_How the captain Osorio was killed, with some other Christians,
going to the new kingdom, and how the captain Pedro de Añasco
was also killed by the Indians._
Let the reader's attention be now turned to the exploration of the
province of Bogotá by the Spaniards coming from Santa Marta, which we
mentioned in the first book of _The War of Las Salinas_, and to what
happened between them and the captain Belalcazar. I also related how
the captain Añasco founded the town of Timaná, where, after coming
from Cali when Lorenzo de Aldana was General of those cities on behalf
of the Marquis Pizarro, he was confirmed in his charge, and returned
as lieutenant to the said town of Timaná. The captain Juan de Ampudia
was lieutenant in Popayán, Miguel Muñoz in Cali, and Lorenzo
de Aldana had gone to Quito, as we have already stated. While this
region was under these lieutenants, glowing accounts reached them of
the wonderful richness of the new kingdom,[24] the quantity of gold
and emeralds there, and the high value of commodities; so that there
was a desire to take thither all the merchandize and flocks that
could be collected. A merchant who was at Popayán, named Pero López
del Infierno,[25] Captain Osorio (a relation of Juan de Ampudia) and
others, agreed to leave Popayán for the new kingdom with merchandize,
horses, mares, slaves, and much worked silver. With these goods, which
amounted to a great money value, they left Popayán and set out on the
road for Bogotá, without distrusting the Indians, because, as it was
peace time, they had no fear of hostilities with them. They went on
until they arrived in the country of the _Yalcones_, which borders on
that of Páez. At this time the captain Pedro de Añasco had left Timaná
to go to Popayán, to trade for horses and other things he required.
He came to the country of the Yalcones, which is where I have said
Osorio had arrived. The natives of that region are numerous and
determined. They fight with lances 30 _palmos_ long, and have other
formidable weapons. They resolved to rebel against the Spaniards,
and not merely to refuse obedience, but to kill the captain and the
others who had come from Popayán, As they had notice of the numerous
horses, mares, and other things the Spaniards brought, they desired
to put their thought into execution to satiate their cursed bellies
with human flesh, and to rob what we have said. They took up arms with
this intent, and planned that one party should attack the captain
Pedro de Añasco, while another fell upon the Christians who had come
from Popayán, for they feared that if they did not adopt this division
of force, their plan might not succeed. The Indians were upon all
the hills, but they repaired with feigned friendliness to the ravine
of _Apirimá_ (which is the locality where Osorio was) to put the
Spaniards off their guard.
At this time the captain Pedro de Añasco had arrived at a valley
called _Ayunga_. When the Indians formed the intention already stated,
it came to the knowledge of a friendly Chief who was with Añasco. This
Chief told Añasco of the league formed by the Yalcones, those of Páez,
and other neighbouring tribes, and that, as he had only two horses, he
had better go back. The captain made light of what the Chief had told
him, showing that he thought little of it, and he continued on until
he came to a building, late in the day, where two Indians appeared.
One brought a young lion, dead and putrid, for the captain to eat,
the other brought some cobs of young maize. The captain, seeing the
presents, knew what they signified, and the Indians, dissembling, said
that presently, the next day, they would bring those who would eat the
captain and his Christians. The friendly Chief then spoke to Pedro de
Añasco urging him to return into the forest, which was not far from
there, and he would be safe from the Indians. But he would not go
back because he did not believe that the audacity of the barbarians
could reach to such a point. He ordered all his men to be ready with
their arms, and that some of them should keep watch on the roads
leading to the buildings where they were encamped, which was done. The
Indians had gathered in a great mass and, before dawn, they attacked
the Spanish sentries with a violent clamour. Although the sentries
behaved as Spaniards always do, they were overpowered, killed, cut in
pieces, and carried away to be eaten. The captain, Pedro de Añasco,
hearing the noise, commended himself to God, and mounted his horse.
With his companions he then awaited the Indians' onslaught, his men
animating each other. Añasco was a well-grown man of fine presence,
one of the principal knights of Seville; but for his sins, or by God's
permission, he came at last to a most cruel and unworthy death, for
such a warrior.
The Indians, in much confusion, had already rushed upon the
Spaniards, when the captain, and Baltasar del Rio charged them with
their horses. Though the Spaniards showed great determination, they
could not prevail against such a bevy of lances as faced their horses;
nevertheless Pedro de Añasco broke into them, while the other horseman
was killed. The captain, whose horse came out wounded and bridleless,
turned again to attack the enemy with his blood-covered lance, but
they fell upon him in such numbers that, after having killed the
horse, they captured him alive. The rest of the Spaniards were all
either killed or frightfully wounded, some of them having their bodies
so full of lances that nothing could be seen but the wooden staves.
Others fell wounded and were promptly despatched. Others had their
eyes or their tongues torn out, or were impaled. Two Spaniards, one
named Cornejo and the other Mideros, resisted so valiantly that, after
having fought against the multitude of savages, they sallied forth
from that place in spite of them all, and, with their swiftness of
foot, ran off in the direction of Timaná. For four days they wandered
without food except some wild herbs, pursued by the Indians, suffering
other great hardships and many times surrounded, until by God's
pleasure they got free and made for Timaná, where the death of Pedro
de Añasco had already been rumoured, and Pedro de Guzmán de Herrera
had gone forth with three horsemen to find out whether it was true.
One night, when the party were asleep, the Indians attacked them. They
mounted their horses in great haste. Pedro de Guzmán was getting on
his, but as they did not leave him time to cast off the halter, and
the horse was unable to start, he was killed with many lance wounds.
The other Spaniards, though in great danger, escaped to Timaná.
Captain Osorio was, as we have said, in the ravine of Apirimá with
those who had come with him, numbering sixteen Spaniards. From his
camp to where Añasco's people were massacred, was not more than two
leagues. Just as they were about to resume their journey, the great
mass of Indians rushed upon them, after having eaten the bodies of all
the Spaniards they had killed, and robbed all the baggage. They had
taken the captain Pedro de Añasco alive. He was sent all through the
province, that he might be seen in the market places and villages,
where the people heaped insults upon the unhappy captain and made his
body suffer a thousand martyrdoms. They killed him by a lingering and
cruel death. On one day they cut off an arm, on another they tore out
an eye, on the next they cut off his lips, and so they continued to
consume the being that had been a man, until life was ended, when the
body found sepulture in the bellies of his murderers.
The savages, having next arrived at Apirimá, where the Christians
who had gone to Popayán were encamped, encircled them, and then,
with great clamour, attacked them suddenly and began to wound them.
Although the Spaniards attempted a defence they could not prevail.
Only one escaped, a Spaniard whose name was Serrano. All the rest were
killed and eaten by the Indians, who also captured the merchandize
and other things which were intended for sale at Bogotá. After they
had killed the Spaniards and seized all their property the Indians
returned to their villages very pleased with themselves.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] That is, New Granada.
[25] So in the MS.