One Of The Soldiers Happened To Be
Accompanied By His Wife And Two Young Children, And Seeing Them Entirely
Worn Out With Fatigue, While He Was Unable To Assist Them, He Preferred To
Remain With Them And Perish, Although He Might Have Saved Himself.
At
length, after infinite toil and danger, they found that they had reached
the top of the mountain, and began joyfully to descend into the lower
grounds of the kingdom of Quito.
It is true that in this country they
found other high mountains covered likewise with snow, as the province is
entirely surrounded and interspersed with mountains; but then there are
many temperate vallies among these mountains, which are well peopled and
cultivated. About this time, so great a quantity of snow melted suddenly
on one of these mountains, producing such prodigious torrents of water,
that the valley and village of _Contiega_ were entirely overwhelmed and
inundated. These torrents bring down immense quantities of stones, and
even vast fragments of rock, with as much ease as if they were only pieces
of cork.
It has been already said that Almagro had left Benalcazar in the
government of Quito, meaning to return to Cuzco, because no intelligence
had reached him of the motions of Alvarado; and mention has been made of
his having reduced certain rocks and fortresses into which the Indians of
Quito had retired to defend themselves. This had occupied him so long,
that Alvarado had penetrated into the province of Quito before Almagro had
returned into the south of Peru, being still employed in reducing the
southern districts of Quito. He received the first intelligence of the
arrival of Alvarado while reducing the province of _Liribamba_[29], for
which purpose he had to pass a considerable river with much difficulty and
danger, as the Indians had destroyed the bridges, and waited on the other
side of the river to attack him while passing. He defeated them, though
with much difficulty, as the Indians were very numerous, and their wives
fought as bravely as the men, being very expert in slinging stones. In
this engagement the head cacique of the Indians was made prisoner, and
from him Almagro got the first intelligence of the arrival of Alvarado,
who was then only at the distance of about sixty miles, employed in
reducing an Indian fortress into which one of the captains of the Indians
had retired, whose name was Zopazopaqui. On receiving this news, Almagro
sent seven horsemen to inquire into its truth, and to bring him exact
information of the strength and intentions of Alvarado. These were all
made prisoners by the troops of Alvarado, who liberated them some time
afterwards. Alvarado advanced with his troops within less than twenty
miles of the camp of Almagro, who, considering the great superiority in
number possessed by Alvarado, formed the resolution of returning to Cuzco
with an escort of twenty-five horse, and to leave the remainder of his
troops under Benalcazar for the defence of the country.
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