselves,

ourselves by their hair, which

is all

yellow.

cient signs that they are the Hollanders,

of the

mouth

of the Rio

These are

who have

Dulce or Felipe.

suffi-

possession

These Hollanders

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. in 1638.

landed their forces in Guiana, in the jurisdiction of

new kingdom

the

109

of Granada, and not only got possession of

the settlement, but the affair was so sudden that our people

were unable

to take

mained captive

how much hoped

for a large

soldiers,

hands of

this capture

its

was valued amongst

ransom

for

When we

it.

re-

As they knew

enemies.

catholics, they

left

those parts,

were preparing some good companies of

Spaniards

the

away the most holy sacrament, which

in the

who, with Christian

lives to rescue their less attain their

zeal,

were ready

to give their

Lord, with whose favour they will doubt-

worthy

desires.

65The Rio Negro.

Not

quite thirty

good leagues below the Basururu,

like-

wise on the north side, in 4° of latitude, there comes forth

meet the Amazons, the largest and most beautiful river

to

which, in the space of more than thirteen hundred leagues, does

it

homage.

It appears

another larger one, though a league

is

and

arms with

its

a half all

broad

its

that

-^

it

conies

to

so powerful that

is

it

recognize its

mouth

and though the Amazons opens

force, the

new

river does not wish to

become subject to it, without receiving some marks of respect ; and it thus masters one half of the whole Amazons, accompanying it for more than twelve leagues, so that the waters of the two can be clearly distinguished from each other.

At

last the

forces

it

to

Amazons, not permitting

mingle with

its

nize for a master, the river

own

which

The Portuguese, with good the Rio Xegro, because at ^

The mouth

river

is

of the Rio

navigable for

its

Negro

is

so

much

superiority,

turbulent waves, and recogit

desired to

make

a vassal.

reason, called this great river

mouth, and

for

many

leagues

really not above a mile across.

lara;e vessels for

The

a distance of four hundred miles.

NKW

110 higher up,

great depth and the clearness of the water,

its

coming from lakes black as

DISCOVERY OF THE

they really were

if

make

at the sides,

its

waves appear

as

whereas in reality they are

so,

clear as crystal.

The

early part of

its

course

winds so much that

it

from west

is

course

its

is

frequently changed.

For many leagues before entering the Amazons

The

again from west to east.

is

call the river

we

shall

as likewise

who

natives

course

its

inhabit

Curiguacuru, while the Tupinamhas, of

speak presently, give

in their language

guazii,

though

to east,

they

which

much

as

is

call the

it

as

Amazons,

Parana-miri or

'

say " black water

to

small river

',

be thickly peopled by different

from

which they

and which empties

the south side, a league above the Rio Negro.

":

Parana-

to distinguish it

',

very laige one

still

whom

of Vruna, which

in this country,

signifies 'great river

the other smaller yet

name

the

it

call

itself

on

It is said to

tribes, the last of

which use

neighbourhood of the

hats, a sure sign that they are in the

Spaniards of Peru.

Those who inhabit the banks of the Rio Negro are very

numerous; ucaraes,

that

is

to say,

Cahuayapitis,

Carapanaaris,

—the Canizuaris Aguayras ,

Yanmas,

Manacurus,

Guanamas,

,

off,

Yacu-

Guarianacaguas, Azcrabaris, Curtipaiabas,

and Guaranaquazanas who people a branch which throws

,

whence, according

to

my

this river

information,

it

comes

out in the Rio Grande, at whose mouth, in the north sea, are the Hollanders.^

All these tribes use bows and arrows, and tip their

weapons with poison.

elevated, and has

produce any

good

fruits,

soil

The land

which,

if

many

of

even those of Europe in some

'

afford grazing

Acufia here alludes

with the Orinoco.

to

ground

is

under cultivation, would

There are many good pastures, covered with excellent sufficient to

them

near this river

for

innumerable

parts.

grass, flocks.

the Cassi(;[uiari, which unites the Rio Negro

GRKAT RIVER OF AMAZONS,

The land produces

large trees of good timber, of a kind

vessels, or for buildings

for

ill

;

which

may be

latter

fit

con-

structed not only of timber, but also of very good stone, •which

in

abound

The banks

abounds.

spot

this

in all kinds of

game.

of

the

not so plentiful as in the Amazons, because the water clear,

river

It is true that the fish are is

so

though in the lakes inland they may always be secured

abundance.

in

At

mouth there

its

are

plenty of stones to build

good positions

it,

defended against an enemy, this river to the

am

I

for a fortress,

with which the entrance

who may

and

may be

desire to pass

from

Amazons.^

many

of opinion that, not at this point, but

leagues

further inland, on the branch which joins the Eio Grande, (the river

which

the place

is

I before alluded to as falling into the ocean),

where

defensive works

all

it ;

would be most advisable

by which the passage

into

to place this

new

world, which the covetous will doubtless attempt some day,

would be

entirely closed to the

to affirm, that the

I

believe

it

much to

itself, is

;~

this

branch of the

good information,

considerable river

but that which I can most confidently affirm

mouth

is

to

some leagues north of the Cabo del

under no circumstances, can pal

do not hesitate

Dulce or the Felipe,

latter, as this is the first

that enters the sea for

Norte

either the

incline, according to

be the

I

Kio Grande, into which

Rio Negro empties

though

enemy.

it

is

that,

be the Orinoco, whose princi-

opposite the island of Trinidad, one hundred

leagues from the place where the river Felipe enters the sea,

by which Lope de Aguirre came out and surely if he it, any one else may enter where he has once ;

navigated

opened a road. 1

the

The present Brazilian town of Barra is built on elevated ground on bank of the Rio Negro, about seven miles from its mouth. It is

left

fourteen hundred and seventy-five feet above the level of the sea. ^

The cape on the northern

side of the principal

mouth

of the

Amazons.

NEW

112

DISCOVERY OF THE

66. The Portuguese try

On

to

enter the

Rio Negro.

the 12th of October, 1639, the Portuguese

Negro it

when

;

fleet,

on

mouth of the Rio

the return voyage, was stationed at the

the sokliers, considering that they were now, as

were, on the threshold of their homes

eyes, not over their gains,

;

and, turning their

which amounted

to

nothing, but

over the losses which they had suffered in the space of more

than two years, during which

this discovery

had

lasted; while

the services done to his Majesty were, on the other hand, neither small nor incomplete, in effecting these conquests

:

bethought them that they had received no remuneration for the countries M'hich, on similar occasions, they had watered

with their blood

and that they were now consumed and

;

dying of hunger, and were unable one who was able

to

They determined desire, persuading

forward

to

any

reward them. to

him

some remedy

to seek

to look

;

bring the captain to agree to their that

now

their poverty obliged

them

and that the notices of the number

of slaves, possessed by the natives up the Rio Negro, offered the occasion close at hand.

mit

it

to

He

pass without taking

should not, they said, per-

some advantage of

should give orders for the people to follow that,

it,

but

this route, so

with the numerous slaves that they would obtain from

this river,

even

if

they brought nothing

without

this,

else,

On

well received by the people of Para.

they would be

the other hand,

they would doubtless be held very cheap, in

having passed so many different nations, and so many slaves,

and yet come back with empty hands

;

the

more

so, as

there

men in those parts Avho, at the doors of their own houses, know how to make slaves serve them. The Capitan Mayor gave signs that he would let them are

have their

will,

he being one and they were many, and thus

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. he promised that they should

and favourable were

promised himself

who

dissented

amounted

set sail, as the

to take.

They ;

those

were almost alone, while the other party hundred.

me

great concern, had I

the noble nature of our chief, and

very sure that he would follow, in the

having said mass, I went apart with to

first

With

both Majesties.

for the service of

by every means

abaft,

than a great number of slaves

less

to three

known

wind was

determination^ and no one

this

This resolution might have given not

wished

for the course they

overjoyed with

all

llS

my

had

not been

I

place, what

was best

this assurance, after

companion, desirous

thwart intentions which were so disastrous,

and we drew up the following paper.

67. Injunction made

We,

company

Lord the King (by

a

Audience of the

army.

Acuna and Andres de Ar-

the fathers Cristoval de

tieda, priests of the

the

to

of Jesus, are persons

Royal Order issued through

city of

San Francisco de Quito,

whom his

our

Royal

in the king-

dom of Peru, on the 24th day of the month of January of this present

pany

this

year of 1639) ordered and charged to accom-

Portuguese expedition down

of the Amazons, as

we were

now

able of the tribes

the rivers which join

it,

Council of the Indies prizc

;

discovered

;

to

which inhabit

and of other things

may have

and having done

this great river

all

take as clear notes

this, to

;

its

banks, of

that the

Royal

a full report of this enter-

go on

to

Spain with the

greatest dispatch possible, to give an account of all to His

Majesty; without any person having authority

to

impede

the execution of the above instructions.

This will be seen more

we have

at large in the

in our possession,

and which,

Royal Order which if

necessary,

we

are

NEW DISCOVERY

114 ready

to

show

to all, as

OF THE

we have done

to

some of the prin-

cipal officers of this army.

At

many for

present,

we understand through

the conversation of

persons, and by the sails which have been got ready

navigation,

the

the captain Pedro Texeira and

that

the other captains and officers of this expedition (in whose

company we came, by order of His Majesty), intend to delay by entering the Rio Negro, in the mouth of which river we now are, with the design of bartering for slaves, to convey them to their estates in Para and Maraiion as is their custom in all the expeditions which they make from the said Para, among the natives who inhabit the counAs, in this, much time must necessarily be tries adjacent. the voyage

;

wasted, and as

many

other inconveniences will arise

in

:

order to discharge the duty entrusted to us, and to clear ourselves before the royal person of His Majesty

name, speaking with proper deference,

we

;

in his

require captain

Pedro Texeira, colonel Benito Rodriguez de Olivera, major Felipe de Mates, captains Pedro de Acosta and Pedro Bayon,

and the other

mouth

at the

officers,

who

are

now

in

command

of the forces

of the said Rio Negro, to consider that

His

Majesty has notice, through his Royal Audience of the city of Quito, and through his Viceroy of Peru, of the dispatch of

our persons with the above ends in view, and of the short

we should

time in which they hoped sence

;

for,

and many others of

company, the

his

of Quito was assured that

months and

reach the royal pre-

according to the word of captain Pedro Texeira,

a half, while in six days

be eight months since we

said

we should be

left

from

Quito, and

Royal Audience

in Para within two

we

this

time

it

will

are yet six hun-

dred leagues from Para.^ This delay may be the cause of many

and great

disasters,

such

as the delay to

in the fortification of this river, his desires for so ^

many

Barra de Rio Nejjro

years, is

His Majesty's service

which has been an object of and concerning which

one thousand miles from Para.

it

is

GREAT RIVEK OF AMAZONS. hoped wc

be able

shall shortly

to

115

convey information; mean-

trances,

enemy may get possession of the principal enfrom which much damage to the crown will result.

At

same time such good and gallant

M'hilc the

the

the fortress of Para

being absent,

for, if the

;

would be

loss

its

of this Rio Negro, into

the oj^inion of

much harm

by

many

of

whom

it is

intended to enter, are, in

and able

number

of the friendly Indians with

all

mere boys without ex-

unwilling to join in this foray

whole army may be the result

total loss of the

do us

to

bows and poisoned arrows, while,

are sick, others

perience in war, and

this delay, to

enemy should arrive, they inevitable. The Indians

a very warlike race

all,

Avith their

considering the small us,

which

now

officers as are

here, will doubtless cause great damage,

the Indians have no wish to go,

it

may

;

;

the

besides, as

be that they will

escape from us, as most of them came from Para, and are

now almost at the doors of their homes. Here we may add that the slaves, whom it is intended to get, cannot be taken without much difficulty to a good conscience, (except such as may be necessary as interpreters), because this land

His Majesty plies

to

(as

is

it is

new, and though there are Cedillas of said), for getting slaves, this

the jurisdiction

only ap-

around Para and Maranon, and

according to the other rules laid down, those of this river are not

known

to

belong

to that jurisdiction.

of the above reasons should this

undertaking should be attained, that

a great quantity of slaves

:

In case none

have any force, and the end of these very

is

the procuring of

men, owing

small force to guard them and defend ourselves, total ruin

and destruction of us

all.

For

all

to

may be

will occasion to

and human, and the prejudice vast

number

the

these reasons,

and many others which might be urged respecting the

ment the enterprize

our

detri-

both Majesties, divine

to the salvation of

of souls, as are in this river

:

such a

— Once again we

repeat our requisition to the said captain Pedro Texeira, the

:

NEW

116

DISCOVERY OF THE

major, captains, and officers of this expedition, that, not giving

way

service of

to delays

which will be disadvantageous

God and His Majesty, they do, with

arrange so that

from thence

we may continue our voyage

to Spain, to

lie

And

such held as

as

many new world, and who

to the salvation of so

been discovered in

this

miserable in the shadow of death.

be not

if this

sufficient to

induce

continue the

all to

we require again, on the strength of Royal Order which we have with us, that captain Pedro

voyage without delay the

and pass

complete the ends of our mission

good service by His Majesty,

now

dispatch,

all

to Para,

moreover such dispatch may be useful, and souls as have

to the

;

Texeira, and the other officers of the army, shall give and

supply us with

and permit us

all

to

things necessary to protect our persons,

continue our voyage without delay, which,

though there be danger from enemies, we complish that which His Majesty has

Royal Order

which may follow from it

us in his

and, in case our requisition should not be

:

heeded, we protest against

count of

will risk, to ac-

commanded

to the

royal person of the

all

and we

will give

an ac-

Koyal Council of the Indies, and

to the

this delay,

King our Lord, according

and

finally, for the safety of

that

we

desire to

the evils and inconveniences

comply

to

our orders;

our persons, and as evidence

effectually with our orders;

that the notary appointed to this expedition,

may

we

beg-

give us

his testimony of all that- is contained in this our requisition,

and of the answer we may

receive.

68. The voyage

is

continued ; and of the river Madeira.

Having drawn up this paper, and communicated with the Capitan Mayor; he was rejoiced to have us on his side, and, acknowledging the force of our reasons, he ordered the to

be taken in

at once, the preparations to

sails

be discontinued.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. and everything

to

be got ready

117

to leave the

Rio Negro on the following day,

mouth

of the

so as to continue our voy-

down the river of the Amazons. This we did, and after forty -four leagues we came

age

to the

great river of Madeira, so called by the Portuguese, on ac-

count of the quantity of large timber which was floating

down

it,

natives

when they Cayari.

is

passed

but

;

mouth

Its

Amazons, and according

is

its

real

name among the

on the south side of the

to the information

we

received,

it is

formed of two great rivers which unite some leagues inland

by which, according

to

good accounts, and according

statements of the Tupinamhds, is

a shorter route than

who descended by

by any other way,

it,

to the rivers

;

to the

there

which

are nearest to the province of Potosi.^

Of the tribes of this river, which are numerous, the named Zurinas and Cayanas, after which follow

are

Vrurihatis,

first

the

Anamaris, Guatinutnas, Curafian's, Erepunacas,

and Ahacatis.

From

the

mouth of

this

river, along the

banks of the Amazons, are the Zapucayas, and Vrubiitingas,

who are very cunning workers

in wood.

Beyond

these follow

the Guaranaguacas , Maraguas, Quimaus, Burais, Punouys, Oregiiatus, Aperas, to ascertain

and others whose names

I

was unable

with certainty. 69. The great Island of

the

Tupinambds.

Twenty-eight leagues from the mouth of continuing on the south side, sixty

is

this river,

a beautiful island

always

which

is

leagues in length, and consequently more than one

hundred valiant

in circumference.

Tupinambds,

It is entirely

a people of the

from the territory of Pernambuco.

peopled by the

Brazilian

Many

conquest,

years ago they

^ The Madeira is navigable by means of its ti-ibutaries, the Mamore and Beni, into the centre of Bolivia. Lieutenant Gibbon, U.S.N.,

descended

it

in 1852.

NEW

118

were subjected, and

DISCOVERY OF THE

fled

from the severity with Avhich the

So great a number

Portuguese treated them.

homes, that eighty-four uninhabited

at

where they

villages,

left their

lived,

were

one time, there was not a single creature

left left,

out of the whole number, that did not accompany them in

They* kept skirting along the Cordilleras which,

their flight.

coming from the

Magellan, run along the whole

Straits of

of America, and they crossed

all

the rivers which send their

At length some of

tribute to the ocean in that direction.

them reached the Spanish frontiers of Peru, where there were settlers, near the head waters of the river Madeira.

They remained with them some

time, but,

by reason

of a

Spaniard having flogged one of them for killing a cow, they, taking advantage of the river,

descended by

all

current,

its

finally reached the island which they now inhabit. These Indians speak the " lingoa geral " of Brazil, which

and

also prevails

Maranon

amongst nearly

conquests.

They

tude of fugitives, that

it

all

the tribes of the Para and

say that there was such a multi-

was impossible

and they divided over distant tracks,

to

support them

(at least nine

leagues across), some peopling one land, some another that

all

They

are a people very valiant in Avar,

;

when they reached

for

inferior in

and

so they

so

whom

showed

those districts which they

now

though they were without comparison greatly

numbers

to the natives of this river, yet they

attacked them with such force, that they subjected

with

;

these Cordilleras must doubtless be full of them.

themselves inhabit

all,

hundred

all

those

they made war, and entire tribes were obliged

homes, and

to

seek others in strange lands,

from fear of the Tiqnnamhds.

These Indians use bows and

to leave their

They are noble hearted and of good ancestry, as almost all those now living are sons or grandsons of the first settlers, though they are now becoming addicted arrows with dexterity.

10

meanness and robbery,

like the

whose blood they are mixed.

surrounding tribes

They

treated us

all

;

with

with great

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. kindness, giving indications that they

among

to live

may

119 soon be reduced

the friendly Indians of Para

a thing which

;

undoubtedly be of much use in conquering

will

other tribes of this river, for there

surrender, at the very

name

is

the

all

no tribe that will not

of the Tupinambds.

70. Information given hy the Tupinamiils.

From

Tupinambds Indians

these

as a

;

more

intelligent

and because we did not require interpreters, they

race,

speaking the

'^

which many of the Portuguese

lingoa GeraV^ ^

knoAv well, having been born and bred in these parts

being a people

we

;

information which I will repeat, for, they

received some

who have overrun and subdued

all

the neigh-

bourhood, can speak with certainty.

They

say that near their settlement, on the south side,

there live, as little

among

children,

people w4io that

a

all

person

their footsteps, call

others,

whom

two nations, one of dwarfs

have their

who

/

they call Guayazis

did

as small

the other of

feet

turned the wrong way, so

not

know them,

in

following

would always walk away from them

them Mutaxjas, and they

^ The basis of the Lingoa Geral Guarani language of Paraguay.

:

they

are tributary to these Tupin-

of the tribes on the

Amazons

is

the

by the natives, and (with the exception of the Malay, and the Athabascan dialect) is the most widely extended language in the world ; reaching from the Rio

Negro

to the

It is called Tui)i

Rio de la Plata, and from Rio de Janeiro to the sources of

the Madeira.

