How, when a chief near the town of Anzerma wished to become a Christian,
he saw the devils visibly, who wished to deter him from his good
intention by their terrors.
In the last chapter I related how an Indian of the village of Lampa was
converted to Christianity. I will here tell another strange story, that
the faithful may glorify the name of God who is so merciful to us, and
that the wicked and incredulous may acknowledge the works of the Lord.
When the Adelantado Belalcazar was governor of the province of Popayan,
and when Gomez Hernandez was his lieutenant in the town of Anzerma,
there was a chief in a village called Pirsa, almost four leagues from
the town, whose brother, a good-looking youth, named Tamaraqunga,
inspired by God, wished to go to the town of the Christians, to receive
baptism. But the devils did not wish that he should attain his desire,
fearing to lose what seemed secure, so they frightened this Tamaraqunga
in such sort that he was unable to do anything. God permitting it, the
devils stationed themselves in a place where the chief alone could see
them, in the shape of birds called _Auras_.[540] Finding himself so
persecuted by the devils, he sent in great haste to a Christian living
near, who came at once, and, hearing what he wanted, signed him with the
sign of the cross. But the devils then frightened him more than ever,
appearing in hideous forms which were only visible to him. The Christian
only saw stones falling from the air, and heard whistling. A brother of
one Juan Pacheco, citizen of the same town, then holding office in the
place of Gomez Hernandez, who had gone to Caramanta, came from Anzerma
with another man, to visit the Indian chief. They say that Tamaraqunga
was much frightened and ill-treated by the devils, who carried him
through the air from one place to another, in presence of the
Christians, he complaining, and the devils whistling and shouting.[541]
Sometimes, when the chief was sitting with a glass of liquor before him,
the Christians saw the glass raised up in the air and put down empty,
and a short time afterwards the wine was again poured into the cup from
the air. The chief covered his face with his cloak, that he might not
see the horrible visions before him. Then, without having moved the
cloak from his face, the devils forced clay into his mouth, as if they
wished to choke him. At last the Christians resolved to take the chief
to the town, that he might be baptised at once, and more than two
hundred Indians came with him, but they were so frightened by the
devils, that they would not come near the chief. Thus, journeying with
the Christians, they came to a bad part of the road, where the devils
took the chief into the air, to dash him against the rocks. He cried out
to the Christians for help, who presently took hold of him, but the
Indians did not dare to speak, much more to offer any assistance. So
cruelly was he persecuted by the devils, all for the good of his soul,
and for the greater confusion of this our cruel enemy.
The two Christians saw that God would not be served if the Indian was
left to these devils, so they fastened some cords round his waist, and,
calling upon God for help, they went on with the Indian between them,
and with crosses in their hands, and reached a hill; but still with
great difficulty. As they were now near the town, they sent a messenger
to Juan Pacheco for assistance. Presently the devils began to throw
stones about in the air, and in this way they reached the town, and went
straight to the house of this Juan Pacheco, where all the Christians in
the village assembled. The devils then began throwing small stones on
the top of the house, and whistling; and as the Indians, when they go to
war, cry out _Hu! Hu! Hu!_ so the devils also made these noises in very
loud voices. Every body then began to pray to our Lord that, for his
glory and for the salvation of the Indian’s soul, the devils might not
be allowed to have their own way; for these devils, according to the
words heard by the chief, cried out that he must not become a Christian.
While many stones were flying about, the people came out to go to
church, and some Christians heard noises within, before the doors were
opened. The Indian Tamaraqunga, on going into the church, saw the devils
looking very fierce, with their heads beneath, and feet in the air. A
friar named Fray Juan de Santa Maria, of the order of our lady of mercy,
then came in to baptise the chief, upon which the devils, in presence of
all the Christians, but without being seen by any one but the chief,
took him up in the air; putting his head below and his feet above, as
they were themselves. The Christians cried out in a loud voice, “Jesus
Christ! Jesus Christ, be with us!” made the sign of the cross, and
taking hold of him, wetted him with holy water; but still the whistling
and other noises continued inside the church. Tamaraqunga saw the
devils visibly, and they gave him such buffets, that a hat, which he
held before his eyes so as not to see them, was hurled to a distance.
They also spat in his face. All this happened during the night, and in
the morning the friar dressed, to say mass. As soon as he began, the
noises ceased, and the chief received no more evil treatment from the
devils. When the most holy mass was concluded, Tamaraqunga asked for the
water of baptism, together with his wife and son. After he was baptised
he said that he was now a Christian and might be left to walk alone, to
see if the devils st¡ll had any power over him. So the Christians let
him go, while they all prayed to our Lord that, for the exaltation of
his holy faith, and that the Indians might be converted, he would not
permit the devils to have any further power over the chief, now that he
was a Christian. Then Tamaraqunga went out with great joy, saying “I am
a Christian,” and praising God in his own language. He went round the
church two or three times, and neither felt nor heard anything from the
devils, so he went to his house full of joy and contentment. This event
was so famous among the Indians, that many became Christians. It
happened in the year 1549.