Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons,
1539, 1540, 1639. Translated and edited, with notes, by Clements R. Markham.
Stock Code 114181
London, Hakluyt Society, 1859
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Gonzalo Pizarro (1510-1548) was a Spanish conquistador and brother of Francisco Pizarro, who led the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
In 1539 Gonzalo was made vice-governor of Quito and ordered to explore east and investigate the rumours of a kingdom of riches: El Dorado, and the 'Land of Cinnamon'. For the expedition Gonzalo recruited Francisco de Orellana (1511-1546), a veteran of the conquest of the Inca. They eventually set off in 1541 across the Andes. After following the courses of the Coca and Napo rivers, the expedition started to run out of provisions: 3,000 out of their retinue of 4,000 Native Americans died. In February 1542, the leaders decided Orellana would take 50 men and continue sailing down the Napo river in search of food. After Orellana did not return Gonzalo concluded the expedition was a complete failure and decided to take a northern route back to Quito. Orellana continued down the Nap and ended up discovering and exploring the entire length of the Amazon River.
Cristóbal Diatristán de Acuña (1597-1676) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who departed on a mission to Chile and Peru. In 1639 he accompanied Pedro Teixeira in his second exploration of the Amazon, in order to take scientific observations, and draw up a report for the Spanish government. His account was suppressed on his return to Spain amidst fears that the newly independent Portuguese would profit by its information. Acuña was the first to describe the Casiquiare canal, a natural canal linking the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers, in 1639.
The purpose of placing these accounts together in the same work is revealed by the editor to be an attempt to emphasise the devastation the early Conquistadors wreaked on South America:
'on the conquerors must rest the whole responsibility of the destruction of the Red race. If the leading men of South America, of the present day, adopt the example of Acuña, instead of that of Gonzalo Pizarro, the dark picture thus sketched... may never become a reality'.
First edition of this translation, Hakluyt Society First Series, XXIV; 8vo (22.5 x 15 cm); 1 large folding map, ex libris Inner Temple Library with bookplates and stamps, withdrawn stamp to title, closed tear along gutter to front free endpaper, otherwise clean internally; original publisher's gilt blue cloth, slight dampstaining to boards, spine darkened with head and foot chipped, upper inner hinge cracked but firm, an otherwise good solid copy; 4, 8, [8], lxiv, 190pp.
In 1539 Gonzalo was made vice-governor of Quito and ordered to explore east and investigate the rumours of a kingdom of riches: El Dorado, and the 'Land of Cinnamon'. For the expedition Gonzalo recruited Francisco de Orellana (1511-1546), a veteran of the conquest of the Inca. They eventually set off in 1541 across the Andes. After following the courses of the Coca and Napo rivers, the expedition started to run out of provisions: 3,000 out of their retinue of 4,000 Native Americans died. In February 1542, the leaders decided Orellana would take 50 men and continue sailing down the Napo river in search of food. After Orellana did not return Gonzalo concluded the expedition was a complete failure and decided to take a northern route back to Quito. Orellana continued down the Nap and ended up discovering and exploring the entire length of the Amazon River.
Cristóbal Diatristán de Acuña (1597-1676) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who departed on a mission to Chile and Peru. In 1639 he accompanied Pedro Teixeira in his second exploration of the Amazon, in order to take scientific observations, and draw up a report for the Spanish government. His account was suppressed on his return to Spain amidst fears that the newly independent Portuguese would profit by its information. Acuña was the first to describe the Casiquiare canal, a natural canal linking the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers, in 1639.
The purpose of placing these accounts together in the same work is revealed by the editor to be an attempt to emphasise the devastation the early Conquistadors wreaked on South America:
'on the conquerors must rest the whole responsibility of the destruction of the Red race. If the leading men of South America, of the present day, adopt the example of Acuña, instead of that of Gonzalo Pizarro, the dark picture thus sketched... may never become a reality'.
First edition of this translation, Hakluyt Society First Series, XXIV; 8vo (22.5 x 15 cm); 1 large folding map, ex libris Inner Temple Library with bookplates and stamps, withdrawn stamp to title, closed tear along gutter to front free endpaper, otherwise clean internally; original publisher's gilt blue cloth, slight dampstaining to boards, spine darkened with head and foot chipped, upper inner hinge cracked but firm, an otherwise good solid copy; 4, 8, [8], lxiv, 190pp.
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