How Vaca de Castro, notwithstanding that he had entered into these negotiations, sent Alonso ?amarilla as a spy to the camp of Don Diego, with letters to many who were there, and how he was captured by Juan Diente when scouts were sent out from Vilcas, and on confessing what he went for, was put to death.

HAVING issued the despatches to the messengers who were to carry them, the Governor Vaca de Castro resorted to a precaution, by which he sought, privily and without the messengers who were engaged in the negotiations knowing it, to send a spy. This spy was a certain Alonso García ?amarilla, a great walker whom we mentioned in an earlier book, when he was sent by Hernando Pizarro, during the siege of Cuzco, to Yucay with Manco Inca. They then wanted to kill him, but he escaped from thence by his swiftness of foot, because his place of sepulture was destined to be at Vilcas. In all the land there was not a man ready and fitted to act the spy, unless it were this one, and Juan Diente who captured him, as we shall relate. Having removed his beard and casting off his Spanish clothes, he put on the garb of an Indian, rubbed his lips and back teeth with that precious herb which grows on the skirts of the Andes, and leaving the sword of which he was unworthy, he took a staff in his hand, and in a pouch or small wallet he put the letters which Vaca de Castro gave him for the camp of Don Diego. Having acquainted himself with the features of that camp and the method that was observed in it he was to return with all diligence and make his report. In such wise was Alonso García despatched, that anyone who saw him set forth from the camp would, of a certainty, have believed he was some Indian. Lope de Idiáquez and the factor Mercado also took their leave of the Governor.

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At this time the Chile faction, after they had despatched those who were to treat for peace, were very watchful in their camp. They sent scouts out in all directions, that their enemies might not take them unprepared; and one day it fell to the lot of Juan Diente, an excellent soldier and great walker, to go out scouting. He struck away to the right of the position of Vilcas, near some snowy mountains, and went up to the crest of a ridge to see if by chance any Spaniard might be coming in the direction of Guamanga. Alonso García was then coming along, and had a mind to pass that way; he was seen, however, by Juan Diente who thought he was an Indian, as the man\'s dress led him to assume. Nevertheless Diente went briskly down towards the place where he had seen him. Alonso García, who travelled by no means unwarily, raised his eyes to the high crests and snowy tracts above and noticed the Spaniard coming down. Seeing that he was one of the enemy he turned back into another path which led to some great rocks and deep caves. Diente, who excelled him in agility, got down with no little difficulty; and following the other\'s trai............