CHAPTER XXXV

    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[120] 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[121] 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[122] 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 Ordu?a, 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 I?igo 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[123] 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.