He comes to an Agreement with Alvarado.
Pizarro and his Army driven to great Straights.
Orellana cross’d in his Designs, dies for grief.
The miserable Condition of Pizarro’s Men.
Quito very much defac’d by siding with Vela against Gonsalvo Pizarro.
Whilest Pizarro kept the Inga Attabaliba Prisoner, he sent Captain Bevalcazar to the new Fort St. Miguel, where eighty Horse and a hundred Foot being arriv’d from Panama and Nicaragua, and he being inform’d that there lay a great Treasure in Quito, and that the Canares, the Spaniards Friends, were exceedingly oppress’d by Ruminagua, Attabaliba’s General, immediately march’d thither with the new arriv’d Forces before mention’d, to fetch the Booty, and to assist the Canares; but several things oppos’d him in his Design: for Ruminagua guarded the Way with twelve hundred Indians, digg’d Pits in the same, and filling them with sharp Poles, cover’d them slightly over with Canes and Earth; all which Bevalcazar shunning, went about, fell in upon the Rere of the Enemy, and after a small Resistance conquer’d the City Quito. Mean while Ferdinand Cortesio sent Petro Alvarado from New Spain, who taking Guatimala, receiv’d a Commission from the Spanish Court, to subdue the Northern parts of Peru. Soon after which Garcias Holgua being sent with two Ships to enquire concerning the State of Peru, brought News back, That Francisco Pizarro had gotten an unvaluable Treasure at Caxamalca; which so stirr’d up Alvarado, that he Landed five hundred Men at Puerto Viejo, march’d in great want of Provisions over the Mountains Acabucos, and had he not accidentally found a Pond of sweet Water in a Thicket of Canes, both Men and Horses had all perish’d; at last upon his approaching Quito, the Governor thereof, being Bevalcazar, not enduring to suffer an Equal, drew up all his Men in Battel array; but some Persons interceding between them, they were soon reconcil’d, and Alvarado being bought out with a great sum of Money, deserted Quito; where after Gonsalvo Pizarro, had remain’d a considerable time he march’d Eastward of the Province, which produces abundance of Cinamon; whither he was accompanied by two hundred Spaniards and four thousand Peruvians; against whom the Natives dwelling on the Borders of Los Quixos fought very valiantly, till Night approaching, when they all ran away; after which resting a while, there arose a mighty Tempest of Thunder and Lightning, accompanied with a dreadful Earthquake, which swallow’d above five hundred Houses, whole Woods and Fields, whilest an unknown River burst out of the Earth, and overflow’d all the Countrey, insomuch that Pizarro expected nothing but a speedy Ruine, in regard no Provisions were to be found in all the Countrey: at last getting on the top of the nearest Mountain he lost many of his Men, who were frozen to death with excessive Cold. From thence marching to the County Zumaque, he got plenty of Provision and Cinamon, which grows on great Trees in the Woods; the Leaves thereof resemble the Laurel; the Fruit grows in little Berries; the Root and Bark have a strong odoriferous smell. Thence travelling to the Town Coca, he found a mighty Cataract of Water, falling from a Rock above fifteen hundred Ells high; insomuch that the noise in calm Weather was heard six Leagues off. Pizarro leaving his sick People in Zumaque, went onely with a few Eastward from Coca to the Plain Countrey Guema, full of Moorish Grounds, the Inhabitants whereof went naked: at last he came to the great River Maranon, which falls from the Mountains near Quito, and extends with several windings above eight hundred Leagues in length, and at the Mouth thereof is fifteen Leagues broad, which at that time overflowing all the Countrey, he judg’d it convenient to build a Brigantine, making the Shoes of the dead Horses serve for Iron-work, his Mens Shirts for Sails, and a Gum, which was to be had there, for Tar, and having Lanch’d their Vessel, and put all their Baggage and sick People into the same, they Sail’d close along the Shore, on which Pizarro made his Way through Brambles and Canes, or went over in the Brigantine whensoe’re he espy’d a better Path on the other side; in which manner they were gone two hundred Leagues down the River, with no other Food but wild Fruit and Roots; when Captain Franciscus Orellana, was order’d to Sail away before with five Men, and seek out for Provisions, and at every Stream which fell cross-ways out of the Countrey into the great River, he was to leave a