Vaca de Castro accepted the appointment, and had great hopes that, with diligence, he would be able to perform the duties and do good service to his Majesty. As soon as the appointment of Vaca de Castro was announced in Spain, Diego de Alvarado and others wrote to Diego de Almagro and Juan de Herrada, saying that Dr. Beltrán and other members of the Council had received large presents from the Marquis, whence it must be inferred that Vaca de Castro would not do strict justice there. These letters caused some perturbation in the minds of the men of Chile. Vaca de Castro, as soon as he had received his sailing orders, took leave of the Court and proceeded to San Lucar, where he embarked, with the title of President of the Audience of Panamá. Correspondents were not wanting who informed the Marquis of the appointment of Vaca de Castro, and of the very limited powers he brought with him, telling Pizarro that he need have no mistrust, as the Judge was going out rather to show him a favour, and that he would suffer no dishonour in consequence. Vaca de Castro sailed across the ocean until he came to Nombre de Dios, whence he proceeded to Panamá, arriving in the middle of January, 1542. It was given out that he came with wide powers and commissions. Arrived at Panamá, he was received as President in the Audience and Royal Chancellery. In the Audience Dr. Robles and Dr. Villalobos were judges. As soon as Vaca de Castro had been received by them as President, he produced a royal commission by which his Majesty ordered him to investigate the judges' proceedings, especially those of Dr. Francisco Robles, who had held office for a long time, and respecting whose acts several complaints had reached Spain. Presently this officer was suspended from duty, and his case was investigated. As Vaca de Castro was anxious to get on to Peru, he handed over the completion of the case to Dr. Villalobos, against whom there was nothing, and to the licentiate Páez de Laserna, who had lately arrived from Spain as a judge. He then arranged for his own departure, and quitted the harbour of Panamá in a galleon belonging to Dr. Sepúlveda. There went with him Don Pedro Luis Cabrera, and Hernán Mejía, an alderman of the city of Seville. There were also with him Juan de Cáceres, Accountant of Peru, and Sebastián de Merlo, who had been the secretary of that Audience. He sailed for Peru, accompanied by several other ships, on the 18th of March in the year 1542. CHAPTER XXV _Of what happened in the city of Lima, and how Pedro Alvarez Holguin left the city of Cuzco on an expedition of discovery._