Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/357

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Francis Pizarro went first in a ship hauing with him 124. soldiers, and Almagro went after him in another ship with 70. men. He came to Rio de San Iuan standing in three degrees where he got two thousand pesoes of gold; and not finding Pizarro, he went to seeke him, repenting his doings by reason of a mishap that he had.

Rio del Peru. But he went first to an Island called Isla del Gorgona, and afterward to another called Isla del Gallo, and to the riuer called Rio del Peru standing in two degrees northward, whereof so many famous countreyes take their name.

Puerto vejo. From thence they went to Rio de San Francisco, and to Cabo de Passaos, where they passed the Equinoctiall line, and came to Puerto Vejo standing in one degree to the south of the line: from whence they sailed to the riuers of Chinapanpa, Tumbez, and Payta standing in 4. or 5. degrees, where they had knowledge of king Atabalipa and of the exceeding wealth and riches of his palace. Which newes mooued Pizarro speedily to returne home againe to Panama, and so into Spaine, and to request the gouernment of that countrey of the Emperour: which he also obtained. He had spent aboue three yeeres before in this discouerie not without enduring great trauaile and perils.

In the same yeere 1525. there was sent out of Spaine a fleete of seuen ships, whereof was captaine generall Don Garsia de Loaisa to the Islands of Maluco.[1]

The Isle of S. Mathew. They went from the citie of the Groine and passed by the Islands of the Canaries, and went to Brasill; where they found an Island in two degrees: and named it S. Matthew: and it seemed to be inhabited, because they found in it orenge trees, hogs, and hennes in caues, and vpon the rindes of most of the trees there were grauen Portugall letters, shewing that the Portugals had beene there 17. yeeres before that time. A patache or pinnesse of theirs passed the straight of Magellane hauing in her one Iohn de Resaga, and ran all along the coast of Peru and Noua Spagna:[2] They declared all their successe vnto Cortes, and told him, that frier Garsia de Loaisa was passed to the islands of cloues. But of this fleete the Admirall onely came thither, wherein was captaine one Martine Mingues de Carchoua: for Loaisa and the other captaines died by the way.

  1. Pet. Martyr. decad. 8. cap. 9. Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 12.
  2. Gomara in the Conquest of Mexico pag. 281.