CHAPTER VII

    How the captain Jorge Robledo assigned the Chiefs among the settlers who had to remain in the city of Santa Ana, and how he departed and discovered another part of the great river of Santa Marta.

THE events we have related having passed, the captain Jorge Robledo desired to cross the great river Santa Marta, and explore the regions on the other side. He first divided the native Chiefs among those who had to remain as settlers; and then, having assigned them, he left the captain Ruy Vanegas in his place, and departed from Anzerma early in the year 1540, taking with him as his ensign Suer de Nava, a native of Toro. We set out, a little over a hundred Spaniards, horse and foot. The Comendador Hernán Rodríguez de Sosa was camp-master. We arrived at the village of Irra, which is on the banks of the river of Santa Marta, where the current flows with great velocity. The natives made rafts on which the horses and baggage crossed. The Spaniards made contrivances for crossing[19] consisting of two bamboos as thick as a leg, to the head of which a pole was fastened. One man went in front with a reed, hauling on the bamboos, and two others behind to guide them. Thus, with great risk and much hard work the Spaniards crossed this great river. I certainly believe that if the Romans had undertaken the conquest of these parts, even at the time of the most flourishing period of their empire, when they ruled the world, they would not have been powerful enough to do what a few Spaniards have achieved. As for the hardships and hunger they have faced, no other nation in the world could have endured it. For they are worthy to be counted as scions of the most excellent nation in the world and the one which is foremost in all things.

Having crossed to the other side of the river we went to sleep on the rising ground, whence the captain sent messengers to Carrapa, which is a large and rich province with abundant supplies of provisions, to persuade the inhabitants to receive him as their friend and to yield obedience to his Majesty. As the fame of the Spaniards' valour, their great power, and the endurance of their horses had reached all these districts, the natives agreed, in order to escape being wounded by swords or torn to pieces by dogs, to admit them to their territory and supply them with provisions; and this they sent to say. Next day we entered Carrapa. The Chiefs came to see the captain, and presented many golden ornaments, and vases, among them a salver which weighed over 2,000 pesos. We were there more than a month. The Indians said that after crossing the cordillera of the Andes there was a very populous plain country where there were great and very rich Chiefs, and that that country was called Arbi. They also said that near it were the provinces of Picara, Paucura, and Pozo, all great and powerful, and hostile to each other. At that time those of Carrapa were at enmity with Picara. After[20] we had stayed for the time mentioned the captain asked for guides to advance further, also that some principal natives should come with the number of men he might want, to make war on those who refused to be friendly. The people of Carrapa were content, and gave 600 Indians to carry the baggage on their shoulders and 4,000 armed men to help in the war. Thus we left Carrapa and went to the province of Picara, which is larger and more populous. When tidings came of our approach, the natives of Picara armed themselves for war, but after they had made a tremendous noise, they grounded their arms and fled. Those of Carrapa pursued them, and killed many in the ravines. Others they made prisoners, and ate them all without sparing any. Such is the cruelty and savagery of these people!

Our camp was formed on a plain. The captain Robledo, the first discoverer of these regions, sent messengers to all the villages of that province to warn the natives that they must come in and render obedience to his Majesty, for that otherwise he would wage war with ruthless cruelty. Most of them, fearing their cruel enemies of Carrapa, determined to come and offer peace to the Spaniards. During the few days that we were encamped on that plain, the principal Chiefs, named Picara, Chanvericua, Chuscuruca, and Ancora, came to our camp. When the repartimiento was made, this last one was given to me in encomienda, with other principal men, I being a conquistador of these parts. These Chiefs brought many gold ornaments, rich and of much value, which they gave to the captain, who took possession for his Majesty, and for the royal crown of Castille. Having made some agreement convenient for them and for us, the captain ordered the men of Carrapa not to kill any more people, nor to do any more harm than they had done already. After having been in this province twenty-five days, we set out for Pozo, which is situated among some breaks in a mountain range, the Chiefs having their houses[21] and compounds on the slopes higher up. At the approaches there are fortifications of stout bamboos, and above these are barbacoas or platforms for making their sacrifices upon, and for use as watch towers.

These Indians are the boldest and most valiant in all the Indies of Peru. None of them are ever in their plantations, sowing or gathering the produce, without having their arms ready at hand. They were feared by all their neighbours and they would not keep at peace with any one. Both men and women go naked. They have much gold. Their territory extends to the river of Santa Marta. They came originally from among the people of Arma. Their weapons are lances, darts, and slings; but of this I treat more fully in my Book of Foundations. They had news of our entrance into Picara, and of what we had done in Carrapa, but they trusted in the strength of their fortified places, and held the Spaniards of little account. Having made great sacrifices and prayers to their gods, and having spoken with the devil in accordance with their customs, more than 6,000 of them assembled, with their arms, on the summit of their mountains, to defend the pass. We set out from Picara, as I have said, with more than 5,000 Indians of that province, led by their principal Chiefs, all eager to attack the province of Pozo and kill its inhabitants.