HISTORY OF AMERICA.

7

confolation in recounting to each other their ad-ventures , and comparing their fufferings. As Al-magro had advanced as far as the river St. Juan ,in the province of Popayan , where both the coun-try and inhabitants appeared with a more pro-mifmg afpedt, that dawn of better fortune was fuf-ficient to determine fuch fangnine projectors not toabandon theirfcheme, notwithRanding all that theyhad fuffered in profecuting it s .

Almagro repaired to Panama , in hopes of re-cruiting iheir fliattered troops. But what he andPizarro had fuffered , gave his countrymen fuch anunfavorable idea of the fervice, that it was withdifficulty he could levy fourfcore men \ Feebleas this reinforcement was, they did not hefitateabout refuming their operations. After a longferies of difaRers and difappointments , not inferiorto thofe which they had already experienced, partof the armament reached the Bay of St. Matthew,on the coaR of Quito , and landing at Tacamez-,to the fouth of the river of Emeraulds , they behelda country more champaign and fertile than anythey had yet difcovered in the Southern Ocean , thenatives clad in garments'of woollen or cotton Ruff,and adorned with feveral trinkets of gold andfdver.

But, notwithRanding thofe favorable appear-ances , magnified beyond the truth , both by thevanity of the perfons who brought the report float

BOOK

VI.

June 24*

They relumethe under*taking.

*" Herrera, dec. j. lib. viii. c. n , 12. See NOTE. II,7 Zarate, lib. i. c. 1.

B 4.