The Guarani was learned by the Jesuits in Paraguay, and the Tupi by the Portuguese tradei's of the Amazons and the two combined to form a sort of Tupi-Guarani (or " Lingua Franca") dialect, known as the Lingoa Geral. The languages of the Cocomas, Omaguas, and the Wallace, p. 531, Indians of the Napo, are also offshoots of the Guarani. Appendix. ;

—

^

Castelnau mentions a tribe of dwarfs on the river Jurua, produced

by a mixture of Indians and monkeys.

;;

NEW DISCOVERY

120

OF THE

ambcis, having to cut clown the trees with stone hatchets,

when

their masters

wish

these hatchets with great

They make

to cultivate the earth. skill,

and are continually employed

in manufacturing them.

On

the opposite or northern shore, they say that there are

seven well peopled provinces, adjoining each other

who

the tribes

inhabit

them

are not worth

;

but as

much, and only

on fruits and little animals of the woods, without ever making war on their neighbours, the Tupinamhas take no notice of them. They also say that they have been at peace, with a tribe which borders on these Indians, for a long time, having commerce with them, and each one exchanging what his country most abounds in. The chief commodity live

required by the Tupinambds

is salt,

to trade with, saying that

it

from their own.

This

is

which

their friends bring

comes from a country not

a thing which, if true,

far

would be of

great importance in the conquest and settlement of this river.

Even

if it is

not found here,

it

has been discovered in great

abundance near a large river which descends from Peru where, in the year 1637, 1 being then in the city of Lima, two

men, having casually gone from those parts to a certain district, and descended one of the rivers which falls into this large one, came settlers

become chasers

upon

a great hill, entirely

rich

who come from

the Cordilleras of

indeed

composed of

salt.^

The

by which they have and opulent, from the payments made by pur-

have the monopoly of

Peru

this salt,

a distance. to

have

Nor

hills

steel, in

a

new

thing for

of excellent rock salt

this is a cause of expense, for

broken out by bars of

is it

lumps

the salt has to be

so large as to

weigh

five or six arrobaso each.

^

This

in Peru.

is

the Cerro de la Sal, in the forests to the eastward of Tarma,

In 1636 Father Jeronimo Ximeues, a Franciscan, built a

chapel on this

hill

;

but he was murdered on the river Perene, by the

wild Indians in 1637. ^

One arroba=twenty-five pounds.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. This province of Tupinamhds

121

seventy-six leagues in

is

length, and ends in a fine village situated in the same parallel as the first village of the

made mention^ namely^

Aguas, of which we have

already-

in 3° of latitude.

71Tliey give information respecting the Amazo-ns.

The

discourse of these Tupinamhcls confirmed the in-

formation, which the

we had heard throughout

known by any cosmographers who have

it

is

whom

famous Amazons, from not

it

other, but

took

this its

only by

river, of

name, and this,

to

all

treated of it up to this time. It would be very strange that, without good grounds, it should have usurped the name of the river of the Amazons, and that it should desire to become famous, with no other title

than a usurped one

nor

:

is

it

credible

that

this

great

much glory at hand, should only desire by a name to which it has no title. This is

river, possessing so

to glorify itself

an ordinary meanness with those who, not caring

to obtain

the honour they desire by their oAvn merits, acquire falsehood.

of

But

by

it

the proofs of the existence of the province

Amazons on this river are so numerous, and so strong, it would be a want of common faith not to give them

that

I

do not treat of the important information which,

by order

of the Royal Audience, was collected from the

credit.

natives during

many

that there

which the banks

years, concerning all

of this river contained

;

one of the principal reports being

was a province inhabited by female warriors, who

lived alone without men, with certain times

;

whom

they associated only at

that they lived in villages,

land, and obtaining by the

work

necessary for their support.

cultivating the

of their hands

Neither do

I

all

that

was

make mention

of

those reports which were received from some Indians, and particularly from an Indian

woman,

in the city of Pasto,

NEW

123

who

DISCOVERY OF THE

had herself been

in the

country which

was peopled by these women, and her account

entirely agreed

said that she

with

that

all

had been previously reported,

I will only dwell

upon that which

heard with

I

my own

and carefully investigated, from the time that we en-

ears,

tered this river.

women

these

credible that a

many

There

is

no saying more common than that

inhabit a province on the river, and lie

it

not

is

could have been spread throughout so

languages, and so

many

nations, with such an appear-

But the place where we obtained most

ance of truth.

in-

formation respecting the position of the province of these

women,

whom

their customs, the Indians with

municate, and the roads by which their country tered,

was

in the last village of the

they com-

may be

en-

Tupinambds.

71. River of the Amazons.

Thirty-seven leagues from this village, and lower the river, on the north side, zons,

which

on

mouth

the

known among

of that of the

its

banks, next to

whom

down Ama-

by the name of

the natives

This river takes the name of the

Cunuris. live

is

is

first

Indians

follow the Apantos,

who who

speak the " lingoa geral" of Brazil.

and the the

last,

being those

Amazons themselves,

Next come the Taguaus, who communicate and traffic with

are the Guacards.

These manlike women have their abodes in great forests, and on lofty hills, amongst which, that which rises above the rest,

and

is

therefore beaten

most violence,

so that

called Yacamiaba.

and they have

it

is

by the winds

The Amazons

always

for

its

pride, with

bare and clear of vegetation, are

women

preserved themselves

ordinary intercourse with men; and even

is

of great valour,

without the

when these, by agree-

ment, come every year to their land, they receive them with

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. arms in their hands, such

bows and arrows, which they

as

brandish about for some time, until they are

one chooses the

to the

hammock

satisfied that the

They then drop

Indians come with peaceful intentions.

arms and go down

123

their

canoes of their guests, where each that

the beds in which they sleep)

is ;

nearest at

hand

(these being

they then take them to their

houses, and, hanging them in a place where their owners will

know them,

few days.

they receive the Indians

as

guests for a

After this the Indians return to their

try, repeating these visits

The daughters who

every year

are born from

at

own coun-

the same

season.

this intercourse are pre-

served and brought up by the Amazons themselves, as they are destined to inherit their valour, nation, but

it

is

and the customs of the

not so certain what they do with the sons.

An

Indian, who had gone with his father to this country when very young, stated that the boys were given to their fathers, when they returned in the following year. But others,

and

this

account appears

to

be most probable,

as it is

most

when the Amazons find that a baby is a male, they kill it. Time will discover the truth, and if these are the Amazons made famous by historians, there are treageneral, say that

sures shut

up in

whole world. zons live,

is

their territory,

The mouth

which would enrich the

of this river, on

which the Ama-

in 2i° of latitude.^

This story of the existence of a race of Amazons

is also believed by Schomburgk, though he says that all the Caribs believe in the existence of a tribe of Amazons, Wallace suggests that Orellana and treats the -whole thing as a fable. others might have mistaken the young men, with long hair, eardrops, ^

MM.

de la Condamine and Humboldt.

Sir R.

and necklaces, for female warriors. Mr. Southey, in his History of Brazil, discusses the whole question, and decides, with Acuna, Condamine, and Humboldt, in favour of the probability of their existence.

NEW

124

DISCOVERY OF THE

73The narrrowest part of

the river.

Passing the moutli of this river,where the Amazons

live,

and

descending the great stream for twenty-four leagues, another

on the north

moderate sized river empties

itself

Vrixamina,^ which comes out

at that

narrows

said, this great river

a quarter of a league.

to a

Here

side, called

port where, as I before

breadth of

little

more than

a convenient position

sented, for planting two fortresses on each side,

is

pre-

which would

not only impede the passage of an enemy, but would also serve as custom houses, where

which were sent down

From

this

things might be registered,

this river of the

which

point,

all

Amazons, from Peru.

more than three hundred and

is

sixty leagues from the sea,

we began

to feel the tides, dis-

cerning the ebb and flow every day, though not so clearly as

Me

did a few leagues lower down.

74River and

Forty leagues from is

the

mouth

tribe of the

this

narrow

Tapajosos.

part,

on the south

josos, taking the

name from

the tribe

who

live

on

its

banks,

good land

Avhich are well peopled with savages, living in a full

side,

of the great and beautiful river of the Tapa-

of abundant supplies. These Tapajosos are a brave race,

and are much feared by the surrounding nations, because they use so strong a poison in their arrows, that is

drawn, death

is

For

sure to follow.

this

if

once blood

reason the Por-

tuguese themselves avoided any intercourse with them for

some time, desiring

to

draw them

into friendly relations.

However, they received us very

well,

and lodged us toge-

ther in one of their villages, containing

more than

dred families, where they never ceased

all

^

This

is

the Tromheias of

five

hun-

day from bartcr-

modcra maps.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZO>'S. ing fowls, ducks, hammocks,

come

;

oifcring, if

we would

children did

leave our lands, and

and serve us peacefully

there, to receive

to settle

and other

fruit,

women and

things, with such confidence that

not avoid us

flour,

fish,

1^5

all

their lives.

75Oppression of the Portuguese.

The humble

oflfers

of these Tapajosos did not satisfy a set

of people so selfish as are those of these conquests,

who only

undertake

desire to

difficult

enterprizes from a

covetous

obtain slaves, for which object the Tapajosos were placed in a convenient position.

Suspecting that this nation had

many

them as rebels, and came This was going on when we arrived at the to attack them. fort of Destierro, where the people were assembled for this inhuman work, and though, by the best means I could, I

slaves in their service, they treated

could not stop them, at least to induce them to

tried, as I

new

wait until they had received the Sargente

Mayor and

chief of

son of the governor, gave

me

orders from the all,

who was Benito

word

his

King

that he

;

and

Maciel,

would not

proceed with his intended work, until he had heard from his father as

many

artillery,

;

my

yet I had scarcely turned

back, when, with

troops as he could get, in a launch with a piece of

and other smaller

vessels,

he

fell

upon the Indians

suddenly with harsh war, when they desired peace. They surrendered, however, with good

ed

to

latter

do, and svibmitted to

Avill,

all

as

they had always offer-

the Portuguese desired.

ordered them to deliver up

all their

The

poisoned arrows,

The unforwhen they were dis-

which were the weapons they most dreaded. tunate Indians obeyed at once

;

and,

armed, the Portuguese collected them together like sheep, in a strong enclosure, with a sufficient guard over them.

then

let loose

the friendly Indians, each one of

They

them being

;

NEW

126

DISCOVERY OF THE

an unchained devil for mischief, and in a short time they

had gutted the I

was

told

by

village, without leaving a thing in

and, as

it,

an eye-witness, cruelly abused the wives and

daughters of the unfortunate captives, before their very eyes.

Such

acts

my informer, who is

were committed, that

in these conquests, declared

he would have

a veteran

left off

buying

and even have given the value of those he possessed,

slaves,

not to have beheld them.

The these

cruelty of the Portuguese, excited by the desire of

had obtained them.

slaves, did not cease until they

They threatened

the captive Indians with fresh outrages if

they did not produce their slaves, assuring them that

obeyed, they should not only be

free,

they

but be treated with

and linen

friendship, and supplied with tools

if

cloths,

which

they should receive in exchange.

What their

could the unfortunates do

?

themselves prisoners,

arms taken, their homes pillaged, their wives and

dren ill-treated

but yield

;

to

They

offered to give

when they were

attacked, they

desired

?

and not being able

to find

chil-

everything their compressors

up

a thousand slaves

had placed

whom,

in concealment

more than two hundred, they

collected them and delivered them up, giving their words that the remainder should be found, and even offered their

own

children as slaves.

All these were sent

them myself.

down

to

Mararion and Para, and I saw

The Portuguese,

delighted with their cap-

tures, presently prepared for others

on a larger

scale, in

another region more inland, where doubtless the cruelties will

be greater, because fewer persons of valour accompany

the expedition, to superintend the conduct of the rest. the river

is

now

Majesty desires

to restore peace, there will

culty, though, if

it

had been

in the state I left

might have been effected with very

Such

Thus

when your be much diffi-

in such a disturbed state that

little

it,

that object

trouble.

are the conquests of Para, such the

method by which

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS.

127

they are retained, and such the most just cause for which the

conquerors are forced to endure so

having even a loaf of bread services they

human,

much

to eat.

If

suffering, without

it

were not

for the

have performed for both Majesties divine and

in bravely resisting the

have vanquished several times in

have destroyed them

Dutch enemy whom they our Lord would

this land,

utterly.

Returning, however, to the subject of the Tapajosos, and to the

I

famous river which bathes the shores of their country

must

relate that

distance of

many

it is

of such depth, from the

mouth

to

;

a

leagues, that in times past an English ship

of great burden ascended

it,

those people intending to

make

a

settlement in this province, and to prepare harvests of tobacco.

They

offered the natives advantageous terms, but the latter

suddenly attacked the English and would accept no other, than the killing of

all

the strangers they could get into their

hands, and the seizure of their arms, which they retain to to this day.

They

forced

them

to

depart from the land

much

who remained

in the

quicker than they had come, the people

ship declining another similar encounter, (which

destroyed them

all),

by making

would have

sail.^

^ The English appear to have made several attempts to settle on the banks of the Amazons. In 1615 Caldeira, the Portuguese founder of Para, was informed by the Indians, that there was a colony of English,

with their wives and children, one hundred and

fifty leagues up the and both Dutch and English continually sent vessels to those In 1630 the English parts, to form settlements for cultivating tobacco. endeavoured to settle on the island of Tocujos, and about two hundred fortified themselves on the island of Felipe, at the mouth of the Amazons. Coelho, the governor of Para, sent a force against them under Jacome de Noronha, who massacred them all, and razed their fort. Another English party, under one Roger Frere, was overpowered and cut to pieces by Coelho's son. The Portuguese perpetrated atrocious cruelties on these occasions.

river

;

NEW

128

DISCOVERY OF THE

76. Curupatuha.

At

a distance of a

mouth

more than

little

forty leagues from the

of this river of the Tapajosos,

which

to the first settlement or village

in peace,

appear

is

that of

Curupatuba,

on the north side of the Amazons, and gives a name

is

to

and subject

which they

quantity of gold

is

is

They

tives did not deceive us. this river,

crown.

to their

be very large, but

which the Portuguese hold This river does not

rich in treasures, if the na-

by

affirm that, after ascending

call Yriquiriqui, for six days, a great

found, which they gather on the shores

of a small rivulet, which bathes the skirts of a moderate sized hill, called Yaguaracu. hill

there

is

They

also say that near this

another place, the name of which

whence they have

is

Picuru

;

often taken another metal, harder than

gold and of a white colour, which

is

doubtless silver, and of

which they formerly made axes and knives, but finding they were no use, and that they were soon notched, they made no

more of them.

In the same

one, according to the signs

sulphur

;

made by

while of the other, which

they assured us, that night,

district there are

it glitters

when

two

hills,

the

the Indians, being of is

Paraguaxo,

called

the sun shone on

it,

and

also at

so as to appear enamelled with rich jewels,

while from time to time tain sign that stones of

it

resounds with great noises, a cer-

much

value are enclosed within

it.

The river Ginipa'pe.

The

river Ginipape, according to

promise

less treasure.

common

report, does not

It falls into the river of

Amazons on

the north side, sixty leagues below the village of Curupatuba.

The Indians

say so

much

of the quantities of gold that might

GRKAT RIVEK OF be collected on river

banks, that,

its

AIVI

by

in

129

they say

if all

would leave the most famous

territory bathed

AZOKS.

Peru

far

true, this

is

The

behind.

river belongs to the captaincy of

this

Benito Maciel the father, governor of JNIaraiion, a province

which

is

larger than

many notices good

soil, fit to

Spain put together, and there are

all

of mines in

it.

The

produce more

any other part of

this

greater part of

fruits

immense

it

consists of

and other provisions than

river of the

Amazons.

All this territory, on the north side, contains vast provinces of Indians, and, what

within

is

of

jurisdiction, the

its

Tucuju, so

much

more consequence,

it

encloses,

famous and extensive land of

coveted, and so often occupied, though to

their

own damage, by

in

the greatest advantages in the world for enrichina:

it

the

Dutch enemies, who, recognizing

inhabitants, are never able to forget for great

able

harvests of tobacco, capable of sustaining,

than any of the other discoveries, numerous sugar

better estates,

has

and of producing

excellent plains,

numerable In

all

kinds of provisions

which would

is

;

but

which they

call" El Destierro",with a garrison of thirty soldiers

pieces of artillery,

to

which are

to

this fort,

which

is

useless for defending the river,

Benito Maciel aban-

with the consent of the governor of Curupa,

thirty-six leagues lower

down, and where he was

many years in a very good position enemy usually come to reconnoitre,

established for

ships of the

and some

keep up the authority of the captaincy,

awe the vanquished Indians.

doned

also

from the mouth of the Gini-

a fort belonging to the Portuguese,

but merely serve

it

suj^ply j)asture for in-

and herds.

flocks

this captaincy, six leagues

pape, there

and

its

only suit-

It is not

it.

;

as the

in that

direction.

78. The river Paranaiha.

Ten leagues below

the river Ginipape, on the south side.

NEW

130

mouth of

the

is

DISCOVERY OF THE

and mighty

a very beautiful

The

leagues in breadth.

natives call

it

two

river,

Paranaiba, and there

are some settlements of friendly Indians on its banks, who, making a treaty with the Portuguese on their first arrival, still

obey

More

their orders.

other tribes, of

whom we

in the interior there are

many

did not obtain any satisfactory

information.

79-

Of

Two

the river

Pacaxa.

leagues below the river Ginipape, the river of the

Amazons begins

to divide itself into great arms,

a multitude of islands, continuing

discharges itself into the ocean.

down

which form

to the place

where

it

All these islands are peo-

pled by different tribes, speaking various dialects, though most of them understand the " lingoa Geral ". These Indians are so numerous that a

new

history, to describe

it

them

would be necessary fully.

I will,

to write

however, enu-

merate some of the best known, such

as the Tapuxjas, AnaxiMayanases, Engaibas, Bocas, Juanes, and the valiant Pacaxds, who have their habitations on the banks of the

ases,

river from into the

which they take

Amazons

their

name, which empties

eighty leagues from the

itself

Paranaiba, and

on the same lages

side. These islands are so full, both of viland inhabitants, according to the Portuguese, that no

other part of the river

is

equal to them.

80. The

settlement of Conmutcl.

Forty leagues from the Pacaxa

Conmuta, which, conquests, as for

being

in times past,

much

the

for the

place

is

situated the village of

was very famous in these

number of

its

inhabitants,

where they usually collected

as

their

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. vessels,

when they were about

to

there are left neither people,

make an

all

131

But now

inroad.

having removed

to other

lands, nor proA isions, there being no one to cultivate the

ground, nor anything besides the ancient It

tives.

is

a good position, and, with

and beautiful view, seems

and a few na-

pleasant climate

drink in loveliness, and offers

to

advantages to any one wishing

The river of

site, its

to settle there.

