CHAPTER X
News comes of the victory won by the Spaniards, even to their
putting the Indian army to flight. They command that a chain be
placed about the neck of Chilichuchima, holding him to be a traitor.
They cross the Rimac[54] and all reunite once more at
Sachisagagna,[55] where they burn Chilichuchima.
This news reached the Governor near the last river, as I have said, and
he, without showing any change in his countenance, communicated it to
the ten horsemen and twenty peons whom he had with him, consoling them
all with good words which he spoke to them, although they were greatly
disturbed in their minds, for they thought that if a small number of
Indians, relatively to the number anticipated, had maltreated the
Christians in such a manner in the first action, they would bring upon
them still greater war on the following day when their horses were
wounded and when the aid of thirty horsemen, which had been sent to
them, had not yet arrived among the Spaniards. But all showed that they
knew how to place their hopes in God, and they arrived at the river
which they crossed in _balsas_, swimming the horses, because the bridge
was burned down. And the river being very full, they delayed in crossing
it the rest of that day and the next one until the hour of siesta when
the Governor, smiling [determined] to set out without waiting for the
Indian allies to cross.[56] [Just then] a Christian was seen coming, and
when all saw him from afar, they judged that the captain with the
horsemen had been routed and that this man was bringing the news in his
flight. But when he had arrived in the presence of the Governor, he gave
great consolation to the minds of all with the news that he brought,
relating that God Our Lord, who never abandons his faithful servants
even in the direst extremities, ordained that while the captain with
the others [of his company] was passing that night cautiously and
encouraging his men for the combat on the morrow, the Marshal arrived
with the reënforcements of thirty horsemen which had been sent, and
these, together with the ten others whom they had left behind, made
forty altogether, and when all perceived this, the first group felt as
much pleasure as if they had resuscitated that day [just lived through],
holding it to be certain that the victory would be theirs on the
following day. When day had come, which was Sunday, they all mounted at
dawn, and, disposed in a wing formation in order to present a better
front, they attacked the rear of the Indians who, during the night, had
determined to attack the Christians, but who, in the morning, seeing so
many soldiers, thought that some aid must have come to them during the
night, on account of which, not having the courage to put on a bold
front, and seeing that the Spaniards were coming up the slope in pursuit
of them, turned their backs and retired from mountain to mountain. The
Spaniards did not follow them because the land was rough, and besides, a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account