4000003871

Koy~l

Commentaries.

BooK-IV.

ever fince the

Spaniards

entred

firft

upon the conqueft of tbat Ernpire ; and on the

·conrrary the Souldiers of the Vice-king were all new-raifed rnen, lately co¡pe

out of

Spain

not trained to the War, poor, ill-habited and armed, and their pow–

der bad, befides other wants which were arnongft them.

XXV.

lhe great preparations and provifions made

Gon~alo Pi–

c;arro

to pafs a Defar

He faces the Vice-kjng' s Forces,

who retreate1 to

~itu.

The goo<Í ancl prude1¡t Condutl

Loren~o de

Aldana.

Onyalo Pifarro,

being in the Province of

Colliq11e

and in the parts thereabours,

rnade all the proviftons he could for the fubfülence of his Arrny ; for he was

travel overa hor, dry, fandy Defart of twenty leagues over, where was neither

Water nor any ocher refreíhmenr. And becauíe Water was che moíl: neceífary of

any rhing iH thac hoc·and dry paífage, he furnmoned in all the

Indians

of thofe

parts round, to bring ali rheir Pails, Buckers and Jarrs for Water, and commanded

rhat che

Indians

who were appointed for rhe Carriages of che Army, fhould leave

ali che Souldiers Cloches and ocher B:iggage behind, ro carry Water and Provifi–

ons which were neceffary for che fupporc of Man and Beafi.

chis manner che

Jndians

were ladeo without any ocher incumbrance chan rhac ofWater; and twen–

five Horfemen were fent before by the common Road, who were to give out,

in cafe they mee with che Scoucs of the Vice-king's Army, chac

Gonyalo Piyarro

was,coming in períon tbrough che Deíarc chac way, bue rhac che reíl: ofhis Arrny

. had taken che orher lload.

chis rnanner they travelled, every Horfeman carry–

ing the provifion of his own Horfe behind him. The Vice-king, who had his

Spies upon borh the Roads, received advice of che approach of che Enemy fome

time befare they carne; upon which an alarm was given, and ic was íaiJ chac rhey

would go out and give chem Barre!: bue fo foon as his Forces were broughc toge–

ther, chey rnarched out of che Cicy to che fide of a Hill·called

C.?[{a,

from whence

rhey haíl:ned away with all che fpeed chey were able; of which

Gonfalo Pipmo

re–

ceiving intelligence abouc four hours after, he rnade no fiay at Se.

Michaefs,

noc

much as to enter che Town or recruic his Proviftons, bue wichouc íl:op or delay

purfued after che Enemy, :md thac nighc travelled eight leagues, where overcaking

them he took rnany Prifoners, feiCed ali che Baggage of the Camp, hanged feveral

whom chey chought

fit ;

and paíling over rocky and almofl unaccefiible ways

wichouc refrefhmenrs, they took Prifoners every day, who for wanc of frrengrh

lagged behind.

Then Letters were wrote and fenc by

Indiam

to feveral perfons of Quality in

the Vice-king's Camp, promifing Pardon and grear Rewards to any perfon who

íhould kill him; che which ferved to create jealoufies and fufpicions arnongíl:

thoCe who were joyned wirh che Vice-king, every one being afraid of each other;

which fufpicions preved of fatal confequence, and (as we have mentioned before)

were che caufe of many a man's death; for che Libels which were caíl: abroad,

which none would own or juíl:ifie, ferved howfoever

create jealoufies in che

mind of che Vice-king, and rnade hím afraid of his own People, not knowing

whom ro truíl: of chofe who were abouc him. And though it is cercain, chac

neither

Gonfalo Pir¿arro,

as all Auchours agree, did ever give order to kili che Vice–

king, or rhat che Vice-king did plot in che like nacure againft

Pifarro ;

yec in all

Civil Wars, je:iloufies and feats are natural ro the minds of men. And chus

Gon–

f ª'º

Pit¡arro

having purfued che Vice-king chrough Mounrains, Defarts and unin–

hab¡ced places wirhout provifions or refreíhmencs (for we may believe, that che

Vice-king carried ali away with him) he carne ac )ength ro a Province called

Ayahuaca,

where he Cray'd

refreíh his rnen, who were much tired and haraífed

wich cl1~ir hard_ rnarch~s in wanc of all things neceffary,

that here they gave

over