While at Truxillo, Pizarro received information that Almagro was inclined to take possession of the city of Cuzco, having been apprized by Ferdinand Pizarro, who was sent to Spain, that his majesty had appointed him a separate government extending a hundred leagues beyond the boundaries which had been assigned to Pizarro, and which Almagro alleged were considerably to the north of Cuzco. Juan and Gonzalo Pizarro, brothers of the governor, who were then in Cuzco, and several other persons of consideration, vigorously opposed Almagro and Hernando Soto, who took the part of Almagro, and a civil war seemed on the point of breaking out: But Almagro was unable to succeed in his design, as the great majority of the senators or members of the Cabildo took the part of the governor and his brothers. Immediately on receiving intelligence of these disputes, Pizarro posted with all expedition to Cuzco, where he soon re-established tranquillity by his presence. He pardoned Almagro, who was much ashamed of having occasioned so much confusion by attempting a matter of such high importance on such slight grounds as a mere hearsay or report. The ancient friendship and association between Pizarro and Almagro was renewed, and it was agreed that Almagro should go with a military force on discovery to the south, and if he found any country worth taking possession of, that the associates were to use their joint interest at the court of Spain to procure the government of it for him; but, if no good country were to be found, the government of Peru was then to be divided between Pizarro and Almagro. This agreement was solemnly ratified by oath upon the consecrated host, pledging themselves never to attempt in future to do any thing contrary to the interests of each other. Some have said that Almagro, on this occasion, swore that he would never make any future attempt upon Cuzco, or any part of the country to the distance of a hundred and thirty leagues to the south of that city, even in the event of being named by the king to to its government; and they add, that in addressing himself on this occasion to the holy body of Christ, he used these words, "If I should violate the oath which I now make, I pray, O Lord! that thou mayest punish and confound me in body and soul."
After this solemn agreement; Almagro prepared everything for his departure, and accordingly set out with above five hundred men, as shall be related in the next section. Pizarro returned to Lima, whence he sent Alfonso de Alvarado to conquer the country of the Chachapoyas, which is in the mountainous region of Peru about sixty leagues from Truxillo. This officer and his followers encountered much difficulty and labour in this enterprize, in which they at length succeeded, by forming establishments and reducing the inhabitants to submission; after which, the government of the province was conferred upon Alvarado, by whom the conquest had been effected.
Inconsequence of the agreement between Pizarro and Almagro, which was ratified on the 12th of June 1535, Almagro soon afterwards set out upon the proposed discovery and conquest at the head of five hundred and seventy men, partly cavalry and part infantry; for so great were the hopes of acquiring riches in this expedition, that several who had already acquired establishments in Peru, abandoned their houses, lands, and Indians, to follow the fortunes of Almagro181. Juan, de Saavedra was sent on before the main body of the army with a detachment of a hundred men; and, in the course of his march through that province which has since been called Los Charcas, he met with some Indians on their road from Chili to Peru, who were going to pay their homage to the Inca. Almagro having along with him a body of two hundred men, both horse and foot, made a march of two hundred and fifty leagues, reducing the whole country in his way, till he arrived in the district of the Chichas, where he learnt that he was followed by a body of fifty Spaniards commanded by Niguerol de Ulloa. Almagro commanded that party to join him, and continued his march towards Chili, which is 350 leagues beyond the province, of Chichas, reducing all the tribes on his route to submission. Almagro halted at this place with half his troops, and sent on the rest under Gomez de Aivarado, who proceeded sixty leagues farther; but was forced to return to Almagro, in consequence of the severity of the weather.
After the departure of Almagro from Cuzco, the Inca Manco Capac and his, brother Villaoma entered into a plot for massacring all the Spaniards in Peru on a certain day. Manco Capac had engaged execute to that part of the conspiracy which had for its object the destruction of Almagro and his troops, but which he was unable to accomplish. What was done by his brother will be related afterwards. Philipillo, the Peruvian interpreter who has been formerly mentioned, was acquainted with this conspiracy, on which account he made his escape from Almagro, and being pursued and taken was condemned to be quartered. Before his execution, he confessed that he had unjustly procured the death of Atahualpa, that he might thereby secure to himself one of the wives of that unhappy prince, of whom he was enamoured.
