_How García de Alvarado left Lima and landed at Santa, captured
Cabrera, and went on until he arrived at San Miguel, and of
those he killed on the way; and how the captain Alonso de
Alvarado raised his standard for the king._
Having arranged what he had to take with him, and embarked the men
and horses in the galleon, García de Alvarado presently departed and
arrived at Santa, and landed. There he received news that Cabrera
and some others had come to that valley. The Indians had collected
provisions and fodder for the horses. It was true that Cabrera and
Barroso, with seven or eight others, had come down to the coast
valleys, intending to seek for the Licentiate Vaca de Castro.
Alvarado was adroit enough to capture Cabrera, Barroso, Cáceres,
and three more. He found from them that there were no others. There
being nothing more to do there, he went on with his prisoners to
Truxillo, taking great care lest there should be any mischance. I
got my information from soldiers who were with him on that march.
They assured me that he never laid his arms aside nor wearied of
any labour, but rather pitied them in cheerful vein, and afforded
an example himself to those who served under him. Having arrived in
the city of Truxillo, although Diego de Mora had shown himself to be
very friendly to young Almagro, García de Alvarado suspected that the
people of that city might rise against him and kill him, in order to
rid themselves of such undesirables. He therefore occupied the houses
of the Marquis with all the men he had brought with him. He did not
allow any damage to be done in the city, though he himself seized the
money of deceased persons which was in trust, and some horses and
arms. At Truxillo he ordered the galleon to take the prisoners to the
port of Payta, while he marched by land to the city of San Miguel.
Here we will leave him, to tell the story of how the captain Alonso
de Alvarado heard of the death of the Marquis, which was before the
murderers had completed their damnable design.
Rumours of what the conspirators thought of doing became bruited
about, and a certain soldier at Lima who had served under Alonso
de Alvarado in the campaign of Moyobamba learnt from them their
intention. As there was no reason why he should do any disservice to
his Majesty, nor count himself among the men of Chile's party, this
soldier set out to tell what he knew to Alonso de Alvarado. In five
days he reached Tenpuele, and a little farther on he met a citizen of
Guanuco named Juan de Mora, and told him what was happening, and that
the Chile party had evil intentions against the Marquis. The soldier,
who was named Carrillo, pressed onwards until he reached the city of
La Frontera, where he found that Alonso de Alvarado was absent, having
gone to subdue a province in the Chachapoyas. A few days afterwards
the Marquis was murdered, and the news soon reached Guanuco, where
Pedro Barroso was Lieutenant. He and the residents there at once
agreed to go and join Alonso de Alvarado, who was in the Chachapoyas.
Juan de Mora set out with promptitude to carry him the news quickly.
On the road he wrote a letter, and sent it on by an _anacona_,[77]
who was a great runner, giving notice of what had happened. This
Indian arrived where the captain Alonso de Alvarado was, who received
the disastrous news and felt deep sorrow. Juan de Mora, who was an
inhabitant of the city of Guanuco, arrived at Chachapoyas. As soon as
the captain fully understood the details of the murder of the Marquis,
he returned to the city of La Frontera and summoned the magistrates.
With their unanimous will and consent he was accepted as Chief Justice
and Captain-general for the King, against whoever should dare to
occupy the Realm without the Royal will. Soon afterwards he raised the
banner in the King's name, and declared himself an enemy to the men of
Chile's party. Having done these things, the captain called before him
all the Caciques of the district, and spoke to them in a very friendly
way, saying that they now knew of the murder of the Marquis by the
men of Chile, and that as they had always been kindly treated by him,
he begged them to post spies on all the roads, and to let him know if
any Spaniards approached, and not to fail in vigilance. The Caciques
answered that they would do all that he required. When those who came
from Guanuco had arrived, and Alvarado was accepted by all as Captain,
he ordered them to be furnished with arms, and also that pikes and
lances should be made. Of silver and iron they made corselets, helmets
and visors, gauntlets, and all the arms that were required; so that if
the Chileans should approach, they would find them ready. And all was
done very willingly in obedience to the Captain Alonso de Alvarado's
directions.
Seeing the willingness of the people who were with him to serve his
Majesty, and their great zeal, and having had news of the coming of
the Licentiate Vaca de Castro, he sent messengers to let the Judge
know that he had raised the banner for the King, and had assembled two
hundred men, well armed and provided, ready to serve his Majesty and
to punish the atrocious crime perpetrated at Lima by the murder of
the Marquis. Vaca de Castro was urged to hasten his journey, and join
the royal forces as soon as possible. Some portion was stationed for
defence against the enemy amongst the great rugged mountains and many
rivers, and also to allow those who wished to come and serve their
King to do so without danger. Being so instructed, the messenger,
whose name was Pedro de Orduña, set out to find Vaca de Castro. Having
despatched this messenger, Alvarado sent another one to Moyobamba.
He was to call upon captain Juan Pérez de Guevara, who had gone to
settle certain Spaniards in those parts, to leave the new settlement
they were forming, for a time, and to come to him, for the Realm had
been thrown into great confusion owing to the men of Chile having
murdered the Marquis in the city of Lima. Having heard this news,
settlers came from all parts to serve under the banner of the loyal
captain. When Alonso de Alvarado saw how his force was increasing,
he resolved to send Iñigo López Carillo, with another soldier, with
money to buy arms and horses at Truxillo secretly, through the help
of friends he had in that city. These two travelled with much haste,
and arrived at Truxillo, placing Indians at intervals along the
route so as to be able to send back any communications that might be
necessary. Having arrived near the city, they left the Chachapoya
Indians they brought with them, secreted, and went themselves to the
monastery of Our Lady of Mercy. They gave the friars an account of
their mission, and presented letters from Don Alonso de Alvarado. The
friars very cunningly bought some breast-plates and coats of mail and
other arms at the city of La Frontera, as well as iron for making
more, spending a large sum of money at Alvarado's expense. After the
arms had been purchased and were got in readiness, they were removed
at night by means of the Chachapoya Indians, and the envoys set out
for where Alvarado was stationed, leaving letters to the municipality
and other bodies and principal people of Truxillo, urging them to
eschew friendship with Don Diego, who, on a plea of avenging his
father's death, had seized the government with great tyranny; and to
join forces with himself, for when Vaca de Castro should arrive he
would punish Don Diego. At this time Villafranca was lieutenant for
Almagro at Truxillo, and he received news of how the captain Alonso de
Alvarado had raised the banner for the King.
All this that we have related happened before García de Alvarado came
to Truxillo. When the coming of Carrillo and the carrying off of the
arms came to his knowledge he was greatly vexed, and sent some of his
horsemen in pursuit, but they could not overtake Carrillo and his
Indians.
FOOTNOTE:
[77] _Yana-cuna_ would mean "servants." _Cuna_ is the plural particle.
There is no such word as _anacona_. It should be _yana_ (without the
_cuna_).