CHAPTER XL

    How the Licentiate Vaca de Castro arrived at the port of Buenaventura, and went from thence, with much difficulty, to the city of Cali, where the Adelantado Don Sebastián de Belalcázar, Governor for his Majesty¹, was staying; and of what he did there.

IT is necessary that we should now talk a little about the licentiate Vaca de Castro, for hitherto the narrative² has not given him his proper place. Leaving for the time the story of events which took place in the cities of Lima and Cuzco we will observe that Vaca de Castro had found out where the port of Buenaventura lay, and ascertained³ that the road to the city of Cali, where the Adelantado Sebastián de Belalcázar then tarried was very difficult.[82][138] And having sent Merlo forward to announce his coming and the duty he was charged with in the Realm of Peru by his Majesty, he also requested that Pascual de Andagoya might be set at liberty. So Vaca de Castro arrived at that port of Buenaventura, where he only found four or five men, employed by the merchants who came from Tierra Firme. Everyone believed that Vaca de Castro brought powers with him which would be quite sufficient for any business that might present itself anywhere he might wish to pass, and so he himself said and announced.

Merlo, bearing the letter and authority of Vaca de Castro that we have mentioned, made the journey to Cali, where he gave the news to the Adelantado, who was on the point of starting for the new city of Cartago. He said the licentiate Vaca de Castro, President of the Royal Audience of Panamá, and Judge of Peru, had been driven by a storm into the port of Buenaventura; and that from thence he sent an order, in compliance⁴ with the petition of Don Juan de Andagoya, son of the Adelantado Don Pascual de Andagoya, that the latter was to be brought from Popayán, where he was kept under arrest, to Cali, where the Judge would soon arrive. He, Vaca de Castro, would hear the statements of both Governors, and deliver judgment⁵. Merlo made known this order to the Adelantado Belalcázar who wrote to Francisco García de Tovar, his lieutenant⁶ at Popayán, to bring Andagoya to Cali. Then Belalcázar, knowing that Vaca de Castro was at the port of Buenaventura, and that he was in want of provisions, arranged to send along the necessary food and Indians, to enable him to travel. Belalcázar was about starting for the city of Cartago, to visit the regions discovered and conquered by[139] the captain Jorge Robledo, but it appeared to him most proper to wait at Cali until Vaca de Castro should arrive, and his Majesty's commands be made known.

Vaca de Castro, with much help from the captain Cristóbal de Pe?a, started from the port, suffering from serious illness and, as there was no physician or surgeon in his company, he might have died. At the end of thirty-three days he arrived at the city of Cali, two Spaniards having been killed by tigers on the road, and seven others having died of hunger and fatigue⁷. The Governor and all the citizens of Cali gave Vaca de Castro a very good reception, provided lodgings⁸ for himself and his followers⁹, and supplied them freely with all they needed. Vaca de Castro was at Cali for three months, very ill; and both the Governors Belalcázar and Andagoya being at Cali together, to prevent any scandal arising between them, Vaca de Castro notified them by order that they must have no dispute on any subject, otherwise his Majesty would be ill served. As Vaca de Castro came with a keenness for money he bargained with Belalcázar to take over certain things he had brought, which were of little value, and pay for them at prices which could not be called cheap. Vaca de Castro sent his messengers to Quito, that his arrival might be known throughout Peru, his Majesty having appointed him Judge to investigate the past troubles between the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro and the [late] Adelantado Don Diego de Almagro. It was now three months since he had arrived at the city of Cali; and having ruled that the Adelantado Don Pascual de Andagoya should present himself before his Majesty and his Privy¹⁰ Council,[83] he now determined¹¹ to go to Popayán, to pick up the direct route from thence to the Realm of Peru.

1 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

2 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

3 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

5 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

8 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

9 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

10 privy   

adj.私用的；隐密的

参考例句：

• Only three people,including a policeman,will be privy to the facts.只会允许3个人，其中包括一名警察，了解这些内情。
• Very few of them were privy to the details of the conspiracy.他们中很少有人知道这一阴谋的详情。

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。