Tocantins.

the

Near Conmuta is the mouth of the river of the Tocanwhich has the name of being rich, and apparently

tins,

with reason, though no one has seen a

Frenchman, who, when these

treasure, except

were peopled with

loaded ships with the earth which he took from

settlers, its

coasts

its

banks, to take advantage of

its

riches in his

own

land,

without ever daring to shew his treasures to the barbarians

who

find

out

inhabit that country, fearing that if they should its

real value, they

would doubtless defend

it

with their arms, that they might not be dispossessed of

such riches. their

Certain Portuguese soldiers, with a priest in

company, arrived

sources of this river, to navigate its

by

in search of

;

in

to

to the end,

they

fell

into the

whose possession, not many years

ago, the chalice was found with

mass

conquests at the

skirting the Cordilleras; and, wishing

downward course

hands of the Tocantins

new

which the good

father said

them, in their journeys.

82. Par^.

Thirty leagues from Conmuta is the site of the fortress of Gran Para, peopled and governed by the Portuguese. Here there is a Capitan Mayor, who is superior to all the officers

NEW

132

DISCOVERY OF THE

whom

of this captaincy, and to

who

infantry,

the ot ler captains of

all

usually assist with

companies for the

their

defence of this place, are subject; while they, as well as the

Capitan Mayor, obey the governor of Maraiion,

who

more than one hundred and

off,

From

coast of Brazil. in

arises

Para

this

and

;

leagues

thirty

arrangement great inconvenience

if this

were peopled, the pro-

river

vince would necessarily remain lord of in

his

hand the key of

it,

Though

all.

many, the

the opinion of

on which

site

discovery should be followed up,

is

it ;

to

one who holds

as

it

not the best that could have been chosen if this

resides

on the

is

it

true that, in

now

built

would be

remove

it

is

easy,

to the

Island of the Sun, fourteen leagues nearer the sea, a place on

which every one has it

offers for

human

life,

his

eye,

owing

capability of the soil to sustain people,

ence of vessels anchoring off

from

all

get under weigh, with the

dangerous

;

may

high

desire tide,

fertility

and

for the convenilie in a ;

cove, safe

and when they

they would be

left

arms of the river, which make these ports

and

This island

first

and

Vessels can

it.

danger, as long as they

clear of all the

to the conveniences

both on account of the

is

this

is

no small advantage.

more than ten leagues round, with good

water, plenty of fish both from sea and river, a great multi-

tude of crabs, the ordinary food of the poor people

now

;

and

it is

the principal place to which the people of Para usually

resort, to

hunt the beasts which are necessary

for their sus-

tenance.

The river of

the

Twenty leagues from

Amazons

enters the sea.

the Island of the Sun, under the

equinoctial line, spread out into eighty-four mouths, having

the Zaparara on the south side, and the north cape opposite

;

the largest sea of fresh water, that has been discovered.

GREAT RIVER OF AMAZONS. empties

ocean

itself into the

the most powerful river in the

;

whole world, the phoenix of longed

133

Marauon

rivers, the true

so

and never attained by the people of Peru, the

for

sum up

ancient Orcllana, and to

all at

once, the great river

of the Amazons.

After having bathed with

hundred and on

banks an

its

waters a distance of thirteen

its

leagues of longitude, after sustaining

fifty-six

number

infinite

fertilizing vast territories,

and

of barbarous tribes, after

after

having passed through

the centre of Peru, and, like a principal channel, collected the largest and richest of

all its affluents, it

renders

its

tribute

to the ocean.

Such

sum

the

is

new

of the

which excludes no one from all

who wish

discovery of this great river,

its

vast treasures, but rewards

advantage of them.

to take

offers sustenance, to the

To

the poor

it

labourer a reward for his work, to

the merchant employment, to the

soldier opportunities

to

display his valour, to the rich an increase to his wealth, to the noble honours, to the powerful estates, and to the

himself a

new

empire.

But those who the zealous of souls

;

are most interested in this discovery, are

men who

for a great

seek the honour of God, and the good

multitude of them are here waiting

for faithful ministers of the

ness, they

may

dispel the

Holy Gospel,

by

that,

shadow of death

in

miserable people have lain for so long a time.

;

zealous

this

new vineyard

No

one need

For

this object

whom may God assist in the

is

a field

will always require fresh

labourers to cultivate

subject to the keys of the

bright-

its

which these

excuse himself from this undertaking, for there for all

King

it,

Roman

until

it

is

made

and

entirely

church.

our great and catholic King, Philip IV,

preserve

many happy

years,

Avill

doubtless

support of these ministers, with the liberality

which distinguishes him ness our very holy father

in temporal things; while

Urban

His Holi-

V.III, as present father

and

NEW

134

DISCOVERY OF THE AMAZONS.

head of the church,

will

show himself no

benignant in spiritual things

:

holding

it

less liberal

to

saying that in his time a wide door was opened, to

bring into the fold of the

church, at

one time, more numerous and more populous nations, than

have

been met with since the first

discovery of

America.

LAUS DEO

VIRGINIQUE

MATRI.

and

be a great

MEMORIAL PRESENTED TO THE ROYAL COUNCIL OF THE INDIES, ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ABOVE DISCOVERY, AFTER THE REBELLION OF THE PORTUGUESE. A.D.

164L

Sire,

company of

Cristoval de Acuna, a priest of the

Jesus,

who

proceeded, by order of your Majesty, to the discovery of the great river of the

Amazons

;

always anxious for the greater

increase of your royal crown, and fearful that less favourable

circumstances, seen at our

own doors, may strangle andimpede

the advance of your gracious service it is

:

declares that though

true that the principal opening of that newly-discovered

world, by which

it

might most

easily

be entered,

the advantages and the rich fruits which the is

mouth where the

now

it

to

enjoy

freely offers, is

river empties itself into the ocean,

which

subject to the Portuguese, and therefore less suitable, at

present, to be used; yet this ought not to induce your Majesty, either to desist

from, or to delay the occupation

great river, seeing that

with greater ease, and

much

of

this

less

ex-

pense, it may be entered by the province of Quito, in the kingdom of Peru, by the same road that he and his companions descended it. By this means good service will doubt-

be done for God our Lord, and for your Majesty and This many inconveniences will be got rid of; may easily be effected, without great expense to the royal less

;

;

MEMORIAI, PRESENTED TO THE

136 treasury,

by merely sending an order

the Audience

to

of

Quito, to organize expeditions to the rivers which drain their province, composed of some of the

ready

to

persons

who

are

undertake these conquests, solely for the sake of

advantages to be gained

the

many

;

such as the charge over

Indians, the acquirement of land, of

offices,

and the

At

like.

the same time the spiritual part should be committed to priests of the

company of

Jesus, to have charge of the con-

version and education of the Indians for these objects,

For

cular discovery.

much

the price of

new and

their institution

;

and they having no small their sons

being

title to this parti-

have not only dispelled,

extensive empire, which, bathed

by

this great river,

crown of your Majesty

offers increased riches to the royal

but they have also acquired the right of possession, for the forty years, through the blood of the rer,

who was

killed

at

labour and treasure, the shades from a

by the natives,

father Rafael Fer-

whom

he preached, near

Continuing the possession of

the sources of this river. right, the fathers of the

to

last

good

this

company, some years ago, began

instruct the natives on the Santiago de las Montanas,

to

and the

but to proceed with this other rivers of this new conquest work it will be necessary to send new labourers from Europe to this province of Quito, to aid them in so plentiful a ;

harvest.

Doubtless your Majesty will grant aid, with your unfailing piety, and with the liberality which the extreme necessity

of these numerous tribes requires

:

—from which

will

result the following advantages.

First,

and that which

your Majesty, ning lie

to

it

is

always in the christian bosom of

will give, without further delay, a begin-

to the conversion of a

new world

God, that none could be

more, and such that tuity of the

it

offered

of infidels,

who

noM'

work of such service which would please Him

miserable in the shadow of death

;

a

will of necessity establish the perpe-

crown of your Majesty.

-

ROYAL COUNCIL OF THE INDIES. Seco7id.

made,

if

save the

will

It

these conquests

by the mouth of the

river

which mvist be

great outlay

were undertaken, in

;

137

as

was intended,

conveying soldiers, sup-

plying vessels, collecting arms and ammunition, and providing

requisites to

all

doubtless be numerous. if this

conquest

those

to

whom

form new settlements, which will All these things will be avoided,

commenced by way of Quito, seeing that would be entrusted, would cheerfully

is

it

incur the expense

and would only require,

;

for the religious

work, labourers and apt ministers of the gospel, Majesty would send from Spain,

want of them,

whom

your

the extreme

in those parts.

Your Majesty will

Third. territory

— considering

which

at length enjoy

and possess the

the Kings your predecessors, from the

all

time of the emperor Charles

V

(the

worthy great grandfather

of your Majesty), have desired, and, with no small outlay and diligence, have attempted to subject to the royal crown. this

For

purpose, in the year 1549, the same emperor Charles

ordered three ships, with the necessary

be given

to

men and

Francisco de Orellana, that he might take posses-

sion of this great river of the

Amazons (which

man had navigated nine years many advantages which were

before), with a

prize

:

expected from

but misery, and the death of nearly

diers, forced

duced

to

them

to

one small

retreat to Margarita,

vessel.

Here, owing

the same

view the all

to the

enter

the

sol-

having been re-

to this mischance,

ended the hopes of the good which would have accrued Spain,

if

V

stores, to

to

Your Majesty, and may it last many

they had met with better fortune.

— —has committed the execution of

from the beginning of your reign, most happy years,

this dis-

shown by the royal orders, drawn up with this object, in the years 1621, 26, and 84. That of 1621, was dispatched to the Royal Audience of Quito, that they might arrange the conditions on which

covery

the

to various

said

persons, as

discovery

is

might be undertaken, with Sargente

MEMORIAL PRESENTED TO THE

138

Villalobos, captain general and

Mayor Vincente de Reyes

governor, at that time, of Quijos, in the jurisdiction

Quito

;

but

never took

it

That of 1626 was sent

supersede him.

by way of the provinces Para, which are at the mouth of this

of Mararion, and

discovery

he was ordered

That of 1634 was sent

to

go

to

Benito Maciel, the

to

he might commence the

father,^ a native of Portugal, that

to nothing, as

of

successor arrived to

as a

effect,

river,

to the

but

this also

Gran came

war of Pernambuco.

Francisco Coello de Caravallo, a

Portuguese, and then governor of Mararion and Para, with express orders that, with

worthy persons, and

commence, by those desired

:

all

necessary he should go himself, to

if

will

so much Now, however,

which was

parts, the discovery

but neither did

your desires

dispatch, he should send trust-

this take effect.

be happily

gratified,

and

henceforth

greater benefits will each day be seen to arise, from that

which our ardent

By

Fourth.

desires promise.

this

means the door

those in Peru can send

down

will

be opened,

their treasures

so that

by the current

of this river, and pay the same duties which they

now

con-

tribute to your Majesty's revenue at Carthagena, while they

who

will avoid the risk of pirates,

almost always frequent

those parts. Fifth.

It will

impede the communication and intercourse

which the Portuguese,

much

in these times

would be very

no wise dare to attempt

anticipated,

1 can positively affirm, and,

to

it

to

it

discussed

be an undoubted

As distinguished from Maciel, the son, who unhappy Indians.

atrocious cruelty to the

this coast

attempt this communication,

having heard

times, I can assert

in

and that the

That the Portuguese of

Maranon and Para intend

them many

Peru, which

They would

they presently became aware

had been

entrances were occupied.

^

this river, desire so

prejudicial.

this, if

that their evil intentions

of

mouth of

in the

to establish with those of their nation in

among fact.

rivalled his father, in

KOYAL COUNCIL OF THE INDIES. In reducing

Sixfh.

139

obedience to your Majesty, the

to

principal tribes of this river, and especially those

habit

would valorously ledged

would be

many wars which

its

or

no

resist-

Thus, by descending the

easily reduced.

driven out at

little

they continually wage

one being made subject, the

so that

;

who, with bad

river, all others

titles,

now

possess

banks,

its

mouth; and the very rich fruits, and

which we hope from them, which only requires

that

as

to

may be secured by this road. In we hope, a bridle will shortly be put on

seen to be enjoyed,

manner,

in-

they had once acknow-

would be

as their masters, there

amongst themselves

may be

whom

assist those

ance, owing to the

others

who

banks and islands, who are very warlike, and

its

be this

the

insolence of the Portuguese, and they will be driven from the

mouth of

this river,

menced by and

easy,

way

the

from which place they now prose-

This project having been already com-

cute their conquests.

of Quito,

it

will thus be

bring

less outlay, to

will necessitate

made more it

to a suc-

cessful termination.

Seventh.

It

the Indians in

ought here all

to

be noticed particularly, that

Peru, and in almost

all

the discovered

country, especially where there are mines, or

other im-

portant works, which depend on their personal labour, are rapidly diminishing, as

been in those parts

way

that, in a

;

we

are able to

many

interests

existence will suffer great damage. to interfere in time,

possible

who have

few years, they will be extinct, or

reduced, that the

ought

affirm,

and each day they decrease in such a

means,

at least so

which depend on

Your Majesty

and remedy

this evil,

their

assuredly

by every

which those cannot but apprehend who

take deep interest in the conquest and conversion of this

new world,

wliere the natives

who

inhabit

it

are so

numer-

ous, that they might people afresh the uninhabited parts of I'eru.

If they could

be subjected

to the

yoke of the holy

Evangelists, and, with a general peace, the continual wars

MEMORIAL PRESENTED TO THE

140

which are now consuming them might

way

increase in such a

that,

cease, they

would

breaking the narrow limits

which now enclose them, they would spread themselves over wider kingdoms. When, by their means alone, the mines, and the other riches, which the fertility of the soil offers in those countries, are

made productive another new ;

Peru would be ready for occupation, and with greater than was found in the first conquest.

faci-

lity

If the Portuguese

Eighth.

may be

(which

river

fairly

amount of Christianity, and

who

mouth of

are in the

this

presumed, from their small

less of loyalty)

should desire, with

the aid of some warlike tribes which are subject to them, to

penetrate by the river as far as Peru, or the

Granada

of

though

;

it is

true that in some parts they would

meet with resistance, yet very

little, as

short,

in

many

others there

would be

there are few people in the towns

these disloyal vassals of your

those

lage

new kingdom

lands,

and, in

;

Majesty would

and cause very great damage.

pil-

If,

on

the other hand, the people of Brazil, united with the Hollanders, should attempt the like audacity,

much

care

is

required to oppose them.

have desired possession of these countries

and

it is

it

is

clear that

The Hollanders many years

for

;

quite certain that they covet the lordship of this

great river, as Juan Laeth,^ a

Dutch author, did not

hesitate

publish in a book entitled Utriiisque American, which

to

In the 16th book, loth chapter,

aj)peared in the year 1633. are these

words

:

—" Verum tamen,

Hiberni) quani nostri

tan hi (scilicet Angli ct

(scilicet Belgi)

a Portugalis, e

venientibus, in opinato oppressi et fugati, non leve

Para

damnum

fuerunt perpessi ad quod referciendum et acceptas injurias

^

John de Laeth was

Hispania,

also the

sive de Regis

author of a

Hispanice Regnis

little et

book, in Latin, called Commentarms ;"

opihus

published in 1629, and dedicated to Sir Edward Powell, Bart., containing a full description of Spain and

its

dependencies, of Portugal, and of

the Royal families and peerages of both countries.

ROYAL COUNCIL OF THE INDIES.

141

vinclicandas inajori conatu et viribiis, institutum repetere, ct

urgere fatigant."

And

same book, 2nd chapter, he says

in the

annum autem 1615

:

— " Post

Portugal! ad Parseripam, qui sine dubio

hujus magni fluminis ramus

coeperunt incolere, ut ante

est,

diximus, et aninium ad csetera forte adjicient, nisi ab Anglis et Belgis nostris

From

impediantur."

these passages

it is

Hol-

clear, that the reason the

landers have not attempted the conquest of this great river of the Amazons,

is

because they had not the power, and not

because they wanted the desire, and the knowledge of

much

there was to gain in

Your Majesty

execution.

its

how

should prevent such great damage, which this your faithful subject

having

,'

to

and not permit the

lament over

losses, in that

possibility of

land which

some day

now

offers

increasing advantages. Finalli), if in future the passages to this great river are

subjected and explored, and the entrances which lead to

Peru

them from

all

how mvich

these countries will enrich Spain

in having

parts of

are discovered

;

and ;

by which not only

unavoidably expended, while the

economized by

to

to

do

;

be used, but which would be

(which

this route

is

by water, and with the

help of the currents would be very easy)

fleets

hope

money be saved, which passage by way of Panama

will a great su.m of

and Carthagena continues

a thing of

found

done one of the greatest and most advantageous

services to your Majesty, that a subject could

is

if it is

I shall glory

more importance),

it

;

but also (which

will secure

is

your Majesty's

from the fear of pirates, and will place your treasure in

safety, at least until

it

reaches Para

:

whence

in twenty-four

days, on the high sea, galleons built on the same at all times

reach Spain.

may

Moreover an enemy could not

watch the entrance, because the coast of Para 1

rivei'

Illegible.

is

such that

142

MEMOllIAI,, ETC.

ships, outside the river, cannot resist the force of the current for

two days together.

Thus the

the continual anxiety

which

is

long and dangerous voyage by way

every day caused, by of Carthagena,

would

cease to exist.

All these things might be remedied. Sire, by the proposals

contained in this Memorial

;

to

which

I will

only add, that

the chief part of the success of this undertaking depends on the celerity of

furthering

it,

its

execution

:

and

if I

can be of any use in

I shall always be at the feet of

FINIS.

your Majesty.

A LIST

THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

A LIST

THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

The

following alphabetical

intended to contain every tribe

list is

on the main stream of the great

river of the

Amazons, and on

Peruvian and Ecuadorian tributaries, including tioned in this volume

complete.

;

all

and, to that extent, I believe

A great number of tribes,

and the banks of the Brazilian

that are to

it

its

men-

be nearly

inhabiting the " Gran Chacu,"

rivers, will also

be found

and many

;

hundreds which wander along the banks of the Tapajos, Xingu, Tocantins, and other great Brazilian streams, might have been added,

had they been connected with the subject of the present volume. I

have inserted short notices of the more important

from various sources this

list,

which

;

tribes,

and a few words of explanation

I trust will

will

taken

make

be found useful for purposes of refer-

ence in connexion with the voyages of Orellana and Acuna,

suffi-

ciently clear. It is essential, in the first

when each authority wrote may since have disappeared, or from the tribe having

from this

its

place,

;

pay attention

to

because

many

of the

the date

to

names of

tribes

either from their having been changed,

merged

into

some other larger

tribe, or

having entirely disappeared, and become extinct.

purpose the following

with the time

when each

list

of authorities, referred to in the

wrote, will be necessary

:

19

For list,

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

146

Garcilasso de la

Vega

" Commentarios Reales "

(

Antonio de HeiTera(" Hist. General de Crlstoval de

Acuna

" Nuevo Descubrimiento

(

),

1C09-16. 1601-15.

las Indias," etc.),

del Rio de las

Amazonas), 1639.

Manuel Rodriguez Samuel

(

" Amazonas y Maranon"), 1684.

Map, published

Fritz's

at Quito, 1707.

Stocklein's Reise-Beschreibungen, 1726.

Lozano's Descripcion del " Gran Chacu", 1733.

