s source from the high
mountains continually covered with snow which lie between the cities of
Lima and Cuzco[40]. From these mountains four principal rivers flow,
which derive their names from the provinces through which they pass. The
Apurimac, Vilcas, Abancay, and Jauja. This last derives its source from
a lake in the province of Bombon[41], the most level and yet the highest
plain in all Peru, where accordingly it snows or hails almost
continually. This lake is quite crowded with small islands, which are
covered with reeds, flags, and other aquatic plants, and the borders of
the lake are inhabited by many Indians.

[Footnote 40: Zarate is extremely erroneous in his account of the
sources of the Rio Plata. All the streams which rise from the Peruvian
mountains in the situation indicated, and for seven or eight degrees
farther south, and which run to the eastwards, contribute towards the
mighty Maranon or River of the Amazons.--E.]

[Footnote 41: This is an egregious mistake; the Rio Jauja rises from the
lake of Chinchay Cocha in the province of Tarma, and runs _south_ to
join the Apurimac. The river Guanuco rises in the elevated plain of
Bombon, and runs _north_ to form the Gualagua, which joins the
Lauricocha or Tanguragua.--E.]

In the late war against Gonzalo Pizarro, the president incurred enormous
expences for the pay and equipment of his troops, for the purchase of
horses, arms, and warlike stores, and the fitting out and provisioning
of the ships which he employed. From his landing in the Tierra Firma to
the day of his final victory over Gonzalo, he had expended on these
necessary affairs more than nine hundred thousand dollars, most of which
he had borrowed from the merchants and other private individuals, as all
the royal revenues had been appropriated and dissipated by Gonzalo.
After the re-establishment of tranquillity, he applied himself to amass
treasure with the utmost diligence, both from the fifths belonging to
the king, and by means of fines and confiscations; insomuch that after
payment of his debts, he had a surplus of above a million and a half of
ducats, chiefly derived from the province of Las Charcas.

In his arrangements for the future government of the country, in
conformity with the royal ordinance, he took much care to prevent the
Indians from being oppressed. In consequence of the fatigues which they
underwent, in the carriage of immense loads, and by numbers of the
Spaniards wandering