CHAPTER CII

    Of other things done by Francisco dc Mendoza, and how he sent to arrest Nicolás de Heredia and sent Felipe Gutiérrez away.

AFTER Francisco de Mendoza had gained the people over, and been received as captain, and sworn to as such, he ordered one Juan García to go with twenty-six men and turn Felipe Gutiérrez out of the province; that with six mounted men, he might find his way back to Peru. García was also to arrest Nicolás de Heredia, the Camp-master, and to take away his arms and those of the men who were with him, fearing lest, Felipe Gutiérrez being absent, he might seek for means to take command by virtue of the commission he held from Vaca de Castro. Nicolás[366] de Heredia had remained behind with some Spaniards who were sick, and the captains having gone far ahead, he had not been able to join them; while, the Indians having made fierce war upon him, he and his companions had shown much spirit in defending themselves against them.

After taking charge of Felipe Gutiérrez and the six who were to go with him, Juan García started off and marched until he came to where Nicolás de Heredia was encamped, whom, suspecting nothing, he arrested. Then, having taken Felipe Gutiérrez and his six companions as far as the outskirts of the mountain country, he left them. With great risk to themselves and their horses, and with much difficulty, they reached Cuzco at a time when Vaca de Castro had already left the city and Gonzalo Pizarro was wishing to set out for Lima.

Juan García returned to Francisco de Mendoza, taking Nicolás de Heredia with him and, before they arrived at the camp, Mendoza ordered Gabriel Hernández to go and tell Heredia, from him, that he was there as captain, that all had sworn to him as such, and that Heredia must do the same, or else go the same road as Felipe Gutiérrez. Gabriel Hernández, having arrived at the place where Heredia was, warned him that it would not do to act otherwise, and Nicolás de Heredia took the oath to Francisco de Mendoza as his captain, as the rest had done. To make it more binding they divided the Host between them. Thence they set out in search of food, always hearing some yelling of the Indians, who were so numerous that they could not be fairly reckoned.

Francisco de Mendoza next ordered Juan García to go with thirty Spaniards and explore towards the uplands of Popayán,[169] and he was away for three months, finding several native settlements, and hearing news of very prosperous[367] ones farther on. In many of the pueblos they saw they found no other bread than algarroba,[170] and the natives were barbarous and of low type. There were many ewes. Being in want of horse shoes, they [Juan García's party] returned to where Francisco de Mendoza remained, who, in view of their long absence, was about to send and find out what had become of them. Before this, leaving Nicolás de Heredia in charge of the camp, Mendoza had set out to see if he could find some profitable country, but came upon nothing good, so he resolved to go and explore in the direction Felipe Gutiérrez had taken; and this he did, after the return of Juan García and his companions. But, coming to swamps and morasses, they were unable to pass them; so sending some of his party back to the camp with Pedro López de Ayala, Mendoza with the remainder ascended a cordillera or chain of hills which traverses those plains and came to some settlements, and to many streams which rise in the uplands. After exploring for a distance of eighty leagues and seeing the country was well supplied, where the camp could be maintained, and having information of other provinces farther on, he went back in order to return there with the whole of his people. Coming to a village on the track, they camped near it for the night, but when the barbarians found out that they had come there, thinking they would sleep in the houses, they got fire ready so as to burn them when they should be inside. In the second watch of the night numbers of Indians came with a great rush and set fire to the village, which was burnt. Had the Christians been within doors they would have been in danger, for the fire was widespread and very sudden. And, though they themselves were not sleeping in the houses, they had put all their stores inside them and these were consumed in the fire. Some[368] horses and mules were also burnt, and many of the servants. The Christians, with great commotion, got up in astonishment at what was happening, for they had not seen a single Indian; and thenceforward they continued their march very cautiously, lest any such disaster as this should occur again.

On reaching the camp Francisco de Mendoza remained there for several days, waiting for the maize to ripen, as at that time it was only in leaf. Afterwards he set out from that place with all his men, intending to proceed in the direction of sunrise, because the cordillera he had discovered lay on that bearing. After eight days' march Mendoza judged it wise to go forward himself and explore the route in advance, and selecting sixty Spaniards, he prepared to do so, leaving Nicolás de Heredia in charge of the camp with orders to follow after him; where we will let him be for the present.