La Condamine's Voyage, Ribeiro,

(

1737.

" from Southey's History of Brazil,

vol. iii."),

1/74.

DobrlzhofFer's History of the Abipones, 1784.

Velasco's Historia del Reino de Quito, 1789.

"Mercurio Peruano", 1791-95.

Von

Martins and Spix, Voyage up the Amazons, 1820.

Maw's Voyage down the Huallaga and Amazons, 1827. Poeppig's Voyage down the Huallaga, 1830. Smyth's Journey from Lima to Para, 1835. General Miller's Journeys to Sta. Anna and Paucartambo,

1835.

Castlenau's expedition, 1847.

Herndon's and Gibbon's " Valley of the Amazon", 1852. Wallace's Travels on the

Amazon and Rio Negro,

1853.

Villavicencio's Geografia del Ecuador, 1858,

Commercio de Lima

"1

Heraldo de Lima

-)

,

>

Velasco has given the sions

;

modern newspapers.

fullest list of Indians of the

Maranon mis-

and he divided the period during which the wild from 1638

1st,

to

1683

were

tribes

preached to by the Jesuits, into three missionary epochs,

—namely

;

2nd, from 1683 to 1727; 3rd,

from 1727

to 1768.

This includes a period of one hundred and thirty years have, therefore, thought

it

;

and

I

of importance to notice during which of

these epochs any tribe, mentioned by Velasco, was preached to by

the missionaries

;

as the

names of many of them have now

dis-

appeared.

The

references to Orcllana and Acuna, refer to the pages of this

volume.

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

Many

of the larger tribes, extending

name

;

and

wanderings over vast

numerous branches, each with a

tracts of country, are divided into

distinct

tlieir

147

have inserted the branches into the

I

with

list,

a reference to their parent tribes.

a

Abacxis. ^

tribe of the river Madeira.

Acutui, p. 117.

A

Abigiras, Avijiras, Axjxiras, or Abiras.

rivers

Maranon

and

Napo,

marked on

;

tribe

map

Fritz's

They were preached

near the banks of the Napo.

to

of

the

(1707),

between

1638 and 1683, and they murdered Father Pedro Suarez in 1667.

They wander see).

M.

south of the Encahellados (which

in the forests to the

Rodriguez

At the present of the Napo, near

;

Velasco

Acuiia,

;

mouth.

customs as the Iquitos.

They have

They

live

94

;

Fritz's ma}).

met with on the south

day, the Avijiras are its

Tp.

by

side

the same language and fishing,

and the chace.

Villavicencio, p. 173.

Abipones, of Caz-lagaes, a

large tribe of the "

Gran Chacu";

on the banks of the Paraguay, Bermejo, and Rio Grande (the being a tributary of the Mamore).

I

Indians, and several other tribes of the Chacu, in this tribes of the

Amazonian

their

in

list

of Indian

valley.

The Abipones have no roam extensively

latter

have therefore included these

fixed abode, nor any boundaries

every direction.

they

;

In the seventeenth centurj'

homes were on the northern shore

Bermejo

of the river

;

but

they removed to avoid the war carried on by the Spaniards of Salta, against the Indians of the

further to the south.

Chacu

At the beginning

;

and

settled

in a valley

of this century their

derings extended from the Bermejo to the Paraguay

;

wan-

whence they

made frequent desolating incursions into the country settled by the Spaniards. They are well formed, and have handsome features, black eyes, and aquiline noses.

In symmetry of shape they yield

They have thick, raven black hair, and no beards. As soon as they wake in the morning, the Abiponian women, sitting on the ground, dress, twist, and tie their husbands' hair. They pluck out their hair from the forehead to the crown of the head, accounting this baldness as a religious mark to

no other nation

of their nation.

in

America.

The women have

their faces, breasts,

covered with black figures of various shapes

;

and arms

thorns being used

mixed with blood,

as pencils, and ashes also pierce their lips

They child

is

and

are taught to

without his

swim

bow and

thousand people

small-pox,

They

for paint.

The Abipones

ears.

before they can walk, and no

arrow.

They

live

little

on game, generally

In Dobrizhoffer's time they did not number more than

roasted. five

THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

A LIST OF

148

;

having been thinned by intestine feuds,

and the cruelty of mothers towards

are subdivided into hordes,

their

offspring.

each commanded by a chief

called " Nelareyrat "; but these chiefs have little authority, except in time of war.

Dobrizhoffer devotes two chapters to a very interesting account of the language of the Abipones.

Their chief weapons are the length; which they strings are

made

made

bow and

spear, the latter of great

of the entrails of foxes

;

and

bow

Their

the threshold of their huts.

fix at

their quivers are

of rushes, adorned with woollen threads of various colours.

Their arrows are made of wood, and sometimes of bone. they use a kind of armour, a jaguar skin

is

sewn.

made

In battle

of the hide of a tapir, over which

Their victories are celebrated by songs,

dancing, and drinking parties.

In 1641 they

first

became pos-

sessed of horses, and were soon very dexterous in the manage-

ment

of them.

The

Jesuits

amongst these Indians.

The Abipones paint their faces

For

five

established

some mission

are excellent swimmers, of tall stature,

and bodies, and hang rings on

months

in the year,

on islands, or even in

villages

Dobrizhoffer' s Abijwnes.

trees.

when

When

with a child, the father also takes

and they

their lower lips.

the floods are out, they live

a mother

to his

bed

is

for

brought

some

days.

to

bed

They

do not bring up more than two children in a family, the others being killed to save trouble.

Abiras

Lozano, p. 90.

(see Abigiras).

A branch of the Simigaes (which see). Velasco. AcANEOS. A branch of the Aguaricos (which see). AcHOTTARis. A tribe of the river Teffe. Ribeiro. AcHUALES. A branch of the Jeberos (which see). Villavicencio. Agapicos. a branch of the Jeberos (which see). Villavicencio.

AcAMORis.

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

a

Agoyas.

tribe of the "

a

Aguanos.

tribe of the Huallaga,

have beards, and are very

M.

Flemings.

guez

a

;

the

branch of the CJiepeos (which

a

Napo.

fair hair, like

M.

see).

Rodri-

on a river of the same name, a tributary

a

(Same

Aguilotes.

A

AicoKES.

as

or

Acuna,

Negro.

Chacu."

tribe of the

see).

Velasco.

Maranon, 1683-1727.

Velasco.

Chamicukas,

a tribe of the

mento, living one day's journey east of Laguna

Smyth,

called Chamicura.

a

Alabonos.

Pampa ;

in a large village

Velasco.

see).

tribe of the Ucayali, next to the

and extending

Sacra-

del

p. 204.

branch of the Yameos (which

a

Amajuacas.

p. 110.

Lozano.

branch of the Iquitos (which

A

AisuARis.

Remos (which They have

as far as the Vuelta del Diablo.

been repeatedly converted

to

Christianity, but have

more than

once murdered their priests, and returned to their barbarous

From

on

tribe,

Omaguas.)

a tribe of the Rio a tribe of " Gran

Agtjayras.

Ajuanas

powerful and encroaching modern

Heraldo de Lima.

the Maraiion.

Aguas.

tribe

Velasco.

Aguaeunas.

see),

The men

and Maranon.

women have

Velasco.

;

Aguakicos.

of the

^

fierce

Lozmio.

Hodn'fficez.

Aguanacos.

^

Gran Chacu."

149

their apparently quiet

state.

and docile manner, the missionaries

conceived great hopes of them, but they found themselves most cruelly deceived.

They

are

Smyth,

p.

232; Herndon,

They

short and have beards.

hunters, and live in the interior, seldom coming

down

p. 199.

Amaonas,

a branch of the

Amazons,

a tribe of female warriors.

Yameos (which

see).

Velasco.

Orellana, p. 34

;

Acuna,

p. 122.

Amulalaes, Anaxiases,

Anamaris,

are

to the river.

a tribe of the " a tribe of the

a tribe of the

Gran Chacu."

Pacaxa Madeira

river. river.

Lozano,

Acuua, Acuna,

p. 51.

p. 130. p. 117.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBKS

150

a branch of

Ancuteres.

to

Andoas.

a

from 1683

to 1727.

between the

the Encahellados (which see) Velasco.

They

rivers Pastaza

are placed, on Fritz's

and Tigre.

According

they are a branch of the Zajmros.

There

Andoas, on the Pastaza.

Samuel

a

Anduras.

Velasco,

a

tribe

map (1707)

to Villavicencio

a small village, called

is

Fritz,

Villavicencio.

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

tribe of the

Anguteras.

Preached

of the Maraiion, (see 3Iurafos).

tribe

p. 105.

on the east bank of the Napo, below the

junction of the Aguarico, according to V^illaviencio, a branch of the

They

Putumayus.

cultivate the ground.

Villavicencio.

a branch of the Camjms (which see). Velasco. a great and powerful tribe, in the forests east of Cuzco

Anjenguacas. Antis.

;

especially in

and near the valleys of Santa Anna and Laris. They

are mentioned in the ancient Incarial

Drama

of Ollantay

and the

;

eastern division of the Empire of the Incas was called, after them,

G.

Anti-suyu.

They ferocity,

cle

la Vega, lib.

same

are the

as the

and are said

to

ii,

cap.

ii.

They

Campas.

are

renowned

for their

They wear a long

be cannibals.

robe,

secured round the waist, with a hole for the head, and two others

Their long hair hangs

for the arms.

and the beak of the toucan, as an

ornament round

or a

down

bunch

their necks.

over their shoulders,

of feathers,

is

suspended

Their arms consist of clubs,

bows and arrows.

The Antis

or Campas, are identical with, or closely allied to the

Chunchos (which waters

They wander

see).

Ucayali,

of the

and

in the forests,

tributaries.

its

about the head

Castelnau,

iv.

p,

290-1.

The Antis have good live in huts,

features,

and pleasant countenances. They

and wear a cotton robe, reaching

to the heels.

They

occupy the banks of the Ucayali, forty leagues below Santa Anna. General Miller,

a

Antives.

AoMAGUAS. Apantos.

Ii.

G. S. Journal,

vi.

branch of the Putumayus, (which see) Velasco.

Same

as the

The second

Omaguas, (which see) Orellana,

p. 27.

from the mouth of the

river

tribe,

Cunuris, the head waters of which were said to be occupied by the

Amazons.

Acuha,

p. 122.

OF THE VALLFA' OF THE AMAZONS.

An

Aparia.

151

Indian chief, in whose territory Orellana built his

The Spaniards left the village of Aparia on the 4th of April, and reached the mouth of the Putumayu on the 12th of May, going down stream. Aparia was possibly the name of a tribe,

brigantine.

but

I

have not met with

A

ArEKAs. Madeira.

tribe

Aciwa,

a

Apiacas.

elsewhere.

Amazons, below the mouth of the

of the

tribe of the "

Gran Chacu".

Lozano.

Car ahay anas).

(see

(see Uaraycus).

a branch of the Simigaes, (which a branch of Yamcos (which see)

Arazas.

Ardas.

Napo and Nanay.

a

Arekainas.

according to

Von

Marked on

In their religious ideas they Wallace, p. 508.

Spix, a tribe of the

probably the same as the Arekainas.

Arubaquis.

rivei'S

They make war against other

tributaries.

resemble the Uaupes (see Uaupes). ;

between the

on the Rio Negro; and on the upper

tribe

its

tribes, to obtain prisoners, for food..

Ariquenas

see) Velasco.

Velasco, Villavicencio.

waters of some of

of the

Orellana, p. 27.

p. 117.

Araguanaynas, Araycus,

it

Fritz's

Spix imd Martms,

map

Putumayu iii,

;

p. 1 136.

(1707) near the north side

Amazons, and below the mouth of the Rio Negro.

a

Atagitates.

a

Atuais.

tribe

a

Aturiaris.

A

AuNARES. Atjxiras

or

AvANATEOs.

tribe of the

M.

1638 and 1683.

Maranon, preached

to

between

p.

105.

Rodriguez, Velasco.

on the Putumayu.

tribe

Acuna,

on the Araganatuba.

p. 99.

Acuna,

branch of the Ugiaras (which see) Velasco.

Avijiras

A

tribe

(see Ahigiras).

marked on

Fritz's

map

(1707) between

the rivers Ucayali and Yavari.

Avijiras, (see Abigiras).

Ayacares.

Barbudos Baures. tory of the

a branch (see

Velasco.

Mayorunas).

a. tribe

Moxos

of the /y?<«/05 (which see).

near the Itenez, to the eastward of the

Baraza,

in

" Reise Reschreibungeti."

terri-

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

152

a

Becabas. (which

on the Napo, a branch of the Ayuaricos

tribe

Acuna,

see),

a

Betocuros.

p. 94., Velasco.

branch of the Papaguas, (which see) Velasco.

BiLELAs.

A

tribe of the "

Blancos.

a

branch of the Iquitos.

BocAs.

BuRAis. Madeira.

Gran Chacu".

Velasco.

A tribe on the river Pacaxa. A tribe on the Amazons, Acuna,

Lozano.

Acuna,

p. 130.

below the mouth of the

p. 117.

BusQUiPANES.

(see Ca2}anahuas).

a

Cachicuaras.

tribe

on the south

evidently the same as the Cuchiguaras.

a Cahuaches. a Cagitaraus.

tribe of the

p. 55.

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

branch of the Jeveros (which

Cahuamares, (same

a

Cahuayapitis.

Amazons,

side of the

Acuna,

-^.105.

Velasco.

see).

as the Cahuaches). tribe of the

Acuna,

Rio Negro.

p. 110.

Callisecas, (see Cashibos).

a

Camavos. and 1727.

Cambebas, Campas,

tribe of the

Maranon, preached

to

between 1683

Velasco. (see

Omaguas).

They are said by Velasco to be descended They are marked on Fritz's map (1707) near

(see Antt's).

from Inca Indians.

the head waters of the Ucayali.

Campeyas,

(see

Canamaries. iii,

p.

Omaguas).

a

tribe of the

Spix

river Jurua.

Martius,

ti.

1183.

Canizuaris.

Capanahtjas.

a tribe of the Rio Negro. Acuna, p. a tribe on the Ucayali, between the

the Mayorunas, with

whom

they are always at war.

quite naked, and are said to be a bold race

;

canoes, and are not numerous, consequently not

Dr. Girbal

made two unsuccessful

110.

Sends and

They go

but they have no

much

feared.

expeditions from Sarayacu,

in search of them, in the early part of 1793.

They

are

marked on

— OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. Fritz's

map (1797) between

curio Peruano, 1794,

a

Carabuyanas.

Smyth,

;

225; Fritz's map.

p.

Amazons, below the mouth of

tribe of the

the Basururu, a branch of the Japura.

following branches

Mcr-

and Yavari.

rivers Ucayali

tlie

No. 381

153

They

are divided into the

:

Caraguanas

Quererus

Quinarupianas

Yaribarus

Pocoanas

Cotocarianas

Tuinamaynas

Yarucaguacas

Vrayaris

Moacaranas

Araguanaynas

Cumaruruayanas

Mariguyanas

Curiianaris.

Masucaruanas Qrorupianas

They used

bow and arrow, and had iron tools obtained from who communicated with the Dutch in Guiana. Acunu,

the

other tribes, p. 108.

Caragtjanas

(see Carabuyanas).

Carap ACHES

(see Cashihos).

a

Cakapanas.

tribe of the

Rio Negro, and a branch of the

larger tribe of Uaupes (which see).

Carcanas.

a

Acuua,

p. 110.

race of dwarfs on the Jurua.

(See

Castelnau.

Cauanas).

a

Caripunas.

tribe

on the Madeira, near the

They

falls.

swell themselves out by eating earth, but are otherwise strong and

healthy.

The men wear beads

and bands

tight

wood round their necks, They are not numer-

(See the account of them, given by Acuua.)

ous.

According

Gibbon, p. 295. river Jurua,

A

of hard

round the arms and ankles.

iii,

of the Amazons.

Acuna,

p.

107

;

met with on the

1183.

p.

chief of this

to Spix, they are

name

is

mentioned by Orellana, near the mouth

Orella7ia,

-p.

S6.

Marked

in Fritz's

map

(1707)

on the Rio Branco.

Cashibos, or Callisecas, or Carapaches.

A

tribe

on the

west side of the Ucayali, as far as the head waters of the rivers Pisqui and Aguatya.

In 1651 Father Cavallero resided some

time in their country, but the priests dered. killed

left

there

by him were mur-

In 1661 they drove Father Tineo away, and in 1704 they

and ate Father Geronimo dc

.Juan Santos,

and destroyed

all

los Rios.

In 1744 they joined

the missions of the Ccrro de la Sal.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBKS

154

No

one dare venture among them

;

live to

and they

The

in the forests, like wild beasts.

on the Pachitea, which they navigate on

The men have

be cannibals.

The women go naked

till

The men

them

pursuing the chase in the

is

about

number

them

rafts.

him

nearer, and,

They

he can, and eats him.

a waist

When

one of

interior during the rainy season to the

banks of the

and arrows.

is

;

large houses, and live in the

Their weapons are clubs, lances, bows,

rivers.

a

tribe

on the

river Purus, sixteen to thirty days

mandioc.

arms and

legs.

cultivate

They

Acuna,

;

Their

cat forest

game,

and they are cannibals, eating Indians

who

p. 107,

calls

them Quatausis ; Wal-

515.

a

Catauuixis.

tribe of the

river Jurua,

Evidently the same as the Catauxis.

Spix. p.

hammocks, and

ring of twisted hair on their

of the bark of a tree.

monkeys, and birds

of other tribes.

iii,

in

They use bows and poisoned arrows.

made

canoes are

lace, p.

if

but in the dry time they resort

They have houses, sleep They go naked, wearing a

tapirs,

him

Smyth, Herndon.

Catauxis. voyage up.

makes the same

of another tribe, kills

are in a state of deadly hostility with

They have

neighbours.

all their

are said

woods, and hears another hunter

he

if

They

when they wear

are very dexterous in hunting.

imitating the cry of an animal, he immediately cry to entice

of

beards, and wear long frocks.

they are married,

cloth.

live scattered

greatest

according to

Von

Spix und Martius,

1183.

a

Catuquinas.

tribe of the river Jurua.

They use the blow-

pipe and poisoned arrows, as well as bows and arrows, and live

on snakes,

fish,

Cauanas. five

and monkeys.

a

One

spans high.

Sjrix,

iii,

p.

Spix und Martius,

Cauxanas.

;

p. 1184.

of

them was seen by Von Spix

at Para.

1183 (see Carcanas).

a

tribe

between the Iza and Japura; who are said

to kill all their first-born children. p. 511

iii,

race of dwarfs on the river Jurua, only four or

Spix und Martius,

Cay AN AS. Cayujjabas.

A

iii,

tribe of the river

a

tribe to the

They

eat alligators.

Wallace,

p. 1185.

Madeira.

Actoui, p. 117.

eastward of the Muxos (which see).

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. Their chief was named " Paytiti."

Baraza

155

Reisc Beschreihun-

;

gen.

a

Chais.

branch of the Chepeos (which

Chamicuras

(see Ajuanas).

a

Chapas.

branch of the Roamaynas (which

wander along the banks of the Pastaza

M.

and the Morona.

a

Chatelos.

