Document in the special library of the King of Spain (16 f^s cuaderna 17), in the handwriting of one of La Gasca’s secretaries, quoted by the Palentino. Neither Prescott nor Barros Arana had seen it.

Abridged.

We arranged that Lorenzo de Aldana should sail with two ships and a frigate, and in his company Palomino and Juan de Illanes, and the Provincial of the Dominicans with letters, provisions, and pardons, and 300 soldiers.

Finding all quiet in Peru, and himself popular, while Tierra Firme was in his hands, for he was ignorant of the treason there, his Council advised Gonzalo Pizarro to become King by an Act similar to that made at Avila by Alonso, in the time of his brother Henry IV, to be approved by all the citizens and principal persons in Peru. Carbajal, who was at Cuzco, was ordered to Lima. Meanwhile the Licentiates Cepeda and Carbajal, and Juan de Acosta a great favourite of Gonzalo, tried to persuade Gonzalo that the Camp Master was a traitor and advised Gonzalo to kill him. Carbajal set out, but was taken very ill at Andahuaylas. He wrote to Gonzalo of the Kingship he was about to assume, and of the great concourse of people there would be at Lima. The letter is dated at Andahuaylas 17 March 1547.

Lorenzo de Aldana, Hernan Mexia, Palomino, and Juan de Illanes, and the Regent Friar Tomas San Martin sailed from Panama with two ships and a frigate 17 Feb. 1547. I made sail from Panama to Taboga 10 April 1547, where there were 22 other ships. April 12 we left Taboga, I, General Pedro de Hinojosa, Diego Garcia de Paredas, &c. in the capitana.

Aldana, joined by Paniagua with another ship, put into Guayaquil.

Gasca encountered bad weather and put into Buenaventura. The captain wanted to return to Panama. There were very heavy seas, thunder and lightning, and a downpour of rain, wet through fore and aft. Those with him entreated him to let the captain shorten sail. He refused. At last he went to his cabin to see how his papers had fared with the water. Then Paredes and others told the sailors that I had ordered the mainsail to be lowered. Having done my best to protect the papers from wet, I came out and found the men on the yard and the sail being lowered. I shouted that it was not to be done, but no one wanted to hear me. At this juncture a number of lights of St Elmo appeared on all the yards, which gave great consolation, all the sailors falling on their knees and saying their St Elmo prayer. This led to silence, and I and Pedro de Hinojosa, with some others, got the sail up again. This reminded me of what Aristotle and Pliny said that when there are many of these lights, it is a sign that the tempest will cease. Next day we were able to anchor under the shelter of Gorgona. Don Pedro Cabrera’s ship reached Buenaventura, where he and his people landed and marched by Popayan and Quito, reaching Xauxa after seven months, in November. I found 12 ships at Gorgona. The Bishop of Lima, Hinojosa, and Paredes went in the galliot. April 30th all sailed from Gorgona, I also in the galley with 30 of the best arquebusiers, to go by rowing if sails were of no use. Paniagua met me off Gallo with a letter from Gonzalo Pizarro. He dwelt on the services of his brothers and himself, on the necessity for expelling Blasco NuÑez, and on his care of the royal treasury.