This article examines a colonial description of the area known as the Altos de Arica, produced by the Carmelite friar Antonio Vázquez de Espinosa in his “Compendio y Descripción de las Indias Occidentales”. The text essentially constitutes a sample of 17th century scientific literature about the New World which possesses ethical undertones of the spiritual conquest of the Indians. Although detailed, the chronicler’s descriptions have been questioned. In spite of its possible limitations, Vázquez de Espinosa’s observations convey valuable information regarding the state of Indian conversion in Andean communities of the Corregimiento of Arica. The abandoned state of parochial churches, the absence of prelates or high ranking church officials, and the deplorable state of Indian conversion show that, in spite of the efforts by the colonial church, indigenous populations still managed to hold on to their traditional religious practices.