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[30] 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[31] 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[32] 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, b............