_How his Majesty nominated Don Pascual de Andagoya to be
Governor and Adelantado of the river of San Juan; and how
Robledo proceeded to establish the town of Anzerma._
The Licentiate Caspar de Espinosa, he whom we mentioned, some way
back,[18] as having died in the city of Cuzco, was a citizen of Panamá
in Tierra Firme. He received great accounts of the valley of _Baeza_
and the river of _San Juan_, so he sent to his Majesty to petition
for the government of that territory; but just when a grant of the
government was sent to him he died. It was then granted to Don Pascual
de Andagoya, with the condition that he was not to trench on any part
that had been discovered or settled by the Marquis Pizarro, or any
of his captains. After Andagoya's business was settled at Court he
went to Seville and embarked, landing afterwards at Nombre de Dios,
and going thence to Panamá. Although he there got news that the
captain Belalcazar, with the title of the Marquis's Captain-general,
had marked off and settled three or four cities, not on that account
did he cease to covet, and soon he began to collect men and fit out
ships for the voyage. Some people urged him to devote himself to the
exploration and settlement of the territory that was granted to him
and leave the rest, for to do otherwise would be an error. His Majesty
would not deprive the Marquis of what was within his government.
Taking little heed of this advice Andagoya pushed forward his
preparations for departing from the city of Panamá.[19]
Returning to the proceedings of Robledo. After leaving Meacanoa
he made all possible haste to arrive at the region which was his
destination. He made Ruy Vanegas his ensign, and, as in the valley
below there flowed the great river of Santa Marta, the baggage was got
across on a raft, and in a very large canoe. They marched on until
they came to a village which was named _Pescado_, situated on the
banks of that river. Nothing had happened worthy of record, except
that a Portuguese named Roque Martín killed a negress he cohabited
with, by stabbing her. He fled from justice to Timaná, but was killed
by the Indians and eaten. It was a judgment of God, which was clearly
seen in this punishment, for this Roque Martín, without fear of God,
had fed his dogs upon Indians' limbs, which dogs were used by him to
hunt down native men and women. At last, albeit his delight was to
kill so many Indians, yet his end was to die at their hands, and to
find a tomb in their bellies.
From this village Robledo continued his march. His followers numbered
a hundred Spaniards, horse and foot. He went on until he came to
the borders of the province. The natives, having had notice of the
approach of the invaders, had hidden their supplies, and had concealed
themselves in ravines, and in the most secret places of their land.
The captain, after having sent up the baggage from the river to the
heights where they were, and having got all the Spaniards together,
ordered the swiftest among them to make ready, and then sent them out
to search for the natives. Although the latter were well concealed
the runners took more than 200 persons. The captain spoke very kindly
to them, through the interpreters he had brought with him. These were
three Indian women named Barbola, Antona, and Catalina. As the captain
knew that I was curious to learn the secrets of the Indians he gave
Catalina to me, that I might more easily acquire the knowledge I
sought. He told the Indians that they should render obedience to the
King and be friends with the Christians, and that it was desirable
there should be conferences on the subject. In order that they might
understand that faith would be kept with them, he ordered them all to
be set free, telling them to ask their Chiefs to come and confer with
him.
When the people throughout the province understood that the Spaniards
had set their prisoners free, and that they had come to form a new
settlement, several Chiefs and principal men came and were well
received by the captain, who began to treat with them, hoping that
it would please God to bring all the natives of the province to
an attitude of peace. From these Indians it was ascertained that
Spaniards like themselves were coming from the Ocean Sea, that they
had many horses, and were capturing and killing the Indians. Robledo,
on hearing this, consulted with his principal officers, and it was
decided to seek out a site and found a city; for, peradventure, it
might not be people of Cartagena who were coming, and it would be well
to anticipate them, and be first to form a settlement. So the captain
Ruy Vanegas, with twenty Spaniards, horse and foot, set out to find a
site, followed by Robledo and the rest. Before we go on any farther,
it will be well to relate what people those were who were coming.
FOOTNOTES:
[18] In the volume on the _War of Las Salinas_.
[19] Andagoya had heard of the disasters in the Popayán province,
described further on. He was right to go to the rescue, but not to
assume the government. The boundaries of his own province of San Juan
were not fixed.