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Cristóbal Talcapillán (born 1649), also known as Don Cristóbal,de Vea 1886, p. 574 was a Chono man who became known for his role in ushering the expeditions of
Bartolomé Gallardo Bartolomé Diez Gallardo y Andrade (''c.'' 1640 – 1699 in Concepción) was a criollo soldier from Chiloé. He is known for leading a 1674–1675 expedition to the fjords and channels of Patagonia, participating in the following year in the Anto ...
(1674–1675) and Antonio de Vea (1675–1676) into the archipelagoes of Patagonia.


Talcapillán's allegations and map

In the early 1670s the English sailor John Narborough explored the coasts of Patagonia. This caused great alarm among Spanish authorities who feared the establishment of an English base in Patagonia. As concequence various expeditions were sent from the Spanish settlements of Chiloé to the south. Jerónimo Díaz de Mendoza led an expedition in 1674 that having failed to find any Europeans in Patagonia went back to Chiloé with Cristóbal Talcapillán and other indigenous Chono they encountered. In 1674 he was about 25 years old according to estimations of the Spanish. In Chacao Cristóbal Talcapillán rapidly learned Veliche which was the main language of Chiloé –including the Spanish settlements– at the time. While there he began to give indications about the existence of European settlements in the archipelagoes of Patagonia. Spanish authorities learned about this and interviewed him. He drew accurate "maps" of the territory south of Chiloé giving credibility to his allegations. Authorities went was far as sending Cristóbal Talcapillán to Lima, the capital of the viceroyalty, to investigate his claims. Cristóbal Talcapillán was sent back to Chiloé and it was then decided that a major expedition should be sent to the verify the presence of Englishmen or other Europeans.


Guide and translator in the Antonio de Vea expedition

Thus an expedition led by Antonio de Vea departed from
El Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez Internatio