_How the Governor Vaca de Castro, leaving the plains, ascended
from Santa by the mountain road, and how he met Gómez de
Alvarado, and was annoyed on learning that he came without
permission from Alonso de Alvarado; and how the Provincial, Fr.
Tomás de San Martín, also arrived._
The Governor Vaca de Castro arrived at a coast valley they call
_Santa_, where there is a large river, and where great edifices
and houses, now in ruins, formerly stood. The plains and meadow
lands along the banks of the river were covered with brambles and
cane-brakes and dense bush, where great quantities of mosquitos are
bred; and at the time when Vaca de Castro was there these were by
no means few. It was a great plague, and tormented the Governor and
those who were with him to such an extent that, without tarrying long
amidst such malign company, hasty preparations were made for ascending
the heights. They followed the road to the right of the provinces of
Moro and Quizquiz,[99] taking a supply of provisions with them, and
some Indians who carried the baggage. The captain Pedro Vergara had
remained in Truxillo, to gather in some men who had stayed behind,
but in a short time he overtook the Governor, who was travelling by
stages. As they ascended to the high elevations in the mountains,
that common ailment of the head which overtakes everybody attacked
him and most of the others, and used them so ill that they felt like
being on the sea. At the end of some days the Governor arrived at a
village called _Tozal_, where he was told by a Spaniard he found there
that in the camp of the captain Alonso de Alvarado, some words had
passed between the latter and a youth named Gómez de Alvarado "the
lad."[100] When he heard of the approach of Vaca de Castro, this young
man had quitted the camp without his captain's permission, and was
coming to join the Governor. Vaca de Castro was displeased on hearing
this and the more so in that he should be coming without leave from
his captain, Alonso de Alvarado. Calling his secretary, the Governor
instructed him to draft an order and go and notify it to Gómez de
Alvarado, requiring him, under severe penalties in case of default, to
return and place himself under his captain's banner. And he directed
Merlo to then go with Gómez, until he had seen him safely under his
captain's orders. Presently Merlo started off with the order to do
what was commanded by the Governor, and went on until he came to where
Gómez de Alvarado was quartered. With him he found the Provincial,
Fr. Tomás de San Martín, who, when at Lima, had heard of the coming
of Vaca de Castro; and, wishing to further the king's service, had
presently set out to meet him, and had now come by way of Guaraz and
the place where Alonso de Alvarado had formed his camp, and also by
that of Pero Alvarez Holguin. All the officers of both camps enjoyed
his company, and he theirs. One day when Alonso de Alvarado was in his
own camp a coolness took place over some contention, and high words
passed between that captain and Gómez de Alvarado. The Provincial
intervened and made peace between them. Gómez de Alvarado then
asked leave of the captain to go and seek for the Governor Vaca de
Castro, which leave was refused. So he went out from the camp without
leave, and when this became known to the Governor he sent Merlo with
the order already mentioned. Arrived at the quarters at Guaylas,
Merlo found Friar Tomás and Gómez de Alvarado lodging there, having
travelled together from the camp. As Gómez was a cavalier of such high
rank, Merlo thought it advisable to inform the Provincial what the
Governor had sent him to do. The Provincial listened, and counselled
Gómez de Alvarado to set out at once to meet Vaca de Castro, as he
was so near. Holding this to be good advice, Gómez ordered his horse
to be saddled and, without letting Merlo know it, promptly rode away
to where he thought he would find the Governor. He was ushered before
Vaca de Castro and explained his great desire to serve him, and that
he had left the camp of Alonso de Alvarado in order to find him the
sooner.
Vaca de Castro was much annoyed that Gómez de Alvarado should have
come in this way, instead of obeying his order to return to the camp
of Alonso de Alvarado; but, as there was now no remedy for it, he
dissembled his anger before the young man. Presently they set out for
the station at Guaylas where the Governor and all who were with him
suffered in their heads from mountain sickness, and felt as if they
were on the high seas. Here the Provincial spoke to Vaca de Castro
and freely offered his services, and the Governor welcomed him very
cordially. From this place Vaca de Castro ordered Gómez de Alvarado
to go to the camp of Alonso de Alvarado, as he was informed that he
had quitted it without leave or assent. He would not allow any one to
withdraw from the ranks of captains who had done such good service to
the king, without their assent. Gómez de Alvarado felt aggrieved that
the Governor should order him to return to where the captain Alonso de
Alvarado was. He tried by means of words to excuse himself from going,
but this availed him nothing. So he went, and the Provincial, Fr.
Tomás, went with him; and when they arrived, he put himself between
the two, and prevailed upon them to make friends. Having arrived at
the quarters at Guaylas on Easter eve, the Governor resolved to halt
there for two days, with the assent of all who came with him.[101]
FOOTNOTES:
[99] Clerical errors or misprints. Probably Mato and Carhuaz.
[100] This was not Gómez the brother of Don Pedro de Alvarado, and one
of the old captains of the Adelantado Diego de Alvarado. He appears
to have been no relation, and was called Gómez de Alvarado _el mozo_
(the lad) to distinguish him from his namesake. We first hear of him
in Cuzco in 1538, as having been arrested by Almagro as a partisan
of Pizarro, just before the battle of Las Salinas. He then went with
Alonso de Alvarado for the exploration and settlement of Chachapoyas.
He afterwards joined Gonzalo Pizarro and was at the battle of
Anaquito, when he saved the wounded Belalcázar from the ruffian
Bachicao and others who wanted to kill him. Gonzalo Pizarro gave him
the government of the Chachapoyas. But he deserted his Chief and
joined La Gasca, who made him a captain of cavalry. After Sacsahuana,
Gómez de Alvarado "the lad" went to Upper Peru, and when Giron
commenced a civil war, he joined Alonso de Alvarado, but was killed in
the battle of Chuquinga. Garcilaso confuses him with the other Gómez
de Alvarado.
[101] The reader will have observed some repetition and confusion in
this chapter. It is as Cieza de León wrote it.