Of the founding of the city of Arequipa, how it was founded, and who was its founder.

THE distance from the City of the Kings to that of Arequipa is one hundred and twenty leagues. The city of Arequipa is built in the valley of Quilca, fourteen leagues from the sea, in the most healthy and best part for building. The situation and climate of this city is so good that it is praised as the most healthy in all Peru, and the most pleasant. The country yields very good wheat, of which they make excellent bread. The jurisdiction of the city extends from Acari to Tarapaca, and there are also some villages belonging to it in the province of Condesuyo. Hubinas, Chiquiguanita, Quimistaca, and Collaguas are villages belonging to this city, which were formerly very populous, and possessed many flocks of sheep. The civil wars of the Spaniards have now destroyed the greater part both of the natives and of the sheep. The Indians who were natives of these mountain villages worshipped the sun, and buried their chiefs in great tombs, in the same manner as was practised by other Indians. They all go about clothed in shirts and mantles. Ancient royal roads traversed these parts, made for the Kings; there were palaces and store-houses, and all the natives gave tribute of their crops. This city of Arequipa, being so near a seaport, is well supplied with Spanish goods, and most of the treasure which is sent from Charcas comes here, and is put on board ships which are generally lying off Quilca, to be taken to the city of the Kings.

Some Indians and Christians declare that, opposite to Acari, but very far out at sea, there are some large and rich islands, and it is publicly reported that much gold is brought from them to trade with the natives of this coast. I left Peru in 1550, and in that year the Lords of the Royal Audience charged the captain Gomez de Solis with the discovery of these islands. It is believed that they must be rich, if they exist.

Concerning the founding of the city of Arequipa I have only to say that, when it was founded, it was in another place, and that it was removed to its present site, as being more convenient.[391] Near it there is a volcano, which some fear will burst forth and do mischief.[392] Sometimes there are great earthquakes in this city,[393] which the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro founded and settled, in the name of his Majesty, in the year of our redemption 1540.