Beyond this province, towards the south, there is another called Timbas, in which there are three or four chiefs. It is situated amongst rugged mountains containing some valleys where they have their villages, and the land is well covered with crops, fruit trees, palms, and other things. Their arms are darts and lances. They have been much addicted to the invasion and subjection of their neighbours, and they are not yet entirely tamed, being established in a very inaccessible country. Being warlike and valiant, they have killed many Spaniards, and done much harm. Their customs and language differ but slightly from the others. Further on there are other tribes which extend as far as the sea, all having the same language and customs.
In which the matter relating to the city of Cali is concluded; and concerning other Indians inhabiting the mountains near the port which they call Buenaventura.
Besides these provinces, there are many other Indian tribes under the jurisdiction of the city of Cali, who dwell in the most rugged and inaccessible mountains in the world. Amongst these wilds there are some valleys which are very fertile, and which yield all manner of fruit. There are also many wild animals, especially great tigers, which kill many Indians and Spaniards who go to, and come from the sea coast, every day. The houses of the Indians in these mountains are rather small, and roofed with leaves of palm trees, of which there are many in the forests. These houses are surrounded by stout and very long poles forming a wall, which are put up as a defence against the tigers. The arms, dress, and customs of these Indians are neither more nor less than those of the valley of Lile, and their language leaves me under the impression that they are the same people. They are strong and powerful men. They have always been at peace from the time that they declared their allegiance to his Majesty, and are very friendly to the Spaniards, so that, although Christians are always passing through their villages, they have not killed nor harmed any up to the present time; on the contrary, as soon as they see them, they give them food to eat. The port of Buenaventura is three days’ journey from the villages of these Indians, all the way through thickets of palm trees, and rocky brokenup country, and is thirty leagues from the city of Cali. I shall not give a chapter on this port, because I have nothing more to say of it than that it was founded by Juan Ladrillo under the direction of the Adelantado Don Pascual de Andagoya, and that afterwards it was abandoned, owing to the absence of this Andagoya, arising from disputes between him and the Adelantado Belalcazar respecting the boundaries of their governments. Finally, Belalcazar took Andagoya,[247] and sent him prisoner to Spain. Then the _Cabildo_ of Cali arranged that six or seven of the citizens should always reside in the port, in order that, when the ships arrived from New Spain and Nicaragua, they might see that the merchandise was landed, and provide houses to receive it. These residents are paid at the cost of the merchants, and among them there is a captain who has no power to pronounce judgments, but only to hear cases and forward them to the city of Cali for decision. These remarks seem sufficient to give the reader a knowledge of how the port of Buenaventura was first established.[248] The only means of conveying merchandise from the port to the city of Cali is by the aid of the Indians of the intervening mountains, whose ordinary work is to carry it on their backs, for it is impossible to transport it in any other way. If it was desired to make a road, I believe that laden beasts could not pass over it on account of the ruggedness of the mountains. It is true that there is another way, practicable for horses and cattle, by the river of Dagua, but they pass it in constant peril, and many die by the way, while the rest arrive in such sorry condition that they are of no use for many days.