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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 387 of 421
Words from 203051 to 203577
of 221091
