CHAPTER XV

    How the captain Jorge Robledo explored the province of Quinbaya, and how he founded the city of Cartago.

ROBLEDO was sufficiently informed, in the province of Carrapa, that Quinbaya was large and full of very rich Chiefs and lords. As he was desirous of forming another new settlement where he could divide the districts among the Spaniards who were serving with him, he asked the Indians of Carrapa to supply him with what was necessary. When he was ready he set out and marched until he reached the borders of the province of Quinbaya. As all that region is full of large and very thick cane brakes, and the Spaniards did not see any large villages like those they had passed, they became very despondent and said that it would have been better to have settled in the countries they had passed, since they were more profitable. The captain replied to those who said this that he would be delighted to do as they wished, and that presently they would return. So the men began to prepare for going back. The captain then intended to send and make a settlement in the region of Arma, entrusting the service to his ensign Suer de Nava, while he himself would return to the city of Santa Ana, the name of which Andagoya had ordered to be changed to San Juan. But there were not wanting those who murmured at these changes of plan. They said that the best course[47] to pursue would be to pass through the cane brakes, and see what lay beyond them. So after discussing both schemes the captain ordered the ensign Suer de Nava to go forward with forty Spaniards, and force a way through those cane brakes and dense wilds.

When it became known in all that country that the Spaniards were there the Chiefs were so luxurious and vicious that not only did they make no resistance, but they decided to go to the Chief of the Spaniards with presents of gold, thinking that he would then pass on. One of them, named Tacurumbi came to where the captain was, bringing a piece of gold which weighed more than 700 pesos; with other very rich vases of gold and finely wrought pieces. The Spaniards rejoiced greatly at the arrival of this Chief because he told of the riches there were among them. Those who had gone with Suer de Nava came back asking for rewards for their news of the land they had discovered, which was to the effect that they came to many dwellings of Chiefs, in which were plenty of supplies, and they saw large villages and groves of trees, and all the countryside as far as the great valley of Cali. The captain went to join Suer de Nava, and from all parts of the province came Chiefs with quantities of gold, which, with what more he had had, he appropriated for himself without any other law empowering him to do so than the forcefulness and strength which captains then possessed, and are marks of great tyranny. After having taken stock of the villages in the land, he determined to found a city there and to give it all he had discovered, for its jurisdiction. He personally selected a site in the position which seemed most convenient, and thus in the year 1540 he founded the city of Cartago in the name of the Emperor Don Carlos, and the royal crown of Castille, and of the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro, Governor of all the provinces of Peru. He gave that name to the city because all we who were engaged[48] in that expedition called ourselves Cartagineses, having come from the prefecture of Cartagena. Pero López Pati?o and Martín de Arriaga were appointed alcaldes.

As soon as he had completed the founding of Cartago, the captain left his ensign Suer de Nava as his lieutenant there, and decided to go to Anzerma and Cali to see the Adelantado Andagoya, for by letters, and from a Spaniard named Alonso de Ortega, he heard about all that was happening. He had been much grieved at the news of the deaths of Juan de Ampudia and of Pedro de A?asco, and of Pedro de Guzmán de Herrera, with whom he had been on terms of great friendship.