Pascual de Andagoya (1495–1548) was a Spanish Basque conquistador. At just 19 he became a conquistador, eventually founding Panama City in 1519 with 400 settlers. Later he moved south towards the Colombian coast, until he reached San Juan, where he took charge as governor. This was when he learned of the existence of the Inca Empire, in the distant territory called "Birú", or "Pirú".
With his health deteriorating, he returned to Panama and spread word of his discoveries, in particular the existence of a land of enormous riches of gold and silver, namely, Peru. In 1524 Francisco Pizarro, in association with the soldier Diego de Almagro and the priest Hernando de Luque, mounted an expedition using Andagoya's ships.
His conduct was considerably more sympathetic than his contemporaries, such as Pizarro, and the introduction of this work explains its production was intended to contrast with the brutal acts of conquistadors such as Belalcazar.

First English edition, Hakluyt Society First Series, XXXIV; 8vo (22.5 x 15 cm); folding colour map as frontispiece, ex libris Inner Temple Library with bookplates and stamps, withdrawn stamp to titles, small marginal tear to map without affecting image; original publisher's gilt blue cloth, some dampstaining to boards, spine darkened with a couple of worm holes to upper joint, head and feet a little chipped, internally a very good copy; 4, [6], xxix, 88pp.