About two months after the arrival of Almagro in Chili, one of his captains named Ruy Dias came to him with a reinforcement of a hundred men, and informed him that all the natives of Peru had revolted and had massacred most of the Spaniards in that country. Almagro was much grieved at this intelligence, and resolved immediately to return, that he might chastise the revolters and restore the country to obedience; meaning afterwards to send one of his captains with a sufficient force to reduce Chili. He accordingly set out on his return, and was met on his way by Rodrigo Orgognez, who brought him a reinforcement of twenty-five men, and was soon afterwards joined by Juan de Herrada with a farther reinforcement of a hundred. Herrada brought him likewise the letters patent of the king, by which he was appointed governor of two hundred leagues of country beyond the boundaries assigned to Pizarro. This new government which was granted to Almagro was directed to be named the New Kingdom of Toledo, and that of Pizarro, the New Kingdom of Castille. Having said at the commencement of this section, that Almagro carried with him from Cuzco on this expedition a force of 570 Spanish troops; it must be remarked that such was his intention, but that in reality he had only 200 men along with him, after which his army was made up nearly to the intended number by the different reinforcements of which we have made mention.
In the march of Almagro into Chili, his army suffered excessive hardships from hunger and thirst. Besides their other fatigues, they had often to encounter Indians of great stature, clothed in the skins of sea-wolves and seals, who used the bow and arrow with great strength and address. But the most severe circumstance during this march was the intense cold which they encountered in passing over some mountains covered with snow. In particular, several of the soldiers belonging to Ruy Dias and a good many horses were frozen to death; and so excessive was the cold, that when Almagro returned towards Cuzco five months afterwards, several of the bodies of those who had been frozen to death were found upright and leaning against the rocks, still holding the bridles of their horses, which were likewise frozen, and their flesh still remained as sweet and uncorrupted as if they had only just expired, insomuch that the troops used the flesh of these horses as food on their return to Peru. In some parts of these deserts where there was no snow, the Spaniards were reduced to great straits from want of water; on which account they had to make bags or leather bottles of the skins of sheep, in which to carry water for their supply.
It is proper to remark, that the Peruvian sheep are much larger animals than those of Europe, and are used as beasts of burden. They resemble in some measure the camel in their shape, except that they have no hunches on their backs, and are able to carry a load of a hundred pounds or more, with which they are able to travel four or five leagues a-day. The Spaniards even sometimes rode on their backs. When fatigued, they immediately lie down, and it is impossible to make them rise again by any means whatever, neither blows nor kindness are of any avail, and it becomes necessary to unload them. When a person rides on one of these animals, and endeavours to urge it on when weary, it turns round its head towards the man, blowing upon him a most offensive breath mixed with a kind of stinking dew, which seems to proceed from the contents of its stomach. This is a most useful and profitable animal, as besides serving as a beast of burden, its wool is excellent and very fine; more especially that species which is called pacas, which has very long wool. These animals are supported at very little expence while on a journey, requiring only a very small allowance of maize, and they can subsist four or five days without drinking. Their flesh is well tasted and wholesome, and equal to the best fat mutton of Spain; and it is accordingly sold in all the butcher-markets of Peru. At the first settlement of the Spaniards in this country, before the establishment of regular markets, when any person killed one of these sheep, his neighbours used to participate, and they in their turns killed others, and divided them among the neighbours.
181
Though not mentioned directly in the text, it appears that Almagro knew of and intended to conquer the country of Chili, and that he chose to march by the high country of Peru, through the great elevated valley of the lake Titicaca, probably the highest inhabited land of South America. His object was in all probability to avoid the extensive desert of Atacama, which divides the plain of Peru from Chili. –E.