_How Gonzalo Pizarro left that river and went on exploring among
those forests and hills without finding any large population,
and how the whole party joined forces at a crossing over an arm
of the Sweet Sea._[38]
Gonzalo Pizarro was much distressed at finding that he could not reach
any fertile and abundant province, beyond such rough country as he
had met with. He deplored, many times, that he had undertaken this
expedition. If he wanted to explore he might have done so from Cuzco
with better information, or from further south. But he did not let his
followers understand this. On the contrary he gave them all possible
encouragement, and it was the advice of all that they should return
towards the place whence they had started. On that same day they set
out, and returned towards Zumaque, stopping short at a distance of
four leagues from the camp. Gonzalo would not go into it, but ordered
his party to go direct to the village of _Ampua_. Before reaching
there they came to a great river which they could not ford.[39] The
Indians had canoes, and seeing some on the banks of the river, the
Spaniards called out saying that they came as friends, and that the
Indians need have no fear whatever. Their Chief, whose name was
_Delicola_, determined to go himself and see what manner of men had
invaded his country. So he came over, attended by fifteen or twenty
men. When Gonzalo Pizarro saw him, and knew that he was the lord of
that river where they were, he rejoiced and received him with much
honour, giving him some combs and knives, which they value highly. He
asked the Chief whether they knew of any land that was good, and to
which the Spaniards could go. Meanwhile the Chief had repented that he
had come as a friend, for he now got word of the many Indians put to
death by the Spaniards, because they had not given the pleasing news
the latter wished. So the Chief determined, though it was a lie, to
tell them that there were very great populations further on and very
rich regions full of powerful lords. Gonzalo Pizarro and his followers
were delighted to hear this, believing it to be all truth. Gonzalo
Pizarro ordered that the Spaniards were to watch this native Chief
without his knowing it, and look out for him in such a way as that it
would be impossible for him to escape. This was done, but the Chief,
guessing quite well that he was watched, dissembled and did not show
any anxiety. As the river was wide in that part and the canoes were
not there, they went on to see whether what this Indian had told them
was true or not, until they reached a place where the river became
narrow. Here they made a bridge and crossed over by it.
The wild mountaineers, when they knew of the Spaniards being in that
country, called many of their people together and, taking up arms,
collected on the other side of the river, where they dug trenches
and made forts to defend themselves. When Gonzalo Pizarro saw that,
he ordered some arquebusiers who were with him to fire off their
arquebuses and try to kill some of the natives. They did so, killing
six or seven Indians, whereupon the others, seeing the sudden deaths
of their companions, began to take to flight with loud yells. Having
crossed the river, the Spaniards came to a place where there were no
mountains, but low-lying plains, though presently these were seen to
be everywhere surrounded by forest. They found few natives and only a
small amount of provisions, all the Indians being of one appearance
and dress. So Gonzalo Pizarro decided to call up the rest of the
Spaniards, who were at Zumaque in the camp that was formed there.
Two Spaniards were sent for them and, on their arrival at Zumaque,
Don Antonio and the captain Orellana came to join Gonzalo Pizarro at
the place whence he had sent the message. When the whole expedition
was united, Gonzalo ordered the Camp-master, Don Antonio de Rivera,
to advance with some men, and find out what the country looked like
further on. Don Antonio set out with fifty Spaniards and marched
until he had covered about twenty leagues of upland. Then they came
upon a small settlement called _Barco_, and found some provisions. He
reported this to Gonzalo Pizarro who proceeded thither with his whole
force, the Chief meeting them in a friendly manner, and telling them
what was ahead. The natives were much alarmed at seeing the horses
and so many Spaniards. The Chief wanted to plunge into the river and
take to flight, but Sancho de Caravajal perceiving this, seized him
and brought him before Gonzalo Pizarro, who ordered him to be fastened
to a chain, with two other Chiefs who had come as friends. The Chief
who, we said, first gave them news of rich provinces was carefully
watched, but was not made a prisoner at that time. When the Indians
saw that their Chiefs who had come as friends had been put in chains
they were indignant, and, taking up arms, they came in forty canoes
direct to the place where they had seen their Chief who called to them
to protect him. But the Spaniards who saw the canoes coming and heard
the shouting, came out with their arms and put the Indians to rout.
Then Gonzalo Pizarro ordered Delicola, the Chief who had been a party
to raising the natives in arms against him and his followers, to be
made fast on the chain with the others.
The Spaniards, seeing that the river they had discovered was very
large and must flow down to the Sweet Sea,[40] and reflecting that of
all the servants they had brought from Quito not one remained, nor
could any be found where they were, the land being so bad, came to
the conclusion that the best plan would be to build a craft, on board
of which their supplies might go down the river, the horses following
by land, in the hope of reaching some region of plenty, for which
they all besought Our Lord. Presently they built the vessel with the
necessary outfit they had brought with them, and one Juan Alcántara
was given charge of her. They shipped as much stuff as she could stow,
and the Spaniards with the horses followed down stream, along the
bank. They met with some small settlements where they got maize and
_yuca_, and they found a quantity of guavas which afforded no small
help to them in their need. Continuing their journey down the river
bank, they sometimes wished to diverge in one direction or another to
see what the country was like, but the morasses and other obstacles
were so great that they could not, and so they were obliged to keep
along the river bank, though with much difficulty, for the creeks in
the swamps were so deep that swimming the horses through them was an
arduous task. Some Spaniards and horses were drowned. The Indian men
and women carrying loads could not cross these swamps on foot, so
they looked for some of the canoes which the natives had hidden. When
the bad places were narrow they made bridges of trees, and crossed in
that manner. In this way they advanced down the river for forty-three
marches, and there was not a day when they did not come upon one or
two of these creeks, so deep that they were put to the labour we have
described, each time. They found little food and no inhabitants, and
they began to feel the pangs of hunger, for of the herd of swine they
brought from Quito, numbering more than 5,000, all were eaten. At
this time the Chief Delicola, who was the first that came in friendly
guise, and the other prisoners, for fear the Spaniards would kill
them, declared that farther on they would find a rich and well-peopled
land. Observing one day that they were less carefully watched, they
slipped into the river with their chain, and crossed to the other
side, without the Spaniards being able to retake them. The Spaniards
thus found themselves without guides for advancing, and they consulted
as to what it would be best to do. As the Indians had said that after
fifteen marches they would come to another very broad and swift river,
down which there were large settlements and very rich Chiefs, also
such quantities of food that if there were a thousand Spaniards there
would be enough for all, Gonzalo Pizarro ordered the Captain-general
Francisco de Orellana, with seventy men, to go on and see if what
the Indians had said was true, and to return with the vessel full
of provisions, for they saw the great need there was for food. He
himself, with the rest of his force, would march down stream at
once, to reach the populous country as soon as possible. For all the
Spaniards were in want, and in truth their necessity was dire, so that
Orellana must make all speed to bring them relief. He was not to do
anything else; wherefore the vessel was entrusted to his care solely,
and to no other person. Francisco de Orellana replied that he would
use all possible diligence to carry out his orders, that he would
bring back provisions as quickly as he could, and that there need
be no doubt about that. So he took on board some arms and clothing
belonging to Gonzalo Pizarro and others who wished to send them on,
and then departed down the river, leaving Gonzalo Pizarro and the
other Spaniards longing for his quick return.
FOOTNOTES:
[38] The Sweet Sea (_Mar Dulce_) was another name for the Marañón. The
"arm" was the river Napo.
[39] The Coca, principal tributary of the Napo.
[40] _Mar dulce_, the Marañón.