Meanwhile the Governor Vaca de Castro had set out from where he had
halted and was approaching the place where Alonso de Alvarado's camp
was pitched, on learning which that officer prepared to receive him
in the most honourable way possible, with many festoons of sedges
and sweet-smelling flowers round about the tent. As the Governor
approached, Alvarado and his officers mounted their steeds and rode
out to meet him, in their armour, while the footmen came with pikes,
cross-bows, and arquebuses, in squadron formation and in fine order,
as if ready to fight, that the Governor might see how dexterous they
were in military drill. When Alonso de Alvarado came to the Governor,
he dismounted to make obeisance, and Vaca de Castro received him very
well, commending him for the great service he had done to his Majesty
in raising the banner in his royal name, and for the honour he had
acquired in having been the first to declare against the party of the
men of Chile. Alvarado replied that he had done what he would never
cease to do, which was to serve the king. Presently Gómez de Alvarado
and the other gentlemen and soldiers composing the cavalry and the
squadron came up to kiss hands, and the Governor embraced them all
affectionately and gave them sure hopes that they would be rewarded
for what they had done in his Majesty's interests. After saying this
and other things they all remounted and went into the camp, where
Vaca de Castro was lodged in quarters that had been prepared for him.
He was so happy and contented at seeing himself in command of the
troops assembled there, and at finding that Alonso de Alvarado was
loyal to him, that he could not conceal his pleasure.
CHAPTER LX
_How it became known at Guaraz that Vaca de Castro was in the
camp of Alonso de Alvarado, and how Captain Castro went thither,
and of Vaca de Castro's going to Guaraz and taking command of
the troops there, and of what else happened._
As the camp at Guaraz was so near to the camp of Alonso de Alvarado
the news of what was passing reached there quickly, and Pero Alvarez,
with the rest, were greatly pleased. For they had been encamped there
many days and were anxious to depart. So they at once made ready to
welcome the Governor, and Captain Castro presently set out with a
small escort for the place where he was quartered. On arriving in Vaca
de Castro's presence the latter greeted him with much affection, as a
relation of his own through the Countess of Lemos,[102] with whom Vaca
de Castro also claimed near relationship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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