News comes of the victory won by the Spaniards, even to their
putting the Indian army to flight. They command that a chain be
placed about the neck of Chilichuchima, holding him to be a traitor.
They cross the Rimac[54] and all reunite once more at
Sachisagagna,[55] where they burn Chilichuchima.
This news reached the Governor near the last river, as I have said, and
he, without showing any change in his countenance, communicated it to
the ten horsemen and twenty peons whom he had with him, consoling them
all with good words which he spoke to them, although they were greatly
disturbed in their minds, for they thought that if a small number of
Indians, relatively to the number anticipated, had maltreated the
Christians in such a manner in the first action, they would bring upon
them still greater war on the following day when their horses were
wounded and when the aid of thirty horsemen, which had been sent to
them, had not yet arrived among the Spaniards. But all showed that they
knew how to place their hopes in God, and they arrived at the river
which they crossed in _balsas_, swimming the horses, because the bridge
was burned down. And the river being very full, they delayed in crossing
it the rest of that day and the next one until the hour of siesta when
the Governor, smiling [determined] to set out without waiting for the
Indian allies to cross.[56] [Just then] a Christian was seen coming, and
when all saw him from afar, they judged that the captain with the
horsemen had been routed and that this man was bringing the news in his
flight. But when he had arrived in the presence of the Governor, he gave
great consolation to the minds of all with the news that he brought,
relating that God Our Lord, who never abandons his faithful servants
even in the direst extremities, ordained that while the captain with
the others [of his company] was passing that night cautiously and
encouraging his men for the combat on the morrow, the Marshal arrived
with the reenforcements of thirty horsemen which had been sent, and
these, together with the ten others whom they had left behind, made
forty altogether, and when all perceived this, the first group felt as
much pleasure as if they had resuscitated that day [just lived through],
holding it to be certain that the victory would be theirs on the
following day. When day had come, which was Sunday, they all mounted at
dawn, and, disposed in a wing formation in order to present a better
front, they attacked the rear of the Indians who, during the night, had
determined to attack the Christians, but who, in the morning, seeing so
many soldiers, thought that some aid must have come to them during the
night, on account of which, not having the courage to put on a bold
front, and seeing that the Spaniards were coming up the slope in pursuit
of them, turned their backs and retired from mountain to mountain. The
Spaniards did not follow them because the land was rough, and besides, a
mist arose which was so thick that they could not see one another, and
yet withal, on the slope of a hill, they killed many of the enemy. At
this juncture, a thousand Indians in a squadron commanded by Quizquiz
arrived in aid of the Indians who, seeing the Christians on horseback
and so warlike, judged it time to withdraw to the mountain.[57] At the
same time, the Christians assembled in their [the Indians'] fort, whence
the captain had sent this messenger to the Governor to tell him that he
would await him there until he should arrive. When this news was heard
by the Governor, he rejoiced greatly over the victory which God Our Lord
had given him when he least expected it, and without delaying an instant
he ordered that all should go forward with the dunnage and the remaining
Indians, because, jointly with this news, he had received warning that
in the retreat of this hostile force of soldiers, four thousand men had
split off from the rest, and that therefore he should proceed
cautiously, and should also be very sure that Chilichuchima was
arranging and commanding all this and was giving advice to the enemy as
to what they were to do, and that, on this account, he should bear
himself with caution. When the Governor had finished his day's march, he
had chains put upon Chilichuchima and said to him: "Well you know how I
have always borne myself toward you and how I have always tried [to be
generous with you], making you the captain who should rule all this land
until the son of Atabalipa should come from Quito in order to be made
lord [of it], and although I have had many causes for putting you to
death, I have not wished to do so, believing always that you would mend
your ways. Likewise, I have asked you many times to urge these hostile
Indians, with whom you have influence and friendliness, to calm
themselves and lay down their arms, since, although they had done much
harm and had killed Guaritico[58] who came from Xauxa at my command, I
would pardon them all. But in spite of all these admonitions of mine you
have wished to persist in your evil attitude and intentions, thinking
that the advice which you gave to the hostile captains was powerful
enough to make your wicked design succeed. But now you can see how, with
the aid of our God, we have always routed them, and that it will always
be so in the future, and you may be very sure that they will not be able
to escape nor to return to Quito whence they came, nor will you ever
again see Cuzco[59] because as soon as I have arrived at the place where
this captain is with my soldiers, I shall cause you to be burned alive
because you have known how to keep so ill the friendship which, in the
name of Caesar,[60] my lord, I have agreed upon with you. Have no doubt
that this will be done unless you urge these Indian friends of yours to
lay down their arms and come in peace, as I have asked you to do many
times before." To all these reasonings Chilichuchima listened
attentively without returning a word. But always firm in his obstinacy,
he [at length] replied: "that those captains had not done as he had
ordered them to do because they did not wish to obey him, and, for that
reason he had not remained to make them understand that they must come
in peace," and with such words he excused himself from what was
attributed to him. But the Governor, who already knew of certain of his
dealings, left him with his evil thoughts and did not return to speak to
him upon the matter. Then, having crossed the river in the afternoon,
the Governor went forward with those soldiers and arrived by night in a
village called Rimac[61] a league from that river. And there the Marshal
arrived, with four horsemen, to wait for him, and after they had talked
together, they set out the next day for the camp of the Spaniards where
they arrived in the afternoon, the captain and many others having come
out to meet them, and all rejoiced greatly at seeing themselves all
together again. The Governor gave each one thanks, according to his
merits, for the valour they had shown, and all set out together in the
evening and arrived two leagues further on at a village called
Sachisagagna.[62] The captains informed the Governor all that had
happened, just as I have related it. When they were all lodged in this
village, the captain and the Marshal urged the Governor to do justice on
Chilichuchima, because he ought to know that Chilichuchima advised the
enemy of all that the Christians did, and that he it was who had made
the Indians come out of the mountains of Bilcas, exhorting them to come
and fight with the Christians who were few and who, with their horses,
could not climb those mountains save step by step and on foot, and
giving them, at the same time, a thousand other counsels as to where
they were to wait and what they were to do, like a man who had seen
those places and who knew the skill of the Christians with whom he had
lived so long a time. Informed of all these things, the Governor gave
orders that he was to be burned alive in the middle of the plaza, and
so it was done, for his chiefs and most familiar friends were those who
were quickest in setting fire to him.[63] The religious[64] tried to
persuade him to become a Christian, saying to him that those who were
baptized and who believed with true faith in our saviour Jesus Christ
went to glory in paradise and that those who did not believe in him went
to hell and its tortures. He made him understand this by means of an
interpreter. But he [Chilichuchima] did not wish to be a Christian,
saying that he did not know what sort of thing this law was, and he
began to invoke Paccamaca[65] and captain Quizquiz that they might come
to his aid. This Paccamaca the Indians have as their God and they offer
him much gold and silver, and it is a well-known thing that the demon is
in that idol and speaks with those who come to ask him something.[66]
And of this matter I have spoken at length in the relation which was
sent to H. M. from Caxamalca. In this way this captain paid for the
cruelties which he committed in the conquests of Atabalipa, and for the
evils which he plotted to the hurt of the Spaniards and in disservice of
H. M. All the people of the country rejoiced infinitely at his death,
because he was very much abhorred by all who knew what a cruel man he
was.[67]