Page:The Present State of Peru.djvu/522

464 The first entrance into the mountainous territory on this side, was undertaken by Pedro Ursoa, in concert with Lope de Aguirre, in the year 1560. He reached the spot where the Moyobamba disembogues itself into the Huallaga, and there built five vessels with the intent of proceeding to survey the river of the Amazons; but the tyrant Aguirre deprived him of his life, and effected his escape with the armament. At length, however, he paid on a gibbet the forfeit due to his crime.

The second entrance was made somewhere about the year 1650, by general Don Martin de la Riba, who subjugated the territory of Lamas and Cumbasa. Over this conquest he presided for the space of thirty years, until his death, when the government of the Lamistas tribes was annexed to the jurisdiction of Chachapoyas.

In the year 1685, friar Alexandro Salazar, a Franciscan monk, penetrated from Chachapoyas to the morasses bordering on the river Huambo, and there subdued the idolatrous nations, the Cheduas, Alones, and Choltos. They were collected in three towns, which were preserved for a long time, under the title of the presidency of Santa Rosa of Huambo, until at length they were finally ceded to the administration of Truxillo.

From Chachapoyas to the river Huallaga, more than seventy leagues, over rough and perilous roads, are computed. The traveller who is provided with a mule, may, notwithstanding, perform this journey with ease in sixteen days, at the rate of from four to five leagues per day, provided he proceeds by the following towns and halting places: Taulia, Ventilla, Bagasan (here the mountainous territory commences), Almirante, Pucatambo, Visitador, Santo Torribio, Moyobamba, Quilliarrumi, Calaveras, Bella-Vista, Potrero (hence to Tabaloso, two days are required), Lamas, and Cumbasa; thence to the port of Juan de Guerra, there are four leagues over a beautiful plain, planted with lofty trees, which may be crossed in two hours and a half. Having embarked at the above-mentioned port, the traveller reaches, in somewhat more than an hour, the junction of the Moyobamba with the Huallaga.