Of the founding of the city of Arequipa, how it was founded, and who was
its founder.
The distance from the City of the Kings to that of Arequipa is one
hundred and twenty leagues. The city of Arequipa is built in the valley
of Quilca, fourteen leagues from the sea, in the most healthy and best
part for building. The situation and climate of this city is so good
that it is praised as the most healthy in all Peru, and the most
pleasant. The country yields very good wheat, of which they make
excellent bread. The jurisdiction of the city extends from Acari to
Tarapaca, and there are also some villages belonging to it in the
province of Condesuyo. Hubinas, Chiquiguanita, Quimistaca, and Collaguas
are villages belonging to this city, which were formerly very populous,
and possessed many flocks of sheep. The civil wars of the Spaniards have
now destroyed the greater part both of the natives and of the sheep. The
Indians who were natives of these mountain villages worshipped the sun,
and buried their chiefs in great tombs, in the same manner as was
practised by other Indians. They all go about clothed in shirts and
mantles. Ancient royal roads traversed these parts, made for the Kings;
there were palaces and store-houses, and all the natives gave tribute of
their crops. This city of Arequipa, being so near a seaport, is well
supplied with Spanish goods, and most of the treasure which is sent from
Charcas comes here, and is put on board ships which are generally lying
off Quilca, to be taken to the city of the Kings.
Some Indians and Christians declare that, opposite to Acari, but very
far out at sea, there are some large and rich islands, and it is
publicly reported that much gold is brought from them to trade with the
natives of this coast. I left Peru in 1550, and in that year the Lords
of the Royal Audience charged the captain Gomez de Solis with the
discovery of these islands. It is believed that they must be rich, if
they exist.
Concerning the founding of the city of Arequipa I have only to say that,
when it was founded, it was in another place, and that it was removed to
its present site, as being more convenient.[391] Near it there is a
volcano, which some fear will burst forth and do mischief.[392]
Sometimes there are great earthquakes in this city,[393] which the
Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro founded and settled, in the name of his
Majesty, in the year of our redemption 1540.