By Dispatching Persons Of Confidence To The Different
Settlements In Peru, With A Formal Notification Of His Arrival And Of His
Commission, He Communicated To His Countrymen The Royal Pleasure With
Respect To The Government Of The Country.
By private emissaries, he
excited such officers as had discovered their disapprobation of Almagro's
proceedings, to manifest their duty to their sovereign by supporting the
person honoured with his commission.
Those measures were productive of
great effects. Encouraged by the approach of the new governor, or prepared
by his machinations, the loyal were confirmed in their principles, and
avowed them with greater boldness; the timid ventured to declare their
sentiments; the neutral and wavering, finding it necessary to choose a
side, began to lean to that which now appeared to be the safest, as well
as the most just[8]."
Don Diego had hardly got two leagues from Lima, in 1542, when secret
orders arrived there from Vaca de Castro, addressed to F. Thomas de San
Martin, provincial of the Dominicans, and Francisco de Barrionuevo, to
whom he committed the direction of public affairs till his own arrival. By
these persons, the cabildo of the city was secretly assembled in the
Dominican convent, to whom these orders were communicated, and who
immediately recognized Vaca de Castro as governor, and Geronimo de Aliaga,
his principal secretary, as adelantado or lieutenant governor of Peru.
Immediately upon this formal act of recognition, the members of the
cabildo and several of the principal citizens fled to Truxillo, fearing
the resentment of the Almagrians. Although all this had passed in secret,
it was communicated on the same night to Don Diego, who was disposed in
consequence to have returned with the intention of giving up the city to
plunder; but he was afraid lest by delay Holguin might escape into the
north of Peru, and lest by returning, the arrival of the new governor
might come to the knowledge of his troops. He determined therefore to
continue his march against Holguin with all expedition. In spite of all
his precautions, intelligence of the arrival of the new governor reached
his camp, on which several persons abandoned him secretly, particularly
the provincial of the Dominicans, Diego de Aguero, Juan de Saavedra, Yllen
Suarez de Carvajal the commissary, and Gomez de Alvarado.
Although every consideration prompted Don Diego to use the utmost
diligence in the present posture of affairs, he was under the absolute
necessity of marching slowly, as Juan de Herrada his great friend and
adviser fell sick of a mortal distemper. Owing to this delay, Holguin was
enabled to get beyond the valley of Jauja in his march towards the
province of Chachapoyas. Yet Don Diego followed after him with so much
diligence that he very nearly got up with him. In this emergency, as
Holguin was by no means in sufficient force to venture a battle with Don
Diego, he put the following stratagem in practice to enable him to escape,
which effectually succeeded. During the night he detached twenty horsemen
to make an attack on the advanced guard of the enemy, with orders to take
some prisoners if possible, and then to retire. They executed their orders
successfully and made three prisoners, two of whom Holguin ordered to be
immediately hanged, and offered life and liberty with a considerable
reward in money to the third, if he would carry information to certain
persons in the army of Don Diego, who he pretended were disposed to join
him, that he intended to attack the right wing of the camp in the ensuing
night, that they might be ready to assist him. He even administered an
oath to this soldier that he would religiously keep the secret from every
one but those to whom he was directed to carry the message. Being a young
man and desirous of procuring the promised large reward, he readily
undertook the commission, and returned to the camp of Don Diego. When Don
Diego understood that this man had come back, and that his two companions
were hanged by Holguin, he suspected that mercy had been shewn him on some
private conditions; for which reason he ordered the soldier to be put to
the torture, who immediately avowed all that had been confided to him. By
this means, Don Diego was led to believe that Holguin actually intended to
surprise him by night, and took effectual measures to receive him, placing
the greatest part of his troops under arms all night on that side which
the soldier mentioned as the part where Holguin was to attack. The
intentions of Holguin were diametrically opposite to this story which he
had put in the mouth of the soldier, meaning only to gain time for a
secure retreat; so that immediately after dispatching the soldier, he
decamped in the middle of the night, marching with all possible celerity
to get his army into a place of safety, while Don Diego uselessly kept his
army under arms in expectation of being attacked.
When Don Diego discovered the trick which had been imposed on him, he
resumed the pursuit of Holguin with as much celerity as he could: But
Holguin had sent a quick messenger to Alonso de Alvarado, requesting him
to hasten to his assistance, which Alvarado did without delay with all his
own troops and several of the inhabitants of Truxillo. On the junction of
these officers a few davs afterwards, Don Diego discontinued the pursuit,
and returned towards Cuzco. Holguin and Alvarado sent off immediately to
inform Vaca de Castro by letter of all the preceding events, and
counselled him to advance without delay to join them, as they were in
sufficient force to make him master of the country when strengthened by
his authority. At this time Juan de Herrada expired at Jauja, and Don
Diego detached a part of his army to the low country of Peru to collect
those of his party who were at Arequipa and other places. His officers
plundered the city of Arequipa, and dug up every where about the monastery
of the Dominicans in search of treasure, as they were informed that the
inhabitants of that city had concealed their valuable effects in that
convent.
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