THE captains and all the Spaniards, after having rested for some days from their former hardships, and discussed what might be best for them to do, it seemed good to all that they should pass on and traverse as many provinces as they could; for, if they could reach the mighty Rio de la Plata, they would certainly find that its banks were peopled by very rich nations, and they would all soon be very prosperous, and would settle in that land which all who came from Spain were so anxious to see. When they had come to this resolution, they were told by the Indians that fourteen leagues farther on to the west [sic] there was a wide tract called Mocaquaxa,[157] but that there was no water on the way, and no trees but algarrobos.[158] When the captains knew that there would be scarcity of water, in order that the servants who carried the baggage might not fail, they ordered ewes' skins to be prepared and calabashes to be collected for carrying water. They did not take much count of this desert because, if it was only fourteen leagues wide, they could march quickly over it and they would not be much troubled about water. So they struck camp and began the march late in the afternoon, when the sun was sinking to hide its brightness behind the high hills to the westward. They marched with much haste that evening and part of the night, until it was so dark that the guide could not make out the way, nor guess where he was going. So, as they could march no farther, the tents were pitched with the intention of continuing onwards at daylight. Day had scarcely shown signs of dawning when the Spaniards were again on the march. The heat was so intense that it is almost absurd to believe it. They truly affirm that neither the heats of the Libyan deserts, nor of Egypt, nor of the sandy desert of the coast near Piura were greater, for at that time the sun reigned in the south.
As the heat was so great the water they had brought was soon consumed; and the more they drank the more they were harassed by thirst. Many of the servants, who came with the Spaniards, died of the heat and want of water. The horses were very tired. The Spaniards, seeing the pass to which they had come, and knowing that if all the servants died the expedition must be a failure, some of those who had horses pushed on with what speed they could to bring water in the calabashes and skins and succour the foot soldiers and native servants, and enable them to advance. With no little trouble, the horses being much fatigued, they returned with the vessels full of water, and thus saved many lives. They passed the night as best they could. As the dawn approached our Lord God, who at such times reveals his marvels, ordained that the clouds, by the thunder that rolled amongst them, should show signs of approaching rain; and the people, cheered by the sound, threw themselves down with their backs on the ground, open mouthed, that the drops might fall into them should the rain come. It was not long before a heavy shower came down and Spaniards and Indians made big pits to receive it. Soon the pits were full, and the people were able to drink at their pleasure. The barbarians of the province whither they were going, when they heard of the coming of the Spaniards, deserted the country, from the fear in which they held them; and when the Spaniards arrived there no Indians were to be found. Whilst they were looking about to see which direction they could have gone off in they came upon some spies and scouts who had been left behind [by the Indians] to carry word of the Spaniards' arrival. These fellows wounded two horses with their arrows and then made off to give notice to the Indians and inform them how few in number the Christians were. When the Indians heard this, many of them readily assembled to make war, and while the native servants and some friendly Indians were gathering herbage for the horses, the enemy came in a troupe of as many as six hundred Indians, and killed some of them. The alarm being given, the Spaniards came out on their horses and joined in the fight. Notwithstanding that a few of these were wounded, more than two hundred natives were slain on the field and many more were wounded, so with no little outcry they turned their backs in terror, astonished at the valour of the Spaniards, and unable to believe but that their enemies had some deity among them. The captains regained the village where they had encamped.
[CHAPTER XCV]
How the bachelor, Juan Vélez de Guevara arrived at Lima, where the municipality would not receive him; and of the departure of the accountant Juan de Cáceres for Panamá.
THE reader will remember how, in previous chapters, we related that when Vaca de Castro heard of the arrival of Gonzalo Pizarro in Lima, and of how things were freely talked about between him and his followers, in a way that could not be overlooked, the Governor despatched the captain Juan Vélez de Guevara to that city (who had been in the battle at Chupas) to act there as his Lieutenant, and to remedy what had been said. Having quitted Cuzco the bachelor Juan Vélez arrived at Lima after Gonzalo Pizarro had already left that city. He presented to the municipality the commission he brought from the Governor Vaca de Castro by which the latter appointed him his deputy, and Captain over the city. The treasurer Alonso Riquelme, the accountant Juan de Cáceres, the factor Illán Suárez, and the councillors who were present, valuing highly the credit of their city, complained openly of Vaca de Castro in that, having amongst themselves persons of high quality who were known to be anxious for the King's service, he should send a stranger to be over them; and they agreed among themselves not to receive him. On this subject there were discussions in the Municipal Chamber, and things came to such a pass that the bachelor was expelled from office and turned out of the Council. As he refused to submit to their ruling they laid hands upon him, with the approval of the Municipality, and broke the verge of office which he had brought. Thus insulted Guevara quitted the scene; but, as the councillors knew that Vaca de Castro was irascible and vindictive, they began to fear that some harm might come to them on account of what they had done. The accountant, Juan de Cáceres, not daring to remain until Vaca de Castro should arrive, departed in a ship for Tierra Firme. The other councillors and officers remained in great fear lest some evil should befall them, for having declined to receive Guevara. We will now resume the narrative about Felipe Gutiérrez and his companions.
[CHAPTER XCVI]
How the Indians who escaped front the hands of the Spaniards returned to take counsel, and resolved, with much boldness, to go forth again and fight them, and of the death of Diego de Rojas.
IN a former chapter we related how the Indians of a village where the captains Diego de Rojas and Felipe Gutiérrez were encamped, had come and fought with them; and that although more than two hundred were killed, and as many more wounded, yet they sent messages to all the districts announcing how few the Spaniards were, and ordering the natives to assemble and to attack them vigorously, as it would be easy to kill them all and their horses. The Indians were told to anoint the points of their arrows with a very poisonous herb they have, for it was known by experience that no one who was wounded by it ever escaped death, and that for the liberty of their country and that they might not be under greater subjection than their forefathers, they ought not to fly from death if it should face them. Moreover, should any of them be captured by the Spaniards, they were on no account to reveal the antidote [to the arrow poison], for if that secret were made known neither they nor any number of people who might join them could prevail against the valour of the Spaniards or the fierceness of the horses. As all desired to see the foreigners who had invaded their provinces driven out again they assembled as large a force as they could and after they had offered their accustomed sacrifices and invoked the devil to their aid, marched in the direction where the Spaniards were encamped.