Another chronicler, to whom I have been frequently indebted in
the progress of the narrative, is Francisco Lopez de Gomara. The
reader will also find a notice of this author in the Conquest of
Mexico, Vol. III., Book 5, Postscript. But as the remarks on his
writings are there confined to his Cronica de Nueva Espana, it
may be well to add here some reflections on his greater work,
Historia de las Indias, in which the Peruvian story bears a
conspicuous part.
The "History of the Indies" is intended to give a brief view of
the whole range of Spanish conquest in the islands and on the
American continent, as far as had been achieved by the middle of
the sixteenth century. For this account, Gomara, though it does
not appear that he ever visited the New World, was in a situation
that opened to him the best means of information. He was well
acquainted with the principal men of the time, and gathered the
details of their history from their own lips; while, from his
residence at court, he was in possession of the state of opinion
there, and of the impression made by passing events on those most
competent to judge of them. He was thus enabled to introduce
into his work many interesting particulars, not to be found in
other records of the period. His range of inquiry extended
beyond the mere doings of the Conquerors, and led him to a survey
of the general resources of the countries he describes, and
especially of their physical aspect and productions.
Pages:
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917