Galapagos  Source  Whalesite

COLLECTION

FROM

UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS

RELATED

TO DISCOVERY, CONQUEST AND ORGANIZATION

OF THE

OLD SPANISH POSSESSIONS

OF AMERICA AND OCEANIA

TAKEN FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE KINGDOM,
AND VERY ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE INDIES.

Competently Authorized

VOLUME XLI

MADRID

PRINT BY MANUEL G. HERNANDEZ

Libertad, 16 duplicado, bajo

1884

      It seemed to me to be fair to let Your Majesty know the process of my journey from the moment I left Panama, which was in February 23 this year, until I reached this new Villa in Puerto Viexo.

      The ship brought a very good breeze weather seven days, and the pilot made himself close to land and gave us calm for six days; The currents were so great, and they engulfed us in such a way that on Wednesday the

10th of March, we saw an island; And because on the ship there was no more water than for two days, they agreed to launch the boat and go ashore for water and grass for the horses, and when they left they found only sea lions, and turtles and so large galapagos, each one carrying a ombre on top, and many higuanas that are like serpents. Another day we saw another island, larger than that of the great mountain ranges; And believing that there because of its greatness as well as its monstrosity that could not stop having rivers and fruits, we went to her, because the first boxaria four or five leagues, and the other boxaria ten or twelve leagues, and in this he drank the water that The ship opened and we spent three days taking the island, calmly, in which there the men like the horses suffered a lot of work

      I loaded the ship, all the passengers left on land, and some understood in making a well, and others in looking for water on the island: from the well came the water more bitter than that of the sea; On earth they could not discover a drop of water in two days, and with the need that the people had they used a leaf of some thistles like tunas, and because they were like sumosas, although not very tasty, we began to eat them, and sprinkles to Take out of the water, and take out it looks like lava, of legia, and they drank it as if it were rosy water

      Passion Sunday I had a collection brought out on the ground to say mass, and at that point I returned to send the people

two by two or three by three, in different parts: Our Lord was served that they found in a ravine, between the stones, until half water pipe, and caught that one they found more and more; Anyway, eight pipes were taken from the barrels and jars that were in the ship, but from the need for water one man died there, and in two days we left that island another; and ten horses died.

      From this island we saw two others, one much larger than all of them, which would long box fifteen or twenty leagues; the other was medium: I took the height to know where these islands were, and they are from half a degree to a half degree from the Equinocial, to the southern band. In this second it was the same after the first; many sea lions, turtles, higuanas, galapagos, many birds from Spain, but so stupid that they did not know how to flee, and many we took by hand: we did not reach the other two; I do not know the dyspusicion they have. In this one, on the sand of the beach, there were some Chinese ones, that as we left we stepped on, they wanted diamond stones, and others of amber color; But in the whole island I do not think that there is a place where a bushel of corn could be planted, because most of it is full of very large stones, which seems that some time God rained stones; The land that there is like slag, no use, because it has no virtue to raise a little grass, but some cardones, the eye of which he said

we catch. Thinking that we were not in this land of Peru for more than twenty or thirty leagues, let us be content with the water already said, that we could take other veynte boots of those; But let's set sail, and with medium weather we sailed eleven days without seeing land, and the pilot and master came to me to tell me where we were, and that there was not more than one water pipe on the ship: I tried to take that The sun was day, and there we were three degrees from the southern band, and I saw that because of the direction we were taking, that we were engulfing the most, that we did not reach the land, because we were going south: I turned from the other side, and the boot of water. distribute this way; that half was given for the beasts, and with the other half a brew was made that was poured into the wine pipe, taking it for granted that we could not be far from the land, and we sailed for eight days, which lasted the pipe of the brew, giving ration to each one who was content; And when that pipe was finished, we had no other choice, we saw the land and gave us calm for two days, during which we drank pure wine, but we had the courage to see the land. We entered the Rio de los Caraques bay, Friday on April 9, and we found there the people of a Nicaraguan galleon that had left Nicaragua for eight months, and we took our trip as good compared to theirs. This bay of the Caraques is in half a degree from the southern band, and on the charts it is at three degrees; from this bay to Puerto Viejo, there are nine leagues along the coast of the sea: this said bay is one of the beautiful ports that can be in the world, that ships can come to barlore with the land, and three ships can climb or four leagues, and they do not know if more. The Adelantado Pedro de Alvarado entered this, and destroyed a town that was owned by Indians and stirred up others; e where he went with his people is a shame to see the destruction.

      I left from this bay with the passengers by land and on foot, because the beasts came tired, coming to this town of Puerto Viejo, and walking, and with which we found a valley called Charapoto, which has a very good one. river, where there are many and peaceful Indians, because Captain Francisco Pizarro has given himself such a good way, that he has peace at the foot of thirty gentlemen: this Captain and Lieutenant of the Governor is so well regarded by them, that they bring him mahiz food. and fish, and venison, and whatever is necessary, and if for instance when they go to see the land they take some Indians, then they return to send them back to their land, and they give them a cross so that with that no xpiano will harm them. , and that those who want to come to see that they bring that sign and they will do them no harm. If he knows that some gold or silver is taken from them, then he will send it back, and some have brought it to them, and tell them that he does not come for their gold or silver, but so that they may know God, be Your Majesty, and that Your Majesty He will give them masters who are in charge of teaching them the things of the Santa Fée Catholica, and that those, because of that care, will be in charge of feeding them. The maintenance of this Captain seems to me that it is very good to serve Our Lord and Your Majesty, and to discharge the Royal awareness of him; And since I still have to do a lot of things, I have told him the intention of Your Majesty in this case, and he is not going to leave it very soon. There are great gold mines, and I passed here and information about those who were going with Albarado, that sixteen leagues from this town and there are very good gold mines: it is believed that there is a nursery of desmeraldas, because the Indians bring them in their jewels; Commonly said and Indians have their touches and points from copper to veynte and two carats, and silver also have their points and in parts very good qualms. It is believed that before half a year a large quantity of this Earth will be peaceful, due to the good treatment that said Captain and Lieutenant gave them; e Your Majesty should give him fame in it, and it is necessary according to the troubles of the people that he has, because his eyes go after each point of gold that they see

      I will leave, pleading with Our Lord, for the Villa de San Miguel, in four days from now: from the Governor Don Francisco Pizarro it is not known at present; He is well retired from this, although some believe and say that he comes to the Villa de Truxillo, which is between San Miguel and Xauxa

      The Lord, fill Your Holy Majesty with holy love and grace for long times and with the preservation of your Kingdoms and the increase of others again as I wish. This is a new town in Puerto Viejo, twenty-six days in April, one million and five hundred and thirty-five years old. - From Your Sacred Caesarea Catholica Magestad. - Very true servant and servant and perpetual Chaplain who kisses the real feet and hands of him. - Friar Tomás eps locastelli aurii. - He's signed.

"Carta a Su Magestad de Fray Tomás de Berlanga, describiendo su viaje desde Panamá á Puerto Viejo, e los trabajos que padeció en la navegacion. – Puerto Viejo, Abril 26 de 1535".
    in
Real academia de la historia.
Joaquin Francisco Pacheco (ed.)
      Colección de documentos inéditos relativos al descubrimiento, conquista y colonización de las posesiones españoles en América y Oceanía, sacados bajo la direccion de J.F. Pacheco, F. de Cárdenas y L. Torres de Mendoza.
Tomo XLI.
pp.539-544.

Galapagos  Source  Whalesite