_How Gonzalo Pizarro left the city of Quito for the land of
Cinnamon, which was one of the most laborious explorations that
have been made in the mainland or the South Sea._
This exploration and conquest by Gonzalo Pizarro, we are bound to
say, was the most laborious expedition that has been undertaken in
these Indies, in which the Spaniards endured great hardships, famine,
and miseries, which well tried the virtues of their nation, like
similar events that have occurred in these parts of the world. It is
known to all that many nations have excelled others and made them
tributaries, and the few have conquered the many. Thus they say of
Alexander the Great that, with thirty-three thousand Macedonians, he
undertook to conquer the world. So with the Romans: many of their
captains who were sent to make war in the provinces attacked their
enemies with so few men that it is ridiculous to think of. And as I
now have to describe in my history some examples which reflect praise
on my nation, I appeal to what will be written, where the curious can
see like myself. I mean that no other race can be found which can
penetrate through such rugged lands, such dense forests, such great
mountains and deserts, and over such broad rivers, as the Spaniards
have done without help from others, solely by the valour of their
persons and the forcefulness of their breed. In a period of seventy
years they have overcome and opened up another world, greater than the
one of which we had knowledge, without bringing with them waggons of
provisions, nor great store of baggage, nor tents in which to rest,
nor anything but a sword and a shield, and a small bag in which they
carried their food. Thus it was that they went forth to explore that
which was unknown and never before seen. And this is what I think of
the Spaniards, and I esteem them because, until now, no other race
or nation has, with such resolution, passed through such labours, or
such long periods of starvation, or traversed such long distances as
they have.[35] At least I have found none. And in this expedition of
Gonzalo Pizarro assuredly very great hardships were experienced.
Having decided to send the Camp-master Don Antonio de Rivera on in
front, Gonzalo Pizarro gave orders for him to make straight for the
province of _Quijos_. He started at once, and after a few days Gonzalo
Pizarro did the same, Cristóbal de Funes going in command of the
rear-guard. Don Antonio advanced to a place called _Hatunquijo_.
Gonzalo Pizarro followed. At this time, just when the enterprise of
Gonzalo Pizarro became known on the coast of Peru, there arrived one
Francisco de Orellana, a native of the city of Truxillo, with thirty
Spaniards, and he set out to follow Gonzalo Pizarro, who had already
left Quito. Gonzalo crossed a range of mountains, where there were
snowy alps, and here over a hundred Indian men and women were frozen
to death. Though the Spaniards suffered much from the cold, none of
them died. From thence they traversed a very rugged country full of
rivers, and with forest lands well peopled. They advanced through
these dense forests, opening a road with axes and wood knives; and
so they marched until they came to the valley of _Zumaque_,[36]
which they found well peopled and amply stocked with provisions. It
is thirty leagues from Quito. Orellana, as we have said, followed
Gonzalo Pizarro over those thirty leagues between Quito and Zumaque,
and both he and his followers suffered much from hunger, owing to so
many people having passed just before. After several days they reached
Zumaque, where Pizarro was with all his party. Pizarro received them
with hearty welcome, and appointed this Francisco de Orellana to be
his Lieutenant-general. Before he had arrived at Zumaque, Gonzalo
Pizarro had ordered his Camp-master Don Antonio to send Orellana some
provisions, for he was in much need. Don Antonio told off the captain
Sancho de Caravajal to convey the succour of provisions, and so enable
Orellana to arrive. Sancho de Caravajal presently started back to meet
him, and when Orellana's party saw him they rejoiced at the sight, and
still more at the food he brought, of which they were in much need.
They all then marched to Zumaque, where the things happened that we
have related.
