_How the captain Jorge Robledo arrived in the province of Pozo,
where he was severely wounded, and of the most cruel punishment
that was inflicted, also of the great quantity of human flesh
that was there eaten._
To go from the province of Picara to that of Pozo one follows a
river, down stream. It is fringed on either side by woody groves and
fruit-bearing trees, and 'tis certain that, if the Inca kings should
extend their conquests so far, and the opposing parties should not
eat each other up, they would find here the best and richest thing
in all the Indies, the rivers and mountains being so prolific in
gold, as those who have visited it will tell. We were going along,
careless of the fact that we were at war, advancing without order,
and rejoicing to see that there was such a good land to explore. The
captain was in front, and with him were Alvaro de Mendoza, Antonio
Pimentel, the ensign Suer de Nava, Giraldo Gil Estopiñan, Francisco
de Cuéllar, trumpeter, and a cleric named Father Francisco de Frias,
besides some other mounted esquires, and gentlemen on foot. Suddenly
the war cries of the barbarians were heard. In great haste orders were
given to call up the _Comendador_ Hernán Rodríguez de Sosa who, as
squadron commander or Camp-master, came in the rear guard with the men
on horseback. He hurried up to the front, and so did Pedro de Velasco
and I, and others, all being without a thought that the Indians would
be so eager to fight. The captain, with his ensign Suer de Nava,
climbed up the mountain side with great intrepidity, as did the other
Spaniards: while the barbarians made a tremendous noise, and called
us _umes_, which means women, also making use of other more insulting
expressions.
The Indians of Carrapa and Picara, although they numbered over 8,000,
were so afraid of the Pozos that they hardly dared open their mouths.
At this juncture we came to a very difficult mountain pass. The
captain, with much boldness and with the heart of a hero, put spurs
to his horse and, in spite of the foe, nearly reached the summit: the
Spaniards following and invoking the apostle Santiago. They then began
to wound the Indians, and these shot off many darts and arrows. The
captain gave his shield to the trumpeter, because he saw that the man
had none, and taking a cross-bow, he killed three or four Indians;
then, dropping it, he took a lance and prepared to attack them,
having first, before all this, called upon them, in presence of the
notary Pedro Sarmiento, to submit. When the Indians saw the execution
the captain had done amongst them, one of them pointed a dart which
hit him on the right hand, and passed right through it. While stooping
down to recover his lance the Indians shot off another dart, which hit
him in the back, and entered more than a _palmo_. The Spaniards then
pressed onwards, to put the Indians to flight, and gained the heights.
The captain lay on the ground, much afflicted by his wounds, so that
we all thought he was dead. Indeed, as for his living, it would have
been better for him had he died there and then, for at least his
body would not have lacked a tomb, nor would it have become food for
Indians, as happened later, owing to the savagery of those who did
kill him.[23] None of the Spaniards were either killed or wounded here
except the captain.
The friendly Indians killed some of the enemy, whom they ate that
same night. We occupied the native buildings which were on the hill.
They were large, and there were a great number of wooden images in
them, of the size of men, but in place of heads they had skulls with
faces of wax. They served us for firewood. The captain was so ill that
we really thought he would die, and all showed deep sorrow, for, in
those times, Robledo was so much liked for his goodness to us, that
we looked upon him as a father. At night the ensign, Melchor Suer de
Nava, the Father Francisco de Frias, a native of Castro Nuño, Alonzo
de Mendoza, Antonio Pimentel, Pedro de Velasco, Estopiñan and others
of the officers who were there, slept close to him without leaving the
house where he was. Such hatred was felt for the Indians of Pozo who
had done this deed, that the _Comendador_ Hernán Rodríguez de Sosa,
with seventy Spaniards and about 4,000 friendly Indians, set out in
search of the enemy (who were said to have taken up a strong position
on a rock placed on the summit of some crags) intending to kill as
many of them as possible. The Indians of Carrapa and Picara were
delighted on finding their dreaded enemies in such straits, and that
the valiant Spaniards were so bent on killing them. They all brought
stout cords to secure the prisoners. The _Comendador_ went out with
the Spaniards to do what I have said: and it pleased God that the
captain should recover from his wounds, which gave no small pleasure
to us all.
FOOTNOTE:
[23] He was hanged by Belalcázar on the pretence that he had usurped
that governor's territory, and his body was eaten by the Pozos.
For this murder Belalcázar was condemned to death by the _Juez de
residencia_. Belalcázar appealed, and was on his way to Spain when he
died at Cartagena.