How the General, Felipe Gutiérrez, pursued his exploration down the river of Soconcho, and what else happened.

AFTER the private negotiations¹ between the captains which we have recounted had been settled, Felipe Gutiérrez, with the concurrence² of the rest, went on exploring down the Soconcho river towards the west.[160] This river is not very large, but there are extensive native villages near it; so that those who saw them were of opinion that some new settlements of Spaniards might be formed there, whose members could derive³ large repartimientos and other advantages. The civil wars there have been in the Realm[336] hindered what now, with the help of our Lord, will be achieved; but let the leaders who may contemplate⁴ expeditions in this direction go well provided with horses and defensive⁵ armour⁶ of cotton; for other kinds do not avail. Proceeding⁷ down the river with their exploration, Gutiérrez and his party came to a populous⁸ district. The natives have the same dresses and customs as those first met with; but they have different kinds of religion among themselves, and they speak many tongues. They are a people under no description of rule, and so entirely⁹ without organization that they appear like brutes¹⁰.

They came out to the Christians¹¹ with a great yelling, astonished at seeing them on horses, and took them for

分享到：