Of other things that were done by the Governor Vaca de Castro, and how he appointed Diego de Rojas and Felipe Gutiérrez to be his captains in the subjugation of the region of the Rio de la Plata.

AFTER Don Diego de Almagro had been executed, as related in the last chapter, some of those who had sided with him in the battle were judged and, in deference to their excuses, received moderate sentences.[147] The Governor then sent off despatches to his Majesty and his exalted Council relating all that had happened. He ordered the royal officers to watch closely that nothing of the property confiscated for the royal treasury should be lost, and in all things great care was taken. The captain Monroy had come from Chile, where Pedro de Valdivia was governing, to ask for assistance, as the force there was insufficient[304] either to overcome the natives or to complete the exploration of the interior in that region. As Vaca de Castro saw that it would be advantageous for the royal service he gave all the help he could. A little less than a hundred Spaniards were raised, with arms and horses, for Monroy to take back, and a ship laden with necessaries was sent coastwise. As the Governor Vaca de Castro could not satisfy all those who had joined him by giving them allotments of Indians, he took great care to furnish those who undertook discoveries and conquests, with horses and other equipment, so that they might set out from the Realm well provided. We may well praise this policy as a prudent one.

There were highly promising reports of the provinces extending to the west [sic!], where the very large and powerful river of La Plata flows, so broad that when it enters the Ocean it appears more like some arm of the sea than a river. In former times, when its mouth was discovered, certain Spaniards who ascended this river recounted great things; but the fame of such stories always exceeds the reality. It was said that there was so vast a quantity of gold and silver that the Indians held it for nought, and that there were emeralds there as well.

I knew Fr............