Rodriguez

;

Velasco

Chayavitas

is

a

Chepenaguas.

A

M.

Rodriguez

branch of the Chepeos (which

numerous

M.

sionary epoch.

in this

work

said to

work

and

;

a

They

;

see).

tribe of the

dress in cloth

" Gran Chacu." ;

They

in a very

made from llama

wool,

The Incas employed them

seems probable that they composed one of

the Mitimaes, or colonies of the Incas.

They

live

another tribe of Indians, called C/inrumatas. land,

Velasco.

Velasco.

in silver mines.

it

Velasco.

;

met with between the Chiriguanas and Guayciirus

inaccessible country.

mis-

first

tribe of the Maraiion, of the first mis-

Rodriguez

Chichas Orejones.

and are

Velasco.

see).

a village containing about

three hundred and twenty inhabitants.

are

;

river

Map.

Villavicencio^s

Indians of the Upper Maranon, of the

Chayavitas.

They

see).

between that

river,

branch of the Agiiaricos (which

sionary epoch (1638-83).

Chepeos.

Vclasco.

see).

and come down

to the river

peaceably with

They

cultivate the

fish

but are very

Bermejo, to

;

careful to prevent the Spaniards from discovering a road into their

They

country.

are called Orejones, because they are believed to

be descended from the Orejones

de

a numerous

la Sierra, in Bolivia

Mamore and

Itenez.

vian government

produce

formed

is

;

;

tribe in the province of

They

are considered as minors

rivers

by the Boli-

and they cultivate cotton, and sugar cane. Their

sold for the benefit of the community,

and a fund

is

They speak seven*

and aged.

languages, called tapacuraca, napeca, 2)aunaca, paiconeca,

quitemoca, jurucariquia, and mo7icoca, which

guage of the Chiquitos. a

Santa Cruz

and between the head waters of the

for the relief of the infirm

diff"erent

Cusco, " officers of the

Lozano, pp. 72-3.

Incarial court."

Chiquitos.

7iobles del

name which was given

The word to these

Chiquito

is

the

common

means small

or

lan-

little ;

Indians by the early Spaniards

A MST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

156

When

for the following reason.

the Indians fled into the forests

they

first

invaded this country,

and the Spaniards came

;

to their

abandoned huts, where the doorways were so exceedingly low, that

them were supposed

the Indians wlio inhabited

to

be dwarfs.

Their houses are built of aduhes, and thatched with coarse grass.

For manufacturing sugar, they fabricate and hammocks, and make straw

They

hats.

singing and dancing, and seldom quarrel

They

Should he wish

The heart-leaved scents the

shade

Castelnau,

;

are very fond of

amongst themselves.

row of white and a row

of

he adds a row of indigo.

for blue,

his hut, while the coffee iii,

a

Chiriguanas. confines of Peru

;

bixa grows wild around him, the vanilla bean

doorway of

it.

boilers

he takes a fancy to wear striped

the Chiquito Indian plants a

yellow cotton.

to

When

are a peaceful race.

trousers,

own copper

their

They also weave ponchos

and they understand several trades.

p.

tribe

217; Gibbon, of the "

and chocolate

trees

p. 164.

Gran Chacu", nearest

to the

speaking the Guarani language, and supposed

be a branch of that wide spread nation.

When

Inca Yupanqui

conquered them, they were indiscriminate cannibals

and

;

1571

in

they repulsed an invasion of Spaniards, led by the viceroy Toledo

G. de

in person.

Chiripunos. Villavicencios' s

Cholones. were

first

la

Vega

a

tribe,

;

Lozano

;

Dobrizhoffer.

on the head waters of the Curaray.

map.

a

tribe of the Huallaga,

met with by the Franciscans

on the

left

They

bank.

near

in 1676, in the forests

who established them in mission villages. now found in the mission villages of Monzon,

the Huallaga,

They

are

Tocache, and Pachiza, on the Huallaga.

brown, they have shiny black

hair,

and are very superstitious.

fond of a wild possession in

life

;

Uchiza, a dark

is

and scarcely ony beard

nose

;

They consider themselves great

arched, and cheek bones high. doctors,

Their skin

They

are proud, perverse,

but are possessed of courage, and great

danger.

They

arc

and self-

good-tempered, cheerful, and

sober.

They use

the blow gun, called by the Spaniards cerbatana, by

the Portuguese gravatana, and by the Indians pucuna.

of a long straight piece of the

wood

of the

It is

Chonta palm

;

made about

OF THE VALT,EY OF THE AMAZONS.

157

eight feet long, and two inches in diameter, near the

mouth end, The arrow is made of marksman will kill a small

tapering to half an inch at the extremity.

A

any light wood, about a foot long.

bird at thirty or forty paces, vvith the pucima.

No. 51

Poeppig Reise,

;

a

Chudavinas.

a

Chxjnchos.

;

Hcrndon,

Mercurio Peruano, p. 138-9.

branch of the Andoas (which

a branch

Chufias.

320

p.

ii,

Velascn.

see).

of the Agimricos (which see).

Velasco.

numerous and formidable group of

the forests to the eastward of Cuzco, and

Tarma

They

subjection by the Inca Yupanqui.

first

:

tribes, in

reduced

to

are said, by Velasco, to

be descended from Inca Indians.

Those

the eastward of Cuzco are divided into three branch

to

the Huachipai/ris,

tribes,

their chiefs " Huayris".

Tuyimeris,

and

General Miller,

Sirineyris.

in

They

call

1835, saw a chief of

the Huachlpayris, and some of his tribe, in the plains of Paucar-

tambo, where the great river Purus takes

Their hut was

its rise.

well built, on a rising ground, wall six feet high, with a good

pointed straw roof.

The

chief

These Indians are afraid

position.

time, for fear of evil spirits.

They

and pineapples. and wander

They

the huts.

Velasco

p.

466

Chunipies.

;

forests, in search of

and bury their dead

;

Tarma la

are quite independent,

Vega,

lib.

i,

vi,

vii,

p.

cap. xiv;

182; Van

Markhani' s " Cuzco and Lima^\

"Gran Chacu"; between the Rio They are said to be descended from

tribe of the

Spaniards, and are very peaceful and courteous

vies,

but

of the

;

and are constantly

live in friendship

same

origin,

in

and untameable.

;

and, besides food

obtained from hunting and fishing, they cultivate maize.

naked

any

cultivate corn, yucas, plantains,

G. de

Gibbon, p. 51

Grande, and the Bermejo.

quite

dis-

in utter darkness, at

long huts, twenty people in each,

of the forests of

a

ten inches in

and a jovial

General Miller, R. G. S. Journal,

;

Tsclmdi,

be

religion whatever,

and formidable.

fierce,

to

five feet

features,

through the matted

are fierce, cruel,

The Chunchos very

They

live in

for leagues

They have no

game.

was about

good cast of

height, well made, of a

at

They go

war with the Tobas and Moco-

with four other tribes,

who appear

and who resemble each other

closely,

to

be

namely

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

158

the Teqnetex, Giiamalcas, Yucunampas, and

Lozano,

Velelas.

p.

85-7.

Chuntaquiros

a branch

Churitunas. (jnez ;

(see Pirros).

of the Jeberos (which see).

AI. Rodri-

Velasco.

a

Chuzcos. village,

Huallaga, established in a mission

tribe of the

by the Franciscan Father Lugando,

in

Mercurio

1631.

Peruano.

A

CiNGACACHUscAs. from the Inca Indians

A

CiURES.

;

tribe

now

supposed

have been descended

to

disappeared.

Velasco.

M.

tribe of the river Pastaza.

Rodriguez.

CoAXA TupuiJJAs. A tribe of the river Jurua, reported short tails. Von Spix, iii, p. 1183; Castelnau.

to

have

CoBEXJS (see Uaupes).

CocoMAS.

A tribe

of the

Maranon and Lower Huallaga

first

missionary epoch, 1638-83.

the

missionaries,

lake, near the

mouth

Father Lucero established a mission. the habit of eating their

own dead

They

built their huts

of the Huallaga, where

In 1681 they were

still

in

and grinding their They said " that it

relations,

bones, to drink in their fermented liquors.

was better

of the

Their province was called, by

"La Gran Cocoma."

round a beautiful

;

to

be inside a friend, than to be swallowed up by the

black earth."

In 1830 they moved from Laguna to Nauta, at the

mouth

of the Ucayali.

They

are bolder than

most of the

guez

;

Velasco; Poeppig Rcise,

CocAMiLLAS.

A

Huallaga.

They

tlie

CoERUNAS. small, strong,

p.

449; Herndon,

Rodri-

p. 195.

branch of the Cocomas, settled at Laguna, on are lazy

M. Rodriguez; Herndon, CocRUNAs.

ii,

civilized

M.

Indians, and carry on war with the savage Mayorunas.

and drunken, but

capital

boatmen.

p. 176.

A

tribe of the river TefTe.

A

tribe of the river Japura.

Ribeiro.

They

and dark, with nothing agreeable

are, in general,

in

their faces.

Their language, spoken through their noses, sounds disagreeable.

Spix und

Mar tins,

CoFANEs.

A

iii,

p. 1201.

tribe in the forests sixty leagues east of Quito,

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

159

on the head waters of the river Aguarico, near the foot of Mount

They

Cayambe.

much reduced

are

their fierce

character.

Velasco,

p.

iii,

CoHiDiAS

136

A

Tucuman, and

tribe of

"Gran Chacu."

They

in the southern part

resisted the invasions of the Span-

and Jujuy very bravely, and were not entirely sub-

iards of Salta

Lozano,

until 1665.

A

CoMACORis.

A

CoMAA'os.

Marafion, preached to between

of the

tribe

Velasco.

CoLCHAQUiES.

92

p.

;

DohrizJioffer.

branch of the Simigaes (which

tribe, said

by Velasco

A

CoNAMBOs. Villavicencio' s

be descended from the

to

Velasco.

on the head waters of the

Tigre.

river

map.

CoKEJORis.

A

branch of the Simigaes (which

A

CoxoMOMAS.

tribe of the river Jutay.

Velasco.

see).

Acuna,

p.

99

;

Von

1185.

p.

iii,

tribe

Velasco.

see).

Inca Indians; preached to between 1683 and 1727.

Spix,

lost

Villavicencio, p. 173.

;

A

CoHUMARES.

dued

numbers, and have

a harsh guttural language.

(see Uaupes).

1727 and 1768.

of the

in

They speak

CoxiBos

or

Maxoas.

A

tribe of the

and the banks of the Ucayali. between 1683 and 1727.

It

was

Pampa

del Sacramento,

first visited

by missionaries,

In 1685 some Francisans descended the

Pachitea, and formed a mission amongst them, but the good Friars

were killed by the CasA?5os Indians (which killed

by the Conibos

thanks to the labours

Christianity,

They

Girbal and Plaza.

They in their

and noses.

lij^s

parilla.

Velasco

Herndon,

p.

They

Father Ricter was

of

the

of

them profess

indefatigable Fathers

are quiet, tractable people.

paint their faces in red and blue stripes, with silver rings

They

are

and are employed by the traders

Ucayali.

see).

At present most

in 1695.

are

;

good boatmen and fishermen, to

Mercurio Peruano

collect ;

salt

Castlenau

fish, ;

and sarsa-

Smyth,

p.

235

;

202-9.

marked on

Fritz's

map

(1707) on the east side of the

—

.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

160

A

CoPATASAS.

branch of the Jeheros (which

see).

Villavi-

cencio.

CoEOCOEOS,

Uaupesj

(see

A tribe of the river TefFe. Ribeiro. CoEONADOS. A tribe of the river Pas taza. M. CoEONAS.

V

CoTOCAEiANAS, CoUAS.

(see

A

CucHiGUAEAS.

A

CuiJfUAS.

A

CuiEES.

tribe of the river Coari.

see).

Velasco.

tribe of the river Aguarico.

A

tribe

Villavicencio'' s

Map.

between the Aguarico and Putumayu.

Map.

A

iii,

A

Aciiha, p. 107; Spix

p. 1175.

tribe of the

Smyth,

Sacramento.

(see Cavahuyanus).

tribe of the river Purus.

A

CtJMBASiNOs.

tribe of the

Putumayu.

Acuna,

A

CuEANAS.

CuEANAEis.

CuEAEAYES.

Acuna,

A A

Velasco.

up which the

p. 122.

tribe of the Ucayali, said to

see).

del

p. 99.

A branch of the Avijiras (which see). A tribe living at the mouth of a river,

Campas (which

Pampa

Santa Catalina, in the

p. 204.

are said to live.

be a branch of the

Velasco.

tribe of the river

Madeira.

Acuna,

branch of the Zaparos (which

\}.

see).

Wl Villavi-

cencio.

CuEETUS.

;

iii.

branch of the Roamaynas (which

CuMAEUEUAYANAS

CuNUEis.

Souihey's Brazil,

Velasco.

CuMAYAEis.

Amazons

107

p.

1175.

see).

CuiYAYOs. Villavicencio' s

tind Martins,

Acuna,

tribe of the river Purus. p.

branch of the Camavos (which

A

CuiTACUS.

iii,

A

CucHiVARAS.

CuNJiES.

Car abuy anas).

(See Uaupes).

Spix und Martms,

CuNAS.

Rodriguez.

A

tribe inhabiting the country

Japura and Uaupes.

They

hair long, and paint their

between the

are short, but very strong,

bodies.

The men wear

a

wear

rivers

their

girdle

of

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. woollen

women go

but the

tliread,

IGl Their houses

entirely naked.

They

are circular, with walls of thatch, and a high conical roof.

by a chief; and are long

reside in small villages, governed

They

and peaceable.

difficult to

when

Their language

They have

very guttural, and

is

understand, as they keep their teeth close together,

A

speaking.

tribe, of the

A tribe

CuRiATEs.

same name,

Von Afar tins,

Riheiro;

river TefFe.

rivers

and mandioc.

cultivate maize

no idea of a Supreme Being.

lived,

marked on

iii,

p.

Fritz's

met with on the

is

1222;

map

Wallace, p. 509.

(1707) between the

Madeira and Tapajos.

A race

CuRiGUEKES.

A tribe living

CuRiNAS. Sptx und

of giants, on the Purus.

Mar this,

Marked on

iii,

p.

south of the Omaguas. AcuJia, p. 96

;

1187.

map- (1707) between the

Fritz's

Aciiha, p. 107.

rivers

Yavari and

Jutay.

CuRis.

A

tribe of the river

A

CuRiVEOS.

M.

Paytiti.

tribe

Acuna,

Amazons.

said to have been

p. 100.

Gran

subject to the

Rodriguez.

CuRiTANARis

(see Carahuyanas).

A

CxjRUCURtrs.

CuRUPATABAS. CuRUZiRARis.

tribe of the river Purus.

AcuJia, p. 107.

A tribe of the Rio Negro. Acuha, p. 110. A very populous tribe, on the south side of the

Amazons, twenty-eight leagues below the mouth of the Jurua. Acuna,

p. 101.

A

CusABATAYES.

branch of the Manamahobos (which

see).

Velasco.

A

CusTiNiABAS.

CuTiNANOs. to

them

A

in 1646.

Desannas

branch of Pirros (which

branch of the Jeberos.

see).

Father Cujia preached

Velasco.

(see UaiipSs).

a

Encabeleados.

tribe

of the

Napo, so called by Father

Rafael Ferrer, in 1600, from their long hair.

ched

to

from 1727

between the

Velasco.

rivers

to

1768.

Marked on

Napo and Putumayu.

They were

Fritz's

map

prea-

(1707)

THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

A LIST OF

162

Villavicencio places thorn on the lower part of the Aguarico.

They

are

much reduced

a

Erepunacas.

a

Engaibas.

a

Enjeyes.

a

a

(which

and

Velasco. Velasco.

see).

branch of the Andoas (which

p. 117.

p. 130.

see).

branch of the Iquitos (which

a

fish,

Acuna,

Acuna,

Pacaxa.

Velasco.

see).

Maranon, with a language similar

map, on the upper waters of the

rivers Tigre

to that

Placed in

and Pastaza.

Velasco.

;

A branch

GiNORis.

;

Madeira.

/^?
on

live chiefly

Villavicencio.

In 1707 they killed Father Durango.

Rodriguez

Gis

;

tribe of the river

tribe of the

oiih.e Jeber OS.

M.

Velasco

tribe of the river

Frascavinas.

Fritz's

numbers, and

branch of the

Eriteynes.

Gaes.

in

Aciuia, p. 92-4

the manatee.

of the Simigaes (which see).

Velasco.

(see XJaupes').

GiYAROS

(see Jeberos),

A

GuACARAS. they had

whom

Amazons, with

tribe living next to the race of

Acuna,

intercourse.

p. 122.

A tribe of the " Gran Chacu". Lozano. A tribe of the Marailon preached to

GuACHis.

GuAJAYOS.

:

1727 and 1768.

between

Velasco.

A

GuALAQUiZAS.

branch of the Jeberos (which

Villavi-

see).

cencio.

GuAMALCAS Guanas.

(see Chunipies).

A

tribe of the

A

GuANAMAS.

tribe of the

A

GuANAPURis.

A

tribe of the

A

GuAQUiARis.

GuARATCUS, p. 99.

of the rivers

A

Araganatuba. river

Jutay

tribe of the river Purus.

Putumayu

p. 110.

Acuna,

p. 105.

marked on

:

Jurua and TefFe.

Araganatuba.

tribe of the

Lozano.

Acuna,

Rio Negro.

tribe of the

GuANARUS. A tribe map (1707) between the GuANiBis.

" Gran Chacu".

Acuna,

Acuna,

Fritz's

p. 99.

p. 105.

Acuna,

p. 107.

(see Uaraycus).

Acuna,

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

A

GuARANACXiAZANAs. Acuua,

Orinoco.

between the Rio Negro and the

tribe

p. 110.

A

GuARANAGUACus. of the Madeira.

Amazons, below the mouth

tribe of the

Acurta, p. 117.

A

GuARAYOS.

tribe,

This

its tributaries.

to

163

on the head waters of the Mamore, and

and that of the

tribe,

Siriofios, are

believed

be descended from Spaniards, who, in former days, went into

the forests in search of the " florid,

Gran

Paytiti."

They

are bearded

and

but also have some characteristics of their Indian maternal

The Guarayos

ancestry.

A

GuARiANACAGUAS.

A

GuAsiTAYAS. 1727 and 1768.

;

the Sirionos

Rio Negro.

tribe of the

tribe of the Marailon,

Acuna,

preached

to

p. 110.

between

Velasco.

A

GuATiNUMAs.

A

GuAYABAs.

and hospitable

are kind

" Bosquejo estadistico de Bolivia^

Dalcnce,

fierce.

tribe of the river

Acuna,

Madeira.

p. 117.

on the north side of the Amazons. Acuna,

tribe

p. 100.

A

GuAYACARis.

A

GuAYAZis. heard, from the

A

tribe

the

of

dry season

it is

whom

of

Acuna,

"Gran Chacu"; between

so parched up, that there

is

long and

Paraguay.

A

GuENCOYAS. 1727 and 1768.

