DON Diego and his followers were much alarmed at the news that Pero Alvarez Holguin had been nominated General in the city of Cuzco, with Gómez de Tordoya as Camp Master, as well as at the news respecting the proceedings of Alonso de Alvarado and other occurrences. Their principal men assembled to decide what should be done. Gómez de Alvarado and Juan de Sayavedra were discontented that Juan de Herrada should be the General, and that they should be under his orders, he having been a common man and a private soldier. They were much displeased with Don Diego, and although they were present at some of the meetings, it was not willingly nor with the desire with which they were credited. There were different opinions as to the course to be pursued. Some thought that they should advance against Alonso de Alvarado and rout him. Others were in favour of descending along the coast road to capture or kill Vaca de Castro, and so to increase their army as to be strong enough to defeat those who had shown themselves to be enemies; then to wait and see how his Imperial Majesty would dispose these affairs. If a rigorous mandate should be sent[167] out against them, they could then retreat beyond the river Maule. But they were unable to agree upon any of those plans, and finally the proposal of Cristóbal de Sotelo was deemed the best. It was that they should go and meet Pero Alvarez Holguin and defeat him, as he could not have more than three hundred men; and then from the plains march to the important city of Cuzco, where they could gain information of the arrival of Vaca de Castro, and of his further movements, and learn the view he took of things. Having decided to quit Lima the captains sent twelve Spaniards to the province of Jauja to speak with the Guancas,[88] as they wished to pass through their province, so as to ensure mutual trust and friendship with them, to arrange about supplies, and to induce them to send advice of the coming of Pero Alvarez and his party if they should hear of it. Don Diego and his captains then began to collect arms, prepare powder, and make arquebuses; holding war to be certain, and not doubting that many of them must die, since they were so vengeful towards one another. The banners were displayed and the beating of drums heralded the war which the fifes proclaimed. And so all began to prepare for an early departure from the city.
Oh! what it was to see the noble Spanish youth then in Lima about to follow the banners of Chile. What a many cavaliers of good family, so adorned with graces and talent, some of them of martial mien, and holding their lives so cheap, provided that the gossip Fame would not leave them in the obscurity of oblivion, nor immortal Memory omit to bear witness in writing of their valour. Oh! he who has seen them traversing territories only limited by the Strait,[89] must be able to say that their fame is more than memorable, or failing in ability to embrace all[168] this, he could at least record their fortitude against barbarous nations living in regions beyond where the sun pursues its course.[90] And since I shall have to make mention of the names of the principal leaders when I come to the cruel battle of Chupas, I will hold over until then what the course of my work does not offer an appropriate place for discoursing on here.
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