Garcilaso de la Vega, El Inca. He wrote accounts of the conquest of Peru
and then of the tracvel of De Soto in the Southeast.
Cortes wrote some very graphic letters to the King, trying to convince
the King to send friars who could control the men.
Bernal Dias de Castillo was with Cortes and he wrote a book of about 500
pages,detailing the conquest as heremembered it. he was trying not to
pull any punches, and it's generally thought to be at least honest, if,
of course, skewed through European eyes.
Nunez Cabeza de Vaca wrote a book called "Naufragios," which is a
gripping account of his wanderings through the Southwest in the early
part of the 16th cent. He details the lives of the Indians and describes
his growing appreciation for the mysticism that impelled them through a
difficult life. He also was on the first expedition up the Rio de la
Plata and he wrote detailed accounts of the journey. There's a wonderful
old book full of 16th cent. engravings by SCHmiedl that has the account
in Eng. and Spanish.
As you see, the list is almost all European, but remember that the
indigenous schools were closed after the coming of the Spanish. Still,
accounts exist. The students should be able to find them. The Spanish
were born scholars and cataloguers. They saved every scrap of paper and
were to report about everything they saw.
Good luck
Claire