They go

GuEVAS.

A

made

tribe of

and

is

in the

;

and

frequent attacks

quite naked, without

Lozano gives a

Lozano, p. 59-72.

branch of the Andoas (which

A

the

great scarcity of water.

a short petticoat.

interesting account of them.

GuAZAGAS.

Velasco.

in

women wear

;

to penetrate this territory

the Guaycurus remained independent, and

shame, but the

Acuna

credulous p. 119.

swamps, that they cannot walk

was found almost impossible

on the Spaniards

p. 105.

In the wet season their country

Pilcomayu and Yaveviri.

so marshy, and full of

It

dwarfs,

of

Tupinambas Indians.

GuAYCURUs. rivers

race

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

tribe of the

see).

the Maranon, preached

Velasco. to

between

Velasco. tribe

which was already extinct

in Velasco's time.

A LIST OF THE PKINCIPAL TRIBES

164

a

Haguetis.

branch

of

Manamahohus (which

the

see).

Velasco.

HiBiTOS.

(See Jibitos).

A branch

HiMUETACAs.

HuACHiPAYRis.

of the Iquitos (which see).

Velasco.

(See Chunchos).

A

HuAHUATALES.

tribe

marked on

Fritz's

map

(1767) near

the sources of the Yavari.

A

HuAiROUs.

tribe

marked on

Fritz's

map, between the

rivers

Jurua and TefFe.

A fierce

HuAMBiSAs.

tribe of the

In 1841 they drove

rivers.

all

Upper Maraiion, and Santiago

the civilized Indians from the

In 1843 they murdered

upper missions.

village called Santa Teresa, between the

mouths of the Santiago

They encroach more and more on

and Morona. villages,

the inhabitants of a

all

which remain on the Upper Maranon.

the few settled

Heraldo de Lima,

Sept. 13th, 1855.

A

HuAsiMOAS.

branch of the Iquitos del Nanay, preached

between 1727 and 1768.

A

HuiRUNAS.

map

Ibitos. '

p. 105.

branch of the Maynas, preached to between

branch of the Jeberos (which

Marked on

see.)

(1707) between the rivers Teffe and Purus. (See Jibitos.)

A

IcAHUATES.

1683 and 1727.

Iluhus.

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

Velasco.

a

Ibanomas. Fritz's

tribe of the

A

HuMURANAS. 1727 and 1768.

a

to

Velasco.

tribe

Herndon,

Velasco.

p. 150.

of the Maraiion,

preached

to

between

Velasco.

branch of the Jeberos (which

Imaschahuas.

a

see.)

branch of the Maynas.

Velasco.

Velasco.

a branch of the Simiyaes (which see). Velasco. Velasco. In u AC AS. A branch of the Camavos (which see). a branch of the Maynas, identical with the Ipapuisas. Incukis.

Coronados (which see). Ipilos.

a

Velasco.

branch of the Piros (which see).

Velasco.

;;

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. Ipecas.

(See Uaitpes).

An

Iquitos.

^

some is

extensive tribe, divided into numerous branches

a stream which flows into the

village of Iquitos

at its

is

between 1727 and 1768.

or

butary of the

The

Iquitos were preached to

Napo.

Velasco.

the east

Villavicencio.

on the river Isanna, a

tribe

cut their hair

the

;

tri-

women wear

a

being naked, and adorn themselves with bracelets.

cloth, instead of

Their huts are collected together in

little

scattered villages.

bury their dead inside the huts, and mourn but make no feast on the occasion.

a

Itremajorts.

A

them on

Villavicencio places

Papunauas. a Rio Negro. They

a

Itxjcales.

latter

Marahon, near Omaguas, and the

mouth.

side of the lower course of the

IsAXNAs

The

on the river Tigre, others on the Nanay.

living

IzAs.

165

them

They

a long time,

Wallace, p. 507-8.

branch of the Simigaes (which see) Velasco.

Upper Maraiion.

tribe of the

believed

tribe

for

to

be

extinct

Velasco. in

Velasco's

see).

Velasco.

time.

Velasco.

A

IziBAS.

branch of the Itucales (which

A

IzuHALis.

Jacamis

branch of the Urarinas (which

see).

Velasco.

(see Uaupes).

a

Jacakes.

tribe near the junction of the

Beni and Mamore

few in number, and scattered over the country.

Quite savages.

Gibbon, p. 287-8.

a

Jamamaris. some distance

tribe

inland.

on the west side of the Purus, but living

There

is

no information concerning them,

except that, in their customs and appearance, they resemble the Catauxis (which see).

a

Janumas

a

Japtjas.

and 1768.

Wallace, p. 516.

tribe of the river Teffe.

tribe of the

Maranon

;

Ribeiro.

preached

to

between 1727

J^elasco.

a tribe of the river Teffe. Ribeiro. Jawabus. a branch of the Panos (which see). A tribe of the Upper Jeberos or JiVARAS. Jauanas.

first fruits

of the Jesuit Missions.

Velasco,

who

Velasco.

Maraiion, the

divides

them

into

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

166

three branches, says they are the most faithful, noble, and amiable

of

all

Villavicencio divides

the tribes.

speaking the same language

;

which

forests

The branch Spaniards

the

constantly at war

tribes are

with each other, but they unite against a

conquest of Peru,

in the

Chinchipe and Pastaza, and on both

rivers

sides of the Maraiion.

into ten branches, all

sonorous, clear, and har-

The Jeberos wander

monious, easy to learn, and energetic.

between the

them

is

common enemy.

On

reduced these Indians,

founded colonies in their country; but,

the

and

1599, a general in-

in

surrection of the Jeberos destroyed all these settlements in one

The Jeberos have muscular

day.

bodies, small and very animated

black eyes, aquiline noses, and thin fair

complexions, and

women whom

Spanish

The Jeberos yucas,

and

maize,

cotton cloth.

and can

astute.

frijoles,

They

and plantains;

number

They

and

of

they are cultivate

women wear

their

and sleep

in standing

are very jealous of their

Their lances are made of the

apart.

chonta palm, the head being triangular, thirty or

They

to fifteen broad.

;

fixed homes,

live in well built huts,

women, and keep them

no yoke

tolerate

They have

bed places, instead of hammocks.

and ten

beards and

they captured, in the insurrection of 1599.

love liberty,

brave,

warlike,

Many have

lips.

said that this arises from the

it is

all

fifty

inches long,

take a strong emetic every

morning (an infusion of leaves of the (/uayusa)

for the

sake of

getting rid of all undigested food, and being ready for the chace,

At each

with an empty stomach.

village they

called tunduli, to call the warriors to arms, village

to

village,

as

a

signal.

have a great drum

and

it is

repeated from

Their hair hangs over their

When

shoulders, and they wear a helmet of bright feathers.

they

are engaged in war, their faces and bodies are painted, but during

peace they wear breeches down

to the knees,

and

a shirt without

sleeves.

In September, 1855, the Jeberos are reported

to

have destroyed

the ancient town of San Borja, and the villages of Sta. Teresa and Santiago.

Samuel

pp. 169 and 375

JiBiTOS.

A

;

Fritz's

maj) (1707);

Velasco;

Villavicencio,

Heraldo de Lima, September 1855.

tribe first

met with by the Franciscans

in 1676, in

the forests near the Huallaga, on the eastern borders of the pro-

;

OF THE VALLEY OF THE

A>[AZOiSIS.

They were converted, and

vince of Caxamarquilla.

on the western bank of the Huallaga.

villages

1()7

Their

settled in

women wear

a dress of cotton, confined round the waist by a girdle.

bathe in the

They

river,

their health, very early in the

They

morning.

only distinguished from the Cholones by their dialect

arc

Mercurio Periiano, 1791, No. 51; Poeppig Reise.

(see Cholones).

They

for

are less civilized than the Choloties,

man

not with any fixed pattern, but each

and paint their

faces,

according to his fancy

using the blue of Huitoc, and the red " Achate."

with on the Huallaga, at Tocache, and Lamasillo.

They

met

are

Herndon,

p. 150.

A tribe of the river Pacaxa. Acuna, p. 130. A tribe on the Purus. They are little known,

JuANAs. JiTBims.

their bodies are spotted

and mottled

like the Purupuriis

but

(which

Wallace, p. 516.

see).

A

JuMAS. Jtjmanas

tribe of the river Coari.

Southey^s Brazil, vol.

iii.

(see Ticunas).

Juris. Atribeof the Amazons, between the rivers I^a and Japura.

Many

them have

of

formed of a

palm leaves

The

settled

circle of poles,

in the

Jxiris are

on the Rio Negro. with others woven

nearly related to the Passes (which see)

manners, and customs are the same

and

ful

tribe

chests.

;

Spix,

The

tribe.

p.

and, in

but the Juris have broader

between the Iga and Japura; but

iii,

;

Their language,

In ancient times they were the most power-

number did not exceed two thousand. Von

and a roof of

shape of a dome.

former days, they wer3 undoubtedly one

features

Their huts are in,

in

1820 their whole

Von Martins,

iii,

p.

1235

;

1184.

Juris tattoo in a circle round the mouth, and hence they

They

are called Juripixunas (black Juris).

are

canoe or agricultural work, and are the most use of the gravatdna or blow pipe.

good servants

for

skilful of all in the

Wallace, p. 510.

In 1775 there was a settlement of Juris on the Japura, near

its

mouth, ruled by a chief called Machiparo, or Macupari. Southey, vol.

iii,

p.

721

Their hair head.

;

is

Orellana, p. 29, note.

curled so closely as to resemble the African woolly

The women have both cheeks

tattooed.

Smyth,

p.

278.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

168

A tribe, preached

JuTiPOS.

to

between 1683 and 1727. Velasco

says that the Manoas, Panos, and Pelados, are branches of the

Jutipos

but this must be a mistake.

;

Lamas. Said

to

Lamistas

Motilones.

or

Probably the same as the Lamistas.

be extinct.

by the Franciscans

A

chiefly in agriculture,

tribe of the Huallaga, civilized

They

in 1676.

They

bamba, and Tarapoto.

Velasco.

are settled at Lamas,

are industrious, and are

and the preparation of cotton.

Moyo-

employed

They

also

inhabit Chasuta; but there they have retained, to a great extent,

the

mode

of

disposition,

Lecos.

life

of the wild hunting Indians.

and have

a

tribe

polite friendly

are of a rnild

Poeppig Reise.

They have agreeable

;

settled

and Guanay, where they are half

expressions, high foreheads,

comparatively small, and horizontal eyes. 1802.

They

on the Tipuani, a tributary of the Beni

in the mission villages of Mapiri civilized.

manners.

mouths

Guanay was founded

in

Weddell, p. 453.

Lliquinos.

a

Villavicencio' s

map.

A

LoGKONos. vicencio's

LuiiEs.

tribe

tribe

on the head waters of the Curaray.

on the western side of the Morona.

Villa-

map.

A

tribe of the

"Gran Chacu."

First visited

by San

Francisco Solano, and afterwards by Father Alonzo de Barzana.

Their language

is

very deficient in words to express abstract ideas,

and they are described as a very savage

race.

Lozano, pp. 94

and 380. Father Machoni, and other Jesuits, laboured amongst the Lules Indians, between 1711 and 1729.

Macaguas. Macavinas.

Macunas.

a tribe of the Araganatuba. Acwia, p. 105. a branch of the Andoas (which see). Velasco.

a

tribe of the

Araganatuba.

Velasco.

Macus. One of the lowest and most uncivilized tribes of the Amazonian valley, inhabiting the forests near the Rio Negro. They have no houses, and no clothing. They stitch up a few leaves at night, to serve as a shed, if it rains. They make a most deadly kind of poison to anoint their arrows. They eat all kinds

OF TTIK VAT.r.KY OF TTIK AMAZONS. They

of birds anil fish roasted.

murder

Indians, and

almost curly hair.

often attack

between the Nanay and Napo.

tribe

a

Manacukus.

a

tribe of the

Rio Negro.

Acuna,

met with near the Capanahuas.

Manamabobos. side

a

tribe

They

in 1681.

of the

of the

Ucayali,

M.

Ucayali.

Fritz's

Rodriguez.

river

1793, as being

in

Mercurio Peruano.

marked on

are

p. 40.

between that

tribe of the Ucaj'ali, living

and the Yavari; mentioned by Father Girbal,

east

Villa-

map.

Maxahuas.

Lucero

houses of other

tlie

They have wavy and

the inhabitants.

IVnllacc, p. 508.

a

Maisames. vicenciu^ s

all

1()9

No. 381.

by Father

visited

map (1707) on

the

Mercurio

Telascu.

Peruano.

a

Maxajiabuas.

a

Manaos.

The whole

their blood mingles with that of

the province.

a

Makagits.

Amazons.

Manoas.

a

Also met with on the

them

of

are

now

some of the best

civilized,

families in

Wallace.

Riheiro.

Manatinabas.

river

Velasco.

tribe of the river TefFe.

banks of the Rio Negro.

and

They were

branch of the Alanamabobos.

preached to between 1683 and 1727.

branch of the Pirros (which

tribe

Actma,

employed

procuring

in

see).

Velasco.

near the

gold,

p. 103.

(See Conibos).

a branch of the Campos (which see). Velasco. Maparixas. a tribe of the Upper Marafion, which joined Manues.

Cocomas

their

in

M. Rodriguez ;

rebellion

against

the

Mapiarus. A tribe of Smyth mentions such a

Sacramento."

Acuna,

or

a

Makaguas. of the Madeira.

Maranhas

in

the

1664.

Velasco.

ing to Acuiia.

Mapakis

Missionaries

p.

tribe

Acuna,

105; Smyth,

on the

river

the Araganatuba, accordtribe in the

p.

"

Pampa

del

235.

Amazons, below the mouth

p. 117.

(see Marianas).

Maraymitmes.

a

tribe of the

Araganatuba.

Acuha,

p. 105.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

170

Marianas

or

A

Maranhas.

Acuna,

tribe of the river Jutay.

p. 99.

They wear small

The boring

not tattooed.

When

feast.

wood

pieces of

a boy

in their

ears

of the lips of a child

and

but are

lips,

celebrated by a

is

twelve years old, the father cuts four lines

is

near his mouth, and he must then fast for

The

five days.

elder

lads scourge themselves, with a small girdle, which operation

considered as proving their manhood. Spix unci Martins,

Mariguyanas

Masamaes. to

a

branch of the Yameos (which

Masucaruanas

p. 105.

Preached

see).

Velasco.

tribe of the

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

p. 105.

(see Carabuyanas).

a

Matagenes.

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

tribe of the

between 1727 and 1768.

Masipias.

is

p. 11 85.

(see Carabuyanas).

a a

Mariruas.

iii,

branch of the Zaparos (which

see).

Villavi-

cencio.

a

Mataguayos.

tribe of the

"Gran Chacu".

Lozano, p. 51-

73.

They occupy the country on

the west

bank of the river Bermejo,

for a space of eighty-two leagues in length. fish,

which they catch with

nets,

warlike, and have few horses.

Their chief food

and with arrows.

Their^dress

is

They

is

are not

the skin of animals.

Mercurio Peruana, No. 583.

Mautas. Napo.

a

branch of the Zaparos, between the Nanay and

Villavicencid' s

a

Mayanases.

Maynas.

a

tribe of the river

general

Mayorunas like

or

Barbudos.

A

They have

p. 130.

on the upper Maranon the rivers

:

Santiago and

tribe

Velasco,

and do not go much

iii,

p. 108.

between the

Ucayali,

thick beards and white skins,

English than even Spaniards.

forests, hunting,

guez;

for tribes

Acuna,

Velasco.

Maranon, and Yavari.

more

name

Pacaxa.

map (1707) between

placed on Fritz's Pastaza.

map.

They wander through the Manuel Rodri-

to the rivers.

;

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS,

They

supposed

are

to

171

be descended from Spanish soldiers of

They have a strange and painful way of pulling out their beards. They take two shells, which they use making such as tweezers, and pull out the hairs one by one grimaces tliat the sight of it moves to laughter, and at the same Ursua's expedition.

;

Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 76.

time to compassion.

They

They

are sometimes called Barbudos,

and are very numerous.

are of a light olive complexion, taller than

tribes,

most

of the other

They are very warlike, and are They do not use bows and arrows,

and go perfectly naked.

in amity with no other tribe.

and

but only spears, lances, clubs, and cerbatanas or blow pipes;

They

make is esteemed the most powerful of any. women particularly so in their hands and feet They cut their hair in with rather straight noses, and small lips. a line across the forehead, and let it hang down their backs. Their the poison they

are well formed, the

cleanliness

remarkable, a quality for which this tribe alone

is

Smyth,

distinguished.

Very

known

little is

p.

is

223-4

of this tribe, as they attack any person

who

goes into their territory, and boatmen are careful not to encamp on lierndon, p. 218.

their side of the Ucayali.

a

Mazanes. cencio's

tribe

between the

rivers

Nanay and Napo.

Villavi-

map.

A

MiGuiANAS.

branch of the Yaineos (which see)

preached to between 1727 and 1768.

A

MiRANHAS.

race of cannibals, between the rivers

Japura, in the neighbourhood of the Juris.

MiRiTis

they were

:

Velasco.

19a and

Wallace, p. 510.

(see Uaupes).

MoACAKANAS

(see

MocHOVos.

A

MocoviES

or

Car abuy anas).

branch of the Pirros (which

MocoBTos.

A

are a savage tribe, allied to the

from Tucuman, invaded

Velasco.

see).

tribe of the " Gran Chacu". They

Tobas.

their country.

In 1712 the Spaniards,

They

are an insolent and

turbulent race, very cruel, and given to rapine and robbery.

A

MopiTiRUS.

MoRONAS.

They

Lozano.

possess horses.

A

tribe of the

Araganatuba.

branch of the Jehcros (which

Acuha, sec).

p. 105.

Vlllavi'ccucio.

;

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

17^

A

MoRUAs. -

A

MoTiLONES.

Velasco

A

numerous

tribe

on the

The Inca

Don Diego Aleman

They sub-

Mamore.

river

Inca Yupanqui, more

the dominion of the

to

persuasion than by force. 1564,

mentioned by Simon and

tribe of the Huallaga,

probably the same as the Lamistas (see Lamistas).

;

Moxos. mitted

Aciina, p. 99.

tribe of the river Jutay.

from La Paz,

started

followers, in search of the gold of

the Indians, and taken prisoner.

Vega,

la

When

grounds, surrounded by the flood.

and

cap. 14

ii,

Moxos

rivers, the

on

live

sub-tribes

or

besides sundry

Moxos

The Moxos

unhealthy.

is

the dry season arrives,

The

are divided into twenty- nine

branches,

speaking thirteen different

dialects.

Southet/'s Brazil, vol.

now

is

15.

rising

the sun, acting on the stagnant waters, generates pestilence.

climate

In

with a few

Moxos, but he was defeated by

G. de

During the inundations of the

through

sent a colony into Moxos.

a province of the Bolivian

languages,

iii.

Department of Beni

separated from Brazil, by the rivers Itenez and Madeira.

Dalence,

Bosquejo de Bolivia.

