4000003871

BooKI.

Royal .

Commentaries.

conCent they departed, and landed at a cercain.Iíland, called the Cock ffiand;

where having remainoo for feveral days, fometimes in hopes, and again depreífed

with fear, as their different Rencounters and Succcdfes were promifing, or adverfe,

they began for the moft part to defpond, and wifh they-had never adventured'on

the Encerp1~fe; onely the Captains and Commanders remained firm and coníl:ant'

ro their firfi Defign, refolving either to overcome, or dye jo their Encerprife:

With this determination they agreed chat

Pifarro.

fhould.continue in the It1and;

and cha.e

Almagro

fhould recurn to

Panama,

to ferch.ProviÍtons; and more Recruits

but man

of che Souldiers growing weary and cimornus, defired

to.

return with

him; which

Almagro

refufed

admit, or to carry Letters, lefi che Souldiers ad–

vifing che dangers a1id bazards they had fuíl:ained

rheir Friends at

Panama,

f-hould bring a Diírepura.tion and Difcouragement on their whole Defign, wbich

ihey had formerly magnified, having cried up tbe vaft Treafures of chofe unknown

Countries:

purfuit of whicb the refolute Coníl:ancy which thefe Chiefs had

fhewed enhanfed che eíl:irnace of chofe hidden Riches.

:Bue whatever the Captains could doe co hinder the Intelligence which che Soul–

diers might give of tbeir Difaílures to

Panama,

chey could not prevenc or difap~

point che Advices, which Men in Diíl:refs concrived to fend for their Relief; for

a certain Perfon, who was a Narive of

Truxil!~,

and

for b

eing of che fame Coun'–

trey

wiijl..Pifarro,

had greater Obligations to follow

e.he

Forcune of his Leader,

found out a way to fold úp a Paper within a bottom

ofCo

cton Yarn, made up in

che bignefs of an Egg, iq_.which Wricing all che Difaíl:ures, and

il.l

Succeíles of

their advencure wer

e relaced, b

eing direél:ed to a certain Friend, fubfcribed by ma~

ny of che Souldiers,

giving.an

account offuch as were dead, and ílain, and of the

prefent íl:raics and n

eceffities.c

he;t\\lere in, as alfo of their Confinemenc, noc be,

ing fuffered to retutn

Paiiama;

át

the fodt of whíclí Advice, or lntelligence,

thefe four Verfes were writteh ,

Good

Mr.

Governou;;·

Wc pray

yo'u_

conftder,

That theregoes the Fetcher;

And here ftays th; Butché;•.

I remember, thac when I was

Child I o'fcen héard thefe Verfes repeated, when–

foever Difcourfes occaÍtonally were made cbncerning che Conqueíl: of che New

Worlé!, which became afcerwárds like a Proverb, or old Saying, frequent in che

Mouth of every one; and in reality they proved very prejudicial to thefe Chiefs,

whofe DeÍtgn was wholly lo!t, and ali the Money chef had fpent, and Labours–

they fu(l:áined, carne all

nothing: When afterwards I carne into

Spdfo,

and

found chofe Verfes inferted in che Hiíl:ory of

Lopez. de Gomara,

I was mucb plea-

. fed

fee them there recorded, becaufe I remembred to have heard chem in the

iirries when I was in che

Jndies.

CH A P.