Of what else was done by the General Pero Alvarez Holguin, and how he departed from Cuzco.

IN previous chapters we related how Pero Alvarez Holguin was received in the city of Cuzco as General, and how Don Alonso de Montemayor had arrived there with despatches from Don Diego. Although he had written word of his coming, and that he had been sent by Don Diego, confidence was not felt in Don Alonso. The Adelantado Almagro had always thought highly of him, and he went with the Adelantado to Chile; moreover, he was on his side at the battle of Las Salinas, so it was feared that he might try to gain men over to Don Diego\'s party. He tried, indeed, to slip away from Cuzco, because he was told, before Pedro Anzures arrived, that some men who were not on very good terms with himself, were coming from the town of Plata in that leader\'s company, and he feared, in those troublous times, they might seek to kill him. Hence he tried to escape. But Pero Alvarez presently took measures to keep him in hand, and ordered his arrest, treating him liberally as his position deserved.

Pedro Anzures having arrived, and the captains having been appointed, it was found that the force numbered 300 men—including mounted pikemen, arquebusiers, and musketeers. News had come that his Majesty had appointed[164] the licentiate Vaca de Castro to be Judge, and that he had actually arrived at Buenaventura, and must by now be at Quito. So leaving a sufficient force behind to uphold Justice in the King\'s name, it was decided to set out from Cuzco with the intention of giving battle to Almagro and his followers if they should cross their path; while, if not, they would march on until they could join Vaca de Castro wherever they might meet him. They began the march to Guamanga in good order, always throwing out scouts to reconnoitre in case there should be signs of an enemy\'s approach.

Were one ordered to enumerate the great evils, injuries, robberies, oppression and ill-treatment inflicted on the natives during these operations, without exaggeration, there would never be an end of it, for they took no more thought about killing Indians than as if they were useless beasts, nor stopped to consider that Christ, our God, was placed on the Cross for them as well as for us. If the captains wished to place some check on such great evils they were powerless to do so; for in past disturbances and civil wars soldiers have always held to robbery and profit. If a remedy was attempted they mutinied, and passed over from one camp to the other; or they stayed away in the villages, if they were not allowed to follow their own devices. In very truth we may in some measure acquit them of blame, for the country is so rough and so devoid of beasts of burden that ............