Of the founding of the town of Plata, which is situated in the province
of Charcas.
The noble and loyal town of Plata, a settlement of Spaniards in
Chuquisaca (in the province of Charcas), is very famous throughout the
kingdoms of Peru, and in other parts of the world, for the great
treasure which, in these latter years, has been brought thence to Spain.
This town is built in the best situation that could be found, in a
place, as I have already said, which is called Chuquisaca.[506] The
climate is temperate, and well suited for the growth of fruit trees,
vines, wheat and barley, and other things. At present the farms and
lands are very valuable by reason of the rich mines that have been
discovered at Potosi. Several rivers of very good water flow near, and
many cows, mares, and goats are bred on the estates of the Spaniards.
Some of the citizens of this town are among the richest and most
prosperous people in the Indies, for in the years 1548 and 1549 a
_repartimiento_ belonging to the general Pedro de Hinojosa[507] yielded
a rent of more than one hundred thousand _castellanos_, and others
yielded eighty thousand, some even more. The treasure that was found in
those times was a wonderful thing. This town of Plata was settled and
founded by the captain Peransurez, in the name of his Majesty the
emperor and king, our lord, the Adelantado Don Francisco Pizarro being
his governor and captain-general of Peru, in the year 1538. Besides the
villages already mentioned, this town has jurisdiction over Totora,
Tapacari, Sipisipe, Cochabamba, the Carangues, Quillanca, Chayanta,
Chaqui, the Chichas, and many others, all very rich, and some, like the
valley of Cochabamba, suited for the growth of wheat and maize, and for
breeding cattle. Beyond this town is the province of Tuquma, and the
regions which were entered and discovered by the captains Felipe
Gutierrez, Diego de Rojas, and Nicolas de Heredia, in which direction
they discovered the river of La Plata, and reached the fortress which
was built by Sebastian Cabota. Diego de Rojas died of a wound from an
arrow poisoned with the herb used by the Indians, and afterwards
Francisco de Mendoza seized Felipe Gutierrez, and obliged him to return
to Peru. The same Francisco de Mendoza, when he returned to discover the
river, was killed, together with his lieutenant Ruy Sanchez de
Hinojosa, by Nicolas de Heredia. Thus these parts were not entirely
discovered, owing to the quarrels and feuds amongst the explorers, who
returned to Peru. Here they met with Lope de Mendoza, the lieutenant of
Diego Centeno, who was flying from the fury of Carbajal, Gonzalo
Pizarro’s captain; and joined him. They were defeated by the same
Carbajal at a village called Pocona, and soon afterwards Lope de Mendoza
and Nicolas de Heredia fell into his power, and were put to death by
him, with others.[508]
Further on is the government of Chile, of which Pedro de Valdivia is the
governor, and other lands bordering on the strait which is called
Magellanes. But as the affairs of Chile are important, and require a
special narrative, I have only written what I saw between Uraba and
Potosi, which is near this town, a road of such length that it must be
(from the borders of Uraba to the further end of the town of Plata) a
good two thousand two hundred leagues, as I have already stated. I shall
not go further in this my first part, except to say that the Indians
subject to the town of Plata have the same customs as those of other
parts. After they were conquered by the Yncas, their villages were well
ordered, and both men and women wore clothes. They worshipped the sun
and other things, and had temples in which they performed their
sacrifices. Many of them, such as the Charcas and Carangues, were very
warlike. From this town captains and soldiers set out to serve his
Majesty several times during the late wars, and they served loyally.
With this I make an end of what I have to say touching the founding of
the town of Plata.