The Moxos Indians They are a

Bolivians.

are

quite

under

dominion

the

of the

grave, sedate, and thoughtful people

are fond of cultivating the

soil.

They have

set aside the

arrow, and have taken up the lasso, which they handle well. are civil, quiet, peaceable,

The

Moxos speak

They

and seldom quarrel amongst themselves.

Bolivians treat theni worse than slaves.

facture cotton,

and

;

bow and

and are expert carpenters.

nine diff'erent languages.

The Moxos manu-

The

various tribes in

Gibbon, p. 235

;

See also

Int7'oduction, p. xxxix.

MuEGANOS.

A

branch of the Zaparos {which, see) Villavicencio.

MuNDKUCUS. One and Tapajos.

of the

enemies the Muras (which

When

a

most powerful

tribes

on the Amazons,

In 1788 they entirely vanquished their ancient

Mundrucu

children consider

it

is

see).

Southey's Brazil, vol.

hopelessly

ill,

a kindness to kill their parents,

no longer enjoy hunting, dancing, and dirty.

They

broad,

strongly

are a broad chested,

developed,

good

iii.

his friends kill him,

feasting.

and very muscular people nafincd,

hut

and

when they can They are very

roupli

;

with

features.

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. Their glossy black hair

whole body

is

among

Guaycurus (which numerous

cut close across the forehead, and the

is

numbering from twenty

tribe,

Tujii

words

family of

great

up

tribes,

which, some

The JMundrucu,

like

traits in their

belonged to that

centuries

being

ago,

Tupi language,

the

pronounced with much modulation.

Von Martius,

The Mundrucus dwell on

iii,

numerous

Wallace, '^

tribe,

but

not harsh,

is

The Mundrucus do not

is

believe

p. 1235.

the river Tapajos, and extend far into

They

the interior, towards the rivers Madeira and Purus.

very

split

have spread over the whole of Brazil.

into hordes, appears to

in immortality.

many

likely that they once

it

Since

There are

with the Brazilians.

in their language, as well as

manners, which make

are a

thousand.

to forty

the

as

The Mundrucus

see) are of the South.

and

are very warlike,

Indians of North Brazil,

the

1803, they have been at peace

many

They

tattooed in small lines.

Spartans

are the

173

and portions

them

of

now

are

are a

civilized.

479.

p.

A

MtTNiCHES.

1638 and 1683.

tribe

Rodriguez; Velasco

MuPARiNAS

A

MuRAS.

;

a

is

the

of

village

between

to

M.

same name.

J/«?r, p. 141.

supposed

:

Huallaga, preached

of the

There

to

be extinct.

Velasco.

who were

powerful tribe on the Amazons,

very

formidable to the Portuguese, at the time of Ribeiro's tour of inspection in

1775,

and

until

Mnndrucus, when they began

They used

A

a

bow

populous

tribe,

Purus,

many

crisp

still

tall race,

and wavy.

they settle

partly civilized, ;

were vanquished by the in the

Portuguese

Southei/s Brazil,

six feet long.

Madeira and Rio Negro

rather a

to

iii,

about the mouths of the

but in the interior, and up the river

live in a perfectly uncivilized

They used

are grouped together in small villages,

game, and

fruit;

are

slightly

is

go naked, but now they

to

more than a roof supported on

They

state.

with beards, and the hair of the head

trousers and shirts, and the \Vomen have petticoats.

fish,

villages.

p. 723.

all

wear

Their houses

and scarcely ever consist of

posts, without walls.

and cultivate nothing.

They

live

on

They have bows and

arrows, and spears, and construct very good canoes.

Each

village

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

174

has a Tashaua or ('hief has

little

the succession

;

They

power.

turtle oil, Brazil nuts, etc., in

arrow heads, knives,

They were shirts.

is

hereditary, but the chief

trade with the Brazilians, in sarsaparilla,

exchange

for cotton goods, spear

women wore

dressed decently, and the

all

and

Wallace, p. 479 and 511-13.

etc.

calico

Gibbon, p. 306.

A

MuKATOs.

branch of the Andoas (which

preached to between 1727 and 1768.

They were

see).

They have

lately

been very

troublesome, and in September 1856 they pillaged and burnt the villages of Santander

They do not

and Andoas.

fight with

bows

and arrows, but with iron lances, and a few muskets obtained from Ecuador.

Felasco

A

Muriates.

;

Commercio de Lima.

tribe of the

children are born they hide

may

the moonlight p.

them

river

Putumayu.

Directly their

in the depths of the forests, that

not cause them any harm.

Van Spix,

iii,

1186.

A

MusQuiMAS.

MuTAYAS. ing

aft,

A

branch of the Urarinas (which

tribe

whose

see).

feet are shipped with the toes point-

according to the credulous Jesuit.

Acuna,

p. 119.

Mutuants.

A

Naneruas.

a branch of the Campas (which see). a branch of the Yameos (which see). a branch of the Simiyaes (which see).

Napeanos. Napotoas.

a

Naunas.

Velasco.

tribe of the river

Purus.

tribe of the river Jutay;

Acuha,

p. 107.

Velasco. Velasco. Velasco.

marked on

(1707) between the rivers Ucayali and Yavari.

Fritz's

Acuha,

map

p. 99.

a branch of the Aguaricos (which see). Velasco. Xeocoyas. a branch of the Encahellados (which see). Velasco. Nepas. a branch of the Sinilgaes (which see). Velasco. Nerecamues. a branch of the Iquitos (which see). Velasco. Nesaiiuacas. a branch of the Cawjoas (which see). Velasco. Nevas. a branch of the Avijiras (which see). J'elasco.

Neguas.

NusHiNOS. Oas.

A

A branch

of the Zaparos (which see).

Villaviccncio.

branch of the Simiyaes (which see); on ihe banks of

OF

VAITKY OF TTIK AMAZONS.

TTIF.

theNapo; preached

to

M,

between 1638 and 1683.

75

]

Rodriguez

;

Vclasco.

a

Ojotaes.

Omaguas.

tribe of the "

Gran Chacu."

Orellana mentions

chief

a

Lozano,

p. 51.

named Aomagua

Machiparo, near the mouth of the Putumayu

river.

at

Orellana,

p. 27.

The fabulous

respecting the wealth of the Omaguas,

stories,

led to the famous expedition of Ursua in 1560.

402,

Acuka,

et seq.

Padre Simon,

p.

p. 48.

In 1645 the Jesuit missionaries arrived in their country, on the

banks of the

" The Omaguas are the Phoenicians

Marahon.

river

of the river, for their dexterity in navigating.

noble of

all

copious

and these

some

;

the tribes

their

;

is

They

are the

which existed

in ancient times."

After

eight years of labour. Father Cujia succeeded in collecting

established forty villages

;

and Father Michel lived amongst them

twenty-seven years, until 1753.

hostilities against these

away

them

In 1687 Father Fritz came amongst them, and

into villages.

for

most

the most sweet and

indicate that they are the remains of

facts

great monarchy,

language

The Portuguese carried on many Omaguas

mission villages, and took

San Joachim de Omaguas, a

for slaves.

village

on the

Maranon, was the residence of the Vice Superior of the Missions. Velasco,

p. 197, et seq.

iii,

Of all Omaguas

the savages are

most

who

of flattening their heads.

From

the

inhabit the banks of the Marahon, the

civilized,

notwithstanding their strange custom

La Condamine,

Omaguas, the Portuguese

chouc or Indian rubber.

p. 189.

first

obtained the caout-

In the Tupi language they are called

Cambebas, a name which, equally with Omaguas, signifies " heads."

Saufheg's Brazil,

The Ouvidor

flat-

iii.

Ribeiro, in his official progress in 1774,

came

to

the village of Olivenga, on the Maranon, thirteen leagues below

Tabatinga

;

They were

where he found the chief remnant of the Omaguas. fairer

were considered

had

left off

Maw

and better shaped than the other Indians, and

to

be the most civilized and intelligent

tribe.

They

the practice of flattening their heads.

says, the

Omaguas appeared

to

be more active and indus-

;

A LIST OF THK PRIXCIPAL TRIBES

176

trious than the other Indians,

and their huts were cleaner

;

Smyth,

that they appeared to be a finer race than any he

had hitherto

and Herndon, that the number of inhabitants

in the village

seen

;

Omaguas

of San Joachim de

Maiv,

thirty-two.

Von

(in

1852) was about two hundred and

185; Simjth, p. 259; Herndon,

p.

He

lehas or Campevas.

says that they are very good natured and

honest, and that their language has like

218.

p.

Spix calls the Omaguas by their Portuguese name of Cam-

many

many Tupi words

in

it.

They,

other Amazonian tribes, have a custom of proving the

by scourging them, and of the maidens by

fortitude of the youths

hanging them

and smoking them.

a net,

in

After a death the

family shut themselves up for a month, with continual howling

and

their neighbours support

them by hunting.

The dead

buried in large earthen jars, beneath the floor of their huts.

und Martins,

iii,

p.

1187.

a

tribe

Oregttatus. the

mouth

on the south side of the Amazons, below

Acuna,

of the Madeira.

a tribe

Orejones.

are

Sjnx

p. 117.

on the north side of the mouth of the Napo,

so called from the practice of inserting a stick into the lobes of their ears.

Their language

are very fierce in

exchange

is

guttural, nasal,

and spoken with

Their faces are very broad, with thick

great velocity. ;

lips.

They

and trade with hammocks, poisons, and provisions,

for tools

and

trinkets.

Villavicencw's Geographia del

Ecuador.

Oritos.

mouth

a

tribe of the

of the Aguarico.

Oroupianas

Napo, on the east

side,

and below the

ViUavicencio.

(see Varabuyanas).

Orystinesis.

a

tribe of the

" Gran Chacu."

a branch of the Muniches (which see). Velasco. OztXANAS. A tribe of the river Jutay. Acuna, p. 99. Pacaxas. a tribe of the river Pacaxa. Acuna, p. 130. Pachictas. a branch of the Manamahobos (which see). Otanatis.

Velasco.

Pambadeques. 1638 and 1683.

a M.

tribe of the Maraiion,

Rodriguez.

preached

to

between

OF THE VALLKY OF THE AMAZONS.

a branch

Panajohis.

a

Panataguas. Lugando

A

of the Simigaes (which see). of

tribe

the Huallaga,

visited

tribe of the

iago de la Laguna, near the

mouth

in the village of

frock,

At Sarayacu they

to

the waistband of the

Both sexes are very much addicted

dyed red or blue.

Smyth and Castlenau say

intoxication.

to

which reaches down

that the

at Sarayacu, the population

amounted

to

about two thousand.

Their canoes are thirty or forty feet long, and three wide.

Fanos, of

When Smyth

Sarayacu, belong to the tribe of Setehos (which see).

was

In Sant-

In 1830 they

of the Huallaga.

joined the mission of Sarayacu, on the Ucayali.

trousers,

Padre

by

Huallaga, Marailon, and Ucayali.

1670 Father Lucei'o collected some of them,

wear a short

J''elcisco.

Merctirio Peruano.

in 1631.

Pangs.

177

to

feet

five

Their manners are frank and natural, showing, without any

They

disguise, their affection or dislike, their pleasure or anger.

have an easy courteous bearing, and seem

to

consider themselves

on a perfect equality with every body. In the last century a missionary, scripts written

among

the Panos, found

tain, containing,

according to the statements of the Indians, a his-

tory of the events in the days of their ancestors. Castelnau,

iv, p.

Papaguas. and 1727.

378; Rivero, Antiq. Per.

a tribe

Papunauas

213

;

(see Isannas).

to

a

Pakranos.

Passes.

branch

of

the

Chayavitas (which

M.

see).

Rodriguez.

a branch of the ^ncffie/fcr/os (which see). Velasco. a branch of the Yameos (which see). Preached to

between 1727 and 1768.

Velasco.

The most numerous

believe the svm to be stationary, call rivers the great

veins.

p.

of the Marahon, preached to between 1683

between 1638 and 1683.

Paratoas.

its

Smyth,

p. 102.

Velasco.

Paranapuras. Preached

manu-

on a species of paper made of the leaves of the plan-

tribe

blood vessels of

They pay

on the river Japura.

and that the earth moves. tlie

earth,

and small streams

great respect to their conjurors.

arc buried in circular graves.

They They

Their dead

s

A

1T(S

OF THE TRINCIPAL TRniP:S

I,IST

The pleasing

and

features

the opinion that thej' are the

slight figures of

Passes, confirm

tlie

most beautiful Indians of

this region.

Their whiter colour and finer build distinguishes them from their Their hands and feet are smaller than those of the

neighbours. other Indians

their necks

;

the

women

finely

their

appearance more

Their features are agreeable, and

are sometimes beautiful

the manly ornament of a beard.

and further from each

and

longer,

resembles the Caucasian type.

but the

;

men

are wanting in

Their eyes are more open,

other, than those of other Indians

The Passes have

formed and arched.

a tattooed mark,

beginning under the eyes, and continuing along the face

The men

chin.

They

cut the hair close, but the

are very clean

men

arms, and the

women

:

the

a

kind of cloak.

Von Martius,

Pastivas.

Pavas

p.

The Passes

to the

it

long.

are clever, gentle,

(See Juris).

1201-3.

Von

Spix,

Soiithey' s Brazil,

a branch of the Jeheros (which see). a tribe of the Maranon, jireached to

PastazA-S.

and 1768.

ill,

women wear

usually wearing a shirt with short

open, peaceful, and industrious.

1186.

finer,

the nose

;

ill,

ill,

p.

p. 722.

Villavicencio.

between 1727

Velasco.

A

Pevas.

or

branch of the Andoas, according to Ve-

lasco, preached to between 1727 and 1768.

between the

Napo and Putumayu.

rivers

They

Velasco;

met with

are

Villavicencio''

map.

A branch

Patttes.

a

Payaguas. mouth.

tribe

on the north side of the Napo, near

its

Villatncencio.

a

Pelados.

They

and 1727.

tribe of the Huallaga,

are probably the

but are marked on Fritz's

and Yavari.

Velasco

Pequeyas, to

Villavicencio.

of the /e5e/-os (which see).

;

lavicencio' s

A

same

as the Jitipos (which see);

map (1707) between the

Samuel Fritz

;

rivers Ucayali,

Introduction, p.

xliii.

a branch of the Encabellados (which see).

between 1727 and 1768. Pevas.

preached to between 1683

tribe

Preached

Velasco.

between the

rivers

Napo and Putumayu.

Vil-

map.

Pinches,

A

branch of the Andoas, preached

to

between 1683

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. and

Met with between

1727.

Velasco

the rivers Tigre and

Pastaza.

Villavicencio.

;

A

PiNDOS.

PiKAs

179

branch of the Jeheros (which

see).

Villavicencio.

(see Uaujih).

Chuntaquiros. a tribe of the Ucayali, preached They wander from place to place in and are good boatmen and fishermen. They are employed canoes, by traders to procure sarsaparilla, and make oil from the fat of the manatee. They navigate nearly the whole lengtli of the Ucayali, PiRROS

to

or

between 1683 and 1727.

and trade with the Antis (which see) within a short distance of Cuzco. Velasco says that they are descended from the Inca Indians.

They

are

marked on

Ucayali.

Velasco

Fritz's

map

(1707), on the east side of the

Smyth ; General Miller

;

PocoANAS

(see Carahuyanas).

PriNAUS

or

Mafiarus.

A

tribe in the

del Sacramento, near the northern part of

A

PuNOTjTS. the

mouth

tribe

A

The body

is

Aciina, p. 117.

Men

their huts are very small

palheta,

bow and

joerfectly

of irre-

naked

and of the rudest construction. ;

— a piece of wood, with a

neither the

pi'ojection at the end, to secure is

held with the handle of

the palheta in the hand, and thus thrown as from a sling.

have surprising dexterity

ing.

game and

fish

with

in the

it.

their huts

use

of this

They

weapon, and readily

They construct earthen pans

In the wet season, when

rafts of the

and

arrows, but have an instrument called

the base of a dart, the middle of which

kill

;

Their

mere square boxes,

They use

quite unlike those of any other Indians.

blow-pipe, nor

to thirty

brown patches

and women go

bottomed, with upright sides

flat

from sixteen

are almost all afflicted with a peculiar dis-

spotted with white and

gular size and shape.

canoes are

p. 235.

tribe of the river Purus,

They

days A'oyage up. ease.

Pampa

centre of the

on the south side of the Amazons, below

of the Madeira.

Pi'RUPURUs.

Castelnau.

Not numerous, and

it.

Smyth,

by the mission Indians.

rarely seen

;

for

cook-

the beaches are flooded, they

make

trunks of trees bound together with creepers, and erect

upon them, thus

living

till

the waters subside

again.

Their skin disease perhaps arises from sleeping naked on the sands.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

180

without hammocks.

Sjnx unci Martins,

iii,

1174

p.

;

Castelnau

;

Wallace, p. 514.

A

PuTUMAYos.

name

general

the

for

tribes

of that

river.

Velasco.

QuATAUSis

A

(see Catauxls).

tribe of the Purus.

Aciina, p.

107.

QuEKERUS

Car abuy anas).

(see

QuiLiviTAS.

Supposed

be extinct

to

Velasco's

in

time.

Velasco.

A tribe

QuiMAxrs.

mouth

QuiNARUPiANAS

a

Remos.

They

to the river.

They

Andoas (which

are

are

numerous and courageous

tract of inland

country, seldom coming

are very savage,

and wage war against

their faces

rounder than those of

fair,

RoAMAYNAS.

Velasco

A branch

RiMACHUMAS.

A

of the J/«y?/«s.

tribe of the river Pastaza,

and Tigre,

Morona and Pastaza.

Chinese,

and

their

Smyth.

;

Marked on

1638 and 1683.

Velasco.

see).

considered by Velasco as a a

of the Ucayali, their eyes like

stature very short.

rivers Pastaza

of the

They

and occupy a large

tribes

Carabuyanas).

tribe of the Ucayali,

all foreigners.

other

(see

Campas.

branch of the

down

Aciina, p. 117.

A branch

QuiEiviNAS.

race,

on the south side of the Amazon, below the

of the Madeira.

Fritz's

map

Velasco.

preached

Villavicencio places

Velasco

;

M.

to

between

(1707) between the

Rodrigeuz

them between the ;

Villavicencio.

A branch of the Zaparos (which see). Villavicencio. RuANABABAS A branch of the Ca?navos (which see) Velasco. RuMos. A tribe of the river Napo. Acuna, p. 94. Sencis. a bold, warlike, and generous tribe of the Ucayali,

Rotunds.

inhabiting a hilly country N.E. of Sarayacu.

terms with the Indians themselves. describes

Father

them

as

of the missions,

Plaza

was

well

They

are on friendly

though not converted

received

by

them,

the greatest warriors of the Ucayali.

and

They

have bows and arrows, lances, clubs, and kowas (a short spear

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS. pointed

at

one end, the other in the shape of a club, with stag's

antlers fixed

down

them with

herbs, and apply

ments on the on

fish

Smyth, I

and success.

skill

and arms.

ears, nose, neck,

members

of

of medicinal

They wear

They use

orna-

canoes, and

Mercurio Peruano, No. 381;

during the dry season.

p. 225.

saw no

difference in appearance

between the Sends, and the

Lieutenant Herndon seems inclined

other tribes of the Ucayali." to

and are very

are agriculturists,

idle are killed, as useless

Tlicy have knowledge of the properties

society.

