How the Licentiate Vaca de Castro arrived at the port of Buenaventura, and wentfrom thence, with much difficulty, to the city of Cali, where the Adelantado Don Sebastián de Belalcázar, Governor for his Majesty, was staying; and of what he did there.

IT is necessary that we should now talk a little about the licentiate Vaca de Castro, for hitherto the narrative has not given him his proper place. Leaving for the time the story of events which took place in the cities of Lima and Cuzco we will observe that Vaca de Castro had found out where the port of Buenaventura lay, and ascertained that the road to the city of Cali, where the Adelantado Sebastián de Belalcázar then tarried was very difficult. ² 138And having sent Merlo forward to announce his coming and the duty he was charged with in the Realm of Peru by his Majesty, he also requested that Pascual de Andagoya might be set at liberty. So Vaca de Castro arrived at that port of Buenaventura, where he only found four or five men, employed by the merchants who came from Tierra Firme. Everyone believed that Vaca de Castro brought powers with him which would be quite sufficient for any business that might present itself anywhere he might wish to pass, and so he himself said and announced.