_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 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 in
that expedition called ourselves _Cartagineses_, having come from the
prefecture of Cartagena. Pero López Patiño 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 Añasco, and of Pedro de Guzmán de Herrera,
with whom he had been on terms of great friendship.