"

They

its sides).

Those who are

industrious.

live

181

throw some doubt on the account given by Smyth, from inform-

by Father Plaza.

ation supplied

Senos.

a tribe

a

Sepaunabas. Setebos. (which

of the river

a

Herndon,

Napo.

209.

p.

Acuna,

p. 94.

branch of the Camjms (which

see).

Velasco.

tribe of the Ucayali, living north of the Cashihos

They

see).

are said

be quiet, tractable, and well

to

disposed towards the Missions.

Since 1651, the Franciscans have

occasionally visited them, but were generally murdered.

Father

when he founded Sarayacu, in 1792, induced some of them settle there. They trade up and down the Ucayali in canoes.

Girbal, to

Mercurio Peruano, No. 51

Shipibos.

a

;

Herndon.

tribe of the Ucayali,

by Smyth and Herndon.

river Pisqui in 1764,

They were

who

collected into a village

by Father Fresneda, but

the Missionaries were massacred. first

them from time

In 1764 the good Franciscans

the Setebos in a bloody battle.

brought about a reconciliation.

Girbal was the

visited

In 1736 they routed and almost destroyed

to time, since 1651.

on the

coupled with the Setebos,

The Franciscans

in 1767, all

After that fatal time, Father

visited them, in 1790.

Mercurio Peruano,

No. 51.

A

SiiiRiPUNAS.

branch of the Zaparos (which

see).

Villa-

vicencio, p. 171-3.

SiGUiYAS.

A

SiMARKONES. SiMiGAES.

A

tribe of the

A

Araganatuba.

branch of the Maynas.

group of

tribes

living

Acuna,

p. 105.

Velasco.

on the banks of the

A LIST or THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

182

They were preached

Curaray and Tigre. 1727.

Velasco

SmiNEyKis SiRioNOS

Villavicencio

;

;

to

between 1683 and

Friiz^s 3Iaj].

(see Chmichos.)

(see Guarayos.)

A

SoLiMOENs.

tribe

on the Amazons, formerly powerful, from

which the Portuguese gave the name of the

A

SoRiMOENS.

river,

tribe of the rivers TefFe

and Coari.

Ribeiro reported that the chief remains of this once tribe,

was

settled at the

mouth

A

SucHiCHis. Velasco.

tribe

of the Coari.

They

Soufhey's Brazil,

identical with the Solimoens.

supposed

to

In 1788

numerous

are probably

iii.

be extinct, in the time of

Velasco.

A tribe to the eastward of Quito. Velasco. a branch of the Jeheros (which see).

SucuMBios. Tabalosos.

M.

Rodriguez.

a

Tagua.cuas.

branch of the Manamahobos (which

see).

Velasco.

a

Tagxjaus.

Amazons were Tamas. (which

a

tribe dwelling

tribe of the river

Aciina, p. 94

see.)

river,

up which the race of

Napo.

A branch

of the Aguaricos

Velasco.

;

a tribe of the river TeiFe. Soutkey^s a tribe of the river Tapajos. AcuTia,

Tamuanas. Tapajosos.

Tapuras

on the

Aciuia, p. 122.

said to live.

Brazil, p. 124.

(see Uaupes.)

Tapuyas.

Ar-tribe of the river

Pacaxa (see

Tiipis.)

Acuna,

p. 130.

Tasias.

a

Tarianes

Taxus

branch of the Ca/npas (which see) Velasco.

(see Uaupes.)

(see Uaupis.)

Taunies.

a

Tenimbucas Tequeies

iii.

tribe of the

"Gran Chacu."

(see Uaupes.)

(see Chunipies.)

Lozano,

p. 75.

OF

TIIK VAI.I.KV

a

Tkrarus.

tribe of the

OF THK AMAZONS.

Araganatuba.

183

Acuu.a, p. 105.

TiASsu.s (see Uaiipes.)

TicuxAS

or

A

JuMAXAS.

the Omaguas, preached

to

tribe of the

Maranon, neighbours

of

They people Maranon. They go

between 1683 and 1727.

Tabatinga, the frontier Brazilian post on the

naked, and have a tattooed oval round their mouths, which the

men wear the

broader than the women, and a line from the corners of

mouth

They

to the ears.

believe in a good and an evil spirit,

They

Locazy.

fear the evil spirit,

that, after death,

he appears

take them to his home.

named Nanidoa and

and believe of the good one with the departed, and to

to eat fruit

Their dead bodies are arranged, with the

extremities placed together, and the face towards the rising sun,

with broken weapons and

fruit

placed in the bosom

buried in a great earthen jar; and the ceremony

is

;

they are then

concluded by a

drinking festival.

Wives

are obtained by presents to the parents,

As soon

the chief has the "jus primse noctis." up,

it is

and

it is

said that

as a child can sit

sprinkled with a decoction from certain leaves, and receives

name of one of its forefathers. Next to the Passes and Juris, the Ticunas are the Indians of this region. They are not so well built as the

though slighter than most of the

best formed the former,

Their faces are round,

tribes.

nose thin and sharp, and expression generally good humoured and

Their disposition

gentle.

is

open and honest.

They

are darker

than most of the Indians of the Maranon, and beardless.

Acuna,

p.

Castelnau

96 ;

Von Spix,

;

Herndon,

Tijucos (see

A

in 1631.

see) Velasco

;

TiPUNAS. TiPUTiNis.

p.

1182

;

Von Martins,

iii,

Velasco p.

;

1206;

234.

Uaiipes.)

TiNGAXESES.

Lugando

p.

iii,

tribe of the Huallaga,

preached

Possibly identical with the

to

by Father

Cholones (which

Mercurio Peruano.

A

tribe of the river Jutay.

A

Acinia, p. 99.

branch of the Jeheros (which see) according

Velasco, but Villavicencio places

them under the Zaparos.

to

They

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

184

were visited by missionaries between 1727 and 1768.

Velasco

;

Villavicencio.

A

TiyiLOS.

A

ToBAS.

branch of the Jeberos (which

31. Rodriguez.

see).

savage tribe of the " Gran Chacu," on the banks of

the rivers Pilcomayu and Bermejo.

Lozano,

p. 51

Dohrizhoffer

;

;

Gibhon, p. 164.

A

ToNocoTES.

tribe of the "

A

ToauiSTENESEs.

Gran Chacu."

Lozano,

" Gran Chacu."

tribe of the

p. 51.

Lozano,

p.

51.

a

Tremajokis.

A

TucALES. Villavicencio' s

TucANOs

tribe,

Siniic/aes

between the

rivers

see).

Velasco.

and Pastaza.

Tigre

(see Uaupes.)

(see Uaupes.)

A

TuouRiYS.

living

tribe

Acuha,

on the south side of the river

p. 100.

TuiNAMAYNAS

(sec Carabuyanas.)

TuLiTMATus.

A

tribe

on a river of the same name, a tributary

They were

of the upper Huallaga. in 1631.

(which

Map.

TucTJNDERAs

Amazons.

branch of the

first visited

by Father Lugando

Mer curio Peruana.

A

TupiNAMBAS. island, at the

mouth

powerful Brazilian

tribe, settled

on a great

of the Madeira, in the time of Acuiia.

Acuiia,

p. 119.

Tupis.

These Indians people Para, and the shores of the

lower Amazons.

They have long been

zilians corrujDtly call

well made. quiet,

They

them Tapuyas.

learn

all

They

good natured, inoffensive people.

A

are stout,

short,

and

trades quickly and well; and are a

most of the Para trading canoes. TxjpiTiMis.

and the Bra-

civilized,

They form

the crews of

Wallace, p. 478.

branch of the Za2mros (which

see).

Villa-

vicencio.

TuYUNERis

(see C/ninchos.)

Uaenambeus

or "

Humming

Bird" Indians.

A

tribe

on the

OF rHK VAT.LKY OF lower part of

(which

llie

mark on

the upper

Wallace,

A

Uamanis.

Curetua

the

distinguished from other tribes by a small

apron of bark.

blue

185

They much resemble

Japura.

see), but are

AMAZONS.

TTIF,

The women always wear

lip.

of the

tribe

a small

510.

p.

Southey,

river Coari.

from

iii,

Ribeiro.

a

Uaraycus. To

Amazons.

tribe

of the

river

try the fortitude of their

exposed

in a net, in the roof of a hut,

same purpose.

his bride, to

whom

marry her.

They burn

he

is

to continual

An

it

;

engaged from a their dead,

and bury the ashes iii,

p.

in their

1187-90.

extensive group of tribes, inhabiting the shores

Two

of them,

Piras and Carapanas, are mentioned by Acufia. Acuna,

The

p. 105.

other sub-divisions of the Uaupesare the

Queianas

Tucunderas (ant)

Tarianas

Jacamis (trumpeter)

Ananas

CoMus

Tucanas (toucan)

(cannibals) (fish's

mouth)

Omauas

Ipecas (duck)

Muciiras (opossum)

Gis (axe)

Macunas

Coua (wasp)

Pisas (net)

Taiassiis (pig)

Tapuras

(tapir)

Tijucos

Uaracus

(fish)

Arapassos

Cohidias

They straight,

tall,

worn

little

beard

and

lances, clubs,

stout,

(wood-

;

Tatus (armadillos)

down

Hair

jet

the back, often to

skin a light glossy brown. cultivating mandioc,

camotes.

They

black

They

families live together in one house, a

and

the thighs

;

are an agri-

sugar cane, yams, maize,

Their weapons are bows and

and blow-pipes.

ibis)

Teninihueas (ashes)

and well-formed.

in a long tail

cultural people,

tobacco,

Corocoro (green

Banhunas

(mud)

pecker) are

Uacarras (heron)

Desunnas

(pine apples) Miritis (palm)

Piraiurus

very

for

long before he can

child,

of the river Uaupes, a tributary of the Rio Negro. i\ie

smoke, where

and the youths are

youth must hunt and work

Spix und Martins,

huts (see Gtiaraicus).

Uaupes.

A

on the

maidens, they hang them

they fast as long as they can possibly bear flogged, for the

and also

Jutay,

arrows,

are great fishermen.

Many

parallelogram one hundred 24

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

186 and roof

is

by seventy-five, and thirty

feet long

fifteen

supported on

At

of trees, smooth and straight.

eight feet high, with a

to

Their canoes are

all

made

a large doorway,

is

The

serve as a door.

hammocks, earthen

niture consists of net kets.

the gable end

palm mat

The

feet high.

columns, formed of the trunks

fine cylindrical

pots, pitchers,

fur-

and bas-

of a single hollowed tree, often

an oval blade.

forty feet long, paddles about three feet long, with

The men wear a cloth round the loins, but the women go quite naked. The men use many ornaments, and a circlet of feathers

A

round the head.

cylindrical white quartz stone

is

invariably

carried on the breast, as a charm, suspended by a chain of black seeds. its

The dead

Tushaua or

Every house has

are buried inside the houses.

chief, the office

They have

being hereditary.

cerers called Payes, but do not believe in a

God.

sor-

Wallace, pp.

480-506.

a

Uatupcs.

A

UcAYAi/ES.

Riheiro.

tribe of the river Coari.

branch of the Omaguas (which

see).

M.

Rodri-

guez. ^

A

UcHXTCAS.

lavicencio's

tribe

between the

rivers Tigre

and Pastaza.

Vil-

Map.

a

Uereqitenas.

They

Rio Negro.

tribe

are

on the

said

river Isanna, a tributary of the

by Ribeiro (1775)

names, such as Jacob, David, Joab,

They

etc.

use the quipus, for keeping their accounts.

to

have Jewish

are cannibals;

Southey^s Brazil,

and iii,

p. 723.

a

Ugiaras. Huallaga.

M.

Umatjas. nibals.

a

Rodriguez. tribe of the river

Von Martins,

Ungumanas. Unibuesas. in 1681,

and

below the mouth of the

tribe of the Maraiion,

also

a

a

iii,

p.

Japura

;

who

are said to be can-

1243.

branch of the Maynas.

Velasco.

tribe of the Ucayali, visited

by Father Lucero

by other missionaries, between 1683 and 1727.

Velasco.

Unonos.

a branch

of the Ugiaras (which see).

Velasco.

,r

;

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

a

Upanas. cencio's

187

on the east side of the river Morona.

tribe

Villavi-

Map.

a

Upataninabas.

a

Ueartnas. and 1768.

branch of the Pirros (which

tribe of the Pastaza;

preached

see).

to

Velasco.

between 1727

Velasco.

Ukayaris

(see Carahiiyanas).

a

Urubatingas.

on the south side of the Amazons,

tribe

below the mouth of the Madeira.

A

UsPAS.

tribe

supposed

to

Acum,

p. 117.

be extinct, in the time of Velasco.

Velasco.

a

Velelas, Lozano,

tribe

of the

"Gran Chacu"

Chunipies).

(see

p. 85.

a

Xamas.

Ribeiro.

tribe of the river TefFe.

XiMANAS. A tribe between the rivers Putumayu and Japura who kill their first-born children. Thej' are esteemed for willing industry. They burn the bones of their dead, and mingle the ashes in their drink.

Southetfs Brazil,

iii,

p.

722

Wallace, p.

;

511.

Yacakiguaeas.

a

tribe of the river

Putumayu.

Acuna,

p.

99.

a tribe of the Rio Negro. a tribe of the Araganatuba.

Yacucakaes,

Yaguanais. Yagtjas.

a

tribe of the Maraiion,

Acuiia, p. 110.

Actma,

preached

to

-p.

In 1852 they had a village, below Omaguas.

and 1727. {Herndon,

105.

between 1683 Velasco.

p. 226).

Yameos. and 1727.

a

tribe of the

Marked on

Tigre and Napo.

Fritz's

map, between the mouths of the

Velasco.

a

Yamoruas.

Maraiion, preached to between 1683

tribe of the

Araganatuba.

Acuna,

Yanmas.

a

tribe of the

Yapuas.

a

branch of the Eficabellados (which

Rio Negro.

Yarapos.

a

Yaribarus

(see Carabui/anas).

p. 105.

Acuiia, p. 110.

branch of the Yameos (which

see).

see).

J^ckisco.

Velasco.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES

188

YARUCAGUA.CAS

(see

Yasunies.

Curaray and Napo.

a

Yequeyos.

a

Yetes.

see).

branch of the Simigaes (which

p. 105.

Velasco.

see).

A

some distance up the

tribe living

They have poisoned

with tapir skins.

river Japura.

Their shields are covered

chief lives in a conical p)'ramid.

They

spears.

mandioc, which they use in the form of tapioca. iii,

Velasco.

Acuna,

Araganatuba.

tribe of the

Velasco.

see.)

(see Iquitos).

YtrcuNAs.

The

branch of the Putumayus (which

a

a

YQUiTbs

Villavicencio.

branch of the Putumayus (which

Yguakanis. Ynuris.

Carabuy anas).

a branch of the E7icahellados (which see). Velasco. a branch of the Zaparos ; between the rivers

Yasheos.

cultivate

Southcy's Brazil,

p. 721.

A

YucuNAMPAS.

"Gran Chacu"

tribe of the

(see Chunipies).

Lozano, p. 85.

A

YuMAGUARis. who are employed

A

YupiUAS.

Acuha,

for gold.

tribe of the river Teffe.

A

YuBACARES.

tribe of Indians, near the river of

washing

in

tribe in the Bolivian

Riheiro.

department of Beni, along

the base of the Andes, in a province of capital.

They

are not numerous.

YuRiMAGUAS. 1683 and 1727.

A

village

Huallaga, above Laguna.

is

the

is

to

between

situated on the

has about two hundred and

fifty

Velasco; Herndon, p. 171.

inhabitants.

A

YxTRUNAS.

YuRUSUNES.

tribe of the

A

YxisTENESES.

Zamobas.

a

a

A tribe

Acuna,

Putumayu.

tribe of the

Encabellados (which see).

Zapas.

Maranon, preached

Yurimaguas

of

It

which Chimore

Gibbon, p. 202.

tribe of the

The

Amazons,

p. 103.

Napo,

Acuna, of the

p.

p. 99.

living to the south of

94

;

tlic

Velasco.

"Gran Chacu."

branch of the Jeberos (which

branch of the Simigaes (which

see).

see).

Lozano, p. 51. Villavicencio.

Velasco.

OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZONS.

a

Zapaeos.

branch of the tribe of the

them

cencio considers p.

94

to

;

according to Velasco, a

Simtgaes del Curaray,^^ but Villavi-

*'

be an important parent

Acuha,

tribe.

Velasco.

;

They

numerous than the

are less

the river Pastaza and Napo.

branches, in

Napo

tribe of the river

189

all

and wander between

Jeheros,

them

Villavicencio divides

speaking the same language, Avhich

is

into ten

copious, simple

grammatical construction, somewhat nasal, and guttural.

family of tribes

more

is

pacific

The Zaparos

dexterous in hurling the lance.

and ready

obliging, live

by the chace, and are clothed

Uanchama, beaten

They

Chinese

:

those

and and

of short stature but robust, round faces, small angular

and

little

beard.

Those who

live

rivers are of a copper colour

shade of the forests have whiter skins.

live in the

women have

;

by but

The

agreeable expressive countenances, black, animated,

beautiful eyes,

humane and

believe that the souls of

They

Villavicencio, pp. 171

is

in

and hospit-

The Zaparos

general use.

good and valorous men enter beautiful

and feed on delicious

dirty reptiles.

sensible hearts, generous

Polygamy

able dispositions.

birds,

are indolent,

live in small collections of huts,

on the banks of the

who

They

bark of a tree called

cultivate a few maize, yuca,

eyes, broad noses, thick lips,

fishing

in the

Their physiognomy resembles that of the

hammocks.

sleep in

They

out.

banana plantations.

are docile, hospitable,

mix with Europeans.

to

This

than that of Jeheros, but more

fruits

;

while cowardly souls become

also believe in a

good and an

evil

spirit.

and 370.

In war they use a spear made of the chonta palm, a blow pipe,

and poisoned arrows, which they cany

a

bamboo

tubes,

slung

Dr. Jameson's Journey, 1857.

across their shoulders.

Zapitalaguas.

in

tribe

of the

" Gran

ChacuJ''

Lozano,

p. 51.

Zeoqueyas. Zepas.

a

a

branch of the Papayuns (which

branch of the Camavos (which

Zepucayas. of the Madeira.

a

tribe living

Acuha,

see).

see).

Velasco.

Velasco.

on the Amazons, below the mouth

p. 117.

A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIBES.

190

Zeunas. Supposed

to

have been extinct, in the time of Velasco.

Velasco.

A

ZiAS or ZiYUS.

tribe of

the

Putumayu.

river

Acuna,

p. 99.

ZiBiTOS (see

Jibitos).

ZucoYAS (same ZuKiNAS.

mouth seats,

A

as Zeogueyas).

tribe

of the Purus.

on the banks of the Amazons, below the

They

are very expert in

Acum,

and in carving images.

T.

RICHAUDS,

37,

making comfortable

p. 107.

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