After the arrival of Orellana, Gonzalo Pizarro entered into
consultation with his principal officers, as to the next step that
should be taken. Orellana and his party had arrived very tired. But
the rest had been some while at Zumaque and it was time to continue
the advance. It was decided that Gonzalo Pizarro should go forward
and explore, and that Orellana should follow, after a few days, with
the rest of the expedition. Gonzalo Pizarro was only to take seventy
Spaniards, without any horses, because the country was so rough and
difficult that horses could not be used. Leaving all the horses in the
camp at Zumaque Gonzalo Pizarro set out with seventy odd Spaniards,
among them being some cross-bow men and arquebusiers. They took a
route in the direction of sunrise, having local Indians with them as
guides. They started and marched for several days through dense and
rugged forest country until they came to where the trees they call
_canelos_ grow, and which are like big olive-trees, and bear large
flowers and pods.[37] This is the cinnamon of the most perfect kind,
and of much substance. No other trees like these have been met with
in all the regions of the Indies. The natives value them highly, and
in all their settlements they trade with this cinnamon. There are
some Indians in these forests, and they live in small, badly built
huts, apart from each other. They are very brutish and without reason,
usually have many wives, and move through these forests so easily that
it is astounding to see their agility.
When Gonzalo Pizarro arrived where these _canelos_ grow, he took
certain Indians as guides and asked where there were valleys and
plains with many of these trees yielding cinnamon. The Indians replied
that they did not know of any others than these, and that they had
not seen them anywhere else. Gonzalo Pizarro also tried to learn from
these Indians the character of the country in front, whether the
forests came to an end, and whether he would soon emerge into open
country, and well-peopled provinces. They answered again that they
knew nothing, because they were so hemmed in by other tribes that,
except with a few who lived in the recesses of the forest, they had no
truck; adding that the Spaniards might chance, on going forward, to
find some Indians of those parts who would travel with them and guide
them to where they desired to go. Gonzalo Pizarro was angry that the
Indians had given no reply in conformity with what he wanted. Turning
to ask them other things, they answered all in the negative. So he
ordered some canes to be fixed across poles, like rather thin hurdles,
about three feet wide and seven in length, and the Indians to be put
on them and tortured until they told the truth. The innocent natives
were promptly stretched on these frames or barbecues, by the cruel
Spaniards, and some of them were burnt. As they did not understand
what the Spaniards said, nor could they see any just cause for being
cruelly put to death, they made great outcries and exclaimed with loud
and savage voices: "Why do you kill us with so little reason, neither
we nor our fathers have ever injured you. Do you want us to tell you
what we do not know?" and adding many other pitiful words, until the
fire penetrated and consumed their bodies. This butcher of a Gonzalo
Pizarro, not content with burning the Indians who had committed no
fault, further ordered that other Indians should be thrown to the
dogs, who tore them to pieces with their teeth and devoured them. I
heard that among those who were thus burnt or devoured, there were
some women, which made it worse. After Pizarro had killed these
Indians, he desired to get to some part where horses could be used.
For the Spaniards, who were with him, were discouraged at not finding
a land such as they wanted to see, and because the Indians did not
give them any information. Leaving that place they advanced until
they came to a river which formed a small beach of very level sand.
Here Gonzalo Pizarro ordered the camp to be pitched for that night,
to sleep. It rained so hard near the source of the river that a flood
came suddenly down and, if it had not been for warnings from the
sentries, some of the party would have been drowned by the rush of
water. Gonzalo Pizarro and those who were with him heard the cries of
the sentries and the noise of the waters, and they all rose up, and
took to their arms, thinking it was Indians coming to make war against
them. Seeing what had happened, they stationed themselves above some
wash-outs that were there and, although they used all the speed
possible, they lost some of their baggage. As they found themselves
driven from the place where they had formed their camp, and saw that
there was nothing but ranges of forest-clad and rugged mountains in
all directions, they decided to return by the way they came and see
if they could not find another track which would lead them in the
direction they wanted.
FOOTNOTES:
[35] True, but it does not follow that no others could.
[36] Garcilaso calls it Sumaco, but Herrera has Zumaque.
[37] Garcilaso describes this tree as very tall with leaves like
a laurel, the fruit growing in clusters, and resembling an acorn.
Herrera describes it as like an olive with large pods, the tree
attaining a height of thirty feet.