1. The various offices had been distributed, when Don Fernando, by virtue of his office, called a council of the officers, soldiers, and principal people of the camp to confer as to how they were to proceed in the discovery of the pretended Dorado they were in search of, so as to have their opinions signed with their names, and that they might take that course which seemed most convenient to all. He signed his name first as the commander of the expedition, and gave his opinion as follows: that they ought to continue the search for the lands concerning which Ursua had information, and that, should they be as rich as fame had blazoned, the king not only would consider the discovery a great service, but would pardon them the death of Ursua and Vargas; still it would be well, in the discharge of their duty, that he and all the rest should draw up a document stating why the governor Ursua had been deprived of life, inasmuch as he had been most negligent and unmindful in his search after the new lands, that he had not taken the necessary steps, and that he had no intention to settle even if he should find them; that he was intolerant and severe to the soldiers, and that to preserve the men in the service of the king, as well as to discover the unknown lands, his death was a necessary act; for had he been allowed to govern them much longer, without doubt there would have been a general mutiny; that the brigantines would have been violently taken away from him, and that the people would have returned to Christian lands (Peru), leaving him on the river, without discovering the vast provinces which were before them.