_How the captain Robledo explored the province of Arma and fixed
his camp in the village of the principal Chief, named Maytama;
and of other notable things that happened._
Having gained the summit, the Spaniards continued to follow the
Indians, killing some of them, and we saw that they were adorned with
very beautiful ornaments of gold. They also had plumes of feathers,
crowns, and large plaques, and some were seen who were in armour of
gold from head to foot. It was certainly beautiful to see some of the
pieces they took, and from this the range was called _La Loma de los
Armados_. We lodged in two of the houses there, very happy at finding
that God our Lord had presented us with so rich and populous a land,
in order that, being by us discovered, His name might be worshipped
and the Holy Gospel preached.
On the following day we departed thence, and saw that the province was
very large, full of villages, planted with maize and great rushes, and
that there were groves of fruit trees, and palms yielding _pixibays_.
The villages on the slopes and higher ground contained circular houses
so large that there was room for fifteen or twenty people in each.
There are many other things to tell of this province, which I have
written in my _Book of Foundations_, where the reader will have seen
them.
When we were passing out of a valley we heard a still greater noise
at the top of the next range of hills, whither the road that we were
taking led; and, marching more quickly, we came to the beginning
of the rise, and saw that the pass was difficult before reaching
the summit, for, besides presenting a steep ascent there were some
rocks and gullies which would make it necessary for the horses to
go gently, without attempting to press quickly forward. The captain
demanded peace from the natives, and obedience to the Emperor; if this
was refused he would make ruthless war. The Indians, deriding these
demands, replied to us that we came to conquer and to rob what did not
belong to us, that we should return to our own country, and leave them
quiet and at peace in theirs. Having said these words and others, they
shot off many darts and stones, showing that they intended to defend
the approach to their village.
The captain seeing that the barbarians intended to defend the pass,
and that the noon-day heat was coming on, ordered the foot soldiers
to lose no time in attacking the Indians with shields, cross-bows and
dogs, in order to take the pass, so that the horses might be able to
come up. In this they were successful, while some of the horsemen,
laboriously seeking a way by one or other side of the mountain in
spite of the Indians, found a place by which they were able to come
up with the horses, to the position reached by the men on foot. Then
the shouting was greater, for the Indians did not dare to await the
coming of men who they saw were so valiant; and not caring to hear
the neighing of the horses, turned their backs and began to run away,
abandoning their arms--the cowards. The mounted men followed and
overtook some of them, taking a quantity of gold in ornaments such as
I have said they have. All the Spaniards who were behind having come
up, we proceeded to encamp on the summit, which they called _de los
Cavallos_. Here they found but little maize, as it was only in leaf.
The Chiefs and principal people of those villages, astounded at seeing
the majesty of the Spaniards and their great power, and fearing to
oppose them more, agreed to go to the captain peaceably. So they came
to our camp with nets full of ornaments of the finest gold, asking the
captain for pardon for having been so mad as not to have laid down
their arms sooner. The captain received them very well and agreed to
the peace. As the inhabitants of those villages were so rich they
made presents of gold to the Spaniards. When they brought water for
the horses, they offered very large and fine golden ornaments, so
fine that they exceeded 21 carats. That night the captain sent the
_Comendador_ Hernán Rodríguez de Sosa, with a sufficient force to the
village of one _Maytama_, who was the principal Chief of the province,
to capture him or oblige him to render obedience to his Majesty. The
_Comendador_ started during the first night watch and marched until
he arrived at Maytama's hill. He found the Indians ready for war,
and, attacking them until daylight, he put them to flight, captured a
brother of Maytama, and saw them, both men and women, take away many
loads of gold. The Spaniards could only capture a few because the
thickness of the maize in the fields was so great. For this reason
the Indians escaped with most of the gold, which if it had been taken
would have been a great booty, nevertheless the Spaniards and their
servants took some.
The captain, with the whole camp, arrived the next day. As it was
known throughout the province that the Spaniards occupied the
buildings of Maytama the natives sent messengers proposing to be
friends and offering great presents of gold. The gold was brought in
this way: the Indians came with much shouting, bearing long poles
from the shoulder of one to that of another, from which there hung by
cords the plaques, crowns, bracelets, and plumes of gold. On arriving
where the captain was, they set them down before him, and thus the
presents I have mentioned came from all parts of the province. The
Chief, who was a prisoner, sent an old woman to bring gold, and next
day she brought about 2,000 _pesos_, at which we were astonished. The
Chief said that he had more gold buried and that he wanted to go and
fetch it. He asked the captain to tell off some Spaniards to go with
him, intending to escape if it were possible. The captain ordered
some soldiers to go with him. When they came to some precipitous
rocks, hating to remain in the power of the Spaniards, he determined
to kill himself. With a barbarous and heathen mind, he hurled himself
down over the precipice and left his brains among the stones, so that
when the Spaniards reached the place, the Chief's soul was already
in hell. The Spaniards returned to the captain and explained to him
the manner of the captive Chief's death. Principal natives came to
the camp each day with presents of gold, and the captain came to the
conclusion that he had arrived at a good place for founding a city.
He determined to send the _Comendador_ Hernán Rodríguez de Sosa to
explore the region lower down the great river, and to remain there. He
set out with forty Spaniards, horse and foot. The _Comendador_ came
to a large village which he called _Pascua_ because he passed Easter
there; continuing his advance he came to another village, where he met
with some resistance. Leaving it, and taking a northerly course, he
discovered the village of _Cenufara_ and a place they called _the Hill
of Maize_. Advancing further he arrived at a village called _Pobres_,
whence he returned to the region of Arma, because he learnt, from
statements he received, that there were no other settlements for a
great distance.
At this time the inhabitants of the province of Arma conceived
such hatred for the Spaniards that they determined to make war in
common against us. This appeared from their not coming to our camp
as usual, nor supplying us with provisions; while they killed our
Indian servants and negroes who fell into their hands. The captain
got notice of this league and conspiracy, and ordered his men to be
on their guard against any sudden attack on the camp by Indians. But
when they were all determined to rise against us, they failed to come
to the point, owing to some disputes among themselves, and we saw them
fall back well supplied with gold ornaments. When the _Comendador_
returned, the captain resolved to quit the province, and departed,
leaving it as hostile towards us as when we entered it. When we were
about to depart, a number of Indians stationed themselves above our
camp. The captain saw this and told the interpreters to call upon them
in a friendly way to come down. They came, believing they were in no
danger. The captain ordered all of those who came to be thrust inside
the huts and issued orders to the Spaniards to give them wounds and
cut off their hands. In this way more than thirty were mutilated, as
many more being killed. In that state the survivors were sent to their
villages. Then the captain quitted the province of Arma. He intended
to leave his ensign Suer de Nava there, to found a city; but, thinking
it would be better to explore the province of Quinbaya, that plan was
given up. Leaving Arma, and following the way by which he had come,
the captain arrived at the province of Paucura, whence he departed for
Pozo. There he seized several principal men and went to Carrapa, where
he burnt one of them for some very trifling reason; and here we must
leave him, because it is necessary to relate the manner in which the
captains Pedro de Añasco and Juan de Ampudia met their deaths.