Mann’d Boat: but Orellana in few days drove down so far with the swift River, that he saw no likelihood of getting up again in a whole year, neither could he find any Provisions, but fought daily with the Indians, who came stoutly to Board him in little Boats: amongst whom he was inform’d also, that thereabouts liv’d the Amazon Women, that Warr’d continually against their Neighbors; and at last he came into the Northern Ocean. But Orellana Sailing to Spain, obtain’d a Commission to be Governor of the Amazons Countrey, whither he steer’d his Course with five hundred Men in three Ships; but Landing at the Canaries they all ran away from him, which so incens’d Orellana, that he soon after dy’d with Grief. Mean while Pizarro inform’d by a Spaniard whom Orellana had put ashore, that the Brigantine was by the strong Current carried into the Ocean, knew not what to do, his People since their departure from Quito having travell’d above four hundred Leagues, had eaten most of their Horses: Many dy’d by feeding on unwholsom Herbs; others fell down dead for Hunger, or tir’d out with toilsom Travel; their Clothes, rotted by the Rain, hung upon them like Rags, their Shoes were worn out, their Feet full of Blisters, their Bodies sadly mangled with Brambles and Thorns, for no place afforded them a Boat. Pizarro leaving the River Maranon, went another Way, no less troublesom for steep Rocks and inaccessible Mountains. The Valleys through which they went, began now to be strew’d with dead and sick Bodies, who were not able to follow the Army, which march’d very fast, every one judging to be so much nearer his preservation the farther he could get: Those that fainted call’d continually on their Friends for help, but the Horses were grown too weak to carry them: Every one saw nothing but Death before his Eyes; wherefore, though call’d by their dearest and most intimate Friends that lay a dying, they never look’d back, their compassion towards others being turn’d into fear and care of themselves. The Forsaken implor’d their Saints, and besought Pizarro for aid, but finding their Complaints to be in vain, and raging through despair, they wish’d all the rest the same success, and the like Friends, whenever they should be in the like Condition. Pizarro extreamly griev’d and troubled, that he had brought the People into this Misery, sent a few Horsemen before to Quito, to carry the sad News of his deplorable Condition, that they might immediately send Provisions to him; which he receiving when he was within fifty Leagues from the said City Quito, distributed amongst those that were left alive, who being also almost starv’d, eat so greedily, that several of them were chok’d; the remainder were kept a considerable time in Garrison under the Command of Pizarro in Quito. Which City, built in a pleasant place, grew very populous in the Year 1544. there being several Gold-Mines found about the same in that time. But this lasted not long, for Quito siding with the Vice-Roy Blasco Nunnez Vela against Gonsalvo Pizarro, most of the Citizens were destroy’d by him, and their Houses burnt to Ashes. The like Destruction, and upon the same occasion, befel the three Villages in the Province Bracomoros, discover’d by Juan Parzel and Captain Vergara, together with the Countrey Chichiapoios, where Alphonso Alvarado built the Town Levanto, surrounded with deep Caverns, through which, to the great strengthning of the City, flow several Rivers.
Round about Puerto Viejo the Natives dwelt in Trees, whom the Spaniards had much ado to bring under their subjection; for their Countrey being barren and mountainous, was not onely wanting in Provisions to feed an Army, but the Peruvians also threw great Stones out of their Huts built in Trees, and likewise Javelins and Pots full of boyling Water, with which they did much mischief to their Enemies that Storm’d them, who at last covering themselves with Boards, cut down the Trees, with which they falling were torn in pieces by the Spanish Dogs.
Sect. IV.
Lima.
Situation and Description of the Province of Lima.
Lima, call’d also Los Reyos, hath on the East, Collao, and some part of Cusco; on the North, Los Quixos; and on the South, Charcas. The Countrey extendeth it self in length upon the Coasts of the South Sea two hundred and fifty, some say, full three hundred Leagues in length, viz. from Cape del Aguia Northward, on the Borders of Quito as far as Arequipa towards the South, and runs Eastward to Brasile and Rio de la Palma.