Immediately on seeing the Spaniards, Quizquiz withdrew to some distance with all the women and people who were unfit for battle, and placed his troops in a post of very difficult access under the command of Huaypalca, a brother of the late inca Atahualpa. Almagro advanced without hesitation to attack them, although the horses were so weary that they were hardly able to move though led mostly by the soldiers; besides which the Peruvians rolled down upon them from the mountain great quantities of large stones and fragments of rock. In spite of every obstacle, the Spaniards made their way to the post occupied by Huaypalca, which they attacked both in front and flank, and forced him to retire among the steep rocks, where he defended himself till night, and then drew off under cover of the darkness to rejoin Quizquiz. Sometime afterwards, it was learnt that the detached party of Peruvians which marched on the left of Quizquiz, had made prisoners of fourteen Spaniards, all of whom they put to death. Almagro, in continuing his march, was opposed by the Peruvian rear-guard at the passage of a river, so that he was unable to get over for a whole day. Besides occupying the opposite bank of the river, the Peruvians had taken possession of a very high mountain immediately above the place occupied by the Spaniards, so that they were unable to attack the enemy without exposing themselves to great danger; and indeed a good many of the Spaniards were wounded, among whom Alfonso de Alvarado was pierced quite through the thigh by a javelin, and another officer of rank was severely wounded. The Peruvians kept firm all night, but in the morning they abandoned their post on the banks of the river, leaving the passage free for the Spaniards. The Indians had burnt all the baggage which they could not carry off, but above 15,000 Peruvian sheep were found in their camp, and more than four thousand Indian men and women, of those whom Quizquiz had made prisoners, who now voluntarily surrendered themselves to the Spaniards. The Peruvian warriors had retired to a strong post on the top of a mountain, where Almagro did not think fit to attack them, as he was desirous to continue his march to the south.
On their arrival at San Miguel, Almagro sent the Captain Diego de Mora to Puerto Viejo, to take the charge of the vessels belonging to Alvarado, who likewise sent Garcias de Holguin on his part, that this measure might be executed amicably according to agreement. After giving all the necessary orders at San Miguel, and having provided his own men and those of Alvarado with arms, money, and clothes, he and Alvarado continued their journey towards Pachacamac. In the course of this march, he left Captain Martin Astete to build and settle a town now called Truxillo, in a convenient situation on the coast, in pursuance of orders to that effect from the governor Don Francisco Pizarro.
About this time Quizquiz, having continued his march towards Quito, had his advanced guard attacked and defeated by one of the officers belonging to Benalcazar. Quizquiz was much afflicted by this loss, and knew not well what to do or how to conduct himself. The curacas or native chiefs in his army advised him to make his peace with Benalcazar; but he would not listen to this proposal, even threatening to put them to death if they ever mentioned such a thing again, and ordered them to prepare for returning into Peru. But, as they were in want of provisions, and had no hopes of procuring any in the retreat which Quizquiz meditated, several of the curacas, at the head of whom was Huaypalca, remonstrated with him that it was better to die like brave men in battle against the Spaniards, than to retreat as he desired and to die of famine in a desert country. As Quizquiz gave a very unsatisfactory answer to this remonstrance, Huaypalca gave him a thrust in the breast with his lance, and all the other curacas fell upon him with their clubs and axes, cutting him to pieces. After this they dismissed the troops, allowing every one to go where he pleased.
On the arrival of Almagro and Alvarado at Pachacamac, they were joyfully received by the governor, who had come there from Xauxa to meet them. Pizarro honourably fulfilled the entire agreement which Almagro had made with Alvarado, by the payment of the stipulated sum of 100,000 gold pesos; though several persons remonstrated against paying so large a sum, and alleged that Almagro had been constrained to enter into the agreement by necessity, and that Alvarado, instead of receiving so much money, deserved to be sent prisoner into Spain, for having invaded the government belonging to another person. After receiving the money, Alvarado returned quietly to his government of Guatimala[33].
[33] According to Garcilosso, Pizarro made an additional free gift to Alvarado of 20,000 gold pesos to defray the expence of his voyage back to his government, with emeralds and turquoises to a considerable value, and several articles of gold plate for the use of his table.--E.
After the departure of Alvarado, the governor Pizarro began the establishment of a colony or settlement in the district of Pachacamac, which he named Ciudad de los Reyes, or the City of the Kings, otherwise called Lima, to which place he removed the colonists whom he had formerly established at Xauxa or Jauja; as the situation of Lima appeared to him exceedingly well calculated for trade, being near the sea[34]. From that place, Almagro went with a considerable force to Cuzco, and Pizarro visited Truxillo on purpose to place that colony on a proper footing, by making an equitable repartition of the lands and Indians among the colonists.
[34] Lima or Los Reyes is built on the banks of a river named Rimac or Limac by the Peruvians, whence its ordinary name of Lima. It is about ten miles from the sea, having a port named Callao at the mouth of the river. This city got the name of the City of the Kings; either from its foundation being laid on the 18th of January 1535, on the festival of the three kings; or in honour of Juana and Carlos, joint sovereigns of Castile.--E.
While at Truxillo, Pizarro received information that Almagro was inclined to take possession of the city of Cuzco, having been apprized by Ferdinand Pizarro, who was sent to Spain, that his majesty had appointed him a separate government extending a hundred leagues beyond the boundaries which had been assigned to Pizarro, and which Almagro alleged were considerably to the north of Cuzco. Juan and Gonzalo Pizarro, brothers of the governor, who were then in Cuzco, and several other persons of consideration, vigorously opposed Almagro and Hernando Soto, who took the part of Almagro, and a civil war seemed on the point of breaking out: But Almagro was unable to succeed in his design, as the great majority of the senators or members of the Cabildo took the part of the governor and his brothers. Immediately on receiving intelligence of these disputes, Pizarro posted with all expedition to Cuzco, where he soon re-established tranquillity by his presence. He pardoned Almagro, who was much ashamed of having occasioned so much confusion by attempting a matter of such high importance on such slight grounds as a mere hearsay or report. The ancient friendship and association between Pizarro and Almagro was renewed, and it was agreed that Almagro should go with a military force on discovery to the south, and if he found any country worth taking possession of, that the associates were to use their joint interest at the court of Spain to procure the government of it for him; but, if no good country were to be found, the government of Peru was then to be divided between Pizarro and Almagro. This agreement was solemnly ratified by oath upon the consecrated host, pledging themselves never to attempt in future to do any thing contrary to the interests of each other. Some have said that Almagro, on this occasion, swore that he would never make any future attempt upon Cuzco, or any part of the country to the distance of a hundred and thirty leagues to the south of that city, even in the event of being named by the king to to its government; and they add, that in addressing himself on this occasion to the holy body of Christ, he used these words, "If I should violate the oath which I now make, I pray, O Lord! that thou mayest punish and confound me in body and soul."
After this solemn agreement; Almagro prepared everything for his departure, and accordingly set out with above five hundred men, as shall be related in the next section. Pizarro returned to Lima, whence he sent Alfonso de Alvarado to conquer the country of the Chachapoyas, which is in the mountainous region of Peru about sixty leagues from Truxillo. This officer and his followers encountered much difficulty and labour in this enterprize, in which they at length succeeded, by forming establishments and reducing the inhabitants to submission; after which, the government of the province was conferred upon Alvarado, by whom the conquest had been effected.
SECTION III.